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Chu X, Tian W, Ning J, Xiao G, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Zhai Z, Tanzhu G, Yang J, Zhou R. Cancer stem cells: advances in knowledge and implications for cancer therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:170. [PMID: 38965243 PMCID: PMC11224386 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01851-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small subset of cells in tumors that are characterized by self-renewal and continuous proliferation, lead to tumorigenesis, metastasis, and maintain tumor heterogeneity. Cancer continues to be a significant global disease burden. In the past, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were the main cancer treatments. The technology of cancer treatments continues to develop and advance, and the emergence of targeted therapy, and immunotherapy provides more options for patients to a certain extent. However, the limitations of efficacy and treatment resistance are still inevitable. Our review begins with a brief introduction of the historical discoveries, original hypotheses, and pathways that regulate CSCs, such as WNT/β-Catenin, hedgehog, Notch, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, TGF-β, PI3K/AKT, PPAR pathway, and their crosstalk. We focus on the role of CSCs in various therapeutic outcomes and resistance, including how the treatments affect the content of CSCs and the alteration of related molecules, CSCs-mediated therapeutic resistance, and the clinical value of targeting CSCs in patients with refractory, progressed or advanced tumors. In summary, CSCs affect therapeutic efficacy, and the treatment method of targeting CSCs is still difficult to determine. Clarifying regulatory mechanisms and targeting biomarkers of CSCs is currently the mainstream idea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianjing Chu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Wentao Tian
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Jiaoyang Ning
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Yunqi Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Ziqi Wang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Zhuofan Zhai
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Guilong Tanzhu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
| | - Rongrong Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
- Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China.
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Fifield BA, Vusich J, Haberfellner E, Andrechek ER, Porter LA. Atypical cell cycle regulation promotes mammary stem cell expansion during mammary development and tumourigenesis. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:106. [PMID: 38943151 PMCID: PMC11212383 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01862-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cell cycle of mammary stem cells must be tightly regulated to ensure normal homeostasis of the mammary gland to prevent abnormal proliferation and susceptibility to tumorigenesis. The atypical cell cycle regulator, Spy1 can override cell cycle checkpoints, including those activated by the tumour suppressor p53 which mediates mammary stem cell homeostasis. Spy1 has also been shown to promote expansion of select stem cell populations in other developmental systems. Spy1 protein is elevated during proliferative stages of mammary gland development, is found at higher levels in human breast cancers, and promotes susceptibility to mammary tumourigenesis when combined with loss of p53. We hypothesized that Spy1 cooperates with loss of p53 to increase susceptibility to tumour initiation due to changes in susceptible mammary stem cell populations during development and drives the formation of more aggressive stem like tumours. METHODS Using a transgenic mouse model driving expression of Spy1 within the mammary gland, mammary development and stemness were assessed. These mice were intercrossed with p53 null mice to study the tumourigenic properties of Spy1 driven p53 null tumours, as well as global changes in signaling via RNA sequencing analysis. RESULTS We show that elevated levels of Spy1 leads to expansion of mammary stem cells, even in the presence of p53, and an increase in mammary tumour formation. Spy1-driven tumours have an increased cancer stem cell population, decreased checkpoint signaling, and demonstrate an increase in therapy resistance. Loss of Spy1 decreases tumor onset and reduces the cancer stem cell population. CONCLUSIONS This data demonstrates the potential of Spy1 to expand mammary stem cell populations and contribute to the initiation and progression of aggressive, breast cancers with increased cancer stem cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bre-Anne Fifield
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
- WE-SPARK Health Institute, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - John Vusich
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Erika Haberfellner
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Eran R Andrechek
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Lisa A Porter
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada.
- WE-SPARK Health Institute, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada.
- St. Joseph's Health Care London, Lawson Health Institute, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada.
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3
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Tripathy DK, Panda LP, Biswal S, Barhwal K. Insights into the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment: current and emerging therapeutic approaches. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1355242. [PMID: 38523646 PMCID: PMC10957596 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1355242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GB) is an intrusive and recurrent primary brain tumor with low survivability. The heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in the stemness and proliferation of GB. The tumor microenvironment induces tumor heterogeneity of cancer cells by facilitating clonal evolution and promoting multidrug resistance, leading to cancer cell progression and metastasis. It also plays an important role in angiogenesis to nourish the hypoxic tumor environment. There is a strong interaction of neoplastic cells with their surrounding microenvironment that comprise several immune and non-immune cellular components. The tumor microenvironment is a complex network of immune components like microglia, macrophages, T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and non-immune components such as extracellular matrix, endothelial cells, astrocytes and neurons. The prognosis of GB is thus challenging, making it a difficult target for therapeutic interventions. The current therapeutic approaches target these regulators of tumor micro-environment through both generalized and personalized approaches. The review provides a summary of important milestones in GB research, factors regulating tumor microenvironment and promoting angiogenesis and potential therapeutic agents widely used for the treatment of GB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dev Kumar Tripathy
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Lakshmi Priya Panda
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Suryanarayan Biswal
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Kalpana Barhwal
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India
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Cui J, Christin JR, Reisz JA, Cendali FI, Sanawar R, Coutinho De Miranda M, D’Alessandro A, Guo W. Targeting ABCA12-controlled ceramide homeostasis inhibits breast cancer stem cell function and chemoresistance. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh1891. [PMID: 38039374 PMCID: PMC10691781 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance. While emerging evidence suggests that CSCs have a unique dependency on lipid metabolism, the functions and regulation of distinct lipid species in CSCs remain poorly understood. Here, we developed a stem cell factor SOX9-based reporter for isolating CSCs in primary tumors and metastases of spontaneous mammary tumor models. Transcriptomic analyses uncover that SOX9high CSCs up-regulate the ABCA12 lipid transporter. ABCA12 down-regulation impairs cancer stemness and chemoresistance. Lipidomic analyses reveal that ABCA12 maintains cancer stemness and chemoresistance by reducing intracellular ceramide abundance, identifying a CSC-associated function of ABCA subfamily transporter. Ceramide suppresses cancer stemness by inhibiting the YAP-SOX9 signaling pathway in CSCs. Increasing ceramide levels in tumors enhances their sensitivity to chemotherapy and prevents the enrichment of SOX9high CSCs. In addition, SOX9high and ABCA12high cancer cells contribute to chemoresistance in human patient-derived xenografts. These findings identify a CSC-suppressing lipid metabolism pathway that can be exploited to inhibit CSCs and overcome chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihong Cui
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - John R. Christin
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Julie A. Reisz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Francesca Isabelle Cendali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Rahul Sanawar
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Marcelo Coutinho De Miranda
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Angelo D’Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Wenjun Guo
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Howland KK, Brock A. Cellular barcoding tracks heterogeneous clones through selective pressures and phenotypic transitions. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:591-601. [PMID: 37105856 PMCID: PMC10339273 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Genomic DNA barcoding has emerged as a sensitive and flexible tool to measure the fates of clonal subpopulations within a heterogeneous cancer cell population. Coupling cellular barcoding with single-cell transcriptomics permits the longitudinal analysis of molecular mechanisms with detailed clone-level resolution. Numerous recent studies have employed these tools to track clonal cell states in cancer progression and treatment response. With these new technologies comes the opportunity to examine longstanding questions about the origins and contributions of tumor cell heterogeneity and the roles of selection and phenotypic plasticity in disease progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennedy K Howland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78734, USA
| | - Amy Brock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78734, USA.
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Gillespie MS, Ward CM, Davies CC. DNA Repair and Therapeutic Strategies in Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1897. [PMID: 36980782 PMCID: PMC10047301 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
First-line cancer treatments successfully eradicate the differentiated tumour mass but are comparatively ineffective against cancer stem cells (CSCs), a self-renewing subpopulation thought to be responsible for tumour initiation, metastasis, heterogeneity, and recurrence. CSCs are thus presented as the principal target for elimination during cancer treatment. However, CSCs are challenging to drug target because of numerous intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of drug resistance. One such mechanism that remains relatively understudied is the DNA damage response (DDR). CSCs are presumed to possess properties that enable enhanced DNA repair efficiency relative to their highly proliferative bulk progeny, facilitating improved repair of double-strand breaks induced by radiotherapy and most chemotherapeutics. This can occur through multiple mechanisms, including increased expression and splicing fidelity of DNA repair genes, robust activation of cell cycle checkpoints, and elevated homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair. Herein, we summarise the current knowledge concerning improved genome integrity in non-transformed stem cells and CSCs, discuss therapeutic opportunities within the DDR for re-sensitising CSCs to genotoxic stressors, and consider the challenges posed regarding unbiased identification of novel DDR-directed strategies in CSCs. A better understanding of the DDR mediating chemo/radioresistance mechanisms in CSCs could lead to novel therapeutic approaches, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Gillespie
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Ciara M. Ward
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
| | - Clare C. Davies
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
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7
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Hoque S, Dhar R, Kar R, Mukherjee S, Mukherjee D, Mukerjee N, Nag S, Tomar N, Mallik S. Cancer stem cells (CSCs): key player of radiotherapy resistance and its clinical significance. Biomarkers 2023; 28:139-151. [PMID: 36503350 DOI: 10.1080/1354750x.2022.2157875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are self-renewing and slow-multiplying micro subpopulations in tumour microenvironments. CSCs contribute to cancer's resistance to radiation (including radiation) and other treatments. CSCs control the heterogeneity of the tumour. It alters the tumour's microenvironment cellular singling and promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Current research decodes the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and CSCs interlink in radiation resistance. Exosome is a subpopulation of EVs and originated from plasma membrane. It is secreted by several active cells. It involed in cellular communication and messenger of healthly and multiple pathological complications. Exosomal biological active cargos (DNA, RNA, protein, lipid and glycan), are capable to transform recipient cells' nature. The molecular signatures of CSCs and CSC-derived exosomes are potential source of cancer theranostics development. This review discusse cancer stem cells, radiation-mediated CSCs development, EMT associated with CSCs, the role of exosomes in radioresistance development, the current state of radiation therapy and the use of CSCs and CSCs-derived exosomes biomolecules as a clinical screening biomarker for cancer. This review gives new researchers a reason to keep an eye on the next phase of scientific research into cancer theranostics that will help mankind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saminur Hoque
- Department of Radiology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Rajib Dhar
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Rishav Kar
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute
| | - Sayantanee Mukherjee
- Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | | | - Nobendu Mukerjee
- Department of Microbiology, West Bengal State University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.,Department of Health Sciences, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Australia
| | - Sagnik Nag
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Biosciences & Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Namrata Tomar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Saurav Mallik
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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The Role of Cancer Stem Cells and Their Extracellular Vesicles in the Modulation of the Antitumor Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010395. [PMID: 36613838 PMCID: PMC9820747 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a population of tumor cells that share similar properties to normal stem cells. CSCs are able to promote tumor progression and recurrence due to their resistance to chemotherapy and ability to stimulate angiogenesis and differentiate into non-CSCs. Cancer stem cells can also create a significant immunosuppressive environment around themselves by suppressing the activity of effector immune cells and recruiting cells that support tumor escape from immune response. The immunosuppressive effect of CSCs can be mediated by receptors located on their surface, as well as by secreted molecules, which transfer immunosuppressive signals to the cells of tumor microenvironment. In this article, the ability of CSCs to regulate the antitumor immune response and a contribution of CSC-derived EVs into the avoidance of the immune response are discussed.
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Kilmister EJ, Koh SP, Weth FR, Gray C, Tan ST. Cancer Metastasis and Treatment Resistance: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10112988. [PMID: 36428556 PMCID: PMC9687343 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis and treatment resistance are the main causes of treatment failure and cancer-related deaths. Their underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated and have been attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs)-a small population of highly tumorigenic cancer cells with pluripotency and self-renewal properties, at the apex of a cellular hierarchy. CSCs drive metastasis and treatment resistance and are sustained by a dynamic tumor microenvironment (TME). Numerous pathways mediate communication between CSCs and/or the surrounding TME. These include a paracrine renin-angiotensin system and its convergent signaling pathways, the immune system, and other signaling pathways including the Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, and Sonic Hedgehog pathways. Appreciation of the mechanisms underlying metastasis and treatment resistance, and the pathways that regulate CSCs and the TME, is essential for developing a durable treatment for cancer. Pre-clinical and clinical studies exploring single-point modulation of the pathways regulating CSCs and the surrounding TME, have yielded partial and sometimes negative results. This may be explained by the presence of uninhibited alternative signaling pathways. An effective treatment of cancer may require a multi-target strategy with multi-step inhibition of signaling pathways that regulate CSCs and the TME, in lieu of the long-standing pursuit of a 'silver-bullet' single-target approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabrina P. Koh
- Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Freya R. Weth
- Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Clint Gray
- Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Swee T. Tan
- Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
- Wellington Regional Plastic, Maxillofacial & Burns Unit, Hutt Hospital, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Serrano A, Berthelet J, Naik SH, Merino D. Mastering the use of cellular barcoding to explore cancer heterogeneity. Nat Rev Cancer 2022; 22:609-624. [PMID: 35982229 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-022-00500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Tumours are often composed of a multitude of malignant clones that are genomically unique, and only a few of them may have the ability to escape cancer therapy and grow as symptomatic lesions. As a result, tumours with a large degree of genomic diversity have a higher chance of leading to patient death. However, clonal fate can be driven by non-genomic features. In this context, new technologies are emerging not only to track the spatiotemporal fate of individual cells and their progeny but also to study their molecular features using various omics analysis. In particular, the recent development of cellular barcoding facilitates the labelling of tens to millions of cancer clones and enables the identification of the complex mechanisms associated with clonal fate in different microenvironments and in response to therapy. In this Review, we highlight the recent discoveries made using lentiviral-based cellular barcoding techniques, namely genetic and optical barcoding. We also emphasize the strengths and limitations of each of these technologies and discuss some of the key concepts that must be taken into consideration when one is designing barcoding experiments. Finally, we suggest new directions to further improve the use of these technologies in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonin Serrano
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jean Berthelet
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shalin H Naik
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Delphine Merino
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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11
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Si H, Zhao N, Pedroza A, Zaske AM, Rosen JM, Creighton CJ, Roarty K. Noncanonical Wnt/Ror2 signaling regulates cell-matrix adhesion to prompt directional tumor cell invasion in breast cancer. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar103. [PMID: 36001375 PMCID: PMC9582800 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-02-0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions represent fundamental exchanges during tumor progression, yet how particular signal-transduction factors prompt the conversion of tumor cells into migratory populations capable of systemic spread during metastasis remains elusive. We demonstrate that the noncanonical Wnt receptor, Ror2, regulates tumor cell-driven matrix remodeling and invasion in breast cancer. Ror2 loss-of-function (LOF) triggers the disruption of E-cadherin within tumor cells, accompanied by an increase in tumor cell invasion and collagen realignment in three-dimensional cultures. RNA sequencing of Ror2-deficient organoids further uncovered alterations in actin cytoskeleton, cell adhesion, and collagen cross-linking gene expression programs. Spatially, we pinpoint the up-regulation and redistribution of α5 and β3 integrins together with the production of fibronectin in areas of invasion downstream of Ror2 loss. Wnt/β-catenin-dependent and Wnt/Ror2 alternative Wnt signaling appear to regulate distinct functions for tumor cells regarding their ability to modify cell-ECM exchanges during invasion. Furthermore, blocking either integrin or focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a downstream mediator of integrin-mediated signal transduction, abrogates the enhanced migration observed upon Ror2 loss. These results reveal a critical function for the alternative Wnt receptor, Ror2, as a determinant of tumor cell-driven ECM exchanges during cancer invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjiang Si
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Na Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Andrea Pedroza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Ana-Maria Zaske
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054
| | - Jeffrey M. Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Breast Cancer Program, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Chad J. Creighton
- Breast Cancer Program, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Kevin Roarty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Breast Cancer Program, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
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Tsochantaridis I, Kontopoulos A, Voulgaridou GP, Tsifintaris M, Triantafyllou C, Pappa A. Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1B1 Is Implicated in DNA Damage Response in Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma. Cells 2022; 11:cells11132017. [PMID: 35805102 PMCID: PMC9265533 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1B1 (ALDH1B1) has been correlated with colorectal tumorigenesis and is considered a potential biomarker for colon cancer. Its expression has been associated with attenuation of the cell cycle in the G2/M phase and resistance to DNA damaging agents. The present study examines the role of ALDH1B1 in DNA damage response (DDR) in human colorectal adenocarcinoma. To this end, we utilized an isogenic HT29 cell line pair differing in the expression of ALDH1B1. The overexpression of ALDH1B1 was related to the translational upregulation of the total and phosphorylated (at ser15) p53. Comet and apoptosis assays revealed that the expression of ALDH1B1 protected HT29 cells from etoposide-induced DNA damage as well as apoptosis, and its overexpression led to increased constitutive phosphorylation of H2AX (at ser139). Furthermore, the expression profile of a variety of DNA damage signaling (DDS)-related genes was investigated by utilizing the RT2 profiler™ PCR array. Our results demonstrated that ALDH1B1 triggered a transcriptional activation of several DNA repair-related genes (MRE11A, PMS1, RAD18 and UNG). Finally, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient analysis in 531 publicly available colorectal adenocarcinoma clinical samples indicated the statistically significant positive correlation between ALDH1B1 and DDR and repair genes or proteins, such as APEX1, FEN1, MPG, UNG, XRCC1, DDB1, XPC, CIB1, MRE11, PRKDC, RAD50, RAD21, TP53BP1, XRCC6 and H2AX. Collectively, our results suggest that ALDH1B1 may play an essential role in the DDR and DNA repair processes. Further studies on ALDH1B1 will elucidate its precise role in DDR.
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13
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Circulating Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer Patients: A Balancing Act between Stemness, EMT Features and DNA Damage Responses. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040997. [PMID: 35205744 PMCID: PMC8869884 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) traverse vessels to travel from the primary tumor to distant organs where they adhere, transmigrate, and seed metastases. To cope with these challenges, CTCs have reached maximal flexibility to change their differentiation status, morphology, migratory capacity, and their responses to genotoxic stress caused by metabolic changes, hormones, the inflammatory environment, or cytostatic treatment. A significant percentage of breast cancer cells are defective in homologous recombination repair and other mechanisms that protect the integrity of the replication fork. To prevent cell death caused by broken forks, alternative, mutagenic repair, and bypass pathways are engaged but these increase genomic instability. CTCs, arising from such breast tumors, are endowed with an even larger toolbox of escape mechanisms that can be switched on and off at different stages during their journey according to the stress stimulus. Accumulating evidence suggests that DNA damage responses, DNA repair, and replication are integral parts of a regulatory network orchestrating the plasticity of stemness features and transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal states in CTCs. This review summarizes the published information on these regulatory circuits of relevance for the design of biomarkers reflecting CTC functions in real-time to monitor therapeutic responses and detect evolving chemoresistance mechanisms.
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14
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Yamashita N, So T, Miyata T, Yoshimatsu T, Nakano R, Oyama T, Matsunaga W, Gotoh A. Triple-negative expression (ALDH1A1-/CD133-/mutant p53-) cases in lung adenocarcinoma had a good prognosis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1473. [PMID: 35087112 PMCID: PMC8795115 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05176-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are major contributors to the malignant transformation of cells because of their capacity for self-renewal. Aldehyde dehydrogenase1A1 (ALDH1A1) and CD133 are promising candidate of CSC markers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Furthermore, TP53 is frequently mutated in lung cancer, and the loss of its function is associated with malignant characteristics. However, the relationship between CSCs and mutant p53 in lung adenocarcinoma is not well-established. We examined the expression of ALDH1A1, CD133, and mutant p53 in lung adenocarcinoma patients and conducted a clinicopathological study. Triple-negative cases without ALDH1A1, CD133, and mutant p53 expression in lung adenocarcinoma were shown to have a much better prognosis than others. Our present results suggest that detection of CSC markers and mutant p53 by immunohistochemical staining may be effective in therapeutic strategies for lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Yamashita
- Department of Education for Medical Research Base, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan.,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shin-Komonji Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tetsuya So
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shin-Komonji Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takeaki Miyata
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shin-Kuki General Hospital, Saitama, Japan
| | | | - Ryuji Nakano
- Department of Pathology, Fukuoka-Wajiro Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tsunehiro Oyama
- Department of Education for Medical Research Base, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan.,Imamitsu Home Care Clinic, Kitakyusyu, Japan
| | - Wataru Matsunaga
- Department of Education for Medical Research Base, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Akinobu Gotoh
- Department of Education for Medical Research Base, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan.
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15
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Reprogramming of H3K9bhb at regulatory elements is a key feature of fasting in the small intestine. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110044. [PMID: 34818540 PMCID: PMC8668154 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB) is an essential metabolic energy source during fasting and functions as a chromatin regulator by lysine β-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb) modification of the core histones H3 and H4. We report that Kbhb on histone H3 (H3K9bhb) is enriched at proximal promoters of critical gene subsets associated with lipolytic and ketogenic metabolic pathways in small intestine (SI) crypts during fasting. Similar Kbhb enrichment is observed in Lgr5+ stem cell-enriched epithelial spheroids treated with β-OHB in vitro. Combinatorial chromatin state analysis reveals that H3K9bhb is associated with active chromatin states and that fasting enriches for an H3K9bhb-H3K27ac signature at active metabolic gene promoters and distal enhancer elements. Intestinal knockout of Hmgcs2 results in marked loss of H3K9bhb-associated loci, suggesting that local production of β-OHB is responsible for chromatin reprogramming within the SI crypt. We conclude that modulation of H3K9bhb in SI crypts is a key gene regulatory event in response to fasting. Terranova et al. demonstrate that fasting induces production of HMGCS2 and β-hydroxybutyrate in small intestine (SI) crypt cells. This causes enrichment of H3K9bhb within regulatory regions of critical metabolic genes in crypt epithelial cells. Loss of intestinal Hmgcs2 impairs H3K9bhb enrichment and affects expression of H3K9bhb-associated metabolic gene programs.
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16
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Godet I, Mamo M, Thurnheer A, Rosen DM, Gilkes DM. Post-Hypoxic Cells Promote Metastatic Recurrence after Chemotherapy Treatment in TNBC. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215509. [PMID: 34771673 PMCID: PMC8583122 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Intratumoral hypoxia is a negative prognostic factor in breast cancer progression and recurrence. By implementing a hypoxia fate-mapping system, we followed cells that experience intratumoral hypoxia in vivo and determined that these cells have an increased ability to metastasize compared to cells that were never exposed to hypoxia. In this work, we investigate whether cells that experienced intratumoral hypoxia are also resistant to chemotherapy. By utilizing both in vivo and ex vivo models, we conclude that metastatic cells found in the lung and liver, that were exposed to hypoxia in the primary tumor, are less sensitive to doxorubicin and paclitaxel and drive recurrence after treatment. Our studies also suggest that chemoresistance is associated with a cancer stem cell-like phenotype that is maintained in post-hypoxic cells. Abstract Hypoxia occurs in 90% of solid tumors and is associated with treatment failure, relapse, and mortality. HIF-1α signaling promotes resistance to chemotherapy in cancer cell lines and murine models via multiple mechanisms including the enrichment of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). In this work, we utilize a hypoxia fate-mapping system to determine whether triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells that experience hypoxia in the primary tumor are resistant to chemotherapy at sites of metastasis. Using two orthotopic mouse models of TNBC, we demonstrate that cells that experience intratumoral hypoxia and metastasize to the lung and liver have decreased sensitivity to doxorubicin and paclitaxel but not cisplatin or 5-FU. Resistance to therapy leads to metastatic recurrence caused by post-hypoxic cells. We further determined that the post-hypoxic cells that metastasize are enriched in pathways related to cancer stem cell gene expression. Overall, our results show that even when hypoxic cancer cells are reoxygenated in the bloodstream they retain a hypoxia-induced cancer stem cell-like phenotype that persists and promotes resistance and eventually recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Godet
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (I.G.); (M.M.); (D.M.R.)
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Mahelet Mamo
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (I.G.); (M.M.); (D.M.R.)
| | - Andrea Thurnheer
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
| | - D. Marc Rosen
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (I.G.); (M.M.); (D.M.R.)
| | - Daniele M. Gilkes
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; (I.G.); (M.M.); (D.M.R.)
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Correspondence:
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17
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Heterogeneity of Circulating Tumor Cell Neoplastic Subpopulations Outlined by Single-Cell Transcriptomics. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194885. [PMID: 34638368 PMCID: PMC8508335 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Over 12% of women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. The overall 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is 90%, but the 5-year survival rate for women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer is 28.1%. This study aims to characterize the cancerous cells that have left the primary tumor site and entered the blood, known as circulating tumor cells (CTCs). These cells could adhere to a site distant from the tumor and initiate metastasis. CTCs in breast cancer patients’ blood samples were enumerated and imaged. Cells from the blood were collected, RNA extracted, and the gene expression patterns of CTCs and other cell populations in the blood were investigated at the population and single cell level. This is a crucial step in characterizing CTCs as seeds of metastasis in breast cancer and for developing methods of detection to intercept metastasis before it localizes to distant regions of the body. Abstract Fatal metastasis occurs when circulating tumor cells (CTCs) disperse through the blood to initiate a new tumor at specific sites distant from the primary tumor. CTCs have been classically defined as nucleated cells positive for epithelial cell adhesion molecule and select cytokeratins (EpCAM/CK/DAPI), while negative for the common lymphocyte marker CD45. The enumeration of CTCs allows an estimation of the overall metastatic burden in breast cancer patients, but challenges regarding CTC heterogeneity and metastatic propensities persist, and their decryption could improve therapies. CTCs from metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients were captured using the RareCyteTM Cytefinder II platform. The Lin− and Lin+ (CD45+) cell populations isolated from the blood of three of these mBC patients were analyzed by single-cell transcriptomic methods, which identified a variety of immune cell populations and a cluster of cells with a distinct gene expression signature, which includes both cells expressing EpCAM/CK (“classic” CTCs) and cells possessing an array of genes not previously associated with CTCs. This study put forward notions that the identification of these genes and their interactions will promote novel areas of analysis by dissecting properties underlying CTC survival, proliferation, and interaction with circulatory immune cells. It improves upon capabilities to measure and interfere with CTCs for impactful therapeutic interventions.
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18
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Beyond the Double-Strand Breaks: The Role of DNA Repair Proteins in Cancer Stem-Cell Regulation. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194818. [PMID: 34638302 PMCID: PMC8508278 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a tumor cell population maintaining tumor growth and promoting tumor relapse if not wholly eradicated during treatment. CSCs are often equipped with molecular mechanisms making them resistant to conventional anti-cancer therapies whose curative potential depends on DNA damage-induced cell death. An elevated expression of some key DNA repair proteins is one of such defense mechanisms. However, new research reveals that the role of critical DNA repair proteins is extending far beyond the DNA repair mechanisms. This review discusses the diverse biological functions of DNA repair proteins in CSC maintenance and the adaptation to replication and oxidative stress, anti-cancer immune response, epigenetic reprogramming, and intracellular signaling mechanisms. It also provides an overview of their potential therapeutic targeting. Abstract Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are pluripotent and highly tumorigenic cells that can re-populate a tumor and cause relapses even after initially successful therapy. As with tissue stem cells, CSCs possess enhanced DNA repair mechanisms. An active DNA damage response alleviates the increased oxidative and replicative stress and leads to therapy resistance. On the other hand, mutations in DNA repair genes cause genomic instability, therefore driving tumor evolution and developing highly aggressive CSC phenotypes. However, the role of DNA repair proteins in CSCs extends beyond the level of DNA damage. In recent years, more and more studies have reported the unexpected role of DNA repair proteins in the regulation of transcription, CSC signaling pathways, intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Moreover, DNA damage signaling plays an essential role in the immune response towards tumor cells. Due to its high importance for the CSC phenotype and treatment resistance, the DNA damage response is a promising target for individualized therapies. Furthermore, understanding the dependence of CSC on DNA repair pathways can be therapeutically exploited to induce synthetic lethality and sensitize CSCs to anti-cancer therapies. This review discusses the different roles of DNA repair proteins in CSC maintenance and their potential as therapeutic targets.
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19
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Lin D, Chen X, Liu Y, Lin Z, Luo Y, Fu M, Yang N, Liu D, Cao J. Microgel Single-Cell Culture Arrays on a Microfluidic Chip for Selective Expansion and Recovery of Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells. Anal Chem 2021; 93:12628-12638. [PMID: 34495647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are rare and lack definite biomarkers, necessitating new methods for a robust expansion. Here, we developed a microfluidic single-cell culture (SCC) approach for expanding and recovering colorectal CSCs from both cell lines and tumor tissues. By incorporating alginate hydrogels with droplet microfluidics, a high-density microgel array can be formed on a microfluidic chip that allows for single-cell encapsulation and nonadhesive culture. The SCC approach takes advantage of the self-renewal property of stem cells, as only the CSCs can survive in the SCC and form tumorspheres. Consecutive imaging confirmed the formation of single-cell-derived tumorspheres, mainly from a population of small-sized cells. Through on-chip decapsulation of the alginate microgel, ∼6000 live cells can be recovered in a single run, which is sufficient for most biological assays. The recovered cells were verified to have the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of CSCs. Furthermore, multiple CSC-specific targets were identified by comparing the transcriptomics of the CSCs with the primary cancer cells. To summarize, the microgel SCC array offers a label-free approach to obtain sufficient quantities of CSCs and thus is potentially useful for understanding cancer biology and developing personalized CSC-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongguo Lin
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhun Lin
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yanzhang Luo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Mingpeng Fu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Na Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Dayu Liu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Jie Cao
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology, 1, Panfu Road, Guangzhou 510180, China
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20
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Gaggianesi M, Di Franco S, Pantina VD, Porcelli G, D'Accardo C, Verona F, Veschi V, Colarossi L, Faldetta N, Pistone G, Bongiorno MR, Todaro M, Stassi G. Messing Up the Cancer Stem Cell Chemoresistance Mechanisms Supported by Tumor Microenvironment. Front Oncol 2021; 11:702642. [PMID: 34354950 PMCID: PMC8330815 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.702642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the recent advances in cancer patient management and in the development of targeted therapies, systemic chemotherapy is currently used as a first-line treatment for many cancer types. After an initial partial response, patients become refractory to standard therapy fostering rapid tumor progression. Compelling evidence highlights that the resistance to chemotherapeutic regimens is a peculiarity of a subpopulation of cancer cells within tumor mass, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). This cellular compartment is endowed with tumor-initiating and metastasis formation capabilities. CSC chemoresistance is sustained by a plethora of grow factors and cytokines released by neighboring tumor microenvironment (TME), which is mainly composed by adipocytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), immune and endothelial cells. TME strengthens CSC refractoriness to standard and targeted therapies by enhancing survival signaling pathways, DNA repair machinery, expression of drug efflux transporters and anti-apoptotic proteins. In the last years many efforts have been made to understand CSC-TME crosstalk and develop therapeutic strategy halting this interplay. Here, we report the combinatorial approaches, which perturb the interaction network between CSCs and the different component of TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Gaggianesi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Simone Di Franco
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Davide Pantina
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gaetana Porcelli
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Caterina D'Accardo
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Verona
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Veronica Veschi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Naida Faldetta
- Department of Surgery, Villa Sofia-Cervello Hospital, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pistone
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Bongiorno
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Matilde Todaro
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giorgio Stassi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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21
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Zhao N, Powell RT, Yuan X, Bae G, Roarty KP, Stossi F, Strempfl M, Toneff MJ, Johnson HL, Mani SA, Jones P, Stephan CC, Rosen JM. Morphological screening of mesenchymal mammary tumor organoids to identify drugs that reverse epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4262. [PMID: 34253738 PMCID: PMC8275587 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24545-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in conferring stem cell properties and therapeutic resistance to cancer cells. Therefore, identification of drugs that can reprogram EMT may provide new therapeutic strategies. Here, we report that cells derived from claudin-low mammary tumors, a mesenchymal subtype of triple-negative breast cancer, exhibit a distinctive organoid structure with extended "spikes" in 3D matrices. Upon a miR-200 induced mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), the organoids switch to a smoother round morphology. Based on these observations, we developed a morphological screening method with accompanying analytical pipelines that leverage deep neural networks and nearest neighborhood classification to screen for EMT-reversing drugs. Through screening of a targeted epigenetic drug library, we identified multiple class I HDAC inhibitors and Bromodomain inhibitors that reverse EMT. These data support the use of morphological screening of mesenchymal mammary tumor organoids as a platform to identify drugs that reverse EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Reid T Powell
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xueying Yuan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Goeun Bae
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kevin P Roarty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fabio Stossi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Hannah L Johnson
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sendurai A Mani
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Philip Jones
- Institute of Applied Cancer Science (IACS), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Clifford C Stephan
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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22
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Zilli F, Marques Ramos P, Auf der Maur P, Jehanno C, Sethi A, Coissieux M, Eichlisberger T, Sauteur L, Rouchon A, Bonapace L, Pinto Couto J, Rad R, Jensen MR, Banfi A, Stadler MB, Bentires‐Alj M. The NFIB-ERO1A axis promotes breast cancer metastatic colonization of disseminated tumour cells. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e13162. [PMID: 33751828 PMCID: PMC8033524 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202013162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the main cause of deaths related to solid cancers. Active transcriptional programmes are known to regulate the metastatic cascade but the molecular determinants of metastatic colonization remain elusive. Using an inducible piggyBac (PB) transposon mutagenesis screen, we have shown that overexpression of the transcription factor nuclear factor IB (NFIB) alone is sufficient to enhance primary mammary tumour growth and lung metastatic colonization. Mechanistically and functionally, NFIB directly increases expression of the oxidoreductase ERO1A, which enhances HIF1α-VEGFA-mediated angiogenesis and colonization, the last and fatal step of the metastatic cascade. NFIB is thus clinically relevant: it is preferentially expressed in the poor-prognostic group of basal-like breast cancers, and high expression of the NFIB/ERO1A/VEGFA pathway correlates with reduced breast cancer patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Zilli
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Pedro Marques Ramos
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Priska Auf der Maur
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Charly Jehanno
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Atul Sethi
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsBaselSwitzerland
| | - Marie‐May Coissieux
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | | | - Loïc Sauteur
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Adelin Rouchon
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Laura Bonapace
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Joana Pinto Couto
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Roland Rad
- Department of Medicine IITUM School of MedicineInstitute of Molecular Oncology and Functional GenomicsCenter for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM)Technische Universität MünchenMünchenGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Andrea Banfi
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Michael B Stadler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsBaselSwitzerland
| | - Mohamed Bentires‐Alj
- Department of BiomedicineDepartment of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
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23
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Roarty K, Echeverria GV. Laboratory Models for Investigating Breast Cancer Therapy Resistance and Metastasis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:645698. [PMID: 33777805 PMCID: PMC7988094 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.645698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
While numerous therapies are highly efficacious in early-stage breast cancers and in particular subsets of breast cancers, therapeutic resistance and metastasis unfortunately arise in many patients. In many cases, tumors that are resistant to standard of care therapies, as well as tumors that have metastasized, are treatable but incurable with existing clinical strategies. Both therapy resistance and metastasis are multi-step processes during which tumor cells must overcome diverse environmental and selective hurdles. Mechanisms by which tumor cells achieve this are numerous and include acquisition of invasive and migratory capabilities, cell-intrinsic genetic and/or epigenetic adaptations, clonal selection, immune evasion, interactions with stromal cells, entering a state of dormancy or senescence, and maintaining self-renewal capacity. To overcome therapy resistance and metastasis in breast cancer, the ability to effectively model each of these mechanisms in the laboratory is essential. Herein we review historic and the current state-of-the-art laboratory model systems and experimental approaches used to investigate breast cancer metastasis and resistance to standard of care therapeutics. While each model system has inherent limitations, they have provided invaluable insights, many of which have translated into regimens undergoing clinical evaluation. We will discuss the limitations and advantages of a variety of model systems that have been used to investigate breast cancer metastasis and therapy resistance and outline potential strategies to improve experimental modeling to further our knowledge of these processes, which will be crucial for the continued development of effective breast cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Roarty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Gloria V Echeverria
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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24
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Annexin A1 Is Required for Efficient Tumor Initiation and Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance in a Model of Human Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051154. [PMID: 33800279 PMCID: PMC7962654 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor outcome compared to the other major breast cancer subtypes and new therapies are needed. We sought to clarify the functions of a ubiquitous protein, Annexin A1, in the development and progression of TNBC. We found that Annexin A1 expression correlated with poor patient prognosis in basal-like breast tumors and also in the basal like-2 subset of TNBCs. Stable knockdown of Annexin A1 attenuated the growth of SUM149 xenografts, which model basal-like 2 tumors. In a polyoma middle T antigen-driven allograft model of breast cancer, Annexin A1 depletion markedly delayed tumor formation, induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition and upregulated basal markers. Finally, loss of Annexin A1 resulted in the loss of a discrete CD24+/Sca1− population containing putative tumor-initiating cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate a novel cell-autonomous role for Annexin A1 in the promotion of tumor-forming capacity in certain TNBC tumors. Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor outcome compared to other breast cancer subtypes, and new therapies that target the molecular alterations driving tumor progression are needed. Annexin A1 is an abundant multi-functional Ca2+ binding and membrane-associated protein. Reported roles of Annexin A1 in breast cancer progression and metastasis are contradictory. Here, we sought to clarify the functions of Annexin A1 in the development and progression of TNBC. The association of Annexin A1 expression with patient prognosis in subtypes of TNBC was examined. Annexin A1 was stably knocked down in a panel of human and murine TNBC cell lines with high endogenous Annexin A1 expression that were then evaluated for orthotopic growth and spontaneous metastasis in vivo and for alterations in cell morphology in vitro. The impact of Annexin A1 knockdown on the expression of genes involved in mammary epithelial cell differentia tion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition was also determined. Annexin A1 mRNA levels correlated with poor patient prognosis in basal-like breast tumors and also in the basal-like 2 subset of TNBCs. Unexpectedly, loss of Annexin A1 expression had no effect on either primary tumor growth or spontaneous metastasis of MDA-MB-231_HM xenografts, but abrogated the growth rate of SUM149 orthotopic tumors. In an MMTV-PyMT driven allograft model of breast cancer, Annexin A1 depletion markedly delayed tumor formation in both immuno-competent and immuno-deficient mice and induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition and upregulation of basal markers. Finally, loss of Annexin A1 resulted in the loss of a discrete CD24+/Sca1− population containing putative tumor initiating cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate a novel cell-autonomous role for Annexin A1 in the promotion of tumor-forming capacity in a model of human breast cancer and suggest that some basal-like TNBCs may require high endogenous tumor cell Annexin A1 expression for continued growth.
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25
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The Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane Model: A New In Vivo Tool to Evaluate Breast Cancer Stem Cell Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010334. [PMID: 33396951 PMCID: PMC7795925 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The high plasticity of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) allows them to differentiate and proliferate, specifically when xenotransplanted subcutaneously into immunocompromised mice. CSCs are highly tumorigenic, even when inoculated in small numbers. Thus, in vivo limiting dilution assays (LDA) in mice are the current gold standard method to evaluate CSC enrichment and activity. The chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a low cost, naturally immune-incompetent and reproducible model widely used to evaluate the spontaneous growth of human tumor cells. Here, we established a CAM-LDA assay able to rapidly reproduce tumor specificities—in particular, the ability of the small population of CSCs to form tumors. We used a panel of organotropic metastatic breast cancer cells, which show an enrichment in a stem cell gene signature, enhanced CD44+/CD24−/low cell surface expression and increased mammosphere-forming efficiency (MFE). The size of CAM-xenografted tumors correlate with the number of inoculated cancer cells, following mice xenograft growth pattern. CAM and mice tumors are histologically comparable, displaying both breast CSC markers CD44 and CD49f. Therefore, we propose a new tool for studying CSC prevalence and function—the chick CAM-LDA—a model with easy handling, accessibility, rapid growth and the absence of ethical and regulatory constraints.
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26
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Peng X, Wei Z, Gerweck LE. Making radiation therapy more effective in the era of precision medicine. PRECISION CLINICAL MEDICINE 2020; 3:272-283. [PMID: 35692625 PMCID: PMC8982539 DOI: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbaa038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer has become a leading cause of death and constitutes an enormous burden worldwide. Radiation is a principle treatment modality used alone or in combination with other forms of therapy, with 50%–70% of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy at some point during their illness. It has been suggested that traditional radiotherapy (daily fractions of approximately 1.8–2 Gy over several weeks) might select for radioresistant tumor cell sub-populations, which, if not sterilized, give rise to local treatment failure and distant metastases. Thus, the challenge is to develop treatment strategies and schedules to eradicate the resistant subpopulation of tumorigenic cells rather than the predominant sensitive tumor cell population. With continued technological advances including enhanced conformal treatment technology, radiation oncologists can increasingly maximize the dose to tumors while sparing adjacent normal tissues, to limit toxicity and damage to the latter. Increased dose conformality also facilitates changes in treatment schedules, such as changes in dose per treatment fraction and number of treatment fractions, to enhance the therapeutic ratio. For example, the recently developed large dose per fraction treatment schedules (hypofractionation) have shown clinical advantage over conventional treatment schedules in some tumor types. Experimental studies suggest that following large acute doses of radiation, recurrent tumors, presumably sustained by the most resistant tumor cell populations, may in fact be equally or more radiation sensitive than the primary tumor. In this review, we summarize the related advances in radiotherapy, including the increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms of radioresistance, and the targeting of these mechanisms with potent small molecule inhibitors, which may selectively sensitize tumor cells to radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Peng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Zhigong Wei
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Leo E Gerweck
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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27
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Baek M, Chang JT, Echeverria GV. Methodological Advancements for Investigating Intra-tumoral Heterogeneity in Breast Cancer at the Bench and Bedside. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2020; 25:289-304. [PMID: 33300087 PMCID: PMC7960623 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-020-09470-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a major need to overcome therapeutic resistance and metastasis that eventually arises in many breast cancer patients. Therapy resistant and metastatic tumors are increasingly recognized to possess intra-tumoral heterogeneity (ITH), a diversity of cells within an individual tumor. First hypothesized in the 1970s, the possibility that this complex ITH may endow tumors with adaptability and evolvability to metastasize and evade therapies is now supported by multiple lines of evidence. Our understanding of ITH has been driven by recent methodological advances including next-generation sequencing, computational modeling, lineage tracing, single-cell technologies, and multiplexed in situ approaches. These have been applied across a range of specimens, including patient tumor biopsies, liquid biopsies, cultured cell lines, and mouse models. In this review, we discuss these approaches and how they have deepened our understanding of the mechanistic origins of ITH amongst tumor cells, including stem cell-like differentiation hierarchies and Darwinian evolution, and the functional role for ITH in breast cancer progression. While ITH presents a challenge for combating tumor evolution, in-depth analyses of ITH in clinical biopsies and laboratory models hold promise to elucidate therapeutic strategies that should ultimately improve outcomes for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mokryun Baek
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Chang
- Department of Pharmacology and Integrative Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Gloria V Echeverria
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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28
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Huang S, Huang Z, Chen P, Feng C. Aberrant Chloride Intracellular Channel 4 Expression Is Associated With Adverse Outcome in Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1648. [PMID: 33014825 PMCID: PMC7507859 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Methods: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which starts in the bone marrow, is a group of hematopoietic stem cell disorders. Chloride intracellular channel 4 (CLIC4) is regulated by p53, c-Myc, and TGF-β. It induces the NF-κB-dependent activation of HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) and participates in tumor growth through its microenvironmental function. However, its prognostic value in AML remains unclear, as well as its co-expression biomarkers. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of CLIC4 expression using two independent large cohorts of cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML) patients. Multivariable analysis and multi-omics analysis with weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) in the CN-AML group were also presented. Based on CLIC4 and its related genes, microRNA-target gene interaction network analysis and downstream gene ontology analysis were performed to unveil the complex functions behind CLIC4. Results: We demonstrated that the overexpression of CLIC4 was notably associated with unfavorable outcome in the two independent cohorts of CN-AML patients [overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS): P < 0.0001, n = 185; OS: P = 0.016, n = 232], as well as in the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) Intermediate-I group (OS: P = 0.015, EFS: P = 0.012, n = 115), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Intermediate Risk AML group (OS and EFS: P < 0.0001, n = 225), and the non-M3 AML group (OS and EFS: P < 0.0001, n = 435). Multivariable analysis further validated CLIC4 as a high-risk factor in the CN-AML group. Multi-omics analysis presented the overexpression of CLIC4 as associated with the co-expression of the different gene sets in leukemia, up/downregulation of the immune-related pathways, dysregulation of microRNAs, and hypermethylation around the CpG islands, in open sea regions, and in different gene structural fragments including TSS1500, gene body, 5'UTR region, 3'UTR region, and the first exon. By further performing WGCNA on multi-omics data, certain biomarkers that are co-expressed with CLIC4 were also unveiled. Conclusion: We demonstrated that CLIC4 is a novel, potential unfavorable prognosticator and therapeutic target for CN-AML. As having a key role in CN-AML, the interactions between CLIC4 and other genomics and transcriptomics data were confirmed by performing microRNA-target gene interaction network analysis and gene ontology enrichment analysis. The experimental result provides evidence for the clinical strategy selection of CN-AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Huang
- Department of Hematology, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi Huang
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Ping Chen
- Department of Hematology, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Cong Feng
- Department of Emergency, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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29
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Teo WS, Holliday H, Karthikeyan N, Cazet AS, Roden DL, Harvey K, Konrad CV, Murali R, Varghese BA, Thankamony AP, Chan CL, McFarland A, Junankar S, Ye S, Yang J, Nikolic I, Shah JS, Baker LA, Millar EKA, Naylor MJ, Ormandy CJ, Lakhani SR, Kaplan W, Mellick AS, O'Toole SA, Swarbrick A, Nair R. Id Proteins Promote a Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype in Mouse Models of Triple Negative Breast Cancer via Negative Regulation of Robo1. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:552. [PMID: 32766238 PMCID: PMC7380117 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancers display phenotypic and functional heterogeneity and several lines of evidence support the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in certain breast cancers, a minor population of cells capable of tumor initiation and metastatic dissemination. Identifying factors that regulate the CSC phenotype is therefore important for developing strategies to treat metastatic disease. The Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 1 (Id1) and its closely related family member Inhibitor of Differentiation 3 (Id3) (collectively termed Id) are expressed by a diversity of stem cells and are required for metastatic dissemination in experimental models of breast cancer. In this study, we show that ID1 is expressed in rare neoplastic cells within ER-negative breast cancers. To address the function of Id1 expressing cells within tumors, we developed independent murine models of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) in which a genetic reporter permitted the prospective isolation of Id1+ cells. Id1+ cells are enriched for self-renewal in tumorsphere assays in vitro and for tumor initiation in vivo. Conversely, depletion of Id1 and Id3 in the 4T1 murine model of TNBC demonstrates that Id1/3 are required for cell proliferation and self-renewal in vitro, as well as primary tumor growth and metastatic colonization of the lung in vivo. Using combined bioinformatic analysis, we have defined a novel mechanism of Id protein function via negative regulation of the Roundabout Axon Guidance Receptor Homolog 1 (Robo1) leading to activation of a Myc transcriptional programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wee S. Teo
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Holly Holliday
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nitheesh Karthikeyan
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Aurélie S. Cazet
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel L. Roden
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kate Harvey
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Reshma Murali
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Binitha Anu Varghese
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Archana P. Thankamony
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Chia-Ling Chan
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrea McFarland
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon Junankar
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sunny Ye
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica Yang
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Iva Nikolic
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jaynish S. Shah
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program, Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Laura A. Baker
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ewan K. A. Millar
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, NSW Health Pathology, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew J. Naylor
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Discipline of Physiology & Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Ormandy
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sunil R. Lakhani
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, School of Medicine and Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Warren Kaplan
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Peter Wills Bioinformatics Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Albert S. Mellick
- UNSW Medicine, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, South Western Sydney Clinical School UNSW & CONCERT Translational Cancer Research Centre, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Sandra A. O'Toole
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexander Swarbrick
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Radhika Nair
- Cancer Research Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
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30
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Bridges AE, Ramachandran S, Pathania R, Parwal U, Lester A, Rajpurohit P, Morera DS, Patel N, Singh N, Korkaya H, Manicassamy S, Prasad PD, Lokeshwar VB, Lokeshwar BL, Ganapathy V, Thangaraju M. RAD51AP1 Deficiency Reduces Tumor Growth by Targeting Stem Cell Self-Renewal. Cancer Res 2020; 80:3855-3866. [PMID: 32665355 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-3713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RAD51-associated protein 1 (RAD51AP1) plays an integral role in homologous recombination by activating RAD51 recombinase. Homologous recombination is essential for preserving genome integrity and RAD51AP1 is critical for D-loop formation, a key step in homologous recombination. Although RAD51AP1 is involved in maintaining genomic stability, recent studies have shown that RAD51AP1 expression is significantly upregulated in human cancers. However, the functional role of RAD51AP1 in tumor growth and the underlying molecular mechanism(s) by which RAD51AP1 regulates tumorigenesis have not been fully understood. Here, we use Rad51ap1-knockout mice in genetically engineered mouse models of breast cancer to unravel the role of RAD51AP1 in tumor growth and metastasis. RAD51AP1 gene transcript was increased in both luminal estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and basal triple-negative breast cancer, which is associated with poor prognosis. Conversely, knockdown of RAD51AP1 (RADP51AP1 KD) in breast cancer cell lines reduced tumor growth. Rad51ap1-deficient mice were protected from oncogene-driven spontaneous mouse mammary tumor growth and associated lung metastasis. In vivo, limiting dilution studies provided evidence that Rad51ap1 plays a critical role in breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) self-renewal. RAD51AP1 KD improved chemotherapy and radiotherapy response by inhibiting BCSC self-renewal and associated pluripotency. Overall, our study provides genetic and biochemical evidences that RAD51AP1 is critical for tumor growth and metastasis by increasing BCSC self-renewal and may serve as a novel target for chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-resistant breast cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides in vivo evidence that RAD51AP1 plays a critical role in breast cancer growth and metastasis by regulating breast cancer stem cell self-renewal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison E Bridges
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Sabarish Ramachandran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Rajneesh Pathania
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Epigenetics & Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Utkarsh Parwal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Adrienne Lester
- Depatment of Undergraduate Health Professions, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Pragya Rajpurohit
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Daley S Morera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Nikhil Patel
- Department of Pathology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Nagendra Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Hasan Korkaya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Santhakumar Manicassamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Puttur D Prasad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Vinata B Lokeshwar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Bal L Lokeshwar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Vadivel Ganapathy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.,Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Muthusamy Thangaraju
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia. .,Georgia Cancer Center Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
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31
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Lv X, Dobrolecki LE, Ding Y, Rosen JM, Lewis MT, Chen X. Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer. J Vis Exp 2020. [PMID: 32478757 DOI: 10.3791/61173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical models that faithfully recapitulate tumor heterogeneity and therapeutic response are critical for translational breast cancer research. Immortalized cell lines are easy to grow and genetically modify to study molecular mechanisms, yet the selective pressure from cell culture often leads to genetic and epigenetic alterations over time. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models faithfully recapitulate the heterogeneity and drug response of human breast tumors. PDX models exhibit a relatively short latency after orthotopic transplantation that facilitates the investigation of breast tumor biology and drug response. The transplantable genetically engineered mouse models allow the study of breast tumor immunity. The current protocol describes the method to orthotopically transplant breast tumor fragments into the mammary fat pad followed by drug treatments. These preclinical models provide valuable approaches to investigate breast tumor biology, drug response, biomarker discovery and mechanisms of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangdong Lv
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine; Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Lacey E Dobrolecki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine; Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Yao Ding
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine; Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Jeffrey M Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine; Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Michael T Lewis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine; Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine;
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine; Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine;
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32
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Farabaugh SM, Litzenburger BC, Elangovan A, Pecar G, Walheim L, Atkinson JM, Lee AV. IGF1R constitutive activation expands luminal progenitors and influences lineage differentiation during breast tumorigenesis. Dev Biol 2020; 463:77-87. [PMID: 32376245 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Breast tumors display tremendous heterogeneity in part due to varying molecular alterations, divergent cells of origin, and differentiation. Understanding where and how this heterogeneity develops is likely important for effective breast cancer eradication. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling is critical for normal mammary gland development and function, and has an established role in tumor development and resistance to therapy. Here we demonstrate that constitutive activation of the IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) influences lineage differentiation during mammary tumorigenesis. Transgenic IGF1R constitutive activation promotes tumors with mixed histologies, multiple cell lineages and an expanded bi-progenitor population. In these tumors, IGF1R expands the luminal-progenitor population while influencing myoepithelial differentiation. Mammary gland transplantation with IGF1R-infected mammary epithelial cells (MECs) resulted in hyperplastic, highly differentiated outgrowths and attenuated reconstitution. Restricting IGF1R constitutive activation to luminal versus myoepithelial lineage-sorted MECs resulted in ductal reconstitutions co-expressing high IGF1R levels in the opposite lineage of origin. Using in vitro models, IGF1R constitutively activated MCF10A cells showed increased mammosphere formation and CD44+/CD24-population, which was dependent upon Snail and NFκB signaling. These results suggest that IGF1R expands luminal progenitor populations while also stimulating myoepithelial cell differentiation. This ability to influence lineage differentiation may promote heterogeneous mammary tumors, and have implications for clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Farabaugh
- Women's Cancer Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Women's Research Institute, USA
| | - Beate C Litzenburger
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ashuvinee Elangovan
- Women's Cancer Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Women's Research Institute, USA
| | - Geoffrey Pecar
- Women's Cancer Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Women's Research Institute, USA
| | - Lauren Walheim
- Women's Cancer Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Women's Research Institute, USA
| | - Jennifer M Atkinson
- Women's Cancer Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Women's Research Institute, USA
| | - Adrian V Lee
- Women's Cancer Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Women's Research Institute, USA.
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Popular three-dimensional models: Advantages for cancer, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases. Tissue Cell 2020; 65:101367. [PMID: 32746982 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2020.101367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, namely cancer, Alzheimer's (AD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), worldwide continues to be a major health burden. Research attempts have been made to understand the pathophysiology and develop effective therapeutic agents for these diseases using conventional in vitro and ex vivo models. Due to the complexity of human disease mechanisms, often these models fail to recapitulate clinically relevant pathologies. As such, interests are arising in the exploration of three-dimensional (3D) in-vitro models, which create an artificial environment to closely mimic in vivo human conditions. Several studies have developed 3D models for cancer, AD and CVD research which can greatly improve the understanding of biological mechanisms and mirror clinical drug activities. Thus, 3D cultures may provide new in-vitro models that recapitulate the architecture and biological mechanisms of human diseases prior to the need for the use of sentient animals.
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Abad E, Graifer D, Lyakhovich A. DNA damage response and resistance of cancer stem cells. Cancer Lett 2020; 474:106-117. [PMID: 31968219 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The cancer stem cell (CSC) model defines tumors as hierarchically organized entities, containing a small population of tumorigenic CSC, or tumour-initiating cells, placed at the apex of this hierarchy. These cells may share common qualities with chemo- and radio-resistant cancer cells and contribute to self-renewal activities resulting in tumour formation, maintenance, growth and metastasis. Yet, it remains obscure what self-defense mechanisms are utilized by these cells against the chemotherapeutic drugs or radiotherapy. Recently, attention has been focused on the pivotal role of the DNA damage response (DDR) in tumorigenesis. In line with this note, an increased DDR that prevents CSC and chemoresistant cells from genotoxic pressure of chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation may be responsible for cancer metastasis. In this review, we focus on the current knowledge concerning the role of DDR in CSC and resistant cancer cells and describe the existing opportunities of re-sensitizing such cells to modulate therapeutic treatment effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etna Abad
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alex Lyakhovich
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia; Vall D'Hebron Institut de Recerca, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
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Ghanei Z, Jamshidizad A, Joupari MD, Shamsara M. Isolation and characterization of breast cancer stem cell-like phenotype by Oct4 promoter-mediated activity. J Cell Physiol 2020; 235:7840-7848. [PMID: 31904128 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subset of cancer cells responsible for self-renewal activity, drug resistance, and tumor recurrence. CSCs have been derived from diverse tumors and cell lines. The expression of stemness markers has been identified in CSCs. Oct4 is a well-established transcription factor expressed in stem cells and CSCs. In this study, we isolated and characterized breast CSC-like cells from murine MC4-L2 cells by Oct4 promoter-mediated activity. The MC4-L2 cells were electroporated by a plasmid expressing puromycin resistance (PuroR ) gene from the Oct4 promoter and then selected by puromycin. The isolated cells were named as the MC4-L2puro cells and characterized for CSCs properties. Immunostaining indicated CD44high and CD24high phenotype for the MC4-L2 and MC4-L2puro cells. The enhanced expression of stem cell markers was detected in the puromycin-selected cells compared with the parental cells. Moreover, the isolated cells only grew up in sphere-formed shape in low attachment plates. Serial dilution transplantation in syngeneic mouse models showed increased tumorigenicity of the MC4-L2puro cells, as they induced new tumors when injected into the mammary fat pad as few as 104 cells. In conclusion, we designed a novel genetic construct, which allows the isolation of Oct4-positive cells in a cancer population by a simple selection step in a puromycin-containing medium. Transfection of this construct into the MC4-L2 cells resulted in growing a subpopulation of cells having tumor-initiating cell characteristics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of CSC-like cells from the mouse breast cancer MC4-L2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Ghanei
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Jamshidizad
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Daliri Joupari
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Shamsara
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
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36
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Huang YH, Hu J, Chen F, Lecomte N, Basnet H, David CJ, Witkin MD, Allen PJ, Leach SD, Hollmann TJ, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Massagué J. ID1 Mediates Escape from TGFβ Tumor Suppression in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer Discov 2020; 10:142-157. [PMID: 31582374 PMCID: PMC6954299 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-0529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
TGFβ is an important tumor suppressor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), yet inactivation of TGFβ pathway components occurs in only half of PDA cases. TGFβ cooperates with oncogenic RAS signaling to trigger epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in premalignant pancreatic epithelial progenitors, which is coupled to apoptosis owing to an imbalance of SOX4 and KLF5 transcription factors. We report that PDAs that develop with the TGFβ pathway intact avert this apoptotic effect via ID1. ID1 family members are expressed in PDA progenitor cells and encode components of a set of core transcriptional regulators shared by PDAs. PDA progression selects against TGFβ-mediated repression of ID1. The sustained expression of ID1 uncouples EMT from apoptosis in PDA progenitors. AKT signaling and mechanisms linked to low-frequency genetic events converge on ID1 to preserve its expression in PDA. Our results identify ID1 as a crucial node and potential therapeutic target in PDA. SIGNIFICANCE: Half of PDAs escape TGFβ-induced tumor suppression without inactivating the TGFβ pathway. We report that ID1 expression is selected for in PDAs and that ID1 uncouples TGFβ-induced EMT from apoptosis. ID1 thus emerges as a crucial regulatory node and a target of interest in PDA.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Han Huang
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Weill Cornell/Sloan Kettering/Rockefeller Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, New York
- Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, New York
| | - Jing Hu
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Fei Chen
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- The David M. Rubinstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Harihar Basnet
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Charles J David
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Matthew D Witkin
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Peter J Allen
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Steven D Leach
- The David M. Rubinstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Travis J Hollmann
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- The David M. Rubinstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Joan Massagué
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
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López-Mateo I, Alonso-Merino E, Suarez-Cabrera C, Park JW, Cheng SY, Alemany S, Paramio JM, Aranda A. Thyroid Hormone Receptor β Inhibits Self-Renewal Capacity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells. Thyroid 2020; 30:116-132. [PMID: 31760908 PMCID: PMC6998057 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2019.0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: A subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) with capacity for self-renewal is believed to drive initiation, progression, and relapse of breast tumors. Methods: Since the thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) appears to suppress breast tumor growth and metastasis, we have analyzed the possibility that TRβ could affect the CSC population using MCF-7 cells grown under adherent conditions or as mammospheres, as well as inoculation into immunodeficient mice. Results: Treatment of TRβ-expressing MCF-7 cells (MCF7-TRβ cells) with the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3) decreased significantly CD44+/CD24- and ALDH+ cell subpopulations, the efficiency of mammosphere formation, the self-renewal capacity of CSCs in limiting dilution assays, the expression of the pluripotency factors in the mammospheres, and tumor initiating capacity in immunodeficient mice, indicating that the hormone reduces the CSC population present within the bulk MCF7-TRβ cultures. T3 also decreased migration and invasion, a hallmark of CSCs. Transcriptome analysis showed downregulation of the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and ER-responsive genes by T3. Furthermore, among the T3-repressed genes, there was an enrichment in genes containing binding sites for transcription factors that are key determinants of luminal-type breast cancers and are required for ER binding to chromatin. Conclusion: We demonstrate a novel role of TRβ in the biology of CSCs that may be related to its action as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene López-Mateo
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols,” Madrid, Spain
| | - Elvira Alonso-Merino
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols,” Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jeong Won Park
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sheue-yann Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Susana Alemany
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols,” Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús M. Paramio
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Hosp Univ. “12 de Octubre,” Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Aranda
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols,” Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
- Address correspondence to: Ana Aranda, PhD, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols”, Arturo Duperier 4, Madrid 28029, Spain
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38
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Jordahl S, Solorio L, Neale DB, McDermott S, Jordahl JH, Fox A, Dunlay C, Xiao A, Brown M, Wicha M, Luker GD, Lahann J. Engineered Fibrillar Fibronectin Networks as Three-Dimensional Tissue Scaffolds. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1904580. [PMID: 31565823 PMCID: PMC6851443 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201904580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and most prominently, fibronectin (Fn), are routinely used in the form of adsorbed pre-coatings in an attempt to create a cell-supporting environment in both two- and three-dimensional cell culture systems. However, these protein coatings are typically deposited in a form which is structurally and functionally distinct from the ECM-constituting fibrillar protein networks naturally deposited by cells. Here, the cell-free and scalable synthesis of freely suspended and mechanically robust three-dimensional (3D) networks of fibrillar fibronectin (fFn) supported by tessellated polymer scaffolds is reported. Hydrodynamically induced Fn fibrillogenesis at the three-phase contact line between air, an Fn solution, and a tessellated scaffold microstructure yields extended protein networks. Importantly, engineered fFn networks promote cell invasion and proliferation, enable in vitro expansion of primary cancer cells, and induce an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cancer cells. Engineered fFn networks support the formation of multicellular cancer structures cells from plural effusions of cancer patients. With further work, engineered fFn networks can have a transformative impact on fundamental cell studies, precision medicine, pharmaceutical testing, and pre-clinical diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Jordahl
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Luis Solorio
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Dylan B Neale
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sean McDermott
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jacob H Jordahl
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Alexandra Fox
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Christopher Dunlay
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Annie Xiao
- Department of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Martha Brown
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1500 E Medical Center Dr SPC 5916, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Max Wicha
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Gary D Luker
- Department of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Joerg Lahann
- Biointerfaces Institute, Departments of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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39
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Breast Cancer Stem Cells as Drivers of Tumor Chemoresistance, Dormancy and Relapse: New Challenges and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11101569. [PMID: 31619007 PMCID: PMC6826533 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women worldwide. Therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat metastatic disease are still inadequate although great progress has been made in treating early-stage breast cancer. Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) that are endowed with high plasticity and self-renewal properties have been shown to play a key role in breast cancer development, progression, and metastasis. A subpopulation of CSCs that combines tumor-initiating capacity and a dormant/quiescent/slow cycling status is present throughout the clinical history of breast cancer patients. Dormant/quiescent/slow cycling CSCs are a key component of tumor heterogeneity and they are responsible for chemoresistance, tumor migration, and metastatic dormancy, defined as the ability of CSCs to survive in target organs and generate metastasis up to two decades after diagnosis. Understanding the strategies that are used by CSCs to resist conventional and targeted therapies, to interact with their niche, to escape immune surveillance, and finally to awaken from dormancy is of key importance to prevent and treat metastatic cancer. This review summarizes the current understanding of mechanisms involved in CSCs chemoresistance, dissemination, and metastasis in breast cancer, with a particular focus on dormant cells. Finally, we discuss how advancements in the detection, molecular understanding, and targeting of dormant CSCs will likely open new therapeutic avenues for breast cancer treatment.
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40
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Protein C receptor is a therapeutic stem cell target in a distinct group of breast cancers. Cell Res 2019; 29:832-845. [PMID: 31481760 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-019-0225-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. In particular, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises various molecular subgroups with unclear identities and currently has few targeted treatment options. Our previous study identified protein C receptor (Procr) as a surface marker on mammary stem cells (MaSCs) located in the basal layer of the normal mammary gland. Given the possible connection of TNBC with basal layer stem cells, we conducted comparative analyses of Procr in breast cancers of mouse and human origin. In mouse mammary tumors, we showed that Procr+ cells are enriched for cancer stem cells (CSCs) in Wnt1 basal-like tumors, but not in Brca1 basal-like tumors or PyVT luminal tumors. In human cancers, PROCR was robustly expressed in half of TNBC cases. Experiments with patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) revealed that PROCR marks CSCs in this discrete subgroup (referred to as PROCR+ TNBC). Interfering with the function of PROCR using an inhibitory nanobody reduced the CSC numbers, arrested tumor growth and prevented rapid tumor recurrence. Our data suggest a key role of MaSC in breast tumorigenesis. Moreover, our work indicates that PROCR can be used as a biomarker to stratify TNBC into clinically relevant subgroups and may provide a novel targeted treatment strategy for this clinically important tumor subtype.
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41
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Cheng CW, Biton M, Haber AL, Gunduz N, Eng G, Gaynor LT, Tripathi S, Calibasi-Kocal G, Rickelt S, Butty VL, Moreno M, Iqbal AM, Bauer-Rowe KE, Imada S, Ulutas MS, Mylonas C, Whary MT, Levine SS, Basbinar Y, Hynes RO, Mino-Kenudson M, Deshpande V, Boyer LA, Fox JG, Terranova C, Rai K, Piwnica-Worms H, Mihaylova MM, Regev A, Yilmaz ÖH. Ketone Body Signaling Mediates Intestinal Stem Cell Homeostasis and Adaptation to Diet. Cell 2019; 178:1115-1131.e15. [PMID: 31442404 PMCID: PMC6732196 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about how metabolites couple tissue-specific stem cell function with physiology. Here we show that, in the mammalian small intestine, the expression of Hmgcs2 (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthetase 2), the gene encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of ketone bodies, including beta-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), distinguishes self-renewing Lgr5+ stem cells (ISCs) from differentiated cell types. Hmgcs2 loss depletes βOHB levels in Lgr5+ ISCs and skews their differentiation toward secretory cell fates, which can be rescued by exogenous βOHB and class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor treatment. Mechanistically, βOHB acts by inhibiting HDACs to reinforce Notch signaling, instructing ISC self-renewal and lineage decisions. Notably, although a high-fat ketogenic diet elevates ISC function and post-injury regeneration through βOHB-mediated Notch signaling, a glucose-supplemented diet has the opposite effects. These findings reveal how control of βOHB-activated signaling in ISCs by diet helps to fine-tune stem cell adaptation in homeostasis and injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wei Cheng
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Moshe Biton
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA,Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Adam L. Haber
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Nuray Gunduz
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey 06800
| | - George Eng
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Liam T. Gaynor
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston MA, 02215, USA
| | - Surya Tripathi
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Gizem Calibasi-Kocal
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Dokuz Eylul University, Institute of Oncology, Department of Translational Oncology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Steffen Rickelt
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Vincent L. Butty
- BioMicro Center, at MIT, Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Marta Moreno
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Ameena M Iqbal
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | | | - Shinya Imada
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Department of Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Mehmet Sefa Ulutas
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Department of Biology, Siirt University, Science and Arts Faculty, 56100 Siirt, Turkey
| | | | - Mark T. Whary
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Stuart S. Levine
- BioMicro Center, at MIT, Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Yasemin Basbinar
- Dokuz Eylul University, Institute of Oncology, Department of Translational Oncology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Richard O. Hynes
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Mari Mino-Kenudson
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
| | - Laurie A. Boyer
- Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - James G. Fox
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Christopher Terranova
- Genomic Medicine Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kunal Rai
- Genomic Medicine Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Helen Piwnica-Worms
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maria M. Mihaylova
- The Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, 308 Wiseman Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA,Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Ömer H. Yilmaz
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA,Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA,Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA,Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA,Lead Contact,Correspondence: Ömer H. Yilmaz () (Ö.H.Y)
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42
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Bian Y, Teper Y, Mathews Griner LA, Aiken TJ, Shukla V, Guha R, Shinn P, Xin HW, Pflicke H, Powers AS, Li D, Jiang JK, Patel P, Rogers SA, Aubé J, Ferrer M, Thomas CJ, Rudloff U. Target Deconvolution of a Multikinase Inhibitor with Antimetastatic Properties Identifies TAOK3 as a Key Contributor to a Cancer Stem Cell-Like Phenotype. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:2097-2110. [PMID: 31395684 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-18-1011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains an incurable condition. Its progression is driven, in part, by subsets of cancer cells that evade the cytotoxic effects of conventional chemotherapies. These cells are often low-cycling, multidrug resistant, and adopt a stem cell-like phenotype consistent with the concept of cancer stem cells (CSC). To identify drugs impacting on tumor-promoting CSCs, we performed a differential high-throughput drug screen in pancreatic cancer cells cultured in traditional (2D) monolayers versus three-dimensional (3D) spheroids which replicate key elements of the CSC model. Among the agents capable of killing cells cultured in both formats was a 1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-amine-based inhibitor of IL2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK; NCGC00188382, inhibitor #1) that effectively mediated growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in vitro, and suppressed cancer progression and metastasis formation in vivo An examination of this agent's polypharmacology via in vitro and in situ phosphoproteomic profiling demonstrated an activity profile enriched for mediators involved in DNA damage repair. Included was a strong inhibitory potential versus the thousand-and-one amino acid kinase 3 (TAOK3), CDK7, and aurora B kinases. We found that cells grown under CSC-enriching spheroid conditions are selectively dependent on TAOK3 signaling. Loss of TAOK3 decreases colony formation, expression of stem cell markers, and sensitizes spheroids to the genotoxic effect of gemcitabine, whereas overexpression of TAOK3 increases stem cell traits including tumor initiation and metastasis formation. By inactivating multiple components of the cell-cycle machinery in concert with the downregulation of key CSC signatures, inhibitor #1 defines a distinctive strategy for targeting pancreatic cancer cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yansong Bian
- Rare Tumor Initiative, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yaroslav Teper
- Thoracic and GI Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lesley A Mathews Griner
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Taylor J Aiken
- Thoracic and GI Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Vivek Shukla
- Thoracic and GI Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Rajarshi Guha
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Paul Shinn
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Hong-Wu Xin
- Thoracic and GI Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Holger Pflicke
- Thoracic and GI Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Astin S Powers
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dandan Li
- Rare Tumor Initiative, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jian-Kang Jiang
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Paresma Patel
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Steven A Rogers
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Marc Ferrer
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Craig J Thomas
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland.
| | - Udo Rudloff
- Rare Tumor Initiative, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
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43
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Tian L, Truong MJ, Lagadec C, Adriaenssens E, Bouchaert E, Bauderlique-Le Roy H, Figeac M, Le Bourhis X, Bourette RP. s-SHIP Promoter Expression Identifies Mouse Mammary Cancer Stem Cells. Stem Cell Reports 2019; 13:10-20. [PMID: 31204299 PMCID: PMC6626869 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
During normal mammary gland development, s-SHIP promoter expression marks a distinct type of mammary stem cells, at two different stages, puberty and early mid-pregnancy. To determine whether s-SHIP is a marker of mammary cancer stem cells (CSCs), we generated bitransgenic mice by crossing the C3(1)-SV40 T-antigen transgenic mouse model of breast cancer, and a transgenic mouse (11.5kb-GFP) expressing green fluorescent protein from the s-SHIP promoter. Here we show that in mammary tumors originating in these bitransgenic mice, s-SHIP promoter expression enriches a rare cell population with CSC activity as demonstrated by sphere-forming assays in vitro and limiting dilution transplantation in vivo. These s-SHIP-positive CSCs are characterized by lower expression of Delta-like non-canonical Notch ligand 1 (DLK1), a negative regulator of the Notch pathway. Inactivation of Dlk1 in s-SHIP-negative tumor cells increases their tumorigenic potential, suggesting a role for DLK1 in mammary cancer stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Tian
- Université de Lille, CNRS, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR 8161 - M3T - Mechanisms of Tumorigenesis and Targeted Therapies, Institut de Biologie de Lille, 1 rue du Professeur Calmette, CS 54447, Lille Cedex 59000/59021, France
| | - Marie-José Truong
- Université de Lille, CNRS, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR 8161 - M3T - Mechanisms of Tumorigenesis and Targeted Therapies, Institut de Biologie de Lille, 1 rue du Professeur Calmette, CS 54447, Lille Cedex 59000/59021, France
| | - Chann Lagadec
- Université de Lille, INSERM U908 - CPAC - Cell Plasticity and Cancer, Lille 59000, France
| | - Eric Adriaenssens
- Université de Lille, INSERM U908 - CPAC - Cell Plasticity and Cancer, Lille 59000, France
| | | | | | - Martin Figeac
- Functional Genomics Platform, Université de Lille, Lille 59000, France
| | - Xuefen Le Bourhis
- Université de Lille, INSERM U908 - CPAC - Cell Plasticity and Cancer, Lille 59000, France
| | - Roland P Bourette
- Université de Lille, CNRS, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR 8161 - M3T - Mechanisms of Tumorigenesis and Targeted Therapies, Institut de Biologie de Lille, 1 rue du Professeur Calmette, CS 54447, Lille Cedex 59000/59021, France.
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44
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Gorodetska I, Kozeretska I, Dubrovska A. BRCA Genes: The Role in Genome Stability, Cancer Stemness and Therapy Resistance. J Cancer 2019; 10:2109-2127. [PMID: 31205572 PMCID: PMC6548160 DOI: 10.7150/jca.30410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Carcinogenesis is a multistep process, and tumors frequently harbor multiple mutations regulating genome integrity, cell division and death. The integrity of cellular genome is closely controlled by the mechanisms of DNA damage signaling and DNA repair. The association of breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 with breast and ovarian cancer development was first demonstrated over 20 years ago. Since then the germline mutations within these genes were linked to genomic instability and increased risk of many other cancer types. Genomic instability is an engine of the oncogenic transformation of non-tumorigenic cells into tumor-initiating cells and further tumor evolution. In this review we discuss the biological functions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and the role of BRCA mutations in tumor initiation, regulation of cancer stemness, therapy resistance and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ielizaveta Gorodetska
- OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
| | - Iryna Kozeretska
- Department of General and Medical Genetics, ESC "The Institute of Biology and Medicine", Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Anna Dubrovska
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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45
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Cell Reprogramming in Tumorigenesis and Its Therapeutic Implications for Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20081827. [PMID: 31013830 PMCID: PMC6515165 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20081827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide and can be categorized into several subtypes according to histopathological parameters or genomic signatures. Such heterogeneity of breast cancer can arise from the reactivation of mammary stem cells in situ during tumorigenesis. Moreover, different breast cancer subtypes exhibit varieties of cancer incidence, therapeutic response, and patient prognosis, suggesting that a specific therapeutic protocol is required for each breast cancer subtype. Recent studies using molecular and cellular assays identified a link between specific genetic/epigenetic alterations and distinct cells of origin of breast cancer subtypes. These alterations include oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and cell-lineage determinants, which can induce cell reprogramming (dedifferentiation and transdifferentiation) among two lineage-committed mammary epithelial cells, namely basal and luminal cells. The interconversion of cell states through cell reprogramming into the intermediates of mammary stem cells can give rise to heterogeneous breast cancers that complicate effective therapies of breast cancer. A better understanding of mechanisms underlying cell reprogramming in breast cancer can help in not only elucidating tumorigenesis but also developing therapeutics for breast cancer. This review introduces recent findings on cancer gene-mediated cell reprogramming in breast cancer and discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting cell reprogramming.
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46
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Johnson JR, Boulanger CA, Hudson T, Savage E, Smith GH. Microarray and pathway analysis of two COMMA-Dβ derived clones reveal important differences relevant to their developmental capacity in-vivo. Oncotarget 2019; 10:2118-2135. [PMID: 31040905 PMCID: PMC6481333 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Microarray technologies were used to analyze transcriptomes from Comma-Dβ and clonal derivatives, SP3 (Lobule-competent) and NSP2 (Lobule-incompetent), during different mouse mammary growth phases: in-vitro, in-vivo 5-weeks, and in-vivo 12-weeks. A differentially expressed gene (DEG) algorithm was used to enrich for genes associated with cellular proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle regulation, and carcinogenesis. A pairwise comparison analysis, of SP3 vs. NSP2 in-vitro, revealed a total of 45 DEGs significantly up-regulated in SP3. Of the 45 DEGs, only Ccnd1 (Cyclin D1), Id2 (Inhibitor of DNA binding 2) and Sox9 (SRY Box 9) were identified to be associated with cellular proliferation, regulation of G1/S mitotic cell cycle, mammary gland and alveolar development in SP3. During the regenerative growth phase, in-vivo 5-weeks, we identified a total of 545 DEGs. 308 DEGs, of the 545 DEGs, were significantly up-regulated and 237 DEGs were significantly down-regulated in SP3 vs. NSP2. In addition, we identified 9 DEGs significantly up-regulated, within SP3's cell cycle pathway and a persistent overexpression of Cyclin D1, Id2, and Sox9, consistent with our in-vitro study. During the maintenance phase, in-vivo 12-weeks, we identified 407 DEGs. Of these, 336 DEGs were up-regulated, and 71 were down-regulated in SP3 vs. NSP2. Our data shows 15 DEGs significantly up-regulated, simultaneously, affecting 8 signal transducing carcinogenic pathways. In conclusion, increased expression of Cyclin D1, Id2 and Sox9 appear to be important for lobular genesis in SP3. Also, in-vivo 12 week displays increase expression of genes and pathways, involved in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jabril R Johnson
- Mammary Stem Cell Biology Section, Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Corinne A Boulanger
- Mammary Stem Cell Biology Section, Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tamaro Hudson
- Howard University Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20059, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Evan Savage
- Genome Explorations, Division of Compass Laboratory Services, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Gilbert H Smith
- Mammary Stem Cell Biology Section, Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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47
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Aalam SMM, Beer PA, Kannan N. Assays for functionally defined normal and malignant mammary stem cells. Adv Cancer Res 2019; 141:129-174. [PMID: 30691682 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of rare, heterogeneous self-renewing stem cells with shared developmental and molecular features within epithelial components of mammary gland and breast cancers has provided a conceptual framework to understand cellular composition of these tissues and mechanisms that control their number. These normal mammary epithelial stem cells (MaSCs) and breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) were identified and analyzed using transplant assays (namely mammary repopulating unit (MRU) assay, mammary tumor-initiating cell (TIC) assay), which reveal their latent ability to regenerate respective normal and malignant epithelial tissues with self-renewing units displaying hierarchical cellular differentiation over multiple generations in recipient mice. "Next-generation" methods using "barcoded" normal and malignant mammary cells, with the help of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, have revealed hidden complexity and heterogeneous growth potential of MaSCs and BCSCs. Several single markers or combinations of markers have been reported to prospectively enrich MaSCs and BCSCs. Such markers and the extent to which they enrich for MaSCs and BCSCs activity require a critical appraisal. Also, knowledge of the functional assays and their limitations and harmonious reporting of results is a prerequisite to improve our understanding of MaSCs and BCSCs. This chapter describes evolution of the concept of MaSCs and BCSCs, and specific methodologies to investigate them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Mohammed Musheer Aalam
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Philip Anthony Beer
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nagarajan Kannan
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
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48
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Genadry KC, Pietrobono S, Rota R, Linardic CM. Soft Tissue Sarcoma Cancer Stem Cells: An Overview. Front Oncol 2018; 8:475. [PMID: 30416982 PMCID: PMC6212576 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are an uncommon group of solid tumors that can arise throughout the human lifespan. Despite their commonality as non-bony cancers that develop from mesenchymal cell precursors, they are heterogeneous in their genetic profiles, histology, and clinical features. This has made it difficult to identify a single target or therapy specific to STSs. And while there is no one cell of origin ascribed to all STSs, the cancer stem cell (CSC) principle—that a subpopulation of tumor cells possesses stem cell-like properties underlying tumor initiation, therapeutic resistance, disease recurrence, and metastasis—predicts that ultimately it should be possible to identify a feature common to all STSs that could function as a therapeutic Achilles' heel. Here we review the published evidence for CSCs in each of the most common STSs, then focus on the methods used to study CSCs, the developmental signaling pathways usurped by CSCs, and the epigenetic alterations critical for CSC identity that may be useful for further study of STS biology. We conclude with discussion of some challenges to the field and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia C Genadry
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Silvia Pietrobono
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Corinne M Linardic
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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49
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Cho KJ, Park EJ, Kim MS, Joo YH. Characterization of FaDu-R, a radioresistant head and neck cancer cell line, and cancer stem cells. Auris Nasus Larynx 2018; 45:566-573. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2017.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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50
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Proteolysis-a characteristic of tumor-initiating cells in murine metastatic breast cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 7:58244-58260. [PMID: 27542270 PMCID: PMC5295428 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor initiating cells (TICs) have been identified and functionally characterized in hematological malignancies as well as in solid tumors such as breast cancer. In addition to their high tumor-initiating potential, TICs are founder cells for metastasis formation and are involved in chemotherapy resistance. In this study we explored molecular pathways which enable this tumor initiating potential for a cancer cell subset of the transgenic MMTV-PyMT mouse model for metastasizing breast cancer. The cell population, characterized by the marker profile CD24+CD90+CD45-, showed a high tumorigenicity compared to non-CD24+CD90+CD45- cancer cells in colony formation assays, as well as upon orthotopic transplantation into the mammary fat pad of mice. In addition, these orthotopically grown CD24+CD90+CD45- TICs metastasized to the lungs. The transcriptome of TICs freshly isolated from primary tumors by cell sorting was compared with that of sorted non-CD24+CD90+CD45- cancer cells by RNA-seq. In addition to more established TIC signatures, such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or mitogen signaling, an upregulated gene set comprising several classes of proteolytic enzymes was uncovered in the TICs. Accordingly, TICs showed high intra- and extracellular proteolytic activity. Application of a broad range of protease inhibitors to TICs in a colony formation assay reduced anchorage independent growth and had an impact on colony morphology in 3D cell culture assays. We conclude that CD24+CD90+CD45- cells of the MMTV- PyMT mouse model possess an upregulated proteolytic signature which could very well represent a functional hallmark of metastatic TICs from mammary carcinomas.
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