Wendong Wang

Although genomic instability, epigenetic abnormality, and gene expression dysregulation are hallmarks of colorectal cancer, these features have not been simultaneously analyzed at single-cell resolution. Using optimized single-cell multiomics sequencing together with multiregional sampling of the primary tumor and lymphatic and distant metastases, we developed insights beyond intratumoral heterogeneity. Genome-wide DNA methylation levels were relatively consistent within a single genetic sublineage. The genome-wide DNA demethylation patterns of cancer cells were consistent in all 10 patients whose DNA we sequenced. The cancer cells' DNA demethylation degrees clearly correlated with the densities of the heterochromatin-associated histone modification H3K9me3 of normal tissue and those of repetitive element long interspersed nuclear element 1. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of reconstructing genetic lineages and tracing their epigenomic and transcriptomic dynamics with single-cell multiomics sequencing.

Tanshinone IIA is a derivative of phenanthrene-quinone isolated from Danshen, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine. It has antioxidant properties and cytotoxic activity against multiple human cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis and differentiation of some human cancer cell lines. Our purpose was to confirm its anticancer activity on human breast cancer in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate the mechanism of its activity. Human breast cancer cells were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, BrdU incorporation and gene expression profiling after treatment with tanshinone IIA. Seven nude mice bearing human breast infiltrating duct carcinoma orthotopically were tested for anticancer activity and expression of caspase-3 in vivo by s.c. injection of tanshinone IIA at a dose of 30 mg/kg 3 times/week for 10 weeks. Tanshinone IIA demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on cell growth (IC50 = 0.25 microg/ml), and it significantly inhibited colony formation and BrdU incorporation of human breast cancer cells. Oligonucleotide microarray analysis identified 41 upregulated (1.22%) and 24 downregulated (0.71%) genes after tanshinone IIA treatment. Upregulated genes were involved predominantly in cycle regulation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, signal transduction and transcriptional regulation; and downregulated genes were associated mainly with apoptosis and extracellular matrix/adhesion molecules. A 44.91% tumor mass volume reduction and significant increase of casepase-3 protein expression were observed in vivo. Our findings suggest that tanshinone IIA might have potential anticancer activity on both ER-positive and -negative breast cancers, which could be attributed in part to its inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis induction of cancer cells through upregulation and downregulation of multiple genes involved in cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, angiogenesis, invasive potential and metastatic potential of cancer cells. ADPRTL1 might be the main target at which tanshinone IIA acted.

As the latest and most anticipated method of tumor immunotherapy, CAR-NK therapy has received increasing attention in recent years, and its safety and high efficiency have irreplaceable advantages over CAR-T. Current research focuses on the application of CAR-NK in hematological tumors, while there are fewer studies on solid tumor. This article reviews the process of constructing CAR-NK, the effects of hypoxia and metabolic factors, NK cell surface receptors, cytokines, and exosomes on the efficacy of CAR-NK in solid tumor, and the role of CAR-NK in various solid tumor. The mechanism of action and the research status of the potential of CAR-NK in the treatment of solid tumor in clinical practice, and put forward the advantages, limitations and future problems of CAR-NK in the treatment of solid tumor.