Endocrine Abstracts

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are uncommon neoplasms with increasing incidence and limited therapeutic options, wherein identification of new diagnostic/prognostic/therapeutic biomarkers is urgently required. Alterations in somatostatin (SST)/cortistatin (CORT) and ghrelin systems have been associated to development/progression of several cancers. Thus, we evaluated expression levels of SST/CORT/ghrelin system components in gastroenteropancreatic-neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs...

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are uncommon neoplasms from the endocrine pancreas, whose incidence is recently rising. Unfortunately, an advanced stage is often found at diagnosis; thus, identification of new molecular diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers is required. Ghrelin and somatostatin/cortistatin systems are two multifunctional regulatory complexes widely distributed throughout multiple tissues, including the pancreas, where they exert diverse (pat...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among men in developed countries. Therefore, identification of novel molecular and therapeutic approaches to tackle this pathology are urgently needed. In this scenario, our group has recently reported that elements of the cellular machinery controlling alternative splicing processes might be used as potential novel therapeutic tools against PCa and castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). In this context, RBM22 ...

Glioblastoma (GBM; grade IV astrocytoma) is one of the most devastating endocrine-related cancer worldwide based on its locally aggressive behavior and because it cannot be cured by current therapies. Therefore, the identification of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and especially efficient therapeutic targets is urgently needed. In this sense, defects in alternative splicing process are associated with poor survival and high aggressiveness in cancer, including GBM....

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The main pharmacological strategy for this pathology is the blockade of the androgen receptor signalling pathway, commonly known as androgen-deprivation therapy. However, some of the patients does no longer respond to this hormonal therapy. Therefore, finding novel therapeutic strategies to tackle PCa, especially its most advanced phenotype [i.e., castration-resistant prostate cance...

Emerging evidence indicates that the cellular machinery controlling the splicing process (spliceosome) is altered in several tumour types, leading to oncogenic splicing events associated with tumour progression and aggressiveness. However, whether this molecular phenomenon also occurs in thyroid cancer has not been yet explored. Therefore, our main aim was to explore the potential dysregulation of the expression of relevant spliceosome components and splicing factors in clinic...

There is increasing evidence that alterations in alternative splicing can be linked to key tumor features in cancer. Dysregulations in the splicing machinery constitute the underlying cause in many of these alterations and, consequently, splicing and its control are emerging as a novel and transversal cancer hallmark, due to its association with different dysfunctions of tumor cells. In line with this, we discovered the existence of aberrantly spliced variants of somatostatin ...

Dysregulation of the splicing machinery is emerging as a novel cancer hallmark due to its association with multiple dysfunctions in tumor cells. An inappropriate function of the components of this machinery (spliceosome) could be primarily linked with the generation of tumor-associated aberrant splicing variants. In line with this, we have previously reported that overexpression of aberrantly spliced variants of somatostatin receptor 5 (sst5TMD4) and ghrelin (In1-ghrelin) is d...

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (panNETs) are the second most common neoplasm of the pancreas. panNETs arise from cells of the pancreatic islets and comprise a diverse and heterogeneous group of neoplasms. This hampers their systematic study, and the identification of common molecular signatures that might facilitate a better diagnosis of the disease, and the development of efficient therapeutic approaches. Indeed, there are no clinical, biochemical, anatomopathological, immu...

Emerging evidence indicates that the cellular machineries controlling gene expression mechanisms and genomic stability are altered in several endocrine-related cancers (ERCs), leading to some oncogenic events associated with tumour progression/aggressiveness. However, whether this phenomenon also occurs in thyroid cancer has not been yet explored. Therefore, this study was focused on: 1) investigating the potential alteration in the levels of components of the molecular machin...