How should we define STAT3 as an oncogene and as a potential target for therapy?

Aberrant activation of the STAT3 transcription factor has been reported in a large group of tumors and a strong biological basis now defines this protein as an oncogenic driver. Consequently, STAT3 is considered to be a promising target in the field of cancer therapy. For its inhibition to result in a successful therapeutic approach, the definition of a target tumor population identified by specific and detectable alterations is critical. The canonical activation model of STAT3 relies on a constitutive phosphorylation on its 705 tyrosine site, resulting in its dimerization, nuclear translocation, and the consequent activation of cancer genes. Therefore, it is expected that tumors expressing this phosphorylated form are addicted to STAT3 and will be sensitive to existing drugs which are targeting this dimeric form. However, recent results have shown that STAT3 can function as an oncogene in the absence of this tyrosine phosphorylation. This indicates that different forms of the transcription factor also play an important role in tumor growth and chemotherapy resistance. This complicates the definition of STAT3 as an oncogene and as a potential prognosis and predictive biomarker. The obligation to target a defined tumor type implies that future clinical trials should use a precise definition of STAT3 activation. This will allow tumors addicted to this oncogene to be identified correctly, leading to a strong rationale for patient stratification

The Calcineurin Antagonist, RCAN1-4 is Induced by Exhaustive Exercise in Rat Skeletal Muscle

International audienceThe aim of this work was to study the regulation of the calcineurin antagonist regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) in rat skeletal muscles after exhaustive physical exercise, which is a physiological modulator of oxidative stress. Three skeletal muscles, namely extensor digitorum longus (EDL), gastrocnemius, and soleus, were investigated. Exhaustive exercise increased RCAN1-4 protein levels in EDL and gastrocnemius, but not in soleus. Protein oxidation as an index of oxidative stress was increased in EDL and gastrocnemius, but remained unchanged in soleus. However, lipid peroxidation was increased in all three muscles. CuZnSOD and catalase protein levels were increased at 3 h postexercise in soleus, whereas they remained unchanged in EDL and gastrocnemius. Calcineurin enzymatic activity declined in EDL and gastrocnemius but not in soleus, and its protein expression was decreased in all three muscles. The level of PGC1-α protein remained unchanged, whereas the protein expression of the transcription factor NFATc4 was decreased in all three muscles. Adiponectin expression was increased in all three muscles. RCAN1-4 expression in EDL and gastrocnemius muscles was augmented by the oxidative stress generated from exhaustive exercise. We propose that increased RCAN1-4 expression and the signal transduction pathways it regulates represent important components of the physiological adaptation to exercise-induced oxidative stress

The Oxygen Paradox, the French Paradox, and age-related diseases

open46openDavies, Joanna M. S.; Cillard, Josiane; Friguet, Bertrand; Cadenas, Enrique; Cadet, Jean; Cayce, Rachael; Fishmann, Andrew; Liao, David; Bulteau, Anne-Laure; Derbré, Frédéric; Rébillard, Amélie; Burstein, Steven; Hirsch, Etienne; Kloner, Robert A.; Jakowec, Michael; Petzinger, Giselle; Sauce, Delphine; Sennlaub, Florian; Limon, Isabelle; Ursini, Fulvio; Maiorino, Matilde; Economides, Christina; Pike, Christian J.; Cohen, Pinchas; Salvayre, Anne Negre; Halliday, Matthew R.; Lundquist, Adam J.; Jakowec, Nicolaus A.; Mechta-Grigoriou, Fatima; Mericskay, Mathias; Mariani, Jean; Li, Zhenlin; Huang, David; Grant, Ellsworth; Forman, Henry J.; Finch, Caleb E.; Sun, Patrick Y.; Pomatto, Laura C. D.; Agbulut, Onnik; Warburton, David; Neri, Christian; Rouis, Mustapha; Cillard, Pierre; Capeau, Jacqueline; Rosenbaum, Jean; Davies, Kelvin J. A.Davies, Joanna M. S.; Cillard, Josiane; Friguet, Bertrand; Cadenas, Enrique; Cadet, Jean; Cayce, Rachael; Fishmann, Andrew; Liao, David; Bulteau, Anne-Laure; Derbré, Frédéric; Rébillard, Amélie; Burstein, Steven; Hirsch, Etienne; Kloner, Robert A.; Jakowec, Michael; Petzinger, Giselle; Sauce, Delphine; Sennlaub, Florian; Limon, Isabelle; Ursini, Fulvio; Maiorino, Matilde; Economides, Christina; Pike, Christian J.; Cohen, Pinchas; Salvayre, Anne Negre; Halliday, Matthew R.; Lundquist, Adam J.; Jakowec, Nicolaus A.; Mechta-Grigoriou, Fatima; Mericskay, Mathias; Mariani, Jean; Li, Zhenlin; Huang, David; Grant, Ellsworth; Forman, HENRY J.; Finch, Caleb E.; Sun, Patrick Y.; Pomatto, Laura C. D.; Agbulut, Onnik; Warburton, David; Neri, Christian; Rouis, Mustapha; Cillard, Pierre; Capeau, Jacqueline; Rosenbaum, Jean; Davies, Kelvin J. A

Fine-mapping of prostate cancer susceptibility loci in a large meta-analysis identifies candidate causal variants

Prostate cancer is a polygenic disease with a large heritable component. A number of common, low-penetrance prostate cancer risk loci have been identified through GWAS. Here we apply the Bayesian multivariate variable selection algorithm JAM to fine-map 84 prostate cancer susceptibility loci, using summary data from a large European ancestry meta-analysis. We observe evidence for multiple independent signals at 12 regions and 99 risk signals overall. Only 15 original GWAS tag SNPs remain among the catalogue of candidate variants identified; the remainder are replaced by more likely candidates. Biological annotation of our credible set of variants indicates significant enrichment within promoter and enhancer elements, and transcription factor-binding sites, including AR, ERG and FOXA1. In 40 regions at least one variant is colocalised with an eQTL in prostate cancer tissue. The refined set of candidate variants substantially increase the proportion of familial relative risk explained by these known susceptibility regions, which highlights the importance of fine-mapping studies and has implications for clinical risk profiling. © 2018 The Author(s).Prostate cancer is a polygenic disease with a large heritable component. A number of common, low-penetrance prostate cancer risk loci have been identified through GWAS. Here we apply the Bayesian multivariate variable selection algorithm JAM to fine-map 84 prostate cancer susceptibility loci, using summary data from a large European ancestry meta-analysis. We observe evidence for multiple independent signals at 12 regions and 99 risk signals overall. Only 15 original GWAS tag SNPs remain among the catalogue of candidate variants identified; the remainder are replaced by more likely candidates. Biological annotation of our credible set of variants indicates significant enrichment within promoter and enhancer elements, and transcription factor-binding sites, including AR, ERG and FOXA1. In 40 regions at least one variant is colocalised with an eQTL in prostate cancer tissue. The refined set of candidate variants substantially increase the proportion of familial relative risk explained by these known susceptibility regions, which highlights the importance of fine-mapping studies and has implications for clinical risk profiling. © 2018 The Author(s).Peer reviewe

Coloration des fibres de réticuline sur tissu musculaire par la méthode de Gomori : intérêts pour l'étude de l'atrophie musculaire.

National audienceNo abstrac

Comparaison ultrasons focalisés de haute intensité vs prostatectomie totale dans le traitement à visée curative du cancer localisé de la prostate ISUP 1 et 2 : données carcinologiques intermédiaires

International audienceObjectifs : étude prospective multicentrique ouverte comparant l’efficacité carcinologique d’un traitement conservateur par ultrasons focalisés de haute intensité (HIFU) à la prostatectomie totale (PT) pour adénocarcinome prostatique localisé de stades ISUP 1 (non éligibles à la surveillance active) et ISUP 2. Nous communiquons des données carcinologiques intermédiaires à 18 mois.Méthodes : de février 2015 à septembre 2019, 3 364 patients (HIFU : 1 988, PT : 1 376) ont été inclus de façon prospective dans 42 centres. Âge médian : 74,6 vs 65 ; PSA médian : 7,11 vs 6,97 (p = 0,4) ; ISUP 1 : 0,39 ; ISUP 2 : 0,61. Objectif principal : survie sans traitement de rattrapage. Objectifs secondaires : bras HIFU : récidive biologique (RB) = PSA > Nadir + 2, PBP contrôle ; bras PT : R1, RB = PSA > 0,2 ng/mL.Résultats : objectif principal : à 18 mois, la probabilité de survie sans traitement de rattrapage est plus importante dans le bras HIFU comparé au bras prostatectomie HR = 0,31 IC95 % [0,23–0,42] soit un risque 3 fois plus élevé dans le groupe prostatectomie (p < 0,01). Objectifs secondaires : bras HIFU : récidives biologiques : 141 (10,6 %), PBP positives : 99 (7 %) ; bras PT : R1 = 25 % ; RB : 77 (9 %) à 18 mois.Conclusion : ces données intermédiaires à 18 mois ne permettent pas encore une comparaison équitable des deux bras en raison d’un profil évolutif spécifique à chaque groupe. Concernant l’objectif principal, la radiothérapie de rattrapage est probablement indiquée plus précocement après PT en raison de décisions de principe en RCP face à des marges positives. Le suivi des données carcinologiques pendant 30 mois, prévu dans l’étude, est justifié

Modulating Tumour Hypoxia in Prostate Cancer Through Exercise: The Impact of Redox Signalling on Radiosensitivity.

Prostate cancer is a complex disease affecting millions of men globally. Radiotherapy (RT) is a common treatment modality although treatment efficacy is dependent upon several features within the tumour microenvironment (TME), especially hypoxia. A hypoxic TME heightens radioresistance and thus disease recurrence and treatment failure continues to pose important challenges. However, the TME evolves under the influence of factors in systemic circulation and cellular crosstalk, underscoring its potential to be acutely and therapeutically modified. Early preclinical evidence suggests exercise may affect tumour growth and some of the benefits drawn, could act to radiosensitise tumours to treatment. Intracellular perturbations in skeletal muscle reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulate the production of numerous factors that can exert autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine effects on the prostate. However, findings supporting this notion are limited and the associated mechanisms are poorly understood. In light of this preclinical evidence, we propose systemic changes in redox signalling with exercise activate redox-sensitive factors within the TME and improve tumour hypoxia and treatment outcomes, when combined with RT. To this end, we suggest a connection between exercise, ROS and tumour growth kinetics, highlighting the potential of exercise to sensitise tumour cells to RT, and improve treatment efficacy

Ultrasons focalisés de haute intensité vs prostatectomie totale dans le traitement à visée curative du cancer localisé de la prostate ISUP 1 et 2 : EIG et résultats fonctionnels à 12 mois

International audienceObjectifs : étude prospective multicentrique ouverte comparant l’efficacité carcinologique et les conséquences fonctionnelles d’un traitement conservateur par ultrasons focalisés de haute intensité (HIFU) à la prostatectomie totale (PT) pour adénocarcinome prostatique localisé de stades ISUP 1 (non éligibles à la surveillance active) et ISUP 2. Nous rapportons ici les EIG et résultats fonctionnels à 12 mois.Méthodes : de février 2015 à septembre 2019, 3364 patients (HIFU : 1988, PT : 1376) ont été inclus de façon prospective dans 42 centres. Âge médian : 74,6 vs 65 ; PSA médian : 7,11 vs 6,97 (p = 0,4). Les EIG ont été transmis à l’Agence nationale selon les standards internationaux.Objectifs fonctionnels de l’étude : IPSS, continence (USP), fonction érectile (IIEF5), qualité de vie (EORTC QLQ-C30) à 12 mois.Résultats : les durées médianes d’hospitalisation initiale ont été respectivement de 1 et 4 jours. Cinquante-trois EIG Clavien–Dindo ≥ IIIa : 32 HIFU (1,6 %) et 21 PT (1,5 %). Aucun risque préalablement inconnu n’a été mis en évidence. Onze cas de fistules ont été rapportés : bras HIFU : 3/1988 (1,5/1000) fistules (2 uro-digestives, 1 urinaire) ; bras PT : 8/1376 (5,8/1000) fistules (7 urinaires, 1 digestive). Tous les cas ont été guéris. Vingt-trois décès ont été enregistrés et sont non imputables. Résultats fonctionnels (HIFU vs PT) : IPSS médian : 4 vs 3, IPSS QdV médian : 1 vs 1 ; continence score médian : 0 vs 1 (p < 0,005) ; IIEF5 (Δ médianes pré- et postopératoires) 1 vs −9 (p < 0,0001) ; EORTC QLQ-C30 : 90,7 vs 93,4.Conclusion : une proportion supérieure de réhospitalisations a été constatée après HIFU. Plusieurs explications sont suggérées : l’âge plus élevé des patients, la durée d’hospitalisation initiale très brève et la gestion non standardisée des accidents rétentionnels. En dehors de l’IPSS, les conséquences fonctionnelles (incontinence, dysfonction érectile) sont significativement moins importantes pour l’HIFU que pour la prostatectomie à 12 mois postopératoires. La qualité de vie post-thérapeutique des deux groupes reste élevée, et malgré une différence d’âge de près de dix ans, est comparable

Effects of diabetes and exercise on the expression of the RCAN1 protein in rat skeletal muscle. Implication of oxidative stress.

International audienc

Prostatectomie radicale laparoscopique robot-assistée : quelles sont les preuves à l’heure d’une demande de nomenclature spécifique ?

International audienceINTRODUCTION:Despite a decreasing number of radical prostatectomies in France, the number of robot-assisted surgeries increases. The objective of this work is to assess the interest of robotic prostatectomy before asking a specific funding from health authorities.MATERIAL AND METHODS:A systematic review of the literature on PubMed was performed. Prospective studies and meta-analyses comparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), laparoscopic (LRP) and open surgery (OP) were selected.RESULTS:There are only two randomized clinical trials comparing RARP and LRP. Erectile function was significantly better after RARP than after LRP. Compared to OP, sexuality evaluation, based on meta-analyses, was significantly better at 12 months and the absolute risk of erectile dysfunction significantly decreased. Continence after RARP was significantly better than LRP 3 months after surgery. Compared to OP, continence results were discordant, sometimes significantly in favor of RARP, sometimes similar. The rate of positive margins was similar whatever the technique. The long-term oncological outcomes were similar. In terms of perioperative complications, no significant difference was observed between RARP and LRP or OP.CONCLUSION:RARP provides same oncological outcomes as the open and laparoscopic approach. Continence and sexuality are better after RARP than after laparoscopic or open surgery. However, no randomized study comparing RARP and OP is available