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Zhao H, Zhang X, Shi Z, Guo B, Zhang W, He K, Hu X, Shi S. Identification of a Prognostic Signature Model with Tumor Microenvironment for predicting Disease-free Survival after Radical Prostatectomy. J Cancer 2021; 12:2371-2384. [PMID: 33758613 PMCID: PMC7974886 DOI: 10.7150/jca.51173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been shown to promote active immune responses through different mechanisms. We attempted to identify the important prognostic genes and prognostic characteristics related to TME in prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: The gene transcriptome profiles and clinical information of PCa patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the immune and stromal scores were calculated by the ESTIMATE algorithm. We evaluated the prognostic value of the risk score (RS) model based on univariate Cox analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) Cox regression analysis and established a nomogram to predict disease-free survival (DFS) in PCa patients. The GSE70768 dataset was utilized for external validation. Twenty-two subsets of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Results: In this study, the patients with higher immune/stromal scores were associated with a worse DFS, higher Gleason score, and higher pathological T stage. Based on the immune and stromal scores, 515 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The univariate Cox and LASSO Cox regression models were employed to select 18 DEGs from 515 DEGs and construct an RS model. The DFS of the high-RS group was significantly lower than that of the low-RS group (P<0.001). The AUCs for the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year DFS rates in the RS model were 0.890, 0.877 and 0.841, respectively. A nomogram of DFS was established based on the RS and Gleason score, and the AUCs for the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year DFS rates in the nomogram were 0.907, 0.893, and 0.872, respectively. These results were further validated in the GSE70768 dataset. In addition, the proportion of Tregs was determined to be higher in high-RS patients (P<0.05), and the expression levels of five immune checkpoints (CTLA-4, PD-1, LAG-3, TIM-3 and TIGIT) were observed to be higher in high-RS patients (P<0.05). Conclusions: Our study established and validated an 18-gene prognostic signature model associated with TME, which might serve as a prognosis stratification tool to predict DFS in PCa patients after radical prostatectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xuening Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhan Shi
- Department of Medicine, Zhengzhou First People's Hospital, Zhengzhou 450004, China
| | - Bingxin Guo
- Department of Urology, Henan Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Kun He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xueqi Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Songhe Shi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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102
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Astone M, Santoro MM. Time to fight: targeting the circadian clock molecular machinery in cancer therapy. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:1164-1184. [PMID: 33549826 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock regulates a wide range of molecular pathways and biological processes. The expression of clock genes is often altered in cancer, fostering tumor initiation and progression. Inhibition and activation of core circadian clock genes, as well as treatments that restore circadian rhythmicity, have been successful in counteracting tumor growth in different experimental models. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of studies that show the therapeutic effects of targeting the clock molecular machinery in cancer, both genetically and pharmacologically. We also highlight future areas for progress that offer a promising path towards innovative anticancer strategies. Substantial limitations in the current understanding of the complex interplay between the circadian clock and cancer in vivo need to be addressed in order to allow clock-targeting therapies in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Astone
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, I-35131, Italy
| | - Massimo M Santoro
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, I-35131, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Via Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy.
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103
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Chen P, Hsu WH, Han J, Xia Y, DePinho RA. Cancer Stemness Meets Immunity: From Mechanism to Therapy. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108597. [PMID: 33406434 PMCID: PMC7839836 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are self-renewing cells that facilitate tumor initiation, promote metastasis, and enhance cancer therapy resistance. Transcriptomic analyses across many cancer types have revealed a prominent association between stemness and immune signatures, potentially implying a biological interaction between such hallmark features of cancer. Emerging experimental evidence has substantiated the influence of CSCs on immune cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and T cells, in the tumor microenvironment and, reciprocally, the importance of such immune cells in sustaining CSC stemness and its survival niche. This review covers the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the symbiotic interactions between CSCs and immune cells and how such heterotypic signaling maintains a tumor-promoting ecosystem and informs therapeutic strategies intercepting this co-dependency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wen-Hao Hsu
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jincheng Han
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yan Xia
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ronald A DePinho
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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104
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Zhang GL, Qian C, Zhang SZ, Tuo YH, Zeng BY, Ji YX, Wang YZ. Effect of conditioned medium from neural stem cells on glioma progression and its protein expression profile analysis. World J Stem Cells 2020; 12:1396-1409. [PMID: 33312406 PMCID: PMC7705462 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i11.1396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that the spread of glioma to the subventricular zone (SVZ) is closely related to glioma recurrence and patient survival. Neural stem cells (NSCs) are the main cell type in the SVZ region and exhibit tumor-homing ability.
AIM To evaluate the effects of conditioned medium (CM) derived from SVZ NSCs on the cancer-related behaviors of glioma cells.
METHODS The characteristics of SVZ hNSCs were identified by immunofluorescence. The normoxic-hNSC-CM and hypoxic-hNSC-CM (3% O2, oxygen-glucose deprived [OGD] culturing) were collected from 80%-90% confluent SVZ NSCs in sterile conditions. The CCK8 and Transwell assays were used to compare and evaluate the effects of normoxic-CM and hypoxic-CM on glioma proliferation and invasion. Then proteins secreted from SVZ NSCs into the CM were investigated by mass spectrometry, and the potential effects of candidate protein NCAN in the regulation of glioma progression were examined by CCK8 and Transwell assays.
RESULTS The CM from SVZ NSCs significantly increased the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells, particularly the CM from OGD NSCs induced under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, the secreted protein neurocan (NCAN) in CM from OGD NSCs was identified by proteomic analysis. NCAN was expressed in glioma cells and played regulatory roles in mediating the progression of glioma cells mainly via the Rho/Rho-associated protein kinase pathway.
CONCLUSION Our study identified a potential interactive mechanism between SVZ NSCs and glioma cells, in which SVZ NSCs promote glioma progression via the secreted protein NCAN. These findings suggested that exploring the CM derived from cells could be a novel strategy for optimizing treatments and that NCAN derived from SVZ NSCs may be a potential new target in glioma progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Long Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
- Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province China
| | - Cheng Qian
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shi-Zhen Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yong-Hua Tuo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bai-Yun Zeng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yun-Xiang Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ye-Zhong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, Guangdong Province, China
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105
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Ge Z, Ding S. The Crosstalk Between Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) and Tumor Cells and the Corresponding Targeted Therapy. Front Oncol 2020; 10:590941. [PMID: 33224886 PMCID: PMC7670061 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.590941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of tumor cells and surrounding non-tumor stromal cells, mainly including tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), endothelial cells, and carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The TAMs are the major components of non-tumor stromal cells, and play an important role in promoting the occurrence and development of tumors. Macrophages originate from bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells and embryonic yolk sacs. There is close crosstalk between TAMs and tumor cells. With the occurrence of tumors, tumor cells secrete various chemokines to recruit monocytes to infiltrate tumor tissues and further promote their M2-type polarization. Importantly, M2-like TAMs can in turn accelerate tumor growth, promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis, and inhibit immune killing to promote tumor progression. Therefore, targeting TAMs in tumor tissues has become one of the principal strategies in current tumor immunotherapy. Current treatment strategies focus on reducing macrophage infiltration in tumor tissues and reprogramming TAMs to M1-like to kill tumors. Although these treatments have had some success, their effects are still limited. This paper mainly summarized the recruitment and polarization of macrophages by tumors, the support of TAMs for the growth of tumors, and the research progress of TAMs targeting tumors, to provide new treatment strategies for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Ge
- School of Physical Education & Health Care, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuzhe Ding
- School of Physical Education & Health Care, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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106
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Zhou L, Luo Z, li Z, Huang Q. Circadian clock is associated with tumor microenvironment in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:14620-14632. [PMID: 32681792 PMCID: PMC7425457 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies with high incidence and mortality. The circadian clock, which is also involved in the regulation of the immune system and tumor microenvironment, is an internal timing system that allows organisms to adjust biological processes and behaviors according to geophysical time. RESULT A wide range of circadian clock genes are epigenetically altered in KIRC, and associated with the overall survival and disease-free survival of patients. SNV analysis revealed missense mutation and splice site to be the most common variant types of circadian clock genes in KIRC. Several circadian clock genes were involved in the regulation of some cancer-related hallmark pathways, including apoptosis and cell cycle pathway. Further, immune infiltrates analysis not only revealed that the expression of circadian clock genes is associated with immune cell infiltrates, but also that somatic copy-number alteration of circadian clock genes could inhibit the immune infiltrates. Moreover, enrichment analysis implied that the circadian clock genes could regulate transcription factor activity and circadian rhythm in KIRC. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate the potential of chrono-immunotherapy as a candidate option for the management of KIRC. METHOD Multi-omics analysis was performed to comprehensively determine the roles of core circadian clock genes in KIRC.
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MESH Headings
- Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/genetics
- Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/immunology
- Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/pathology
- Alternative Splicing
- Apoptosis/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/genetics
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/immunology
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology
- Circadian Rhythm
- Circadian Rhythm Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics
- Disease-Free Survival
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Gene Dosage
- Genes, cdc/genetics
- Genetic Variation
- Humans
- Kidney Neoplasms/genetics
- Kidney Neoplasms/pathology
- Mutation, Missense
- Prognosis
- Survival Analysis
- Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangcheng Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Maoming People’s Hospital, Maoming 525000, China
| | - Zhili Luo
- Department of Rehabilitative Medicine, Gaozhou People’s Hospital, Maoming 525200, China
| | - Zuwei li
- Department of Urology, Gaozhou People’s Hospital, Maoming 525200, China
| | - Qinying Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
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107
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Shen H, Cook K, Gee HE, Hau E. Hypoxia, metabolism, and the circadian clock: new links to overcome radiation resistance in high-grade gliomas. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2020; 39:129. [PMID: 32631383 PMCID: PMC7339573 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01639-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment of high-grade gliomas (HGGs). It eradicates tumor cells by inducing oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage. Unfortunately, almost all HGGs recur locally within several months secondary to radioresistance with intricate molecular mechanisms. Therefore, unravelling specific underlying mechanisms of radioresistance is critical to elucidating novel strategies to improve the radiosensitivity of tumor cells, and enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy. This review addresses our current understanding of how hypoxia and the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway have a profound impact on the response of HGGs to radiotherapy. In addition, intriguing links between hypoxic signaling, circadian rhythms and cell metabolism have been recently discovered, which may provide insights into our fundamental understanding of radioresistance. Cellular pathways involved in the hypoxic response, DNA repair and metabolism can fluctuate over 24-h periods due to circadian regulation. These oscillatory patterns may have consequences for tumor radioresistance. Timing radiotherapy for specific times of the day (chronoradiotherapy) could be beneficial in patients with HGGs and will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Shen
- Translational Radiation Biology and Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia.
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Kristina Cook
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health & Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Harriet E Gee
- Translational Radiation Biology and Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Eric Hau
- Translational Radiation Biology and Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Blacktown Hematology and Cancer Centre, Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
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108
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TREM-1 and TREM-2 Expression on Blood Monocytes Could Help Predict Survival in High-Grade Glioma Patients. Mediators Inflamm 2020; 2020:1798147. [PMID: 32684831 PMCID: PMC7350089 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1798147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective In recent years, the role of the modern inflammatory markers TREM-1 (triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cells) and HMGB1 (high mobility group box 1 protein) in tumorigenesis has begun to be studied. Their role in gliomas is not clear. The aim of our study was to find the role of inflammation in gliomas. Patients and Methods. In 63 adult patients with gliomas and 31 healthy controls, the expressions of TREM-1 and TREM-2 on CD14+ blood cells (method: flow cytometry) and the levels of soluble sTREM-1, HMGB1, IL-6, and IL-10 (Elisa tests) were analyzed. Results Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that a TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio was associated with reduced overall survival (HR = 1.001, P = 0.023). Patients with a TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio above 125 survived significantly shorter than patients with a TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio below 125. The percentage of CD14+ TREM-1+ cells was strongly associated with a plasma IL-6/IL-10 ratio (positively) and with IL-10 (negatively). Conversely, we found a higher percentage of CD14+ TREM-2+ monocytes in better surviving patients; these cells could downregulate the exaggerated inflammation and potentiate the phagocytosis in the tumor. The serum levels of HMGB1 negatively correlated with the percentage of CD14+ TREM-1+ cells and with the TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio. The positive correlation between the serum levels of a late proinflammatory cytokine HMGB1 with the percentage of TREM2+ CD14+ monocytes can be explained as an effort for suppression of systemic inflammation by anti-inflammatory acting CD14+ TREM-2+ cells. Conclusion We showed that the TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio (expression on the surface of blood monocytes) could help predict prognosis in patients with gliomas, especially in high-grade gliomas, and that systemic inflammation has an impact on the patient's overall survival. This is the first study that showed that TREM expression on monocytes in peripheral blood could help predict prognosis in patients with gliomas.
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109
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Hypoxic Roadmap of Glioblastoma-Learning about Directions and Distances in the Brain Tumor Environment. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12051213. [PMID: 32413951 PMCID: PMC7281616 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant brain tumor-glioblastoma is not only difficult to treat but also hard to study and model. One of the reasons for these is their heterogeneity, i.e., individual tumors consisting of cancer cells that are unlike each other. Such diverse cells can thrive due to the simultaneous co-evolution of anatomic niches and adaption into zones with distorted homeostasis of oxygen. It dampens cytotoxic and immune therapies as the response depends on the cellular composition and its adaptation to hypoxia. We explored what transcriptome reposition strategies are used by cells in the different areas of the tumor. We created the hypoxic map by differential expression analysis between hypoxic and cellular features using RNA sequencing data cross-referenced with the tumor's anatomic features (Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project). The molecular functions of genes differentially expressed in the hypoxic regions were analyzed by a systematic review of the gene ontology analysis. To put a hypoxic niche signature into a clinical context, we associated the model with patients' survival datasets (The Cancer Genome Atlas). The most unique class of genes in the hypoxic area of the tumor was associated with the process of autophagy. Both hypoxic and cellular anatomic features were enriched in immune response genes whose, along with autophagy cluster genes, had the power to predict glioblastoma patient survival. Our analysis revealed that transcriptome responsive to hypoxia predicted worse patients' outcomes by driving tumor cell adaptation to metabolic stress and immune escape.
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