Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of various cancers. However, treatment with cisplatin is associated with drug resistance and several adverse side effects such as nephrotoxicity, reduced immunity towards infections and hearing loss. A Combination of cisplatin with other drugs is an approach to overcome drug resistance and reduce toxicity. The combination therapy also results in increased sensitivity of cisplatin towards cancer cells. The mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in the cell, consisting of extracellular signal regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 kinases, and downstream mediator p90 ribosomal s6 kinase (RSK); is responsible for the regulation of various cellular events including cell survival, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, cell migration and protein translation. This review article demonstrates the role of MAPK pathway in cisplatin based therapy, illustrates different combination therapy involving cisplatin and also shows the importance of targeting MAPK family, particularly RSK, to achieve increased anticancer effect and overcome drug resistance when combined with cisplatin.

Single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) techniques can perform analysis of transcriptome at the single-cell level and possess an unprecedented potential for exploring signatures involved in tumor development and progression. These techniques can perform sequence analysis of transcripts with a better resolution that could increase understanding of the cellular diversity found in the tumor microenvironment and how the cells interact with each other in complex heterogeneous cancerous tissues. Identifying the changes occurring in the genome and transcriptome in the spatial context is considered to increase knowledge of molecular factors fueling cancers. It may help develop better monitoring strategies and innovative approaches for cancer treatment. Recently, there has been a growing trend in the integration of RNA-seq techniques with contemporary omics technologies to study the tumor microenvironment. There has been a realization that this area of research has a huge scope of application in translational research. This review article presents an overview of various types of single-cell RNA-seq techniques used currently for analysis of cancer tissues, their pros and cons in bulk profiling of transcriptome, and recent advances in the techniques in exploring heterogeneity of various types of cancer tissues. Furthermore, we have highlighted the integration of single-cell RNA-seq techniques with other omics technologies for analysis of transcriptome in their spatial context, which is considered to revolutionize the understanding of tumor microenvironment.

Lung cancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Natural molecules with anti-lung cancer potential are of a great interest and considered as very promising alternative to substitute or enhance the efficiency of the conventional drugs. Recently, algae as source of high value-added compounds are considered as very promising source of these bioactive molecules. These are secondary metabolites that consist mainly of derivatives of peptides, carbohydrates, and lipids with various structures. Accordingly, various mechanisms by which different algae molecules demonstrate attenuation of tumor angiogenesis were stated and discussed. The mode of action of the algae bioactives is closely related to their nature and chemical structure. Furthermore, this literature review considers the synergistic effect between microalgae bioactives and conventional drugs and discuss the economic feasibility of producing microalgae bioactives at large scale to conclude with some future perspectives related to algae-based drug discovery.

Osteopontin (OPN) is recognized for its significant roles in both physiological and pathological processes. Initially, OPN was recognized as a cytokine with pro-inflammatory actions. More recently, OPN has emerged as a matricellular protein of the extracellular matrix (ECM). OPN is also known to be a substrate for proteolytic cleavage by several proteases that form an integral part of the ECM. In the adult heart under physiological conditions, basal levels of OPN are expressed. Increased expression of OPN has been correlated with the progression of cardiac remodeling and fibrosis to heart failure and the severity of the condition. The intricate process by which OPN mediates its effects include the coordination of intracellular signals necessary for the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, promoting angiogenesis, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. In this review, we discuss the role of OPN in contributing to the development of cardiac fibrosis and its suitability as a therapeutic target.

Metabolic changes are an important component of tumor cell progression. Tumor cells adapt to environmental stresses via changes to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Autophagy, a physiological process in mammalian cells that digests damaged organelles and misfolded proteins via lysosomal degradation, is closely associated with metabolism in mammalian cells, acting as a meter of cellular ATP levels. In this review, we discuss the changes in glycolytic and lipid biosynthetic pathways in mammalian cells and their impact on carcinogenesis via the autophagy pathway. In addition, we discuss the impact of these metabolic pathways on autophagy in lung cancer.

A global survey of cancer has shown that lung cancer is the most common cause of the new cancer cases and cancer deaths in men worldwide. The mortality from lung cancer is more than the combined mortality from breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. The two major histological types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for about 85 % of cases and small cell lung cancer accounting for 15 % of cases. NSCLC, the more prevalent form of lung cancer, is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and has a very poor prognosis. Many factors have been shown to contribute to the development of lung cancer in humans including tobacco smoking, exposure to environmental carcinogens (asbestos, or radon) and genetic factors. Despite the advances in treatment, lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Interestingly, the overall 5 year survival from lung cancer has not changed appreciably in the past 25 years. For this reason, novel and more effective treatments and strategies for NSCLC are critically needed. p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK), a serine threonine kinase that lies downstream of the Ras–MAPK (mitogen activated protein kinase) cascade, has been demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation in various malignancies through indirect (e.g., modulation of transcription factors) or direct effects on the cell-cycle machinery. Increased expression of RSK has been demonstrated in various cancers, including lung cancer. This review focuses on the role of RSK in lung cancer and its potential therapeutic application.