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Ma Y, Tang R, Huang P, Li D, Liao M, Gao S. Mitochondrial energy metabolism-related gene signature as a prognostic indicator for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1332042. [PMID: 38572434 PMCID: PMC10987750 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1332042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a highly malignant gastrointestinal tumor and is associated with an unfavorable prognosis worldwide. Considering the effect of mitochondrial metabolism on the prognosis of pancreatic cancer has rarely been investigated, we aimed to establish prognostic gene markers associated with mitochondrial energy metabolism for the prediction of survival probability in patients with PAAD. Methods: Gene expression data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases, and the mitochondrial energy metabolism-related genes were obtained from the GeneCards database. Based on mitochondrial energy metabolism score (MMs), differentially expressed MMRGs were established for MMs-high and MMs-low groups using ssGSEA. After the univariate Cox and least absolute and selection operator (LASSO) analyses, a prognostic MMRG signature was used in the multivariate Cox proportional regression model. Survival and immune cell infiltration analyses were performed. In addition, a nomogram based on the risk model was used to predict the survival probability of patients with PAAD. Finally, the expression of key genes was verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining. Intro cell experiments were performed to evaluated the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Results: A prognostic signature was constructed consisting of two mitochondrial energy metabolism-related genes (MMP11, COL10A1). Calibration and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves verified the good predictability performance of the risk model for the survival rate of patients with PAAD. Finally, immune-related analysis explained the differences in immune status between the two subgroups based on the risk model. The high-risk score group showed higher estimate, immune, and stromal scores, expression of eight checkpoint genes, and infiltration of M0 macrophages, which might indicate a beneficial response to immunotherapy. The qPCR results confirmed high expression of MMP11 in pancreatic cancer cell lines, and IHC also verified high expression of MMP11 in clinical pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues. In vitro cell experiments also demonstrated the role of MMP11 in cell proliferation and invasion. Conclusion: Our study provides a novel two-prognostic gene signature-based on MMRGs-that accurately predicted the survival of patients with PAAD and could be used for mitochondrial energy metabolism-related therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ma
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ronghao Tang
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Peilin Huang
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Danhua Li
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Meijian Liao
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Shoucui Gao
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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Le TQ, Meesiripan N, Sanggrajang S, Suwanpidokkul N, Prayakprom P, Bodhibukkana C, Khaowroongrueng V, Suriyachan K, Thanasitthichai S, Srisubat A, Surawongsin P, Rungsipipat A, Sakarin S, Rattanapinyopituk K. Anti-proliferative and apoptotic effect of cannabinoids on human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma xenograft in BALB/c nude mice model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6515. [PMID: 38499634 PMCID: PMC10948389 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55307-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant and lethal tumor of the exocrine pancreas. Cannabinoids extracted from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa have been suggested as a potential therapeutic agent in several human tumors. However, the anti-tumor effect of cannabinoids on human PDAC is not entirely clarified. In this study, the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effect of cannabinoid solution (THC:CBD at 1:6) at a dose of 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg body weight compared to the negative control (sesame oil) and positive control (5-fluorouracil) was investigated in human PDAC xenograft nude mice model. The findings showed that cannabinoids significantly decreased the mitotic cells and mitotic/apoptotic ratio, meanwhile dramatically increased the apoptotic cells. Parallelly, cannabinoids significantly downregulated Ki-67 and PCNA expression levels. Interestingly, cannabinoids upregulated BAX, BAX/BCL-2 ratio, and Caspase-3, meanwhile, downregulated BCL-2 expression level and could not change Caspase-8 expression level. These findings suggest that cannabinoid solution (THC:CBD at 1:6) could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in human PDAC xenograft models. Cannabinoids, including THC:CBD, should be further studied for use as the potent PDCA therapeutic agent in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trung Quang Le
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Center of Excellent for Companion Animal Cancer-(CECAC), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- The International Graduate Program of Veterinary Science and Technology (VST), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture, Can Tho University, Can Tho, 94000, Vietnam
| | - Nuntana Meesiripan
- Division of Research and Academic Support, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Suleeporn Sanggrajang
- Division of Research and Academic Support, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | | | | | | | | | - Kankanit Suriyachan
- Institute of Medical Research and Technology Assessment, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand
| | - Somchai Thanasitthichai
- Institute of Medical Research and Technology Assessment, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand
| | - Attasit Srisubat
- Division of Medical Technical and Academic Affairs, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand
| | - Pattamaporn Surawongsin
- Research and Technology Assessment Department, Ophthalmology Department, Lerdsin Hospital, Bangkok, 10500, Thailand
| | - Anudep Rungsipipat
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Center of Excellent for Companion Animal Cancer-(CECAC), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Siriwan Sakarin
- Division of Research and Academic Support, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Kasem Rattanapinyopituk
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Center of Excellent for Companion Animal Cancer-(CECAC), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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53
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Shen C, Roth HR, Hayashi Y, Oda M, Sato G, Miyamoto T, Rueckert D, Mori K. Anatomical attention can help to segment the dilated pancreatic duct in abdominal CT. Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg 2024:10.1007/s11548-023-03049-z. [PMID: 38498132 DOI: 10.1007/s11548-023-03049-z] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pancreatic duct dilation is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, the most lethal malignancy with the lowest 5-year relative survival rate. Automatic segmentation of the dilated pancreatic duct from contrast-enhanced CT scans would facilitate early diagnosis. However, pancreatic duct segmentation poses challenges due to its small anatomical structure and poor contrast in abdominal CT. In this work, we investigate an anatomical attention strategy to address this issue. METHODS Our proposed anatomical attention strategy consists of two steps: pancreas localization and pancreatic duct segmentation. The coarse pancreatic mask segmentation is used to guide the fully convolutional networks (FCNs) to concentrate on the pancreas' anatomy and disregard unnecessary features. We further apply a multi-scale aggregation scheme to leverage the information from different scales. Moreover, we integrate the tubular structure enhancement as an additional input channel of FCN. RESULTS We performed extensive experiments on 30 cases of contrast-enhanced abdominal CT volumes. To evaluate the pancreatic duct segmentation performance, we employed four measurements, including the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), sensitivity, normalized surface distance, and 95 percentile Hausdorff distance. The average DSC achieves 55.7%, surpassing other pancreatic duct segmentation methods on single-phase CT scans only. CONCLUSIONS We proposed an anatomical attention-based strategy for the dilated pancreatic duct segmentation. Our proposed strategy significantly outperforms earlier approaches. The attention mechanism helps to focus on the pancreas region, while the enhancement of the tubular structure enables FCNs to capture the vessel-like structure. The proposed technique might be applied to other tube-like structure segmentation tasks within targeted anatomies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Shen
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Nagoya, Aichi, 4648601, Japan
| | - Holger R Roth
- NVIDIA Corporation, San Tomas Expy, Santa Clara, CA, 95051, USA
| | - Yuichiro Hayashi
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Nagoya, Aichi, 4648601, Japan
| | - Masahiro Oda
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Nagoya, Aichi, 4648601, Japan
- Information Strategy Office, Information and Communications, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Nagoya, Aichi, 4648601, Japan
| | - Gen Sato
- Chiba Kensei Hospital, Makuhari-cho, Chiba, Chiba, 2620032, Japan
| | - Tadaaki Miyamoto
- Chiba Kensei Hospital, Makuhari-cho, Chiba, Chiba, 2620032, Japan
| | - Daniel Rueckert
- Department of Computing, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Klinikum rechts der lsar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Kensaku Mori
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Nagoya, Aichi, 4648601, Japan.
- Research Center for Medical Bigdata, National Institute of Informatics, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Tokyo, 1018430, Japan.
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54
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Nakahashi H, Oda T, Shimomura O, Akashi Y, Takahashi K, Miyazaki Y, Furuta T, Kuroda Y, Louphrasitthiphol P, Mathis BJ, Tateno H. Aberrant Glycosylation in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma 3D Organoids Is Mediated by KRAS Mutations. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2024; 2024:1529449. [PMID: 38528852 PMCID: PMC10963106 DOI: 10.1155/2024/1529449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Aberrant glycosylation in tumor cells is a hallmark during carcinogenesis. KRAS gene mutations are the most well-known oncogenic abnormalities but their association with glycan alterations in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is largely unknown. We employed patient-derived 3D organoids to culture pure live PDAC cells, excluding contamination by fibroblasts and immune cells, to gasp the comprehensive cancer cell surface glycan expression profile using lectin microarray and transcriptomic analyses. Surgical specimens from 24 PDAC patients were digested and embedded into a 3D culture system. Surface-bound glycans of 3D organoids were analyzed by high-density, 96-lectin microarrays. KRAS mutation status and expression of various glycosyltransferases were analyzed by RNA-seq. We successfully established 16 3D organoids: 14 PDAC, 1 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), and 1 normal pancreatic duct. KRAS was mutated in 13 (7 G12V, 5 G12D, 1 Q61L) and wild in 3 organoids (1 normal duct, 1 IPMN, 1 PDAC). Lectin reactivity of AAL (Aleuria aurantia) and AOL (Aspergillus oryzae) with binding activity to α1-3 fucose was higher in organoids with KRAS mutants than those with KRAS wild-type. FUT6 (α1-3fucosyltransferase 6) and FUT3 (α1-3/4 fucosyltransferase 3) expression was also higher in KRAS mutants than wild-type. Meanwhile, mannose-binding lectin (rRSL [Ralstonia solanacearum] and rBC2LA [Burkholderia cenocepacia]) signals were higher while those of galactose-binding lectins (rGal3C and rCGL2) were lower in the KRAS mutants. We demonstrated here that PDAC 3D-cultured organoids with KRAS mutations were dominantly covered in increased fucosylated glycans, pointing towards novel treatment targets and/or tumor markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromitsu Nakahashi
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Oda
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Osamu Shimomura
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Akashi
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Takahashi
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Miyazaki
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Furuta
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Yukihito Kuroda
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Pakavarin Louphrasitthiphol
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Bryan J. Mathis
- International Medical Center, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tateno
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan
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Nguyen HD, Lin CC. Viscoelastic stiffening of gelatin hydrogels for dynamic culture of pancreatic cancer spheroids. Acta Biomater 2024; 177:203-215. [PMID: 38354874 PMCID: PMC10958777 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a complex milieu of cellular and non-cellular components. Pancreatic cancer cells (PCC) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are two major cell types in PDAC TME, whereas the non-cellular components are enriched with extracellular matrices (ECM) that contribute to high stiffness and fast stress-relaxation. Previous studies have suggested that higher matrix rigidity promoted aggressive phenotypes of tumors, including PDAC. However, the effects of dynamic viscoelastic matrix properties on cancer cell fate remain largely unexplored. The focus of this work was to understand the effects of such dynamic matrix properties on PDAC cell behaviors, particularly in the context of PCC/CAF co-culture. To this end, we engineered gelatin-norbornene (GelNB) based hydrogels with a built-in mechanism for simultaneously increasing matrix elastic modulus and viscoelasticity. Two GelNB-based macromers, namely GelNB-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (GelNB-HPA) and GelNB-boronic acid (GelNB-BA), were modularly mixed and crosslinked with 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol)-thiol (PEG4SH) to form elastic hydrogels. Treating the hybrid hydrogels with tyrosinase not only increased the elastic moduli of the gels (due to HPA dimerization) but also concurrently produced 1,2-diols that formed reversible boronic acid-diol bonding with the BA groups on GelNB-BA. We employed patient-derived CAF and a PCC cell line COLO-357 to demonstrate the effect of increasing matrix stiffness and viscoelasticity on CAF and PCC cell fate. Our results indicated that in the stiffened environment, PCC underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In the co-culture PCC and CAF spheroid, CAF enhanced PCC spreading and stimulated collagen 1 production. Through mRNA-sequencing, we further showed that stiffened matrices, regardless of the degree of stress-relaxation, heightened the malignant phenotype of PDAC cells. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The pancreatic cancer microenvironment is a complex milieu composed of various cell types and extracellular matrices. It has been suggested that stiffer matrices could promote aggressive behavior in pancreatic cancer, but the effect of dynamic stiffening and matrix stress-relaxation on cancer cell fate remains largely undefined. This study aimed to explore the impact of dynamic changes in matrix viscoelasticity on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell behavior by developing a hydrogel system capable of simultaneously increasing stiffness and stress-relaxation on demand. This is achieved by crosslinking two gelatin-based macromers through orthogonal thiol-norbornene photochemistry and post-gelation stiffening with mushroom tyrosinase. The results revealed that higher matrix stiffness, regardless of the degree of stress relaxation, exacerbated the malignant characteristics of PDAC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han D Nguyen
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Chien-Chi Lin
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Ahmed HS. BEYOND TRADITIONAL TOOLS: EXPLORING CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORKS AS INNOVATIVE PROGNOSTIC MODELS IN PANCREATIC DUCTAL ADENOCARCINOMA. ARQUIVOS DE GASTROENTEROLOGIA 2024; 61:e23107. [PMID: 38511794 DOI: 10.1590/s0004-2803.24612023-117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive and lethal form of cancer with limited prognostic accuracy using traditional factors. This has led to the exploration of innovative prognostic models, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), in PDAC. CNNs, a type of artificial intelligence algorithm, have shown promise in various medical applications, including image analysis and pattern recognition. Their ability to extract complex features from medical images makes them suitable for improving prognostication in PDAC. However, implementing CNNs in clinical practice poses challenges, such as data availability and interpretability. Future research should focus on multi-center studies, integrating multiple data modalities, and combining CNN outputs with biomarker panels. Collaborative efforts and patient autonomy should be considered to ensure the ethical implementation of CNN-based prognostic models. Further validation and optimisation of CNN-based models are necessary to enhance their reliability and clinical utility in PDAC prognostication. BACKGROUND •Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with limited prognostic accuracy through traditional methods. BACKGROUND •Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are being explored for prognostic models in PDAC. BACKGROUND •They can extract complex features from images, aiding PDAC prognostication. BACKGROUND •Further validation and optimization of CNN-based models are needed for better reliability and clinical utility in PDAC.
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57
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Sadozai H, Acharjee A, Kayani HZ, Gruber T, Gorczynski RM, Burke B. High hypoxia status in pancreatic cancer is associated with multiple hallmarks of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1360629. [PMID: 38510243 PMCID: PMC10951397 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1360629] [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: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common form of pancreatic cancer, is a particularly lethal disease that is often diagnosed late and is refractory to most forms of treatment. Tumour hypoxia is a key hallmark of PDAC and is purported to contribute to multiple facets of disease progression such as treatment resistance, increased invasiveness, metabolic reprogramming, and immunosuppression. Methods We used the Buffa gene signature as a hypoxia score to profile transcriptomics datasets from PDAC cases. We performed cell-type deconvolution and gene expression profiling approaches to compare the immunological phenotypes of cases with low and high hypoxia scores. We further supported our findings by qPCR analyses in PDAC cell lines cultured in hypoxic conditions. Results First, we demonstrated that this hypoxia score is associated with increased tumour grade and reduced survival suggesting that this score is correlated to disease progression. Subsequently, we compared the immune phenotypes of cases with high versus low hypoxia score expression (HypoxiaHI vs. HypoxiaLOW) to show that high hypoxia is associated with reduced levels of T cells, NK cells and dendritic cells (DC), including the crucial cDC1 subset. Concomitantly, immune-related gene expression profiling revealed that compared to HypoxiaLOW tumours, mRNA levels for multiple immunosuppressive molecules were notably elevated in HypoxiaHI cases. Using a Random Forest machine learning approach for variable selection, we identified LGALS3 (Galectin-3) as the top gene associated with high hypoxia status and confirmed its expression in hypoxic PDAC cell lines. Discussion In summary, we demonstrated novel associations between hypoxia and multiple immunosuppressive mediators in PDAC, highlighting avenues for improving PDAC immunotherapy by targeting these immune molecules in combination with hypoxia-targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Sadozai
- Centre for Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Animesh Acharjee
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hateem Z. Kayani
- Centre for Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Gruber
- Independent Scholar, National Coalition of Independent Scholars, Visp, Switzerland
| | | | - Bernard Burke
- Centre for Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Riviere D, Aarntzen E, van Geenen E, Chang D, de Geus-Oei LF, Brosens L, van Laarhoven K, Gotthardt M, Hermans J. Qualitative flow metabolic phenotype of pancreatic cancer. A new prognostic biomarker? HPB (Oxford) 2024; 26:389-399. [PMID: 38114400 DOI: 10.1016/j.hpb.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retrospective analysis to investigate the relationship between the flow-metabolic phenotype and overall survival (OS) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its potential clinical utility. METHODS Patients with histopathologically proven PDAC between 2005 and 2014 using tumor attenuation on routine pre-operative CECT as a surrogate for the vascularity and [18F]FDG-uptake as a surrogate for metabolic activity on [18F]FDG-PET. RESULTS In total, 93 patients (50 male, 43 female, median age 63) were included. Hypoattenuating PDAC with high [18F]FDG-uptake has the poorest prognosis (median OS 7 ± 1 months), compared to hypoattenuating PDAC with low [18F]FDG-uptake (median OS 11 ± 3 months; p = 0.176), iso- or hyperattenuating PDAC with high [18F]FDG-uptake (median OS 15 ± 5 months; p = 0.004) and iso- or hyperattenuating PDAC with low [18F]FDG-uptake (median OS 23 ± 4 months; p = 0.035). In multivariate analysis, surgery combined with tumor differentiation, tumor stage, systemic therapy and flow metabolic phenotype remained independent predictors for overall survival. DISCUSSION The novel qualitative flow-metabolic phenotype of PDAC using a combination of CECT and [18F]FDG-PET features, predicted significantly worse survival for hypoattenuating-high uptake pancreatic cancers compared to the other phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniece Riviere
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Erik Aarntzen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Erwin van Geenen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - David Chang
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom; West of Scotland Pancreatic Unit, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Lioe-Fee de Geus-Oei
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Lodewijk Brosens
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kees van Laarhoven
- Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Gotthardt
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - John Hermans
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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59
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Bauer N, Balourdas DI, Schneider JR, Zhang X, Berger LM, Berger BT, Schwalm MP, Klopp NA, Siveke JT, Knapp S, Joerger AC. Development of Potent Dual BET/HDAC Inhibitors via Pharmacophore Merging and Structure-Guided Optimization. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:266-279. [PMID: 38291964 PMCID: PMC10878397 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins and histone deacetylases (HDACs) are prime targets in cancer therapy. Recent research has particularly focused on the development of dual BET/HDAC inhibitors for hard-to-treat tumors, such as pancreatic cancer. Here, we developed a new series of potent dual BET/HDAC inhibitors by choosing starting scaffolds that enabled us to optimally merge the two functionalities into a single compound. Systematic structure-guided modification of both warheads then led to optimized binders that were superior in potency to both parent compounds, with the best molecules of this series binding to both BRD4 bromodomains as well as HDAC1/2 with EC50 values in the 100 nM range in cellular NanoBRET target engagement assays. For one of our lead molecules, we could also show the selective inhibition of HDAC1/2 over all other zinc-dependent HDACs. Importantly, this on-target activity translated into promising efficacy in pancreatic cancer and NUT midline carcinoma cells. Our lead molecules effectively blocked histone H3 deacetylation in pancreatic cancer cells and upregulated the tumor suppressor HEXIM1 and proapoptotic p57, both markers of BET inhibition. In addition, they have the potential to downregulate the oncogenic drivers of NUT midline carcinoma, as demonstrated for MYC and TP63 mRNA levels. Overall, this study expands the portfolio of available dual BET/class I HDAC inhibitors for future translational studies in different cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Bauer
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
| | - Dimitrios-Ilias Balourdas
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
| | - Joel R. Schneider
- Bridge
Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center,
University Hospital Essen, University of
Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Division
of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German
Cancer Consortium (DKTK Partner Site Essen) and German Cancer Research
Center, DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xin Zhang
- Bridge
Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center,
University Hospital Essen, University of
Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Division
of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German
Cancer Consortium (DKTK Partner Site Essen) and German Cancer Research
Center, DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lena M. Berger
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
| | - Benedict-Tilman Berger
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
| | - Martin P. Schwalm
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
- German
Translational Cancer Network (DKTK) Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
| | - Nick A. Klopp
- Bridge
Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center,
University Hospital Essen, University of
Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Division
of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German
Cancer Consortium (DKTK Partner Site Essen) and German Cancer Research
Center, DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jens T. Siveke
- Bridge
Institute of Experimental Tumor Therapy, West German Cancer Center,
University Hospital Essen, University of
Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Division
of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, German
Cancer Consortium (DKTK Partner Site Essen) and German Cancer Research
Center, DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
- German
Translational Cancer Network (DKTK) Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
| | - Andreas C. Joerger
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium (SGC), Buchmann Institute
for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str.
15, 60438 Frankfurt
am Main, Germany
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60
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Wei X, Wu Y, Chen K, Wang L, Xu M. Embedded bioprinted multicellular spheroids modeling pancreatic cancer bioarchitecture towards advanced drug therapy. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:1788-1797. [PMID: 38268422 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02913a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The desmoplastic bioarchitecture and microenvironment caused by fibroblasts have been confirmed to be closely related to the drug response behavior of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Despite the extensive progress in developing PDAC models as in vitro drug screening platforms, developing efficient and controllable approaches for the construction of physiologically relevant models remains challenging. In the current study, multicellular spheroid models that emulate pancreatic cancer bioarchitecture and the desmoplastic microenvironment are bioengineered. An extrusion-based embedded dot bioprinting strategy was established to fabricate PDAC spheroids in a one-step process. Cell-laden hydrogel beads were directly deposited into a methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) suspension bath to generate spherical multicellular aggregates (SMAs), which further progressed into dense spheroids through in situ self assembly. By modulating the printing parameters, SMAs, even from multiple cell components, could be manipulated with tunable size and flexible location, achieving tunable spheroid patterns within the hydrogel bath with reproducible morphological features. To demonstrate the feasibility of this printing strategy, we fabricated desmoplastic PDAC spheroids by printing SMAs consisting of tumor cells and fibroblasts within the GelMA matrix bath. The produced hybrid spheroids were further exposed to different concentrations of the drug gemcitabine to verify their potential for use in cell therapy. Beyond providing a robust and facile bioprinting system that enables desmoplastic PDAC bioarchitecture bioengineering, this work introduces an approach for the scalable, flexible and rapid fabrication of cell spheroids or multi-cell-type spheroid patterns as platforms for advanced drug therapy or disease mechanism exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Wei
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Information and 3D Bioprinting of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yiwen Wu
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Keke Chen
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Information and 3D Bioprinting of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Ling Wang
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Information and 3D Bioprinting of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Mingen Xu
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Information and 3D Bioprinting of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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61
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Kpeglo D, Haddrick M, Knowles MA, Evans SD, Peyman SA. Modelling and breaking down the biophysical barriers to drug delivery in pancreatic cancer. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:854-868. [PMID: 38240720 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00660c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stroma and its inherent biophysical barriers to drug delivery are central to therapeutic resistance. This makes PDAC the most prevalent pancreatic cancer with poor prognosis. The chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine is used against various solid tumours, including pancreatic cancer, but with only a modest effect on patient survival. The growing PDAC tumour mass with high densities of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, i.e., collagen, results in high interstitial pressure, leading to vasculature collapse and a dense, hypoxic, mechanically stiff stroma with reduced interstitial flow, critical to drug delivery to cells. Despite this, most drug studies are performed on cellular models that neglect these biophysical barriers to drug delivery. Microfluidic technology offers a promising platform to emulate tumour biophysical characteristics with appropriate flow conditions and transport dynamics. We present a microfluidic PDAC culture model, encompassing the disease's biophysical barriers to therapeutics, to evaluate the use of the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan, which has been found to have matrix-depleting properties, on improving gemcitabine efficacy. PDAC cells were seeded into our 5-channel microfluidic device for a 21-day culture to mimic the rigid, collagenous PDAC stroma with reduced interstitial flow, which is critical to drug delivery to the cancer cells, and for assessment with gemcitabine and losartan treatment. With losartan, our culture matrix was more porous with less collagen, resulting in increased hydraulic conductivity of the culture interstitial space and improved gemcitabine effect. We demonstrate the importance of modelling tumour biophysical barriers to successfully assess new drugs and delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delanyo Kpeglo
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK.
| | - Malcolm Haddrick
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Block 35, Mereside Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Margaret A Knowles
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's (LIMR), School of Medicine, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK
| | - Stephen D Evans
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK.
| | - Sally A Peyman
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK.
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's (LIMR), School of Medicine, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK
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62
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Salu P, Reindl KM. Advancements in Preclinical Models of Pancreatic Cancer. Pancreas 2024; 53:e205-e220. [PMID: 38206758 PMCID: PMC10842038 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000002277] [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: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest of all cancer types with a 5-year overall survival rate of just 12%. Preclinical models available for understanding the disease pathophysiology have evolved significantly in recent years. Traditionally, commercially available 2-dimensional cell lines were developed to investigate mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance. However, these cells grow as monolayer cultures that lack heterogeneity and do not effectively represent tumor biology. Developing patient-derived xenografts and genetically engineered mouse models led to increased cellular heterogeneity, molecular diversity, and tissues that histologically represent the original patient tumors. However, these models are relatively expensive and very timing consuming. More recently, the advancement of fast and inexpensive in vitro models that better mimic disease conditions in vivo are on the rise. Three-dimensional cultures like organoids and spheroids have gained popularity and are considered to recapitulate complex disease characteristics. In addition, computational genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomic models are being developed to simulate pancreatic cancer progression and predict better treatment strategies. Herein, we review the challenges associated with pancreatic cancer research and available analytical models. We suggest that an integrated approach toward using these models may allow for developing new strategies for pancreatic cancer precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Salu
- From the Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
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63
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van Schelt AS, Gottwald LM, Wassenaar NPM, Runge JH, Sinkus R, Stoker J, Nederveen AJ, Schrauben EM. Single Breath-Hold MR Elastography for Fast Biomechanical Probing of Pancreatic Stiffness. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:688-698. [PMID: 37194646 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28773] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stromal disposition is thought to influence chemotherapy efficacy and increase tissue stiffness, which could be quantified noninvasively via MR elastography (MRE). Current methods cause position-based errors in pancreas location over time, hampering accuracy. It would be beneficial to have a single breath-hold acquisition. PURPOSE To develop and test a single breath-hold three-dimensional MRE technique utilizing prospective undersampling and a compressed sensing reconstruction (CS-MRE). STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION A total of 30 healthy volunteers (HV) (31 ± 9 years; 33% male) and five patients with PDAC (69 ± 5 years; 80% male). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3-T, GRE Ristretto MRE. ASSESSMENT First, optimization of multi breath-hold MRE was done in 10 HV using four combinations of vibration frequency, number of measured wave-phase offsets, and TE and looking at MRE quality measures in the pancreas head. Second, viscoelastic parameters delineated in the pancreas head or tumor of CS-MRE were compared against (I) 2D and (II) 3D four breath-hold acquisitions in HV (N = 20) and PDAC patients. Intrasession repeatability was assessed for CS-MRE in a subgroup of healthy volunteers (N = 15). STATISTICAL TESTS Tests include repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), Bland-Altman analysis, and coefficients of variation (CoVs). A P-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Optimization of the four breath-hold acquisitions resulted in 40 Hz vibration frequency, five wave-phases, and echo time (TE) = 6.9 msec as the preferred method (4BH-MRE). CS-MRE quantitative results did not differ from 4BH-MRE. Shear wave speed (SWS) and phase angle differed significantly between HV and PDAC patients using 4BH-MRE or CS-MRE. The limits of agreement for SWS were [-0.09, 0.10] m/second and the within-subject CoV was 4.8% for CS-MRE. DATA CONCLUSION CS-MRE might allow a single breath-hold MRE acquisition with comparable SWS and phase angle as 4BH-MRE, and it may still enable to differentiate between HV and PDAC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Technical Efficacy Stage: 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie van Schelt
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lukas M Gottwald
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nienke P M Wassenaar
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen H Runge
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ralph Sinkus
- Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Kings College London, London, UK
- Department of Radiology, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Jaap Stoker
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Endocrinology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aart J Nederveen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric M Schrauben
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Rudolph D, Ischyropoulou M, Pfeifer J, Napp J, Schepers U, Alves F, Feldmann C. Cocktail of lipophilic and hydrophilic chemotherapeutics in high-load core@shell nanocarriers to treat pancreatic tumours. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:973-984. [PMID: 38298597 PMCID: PMC10825944 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00720k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
ITC/Toc@Gd2(FLP)3 core@shell nanocarriers with a chemotherapeutic cocktail of lipophilic irinotecan (ITC) as the particle core and hydrophilic fludarabine phosphate (FLP) in the particle shell are realized. They are prepared via a microemulsion approach with ITC dissolved in tocopherol (Toc) as droplet phase and stabilized by water-insoluble Gd2(FLP)3. The synthesis can be followed by zeta-potential analysis. X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, and photometry show a drug load of 49 μg per mL ITC and 317 μg per mL FLP at a nanocarrier concentration of 1.5 mg mL-1. Size and structure are evidenced by electron microscopy, resulting in a total diameter of 45 ± 16 nm, an inner core of 40 ± 17 nm, and a shell of 3-8 nm. In vitro studies with different cancer cell lines (i.e., human melanoma/SK-Mel-28, cervical cancer/HeLa, mouse pancreatic cancer/Panc02 and KPC as well as human pancreatic cancer/Capan-1 cells) prove efficient nanocarrier uptake and promising cytostatic efficacy. Specifically for KPC cells, ITC/Toc@Gd2(FLP)3 nanocarriers show an increased efficacy, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50: 4.2 μM) > 10 times lower than the free drugs (IC50: ITC: 47.7 μM, FLP: 143 μM). This points to the synergistic effect of the ITC/FLP drug cocktail in the nanocarriers and may result in a promising strategy to treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rudolph
- Institute for Inorganic Chemistry (IAC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Engesserstraße 15 76131 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Myrto Ischyropoulou
- University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Robert-Koch-Straße 40 37075 Göttingen Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPI-NAT), Translational Molecular Imaging Hermann-Rein-Straße 3 37075 Göttingen Germany
| | - Juliana Pfeifer
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Joanna Napp
- University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Robert-Koch-Straße 40 37075 Göttingen Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPI-NAT), Translational Molecular Imaging Hermann-Rein-Straße 3 37075 Göttingen Germany
| | - Ute Schepers
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Frauke Alves
- University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Robert-Koch-Straße 40 37075 Göttingen Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPI-NAT), Translational Molecular Imaging Hermann-Rein-Straße 3 37075 Göttingen Germany
- Clinic of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen Robert-Koch-Straße 40 37075 Göttingen Germany
| | - Claus Feldmann
- Institute for Inorganic Chemistry (IAC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Engesserstraße 15 76131 Karlsruhe Germany
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65
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Orlacchio A, Muzyka S, Gonda TA. Epigenetic therapeutic strategies in pancreatic cancer. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 383:1-40. [PMID: 38359967 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal solid malignancies, characterized by its aggressiveness and metastatic potential, with a 5-year survival rate of only 8-11%. Despite significant improvements in PDAC treatment and management, therapeutic alternatives are still limited. One of the main reasons is its high degree of intra- and inter-individual tumor heterogeneity which is established and maintained through a complex network of transcription factors and epigenetic regulators. Epigenetic drugs, have shown promising preclinical results in PDAC and are currently being evaluated in clinical trials both for their ability to sensitize cancer cells to cytotoxic drugs and to counteract the immunosuppressive characteristic of PDAC tumor microenvironment. In this review, we discuss the current status of epigenetic treatment strategies to overcome molecular and cellular PDAC heterogeneity in order to improve response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Orlacchio
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stephen Muzyka
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tamas A Gonda
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, New York University, New York, NY, United States.
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66
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Abi-Saab T, Cunningham AM, Rush PS, Matkowskyj KA. Pathologic Features of Primary Pancreatic Malignancies. Cancer Treat Res 2024; 192:89-117. [PMID: 39212917 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-61238-1_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
This chapter explores the pathologic features of benign and malignant lesions of the pancreas. As pathologic classifications evolve particularly for cystic lesions and neuroendocrine tumors, it is important for physicians who treat patients with gastrointestinal malignance to fully evaluate these pathologic classifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Abi-Saab
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Patrick S Rush
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, USA
- Dominion Pathology Associates, Roanoke, VA, USA
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67
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Gerasimenko JV, Gerasimenko OV. Ca 2+ Signaling and ATP Production in Pancreatic Cancer. FUNCTION 2023; 5:zqad067. [PMID: 38089183 PMCID: PMC10714040 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqad067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julia V Gerasimenko
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Oleg V Gerasimenko
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
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68
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Wu H, Zhang Y, Liang J, Wu J, Zhang Y, Su H, Zhang Q, Shen Y, Shen S, Wang L, Zou X, Hang C, Zhang S, Lv Y. Lithium chloride induces apoptosis by activating endoplasmic reticulum stress in pancreatic cancer. Transl Oncol 2023; 38:101792. [PMID: 37806114 PMCID: PMC10579530 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101792] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Lithium compounds, a classic class of metal complex medicine that target GSK 3β and are widely known as mood-stabilizer, have recently been reported as potential anti-tumor drugs. The objective of this investigation was to explore the anticancer potential of lithium chloride (LiCl) and elucidate its mode of action in pancreatic cancer cells. The MTT, colony formation, and Edu assay were used to evaluate the impact of LiCl on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Various methods were employed to investigate the anti-tumor activity of LiCl and its underlying mechanisms. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis detection assays were utilized for in vitro experiments, while the orthotopic pancreatic cancer mouse model was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of LiCl treatment in vivo. Furthermore, the impact of LiCl on the proliferation of patient-derived organoids was also studied. The results demonstrated that LiCl inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells, induced G2/M phase arrest, and activated apoptosis. Notably, the triggering of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress by LiCl was observed, leading to the activation of the PERK/CHOP/GADD34 pathway, which subsequently promoted apoptosis in PC cells. In the future, Lithium compounds could become an essential adjunct in the treatment of human pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Geriatrics, Nanjing Red Cross Hospital, No. 242, Baixia Road, Qinhuai District, Nanjing 21000 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yin Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jiawei Liang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jianzhuang Wu
- Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210033 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yixuan Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Haochen Su
- Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Qiyue Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yonghua Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Shanshan Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Taikang Xianlin Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Cheng Hang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Taicang, Taicang 215400 Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Ying Lv
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Institute of Pancreatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Taikang Xianlin Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 Jiangsu, PR China.
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Briseño-Díaz P, Schnoor M, Bello-Ramirez M, Correa-Basurto J, Rojo-Domínguez A, Arregui L, Vega L, Núñez-González E, Palau-Hernández LA, Parra-Torres CG, García Córdova OM, Zepeda-Castilla E, Torices-Escalante E, Domínguez-Camacho L, Xoconostle-Cazares B, Meraz-Ríos MA, Delfín-Azuara S, Carrión-Estrada DA, Villegas-Sepúlveda N, Hernández-Rivas R, Thompson-Bonilla MDR, Vargas M. Synergistic effect of antagonists to KRas4B/PDE6 molecular complex in pancreatic cancer. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202302019. [PMID: 37813486 PMCID: PMC10561825 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis among all human cancers as it is highly resistant to chemotherapy. K-Ras mutations usually trigger the development and progression of PDAC. We hypothesized that compounds stabilizing the KRas4B/PDE6δ complex could serve as PDAC treatments. Using in silico approaches, we identified the small molecules C14 and P8 that reduced K-Ras activation in primary PDAC cells. Importantly, C14 and P8 significantly prevented tumor growth in patient-derived xenotransplants. Combined treatment with C14 and P8 strongly increased cytotoxicity in PDAC cell lines and primary cultures and showed strong synergistic antineoplastic effects in preclinical murine PDAC models that were superior to conventional therapeutics without causing side effects. Mechanistically, C14 and P8 reduced tumor growth by inhibiting AKT and ERK signaling downstream of K-RAS leading to apoptosis, specifically in PDAC cells. Thus, combined treatment with C14 and P8 may be a superior pharmaceutical strategy to improve the outcome of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Briseño-Díaz
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Michael Schnoor
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Martiniano Bello-Ramirez
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design of the Higher School of Medicine, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jose Correa-Basurto
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design of the Higher School of Medicine, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Arturo Rojo-Domínguez
- Department of Natural Sciences, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Leticia Arregui
- Department of Natural Sciences, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Libia Vega
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Toxicology Department, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Enrique Núñez-González
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, Hospital 1 de Octubre, ISSSTE, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Ernesto Zepeda-Castilla
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, Hospital 1 de Octubre, ISSSTE, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Torices-Escalante
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, Hospital 1 de Octubre, ISSSTE, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Leticia Domínguez-Camacho
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, Hospital 1 de Octubre, ISSSTE, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Beatriz Xoconostle-Cazares
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Biotechnology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Marco Antonio Meraz-Ríos
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Sandra Delfín-Azuara
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Dayan Andrea Carrión-Estrada
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Nicolas Villegas-Sepúlveda
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Rosaura Hernández-Rivas
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | | | - Miguel Vargas
- https://ror.org/009eqmr18 Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
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Fyfe J, Dye D, Razak NBA, Metharom P, Falasca M. Immune evasion on the nanoscale: Small extracellular vesicles in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma immunity. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:36-47. [PMID: 37748738 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.09.004] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a type of cancer alarmingly expanding in our modern societies that is still proving to be very challenging to counteract. This disease constitutes a quintessential example of the multiple interactions existing between the tumour and its surrounding microenvironment. In particular, PDAC is characterized by a very immunosuppressive environment that favours cancer growth and makes this cancer type very resistant to immunotherapy. The primary tumour releases many factors that influence both the microenvironment and the immune landscape. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), recently identified as indispensable entities ensuring cell-to-cell communication in both physiological and pathological processes, seem to play a pivotal function in ensuring the delivery of these factors to the tumour-surrounding tissues. In this review, we summarize the present understanding on the crosstalk among tumour cells and the cellular immune microenvironment emphasizing the pro-malignant role played by extracellular vesicles. We also discuss how a greater knowledge of the roles of EVs in tumour immune escape could be translated into clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Fyfe
- Metabolic Signalling Group, Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute [1], Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Danielle Dye
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute [1], Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Norbaini Binti Abdol Razak
- Platelet Research Laboratory, Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute [1], Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Pat Metharom
- Platelet Research Laboratory, Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute [1], Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Marco Falasca
- Metabolic Signalling Group, Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute [1], Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; University of Parma, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
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71
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Bhoopathi P, Kumar A, Pradhan AK, Maji S, Mannangatti P, Windle JJ, Subler MA, Zhang D, Vudatha V, Trevino JG, Madan E, Atfi A, Sarkar D, Gogna R, Das SK, Emdad L, Fisher PB. Cytoplasmic-delivery of polyinosine-polycytidylic acid inhibits pancreatic cancer progression increasing survival by activating Stat1-CCL2-mediated immunity. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007624. [PMID: 37935566 PMCID: PMC10649894 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007624] [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] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer without effective therapies and with poor prognosis, causing 7% of all cancer-related fatalities in the USA. Considering the lack of effective therapies for this aggressive cancer, there is an urgent need to define newer and more effective therapeutic strategies. Polyinosine-polycytidylic acid (pIC) is a synthetic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) which directly activates dendritic cells and natural killer cells inhibiting tumor growth. When pIC is delivered into the cytoplasm using polyethyleneimine (PEI), pIC-PEI, programmed-cell death is induced in PDAC. Transfection of [pIC]PEI into PDAC cells inhibits growth, promotes toxic autophagy and also induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo in animal models. METHODS The KPC transgenic mouse model that recapitulates PDAC development in patients was used to interrogate the role of an intact immune system in vivo in PDAC in response to [pIC]PEI. Antitumor efficacy and survival were monitored endpoints. Comprehensive analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune cells, cytokines and chemokines in the spleen, and macrophage polarization were analyzed. RESULTS Cytosolic delivery of [pIC]PEI induces apoptosis and provokes strong antitumor immunity in vivo in immune competent mice with PDAC. The mechanism underlying the immune stimulatory properties of [pIC]PEI involves Stat1 activation resulting in CCL2 and MMP13 stimulation thereby provoking macrophage polarization. [pIC]PEI induces apoptosis via the AKT-XIAP pathway, as well as macrophage differentiation and T-cell activation via the IFNγ-Stat1-CCL2 signaling pathways in PDAC. In transgenic tumor mouse models, [pIC]PEI promotes robust and profound antitumor activity implying that stimulating the immune system contributes to biological activity. The [pIC]PEI anti-PDAC effects are enhanced when used in combination with a standard of care (SOC) treatment, that is, gemcitabine. CONCLUSIONS In summary, [pIC]PEI treatment is non-toxic toward normal pancreatic cells while displaying strong cytotoxic and potent immune activating activities in PDAC, making it an attractive therapeutic when used alone or in conjunction with SOC therapeutic agents, potentially providing a safe and effective treatment protocol with translational potential for the effective therapy of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Bhoopathi
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Amit Kumar
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Anjan K Pradhan
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Santanu Maji
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Padmanabhan Mannangatti
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jolene J Windle
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mark A Subler
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Dongyu Zhang
- Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Vignesh Vudatha
- Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jose G Trevino
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Esha Madan
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Azeddine Atfi
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Devanand Sarkar
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Rajan Gogna
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Swadesh K Das
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Luni Emdad
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Paul B Fisher
- Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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72
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Ponzini FM, Schultz CW, Leiby BE, Cannaday S, Yeo T, Posey J, Bowne WB, Yeo C, Brody JR, Lavu H, Nevler A. Repurposing the FDA-approved anthelmintic pyrvinium pamoate for pancreatic cancer treatment: study protocol for a phase I clinical trial in early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e073839. [PMID: 37848297 PMCID: PMC10582846 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent reports of the utilisation of pyrvinium pamoate (PP), an FDA-approved anti-helminth, have shown that it inhibits pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell growth and proliferation in-vitro and in-vivo in preclinical models. Here, we report about an ongoing phase I open-label, single-arm, dose escalation clinical trial to determine the safety and tolerability of PP in PDAC surgical candidates. METHODS AND ANALYSIS In a 3+3 dose design, PP is initiated 3 days prior to surgery. The first three patients will be treated with the initial dose of PP at 5 mg/kg orally for 3 days prior to surgery. Dose doubling will be continued to a reach a maximum of 20 mg/kg orally for 3 days, if the previous two dosages (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) were tolerated. Dose-limiting toxicity grade≥3 is used as the primary endpoint. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile of PP and bioavailability in humans will be used as the secondary objective. Each participant will be monitored weekly for a total of 30 days from the final dose of PP for any side effects. The purpose of this clinical trial is to examine whether PP is safe and tolerable in patients with pancreatic cancer, as well as assess the drug's PK/PD profile in plasma and fatty tissue. Potential implications include the utilisation of PP in a synergistic manner with chemotherapeutics for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by the Thomas Jefferson Institutional Review Board. The protocol number for this study is 20F.041 (Version 3.1 as of 27 October 2021). The data collected and analysed from this study will be used to present at local and national conferences, as well as, written into peer-reviewed manuscript publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05055323.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca M Ponzini
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Benjamin E Leiby
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Biostatistics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shawnna Cannaday
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - T Yeo
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James Posey
- Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wilbur B Bowne
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Charles Yeo
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jonathan R Brody
- Brenden Colson Center for Pancreatic Care; Departments of Surgery and Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Harish Lavu
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Avinoam Nevler
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Dimitrijevic Stojanovic M, Stojanovic B, Radosavljevic I, Kovacevic V, Jovanovic I, Stojanovic BS, Prodanovic N, Stankovic V, Jocic M, Jovanovic M. Galectin-3's Complex Interactions in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: From Cellular Signaling to Therapeutic Potential. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1500. [PMID: 37892182 PMCID: PMC10605315 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101500] [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: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectin-3 (Gal-3) plays a multifaceted role in the development, progression, and prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This review offers a comprehensive examination of its expression in PDAC, its interaction with various immune cells, signaling pathways, effects on apoptosis, and therapeutic resistance. Additionally, the prognostic significance of serum levels of Gal-3 is discussed, providing insights into its potential utilization as a biomarker. Critical analysis is also extended to the inhibitors of Gal-3 and their potential therapeutic applications in PDAC, offering new avenues for targeted treatments. The intricate nature of Gal-3's role in PDAC reveals a complex landscape that demands a nuanced understanding for potential therapeutic interventions and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Dimitrijevic Stojanovic
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (M.D.S.); (V.S.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
| | - Bojan Stojanovic
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (B.S.); (I.R.); (N.P.)
| | - Ivan Radosavljevic
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (B.S.); (I.R.); (N.P.)
| | - Vojin Kovacevic
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (B.S.); (I.R.); (N.P.)
| | - Ivan Jovanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
| | - Bojana S. Stojanovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Nikola Prodanovic
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (B.S.); (I.R.); (N.P.)
| | - Vesna Stankovic
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (M.D.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Miodrag Jocic
- Institute for Transfusiology and Haemobiology, Military Medical Academy, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Marina Jovanovic
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
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74
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Mazur R, Trna J. Principles of Palliative and Supportive Care in Pancreatic Cancer: A Review. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2690. [PMID: 37893064 PMCID: PMC10603964 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102690] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is well known for its poor survival time. Clinical symptoms are painless jaundice or abdominal or back pain. Less specific symptoms often appear that make diagnosis difficult, e.g., weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and general weakness. Only 10-20% of patients are diagnosed at an early stage. A cure is practically only possible with a radical surgical operation. In the case of locally advanced findings, neoadjuvant therapy is administered. Among the therapeutic options offered are chemotherapy, radiotherapy (including stereotactic radiotherapy-SBRT), targeted treatment, or immunotherapy. In the case of metastatic disease, of which more than half are present at diagnosis, the goal is to relieve the patient of problems. Metastatic PDAC can cause problems arising from the localization of distant metastases, but it also locally affects the organs it infiltrates. In our review article, we focus on the largest group of patients, those with locally advanced disease and metastatic disease-symptoms related to the infiltration or destruction of the pancreatic parenchyma and the growth of the tumor into the surrounding. Therefore, we deal with biliary or duodenal obstruction, gastric outlet syndrome, bleeding and thromboembolic diseases, pain, depression, and fatigue, as well as pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and malnutrition. Metastatic spread is most often to the liver, peritoneum, or lungs. The presented overview aims to offer current therapeutic options across disciplines. In accordance with modern oncology, a multidisciplinary approach with a procedure tailored to the specific patient remains the gold standard.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Trna
- Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Zluty Kopec 7, 656 53 Brno, Czech Republic;
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75
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Iliesiu A, Toma RV, Ciongariu AM, Costea R, Zarnescu N, Bîlteanu L. A pancreatic adenocarcinoma mimicking hepatoid carcinoma of uncertain histogenesis: A case report and literature review. Oncol Lett 2023; 26:442. [PMID: 37720666 PMCID: PMC10502951 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.14029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In rare cases, metastatic adenocarcinomas of different origin may exhibit the features of hepatoid carcinoma (HC), a rare malignant epithelial tumor, most commonly occurring in the ovaries and stomach, as well as in the pancreas and biliary ducts. A case of a 72-year-old female patient who developed a highly aggressive, poorly differentiated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with peritoneal carcinomatosis, demonstrating hepatoid differentiation upon conventional hematoxylin and eosin staining is reported in the present study. The patient presented with severe abdominal pain, and the radiological investigations performed revealed ovarian and hepatic tumor masses and peritoneal lesions, which were surgically removed. The gross examination of the peritoneum and omentum revealed multiple solid, firm, grey-white nodules, diffusely infiltrating the adipose tissue. The microscopic examination revealed a malignant epithelial proliferation, composed of polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and irregular, pleomorphic nuclei. Certain cells presented with intracytoplasmic mucus inclusions, raising suspicion of a HC with an uncertain histogenesis. Immunohistochemical staining was performed, and the tumor cells were found to be positive for cytokeratin (CK)7, CK18 and mucin 5AC, whereas negative staining for CK20, caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2, α-fetoprotein, paired box gene 8, GATA-binding protein 3 and Wilms tumor 1 were documented. Thus, the diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma was established. The main aim of the present study was to provide further knowledge concerning poorly differentiated metastatic adenocarcinoma resembling HC, emphasizing the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of these malignant lesions and raising awareness of the diagnostic difficulties that may arise, as well as the importance of the use immunohistochemistry in differentiating carcinomas of uncertain histogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Iliesiu
- Department of Pathology, University Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest 014461, Romania
- Faculty of General Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
| | - Radu-Valeriu Toma
- Faculty of General Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
- Oncological Institute ‘Alexandru Trestioreanu’, Bucharest 022328, Romania
| | - Ana Maria Ciongariu
- Department of Pathology, University Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest 014461, Romania
- Faculty of General Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
| | - Radu Costea
- Faculty of General Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
- Second Department of Surgery, University Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest 050098, Romania
| | - Narcis Zarnescu
- Faculty of General Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
- Second Department of Surgery, University Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest 050098, Romania
| | - Liviu Bîlteanu
- Oncological Institute ‘Alexandru Trestioreanu’, Bucharest 022328, Romania
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Bucharest 050097, Romania
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Motolani A, Martin M, Wang B, Jiang G, Alipourgivi F, Huang X, Safa A, Liu Y, Lu T. Critical Role of Novel O-GlcNAcylation of S550 and S551 on the p65 Subunit of NF-κB in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4742. [PMID: 37835439 PMCID: PMC10571874 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194742] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies, with a mere 5-year survival of ~10%. This highlights the urgent need for innovative treatment options for PDAC patients. The nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a crucial transcription factor that is constitutively activated in PDAC. It mediates the transcription of oncogenic and inflammatory genes that facilitate multiple PDAC phenotypes. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of NF-κB activation holds great promise for PDAC diagnosis and effective therapeutics. Here, we report a novel finding that the p65 subunit of NF-κB is O-GlcNAcylated at serine 550 and 551 upon NF-κB activation. Importantly, the overexpression of either serine-to-alanine (S-A) single mutant (S550A or S551A) or double mutant (S550A/S551A) of p65 in PDAC cells impaired NF-κB nuclear translocation, p65 phosphorylation, and transcriptional activity, independent of IκBα degradation. Moreover, the p65 mutants downregulate a category of NF-κB-target genes, which play a role in perpetuating major cancer hallmarks. We further show that overexpression of the p65 mutants inhibited cellular proliferation, migration, and anchorage-independent growth of PDAC cells compared to WT-p65. Collectively, we discovered novel serine sites of p65 O-GlcNAcylation that drive NF-κB activation and PDAC phenotypes, thus opening new avenues by inhibiting the NF-κB O-GlcNAcylation enzyme, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), for PDAC treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishat Motolani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.M.); (M.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Matthew Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.M.); (M.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Benlian Wang
- Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Guanglong Jiang
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (G.J.); (Y.L.)
| | - Faranak Alipourgivi
- Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (F.A.); (X.H.)
| | - Xiumei Huang
- Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (F.A.); (X.H.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Ahmad Safa
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.M.); (M.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (G.J.); (Y.L.)
| | - Tao Lu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.M.); (M.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (G.J.); (Y.L.)
- Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (F.A.); (X.H.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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Park J, Sorrells JE, Chaney EJ, Abdelrahman AM, Yonkus JA, Leiting JL, Nelson H, Harrington JJ, Aksamitiene E, Marjanovic M, Groves PD, Bushell C, Truty MJ, Boppart SA. In vivo label-free optical signatures of chemotherapy response in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patient-derived xenografts. Commun Biol 2023; 6:980. [PMID: 37749184 PMCID: PMC10520051 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05368-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease often detected at later stages, necessitating swift and effective chemotherapy treatment. However, chemoresistance is common and its mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, label-free multi-modal nonlinear optical microscopy was applied to study microstructural and functional features of pancreatic tumors in vivo to monitor inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity and treatment response. Patient-derived xenografts with human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were implanted into mice and characterized over five weeks of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (FIRINOX or Gem/NabP) with known responsiveness/resistance. Resistant and responsive tumors exhibited a similar initial metabolic response, but by week 5 the resistant tumor deviated significantly from the responsive tumor, indicating that a representative response may take up to five weeks to appear. This biphasic metabolic response in a chemoresistant tumor reveals the possibility of intra-tumor spatiotemporal heterogeneity of drug responsiveness. These results, though limited by small sample size, suggest the possibility for further work characterizing chemoresistance mechanisms using nonlinear optical microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaena Park
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Janet E Sorrells
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Eric J Chaney
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Amro M Abdelrahman
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jennifer A Yonkus
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jennifer L Leiting
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Heidi Nelson
- Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, Cancer Programs, American College of Surgeons, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | | | - Edita Aksamitiene
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Marina Marjanovic
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- NIH/NIBIB Center for Label-free Imaging and Multiscale Biophotonics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Peter D Groves
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Colleen Bushell
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Mark J Truty
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Stephen A Boppart
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- NIH/NIBIB Center for Label-free Imaging and Multiscale Biophotonics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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Brown M, O'Connor D, Turkington R, Eatock M, Vince R, Hulme C, Bowdery R, Robinson R, Wadsley J, Maraveyas A, Prue G. Feasibility of delivering supervised exercise training following surgical resection and during adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PRECISE): a case series. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2023; 15:116. [PMID: 37735664 PMCID: PMC10514993 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-023-00722-3] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive neoplasm, with surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy the only curative treatment. Treatment-related toxicities place a considerable burden on patients although exercise training has shown promise is helping to manage such adversities and facilitate rehabilitation. The feasibility and safety of exercise training as a supportive therapy during adjuvant chemotherapy remains unknown. METHODS Patients with PDAC were screened post-surgical resection and enrolled in a 16-week, progressive, concurrent exercise programme alongside their chemotherapy regimen. Feasibility was the primary objective detailing recruitment, retention and adherence rates throughout as well as the safety and fidelity of the intervention. Secondarily, the impact on functional fitness and patient-reported outcomes was captured at baseline, post-intervention and 3-month follow up. RESULTS Eight patients consented to participate in this trial, with five proceeding to enrol in exercise training. Concurrent exercise training is feasible and safe during adjuvant chemotherapy and prevented an expected decline in functional fitness and patient-reported outcomes during this time. DISCUSSION This case series provides preliminary evidence that concurrent exercise training during adjuvant therapy is safe, feasible and well tolerated, preventing an expected decline in functional fitness, muscular strength and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Given the adverse effects of treatment, these findings are promising and provide further evidence for the inclusion of exercise training as a standard of care for surgical rehabilitation and managing treatment-related toxicities. Future research should explore the impact of exercise training during neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with prehabilitation now standard practice for borderline resectable disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04305067, prospectively registered 12/03/2020, https://classic. CLINICALTRIALS gov/ct2/show/NCT04305067 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm Brown
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Dominic O'Connor
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, UK
| | - Richard Turkington
- The Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- The Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Martin Eatock
- The Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- The Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Rebecca Vince
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, England, UK
| | - Claire Hulme
- Department of Health and Community Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, England, UK
| | - Roy Bowdery
- Pancreatic Cancer UK Research Involvement Network, London, England, UK
| | - Rebecca Robinson
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, England, UK
| | - Jonathan Wadsley
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, The Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, UK
| | | | - Gillian Prue
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
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Freed IM, Kasi A, Fateru O, Hu M, Gonzalez P, Weatherington N, Pathak H, Hyter S, Sun W, Al-Rajabi R, Baranda J, Hupert ML, Chalise P, Godwin AK, A. Witek M, Soper SA. Circulating Tumor Cell Subpopulations Predict Treatment Outcome in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Patients. Cells 2023; 12:2266. [PMID: 37759489 PMCID: PMC10526802 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182266] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a high clinical unmet need to improve outcomes for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, either with the discovery of new therapies or biomarkers that can track response to treatment more efficiently than imaging. We report an innovative approach that will generate renewed interest in using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to monitor treatment efficacy, which, in this case, used PDAC patients receiving an exploratory new therapy, poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor (PARPi)-niraparib-as a case study. CTCs were enumerated from whole blood using a microfluidic approach that affinity captures epithelial and mesenchymal CTCs using anti-EpCAM and anti-FAPα monoclonal antibodies, respectively. These antibodies were poised on the surface of two separate microfluidic devices to discretely capture each subpopulation for interrogation. The isolated CTCs were enumerated using immunophenotyping to produce a numerical ratio consisting of the number of mesenchymal to epithelial CTCs (denoted "Φ"), which was used as an indicator of response to therapy, as determined using computed tomography (CT). A decreasing value of Φ during treatment was indicative of tumor response to the PARPi and was observed in 88% of the enrolled patients (n = 31). Changes in Φ during longitudinal testing were a better predictor of treatment response than the current standard CA19-9. We were able to differentiate between responders and non-responders using ΔΦ (p = 0.0093) with higher confidence than CA19-9 (p = 0.033). For CA19-9 non-producers, ΔΦ correctly predicted the outcome in 72% of the PDAC patients. Sequencing of the gDNA extracted from affinity-selected CTC subpopulations provided information that could be used for patient enrollment into the clinical trial based on their tumor mutational status in DNA repair genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M. Freed
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
| | - Anup Kasi
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (W.S.); (R.A.-R.); (J.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Oluwadamilola Fateru
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
| | - Mengjia Hu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
- Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (H.P.); (S.H.)
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Phasin Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
| | - Nyla Weatherington
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
| | - Harsh Pathak
- Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (H.P.); (S.H.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Stephen Hyter
- Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (H.P.); (S.H.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Weijing Sun
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (W.S.); (R.A.-R.); (J.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Raed Al-Rajabi
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (W.S.); (R.A.-R.); (J.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Joaquina Baranda
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (W.S.); (R.A.-R.); (J.B.); (P.C.)
| | | | - Prabhakar Chalise
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (W.S.); (R.A.-R.); (J.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Andrew K. Godwin
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
- Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (H.P.); (S.H.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Malgorzata A. Witek
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
- Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (H.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Steven A. Soper
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA; (I.M.F.); (O.F.); (M.H.); (P.G.); (N.W.); (M.A.W.)
- Center of Bio-Modular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine (CBM), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA;
- Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; (H.P.); (S.H.)
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- BioFluidica, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121, USA;
- Bioengineering Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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Lowe T, Deluca J, Abenavoli L, Boccuto L. Pancreatic Cancer and the Family Connection: The Role of Advanced Practitioners in Screening and Educating Genetically At-Risk Individuals. J Adv Pract Oncol 2023; 14:533-539. [PMID: 37808070 PMCID: PMC10558018 DOI: 10.6004/jadpro.2023.14.6.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It has a 95% mortality rate within 5 years of the initial diagnosis. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed histotype. The average age at diagnosis is 70 years. Familial forms of pancreatic cancer have been associated with pathogenic variants in predisposing genes, including ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, CDKN2A, STK11, MLH1, and MSH2. Collecting information on the patient's family history may serve as a primary tool to screen an individual's risk for familial pancreatic cancer. More advanced screening options for individuals at risk include endoscopic ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Due to pancreatic cancer's high mortality rate, routine screening of individuals at risk for developing familial pancreatic cancer may result in early diagnosis and improved survivability. This review aims to characterize the genetic risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer and recognize available screening options for at-risk individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Lowe
- From School of Nursing, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Jane Deluca
- From School of Nursing, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Ludovico Abenavoli
- Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Luigi Boccuto
- From School of Nursing, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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81
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Gupta A, De Jesus-Acosta A, Zheng L, Lee V, Kamel I, Le D, Pishvaian M, Laheru D. Clinical outcomes of liposomal irinotecan in advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients previously treated with conventional irinotecan-based chemotherapy: a real-world study. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1250136. [PMID: 37700832 PMCID: PMC10494436 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1250136] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The efficacy of combination chemotherapy beyond the first-line setting remains modest in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). Evidence from recent clinical studies has shown that liposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI) plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV) resulted in survival benefits in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (APAC) after progression on gemcitabine-based treatment. However, the survival benefits of nal-IRI in the third and later lines, in which limited options are available, have yet to be extensively studied. Also, some studies have shown conflicting results regarding the impact of prior treatment with conventional IRI on patient outcomes following treatment with nal-IRI. Therefore, this real-world study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nal-IRI plus 5FU-LV in advanced PAC patients who progressed on conventional IRI-containing regimens. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted between November 2016 to December 2022 on 30 patients diagnosed with advanced PAC who completed at least one cycle of nal-IRI plus 5-FU- LV and were previously treated with conventional IRI. Data regarding survival outcomes were retrieved. Results Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 76.7% of the patients received at least two lines of therapy prior to nal-IRI. The median overall duration of nal-IRI treatment was 2.0 months (IQR: 1.3 - 3.9 months). One patient (3.3%) had a partial response, and seven patients (23.3%) had stable disease as their best response. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 1.9 months (95% CI 1.6 - 2.0) and the 6-month PFS rate was 20.0%. The median overall survival (OS) was 5.0 months (95% CI 3.4 - 7.0), and the 6-month OS rate was 36.7%. An interval between conventional IRI and nal-IRI ≥5.5 months was significantly associated with prolonged OS of 10.2 months (95% CI 3.3 - 12.1) versus 4.3 months (95% CI 2.1 - 5.9; p =0.003). Ten patients (33.3%) experienced grade 3 adverse events, most commonly nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, and non-neutropenic fever. Conclusion Nal-IRI plus 5FU/LV had modest survival benefits and an acceptable safety profile in patients with prior conventional IRI. A longer interval between conventional IRI and nal-IRI was associated with increased survival outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amol Gupta
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniel Laheru
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, United States
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82
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Sarkar R, Xu Z, Perera CJ, Apte MV. Emerging role of pancreatic stellate cell-derived extracellular vesicles in pancreatic cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 93:114-122. [PMID: 37225047 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer that is characterised by a prominent collagenous stromal reaction/desmoplasia surrounding tumour cells. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are responsible for the production of this stroma and have been shown to facilitate PDAC progression. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs), in particular, small extracellular vesicles (exosomes) have been a topic of interest in the field of cancer research for their emerging roles in cancer progression and diagnosis. EVs act as a form of intercellular communication by carrying their molecular cargo from one cell to another, regulating functions of the recipient cells. Although the knowledge of the bi-directional interactions between the PSCs and cancer cells that promote disease progression has advanced significantly over the past decade, studies on PSC-derived EVs in PDAC are currently rather limited. This review provides an overview of PDAC, pancreatic stellate cells and their interactions with cancer cells, as well as the currently known role of extracellular vesicles derived from PSCs in PDAC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Sarkar
- Pancreatic Research Group, South West Sydney Clinical Campuses, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia; Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney 2170, Australia
| | - Zhihong Xu
- Pancreatic Research Group, South West Sydney Clinical Campuses, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia; Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney 2170, Australia
| | - Chamini J Perera
- Pancreatic Research Group, South West Sydney Clinical Campuses, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia; Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney 2170, Australia.
| | - Minoti V Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, South West Sydney Clinical Campuses, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia; Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney 2170, Australia
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83
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Posta M, Győrffy B. Analysis of a large cohort of pancreatic cancer transcriptomic profiles to reveal the strongest prognostic factors. Clin Transl Sci 2023; 16:1479-1491. [PMID: 37260110 PMCID: PMC10432876 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13563] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In order to develop appropriate therapeutic and prognostic tools, a comprehensive mapping of the tumor's molecular abnormalities is essential. Here, our aim was to integrate available transcriptomic data to uncover genes whose elevated expression is simultaneously linked to cancer pathogenesis and inferior survival. A comprehensive search was performed in GEO to identify clinical studies with transcriptome-level gene expression data of pancreatic carcinoma with overall survival data and normal pancreatic tissues. After quantile normalization, the entire database was used to identify genes with altered expression. Cox proportional hazard regression was employed to uncover genes most strongly correlated with survival with a Bonferroni corrected p < 0.01. Perturbed biological processes and molecular pathways were identified to enable the understanding of underlying processes. A total of 16 available datasets were combined. The aggregated database comprised data of 1640 samples for 20,443 genes. When comparing with normal pancreatic tissues, a total of 2612 upregulated and 1977 downregulated genes were uncovered in pancreatic carcinoma. Among these, we found 24 genes with higher expression which significantly correlated with overall survival length also. The most significant genes were ANXA8, FAM83A, KRT6A, MET, MUC16, NT5E, and SLC2A1. These genes remained significant after a multivariate analysis also including grade and stage. Here, we assembled a large-scale database of pancreatic carcinoma samples and used this cohort to identify carcinoma-specific genes linked to altered survival outcomes. As our analysis focused on genes with higher expression, these could serve as future therapy targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Posta
- Károly Rácz Doctoral School of Clinical MedicineSemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
- Oncology Biomarker Research Group, Institute of EnzymologyResearch Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of EnzymologyResearch Centre for Natural SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- Department of Bioinformatics and Department of PediatricsSemmelweis UniversityBudapestHungary
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84
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Morgan A, Griffin M, Kameni L, Wan DC, Longaker MT, Norton JA. Medical Biology of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Cancer. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1044. [PMID: 37626931 PMCID: PMC10451924 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer with one of the lowest 5-year survival rates of all cancer types. A defining characteristic of pancreatic cancer is the existence of dense desmoplastic stroma that, when exposed to stimuli such as cytokines, growth factors, and chemokines, generate a tumor-promoting environment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activated during the progression of pancreatic cancer and are a crucial component of the tumor microenvironment (TME). CAFs are primarily pro-tumorigenic in their activated state and function as promoters of cancer invasion, proliferation, metastasis, and immune modulation. Aided by many signaling pathways, cytokines, and chemokines in the tumor microenvironment, CAFs can originate from many cell types including resident fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, pancreatic stellate cells, adipocytes, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and other cell types. CAFs are a highly heterogeneous cell type expressing a variety of surface markers and performing a wide range of tumor promoting and inhibiting functions. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses have revealed a high degree of specialization among CAFs. Some examples of CAF subpopulations include myofibrotic CAFs (myCAFs), which exhibit a matrix-producing contractile phenotype; inflammatory CAFs (iCAF) that are classified by their immunomodulating, secretory phenotype; and antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs), which have antigen-presenting capabilities and express Major Histocompatibility Complex II (MHC II). Over the last several years, various attempts have been undertaken to describe the mechanisms of CAF-tumor cell interaction, as well as CAF-immune cell interaction, that contribute to tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Although our understanding of CAF biology in cancer has steadily increased, the extent of CAFs heterogeneity and their role in the pathobiology of pancreatic cancer remains elusive. In this regard, it becomes increasingly evident that further research on CAFs in pancreatic cancer is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annah Morgan
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
| | - Michelle Griffin
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lionel Kameni
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
| | - Derrick C. Wan
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael T. Longaker
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Norton
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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85
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Ghosh H, Bhattacharyya S, Schobert R, Dandawate P, Biersack B. Fluorinated and N-Acryloyl-Modified 3,5-Di[( E)-benzylidene]piperidin-4-one Curcuminoids for the Treatment of Pancreatic Carcinoma. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1921. [PMID: 37514107 PMCID: PMC10385166 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15071921] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic carcinoma is a cancer disease with high mortality. Thus, new and efficient treatments for this disease are badly needed. Curcumin has previously shown promising effects in pancreatic cancer patients; however, this natural compound suffers from inadequate efficacy and bioavailability, preventing its clinical approval. The synthetic curcuminoid EF24 was developed with activities superior to curcumin against various cancer types. In this study, a series of analogs of EF24 were investigated for anticancer effects on pancreatic carcinoma models. A distinct activity boost was achieved by straightforward N-acrylation of EF24 analogs, in particular, of compounds bearing 3-fluoro-4-methoxybenzylidene, 3,4-difluorobenzylidene, and 4-trifluoromethylbenzylidene moieties, while no improvement was seen for N-acryloyl-modified EF24. Apoptosis induction and suppression of phospho-STAT3 levels were determined, the latter corroborated by docking of active curcuminoids into STAT3. Hence, promising new clues for the development of efficient and superior curcuminoids as valuable treatment options for one of the most lethal cancer diseases were discovered in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hindole Ghosh
- Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Sangita Bhattacharyya
- Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Rainer Schobert
- Organic Chemistry 1, University of Bayreuth, Universitaetsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Prasad Dandawate
- Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Bernhard Biersack
- Organic Chemistry 1, University of Bayreuth, Universitaetsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
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86
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Nieto LM, Martinez J, Narvaez SI, Keilin S. Intrahepatic Biliary Colloid Carcinoma: A Rare Site for Recurrence. Cureus 2023; 15:e41925. [PMID: 37583731 PMCID: PMC10424707 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41925] [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] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A new biliary duct (BD) stricture raises questions about the presence of malignancy, especially with a history of metastatic pancreatic cancer. A few cases of colloid carcinoma (CC) of the pancreas have been published, but none have described recurrence in the biliary tract. We report a case of intrahepatic biliary CC that recurred after two years after the last dose of immunotherapy for pancreatic CC. In addition to a unique biliary cancer case presentation, this case raises awareness of the best strategy for cancer surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Nieto
- Internal Medicine, Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Austell, USA
| | - John Martinez
- Internal Medicine, Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Austell, USA
| | | | - Steven Keilin
- Pancreaticobiliary Service, Division of Gastroenterology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
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87
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Calheiros J, Corbo V, Saraiva L. Overcoming therapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer: Emerging opportunities by targeting BRCAs and p53. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188914. [PMID: 37201730 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterized by (epi)genetic and microenvironmental alterations that negatively impact the treatment outcomes. New targeted therapies have been pursued to counteract the therapeutic resistance in PC. Aiming to seek for new therapeutic options for PC, several attempts have been undertaken to exploit BRCA1/2 and TP53 deficiencies as promising actionable targets. The elucidation of the pathogenesis of PC highlighted the high prevalence of p53 mutations and their connection with the aggressiveness and therapeutic resistance of PC. Additionally, PC is associated with dysfunctions in several DNA repair-related genes, including BRCA1/2, which sensitize tumours to DNA-damaging agents. In this context, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi) were approved for mutant BRCA1/2 PC patients. However, acquired drug resistance has become a major drawback of PARPi. This review emphasizes the importance of targeting defective BRCAs and p53 pathways for advancing personalized PC therapy, with particular focus on how this approach may provide an opportunity to tackle PC resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Calheiros
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Laboratόrio de Microbiologia, Departamento de Ciências Biolόgicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vincenzo Corbo
- Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy; ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Lucília Saraiva
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Laboratόrio de Microbiologia, Departamento de Ciências Biolόgicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
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88
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Dahiya DS, Chandan S, Ali H, Pinnam BSM, Gangwani MK, Al Bunni H, Canakis A, Gopakumar H, Vohra I, Bapaye J, Al-Haddad M, Sharma NR. Role of Therapeutic Endoscopic Ultrasound in Management of Pancreatic Cancer: An Endoscopic Oncologist Perspective. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3235. [PMID: 37370843 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123235] [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: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with an aggressive clinical course. Patients with pancreatic cancer are usually asymptomatic until significant progression of their disease. Additionally, there are no effective screening guidelines for pancreatic cancer in the general population. This leads to a delay in diagnosis and treatment, resulting in poor clinical outcomes and low survival rates. Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) is an indispensable tool for the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer. In the modern era, with exponential advancements in technology and device innovation, EUS is also being increasingly used in a variety of therapeutic interventions. In the context of pancreatic cancer where therapies are limited due to the advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis, EUS-guided interventions offer new and innovative options. Moreover, due to their minimally invasive nature and ability to provide real-time images for tumor localization and therapy, they are associated with fewer complication rates compared to conventional open and laparoscopic approaches. In this article, we detail the most current and important therapeutic applications of EUS for pancreatic cancer, namely EUS-guided Fine Needle Injections, EUS-guided Radiotherapy, and EUS-guided Ablations. Furthermore, we also discuss the feasibility and safety profile of each intervention in patients with pancreatic cancer to provide gastrointestinal medical oncologists, radiation and surgical oncologists, and therapeutic endoscopists with valuable information to facilitate patient discussions and aid in the complex decision-making process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Motility, The University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Saurabh Chandan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHI Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
| | - Hassam Ali
- Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Bhanu Siva Mohan Pinnam
- Department of Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | | | - Hashem Al Bunni
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Andrew Canakis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Harishankar Gopakumar
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61605, USA
| | - Ishaan Vohra
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61605, USA
| | - Jay Bapaye
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY 14621, USA
| | - Mohammad Al-Haddad
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Neil R Sharma
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Interventional Oncology & Surgical Endoscopy Programs (IOSE), GI Oncology Tumor Site Team, Parkview Cancer Institute, Parkview Health, Fort Wayne, IN 46845, USA
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89
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Samuel T, Rapic S, O’Brien C, Edson M, Zhong Y, DaCosta RS. Quantitative intravital imaging for real-time monitoring of pancreatic tumor cell hypoxia and stroma in an orthotopic mouse model. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade8672. [PMID: 37285434 PMCID: PMC10246908 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade8672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease with few successful treatment options. Recent evidence demonstrates that tumor hypoxia promotes pancreatic tumor invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. However, little is known about the complex relationship between hypoxia and the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we developed a novel intravital fluorescence microscopy platform with an orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer to study tumor cell hypoxia within the TME in vivo, at cellular resolution, over time. Using a fluorescent BxPC3-DsRed tumor cell line with a hypoxia-response element (HRE)/green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter, we showed that HRE/GFP is a reliable biomarker of pancreatic tumor hypoxia, responding dynamically and reversibly to changing oxygen concentrations within the TME. We also characterized the spatial relationships between tumor hypoxia, microvasculature, and tumor-associated collagen structures using in vivo second harmonic generation microscopy. This quantitative multimodal imaging platform enables the unprecedented study of hypoxia within the pancreatic TME in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Samuel
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sara Rapic
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cristiana O’Brien
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael Edson
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yuan Zhong
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ralph S. DaCosta
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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90
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Galindo-Vega A, Maldonado-Lagunas V, Mitre-Aguilar IB, Melendez-Zajgla J. Tumor Microenvironment Role in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells. Cells 2023; 12:1560. [PMID: 37371030 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy with a majority of patients presenting with unresectable or metastatic disease, resulting in a poor 5-year survival rate. This, in turn, is due to a highly complex tumor microenvironment and the presence of cancer stem cells, both of which induce therapy resistance and tumor relapse. Therefore, understanding and targeting the tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cells may be key strategies for designing effective PDAC therapies. In the present review, we summarized recent advances in the role of tumor microenvironment in pancreatic neoplastic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Galindo-Vega
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 04710, Mexico
| | | | - Irma B Mitre-Aguilar
- Biochemistry Unit, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Jorge Melendez-Zajgla
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 04710, Mexico
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91
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Kumar L, Kumar S, Sandeep K, Patel SKS. Therapeutic Approaches in Pancreatic Cancer: Recent Updates. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1611. [PMID: 37371705 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061611] [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: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a significant challenge for effective treatment due to its complex mechanism, different progressing stages, and lack of adequate procedures for screening and identification. Pancreatic cancer is typically identified in its advanced progression phase with a low survival of ~5 years. Among cancers, pancreatic cancer is also considered a high mortality-causing casualty over other accidental or disease-based mortality, and it is ranked seventh among all mortality-associated cancers globally. Henceforth, developing diagnostic procedures for its early detection, understanding pancreatic cancer-linked mechanisms, and various therapeutic strategies are crucial. This review describes the recent development in pancreatic cancer progression, mechanisms, and therapeutic approaches, including molecular techniques and biomedicines for effectively treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokender Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, India
| | - Kumar Sandeep
- Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
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92
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Digiacomo L, Quagliarini E, Pozzi D, Coppola R, Caracciolo G, Caputo D. Stratifying Risk for Pancreatic Cancer by Multiplexed Blood Test. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112983. [PMID: 37296945 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease, for which mortality closely parallels incidence. So far, the available techniques for PDAC detection are either too invasive or not sensitive enough. To overcome this limitation, here we present a multiplexed point-of-care test that provides a "risk score" for each subject under investigation, by combining systemic inflammatory response biomarkers, standard laboratory tests, and the most recent nanoparticle-enabled blood (NEB) tests. The former parameters are routinely evaluated in clinical practice, whereas NEB tests have been recently proven as promising tools to assist in PDAC diagnosis. Our results revealed that PDAC patients and healthy subjects can be distinguished accurately (i.e., 88.9% specificity, 93.6% sensitivity) by the presented multiplexed point-of-care test, in a quick, non-invasive, and highly cost-efficient way. Furthermore, the test allows for the definition of a "risk threshold", which can help clinicians to trace the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic care pathway for each patient. For these reasons, we envision that this work may accelerate progress in the early detection of PDAC and contribute to the design of screening programs for high-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Digiacomo
- NanoDelivery Lab, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Erica Quagliarini
- NanoDelivery Lab, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Pozzi
- NanoDelivery Lab, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Coppola
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulio Caracciolo
- NanoDelivery Lab, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Damiano Caputo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
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93
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Schwörer S, Cimino FV, Ros M, Tsanov KM, Ng C, Lowe SW, Carmona-Fontaine C, Thompson CB. Hypoxia Potentiates the Inflammatory Fibroblast Phenotype Promoted by Pancreatic Cancer Cell-Derived Cytokines. Cancer Res 2023; 83:1596-1610. [PMID: 36912618 PMCID: PMC10658995 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are a major cell type in the stroma of solid tumors and can exert both tumor-promoting and tumor-restraining functions. CAF heterogeneity is frequently observed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a tumor characterized by a dense and hypoxic stroma that features myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAF) and inflammatory CAFs (iCAF) that are thought to have opposing roles in tumor progression. While CAF heterogeneity can be driven in part by tumor cell-produced cytokines, other determinants shaping CAF identity and function are largely unknown. In vivo, we found that iCAFs displayed a hypoxic gene expression and biochemical profile and were enriched in hypoxic regions of PDAC tumors, while myCAFs were excluded from these regions. Hypoxia led fibroblasts to acquire an inflammatory gene expression signature and synergized with cancer cell-derived cytokines to promote an iCAF phenotype in a HIF1α-dependent fashion. Furthermore, HIF1α stabilization was sufficient to induce an iCAF phenotype in stromal cells introduced into PDAC organoid cocultures and to promote PDAC tumor growth. These findings indicate hypoxia-induced HIF1α as a regulator of CAF heterogeneity and promoter of tumor progression in PDAC. SIGNIFICANCE Hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer potentiates the cytokine-induced inflammatory CAF phenotype and promotes tumor growth. See related commentary by Fuentes and Taniguchi, p. 1560.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Schwörer
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Francesco V Cimino
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Manon Ros
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Kaloyan M Tsanov
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Charles Ng
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Scott W Lowe
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
| | | | - Craig B Thompson
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
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94
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Koh EK, Lee HR, Son WC, Park GY, Kim J, Bae JH, Park YS. Combinatorial immunotherapy with gemcitabine and ex vivo-expanded NK cells induces anti-tumor effects in pancreatic cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7656. [PMID: 37169953 PMCID: PMC10175562 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34827-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose at the initial stage and is often discovered after metastasis to nearby organs. Gemcitabine is currently used as a standard treatment for pancreatic cancer. However, since chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer has not yet reached satisfactory therapeutic results, adjuvant chemotherapy methods are attempted. It can be expected that combining immune cell therapy with existing anticancer drug combination treatment will prevent cancer recurrence and increase survival rates. We isolated natural killer (NK) cells and co-cultured them with strongly activated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as feeder cells, activated using CD3 antibody, IFN-r, IL-2, and γ-radiation. NK cells expanded in this method showed greater cytotoxicity than resting NK cells, when co-cultured with pancreatic cancer cell lines. Tumor growth was effectively inhibited in a pancreatic cancer mouse xenograft model. Therapeutic efficacy was increased by using gemcitabine and erlotinib in combination. These findings suggest that NK cells cultured by the method proposed here have excellent anti-tumor activity. We demonstrate that activated NK cells can efficiently inhibit pancreatic tumors when used in combination with gemcitabine-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Kyoung Koh
- Department of Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, 46033, South Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, South Korea
| | - Hong-Rae Lee
- Department of Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, 46033, South Korea
| | - Woo-Chang Son
- Department of Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, 46033, South Korea
| | - Ga-Young Park
- Department of Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, 46033, South Korea
| | - Juhee Kim
- Department of Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, 46033, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Bae
- Department of Biochemistry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, South Korea.
| | - You-Soo Park
- Department of Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, 46033, South Korea.
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95
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Audero MM, Carvalho TMA, Ruffinatti FA, Loeck T, Yassine M, Chinigò G, Folcher A, Farfariello V, Amadori S, Vaghi C, Schwab A, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA, Prevarskaya N, Fiorio Pla A. Acidic Growth Conditions Promote Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition to Select More Aggressive PDAC Cell Phenotypes In Vitro. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092572. [PMID: 37174038 PMCID: PMC10177299 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an acidic microenvironment, which contributes to therapeutic failure. So far there is a lack of knowledge with respect to the role of the acidic microenvironment in the invasive process. This work aimed to study the phenotypic and genetic response of PDAC cells to acidic stress along the different stages of selection. To this end, we subjected the cells to short- and long-term acidic pressure and recovery to pHe 7.4. This treatment aimed at mimicking PDAC edges and consequent cancer cell escape from the tumor. The impact of acidosis was assessed for cell morphology, proliferation, adhesion, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via functional in vitro assays and RNA sequencing. Our results indicate that short acidic treatment limits growth, adhesion, invasion, and viability of PDAC cells. As the acid treatment progresses, it selects cancer cells with enhanced migration and invasion abilities induced by EMT, potentiating their metastatic potential when re-exposed to pHe 7.4. The RNA-seq analysis of PANC-1 cells exposed to short-term acidosis and pHe-selected recovered to pHe 7.4 revealed distinct transcriptome rewiring. We describe an enrichment of genes relevant to proliferation, migration, EMT, and invasion in acid-selected cells. Our work clearly demonstrates that upon acidosis stress, PDAC cells acquire more invasive cell phenotypes by promoting EMT and thus paving the way for more aggressive cell phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelaine Magalì Audero
- U1003-PHYCELL-Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59000 Lille, France
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | | | - Federico Alessandro Ruffinatti
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Thorsten Loeck
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Maya Yassine
- U1003-PHYCELL-Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Giorgia Chinigò
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Antoine Folcher
- U1003-PHYCELL-Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Valerio Farfariello
- U1003-PHYCELL-Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Samuele Amadori
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Vaghi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Albrecht Schwab
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Stephan J Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Natalia Prevarskaya
- U1003-PHYCELL-Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Alessandra Fiorio Pla
- U1003-PHYCELL-Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59000 Lille, France
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
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96
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Nam MW, Lee HK, Kim CW, Choi Y, Ahn D, Go RE, Choi KC. Effects of CCN6 overexpression on the cell motility and activation of p38/bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114780. [PMID: 37105075 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive cancer types that is highly resistant to conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As the demand for more effective therapeutics for PDAC treatment increases, various approaches have been studied to develop novel targets. The cellular communication network (CCN) family is a matricellular protein that modulates various cellular functions, including cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and invasiveness. Despite this, little is known about the role of CCN6 in PDAC. The current study investigated the role of CCN6 in PDAC by generating CCN6-overexpressing PANC-1 cells (PANC-1-CCN6) by infecting lentivirus particles containing CCN6. PANC-1-CCN6 induces cell viability and tumorigenesis than PANC-1 cells with empty vector (control). The PANC-1-CCN6 formed more colonies, and the size of spheroids increased compared to the control. The upregulation of CCN6 enhances the expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) genes and the upregulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In PANC-1-CCN6 cells, the levels of N-cadherin, VEGF, and Snail expression were higher than the control, while E-cadherin expression was lower, which is associated with upregulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Consistent with the changes in EMT-related proteins in PANC-1-CCN6, the migratory ability and invasiveness were enhanced in PANC-1-CCN6. Xenografted PANC-1-CCN6 in immunocompromised mice exhibited accelerated tumor growth than the control group. In immunohistochemistry (IHC), the PANC-1-CCN6 xenografted tumor showed an increased positive area of PCNA and Ki-67 than the control. These results suggest that CCN6 plays a tumorigenic role and induces the metastatic potential by the p38 MAPK and BMPs signaling pathways. Although the role of CCN6 has been introduced as an antitumor factor, there was evidence of CCN6 acting to cause tumorigenesis and invasion in PANC-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Woo Nam
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, the Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Kyu Lee
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, the Republic of Korea
| | - Cho-Won Kim
- Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Youngdong Choi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, the Republic of Korea
| | - Dohee Ahn
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, the Republic of Korea
| | - Ryeo-Eun Go
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, the Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Chul Choi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, the Republic of Korea.
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97
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Myo Min KK, Ffrench CB, Jessup CF, Shepherdson M, Barreto SG, Bonder CS. Overcoming the Fibrotic Fortress in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Challenges and Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2354. [PMID: 37190281 PMCID: PMC10137060 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15082354] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
An overabundance of desmoplasia in the tumour microenvironment (TME) is one of the defining features that influences pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development, progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Desmoplasia is characterised by the recruitment and activation of fibroblasts, heightened extracellular matrix deposition (ECM) and reduced blood supply, as well as increased inflammation through an influx of inflammatory cells and cytokines, creating an intrinsically immunosuppressive TME with low immunogenic potential. Herein, we review the development of PDAC, the drivers that initiate and/or sustain the progression of the disease and the complex and interwoven nature of the cellular and acellular components that come together to make PDAC one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers. We review the challenges in delivering drugs into the fortress of PDAC tumours in concentrations that are therapeutic due to the presence of a highly fibrotic and immunosuppressive TME. Taken together, we present further support for continued/renewed efforts focusing on aspects of the extremely dense and complex TME of PDAC to improve the efficacy of therapy for better patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay K. Myo Min
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (K.K.M.M.); (C.B.F.)
| | - Charlie B. Ffrench
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (K.K.M.M.); (C.B.F.)
| | - Claire F. Jessup
- College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Mia Shepherdson
- College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Hepatopancreatobiliary & Liver Transplant Unit, Division of Surgery & Perioperative Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Savio George Barreto
- College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Hepatopancreatobiliary & Liver Transplant Unit, Division of Surgery & Perioperative Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Claudine S. Bonder
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (K.K.M.M.); (C.B.F.)
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
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98
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Kung H, Yu J. Targeted therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Mechanisms and clinical study. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e216. [PMID: 36814688 PMCID: PMC9939368 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive and lethal malignancy with a high rate of recurrence and a dismal 5-year survival rate. Contributing to the poor prognosis of PDAC is the lack of early detection, a complex network of signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms, a dense and desmoplastic stroma, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. A recent shift toward a neoadjuvant approach to treating PDAC has been sparked by the numerous benefits neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) has to offer compared with upfront surgery. However, certain aspects of NAT against PDAC, including the optimal regimen, the use of radiotherapy, and the selection of patients that would benefit from NAT, have yet to be fully elucidated. This review describes the major signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in PDAC initiation and progression in addition to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment of PDAC. We then review current guidelines, ongoing research, and future research directions on the use of NAT based on randomized clinical trials and other studies. Finally, the current use of and research regarding targeted therapy for PDAC are examined. This review bridges the molecular understanding of PDAC with its clinical significance, development of novel therapies, and shifting directions in treatment paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng‐Chung Kung
- Krieger School of Arts and SciencesJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Jun Yu
- Departments of Medicine and OncologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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99
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Samavarchi Tehrani S, Esmaeili F, Shirzad M, Goodarzi G, Yousefi T, Maniati M, Taheri-Anganeh M, Anushiravani A. The critical role of circular RNAs in drug resistance in gastrointestinal cancers. Med Oncol 2023; 40:116. [PMID: 36917431 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-01980-4] [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: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, drug resistance (DR) in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, as the main reason for cancer-related mortality worldwide, has become a serious problem in the management of patients. Several mechanisms have been proposed for resistance to anticancer drugs, including altered transport and metabolism of drugs, mutation of drug targets, altered DNA repair system, inhibited apoptosis and autophagy, cancer stem cells, tumor heterogeneity, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Compelling evidence has revealed that genetic and epigenetic factors are strongly linked to DR. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) interferences are the most crucial epigenetic alterations explored so far, and among these ncRNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are the most emerging members known to have unique properties. Due to the absence of 5' and 3' ends in these novel RNAs, the two ends are covalently bonded together and are generated from pre-mRNA in a process known as back-splicing, which makes them more stable than other RNAs. As far as the unique structure and function of circRNAs is concerned, they are implicated in proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and DR. A clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for circRNAs-mediated DR in the GI cancers will open a new window to the management of GI cancers. Hence, in the present review, we will describe briefly the biogenesis, multiple features, and different biological functions of circRNAs. Then, we will summarize current mechanisms of DR, and finally, discuss molecular mechanisms through which circRNAs regulate DR development in esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadra Samavarchi Tehrani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fataneh Esmaeili
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Moein Shirzad
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Golnaz Goodarzi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tooba Yousefi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Maniati
- Department of English, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mortaza Taheri-Anganeh
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
| | - Amir Anushiravani
- Digestive Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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100
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Naba A. 10 years of extracellular matrix proteomics: Accomplishments, challenges, and future perspectives. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100528. [PMID: 36918099 PMCID: PMC10152135 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex assembly of hundreds of proteins forming the architectural scaffold of multicellular organisms. In addition to its structural role, the ECM conveys signals orchestrating cellular phenotypes. Alterations of ECM composition, abundance, structure, or mechanics, have been linked to diseases and disorders affecting all physiological systems, including fibrosis and cancer. Deciphering the protein composition of the ECM and how it changes in pathophysiological contexts is thus the first step toward understanding the roles of the ECM in health and disease and toward the development of therapeutic strategies to correct disease-causing ECM alterations. Potentially, the ECM also represents a vast, yet untapped reservoir of disease biomarkers. ECM proteins are characterized by unique biochemical properties that have hindered their study: they are large, heavily and uniquely post-translationally modified, and highly insoluble. Overcoming these challenges, we and others have devised mass-spectrometry-based proteomic approaches to define the ECM composition, or "matrisome", of tissues. This review provides a historical overview of ECM proteomics research and presents the latest advances that now allow the profiling of the ECM of healthy and diseased tissues. The second part highlights recent examples illustrating how ECM proteomics has emerged as a powerful discovery pipeline to identify prognostic cancer biomarkers. The third part discusses remaining challenges limiting our ability to translate findings to clinical application and proposes approaches to overcome them. Last, the review introduces readers to resources available to facilitate the interpretation of ECM proteomics datasets. The ECM was once thought to be impenetrable. MS-based proteomics has proven to be a powerful tool to decode the ECM. In light of the progress made over the past decade, there are reasons to believe that the in-depth exploration of the matrisome is within reach and that we may soon witness the first translational application of ECM proteomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Naba
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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