JAK/STAT signaling is a central hub in cancer development, progression, immunosurveillance and response to immunotherapy. We discuss recent advances in the role of the JAK/STAT pathway in immunotherapies. We stress the importance of fully understanding how JAK/STAT modifies the immune response before implementing clinical trials combining JAK/STAT inhibitors with immunotherapy.
Recently, we have generated 284 epigenomic maps in melanoma. Using chromatin state profiling we identify an association of NRAS-mutants with bivalent Histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and broad H3K4me3 domains. Reprogramming of bivalent H3K27me3 occurs on critical invasive-regulators and its resolution using Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) inhibition reduces invasive capacity and tumor burden in NRAS-mutant patient samples.
Membraneless condensates have recently caught the attention of biologists as hubs for cellular components required for catalysis of basic processes. Whether they are real has become the center of heated discussion where the main issues are their mechanism of assembly and function. A recent study describing these condensates as hubs for protein degradation by the ubiquitin system may shed a new light on this recent development in cell biology.
Colon cancer progression is among the risks that increase with obesity. We have recently unveiled the molecular mechanism by which adipose tissue-released molecules, HGF and IL-6, make colorectal cancer (CRC) cells acquiring mesenchymal traits. Targeting of adipose-derived factors abrogate the metastatic potential of CRC stem cells (CR-CSCs) in obese patients.
The calcium-independent phospholipase iPLA2β has been identified as a transcriptional target of the tumor suppressor TP53 (or p53). Unlike GPX4 (glutathione peroxidase 4), iPLA2β is not required for normal homeostasis but critical for ferroptosis during stress responses. Our results implicate iPLA2β as an essential regulator in a noncanonical ferroptosis pathway.
The protein-lipid complex alpha1-oleate, derived from HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells), is identified as a molecular entity with significant therapeutic potential. Structural characterization of the complex and results of a successful placebo-controlled clinical trial are presented.
Autophagy is a central recycling process, and it plays a complex role in cancer. We discovered that when autophagy is blocked, cancer cells compensate by increasing mitochondrial-derived vesicles. However, there are many unanswered questions remaining, particularly in the context of the dual roles of autophagy in cancer.