Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a disease characterized by malignant T cells that home to the skin. In early stages, clinical presentation is often indistinguishable from benign chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), posing a challenge for proper diagnosis and treatment. Previous studies have established that MF is characterized by the expansion of a single T-cell clone, whereas benign skin conditions are polyclonal in nature. In this study, we aimed to use single-cell RNA sequencing data to detect distinct transcriptomic features of early-stage MF in comparison to AD skin. In early-stage MF, we observed gene expression differences in cells of both the stroma and the immune system, with keratinocytes exhibiting increased interferon response and proliferation (STAT1, ICAM1, HLA-DRA, GJB2), while fibroblasts displayed tumour-associated programs (CXCL2, TNFAIP6, CEBPD). Myeloid cells exhibited expression of immunomodulatory genes (RUNX3, DDIT4, IL4I1), and malignant T-cells expressed exhaustion-associated markers (CXCL13, SOCS3, F2R, ETV1), as opposed to AD and healthy control samples. Thus, our results provide a novel insight into the immune-stroma crosstalk in the tissue microenvironment of early-stage MF vs. AD skin lesions.

Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of metabolic pathways in breast cancer (BC) progression. Here, we developed a butyrate metabolism-specific gene (BMRG) signature to predict clinical outcomes and immunotherapy responses in BC, providing a novel pathway-focused prognostic tool. Using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), we identified 102 butyrate metabolism-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) through the intersection of DEGs, WGCNA-derived key module genes, and BMRGs. Univariate Cox followed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis identified nine genes to construct a prognostic signature, which served as an independent prognostic factor. Risk stratification revealed distinct immune microenvironment and mutation landscapes between subgroups, with risk scores strongly correlating with immune checkpoint expression. The signature exhibited robust prognostic performance, with AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 7-year overall survival ranging from 0.65-0.69 in TCGA and 0.57-0.77 in independent GEO cohorts. Protein-protein interaction analysis identified ACSL1 as a key hub gene, and functional validation confirmed that ACSL1 knockdown suppressed BC cell proliferation and migration. Our findings establish this novel nine-gene butyrate metabolism-specific signature as a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for BC, providing a metabolism-focused perspective for personalized BC management.

Most tumors exhibit increased glucose uptake and reprogram metabolism to aerobic glycolysis to meet their demands for macromolecule biosynthesis and energy production. Consequently, PET/CT using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG-PET/CT) has been developed and is clinically utilized in cancer imaging diagnostics. However, numerous cancers demonstrate negative imaging during 18F-FDG-PET/CT detection, suggesting these cancers employ alternative metabolic rewiring. In this study, we discovered that 18F-FDG-PET/CT-negative gastric cancers coordinate glutamine-based gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation to meet DNA and ATP demands, sustaining tumor growth despite low glucose uptake. PCK and CPT1A, the key enzymes which are responsible for remodeling the metabolism, were highly expressed in FDG-PET/CT-negative gastric cancers. Accordingly, PCK/CPT1A negatively correlated with 18F-FDG imaging levels and positively correlated with poorer clinical classifications. Mechanistically, PPARγ is highly expressed in FDG-PET/CT-negative cells and drives the transcription of the PCK and genes. Pharmacological inhibition of the PCK/CPT1A significantly suppressed tumor growth in 18F-FDG-PET/CT-negative gastric cancers, as demonstrated in both cell-derived xenograft (CDX) and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Together, these results highlight the heterogeneity of tumor cells from metabolic perspective, and identify PCK/CPT1A as a target for metabolic reprogramming and precision therapy of 18F-FDG-PET/CT-negative cancers.

Diffuse midline gliomas (DMG) are deadly pediatric brain cancers with limited treatment options. These tumors likely arise from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) that acquire a driver histone mutation, leading to an aberrant epigenome. RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a vital epi-transcriptomic modification that regulates RNA processes and plays a significant role in OPC development through its regulation of transcripts involved in histone modification processes. Despite this pivotal role in OPC biology, the epi-transcriptome has not yet been investigated in DMG, and its interrogation may uncover new therapeutic options and understanding of this disease. Therefore, for the first time, we generated base-resolution m6A landscapes for patient-derived DMG cultures and found that DMG exhibits elevated m6A levels compared to non-neoplastic patient cells, with particularly strong enrichment on transcripts involved in cell motility and migration. In contrast, the minority of transcripts that have lower levels of m6A in DMG were associated with cell cycle regulation, especially components of chromosome segregation machinery. We also demonstrate that DMG is sensitive to inhibition of the m6A demethylase FTO, with FB23-2 treatment resulting in decreased proliferation, reduced survival, and pronounced S-phase arrest/stress, accompanied by robust induction of CDKN1A, GADD45B, and TFRC. Furthermore, FTO inhibition led to significant downregulation of key cell cycle regulators at both the transcriptomic and proteomic levels. Collectively, these findings highlight RNA methylation as a critical regulator of DMG tumorigenicity and identify FTO as a promising therapeutic target for this currently incurable disease.

Drug resistance jeopardizes the prognosis of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) patients via DNA damage repair-coupled mechanism. The role of biomolecular phase separation in DNA damage repair has loomed. Here we find that CBX2 condensates are associated with drug resistance and contribute to DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in HGSOC. Specifically, CBX2 condensates facilitate the recruitment of key DSB repair factors PARP1, 53BP1, and BRCA1 to chromatin. Patients with a CBX2-negative pattern exhibit the best prognosis, followed by those with non-condensate CBX2, while the worst outcomes are observed in patients with condensate CBX2. By drug screening, Ibrutinib is identified as an effective inhibitor of HGSOC cells and patient-derived organoids with CBX2 condensates. Overall, CBX2 phase separation enhances DSB repair-mediated drug resistance in HGSOC cells, and Ibrutinib may offer a viable therapeutic option for CBX2-positive HGSOC patients.

Reprogramming of lipid metabolism and cyclic GMP‒AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling is associated with cancer development. However, whether and how fatty acid metabolism regulates the cGAS‒STING pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADS) is aberrantly deficient in CRC cells and is associated with cancer progression in human patients. We further revealed that ablation of ACADS promoted CRC progression by orchestrating the cGAS‒STING signaling-dependent immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in mouse xenografts and AOM/DSS-induced CRC models. Mechanistically, ACADS deficiency suppressed cGAS‒STING signaling by inhibiting mtDNA leakage in a nonmetabolic manner. ACADS binds to and inhibits mitochondrial DNMT1 (mito-DNMT1)-dependent mtDNA methylation, thereby stabilizing mtDNA and inhibiting its leakage. Genetic and pharmacological modulation of mito-DNMT1 restored ACADS-regulated mtDNA leakage, cGAS‒STING signaling, and CRC progression. Importantly, strong correlations between ACADS, mito-DNMT1, and STING signaling and the immune TME were found in patients with CRC. Furthermore, we screened and identified an old drug, hypericin, as an ACADS-binding compound that upregulates ACADS expression. Hypericin treatment can mimic ACADS overexpression-regulated pathways, ultimately improving the immune TME and suppressing CRC growth. These findings highlight a previously undiscovered ACADS/mito-DNMT1 complex that links fatty acid metabolism reprogramming to mtDNA methylation and cGAS‒STING signaling-dependent antitumor immunity.

Adipokines secreted by adipocytes have emerged as critical modulators of cancer progression, particularly in obesity-associated malignancies. However, their therapeutic relevance and the tumor types responsive to adipokine pathways remain unclear. To identify adipokine-driven cancers and assess the therapeutic potential of adipokine signaling, we conducted a pan-cancer transcriptome analysis of the expression of various adipokine receptors in 31 tumor types. AdipoR1 was most frequently amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer across molecular subtypes. In the functional analysis, AdipoR1 stimulation using the agonist AdipoRon activated AMPK signaling, suppressed proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis in both hormone receptor (HR)-positive (MCF7, T47D) and triple-negative (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) breast cancer cells. Notably, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that AdipoR1 stimulation upregulated ferroptosis-related genes, DDIT3, HMOX1, and IRE1α, and downregulated proliferation-related genes, estrogen receptor and TROP2, in breast cancer cell lines. Immunoblotting confirmed these changes at the protein level. AdipoR1 activation enhanced the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. In vivo, AdipoRon significantly reduced tumor growth and induced necrotic cell death. AdipoR1 activation exerts multimodal antitumor effects by engaging cell death and hormone receptor signaling. These findings establish AdipoR1 as a valuable therapeutic target in breast cancer and support further development of adipokine receptor-targeting therapies.

Micronuclei are small, independent cytoplasmic structures containing nuclear material. They typically form during cell division due to DNA damage or division abnormalities, serve as biomarkers of genetic damage, and are closely associated with chromosomal instability (CIN). Emerging evidence suggests that micronuclei actively promote and exacerbate CIN, with significant implications in disease pathology and potential therapeutic applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of micronuclei by exploring their origins, formation mechanisms, and functional consequences, and detailing the fate of micronuclei post-formation, which is essential for elucidating their role in genomic instability and potential therapeutic implications. Furthermore, micronuclei can contribute to extreme chromosomal shattering and genomic instability. These processes are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to disease progression, particularly in cancer. Although micronuclei have traditionally been viewed as markers of genomic instability, recent evidence suggests that they may also serve functional roles. Their potential use as treatments for certain diseases appears theoretically feasible; however, challenges remain in selectively targeting cells to induce the formation of favorable micronuclei and maintain optimal immune responses. Addressing these questions could open new avenues for therapeutic interventions.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated deaths, with liver metastases developing in about 50% of patients. Mitochondrial dynamics play critical roles in a diverse range of cellular functions, including cell migration and cancer metastasis. However, the influence of mitochondrial dynamics deregulation in CRC liver metastasis is incompletely understood. Through multiple transcriptomic data analysis and validation, we found that low expression of SNPH significantly correlated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. SNPH knockdown altered mitochondrial dynamics to increase cell migration and invasion by promoting filopodia formation. Moreover, the reduced levels of SNPH were linked to HIF-1α expression. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that HIF-1α transcriptionally activated miR-130a-3p expression, which targeted SNPH mRNA to inhibit its protein levels. Furthermore, miR-130a-3p inhibitor suppressed SNPH downregulation, filopodia formation, and CRC cells metastasis under hypoxic conditions. Mechanistically, SNPH downregulation promoted ROS production, resulting in the activation of the AKT/cdc42 pathway and downstream PAK1/Cofilin cascade. The overexpression of SNPH increased mitochondrial fusion and deterred the liver metastasis ability of CRC cells in vivo. Together, our results suggest that SNPH suppression imposed by the HIF-1α/miRNA-130a-3p axis under hypoxia conditions promotes the liver metastasis of CRC cells by activating the AKT/cdc42-PAK1/Cofilin cascade through mitochondrial dynamics-mediated ROS production.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most prevalent digestive system malignancy worldwide. The development of targeted therapeutics specifically effective for CRC is currently in dire need. Preclinical studies showed that CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib suppressed the growth of CRC, but whether this effect is durable is unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the roles of palbociclib-induced senescence and find a new strategy to maximize its effectiveness in CRC treatment. Animal and cellular experiments revealed that palbociclib-induced senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) caused drug resistance, anti-apoptosis, PD-L1 upregulation and inhibition of CD8+ T cells' function. Using CRISPR/Cas9 screening, we identified MCL1 as a senolytic target to eliminate palbociclib-induced senescent CRC cells in the presence of palbociclib. Mechanically, palbociclib-induced senescent cells upregulated ZHX2 and its transcriptional target MCL1, rendered their resistance to apoptosis and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, whereases combining palbociclib with MCL1 inhibitor markedly induced apoptosis in senescent cells by activating both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Lastly, we proposed a seno-therapy consisting of a palbociclib pre-treatment plus a combination treatment of palbociclib and MCL1 inhibitor and found it effectively inhibited tumor growth and improved the survival of CRC xenografted mice. Besides its senolytic effect, seno-therapy also reduced PD-L1-positive cells and enhancing the cytotoxic functions of CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, co-targeting CDK4/6 and MCL1 efficiently eliminates palbociclib-induced senescent CRC cells and offers a promising CDK4/6 inhibitor-based strategy for CRC treatment, ensuring prolonged tumor suppression and reducing the risk of progression or recurrence.

The enrichment of immunosuppressive M2 macrophages, combined with diminished CD8+ T cell infiltration, represents a key mechanism driving tumor progression and limiting immunotherapy efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we provide evidence that the purinergic P2Y2 receptor (P2RY2) is a key regulator of M2 macrophage enrichment and contributes to the exclusion of CD8+ T cells from the tumor microenvironment (TME). P2RY2 expression is significantly elevated in human NSCLC compared to non-malignant tissues and M2-like macrophages expressing P2RY2 are more prevalent in tumors with an advanced TNM (Tumor, Node, Metastasis) stage. Elevated P2RY2 mRNA levels are significantly associated with poorer overall survival in a NSCLC patients. Furthermore, we selectively inhibited P2RY2 in syngeneic or autochthonous mouse models of NSCLC driven by Kras or Egfr mutations. This resulted in a significant reduction of M2-like macrophages, enhanced CD8+ T cell migration and tumor infiltration and a marked decrease in tumor burden. Similar results were evident following the genetic deletion of P2ry2, validating the impact on the TME. Importantly, macrophages are the predominant P2RY2-expressing cells within the TME. Moreover, tumor-educated macrophages (TEMs) isolated from P2ry2-/- tumor-bearing mice exhibited reduced proliferation compared with wild-type macrophages when co-cultured with LLC1 cells, revealing a potential mechanism underlying P2RY2-mediated pro-tumorigenic activity. Our study underscores the clinical significance of P2RY2 in NSCLC and provides evidence of its pivotal role in the regulation of M2 macrophage enrichment and the exclusion of CD8+ T cells from the TME. Targeting P2RY2 may offer a novel immunotherapeutic intervention for NSCLC.

We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3, YAP1, INSM1, NFIB, SLFN11, and CASP10 in 94 resected primary small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) tumors and 32 matched regional lymph-node metastases (excluding combined SCLC and micro-metastases). We applied subtype assignments (SCLC-A, SCLC-N, SCLC-A/N, SCLC-P, SCLC-I), quantified intratumoral heterogeneity using Shannon Evenness Index, and assessed genomic alterations through targeted next-generation sequencing. Subtypes were dominated by ASCL1- and NEUROD1-driven programs, with one-third of tumors exhibiting mixed A/N expression. Cross-site comparison showed moderate concordance between primary tumors and lymph-node metastases; however, notable phenotypic discordance occurred in matched pairs (37.5%), frequently manifesting as a drift toward NEUROD1-dominant or mixed A/N phenotypes following dissemination. NEUROD1 correlated strongly with NFIB and INSM1, and NEUROD1 expression was high in paired regional lymph node metastases, supporting migratory or plastic phenotype associations. SLFN11 demonstrated high concordance between primary tumors and matched regional lymph node metastases, reinforcing its reliability as a predictive biomarker for chemotherapy sensitivity, owing to its stable expression during initial lymphatic dissemination. CASP10 was markedly downregulated in tumors relative to that in normal lung or lymphoid tissues. Genomic profiling confirmed canonical TP53/RB1 dual inactivation pattern alongside recurrent alterations in NOTCH1, PIK3CA, CREBBP, and KMT2D. Thus, SCLC subtyping shows significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity and organ-specific lineage plasticity. The observed discordance during regional nodal dissemination suggests that single site-dependent immunohistochemistry-based subtyping may be insufficient. Future frameworks incorporating multi-region analysis and liquid biopsy are essential to capture the dynamic evolution of SCLC and optimize personalized management for localized disease.

Preclinical evidence suggests colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) may modulate antitumor immunity. This study evaluated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration on neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT) efficacy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR or ALK mutations.

Lung cancer associated with interstitial lung disease (LC-ILD) represents a highly vulnerable population with limited therapeutic options and increased risk of treatment-related complications. Data from Western cohorts remain scarce, especially regarding molecular characteristics and prognostic determinants.

Aberrant alterations in transcription factors often disrupt key signalling pathways, contributing to oncogenesis in multiple cancers, including breast cancer. Spalt-like (SALL) transcription factors are a highly conserved family of proteins with distinctive zinc finger motifs that are emerging as crucial players in tumorigenesis. Despite their pivotal roles in oncogenesis, limited studies have been carried out to explore their roles specifically in breast cancer.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest malignancies, with a 5-year survival below 13% and limited response to standard therapies. Conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which accounts for over 90% of cases, dominates the landscape. Yet rare subsets of histological and molecular variants - such as medullary, colloid, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm-associated, and acinar cell carcinomas - have distinct biology and actionable alterations. These tumors are more frequently KRAS wild-type and are enriched for homologous recombination deficiency, DNA mismatch repair defects, microsatellite instability-high status, and, notably, recurrent gene fusions, unveiling promising opportunities for precision-guided therapies in a disease that has long been resistant to standard approaches. These molecular features identify subgroups more likely to benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy, PARP inhibition, immune checkpoint blockade, or targeted agent approaches with limited activity in unselected, conventional PDAC. Emerging stratifications, including MAPK pathway status and age at diagnosis, further refine the identification of actionable subgroups. Although limited, clinical evidence, including basket trials and real-world observations, demonstrates that biomarker-guided interventions can yield meaningful and durable responses, with improved progression-free and overall survival. Incorporating a structured diagnostic algorithm that recognizes rare subtypes and integrating comprehensive genomic profiling into routine practice represents a paradigm shift from non-stratified to mechanism-driven therapy in pancreatic cancer. This narrative review summarizes the clinicopathological characteristics, molecular landscapes, and therapeutic opportunities of rare PDAC subtypes, highlighting how precision medicine can reshape prognosis and treatment in a historically hard-to-treat disease.

L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) has emerged as a potential prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate the prevalence of L1CAM expression across molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer and its prognostic significance for survival outcomes.

Bulk RNA sequencing (bulk RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) are two important high-throughput sequencing platforms that have wide applications in biomedical research. Bulk RNA-seq reflects the average gene expression of all cells in the sample at a low experimental cost, whereas scRNA-seq enables transcriptomics profiling at a single-cell level, although with higher experimental costs. To integrate the strengths of both sequencing approaches and capitalize on the wealth of existing bulk RNA-seq datasets, we developed a U-Net-based deep learning algorithm, BLUE, to deconvolve bulk RNA-seq samples into cell-type proportions and cell-type-specific gene expression profiles. Built upon a U-Net backbone, BLUE leverages its powerful feature extraction and representation learning capabilities to achieve accurate predictions for cell-type-specific gene expression profiles, which significantly outperform existing deconvolution algorithms. Given the accurate prediction from BLUE, we developed an integrative framework for subtyping cancer patients and identifying cell-type-specific gene signatures that can function as prognostic biomarkers for cancer.

Cancer progression involves coordinated regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. This study explores the interplay of ENOX2 (ecto-NADH oxidase disulfide-thiol exchanger 2), MMP2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2), and regulatory genes Ras Association Domain Family Member 1, Isoform A (RASSF1A), WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 10A (WFDC10A), and Methyltransferase-Like Protein 7A (METTL7A) across multiple cancer cell lines, and evaluates the anticancer potential of repurposed mebendazole.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is highly treatment resistant and characterized by a hypoxic microenvironment. Here, we investigated the role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) in regulating resistance to radiation and KRAS-inhibitor. We employed CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out (KO) HIF1α from the murine KRASG12D/+; p53R172H/+ KPC and the KRASG12D/+; p53R273H; CDK2NA-/- Panc-1 human pancreatic cell lines. Compared to WT, the HIF1α KO cell lines demonstrated a shift toward an epithelial phenotype and had decreased proliferation and migration under hypoxia. HIF1α KO cell lines were less likely to survive after radiotherapy, and neutral comet assays demonstrated DNA damage four hours after treatment, suggesting that HIF1α promotes radioresistance through non-homologous end joining. When treated with a KRASG12D inhibitor, HIF1α KO cells exhibited significantly increased apoptosis due to decreased p53 degradation, likely mediated through Mdm2. Confirming this, enrichment of hypoxic signaling was associated with KRAS inhibitor resistance in a cohort of 31 KRASG12D cell lines. Our results thus suggest that inhibiting HIF1α may sensitize PDAC to radiation and KRAS inhibitors. To explore this, we conducted a drug repurposing screen and identified three HIF1α inhibitors (bakuchiol, BAY-87-2243, 2-methoxyestradiol) whose sensitivities were correlated with sensitivity to Deltarasin, a KRAS inhibitor. Our findings suggest that HIF1α inhibitors could be used to sensitize PDAC to radiotherapy and KRAS inhibitors.