Cancers, Vol. 11, Pages 146: Cholesterol Metabolism: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Glioblastoma

Cancers, Vol. 11, Pages 146: Cholesterol Metabolism: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Glioblastoma

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers11020146

Authors: Fahim Ahmad Qian Sun Deven Patel Jayne M. Stommel

Glioblastoma is a highly lethal adult brain tumor with no effective treatments. In this review, we discuss the potential to target cholesterol metabolism as a new strategy for treating glioblastomas. Twenty percent of cholesterol in the body is in the brain, yet the brain is unique among organs in that it has no access to dietary cholesterol and must synthesize it de novo. This suggests that therapies targeting cholesterol synthesis in brain tumors might render their effects without compromising cell viability in other organs. We will describe cholesterol synthesis and homeostatic feedback pathways in normal brain and brain tumors, as well as various strategies for targeting these pathways for therapeutic intervention.

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Cancers, Vol. 11, Pages 144: Systematic Review of the Potential of MicroRNAs in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Cancers, Vol. 11, Pages 144: Systematic Review of the Potential of MicroRNAs in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers11020144

Authors: Ane Larrabeiti-Etxebarria Maria Lopez-Santillan Borja Santos-Zorrozua Elixabet Lopez-Lopez Africa Garcia-Orad

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of invasive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). DLBCL presents with variable backgrounds, which results in heterogeneous outcomes among patients. Although new tools have been developed for the classification and management of patients, 40% of them still have primary refractory disease or relapse. In addition, multiple factors regarding the pathogenesis of this disease remain unclear and identification of novel biomarkers is needed. In this context, recent investigations point to microRNAs as useful biomarkers in cancer. The aim of this systematic review was to provide new insight into the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis, classification, treatment response and prognosis of DLBCL patients. We used the following terms in PubMed” ((‘Non-coding RNA’) OR (‘microRNA’ OR ‘miRNA’ OR ‘miR’) OR (‘exosome’) OR (‘extracellular vesicle’) OR (‘secretome’)) AND (‘Diffuse large B cell lymphoma’ OR ‘DLBCL’)” to search for studies evaluating miRNAs as a diagnosis, subtype, treatment response or prognosis biomarkers in primary DLBCL in human patient populations. As a result, the analysis was restricted to the role of miRNAs in tumor tissue and we did not consider circulating miRNAs. A total of thirty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, twenty-one were classified in the diagnosis category, twenty in classification, five in treatment response and nineteen in prognosis. In this review, we have identified miR-155-5p and miR-21-5p as miRNAs of potential utility for diagnosis, while miR-155-5p and miR-221-3p could be useful for classification. Further studies are needed to exploit the potential of this field.

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Cancers, Vol. 11, Pages 145: Calcium Signaling in Brain Cancers: Roles and Therapeutic Targeting

Cancers, Vol. 11, Pages 145: Calcium Signaling in Brain Cancers: Roles and Therapeutic Targeting

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers11020145

Authors: Ahmed Maklad Anjana Sharma Iman Azimi

Calcium signaling, in addition to its numerous physiological roles, is also implicated in several pathological conditions including cancer. An increasing body of evidence suggest critical roles of calcium signaling in the promotion of different aspects of cancer, including cell proliferation, therapy resistance and metastatic-related processes. In many cases, this is associated with altered expression and/or activity of some calcium channels and pumps. Brain cancers have also been the subject of many of these studies. In addition to diverse roles of calcium signals in normal brain function, a number of proteins involved in calcium transport are implicated to have specific roles in some brain cancers including gliomas, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma and meningioma. This review discusses research that has been conducted so far to understand diverse roles of Ca2+-transporting proteins in the progression of brain cancers, as well as any attempts to target these proteins towards a therapeutic approach for the control of brain cancers. Finally, some knowledge gaps in the field that may need to be further considered are also discussed.

http://bit.ly/2RhKnm2

Cover Image, Volume 179A, Number 1, January 2019

The cover image is based on the Research Article An N‐terminal heterozygous missense CASK mutation is associated with microcephaly and bilateral retinal dystrophy plus optic nerve atrophy by Leslie E. W. LaConte et al., DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.60687.

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Table of Contents, Volume 179A, Number 1, January 2019

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In This Issue

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Gene Editing Successfully Corrects 2 Amino Acid Disorders: In 2 preclinical studies using CRISPR‐mediated gene editing, phenylketonuria and hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 were corrected

http://bit.ly/2Tb2yvD