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Wang Y, Peng L, Wang F. M6A-mediated molecular patterns and tumor microenvironment infiltration characterization in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2333590. [PMID: 38532632 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2333590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most predominant RNA epigenetic regulation in eukaryotic cells. Numerous evidence revealed that m6A modification exerts a crucial role in the regulation of tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration in several tumors. Nevertheless, the potential role and mechanism of m6A modification in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unknown. mRNA expression data and clinical information from GSE102349, and GSE53819 datasets obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was used for differential gene expression and subsequent analysis. Consensus clustering was used to identify m6A-related molecular patterns of 88 NPC samples based on prognostic m6A regulators using Univariate Cox analysis. The TME cell-infiltrating characteristics of each m6A-related subclass were explored using single-sample gene set enrichment (ssGSEA) algorithm and CIBERSORT algotithm. DEGs between two m6A-related subclasses were screened using edgeR package. The prognostic signature and predicated nomogram were constructed based on the m6A-related DEGs. The cell infiltration and expression of prognostic signature in NPC was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Chi-square test was used to analysis the significance of difference of the categorical variables. And survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests. The NPC samples were divided into two m6A-related subclasses. The TME cell-infiltrating characteristics analyses indicated that cluster 1 is characterized by immune-related and metabolism pathways activation, better response to anit-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 treatment and chemotherapy. And cluster 2 is characterized by stromal activation, low expression of HLA family and immune checkpoints, and a worse response to anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 treatment and chemotherapy. Furthermore, we identified 1558 DEGs between two m6A-related subclasses and constructed prognostic signatures to predicate the progression-free survival (PFS) for NPC patients. Compared to non-tumor samples, REEP2, TMSB15A, DSEL, and ID4 were upregulated in NPC samples. High expression of REEP2 and TMSB15A showed poor survival in NPC patients. The interaction between REEP2, TMSB15A, DSEL, ID4, and m6A regulators was detected. Our finding indicated that m6A modification plays an important role in the regulation of TME heterogeneity and complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lisha Peng
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Gao J, Wang Z, Lin S, Tian Y, Wu H, Li Z, Liu F. CCR7/DUSP1 signaling Axis mediates iCAF to regulates head and neck squamous cell carcinoma growth. Cell Signal 2024; 122:111305. [PMID: 39067836 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) significantly influences tumors onset and progression, yet its impact on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and specific mechanisms remain elusive. Inflammatory Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (iCAF), a vital subtype of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF), play a critical role in regulating the TME and tumor growth, though the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aims to determine whether CCR7 participates in tumor regulation by iCAF and to elucidate the specific mechanisms involved. METHODS Differential gene analysis of CAF subtypes in CCR7 knockout and wild-type groups was conducted using single-cell data. Animal models facilitated the extraction of primary iCAF cells via flow cytometry sorting. Changes in DUSP1 expression and the efficiency of lentivirus-mediated knockdown and overexpression were examined through qPCR and Western Blot. MOC1 and MOC2 cells were co-cultured with iCAF, with subsequent validation of changes in tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion using CCK8, EdU, and wound healing assays. ELISA was employed to detect changes in TGF-β1 concentration in the iCAF supernatant. RESULTS CAF was categorized into three subtypes-myCAF, iCAF, and apCAF-based on single-cell data. Analysis revealed a significant increase in DUSP1 expression in iCAF from the CCR7 knockout group, confirmed by in vitro experiments. Co-culturing MOC1 and MOC2 cells with iCAF exhibiting lentivirus-mediated DUSP1 knockdown resulted in inhibited tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. In contrast, co-culture with iCAF overexpressing DUSP1 enhanced these capabilities. Additionally, the TGF-β1 concentration in the supernatant increased in the DUSP1 knockdown iCAF group, whereas it decreased in the DUSP1 overexpression group. CONCLUSION The CCR7/DUSP1 signaling axis regulates tumor growth by modulating TGF-β1 secretion in iCAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Gao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China; Shigezhuang Community Health Service Center in Changping District, Beijing.
| | - Zengxu Wang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shanfeng Lin
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Haoxuan Wu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenning Li
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fayu Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110000, People's Republic of China.
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Ling T, Dai Z, Wang H, Kien TT, Cui R, Yu T, Chen J. Serotonylation in tumor-associated fibroblasts contributes to the tumor-promoting roles of serotonin in colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 2024; 600:217150. [PMID: 39097134 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Accumulated studies have highlighted the diverse roles of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), or serotonin, in cancer biology, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC). While 5-HT primarily exerts its effects through binding to various 5-HT receptors, receptor-independent mechanisms such as serotonylation remain unclear. This study revealed that depleting 5-HT, either through genetic silencing of Tph1 or using a selective TPH1 inhibitor, effectively reduced the growth of CRC tumors. Interestingly, although intrinsic 5-HT synthesis exists in CRC, it is circulating 5-HT that mediates the cancer-promoting function of 5-HT. Blocking the function of 5-HT receptors showed that the oncogenic roles of 5-HT in CRC operate through a mechanism that is separate from its receptor. Instead, serotonylation of histone H3Q5 (H3Q5ser) was found in CRC cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). H3Q5ser triggers a phenotypic switch of CAFs towards an inflammatory-like CAF (iCAF) subtype, which further enhances CRC cell proliferation, invasive characteristics, and macrophage polarization. Knockdown of the 5-HT transporter SLC22A3 or inhibition of TGM2 reduces H3Q5ser levels and reverses the tumor-promoting phenotypes of CAFs in CRC. Collectively, this study sheds light on the serotonylation-dependent mechanisms of 5-HT in CRC progression, offering insights into potential therapeutic strategies targeting the serotonin pathway for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlong Ling
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Zhanghan Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Houming Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Jiading Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiading District, Shanghai, China
| | - Tran Trung Kien
- Oncology Department, University Medical Shing Mark Hospital, 1054 Highway 51, Long Binh Tan Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai, Viet Nam
| | - Rong Cui
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Tachung Yu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Guo T, Xu J. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: a versatile mediator in tumor progression, metastasis, and targeted therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:1095-1116. [PMID: 38602594 PMCID: PMC11300527 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been demonstrated to play a significant role in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the major component of TME and exhibit heterogeneous properties in their communication with tumor cells. This heterogeneity of CAFs can be attributed to various origins, including quiescent fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipocytes, pericytes, endothelial cells, and mesothelial cells. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing has identified diverse phenotypes of CAFs, with myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) and inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) being the most acknowledged, alongside newly discovered subtypes like antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs). Due to these heterogeneities, CAFs exert multiple functions in tumorigenesis, cancer stemness, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metabolism, and metastasis. As a result, targeted therapies aimed at the TME, particularly focusing on CAFs, are rapidly developing, fueling the promising future of advanced tumor-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchen Guo
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junfen Xu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China.
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Tomecka P, Kunachowicz D, Górczyńska J, Gebuza M, Kuźnicki J, Skinderowicz K, Choromańska A. Factors Determining Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8972. [PMID: 39201656 PMCID: PMC11354349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which an epithelial cell undergoes multiple modifications, acquiring both morphological and functional characteristics of a mesenchymal cell. This dynamic process is initiated by various inducing signals that activate numerous signaling pathways, leading to the stimulation of transcription factors. EMT plays a significant role in cancer progression, such as metastasis and tumor heterogeneity, as well as in drug resistance. In this article, we studied molecular mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, and cellular plasticity of EMT, as well as microenvironmental factors influencing this process. We included both in vivo and in vitro models in EMT investigation and clinical implications of EMT, such as the use of EMT in curing oncological patients and targeting its use in therapies. Additionally, this review concludes with future directions and challenges in the wide field of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Tomecka
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Dominika Kunachowicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211a, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Julia Górczyńska
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Michał Gebuza
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Jacek Kuźnicki
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Katarzyna Skinderowicz
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Anna Choromańska
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211a, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland
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Vitale S, Calapà F, Colonna F, Luongo F, Biffoni M, De Maria R, Fiori ME. Advancements in 3D In Vitro Models for Colorectal Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2405084. [PMID: 38962943 PMCID: PMC11348154 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202405084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The process of drug discovery and pre-clinical testing is currently inefficient, expensive, and time-consuming. Most importantly, the success rate is unsatisfactory, as only a small percentage of tested drugs are made available to oncological patients. This is largely due to the lack of reliable models that accurately predict drug efficacy and safety. Even animal models often fail to replicate human-specific pathologies and human body's complexity. These factors, along with ethical concerns regarding animal use, urge the development of suitable human-relevant, translational in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Vitale
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine (OMM)Istituto Superiore di SanitàViale Regina Elena 299Rome00161Italy
| | - Federica Calapà
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia traslazionaleUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreLargo F. Vito 1RomeItaly
| | - Francesca Colonna
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine (OMM)Istituto Superiore di SanitàViale Regina Elena 299Rome00161Italy
| | - Francesca Luongo
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia traslazionaleUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreLargo F. Vito 1RomeItaly
| | - Mauro Biffoni
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine (OMM)Istituto Superiore di SanitàViale Regina Elena 299Rome00161Italy
| | - Ruggero De Maria
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia traslazionaleUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreLargo F. Vito 1RomeItaly
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” – IRCCSLargo F. Vito 1RomeItaly
| | - Micol E. Fiori
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine (OMM)Istituto Superiore di SanitàViale Regina Elena 299Rome00161Italy
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Chen Y, Liang Z, Lai M. Targeting the devil: Strategies against cancer-associated fibroblasts in colorectal cancer. Transl Res 2024; 270:81-93. [PMID: 38614213 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as significant constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a pivotal role in the progression of cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this comprehensive review, we presented the origins and activation mechanisms of CAFs in CRC, elaborating on how CAFs drive tumor progression through their interactions with CRC cells, immune cells, vascular endothelial cells, and the extracellular matrix within the TME. We systematically outline the intricate web of interactions among CAFs, tumor cells, and other TME components, and based on this complex interplay, we summarize various therapeutic strategies designed to target CAFs in CRC. It is also essential to recognize that CAFs represent a highly heterogeneous group, encompassing various subtypes such as myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF), inflammatory CAF (iCAF), antigen-presenting CAF (apCAF), vessel-associated CAF (vCAF). Herein, we provide a summary of studies investigating the heterogeneity of CAFs in CRC and the characteristic expression patterns of each subtype. While the majority of CAFs contribute to the exacerbation of CRC malignancy, recent findings have revealed specific subtypes that exert inhibitory effects on CRC progression. Nevertheless, the comprehensive landscape of CAF heterogeneity still awaits exploration. We also highlight pivotal unanswered questions that need to be addressed before CAFs can be recognized as feasible targets for cancer treatment. In conclusion, the aim of our review is to elucidate the significance and challenges of advancing in-depth research on CAFs, while outlining the pathway to uncover the complex roles of CAFs in CRC and underscore their significant potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Chen
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Molecular Pathology Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China; Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Zhiyong Liang
- Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Molecular Pathology Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Maode Lai
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
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8
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Zhu H, Jin RU. The role of the fibroblast in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:319-327. [PMID: 38626060 PMCID: PMC11155289 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000001032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the number one risk factor for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a deadly cancer with limited treatment options that has been increasing in incidence in the US. In this report, we discuss current studies on the role of mesenchyme and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in BE and EAC, and we highlight translational prospects of targeting these cells. RECENT FINDINGS New insights through studies using single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNA seq) have revealed an important emerging role of the mesenchyme in developmental signaling and cancer initiation. BE and EAC share similar stromal gene expression, as functional classifications of nonepithelial cells in BE show a remarkable similarity to EAC CAFs. Several recent sc-RNA seq studies and novel organoid fibroblast co-culture systems have characterized the subgroups of fibroblasts in BE and EAC, and have shown that these cells can directly influence the epithelium to induce BE development and cancer progression. Targeting the CAFs in EAC with may be a promising novel therapeutic strategy. SUMMARY The fibroblasts in the surrounding mesenchyme may have a direct role in influencing altered epithelial plasticity during BE development and progression to EAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huili Zhu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Liu Y, Wang D, Luan Y, Tao B, Li Q, Feng Q, Zhou H, Mu J, Yu J. The application of organoids in colorectal diseases. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1412489. [PMID: 38983913 PMCID: PMC11231380 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1412489] [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: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Intestinal organoids are a three-dimensional cell culture model derived from colon or pluripotent stem cells. Intestinal organoids constructed in vitro strongly mimic the colon epithelium in cell composition, tissue architecture, and specific functions, replicating the colon epithelium in an in vitro culture environment. As an emerging biomedical technology, organoid technology has unique advantages over traditional two-dimensional culture in preserving parental gene expression and mutation, cell function, and biological characteristics. It has shown great potential in the research and treatment of colorectal diseases. Organoid technology has been widely applied in research on colorectal topics, including intestinal tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, infectious diarrhea, and intestinal injury regeneration. This review focuses on the application of organoid technology in colorectal diseases, including the basic principles and preparation methods of organoids, and explores the pathogenesis of and personalized treatment plans for various colorectal diseases to provide a valuable reference for organoid technology development and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxin Liu
- Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dongxu Wang
- Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanhong Luan
- Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Boqiang Tao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qirong Li
- Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qiang Feng
- Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hengzong Zhou
- Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jianfeng Mu
- Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jinhai Yu
- Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Sun L, Xing J, Zhou X, Song X, Gao S. Wnt/β-catenin signalling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and crosslink signalling in colorectal cancer cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116685. [PMID: 38710151 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC), with its significant incidence and metastatic rates, profoundly affects human health. A common oncogenic event in CRC is the aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway, which drives both the initiation and progression of the disease. Persistent Wnt/β-catenin signalling facilitates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which accelerates CRC invasion and metastasis. This review provides a summary of recent molecular studies on the role of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling axis in regulating EMT in CRC cells, which triggers metastatic pathogenesis. We present a comprehensive examination of the EMT process and its transcriptional controllers, with an emphasis on the crucial functions of β-catenin, EMT transcription factors (EMT-TFs). We also review recent evidences showing that hyperactive Wnt/β-catenin signalling triggers EMT and metastatic phenotypes in CRC via "Destruction complex" of β-catenin mechanisms. Potential therapeutic and challenges approache to suppress EMT and prevent CRC cells metastasis by targeting Wnt/β-catenin signalling are also discussed. These include direct β-catenin inhibitors and novel targets of the Wnt pathway, and finally highlight novel potential combinational treatment options based on the inhibition of the Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luanbiao Sun
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China
| | - Jianpeng Xing
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China
| | - Xuanpeng Zhou
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China
| | - Xinyuan Song
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Shuohui Gao
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130000, PR China.
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Kalla J, Pfneissl J, Mair T, Tran L, Egger G. A systematic review on the culture methods and applications of 3D tumoroids for cancer research and personalized medicine. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00960-8. [PMID: 38806997 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00960-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, and thus treatment responses vary greatly between patients. To improve therapy efficacy and outcome for cancer patients, more representative and patient-specific preclinical models are needed. Organoids and tumoroids are 3D cell culture models that typically retain the genetic and epigenetic characteristics, as well as the morphology, of their tissue of origin. Thus, they can be used to understand the underlying mechanisms of cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis in a more physiological setting. Additionally, co-culture methods of tumoroids and cancer-associated cells can help to understand the interplay between a tumor and its tumor microenvironment. In recent years, tumoroids have already helped to refine treatments and to identify new targets for cancer therapy. Advanced culturing systems such as chip-based fluidic devices and bioprinting methods in combination with tumoroids have been used for high-throughput applications for personalized medicine. Even though organoid and tumoroid models are complex in vitro systems, validation of results in vivo is still the common practice. Here, we describe how both animal- and human-derived tumoroids have helped to identify novel vulnerabilities for cancer treatment in recent years, and how they are currently used for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kalla
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Janette Pfneissl
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Theresia Mair
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Loan Tran
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerda Egger
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Liu Q, Yao F, Wu L, Xu T, Na J, Shen Z, Liu X, Shi W, Zhao Y, Liao Y. Heterogeneity and interplay: the multifaceted role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor and therapeutic strategies. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03492-7. [PMID: 38602644 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03492-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The journey of cancer development is a multifaceted and staged process. The array of treatments available for cancer varies significantly, dictated by the disease's type and stage. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), prevalent across various cancer types and stages, play a pivotal role in tumor genesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. The strategy of concurrently targeting cancer cells and CAFs holds great promise in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus intently on CAFs, delving into their critical role in cancer's progression. We begin by exploring the origins, classification, and surface markers of CAFs. Following this, we emphasize the key cytokines and signaling pathways involved in the interplay between cancer cells and CAFs and their influence on the tumor immune microenvironment. Additionally, we examine current therapeutic approaches targeting CAFs. This article underscores the multifarious roles of CAFs within the tumor microenvironment and their potential applications in cancer treatment, highlighting their importance as key targets in overcoming drug resistance and enhancing the efficacy of tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Fei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Liangliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Tianyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Jintong Na
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xiyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Yuan Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
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Wang F, Li Z, Xu T, Zhang Q, Ma T, Li S, Wang X. A comprehensive multi-omics analysis identifies a robust scoring system for cancer-associated fibroblasts and intervention targets in colorectal cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:124. [PMID: 38478111 PMCID: PMC10937804 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05548-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) play a critical role in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and immune evasion. While numerous studies have investigated CAF, there remains a paucity of research on their clinical application in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS In this study, we collected differentially expressed genes between CAF and normal fibroblasts (NF) from previous CRC studies, and utilized machine learning analysis to differentiate two distinct subtypes of CAF in CRC. To enable practical application, a CAF-related genes (CAFGs) scoring system was developed based on multivariate Cox regression. We then conducted functional enrichment analysis, Kaplan-Meier plot, consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) classification, and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm to investigate the relationship between the CAFGs scoring system and various biological mechanisms, prognostic value, tumor microenvironment, and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Moreover, single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics analyses have been employed to validate the significance of scoring system-related molecules in the identity and function of CAF. RESULTS We unveiled significant distinctions in tumor immune status and prognosis not only between the CAF clusters, but also across high and low CAFGs groups. Specifically, patients in CAF cluster 2 or with high CAFGs scores exhibited higher CAF markers and were enriched for CAF-related biological pathways such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis. In addition, CAFGs score was identified as a risk index and correlated with poor overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). High CAFGs scores were observed in patients with advanced stages, CMS4, as well as lymphatic invasion. Furthermore, elevated CAFG scores in patients signified a suppressive tumor microenvironment characterized by the upregulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), T-cell dysfunction, exclusion, and TIDE score. And high CAFGs scores can differentiate patients with lower response rates and poor prognosis under ICB therapy. Notably, single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics analyses identified several molecules related to CAF identity and function, such as FSTL1, IGFBP7, and FBN1. CONCLUSION We constructed a robust CAFGs score system with clinical significance using multiple CRC cohorts. In addition, we identified several molecules related to CAF identity and function that could be potential intervention targets for CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhenlin Li
- Department of Surgical Clinical, School of Heze Medical College, Heze, China
| | - Tianlei Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyi Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sijia Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Wang J, Peng J, Chen Y, Nasser MI, Qin H. The role of stromal cells in epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and its therapeutic potential. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:13. [PMID: 38244071 PMCID: PMC10799841 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00867-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical tumor invasion and metastasis process. EMT enables tumor cells to migrate, detach from their original location, enter the circulation, circulate within it, and eventually exit from blood arteries to colonize in foreign sites, leading to the development of overt metastases, ultimately resulting in death. EMT is intimately tied to stromal cells around the tumor and is controlled by a range of cytokines secreted by stromal cells. This review summarizes recent research on stromal cell-mediated EMT in tumor invasion and metastasis. We also discuss the effects of various stromal cells on EMT induction and focus on the molecular mechanisms by which several significant stromal cells convert from foes to friends of cancer cells to fuel EMT processes via their secretions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). As a result, a better knowledge of the role of stromal cells in cancer cells' EMT may pave the path to cancer eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjing Wang
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Junmei Peng
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonglin Chen
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- The Hengyang Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of Hunan Province Department of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
| | - M I Nasser
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hui Qin
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
- The Hengyang Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of Hunan Province Department of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
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15
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Inomata Y, Kuroha M, Shimoyama Y, Naito T, Moroi R, Shiga H, Kakuta Y, Karasawa H, Onuma S, Kinouchi Y, Masamune A. Dickkopf 1 is expressed in normal fibroblasts during early stages of colorectal tumorigenesis. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e6992. [PMID: 38334454 PMCID: PMC10854454 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Colorectal cancer progression from adenoma to cancer is a time-intensive process; however, the interaction between normal fibroblasts (NFs) with early colorectal tumors, such as adenomas, remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the response of the microenvironment during early tumorigenesis using co-cultures of organoids and NFs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Colon normal epithelium, adenoma, cancer organoid, and NFs were established and co-cultured using Transwell inserts. Microarray analysis of NFs was performed to identify factors expressed early in tumor growth. Immunostaining of clinical specimens was performed to localize the identified factor. Functional analysis was performed using HCT116 cells. Serum DKK1 levels were measured in patients with colorectal cancer and adenoma. RESULTS Colorectal organoid-NF co-culture resulted in increased organoid diameter and cell viability in normal epithelial and adenomatous organoids but not in cancer organoids. Microarray analysis of NFs revealed 18 genes with increased expression when co-cultured with adenoma and cancer organoids. Immunohistochemical staining revealed DKK1 expression in the tumor stroma from early tumor growth. DKK1 stimulation reduced HCT116 cell proliferation, while DKK1 silencing by siRNA transfection increased cell proliferation. Serum DKK1 level was significantly higher in patients with advanced cancer and adenoma than in controls. Serum DKK1 level revealed area-under-the-curve values of 0.78 and 0.64 for cancer and adenoma, respectively. CONCLUSION These findings contribute valuable insights into the early stages of colorectal tumorigenesis and suggest DKK1 as a tumor suppressor. Additionally, serum DKK1 levels could serve as a biomarker to identify both cancer and adenoma, offering diagnostic possibilities for early-stage colon tumors. The present study has a few limitations. We considered using DKK1 as a candidate gene for gene transfer to organoids and NFs; however, it was difficult due to technical problems and the slow growth rate of NFs. Therefore, we used cancer cell lines instead. In addition, immunostaining and ELISA were based on the short-term collection at a single institution, and further accumulation of such data is desirable. As described above, most previous reports were related to advanced cancers, but in this study, new findings were obtained by conducting experiments on endoscopically curable early-stage tumors, such as adenomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushi Inomata
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Masatake Kuroha
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Yusuke Shimoyama
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Takeo Naito
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Rintaro Moroi
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Hisashi Shiga
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Yoichi Kakuta
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Hideaki Karasawa
- Department of SurgeryTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Shinobu Onuma
- Department of SurgeryTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Yoshitaka Kinouchi
- Student Healthcare Center, Institute for Excellence in Higher EducationTohoku UniversitySendaiJapan
| | - Atsushi Masamune
- Division of GastroenterologyTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
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Deng Y, Li C, Huang L, Xiong P, Li Y, Liu Y, Li S, Chen W, Yin Q, Li Y, Yang Q, Peng H, Wu S, Wang X, Tong Q, Ouyang H, Hu D, Liu X, Li L, You J, Sun Z, Lu X, Xiao Z, Deng Y, Zhao H. Single-cell landscape of the cellular microenvironment in three different colonic polyp subtypes in children. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1535. [PMID: 38264936 PMCID: PMC10807352 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1535] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The understanding of the heterogeneous cellular microenvironment of colonic polyps in paediatric patients with solitary juvenile polyps (SJPs), polyposis syndrome (PJS) and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) remains limited. METHODS We conducted single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed immunohistochemistry (mIHC) analyses on both normal colonic tissue and different types of colonic polyps obtained from paediatric patients. RESULTS We identified both shared and disease-specific cell subsets and expression patterns that played important roles in shaping the unique cellular microenvironments observed in each polyp subtype. As such, increased myeloid, endothelial and epithelial cells were the most prominent features of SJP, JPS and PJS polyps, respectively. Noticeably, memory B cells were increased, and a cluster of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like colonocytes existed across all polyp subtypes. Abundant neutrophil infiltration was observed in SJP polyps, while CX3CR1hi CD8+ T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) were predominant in SJP and JPS polyps, while GZMAhi natural killer T cells were predominant in PJS polyps. Compared with normal colonic tissues, myeloid cells exhibited specific induction of genes involved in chemotaxis and interferon-related pathways in SJP polyps, whereas fibroblasts in JPS polyps had upregulation of myofiber-associated genes and epithelial cells in PJS polyps exhibited induction of a series of nutrient absorption-related genes. In addition, the TNF-α response was uniformly upregulated in most cell subsets across all polyp subtypes, while endothelial cells and fibroblasts separately showed upregulated cell adhesion and EMT signalling in SJP and JPS polyps. Cell-cell interaction network analysis showed markedly enhanced intercellular communication, such as TNF, VEGF, CXCL and collagen signalling networks, among most cell subsets in polyps, especially SJP and JPS polyps. CONCLUSION These findings strengthen our understanding of the heterogeneous cellular microenvironment of polyp subtypes and identify potential therapeutic approaches to reduce the recurrence of polyps in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Deng
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
- The School of PediatricsHengyang Medical SchoolUniversity of South ChinaChangshaChina
| | - Canlin Li
- Department of Digestive NutritionHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Lanlan Huang
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
- The School of PediatricsHengyang Medical SchoolUniversity of South ChinaChangshaChina
| | - Peiwen Xiong
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Yana Li
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Songyang Li
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Weijian Chen
- Department of PathologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Qiang Yin
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Qinglan Yang
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Hongyan Peng
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Shuting Wu
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Qin Tong
- The School of PediatricsHengyang Medical SchoolUniversity of South ChinaChangshaChina
- Department of Digestive NutritionHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Hongjuan Ouyang
- Department of Digestive NutritionHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Die Hu
- Department of Clinical HematologyCollege of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine ScienceArmy Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Xinjia Liu
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
- The School of PediatricsHengyang Medical SchoolUniversity of South ChinaChangshaChina
| | - Liping Li
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Jieyu You
- Department of Digestive NutritionHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Zhiyi Sun
- Department of BiostatisticsSchool of Public HealthUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Xiulan Lu
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Zhenghui Xiao
- Pediatrics Research Institute of Hunan Province and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Emergency MedicineHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
| | - Youcai Deng
- Department of Clinical HematologyCollege of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine ScienceArmy Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Hongmei Zhao
- Department of Digestive NutritionHunan Children's HospitalChangshaChina
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17
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Hu QR, Huang QX, Hong H, Pan Y, Luo T, Li J, Deng ZY, Chen F. Ginsenoside Rh2 and its octyl ester derivative inhibited invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via the c-Jun/COX2/PGE2 pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 121:155131. [PMID: 37806155 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver cancer is a topical global health issue. The treatment of liver cancer meets significant challenges in the high recurrence rate and invasive incidence. Therefore, the treatment strategies that target epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2)/ prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) pathway have become epidemic. Ginsenoside Rh2 has been proved to inhibit the EMT. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Moreover, the octyl ester derivative of Rh2 (Rh2-O) exhibited superior anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory effects than Rh2 in our previous researches, which indicated that Rh2-O might also exert inhibitory effects on invasion and metastasis. PURPOSE The aim of current study is to explore the inhibitory effects of Rh2 and Rh2-O on invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma, and to investigate whether these effects are dependent on the c-Jun/COX2/PGE2 pathway. STUDY DESIGN The Huh-7 liver cancer cells and the H22 tumor-bearing mice were treated with Rh2 and Rh2-O. METHOD In this paper, the inhibitory effects of Rh2 and Rh2-O on invasion and metastasis were tested by wound healing, trans-well assay and tumor-bearing mice, and the involvement of c-Jun/COX2/PGE2 pathway were verified by exogenous PGE2, activation of COX2 and overexpression of c-Jun. RESULTS The results showed that Rh2 and Rh2-O could efficiently inhibit the invasion and metastasis in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). And the Rh2-O showed stronger effects than Rh2. Moreover, the exogenous PGE2, activation of COX2 by exogenous LPS and the overexpression of c-Jun by transfection all reversed the inhibitory effects of Rh2 and Rh2-O on metastasis or EMT (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Rh2 and Rh2-O could inhibit the invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via restraining the EMT, which was mediated by c-Jun/COX2/PGE2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Rui Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, College of Food Science, Nanchang University, Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Qing-Xin Huang
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Bayi Avenue, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330000, China
| | - Huan Hong
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Bayi Avenue, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330000, China
| | - Yao Pan
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Bayi Avenue, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330000, China
| | - Ting Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, College of Food Science, Nanchang University, Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, College of Food Science, Nanchang University, Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Ze-Yuan Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, College of Food Science, Nanchang University, Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Bayi Avenue, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330000, China.
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18
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Krzysiek-Maczka G, Brzozowski T, Ptak-Belowska A. Helicobacter pylori-activated fibroblasts as a silent partner in gastric cancer development. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:1219-1256. [PMID: 37460910 PMCID: PMC10713772 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10122-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection of gastric mucosa leading to active chronic gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, and MALT lymphoma laid the groundwork for understanding of the general relationship between chronic infection, inflammation, and cancer. Nevertheless, this sequence of events is still far from full understanding with new players and mediators being constantly identified. Originally, the Hp virulence factors affecting mainly gastric epithelium were proposed to contribute considerably to gastric inflammation, ulceration, and cancer. Furthermore, it has been shown that Hp possesses the ability to penetrate the mucus layer and directly interact with stroma components including fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. These cells, which are the source of biophysical and biochemical signals providing the proper balance between cell proliferation and differentiation within gastric epithelial stem cell compartment, when exposed to Hp, can convert into cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype. The crosstalk between fibroblasts and myofibroblasts with gastric epithelial cells including stem/progenitor cell niche involves several pathways mediated by non-coding RNAs, Wnt, BMP, TGF-β, and Notch signaling ligands. The current review concentrates on the consequences of Hp-induced increase in gastric fibroblast and myofibroblast number, and their activation towards CAFs with the emphasis to the altered communication between mesenchymal and epithelial cell compartment, which may lead to inflammation, epithelial stem cell overproliferation, disturbed differentiation, and gradual gastric cancer development. Thus, Hp-activated fibroblasts may constitute the target for anti-cancer treatment and, importantly, for the pharmacotherapies diminishing their activation particularly at the early stages of Hp infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gracjana Krzysiek-Maczka
- Department of Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 16 Grzegorzecka Street, 31-531, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Brzozowski
- Department of Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 16 Grzegorzecka Street, 31-531, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Agata Ptak-Belowska
- Department of Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 16 Grzegorzecka Street, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
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19
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Furuhashi S, Bustos MA, Mizuno S, Ryu S, Naeini Y, Bilchik AJ, Hoon DSB. Spatial profiling of cancer-associated fibroblasts of sporadic early onset colon cancer microenvironment. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023; 7:118. [PMID: 37964075 PMCID: PMC10645739 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-023-00474-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of sporadic early-onset colon cancer (EOCC) has increased worldwide. The molecular mechanisms in the tumor and the tumor microenvironment (TME) in EOCC are not fully understood. The aim of this study is to unravel unique spatial transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in tumor epithelial cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Here, we divide the sporadic colon cancer tissue samples with transcriptomic data into patients diagnosed with EOCC (<50 yrs) and late-onset colon cancer (LOCC, ≥50 yrs) and then, analyze the data using CIBERSORTx deconvolution software. EOCC tumors are more enriched in CAFs with fibroblast associated protein positive expression (FAP(+)) than LOCC tumors. EOCC patients with higher FAP mRNA levels in CAFs have shorter OS (Log-rank test, p < 0.029). Spatial transcriptomic analysis of 112 areas of interest, using NanoString GeoMx digital spatial profiling, demonstrate that FAP(+) CAFs at the EOCC tumor invasive margin show a significant upregulation of WNT signaling and higher mRNA/protein levels of fibroblast growth factor 20 (FGF20). Tumor epithelial cells at tumor invasive margin of EOCC tumors neighboring FAP(+) CAFs show significantly higher mRNA/protein levels of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR2) and PI3K/Akt signaling activation. NichNET analysis show a potential interaction between FGF20 and FGFFR2. The role of FGF20 in activating FGFR2/pFGFR2 and AKT/pAKT was validated in-vitro. In conclusion, we identify a unique FAP(+) CAF population that showed WNT signaling upregulation and increased FGF20 levels; while neighbor tumor cells show the upregulation/activation of FGFR2-PI3K/Akt signaling at the tumor invasive margin of EOCC tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Furuhashi
- Department of Translational Molecular Medicine, Saint John's Cancer Institute (SJCI), Providence Saint John's Health Center (SJHC), Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA
| | - Matias A Bustos
- Department of Translational Molecular Medicine, Saint John's Cancer Institute (SJCI), Providence Saint John's Health Center (SJHC), Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA
| | - Shodai Mizuno
- Department of Translational Molecular Medicine, Saint John's Cancer Institute (SJCI), Providence Saint John's Health Center (SJHC), Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA
| | - Suyeon Ryu
- Department of Genome Sequencing Center, SJCI, Providence SJHC, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA
| | - Yalda Naeini
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Providence SJHC, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA
| | - Anton J Bilchik
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Providence SJHC, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA
| | - Dave S B Hoon
- Department of Translational Molecular Medicine, Saint John's Cancer Institute (SJCI), Providence Saint John's Health Center (SJHC), Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA.
- Department of Genome Sequencing Center, SJCI, Providence SJHC, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA.
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20
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Huang L, Wang X, Pei S, Li X, Dong L, Bian X, Sun H, Jin L, Hou H, Shi W, Zhang X, Zhang L, Zhao S, Chen X, Yin M. Single-Cell Profiling Reveals Sustained Immune Infiltration, Surveillance, and Tumor Heterogeneity in Infiltrative Basal Cell Carcinoma. J Invest Dermatol 2023; 143:2283-2294.e17. [PMID: 37201777 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Infiltrative basal cell carcinoma (iBCC) is a particularly aggressive subtype of basal cell carcinoma that tends to progress and recur after surgery, and its malignancy is closely related to the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we performed a comprehensive single-cell RNA analysis to profile 29,334 cells from iBCC and adjacent normal skin. We found active immune collaborations enriched in iBCC. Specifically, SPP1+CXCL9/10high macrophage 1 had strong BAFF signaling with plasma cells, and T follicular helper-like cells highly expressed the B-cell chemokine CXCL13. Heterogeneous proinflammatory SPP1+CXCL9/10high macrophage 1 and angiogenesis-related SPP1+CCL2high macrophage 1 were identified within the tumor microenvironment. Interestingly, we found an upregulation of major histocompatibility complex I molecules in fibroblasts in iBCC compared with those in adjacent normal skin. Moreover, MDK signals derived from malignant basal cells were markedly increased, and their expression was an independent factor in predicting the infiltration depth of iBCC, emphasizing its role in driving malignancy and remodeling the tumor microenvironment. In addition, we identified differentiation-associated SOSTDC1+IGFBP5+CTSV+ malignant basal subtype 1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated TNC+SFRP1+CHGA+ malignant basal subtype 2 cells. The high expression of malignant basal 2 cell markers was associated with the invasion and recurrence of iBCC. Altogether, our study helps to elucidate the cellular heterogeneity in iBCC and provides potential therapeutic targets for clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjuan Huang
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xianggui Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China; Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shiyao Pei
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liang Dong
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaohui Bian
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hongyin Sun
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liping Jin
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huihui Hou
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wensheng Shi
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China; Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lining Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shuang Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingzhu Yin
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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21
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Farin HF, Mosa MH, Ndreshkjana B, Grebbin BM, Ritter B, Menche C, Kennel KB, Ziegler PK, Szabó L, Bollrath J, Rieder D, Michels BE, Kress A, Bozlar M, Darvishi T, Stier S, Kur IM, Bankov K, Kesselring R, Fichtner-Feigl S, Brüne B, Goetze TO, Al-Batran SE, Brandts CH, Bechstein WO, Wild PJ, Weigert A, Müller S, Knapp S, Trajanoski Z, Greten FR. Colorectal Cancer Organoid-Stroma Biobank Allows Subtype-Specific Assessment of Individualized Therapy Responses. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:2192-2211. [PMID: 37489084 PMCID: PMC10551667 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
In colorectal cancers, the tumor microenvironment plays a key role in prognosis and therapy efficacy. Patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTO) show enormous potential for preclinical testing; however, cultured tumor cells lose important characteristics, including the consensus molecular subtypes (CMS). To better reflect the cellular heterogeneity, we established the colorectal cancer organoid-stroma biobank of matched PDTOs and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) from 30 patients. Context-specific phenotyping showed that xenotransplantation or coculture with CAFs improves the transcriptomic fidelity and instructs subtype-specific stromal gene expression. Furthermore, functional profiling in coculture exposed CMS4-specific therapeutic resistance to gefitinib and SN-38 and prognostic expression signatures. Chemogenomic library screening identified patient- and therapy-dependent mechanisms of stromal resistance including MET as a common target. Our results demonstrate that colorectal cancer phenotypes are encrypted in the cancer epithelium in a plastic fashion that strongly depends on the context. Consequently, CAFs are essential for a faithful representation of molecular subtypes and therapy responses ex vivo. SIGNIFICANCE Systematic characterization of the organoid-stroma biobank provides a resource for context dependency in colorectal cancer. We demonstrate a colorectal cancer subtype memory of PDTOs that is independent of specific driver mutations. Our data underscore the importance of functional profiling in cocultures for improved preclinical testing and identification of stromal resistance mechanisms. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2109.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henner F. Farin
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohammed H. Mosa
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Benardina Ndreshkjana
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Britta M. Grebbin
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Birgit Ritter
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Constantin Menche
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kilian B. Kennel
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Paul K. Ziegler
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lili Szabó
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Julia Bollrath
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dietmar Rieder
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Birgitta E. Michels
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alena Kress
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Müge Bozlar
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tahmineh Darvishi
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sara Stier
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ivan-Maximilano Kur
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Katrin Bankov
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Rebecca Kesselring
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Fichtner-Feigl
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Brüne
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | - Christian H. Brandts
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Wolf O. Bechstein
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Peter J. Wild
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susanne Müller
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Zlatko Trajanoski
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Florian R. Greten
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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22
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Brügger MD, Basler K. The diverse nature of intestinal fibroblasts in development, homeostasis, and disease. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:834-849. [PMID: 37080817 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Only in recent years have we begun to appreciate the involvement of fibroblasts in intestinal development, tissue homeostasis, and disease. These insights followed the advent of single-cell transcriptomics that allowed researchers to explore the heterogeneity of intestinal fibroblasts in unprecedented detail. Since researchers often defined cell types and their associated function based on the biological process they studied, there are a plethora of partially overlapping markers for different intestinal fibroblast populations. This ambiguity complicates putting different research findings into context. Here, we provide a census on the function and identity of intestinal fibroblasts in mouse and human. We propose a simplified framework consisting of three colonic and four small intestinal fibroblast populations to aid navigating the diversity of intestinal fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael David Brügger
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
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23
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Liang D, Liu L, Zheng Q, Zhao M, Zhang G, Tang S, Tang J, Chen N. Chelerythrine chloride inhibits the progression of colorectal cancer by targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts through intervention with WNT10B/β-catenin and TGFβ2/Smad2/3 axis. Phytother Res 2023; 37:4674-4689. [PMID: 37402476 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Chelerythrine chloride (CHE) is a benzodiazepine alkaloid derived from natural herbs with significant anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the exact role and underlying mechanisms of CHE in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the influence of CHE on the progression of CRC. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (CCK-8), transwell, apoptosis rate, cell cycle distribution, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and colony formation determined the anti-proliferative activity of CHE in CRC cell lines. Transcriptome sequencing and western blot were used to explore the mechanism. Finally, H&E staining, Ki67, TUNEL, and immunofluorescence were conducted to verify the anti-CRC activity and potential mechanisms of CHE in vivo. CHE had a prominent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of CRC cells. CHE induces G1 and S phase arrest and induces cell apoptosis by ROS accumulation. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a key role in CRC metastasis. Then, this study found that CHE regulates WNT10B/β-catenin and TGFβ2/Smad2/3 axis, thereby decreasing the expression of α-SMA, which is a maker of CAFs. Taken together, CHE is a candidate drug and a potent compound for metastatic CRC, which can intervene CAFs in a dual pathway to effectively inhibit the invasion and migration of cancer cells, which can provide a new choice for future clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liang
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiao Zheng
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Maoyuan Zhao
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Zhang
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shiyun Tang
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianyuan Tang
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Nianzhi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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24
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Lu J, Kornmann M, Traub B. Role of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14815. [PMID: 37834263 PMCID: PMC10573312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular reprogramming process that occurs during embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. This process involves epithelial cells acquiring a mesenchymal phenotype. Through EMT, cancer cells acquire properties associated with a more aggressive phenotype. EMT and its opposite, mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), have been described in more tumors over the past ten years, including colorectal cancer (CRC). When EMT is activated, the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin is decreased and the expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin is raised. As a result, cells temporarily take on a mesenchymal phenotype, becoming motile and promoting the spread of tumor cells. Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) has become a hot issue in CRC because strong inducers of EMT (such as transforming growth factor β, TGF-β) can initiate EMT and regulate metastasis, microenvironment, and immune system resistance in CRC. In this review, we take into account the significance of EMT-MET in CRC and the impact of the epithelial cells' plasticity on the prognosis of CRC. The analysis of connection between EMT and colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) will help to further clarify the current meager understandings of EMT. Recent advances affecting important EMT transcription factors and EMT and CCSCs are highlighted. We come to the conclusion that the regulatory network for EMT in CRC is complicated, with a great deal of crosstalk and alternate paths. More thorough research is required to more effectively connect the clinical management of CRC with biomarkers and targeted treatments associated with EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Benno Traub
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (J.L.); (M.K.)
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25
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Chen S, Fan L, Lin Y, Qi Y, Xu C, Ge Q, Zhang Y, Wang Q, Jia D, Wang L, Si J, Wang L. Bifidobacterium adolescentis orchestrates CD143 + cancer-associated fibroblasts to suppress colorectal tumorigenesis by Wnt signaling-regulated GAS1. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2023; 43:1027-1047. [PMID: 37533188 PMCID: PMC10508156 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12469] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interplay between gut microbiota and tumor microenvironment (TME) in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is not well explored. Here, we elucidated the functional role of Bifidobacterium adolescentis (B.a) on CRC and investigated its possible mechanism on the manipulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in CRC. METHODS Different CRC animal models and various cell line models were established to explore the function of B.a on CRC. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) or flow cytometry was used to detect the cell subsets in the TME of CRC. Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), or immunofluorescence staining were performed to examine the activation of Wnt signaling and growth arrest specific 1 (GAS1) on CD143+ CAFs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation quantitative real-time PCR (CHIP-qPCR) was performed to investigate the regulation of transcription factor 4 (TCF4) on GAS1. Multi-immunofluorescence assay examined the expression level of CD143 and GAS1 on tissue microarray. RESULTS We found that B.a abundance was significantly reduced in CRC patients from two independent cohorts and the bacteria database of GMrepo. Supplementation with B.a suppressed ApcMin/+ spontaneous or AOM/DSS-induced tumorigenesis in mice. scRNA-seq revealed that B.a facilitated a subset of CD143+ CAFs by inhibiting the infiltration of Th2 cells, while promoting the TNF-alpha+ B cells in TME. CD143+ CAFs highly expressed GAS1 and exhibited tumor suppressive effect. Mechanistically, GAS1 was activated by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in CD143+ CAFs. B.a abundance was correlated with the expression level of CD143 and GAS1. The level of CD143+ CAFs predicted the better survival outcome in CRC patients. CONCLUSIONS These results highlighted that B.a induced a new subset of CD143+ CAFs by Wnt signaling-regulated GAS1 to suppress tumorigenesis and provided a novel therapeutic target for probiotic-based modulation of TME in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujie Chen
- Department of GastroenterologySir Run Run Shaw HospitalSchool of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Research Center of Prevention and Treatment of Senescent DiseaseSchool of Medicine Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Lina Fan
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Yifeng Lin
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Yadong Qi
- Department of GastroenterologySir Run Run Shaw HospitalSchool of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Chaochao Xu
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Qiwei Ge
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Qiwen Wang
- Department of GastroenterologySir Run Run Shaw HospitalSchool of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Dingjiacheng Jia
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Lan Wang
- Department of GastroenterologySir Run Run Shaw HospitalSchool of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Jianmin Si
- Department of GastroenterologySir Run Run Shaw HospitalSchool of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Research Center of Prevention and Treatment of Senescent DiseaseSchool of Medicine Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
| | - Liangjing Wang
- Institute of GastroenterologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Research Center of Prevention and Treatment of Senescent DiseaseSchool of Medicine Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
- Department of GastroenterologySecond Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouZhejiangP. R. China
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26
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Yang C, Xiao W, Wang R, Hu Y, Yi K, Sun X, Wang G, Xu X. Tumor organoid model of colorectal cancer (Review). Oncol Lett 2023; 26:328. [PMID: 37415635 PMCID: PMC10320425 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The establishment of self-organizing 'mini-gut' organoid models has brought about a significant breakthrough in biomedical research. Patient-derived tumor organoids have emerged as valuable tools for preclinical studies, offering the retention of genetic and phenotypic characteristics of the original tumor. These organoids have applications in various research areas, including in vitro modelling, drug discovery and personalized medicine. The present review provided an overview of intestinal organoids, focusing on their unique characteristics and current understanding. The progress made in colorectal cancer (CRC) organoid models was then delved into, discussing their role in drug development and personalized medicine. For instance, it has been indicated that patient-derived tumor organoids are able to predict response to irinotecan-based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Furthermore, the limitations and challenges associated with current CRC organoid models were addressed, along with proposed strategies for enhancing their utility in future basic and translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
| | - Wangwen Xiao
- Central Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Yan Hu
- Central Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
| | - Ke Yi
- Central Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
| | - Xuan Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
| | - Guanghui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
- Central Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215400, P.R. China
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27
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Pérez-González A, Bévant K, Blanpain C. Cancer cell plasticity during tumor progression, metastasis and response to therapy. NATURE CANCER 2023; 4:1063-1082. [PMID: 37537300 PMCID: PMC7615147 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00595-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Cell plasticity represents the ability of cells to be reprogrammed and to change their fate and identity, enabling homeostasis restoration and tissue regeneration following damage. Cell plasticity also contributes to pathological conditions, such as cancer, enabling cells to acquire new phenotypic and functional features by transiting across distinct cell states that contribute to tumor initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to therapy. Here, we review the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms driving cell plasticity that promote tumor growth and proliferation as well as metastasis and drug tolerance. Finally, we discuss how cell plasticity could be exploited for anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pérez-González
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin Bévant
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cédric Blanpain
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
- WELBIO, ULB, Bruxelles, Belgium.
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28
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Xue M, Zhu Y, Jiang Y, Han L, Shi M, Su R, Wang L, Xiong C, Wang C, Wang T, Deng S, Wu D, Cao Y, Dong L, Bai F, Zhao S, Deng X, Peng C, Li H, Chen J, Shen B, Jiang L, Chen H. Schwann cells regulate tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma microenvironment. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4600. [PMID: 37524695 PMCID: PMC10390497 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40314-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathy is a feature more frequently observed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) than other tumors. Schwann cells, the most prevalent cell type in peripheral nerves, migrate toward tumor cells and associate with poor prognosis in PDAC. To unveil the effects of Schwann cells on the neuro-stroma niche, here we perform single-cell RNA-sequencing and microarray-based spatial transcriptome analysis of PDAC tissues. Results suggest that Schwann cells may drive tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to more malignant subtypes: basal-like and inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs), respectively. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrate that Schwann cells enhance the proliferation and migration of PDAC cells via Midkine signaling and promote the switch of CAFs to iCAFs via interleukin-1α. Culture of tumor cells and CAFs with Schwann cells conditioned medium accelerates PDAC progression. Thus, we reveal that Schwann cells induce malignant subtypes of tumor cells and CAFs in the PDAC milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meilin Xue
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Monrovia, CA, 91016, USA
| | - Youwei Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongsheng Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijie Han
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minmin Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Su
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Monrovia, CA, 91016, USA
| | - Liwen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Xiong
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaofu Wang
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shijie Deng
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong Wu
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Monrovia, CA, 91016, USA
| | - Yizhi Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Dong
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fan Bai
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shulin Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaxing Deng
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenghong Peng
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongwei Li
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Monrovia, CA, 91016, USA
| | - Baiyong Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Lingxi Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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29
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Szabó L, Seubert AC, Kretzschmar K. Modelling adult stem cells and their niche in health and disease with epithelial organoids. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 144:20-30. [PMID: 36127261 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Adult stem cells are responsible for homoeostasis and regeneration of epithelial tissues. Stem cell function is regulated by both cell autonomous mechanisms as well as the niche. Deregulated stem cell function contributes to diseases such as cancer. Epithelial organoid cultures generated from tissue-resident adult stem cells have allowed unprecedented insights into the biology of epithelial tissues. The subsequent adaptation of organoid technology enabled the modelling of the communication of stem cells with their cellular and non-cellular niche as well as diseases. Starting from its first model described in 2009, the murine small intestinal organoid, we discuss here how epithelial organoid cultures have been become a prime in vitro research tool for cell and developmental biology, bioengineering, and biomedicine in the last decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Szabó
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Centre (MSNZ) for Cancer Research, University Hospital Würzburg, IZKF/MSNZ, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anna C Seubert
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Centre (MSNZ) for Cancer Research, University Hospital Würzburg, IZKF/MSNZ, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kai Kretzschmar
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Centre (MSNZ) for Cancer Research, University Hospital Würzburg, IZKF/MSNZ, Würzburg, Germany.
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30
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Soós AÁ, Kelemen A, Orosz A, Szvicsek Z, Tölgyes T, Dede K, Bursics A, Wiener Z. High CD142 Level Marks Tumor-Promoting Fibroblasts with Targeting Potential in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11585. [PMID: 37511344 PMCID: PMC10381019 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411585] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high incidence and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. The accumulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) induces an aggressive, stem-like phenotype in tumor cells, and it indicates a poor prognosis. However, cellular heterogeneity among CAFs and the targeting of both stromal and CRC cells are not yet well resolved. Here, we identified CD142high fibroblasts with a higher stimulating effect on CRC cell proliferation via secreting more hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) compared to CD142low CAFs. We also found that combinations of inhibitors that had either a promising effect in other cancer types or are more active in CRC compared to normal colonic epithelium acted synergistically in CRC cells. Importantly, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor selected against CD142high fibroblasts, and both CRC cells and CAFs were sensitive to a BCL-xL inhibitor. However, targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) was ineffective in fibroblasts, and an epigenetic inhibitor selected for a tumor cell population with markers of aggressive behavior. Thus, we suggest BCL-xL and HSP90 inhibitors to eliminate cancer cells and decrease the tumor-promoting CD142high CAF population. This may be the basis of a strategy to target both CRC cells and stromal fibroblasts, resulting in the inhibition of tumor relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Áron Soós
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary; (A.Á.S.); (A.K.); (A.O.); (Z.S.)
| | - Andrea Kelemen
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary; (A.Á.S.); (A.K.); (A.O.); (Z.S.)
| | - Adrián Orosz
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary; (A.Á.S.); (A.K.); (A.O.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zsuzsanna Szvicsek
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary; (A.Á.S.); (A.K.); (A.O.); (Z.S.)
| | - Tamás Tölgyes
- Uzsoki Teaching Hospital, H-1145 Budapest, Hungary; (T.T.); (K.D.); (A.B.)
| | - Kristóf Dede
- Uzsoki Teaching Hospital, H-1145 Budapest, Hungary; (T.T.); (K.D.); (A.B.)
| | - Attila Bursics
- Uzsoki Teaching Hospital, H-1145 Budapest, Hungary; (T.T.); (K.D.); (A.B.)
| | - Zoltán Wiener
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary; (A.Á.S.); (A.K.); (A.O.); (Z.S.)
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31
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Yau JNN, Adriani G. Three-dimensional heterotypic colorectal cancer spheroid models for evaluation of drug response. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1148930. [PMID: 37469395 PMCID: PMC10352797 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1148930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Improved preclinical tumor models are needed to make treatment screening clinically relevant and address disease mortality. Advancements in 3D cell culture have enabled a greater recapitulation of the architecture and heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). This has enhanced their pathophysiological relevance and enabled more accurate predictions of tumor progression and drug response in patients. An increasing number of 3D CRC spheroid models include cell populations such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), endothelial cells (ECs), immune cells, and gut bacteria to better mimic the in vivo regulation of signaling pathways. Furthermore, cell heterogeneity within the 3D spheroid models enables the identification of new therapeutic targets to develop alternative treatments and test TME-target therapies. In this mini review, we present the advances in mimicking tumor heterogeneity in 3D CRC spheroid models by incorporating CAFs, ECs, immune cells, and gut bacteria. We introduce how, in these models, the diverse cells influence chemoresistance and tumor progression of the CRC spheroids. We also highlight important parameters evaluated during drug screening in the CRC heterocellular spheroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Ning Nicolette Yau
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giulia Adriani
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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32
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Zhao Y, Qin C, Zhao B, Wang Y, Li Z, Li T, Yang X, Wang W. Pancreatic cancer stemness: dynamic status in malignant progression. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:122. [PMID: 37173787 PMCID: PMC10182699 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02693-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that the capacity for self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) contribute to major challenges with current PC therapies, causing metastasis and therapeutic resistance, leading to recurrence and death in patients. The concept that PCSCs are characterized by their high plasticity and self-renewal capacities is central to this review. We focused specifically on the regulation of PCSCs, such as stemness-related signaling pathways, stimuli in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as the development of innovative stemness-targeted therapies. Understanding the biological behavior of PCSCs with plasticity and the molecular mechanisms regulating PC stemness will help to identify new treatment strategies to treat this horrible disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Bangbo Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyang Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Zeru Li
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianyu Li
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoying Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China
| | - Weibin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China.
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure On Translational Medicine in, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100023, People's Republic of China.
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33
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Betge J, Jackstadt R. From organoids to bedside: Advances in modeling, decoding and targeting of colorectal cancer. Int J Cancer 2023; 152:1304-1313. [PMID: 36121667 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Patient derived organoids closely resemble the biology of tissues and tumors. They are enabling ex vivo modeling of human diseases and dissecting key features of tumor biology like anatomical diversity or inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. In the last years, organoids were established as models for drug discovery and explored to guide clinical decision making. In this review, we discuss the recent developments in organoid based research, elaborating on the developments in colorectal cancer as a prime example. We focus our review on the role of organoids to decode cancer cell dynamics and tumor microenvironmental complexity with the underlying bi-directional crosstalk. Additionally, advancements in the development of living biobanks, screening approaches, organoid based precision medicine and challenges of co-clinical trials are highlighted. We discuss ongoing efforts to overcome challenges that the field faces and indicate potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Betge
- Junior Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Gastrointestinal Oncology and Preclinical Models, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rene Jackstadt
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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34
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Ben Hamouda S, Essafi-Benkhadir K. Interplay between Signaling Pathways and Tumor Microenvironment Components: A Paradoxical Role in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065600. [PMID: 36982677 PMCID: PMC10057671 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of the tumor microenvironment (TME) has become an important part of colorectal cancer (CRC) research. Indeed, it is now accepted that the invasive character of a primary CRC is determined not only by the genotype of the tumor cells, but also by their interactions with the extracellular environment, which thereby orchestrates the development of the tumor. In fact, the TME cells are a double-edged sword as they play both pro- and anti-tumor roles. The interaction of the tumor-infiltrating cells (TIC) with the cancer cells induces the polarization of the TIC, exhibiting an antagonist phenotype. This polarization is controlled by a plethora of interconnected pro- and anti-oncogenic signaling pathways. The complexity of this interaction and the dual function of these different actors contribute to the failure of CRC control. Thus, a better understanding of such mechanisms is of great interest and provides new opportunities for the development of personalized and efficient therapies for CRC. In this review, we summarize the signaling pathways linked to CRC and their implication in the development or inhibition of the tumor initiation and progression. In the second part, we enlist the major components of the TME and discuss the complexity of their cells functions.
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35
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Wu Y, Zhou J, Li Y, Shi X, Shen F, Chen M, Chen Y, Wang J. Hsa_circ_0001445 works as a cancer suppressor via miR-576-5p/SFRP1 axis regulation in ovarian cancer. Cancer Med 2023; 12:5736-5750. [PMID: 36259450 PMCID: PMC10028118 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer (OC) has high mortality and morbidity. Circular RNA (circRNA) can deeply impact the tumor occurrence and growth. The pathogenic activity of one particular circRNA, hsa_circ_0001445 (hcR1445), in OC remains unclear and was therefore analyzed in this study. METHODS Human OC tissue specimens and cell lines (SKOV3, HO8910, and OVCAR8) were used to examine the levels of hcR1445 and the microRNA miR-576-5p using polymerase chain reaction. The 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, flow cytometry, cellular scratch test, CCK-8, and Transwell migration assays were used to examine the biological activities of hcR1445 and miR-576-5p on cell apoptosis, invasion, migration, and proliferation in OC cells. Protein expression of WNT/β-catenin and secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) were tested using Western blot analysis. The potential interactions of miR-576-5p/SFRP1 and hcR1445/miR-576-5p were evaluated using a dual-luciferase report assay. The effect of hcR1445 on OC growth and metastasis was further determined using an OC tumor xenograft model in vivo. RESULTS hcR1445 level was declined in OC cells and tissues. hcR1445 reduced cellular invasion, proliferation, and migration by blocking the ability of miR-576-5p to upregulate SFRP1 expression and consequently prohibit WNT/β-catenin signal transduction. hcR1445 upregulation suppressed OC growth, development, and intraperitoneal metastasis in vivo. CONCLUSION hcR1445 acts an antioncogene by targeting the miR-576-5p/SFRP1 axis and blocking OC progression and development. Thus, hcR1445 may be employed as an indicator or a possible therapeutic target in OC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Clinical Research Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jinhua Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiu Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Fangrong Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Mingwei Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Youguo Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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36
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Dong L, Sun Q, Song F, Song X, Lu C, Li Y, Song X. Identification and verification of eight cancer-associated fibroblasts related genes as a prognostic signature for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14003. [PMID: 36938461 PMCID: PMC10018481 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) can exert their immunosuppressive effects by secreting various effectors that are involved in the regulation of tumor-infiltrating immune cells as well as other immune components in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), thereby promoting tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Although a large number of studies suggest that CAFs play a key regulatory role in the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there are limited studies on the relevance of CAFs to the prognosis of HNSCC. In this study, we identified a prognostic signature containing eight CAF-related genes for HNSCC by univariate Cox analysis, lasso regression, stepwise regression, and multivariate Cox analysis. Our validation in primary cultures of CAFs from human HNSCC and four human HNSCC cell lines confirmed that these eight genes are indeed characteristic markers of CAFs. Immune cell infiltration differences analysis between high-risk and low-risk groups according to the eight CAF-related genes signature hinted at CAFs regulatory roles in the TIME, further revealing its potential role on prognosis. The signature of the eight CAF-related genes was validated in different independent validation cohorts and all showed that it was a valid marker for prognosis. The significantly higher overall survival (OS) in the low-risk group compared to the high-risk group was confirmed by Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis, suggesting that the signature of CAF-related genes can be used as a non-invasive predictive tool for HNSCC prognosis. The low-risk group had significantly higher levels of tumor-killing immune cell infiltration, as confirmed by CIBERSORT analysis, such as CD8+ T cells, follicular helper T cells, and Dendritic cells (DCs) in the low-risk group. In contrast, the level of infiltration of pro-tumor cells such as M0 macrophages and activated Mast cells (MCs) was lower. It is crucial to delve into the complex mechanisms between CAFs and immune cells to find potential regulatory targets and may provide new evidence for subsequently targeted immunotherapy. These results suggest that the signature of the eight CAF-related genes is a powerful indicator for the assessment of the TIME of HNSCC. It may provide a new and reliable potential indicator for clinicians to predict the prognosis of HNSCC, which may be used to guide treatment and clinical decision-making in HNSCC patients. Meanwhile, CAF-related genes are expected to become tumor biomarkers and effective targets for HNSCC.
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Key Words
- CAFs, Cancer-associated fibroblasts
- CSCs, cancer stem cells
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts
- DCs, Dendritic cells
- EMT, epithelial mesenchymal transition
- GEO, Gene Expression Omnibus
- GEPIA, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis
- GO, Gene Ontology
- GSEA, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis
- HNSCC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- HR, Hazard Ratio
- Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- Immune cell infiltration
- K-M, Kaplan-Meier
- KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
- MCs, Mast cells
- NFs, normal fibroblasts
- OS, overall survival
- OSCC, oral squamous cell carcinomas
- Prognostic signature
- ROC, receiver operating characteristic
- TAMs, tumor-associated macrophages
- TCGA, The Cancer Genome Atlas
- TIME, tumor immune microenvironment
- TME, tumor microenvironment
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Dong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Fei Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Xiaoyu Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Congxian Lu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
| | - Yumei Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
- Corresponding author. Yumei Li: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, No.20, Yuhuangding East Road, Zhifu District, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
| | - Xicheng Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong University, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
- Corresponding author. Xicheng Song: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, No.20, Yuhuangding East Road, Zhifu District, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
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Zhang Q, Wang Y, Liu F. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: Versatile mediators in remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Cell Signal 2023; 103:110567. [PMID: 36538999 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Current cancer therapeutic strategies are generally not sufficient to eradicate malignancy, as cancer stroma cells contribute to tumor evasion and therapeutic resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute a largely heterogeneous type of stromal cell population and are important components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). CAFs are the most abundant stromal cell type and are actively involved in tumor progression through complex mechanisms involving effects on other cell types. Research conducted in recent years has emphasized an emerging function of CAFs in the remodeling of the TME that promotes tumor progression with effects on response to treatment by various molecular mechanisms. A comprehensive mechanism of tumor-promoting activities of CAFs could facilitate the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this review, the biological characterization of CAFs and the mechanisms of their effects on TME remodeling are summarized. Furthermore, we also highlight currently available therapeutic strategies targeting CAF in the context of optimizing the success of immunotherapies and briefly discuss possible future perspectives and challenges related to CAF studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
| | - Fusheng Liu
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China; Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100070, China.
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38
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Li J, Ma G, Yan M, Liu H, Zhang K, Lin R, Lü G. Subcutaneous infection mouse model could be applied into real time monitoring the efficacy of anti-cystic echinococcosis drug in vivo. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106802. [PMID: 36565837 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic parasitic disease with a cosmopolitan distribution, and it is urgent to develop novel anti-helminthic agents. The intraperitoneal (ip) infection mice model was widely used to evaluate the efficacy of potential anti-CE compounds. Still, it's time-consuming, and the inability to achieve real-time monitoring hinders the development of potential anti-CE compounds. In this study, a CE mouse model was established by subcutaneous (sc) injection of protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (E.granulosus s.s.) and used to assess the efficiency and efficacy of prospective anti-CE drugs. Compared to the ip infection CE mice model, the lesion volume of sc infection protoscoleces of E.granulosus s.s. (EgPSCs) could be measured by vernier caliper at week 6 post-infection. In contrast, the lesion volume of ip infection CE mice model was detected by ultrasound-assisted diagnosis at week 16 post-infection. Oral administration of albendazole (ABZ) could reduce cystic weight by 32.17% and 17.61%, the cystic number by 12.24% and 25.19%, and damage the ultrastructure of the cysts of E. granulosus s.s. in the sc and ip infection group, respectively. Furthermore, we found that the sc infection mice model could real-time monitor the lesion volume of E. granulosus s.s. during the ABZ and everolimus treatment. Therefore, we consider that the sc infection CE mice model is an assistant tool for screening and developing potential anti-CE compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China; College of pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Guizhi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China; College of pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Mingzhi Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China; College of pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Kainan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Renyong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Guodong Lü
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China; College of pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
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39
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Fleischer JR, Schmitt AM, Haas G, Xu X, Zeisberg EM, Bohnenberger H, Küffer S, Teuwen LA, Karras PJ, Beißbarth T, Bleckmann A, Planque M, Fendt SM, Vermeulen P, Ghadimi M, Kalucka J, De Oliveira T, Conradi LC. Molecular differences of angiogenic versus vessel co-opting colorectal cancer liver metastases at single-cell resolution. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:17. [PMID: 36691028 PMCID: PMC9872436 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01713-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) are associated with a poor prognosis, reflected by a five-year survival rate of 14%. Anti-angiogenic therapy through anti-VEGF antibody administration is one of the limited therapies available. However, only a subgroup of metastases uses sprouting angiogenesis to secure their nutrients and oxygen supply, while others rely on vessel co-option (VCO). The distinct mode of vascularization is reflected by specific histopathological growth patterns (HGPs), which have proven prognostic and predictive significance. Nevertheless, their molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. METHODS We evaluated CRCLM from 225 patients regarding their HGP and clinical data. Moreover, we performed spatial (21,804 spots) and single-cell (22,419 cells) RNA sequencing analyses to explore molecular differences in detail, further validated in vitro through immunohistochemical analysis and patient-derived organoid cultures. RESULTS We detected specific metabolic alterations and a signature of WNT signalling activation in metastatic cancer cells related to the VCO phenotype. Importantly, in the corresponding healthy liver of CRCLM displaying sprouting angiogenesis, we identified a predominantly expressed capillary subtype of endothelial cells, which could be further explored as a possible predictor for HGP relying on sprouting angiogenesis. CONCLUSION These findings may prove to be novel therapeutic targets to the treatment of CRCLM, in special the ones relying on VCO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Robert Fleischer
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Maria Schmitt
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gwendolyn Haas
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xingbo Xu
- Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Maria Zeisberg
- Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Küffer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Laure-Anne Teuwen
- Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Philipp Johannes Karras
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of General- and Visceral Surgery, Raphaelsklinik Münster, Loerstraße 23, 48143, Münster, Germany
| | - Tim Beißbarth
- Department of Medical Bioinformatics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 1, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annalen Bleckmann
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Mélanie Planque
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Maria Fendt
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Vermeulen
- Translational Cancer Research Unit, GZA Hospitals, Sint-Augustinus, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Michael Ghadimi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joanna Kalucka
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tiago De Oliveira
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lena-Christin Conradi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
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40
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Yuan J, Li X, Yu S. Cancer organoid co-culture model system: Novel approach to guide precision medicine. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1061388. [PMID: 36713421 PMCID: PMC9877297 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional cancer organoids derived from self-organizing cancer stems are ex vivo miniatures of tumors that faithfully recapitulate their structure, distinctive cancer features, and genetic signatures. As novel tools, current cancer organoids have been well established and rapidly applied in drug testing, genome editing, and transplantation, with the ultimate aim of entering clinical practice for guiding personalized therapy. However, given that the lack of a tumor microenvironment, including immune cells and fibrous cells, is a major limitation of this emerging methodology, co-culture models inspire high hope for further application of this technology in cancer research. Co-culture of cancer organoids and immune cells or fibroblasts is available to investigate the tumor microenvironment, molecular interactions, and chimeric antigen receptor-engineered lymphocytes in cancer treatment. In light of the recent progress in cancer organoid co-culture models, it is only possible to recognize the advantages and drawbacks of this novel model to exploit its full potential. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the application of cancer organoids and co-culture models and how they could be improved in the future to benefit cancer research, especially precision medicine.
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41
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Houthuijzen JM, de Bruijn R, van der Burg E, Drenth AP, Wientjens E, Filipovic T, Bullock E, Brambillasca CS, Pulver EM, Nieuwland M, de Rink I, van Diepen F, Klarenbeek S, Kerkhoven R, Brunton VG, Scheele CLGJ, Boelens MC, Jonkers J. CD26-negative and CD26-positive tissue-resident fibroblasts contribute to functionally distinct CAF subpopulations in breast cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:183. [PMID: 36635273 PMCID: PMC9837080 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35793-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundantly present in the microenvironment of virtually all tumors and strongly impact tumor progression. Despite increasing insight into their function and heterogeneity, little is known regarding the origin of CAFs. Understanding the origin of CAF heterogeneity is needed to develop successful CAF-based targeted therapies. Through various transplantation studies in mice, we show that CAFs in both invasive lobular breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer originate from mammary tissue-resident normal fibroblasts (NFs). Single-cell transcriptomics, in vivo and in vitro studies reveal the transition of CD26+ and CD26- NF populations into inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) and myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs), respectively. Functional co-culture experiments show that CD26+ NFs transition into pro-tumorigenic iCAFs which recruit myeloid cells in a CXCL12-dependent manner and enhance tumor cell invasion via matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Together, our data suggest that CD26+ and CD26- NFs transform into distinct CAF subpopulations in mouse models of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Houthuijzen
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Roebi de Bruijn
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eline van der Burg
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne Paulien Drenth
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Wientjens
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tamara Filipovic
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Esme Bullock
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Chiara S Brambillasca
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emilia M Pulver
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marja Nieuwland
- Genomics Core Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Iris de Rink
- Genomics Core Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank van Diepen
- Flow Cytometry Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd Klarenbeek
- Experimental Animal Pathology Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ron Kerkhoven
- Genomics Core Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Valerie G Brunton
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colinda L G J Scheele
- Laboratory for Intravital Imaging and Dynamics of Tumor Progression, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mirjam C Boelens
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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42
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Lu C, Zhang C. Oxaliplatin inhibits colorectal cancer progression by inhibiting CXCL11 secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts and the CXCR3/PI3K/AKT pathway. CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL ONCOLOGY : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF SPANISH ONCOLOGY SOCIETIES AND OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE OF MEXICO 2023; 25:160-172. [PMID: 36129606 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02922-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor. Oxaliplatin (OXA) can inhibit cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)-induced cancer progression. This study sought to explore the mechanism of OXA in CAFs-induced CRC development. METHODS CRC cell lines (Caco-2, SW620), normal fibroblasts (NFs), and CAFs were treated with OXA. NFs and CAFs were cultured. CAFs were treated with/without OXA (0.4 mM), and the supernatant was extracted as the conditioned medium (CM) to culture CRC cells. Cell malignant episodes, E-cadherin and Vimentin levels, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL8, and CXCL11 mRNA levels, CXCL11 protein level, and extracellular release were assessed. CAFs were transfected with interfering RNA sh-CXCL11 to silence CXCL11 or transfected with CXCL11 overexpression plasmids and treated with OXA to explore the role of CXCL11 in OXA-mediated CRC cells through CAFs. CXCL11 receptor CXCR3 levels in CRC cells and the PI3K/AKT pathway changes were examined. The xenogeneic tumor was transplanted in nude mice. CXCL11 and CXCR3 levels in tumor tissues, tumor volume, shape, size, weight, and Ki67 positive expressions were assessed. RESULTS CRC cell growths and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation were stimulated after culture with CAFs-CM, while OXA averted these trends. CXCL11 mRNA level was elevated most significantly, and its protein and extracellular secretion levels were raised, while OXA diminished the levels. CXCL11 silencing weakened the effects of CAFs-CM on promoting CRC proliferation and malignant episodes and CXCL11 overexpression averted OXA property on inhibiting CAFs-promoted CRC cell growth. CXCR3 and PI3K and AKT1 phosphorylation levels were raised in the CAFs-CM group but diminished by OXA. CXCL11 overexpression in CAFs averted OXA property on inhibiting CAFs-activated CXCR3/PI3K/AKT in CRC cells. OXA also inhibited the progression of xenograft tumors by limiting CAFs-secreted CXCL11. CONCLUSIONS OXA repressed CRC progression by inhibiting CAFs-secreted CXCL11 and the CXCR3/PI3K/AKT pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caifu Lu
- Department of Proctology, Aikang Hospital, Huangshi, 435000, Hubei Province, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Acupuncture, Huangshi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, 6 Square Road, Huangshi, 435000, Hubei Province, China.
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43
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Zhang J, Hu Z, Horta CA, Yang J. Regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition by tumor microenvironmental signals and its implication in cancer therapeutics. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 88:46-66. [PMID: 36521737 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in various aspects of tumor development, including tumor invasion and metastasis, cancer stemness, and therapy resistance. Diverse stroma cell types along with biochemical and biophysical factors in the tumor microenvironment impinge on the EMT program to impact tumor progression. Here we provide an in-depth review of various tumor microenvironmental signals that regulate EMT in cancer. We discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of EMT in therapy resistance and highlight new therapeutic approaches targeting the tumor microenvironment to impact EMT and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Zhimin Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Calista A Horta
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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44
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Shasha T, Gruijs M, van Egmond M. Mechanisms of colorectal liver metastasis development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:607. [PMID: 36436127 PMCID: PMC9701652 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04630-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, largely due to the development of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). For the establishment of CRLM, CRC cells must remodel their tumor-microenvironment (TME), avoid the immune system, invade the underlying stroma, survive the hostile environment of the circulation, extravasate into the liver, reprogram the hepatic microenvironment into a permissive pre-metastatic niche, and finally, awake from a dormant state to grow out into clinically detectable CRLM. These steps form part of the invasion-metastasis cascade that relies on reciprocal interactions between the tumor and its ever-changing microenvironment. Such interplay provides a strong rational for therapeutically targeting the TME. In fact, several TME constituents, such as VEGF, TGF-β coreceptor endoglin, and CXCR4, are already targeted in clinical trials. It is, however, of utmost importance to fully understand the complex interactions in the invasion-metastasis cascade to identify novel potential therapeutic targets and prevent the establishment of CRLM, which may ultimately greatly improve patient outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Shasha
- Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mandy Gruijs
- Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein van Egmond
- Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Surgery, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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45
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Fang Z, Meng Q, Xu J, Wang W, Zhang B, Liu J, Liang C, Hua J, Zhao Y, Yu X, Shi S. Signaling pathways in cancer-associated fibroblasts: recent advances and future perspectives. CANCER COMMUNICATIONS (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 43:3-41. [PMID: 36424360 PMCID: PMC9859735 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
As a critical component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play important roles in cancer initiation and progression. Well-known signaling pathways, including the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), Hedgehog (Hh), Notch, Wnt, Hippo, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways, as well as transcription factors, including hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), P53, Snail, and Twist, constitute complex regulatory networks in the TME to modulate the formation, activation, heterogeneity, metabolic characteristics and malignant phenotype of CAFs. Activated CAFs remodel the TME and influence the malignant biological processes of cancer cells by altering the transcriptional and secretory characteristics, and this modulation partially depends on the regulation of signaling cascades. The results of preclinical and clinical trials indicated that therapies targeting signaling pathways in CAFs demonstrated promising efficacy but were also accompanied by some failures (e.g., NCT01130142 and NCT01064622). Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the signaling cascades in CAFs might help us better understand the roles of CAFs and the TME in cancer progression and may facilitate the development of more efficient and safer stroma-targeted cancer therapies. Here, we review recent advances in studies of signaling pathways in CAFs and briefly discuss some future perspectives on CAF research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengli Fang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Qingcai Meng
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jie Hua
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Institutes of Biomedical SciencesShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
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46
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Li G, Huang J, Chen S, He Y, Wang Z, Peng J. High Expression of ATP6V1C2 Predicts Unfavorable Overall Survival in Patients With Colon Adenocarcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:930876. [PMID: 36212133 PMCID: PMC9532742 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.930876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is responsible for 90% of all colorectal cancer cases and is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. ATP6V1s (cytosolic V1 domain of vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase) participate in the biological process of transporting hydrogen ions and are implicated in tumor growth and metastasis. ATP6V1C2 as a family member has been documented to associate with esophageal carcinoma and renal clear cell carcinoma, while its roles in COAD remain elusive. Methods: The expression status, potential molecular mechanism, and prognostic value of ATP6V1C2 in COAD were investigated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. In addition, its biological roles in COAD were explored through in vitro studies. Results: ATP6V1C2 showed a significantly higher expression level in COAD compared with matched non-cancerous tissues. High expression of ATP6V1C2 predicted a shorter overall survival both in TCGA and GEO COAD datasets, and ATP6V1C2 was identified as an independent factor associated with overall survival in COAD. Bioinformatic analyses showed that high expression of ATP6V1C2 was associated with high epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) score and Wnt signaling pathway was significantly enriched from differentially expressed genes between ATP6V1C2-high and -low group. We also found that high expression of ATP6V1C2 could decrease pathway activity of CD8 T effector implicated in tumor microenvironment (TME). In vitro study revealed that ATP6V1C2 knockdown resulted in aberrant expression of Wnt- and EMT-related genes and inhibited COAD cell proliferation and growth. Conclusion: This is the first study to reveal the molecular functions of ATP6V1C2 in COAD. Our study suggests that overexpressed ATP6V1C2 might promote EMT by activating Wnt signaling pathway, resulting in cancer metastasis and poor prognosis. This study paves the way for understanding potential molecular mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives in COAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghua Li
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahua Huang
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sile Chen
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yulong He
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- Digestive Medical Center, Sun Yat-sen University Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Yulong He, ; Zhixiong Wang, ; Jianjun Peng,
| | - Zhixiong Wang
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yulong He, ; Zhixiong Wang, ; Jianjun Peng,
| | - Jianjun Peng
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yulong He, ; Zhixiong Wang, ; Jianjun Peng,
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47
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Study of the colonic epithelial-mesenchymal dialogue through establishment of two activated or not mesenchymal cell lines: Activated and resting ones differentially modulate colonocytes in co-culture. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273858. [PMID: 36040985 PMCID: PMC9426876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Continuous and rapid renewal of the colonic epithelium is crucial to resist the plethora of luminal deleterious agents. Subepithelial fibroblasts contribute to this turnover by regulating epithelial proliferation and differentiation. However, when intestinal homeostasis is disturbed, fibroblasts can acquire an activated phenotype and play a major role in the progression of intestinal pathologies. To evaluate the involvement of fibroblasts in the regulation of colonocytes under homeostatic or pathological conditions, we established resting and activated conditionally immortalized fibroblast cell lines (nF and mF) from mouse colonic mucosa. We then studied the epithelial-mesenchymal interactions between activated or resting fibroblasts and the normal mouse colonocytes (Co) using a co-culture model. Both fibroblastic cell lines were characterized by RT-qPCR, western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Our results showed that nF and mF cells were positive for fibroblastic markers such as vimentin and collagen 1, and negative for cytokeratin 18 and E-cadherin, attesting to their fibroblastic type. They also expressed proteins characteristic of the epithelial stem cell niche such as Grem1, CD90 or Wnt5a. Only rare nF fibroblasts were positive for α-SMA, whereas all mF fibroblasts strongly expressed this marker, supporting that mF cells were activated fibroblasts/myofibroblasts. In coculture, nF fibroblasts and Co cells strongly interacted via paracrine exchanges resulting in BMP4 production in nF fibroblasts, activation of BMP signaling in Co colonocytes, and decreased growth of colonocytes. Activated-type mF fibroblasts did not exert the same effects on Co cells, allowing colonocytes free to proliferate. In conclusion, these two colonic fibroblast lines, associated with Co cells in coculture, should allow to better understand the role of mesenchymal cells in the preservation of homeostasis and the development of intestinal pathologies.
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48
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Zhao J, Chen Y. Systematic identification of cancer-associated-fibroblast-derived genes in patients with colorectal cancer based on single-cell sequencing and transcriptomics. Front Immunol 2022; 13:988246. [PMID: 36105798 PMCID: PMC9465173 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.988246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high incidence rate and poor prognosis, and the available treatment approaches have limited therapeutic benefits. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanisms of occurrence and development is particularly crucial. Increasing attention has been paid to the pathophysiological role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the heterogeneous tumour microenvironment. CAFs play a crucial role in tumorigenesis, tumour progression and treatment response. However, routine tissue sequencing cannot adequately reflect the heterogeneity of tumours. In this study, single-cell sequencing was used to examine the fibroblast population in CRC. After cluster analysis, the fibroblast population was divided into four subgroups. The distribution and role of these four subgroups in CRC were found to be different. Based on differential gene expression and lasso regression analysis of the main marker genes in these subgroups, four representative genes were obtained, namely, TCF7L1, FLNA, GPX3 and MMP11. Patients with CRC were divided into the low- and high-risk groups using the prognostic risk model established based on the expression of these four genes. The prognosis of patients in different risk groups varied significantly; patients with low-risk scores had a greater response to PDL1 inhibitors, significant clinical benefits and significantly prolonged overall survival. These effects may be attributed to inhibition of the function of T cells in the immune microenvironment and promotion of the function of tumour-associated macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Shenyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Shenyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Chen,
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Papait A, Romoli J, Stefani FR, Chiodelli P, Montresor MC, Agoni L, Silini AR, Parolini O. Fight the Cancer, Hit the CAF! Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153570. [PMID: 35892828 PMCID: PMC9330284 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the last 20 years, the tumor microenvironment (TME) has raised an increasing interest from the therapeutic point of view. Indeed, different strategies targeting either the endothelial or the immune component have been implemented. Furthermore, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) have attracted even more interest due to their ability to prime the TME in order to favor tumor progression and metastasis. This current review provides a comprehensive overview on the latest discoveries regarding CAF, more specifically on their complex characterization and on preclinical studies and clinical trials that target CAF within the TME. Abstract The tumor microenvironment (TME) is comprised of different cellular components, such as immune and stromal cells, which co-operate in unison to promote tumor progression and metastasis. In the last decade, there has been an increasing focus on one specific component of the TME, the stromal component, often referred to as Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF). CAF modulate the immune response and alter the composition of the extracellular matrix with a decisive impact on the response to immunotherapies and conventional chemotherapy. The most recent publications based on single-cell analysis have underlined CAF heterogeneity and the unique plasticity that strongly impact the TME. In this review, we focus not only on the characterization of CAF based on the most recent findings, but also on their impact on the immune system. We also discuss clinical trials and preclinical studies where targeting CAF revealed controversial results. Therefore, future efforts should focus on understanding the functional properties of individual subtypes of CAF, taking into consideration the peculiarities of each pathological context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Papait
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (J.R.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “Agostino Gemelli” IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Jacopo Romoli
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (J.R.)
- Centro di Ricerca E. Menni, Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (F.R.S.); (P.C.); (A.R.S.)
| | - Francesca Romana Stefani
- Centro di Ricerca E. Menni, Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (F.R.S.); (P.C.); (A.R.S.)
| | - Paola Chiodelli
- Centro di Ricerca E. Menni, Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (F.R.S.); (P.C.); (A.R.S.)
| | | | - Lorenzo Agoni
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, 25124 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Antonietta Rosa Silini
- Centro di Ricerca E. Menni, Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (F.R.S.); (P.C.); (A.R.S.)
| | - Ornella Parolini
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (J.R.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “Agostino Gemelli” IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0630154464
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50
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Peng Z, Ye M, Ding H, Feng Z, Hu K. Spatial transcriptomics atlas reveals the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor microenvironment components in colorectal cancer. Lab Invest 2022; 20:302. [PMID: 35794563 PMCID: PMC9258101 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03510-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background The tumor-promoting role of tumor microenvironment (TME) in colorectal cancer has been widely investigated in cancer biology. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as the main stromal component in TME, play an important role in promoting tumor progression and metastasis. Hence, we explored the crosstalk between CAFs and microenvironment in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer in order to provide basis for precision therapy. Methods We integrated spatial transcriptomics (ST) and bulk-RNA sequencing datasets to explore the functions of CAFs in the microenvironment of CRC. In detail, single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), gene set variation analysis (GSVA), pseudotime analysis and cell proportion analysis were utilized to identify the cell types and functions of each cell cluster. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were applied to confirm the results based on bioinformatics analysis. Results We profiled the tumor heterogeneity landscape and identified two distinct types of CAFs, which myo-cancer-associated fibroblasts (mCAFs) is associated with myofibroblast-like cells and inflammatory-cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAFs) is related to immune inflammation. When we carried out functional analysis of two types of CAFs, we uncovered an extensive crosstalk between iCAFs and stromal components in TME to promote tumor progression and metastasis. Noticeable, some anti-tumor immune cells such as NK cells, monocytes were significantly reduced in iCAFs-enriched cluster. Then, ssGSEA analysis results showed that iCAFs were related to EMT, lipid metabolism and bile acid metabolism etc. Besides, when we explored the relationship of chemotherapy and microenvironment, we detected that iCAFs influenced immunosuppressive cells and lipid metabolism reprogramming in patient who underwent chemotherapy. Additionally, we identified the clinical role of iCAFs through a public database and confirmed it were related to poor prognosis. Conclusions In summary, we identified two types of CAFs using integrated data and explored their functional significance in TME. This in-depth understanding of CAFs in microenvironment may help us to elucidate its cancer-promoting functions and offer hints for therapeutic studies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03510-8.
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