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Chronic inflammation is a major cause of cancer worldwide. Interleukin 33 (IL-33) is a critical initiator of cancer-prone chronic inflammation; however, its induction mechanism by environmental causes of chronic inflammation is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that Toll-like receptor (TLR)3/4-TBK1-IRF3 pathway activation links environmental insults to IL-33 induction in the skin and pancreas inflammation. An FDA-approved drug library screen identifies pitavastatin to effectively suppress IL-33 expression by blocking TBK1 membrane recruitment/activation through the mevalonate pathway inhibition. Accordingly, pitavastatin prevents chronic pancreatitis and its cancer sequela in an IL-33-dependent manner. The IRF3-IL-33 axis is highly active in chronic pancreatitis and its associated pancreatic cancer in humans. Interestingly, pitavastatin use correlates with a significantly reduced risk of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in patients. Our findings demonstrate that blocking the TBK1-IRF3-IL-33 signaling axis suppresses cancer-prone chronic inflammation. Statins present a safe and effective prophylactic strategy to prevent chronic inflammation and its cancer sequela., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Genomic alterations that activate Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) are common in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and confer sensitivity to FGFR inhibition. However, the depth and duration of response is often limited. Here, we conduct integrative transcriptomics, metabolomics, and phosphoproteomics analysis of patient-derived models to define pathways downstream of oncogenic FGFR2 signaling that fuel ICC growth and to uncover compensatory mechanisms associated with pathway inhibition. We find that FGFR2-mediated activation of Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) maintains a highly glycolytic phenotype. Conversely, FGFR inhibition blocks glucose uptake and glycolysis while inciting adaptive changes, including switching fuel source utilization favoring fatty acid oxidation and increasing mitochondrial fusion and autophagy. Accordingly, FGFR inhibitor efficacy is potentiated by combined mitochondrial targeting, an effect enhanced in xenograft models by intermittent fasting. Thus, we show that oncogenic FGFR2 signaling drives NF-κB-dependent glycolysis in ICC and that metabolic reprogramming in response to FGFR inhibition confers new targetable vulnerabilities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer. Its incidence is low in the Western world but is rising globally. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been the only treatment options for decades. Progress in our molecular understanding of the disease and the identification of druggable targets, such as IDH1 mutations and FGFR2 fusions, has provided new treatment options. Immunotherapy has emerged as a potent strategy for many different types of cancer and has shown efficacy in combination with chemotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma. In this Review, we discuss findings related to key immunological aspects of cholangiocarcinoma, including the heterogeneous landscape of immune cells within the tumour microenvironment, the immunomodulatory effect of the microbiota and IDH1 mutations, and the association of immune-related signatures and patient outcomes. We introduce findings from preclinical immunotherapy studies, discuss future immune-mediated treatment options, and provide a summary of results from clinical trials testing immune-based approaches in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. This Review provides a thorough survey of our knowledge on immune signatures and immunotherapy in cholangiocarcinoma., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are life-threatening diseases with limited treatment options. The lack of clinically relevant/tractable experimental models hampers therapeutic discovery. Here, we develop a simple and robust human liver cell-based system modeling a clinical prognostic liver signature (PLS) predicting long-term liver disease progression toward HCC. Using the PLS as a readout, followed by validation in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis/fibrosis/HCC animal models and patient-derived liver spheroids, we identify nizatidine, a histamine receptor H2 (HRH2) blocker, for treatment of advanced liver disease and HCC chemoprevention. Moreover, perturbation studies combined with single cell RNA-Seq analyses of patient liver tissues uncover hepatocytes and HRH2 + , CLEC5A high , MARCO low liver macrophages as potential nizatidine targets. The PLS model combined with single cell RNA-Seq of patient tissues enables discovery of urgently needed targets and therapeutics for treatment of advanced liver disease and cancer prevention., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

SMAD4 is mutated in human lung cancer, but the underlying mechanism by which Smad4 loss-of-function (LOF) accelerates lung cancer metastasis is yet to be elucidated. Here, we generate a highly aggressive lung cancer mouse model bearing conditional Kras G12D , p53 fl/fl LOF and Smad4 fl/fl LOF mutations (SPK), showing a much higher incidence of tumor metastases than the Kras G12D , p53 fl/fl (PK) mice. Molecularly, PAK3 is identified as a downstream effector of Smad4, mediating metastatic signal transduction via the PAK3-JNK-Jun pathway. Upregulation of PAK3 by Smad4 LOF in SPK mice is achieved by attenuating Smad4-dependent transcription of miR-495 and miR-543. These microRNAs (miRNAs) directly bind to the PAK3 3'UTR for blockade of PAK3 production, ultimately regulating lung cancer metastasis. An inverse correlation between Smad4 and PAK3 pathway components is observed in human lung cancer. Our study highlights the Smad4-PAK3 regulation as a point of potential therapy in metastatic lung cancer., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Nanoparticulate albumin bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel, nab-PTX) is among the most widely prescribed nanomedicines in clinical use, yet it remains unclear how nanoformulation affects nab-PTX behaviour in the tumour microenvironment. Here, we quantified the biodistribution of the albumin carrier and its chemotherapeutic payload in optically cleared tumours of genetically engineered mouse models, and compared the behaviour of nab-PTX with other clinically relevant nanoparticles. We found that nab-PTX uptake is profoundly and distinctly affected by cancer-cell autonomous RAS signalling, and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK inhibition blocked its selective delivery and efficacy. In contrast, a targeted screen revealed that IGF1R kinase inhibitors enhance uptake and efficacy of nab-PTX by mimicking glucose deprivation and promoting macropinocytosis via AMPK, a nutrient sensor in cells. This study thus shows how nanoparticulate albumin bound drug efficacy can be therapeutically improved by reprogramming nutrient signalling and enhancing macropinocytosis in cancer cells., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14922.

Adenosquamous lung tumours, which are extremely poor prognosis, may result from cellular plasticity. Here, we demonstrate lineage switching of KRAS+ lung adenocarcinomas (ADC) to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) through deletion of Lkb1 (Stk11) in autochthonous and transplant models. Chromatin analysis reveals loss of H3K27me3 and gain of H3K27ac and H3K4me3 at squamous lineage genes, including Sox2, ΔNp63 and Ngfr. SCC lesions have higher levels of the H3K27 methyltransferase EZH2 than the ADC lesions, but there is a clear lack of the essential Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) subunit EED in the SCC lesions. The pattern of high EZH2, but low H3K27me3 mark, is also prevalent in human lung SCC and SCC regions within ADSCC tumours. Using FACS-isolated populations, we demonstrate that bronchioalveolar stem cells and club cells are the likely cells-of-origin for SCC transitioned tumours. These findings shed light on the epigenetics and cellular origins of lineage-specific lung tumours.

Subcutaneous xenografts have been used for decades to study hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These models do not reproduce the specific pathophysiological features of HCCs, which occur in cirrhotic livers that show pronounced necroinflammation, abnormal angiogenesis and extensive fibrosis. As these features are crucial for studying the role of the pathologic host microenvironment in tumor initiation, progression and treatment response, alternative HCC models are desirable. Here we describe a syngeneic orthotopic HCC model in immunocompetent mice with liver cirrhosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) that recapitulates key features of human HCC. Induction of substantial hepatic fibrosis requires 12 weeks of CCl4 administration. Intrahepatic implantation of mouse HCC cell lines requires 30 min per mouse. Tumor growth varies by tumor cell line and mouse strain used. Alternatively, tumors can be induced in a genetically engineered mouse model. In this setting, CCl4 is administered for 12 weeks after tail-vein injection of Cre-expressing adenovirus (adeno-Cre) in Stk4(-/-)Stk3(F/-) (also known as Mst1(-/-)Mst2(F/-); F indicates a floxed allele) mice, and it results in the development of HCC tumors (hepatocarcinogenesis) concomitantly with liver cirrhosis.

Generating reliable expression profiles from minute cell quantities is critical for scientific discovery and potential clinical applications. Here we present low-quantity digital gene expression (LQ-DGE), an amplification-free approach involving capture of poly(A)(+) RNAs from cellular lysates onto poly(dT)-coated sequencing surfaces, followed by on-surface reverse transcription and sequencing. We applied LQ-DGE to profile malignant and nonmalignant mouse and human cells, demonstrating its quantitative power and potential applicability to archival specimens.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive and devastating disease, which is characterized by invasiveness, rapid progression and profound resistance to treatment. Advances in pathological classification and cancer genetics have improved our descriptive understanding of this disease; however, important aspects of pancreatic cancer biology remain poorly understood. What is the pathogenic role of specific gene mutations? What is the cell of origin? And how does the stroma contribute to tumorigenesis? A better understanding of pancreatic cancer biology should lead the way to more effective treatments.