151
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Wieder R. Fibroblasts as Turned Agents in Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072014. [PMID: 37046676 PMCID: PMC10093070 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Differentiated epithelial cells reside in the homeostatic microenvironment of the native organ stroma. The stroma supports their normal function, their G0 differentiated state, and their expansion/contraction through the various stages of the life cycle and physiologic functions of the host. When malignant transformation begins, the microenvironment tries to suppress and eliminate the transformed cells, while cancer cells, in turn, try to resist these suppressive efforts. The tumor microenvironment encompasses a large variety of cell types recruited by the tumor to perform different functions, among which fibroblasts are the most abundant. The dynamics of the mutual relationship change as the sides undertake an epic battle for control of the other. In the process, the cancer “wounds” the microenvironment through a variety of mechanisms and attracts distant mesenchymal stem cells to change their function from one attempting to suppress the cancer, to one that supports its growth, survival, and metastasis. Analogous reciprocal interactions occur as well between disseminated cancer cells and the metastatic microenvironment, where the microenvironment attempts to eliminate cancer cells or suppress their proliferation. However, the altered microenvironmental cells acquire novel characteristics that support malignant progression. Investigations have attempted to use these traits as targets of novel therapeutic approaches.
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152
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Masoudi-Khoram N, Soheilifar MH, Ghorbanifar S, Nobari S, Hakimi M, Hassani M. Exosomes derived from cancer-associated fibroblasts mediate response to cancer therapy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 185:103967. [PMID: 36965647 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.103967] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the prominent stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which play an indispensable role in cancer progression and response to therapy. CAFs provide communication between tumor cells and surrounding cells by secreting soluble biomolecules and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Exosomes are small membrane-bound EVs that contain various cargos, including growth factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), cytokines, and chemokines. These biomolecules can be transferred between cells within the TME and alter the behavior of recipient cells. Some studies have shown that exosomes secreted by CAFs contribute to resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This review focuses on CAF-derived exosomes in different types of tumors, with emphasis on resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastaran Masoudi-Khoram
- Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Shima Ghorbanifar
- Department of Medical Laser, Medical Laser Research Center, Yara Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sima Nobari
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Maryam Hakimi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Hassani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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153
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Jin X, Wang Q, Luo F, Pan J, Lu T, Zhao Y, Zhang X, Xiang E, Zhou C, Huang B, Lu G, Chen P, Shao Y. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of tumor heterogeneity and intercellular networks in human urothelial carcinoma. Chin Med J (Engl) 2023; 136:690-706. [PMID: 36939254 PMCID: PMC10129232 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heterogeneity of tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) is significantly associated with clinical outcomes and treatment responses in patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC). Comprehensive profiling of the cellular diversity and interactions between malignant cells and TME may clarify the mechanisms underlying UC progression and guide the development of novel therapies. This study aimed to extend our understanding of intra-tumoral heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive TME in UC and provide basic support for the development of novel UC therapies. METHODS Seven patients with UC were included who underwent curative surgery at our hospital between July 2020 and October 2020. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis in seven tumors with six matched adjacent normal tissues and integrated the results with two public scRNA-seq datasets. The functional properties and intercellular interactions between single cells were characterized, and the results were validated using multiplex immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and bulk transcriptomic datasets. All statistical analyses were performed using the R package with two-sided tests. Wilcoxon-rank test, log-rank test, one-way analysis of variance test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used properly. RESULTS Unsupervised t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding clustering analysis identified ten main cellular subclusters in urothelial tissues. Of them, seven urothelial subtypes were noted, and malignant urothelial cells were characterized with enhanced cellular proliferation and reduced immunogenicity. CD8 + T cell subclusters exhibited enhanced cellular cytotoxicity activities along with increased exhaustion signature in UC tissues, and the recruitment of CD4 + T regulatory cells was also increased in tumor tissues. Regarding myeloid cells, coordinated reprogramming of infiltrated neutrophils, M2-type polarized macrophages, and LAMP3 + dendritic cells contribute to immunosuppressive TME in UC tissues. Tumor tissues demonstrated enhanced angiogenesis mediated by KDR + endothelial cells and RGS5 + /ACTA2 + pericytes. Through deconvolution analysis, we identified multiple cellular subtypes may influence the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy response in patients with UC. CONCLUSION Our scRNA-seq analysis clarified intra-tumoral heterogeneity and delineated the pro-tumoral and immunosuppressive microenvironment in UC tissues, which may provide novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingwei Jin
- Department of Urinary Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Treatment Clinic, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Qizhang Wang
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Fangxiu Luo
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Junwei Pan
- Department of Urinary Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Treatment Clinic, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Tingwei Lu
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Enfei Xiang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Chenghua Zhou
- Department of Central Laboratory, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Baoxing Huang
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Guoliang Lu
- Department of Urinary Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Treatment Clinic, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Peizhan Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yuan Shao
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
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154
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Nicolini G, Balzan S, Forini F. Activated fibroblasts in cardiac and cancer fibrosis: An overview of analogies and new potential therapeutic options. Life Sci 2023; 321:121575. [PMID: 36933828 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121575] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Heart disease and cancer are two major causes of morbidity and mortality in the industrialized countries, and their increasingly recognized connections are shifting the focus from single disease studies to an interdisciplinary approach. Fibroblast-mediated intercellular crosstalk is critically involved in the evolution of both pathologies. In healthy myocardium and in non-cancerous conditions, resident fibroblasts are the main cell source for synthesis of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and important sentinels of tissue integrity. In the setting of myocardial disease or cancer, quiescent fibroblasts activate, respectively, into myofibroblasts (myoFbs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), characterized by increased production of contractile proteins, and by a highly proliferative and secretory phenotype. Although the initial activation of myoFbs/CAFs is an adaptive process to repair the damaged tissue, massive deposition of ECM proteins leads to maladaptive cardiac or cancer fibrosis, a recognized marker of adverse outcome. A better understanding of the key mechanisms orchestrating fibroblast hyperactivity may help developing innovative therapeutic options to restrain myocardial or tumor stiffness and improve patient prognosis. Albeit still unappreciated, the dynamic transition of myocardial and tumor fibroblasts into myoFbs and CAFs shares several common triggers and signaling pathways relevant to TGF-β dependent cascade, metabolic reprogramming, mechanotransduction, secretory properties, and epigenetic regulation, which might lay the foundation for future antifibrotic intervention. Therefore, the aim of this review is to highlight emerging analogies in the molecular signature underlying myoFbs and CAFs activation with the purpose of identifying novel prognostic/diagnostic biomarkers, and to elucidate the potential of drug repositioning strategies to mitigate cardiac/cancer fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvana Balzan
- CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via G.Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Forini
- CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via G.Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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155
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Yuan Q, Chu Y, Li X, Shi Y, Chen Y, Zhao J, Lu J, Liu K, Guo Y. CAFrgDB: a database for cancer-associated fibroblasts related genes and their functions in cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 2023:10.1038/s41417-023-00603-4. [PMID: 36922546 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00603-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
As one of the most essential components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) interact extensively with cancer cells and other stromal cells to remodel TME and participate in the pathogenesis of cancer, which earmarked themselves as new promising targets for cancer therapy. Numerous studies have highlighted the heterogeneity and versatility of CAFs in most cancer types. Thus, the identification and appropriate use of CAF-related genes (CAFGenes) in the context of specific cancer types will provide critical insights into disease mechanisms and CAF-related therapeutic targets. In this study, we collected and curated 5421 CAFGenes identified from small- or large-scale experiments, encompassing 4982 responsors that directly or indirectly participate in cancer malignant behaviors managed by CAFs, 1069 secretions that are secreted by CAFs and 281 regulators that contribute in modulating CAFs in human and mouse, which covered 24 cancer types. For these human CAFGenes, we performed gene expression and prognostic marker-based analyses across 24 cancer types using TCGA data. Furthermore, we provided annotations for CAF-associated proteins by integrating the knowledge of protein-protein interaction(s), drug-target relations and basic annotations, from 9 public databases. CAFrgDB (CAF related Gene DataBase) is free for academic research at http://caf.zbiolab.cn and we anticipate CAFrgDB can be a useful resource for further study of CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yuan
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yi Chu
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yunshu Shi
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yingying Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jimin Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China. .,China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, China.
| | - Yaping Guo
- Department of Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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156
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Zhang Y, Zhou J, Chen X, Li Z, Gu L, Pan D, Zheng X, Zhang Q, Chen R, Zhang H, Gong Q, Gu Z, Luo K. Modulating tumor-stromal crosstalk via a redox-responsive nanomedicine for combination tumor therapy. J Control Release 2023; 356:525-541. [PMID: 36918084 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.03.015] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Interaction between carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor cells leads to the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. Herein, we prepared a redox-responsive chondroitin sulfate (CS)-based nanomedicine, in which hydrophobic cabazitaxel (CTX) was conjugated to the backbone of CS via glutathione (GSH)-sensitive dithiomaleimide (DTM) to form an amphipathic CS-DTM-CTX (CDC) conjugate, and dasatinib (DAS) co-assembled with the CDC conjugate to obtain DAS@CDC. After CD44 receptor-mediated internalization by CAFs, the nanomedicine could reverse CAFs to normal fibroblasts, blocking their crosstalk with tumor cells and reducing synthesis of major tumor extracellular matrix proteins, including collagen and fibronectin. Meanwhile, the nanomedicine internalized by tumor cells could effectively inhibit tumor proliferation and metastasis, leading to shrinkage of the tumor volume and inhibition of lung metastasis in a subcutaneous 4T1 tumor model with low side effects. Collectively, the nanomedicine showed a remarkably synergistic therapy effect against breast cancer by modulating tumor-stromal crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoting Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhiqian Li
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lei Gu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dayi Pan
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Functional and molecular imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiuli Zheng
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qianfeng Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rongjun Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Hu Zhang
- Amgen Bioprocessing Centre, Keck Graduate Institute, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Functional and molecular imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zhongwei Gu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kui Luo
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Animal Experimental Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Functional and molecular imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
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157
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Yuan Z, Li Y, Zhang S, Wang X, Dou H, Yu X, Zhang Z, Yang S, Xiao M. Extracellular matrix remodeling in tumor progression and immune escape: from mechanisms to treatments. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:48. [PMID: 36906534 PMCID: PMC10007858 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01744-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The malignant tumor is a multi-etiological, systemic and complex disease characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation and distant metastasis. Anticancer treatments including adjuvant therapies and targeted therapies are effective in eliminating cancer cells but in a limited number of patients. Increasing evidence suggests that the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in tumor development through changes in macromolecule components, degradation enzymes and stiffness. These variations are under the control of cellular components in tumor tissue via the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, the interaction of the ECM components to multiple surface receptors, and mechanical impact. Additionally, the ECM shaped by cancer regulates immune cells which results in an immune suppressive microenvironment and hinders the efficacy of immunotherapies. Thus, the ECM acts as a barrier to protect cancer from treatments and supports tumor progression. Nevertheless, the profound regulatory network of the ECM remodeling hampers the design of individualized antitumor treatment. Here, we elaborate on the composition of the malignant ECM, and discuss the specific mechanisms of the ECM remodeling. Precisely, we highlight the impact of the ECM remodeling on tumor development, including proliferation, anoikis, metastasis, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and immune escape. Finally, we emphasize ECM "normalization" as a potential strategy for anti-malignant treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhennan Yuan
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Yingpu Li
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Sifan Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - He Dou
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xi Yu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Zhiren Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cell Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, China.,Institute of Metabolic Disease, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Science, Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Metabolic Disorder and Cancer Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Shanshan Yang
- Department of Gynecological Radiotherapy, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150000, China.
| | - Min Xiao
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China.
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158
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Sun D, Dai T, Ji Y, Shen W, Bian W. COL11A1-driven positive feedback loop modulates fibroblast transformation and activates pancreatic cancer progression. Cell Biol Int 2023; 47:1081-1091. [PMID: 36861686 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.12009] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most common leading causes of cancer death. The cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) aggravate the malignant behavior of PDAC. However, it is still unknown how PDAC induces normal fibroblasts (NFs) to CAFs. In present research, we found that PDAC-derived collagen type XI alpha 1 (COL11A1) promoted the conversion of NFs to CAF-like cells. It included morphological and corresponding molecular marker changes. Activation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway was involved in this process. Corresponding, CAFs cells could secrete interleukin 6 (IL-6), which promoted the invasion and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of PDAC cells. Furthermore, IL-6 promoted the expression of transcription factor Activating Transcription Factor 4 by activating the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase pathway. The latter directly promotes the expression of COL11A1. This way, a feedback loop of mutual influence was constructed between PDAC and CAFs. Our research proposed a novel concept for PDAC-educated NFs. PDAC-COL11A1-fibroblast-IL-6-PDAC axis might contribute to the cascade between PDAC and TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defeng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Wuxi 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatobiliary, Wuxi Clinical College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Tu Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Wuxi 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatobiliary, Wuxi Clinical College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Ji
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Wuxi 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatobiliary, Wuxi Clinical College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Weibo Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Wuxi 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatobiliary, Wuxi Clinical College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wuyang Bian
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Wuxi 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatobiliary, Wuxi Clinical College, Nantong University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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159
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Wei T, Wang K, Liu S, Fang Y, Hong Z, Liu Y, Zhang H, Yang C, Ouyang G, Wu T. Periostin deficiency reduces PD-1 + tumor-associated macrophage infiltration and enhances anti-PD-1 efficacy in colorectal cancer. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112090. [PMID: 36773295 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Periostin, a multifunctional extracellular protein, plays an important role in inflammatory disorders and tumorigenesis. Our previous work has demonstrated that periostin deficiency inhibits colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Here, we aim to clarify the role of periostin in the immune microenvironment of CRC. We find that periostin deficiency significantly decreases the infiltration of programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1)+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in CRC tissues. Periostin promotes the expression of PD-1 on TAMs by integrin-ILK-nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling, and PD-1+ TAMs produce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon γ (IFN-γ) to induce the expression of PD-L1 on colorectal tumor cells. Moreover, combined inhibition of periostin and PD-1 significantly suppresses CRC progression compared with the inhibition of periostin or PD-1 alone. In summary, our results suggest that periostin deficiency reduces the infiltration of PD-1+ TAMs and enhances the efficacy of anti-PD-1 treatment in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Kangxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Shuting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yunxuan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zixi Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yingfu Liu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Gaoliang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China.
| | - Tiantian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China.
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160
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Fenoglio R, Cozzi M, Del Vecchio G, Sciascia S, Barreca A, Comandone A, Roccatello D. The need for kidney biopsy in the management of side effects of target and immunotherapy. FRONTIERS IN NEPHROLOGY 2023; 3:1043874. [PMID: 37675354 PMCID: PMC10479613 DOI: 10.3389/fneph.2023.1043874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The introduction of innovative therapies, resulting from revisiting cancer as a disease of the immune system, has changed the scenario of complications. These new classes of drugs, such as targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors, assure substantial advantages in cancer therapy, despite some side effects affecting various organs, including the kidney. Histological evaluations of kidney disorders induced by targeted/immunotherapy are limited. Method In this study we examined the histological features of patients treated with new cancer agents who underwent a kidney biopsy for new onset kidney failure and/or urinary abnormalities. Results The cohort included 30 adult patients. The most frequently administered therapies were immunotherapy (30%), targeted therapy (26.7%), immunotherapy plus targeted therapy (13.3%), immunotherapy plus chemotherapy (13.3%), targeted therapy plus chemotherapy (16.7%). The most common histological finding was tubular interstitial nephritis (30%) that was associated with acute tubular necrosis in 4 cases, and thrombotic microangiopathy (23.3%). After kidney biopsy, 16 of the 30 patients were treated according to the histological diagnosis. Fourteen patients were treated with steroids. One patient with membranous nephropathy was treated with a single dose of rituximab. A patient with severe thrombotic microangiopathy requiring dialysis received a treatment with eculizumab for 3 months. Overall some renal response was obtained in all patients treated with glucocorticoids, while complete kidney response was achieved in the patient treated with rituximab. Cancer treatment was resumed without change in 21 out of 30 patients. Conclusion Kidney biopsy is critical for the management of kidney toxicities and should be strongly encouraged for patients showing adverse kidney effects of novel cancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Fenoglio
- CMID-Nephrology and Dialysis Unit (ERK-net, ERN-Reconnect and RITA-ERN Member), San Giovanni Bosco Hub Hospital and Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Martina Cozzi
- CMID-Nephrology and Dialysis Unit (ERK-net, ERN-Reconnect and RITA-ERN Member), San Giovanni Bosco Hub Hospital and Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Giulio Del Vecchio
- CMID-Nephrology and Dialysis Unit (ERK-net, ERN-Reconnect and RITA-ERN Member), San Giovanni Bosco Hub Hospital and Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Savino Sciascia
- CMID-Nephrology and Dialysis Unit (ERK-net, ERN-Reconnect and RITA-ERN Member), San Giovanni Bosco Hub Hospital and Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonella Barreca
- Division of Pathology, Città della Salute e della Scienza Hospital and University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Dario Roccatello
- CMID-Nephrology and Dialysis Unit (ERK-net, ERN-Reconnect and RITA-ERN Member), San Giovanni Bosco Hub Hospital and Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
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161
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Szabo PM, Vajdi A, Kumar N, Tolstorukov MY, Chen BJ, Edwards R, Ligon KL, Chasalow SD, Chow KH, Shetty A, Bolisetty M, Holloway JL, Golhar R, Kidd BA, Hull PA, Houser J, Vlach L, Siemers NO, Saha S. Cancer-associated fibroblasts are the main contributors to epithelial-to-mesenchymal signatures in the tumor microenvironment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3051. [PMID: 36810872 PMCID: PMC9944255 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28480-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with tumor initiation, metastasis, and drug resistance. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations are largely unknown. We studied several tumor types to identify the source of EMT gene expression signals and a potential mechanism of resistance to immuno-oncology treatment. Across tumor types, EMT-related gene expression was strongly associated with expression of stroma-related genes. Based on RNA sequencing of multiple patient-derived xenograft models, EMT-related gene expression was enriched in the stroma versus parenchyma. EMT-related markers were predominantly expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), cells of mesenchymal origin which produce a variety of matrix proteins and growth factors. Scores derived from a 3-gene CAF transcriptional signature (COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1) were sufficient to reproduce association between EMT-related markers and disease prognosis. Our results suggest that CAFs are the primary source of EMT signaling and have potential roles as biomarkers and targets for immuno-oncology therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M. Szabo
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA ,grid.428458.70000 0004 1792 8104Present Address: Fate Therapeutics, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Amir Vajdi
- grid.65499.370000 0001 2106 9910Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA USA ,grid.417993.10000 0001 2260 0793Present Address: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ USA
| | | | | | - Benjamin J. Chen
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Robin Edwards
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA ,grid.428496.5Present Address: Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Keith L. Ligon
- grid.65499.370000 0001 2106 9910Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Scott D. Chasalow
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Kin-Hoe Chow
- grid.65499.370000 0001 2106 9910Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Aniket Shetty
- grid.65499.370000 0001 2106 9910Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Mohan Bolisetty
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - James L. Holloway
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Ryan Golhar
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Brian A. Kidd
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA USA
| | | | - Jeff Houser
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA USA
| | - Logan Vlach
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Present Address: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Nathan O. Siemers
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA ,Present Address: Fiveprime Group, Monterey, CA USA
| | - Saurabh Saha
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ USA ,Present Address: Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA USA
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162
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Seto-Tetsuo F, Arioka M, Miura K, Inoue T, Igawa K, Tomooka K, Sasaguri T. DIF-1 exhibits anticancer activity in breast cancer via inhibition of CXCLs/CXCR2 axis-mediated communication between cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer cells. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 117:109913. [PMID: 36812674 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME), largely composed of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), plays a key role in cancer progression. A small molecule, differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1) secreted by Dictyostelium discoideum, is known to exhibit anticancer activity; however, its effect on the TME remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of DIF-1 on the TME using mouse triple-negative breast cancer 4T1-GFP cells, mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, and mouse primary dermal fibroblasts (DFBs). Polarization of 4T1 cell-conditioned medium-induced macrophage into TAMs was not affected by DIF-1. In contrast, DIF-1 decreased 4T1 cell co-culturing-induced C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), CXCL5, and CXCL7 expression in DFBs and suppressed DFB differentiation into CAF-like cells. Additionally, DIF-1 inhibited C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) expression in 4T1 cells. Immunohistochemical analyses of tumor tissue samples excised from breast cancer-bearing mice showed that DIF-1 did not affect the number of CD206-positive TAMs; however, it decreased the number of α-smooth muscle actin-positive CAFs and CXCR2 expression. These results indicated that the anticancer effect of DIF-1 was partially attributed to the inhibition of CXCLs/CXCR2 axis-mediated communication between breast cancer cells and CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumi Seto-Tetsuo
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; Department of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Graduate School of Biochemical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
| | - Masaki Arioka
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; Department of Pharmacology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
| | - Koichi Miura
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
| | - Takeru Inoue
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
| | - Kazunobu Igawa
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
| | - Katsuhiko Tomooka
- Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Japan.
| | - Toshiyuki Sasaguri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
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163
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Zhou Y, Cheng L, Liu L, Li X. NK cells are never alone: crosstalk and communication in tumour microenvironments. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:34. [PMID: 36797782 PMCID: PMC9933398 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01737-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer. The dynamic and heterogeneous tumour microenvironment (TME) causes insufficient infiltration and poor efficacy of natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy, which becomes a key factor triggering tumour progression. Understanding the crosstalk between NK cells and the TME provides new insights for optimising NK cell-based immunotherapy. Here, we present new advances in direct or indirect crosstalk between NK cells and 9 specialised TMEs, including immune, metabolic, innervated niche, mechanical, and microbial microenvironments, summarise TME-mediated mechanisms of NK cell function inhibition, and highlight potential targeted therapies for NK-TME crosstalk. Importantly, we discuss novel strategies to overcome the inhibitory TME and provide an attractive outlook for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhou
- grid.32566.340000 0000 8571 0482The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000 China ,grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China ,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China. .,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China.
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164
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Role of Nasal Fibroblasts in Airway Remodeling of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: The Modulating Functions Reexamined. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044017. [PMID: 36835423 PMCID: PMC9965487 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044017] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a multifactorial inflammatory disease of the nose and sinuses that affects more than 10% of the adult population worldwide. Currently, CRS is classified into endotypes according to the inflammatory response (Th1, Th2, and Th17) or the distribution of immune cells in the mucosa (eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic). CRS induces mucosal tissue remodeling. Extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, fibrin deposition, edema, immune cell infiltration, and angiogenesis are observed in the stromal region. Conversely, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), goblet cell hyperplasia, and increased epithelial permeability, hyperplasia, and metaplasia are found in the epithelium. Fibroblasts synthesize collagen and ECM, which create a structural skeleton of tissue and play an important role in the wound-healing process. This review discusses recent knowledge regarding the modulation of tissue remodeling by nasal fibroblasts in CRS.
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165
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Emerging Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Progression and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043941. [PMID: 36835352 PMCID: PMC9964606 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Tumor cells recruit and remodel various types of stromal and inflammatory cells to form a tumor microenvironment (TME), which encompasses cellular and molecular entities, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), immune cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), immune checkpoint molecules and cytokines that promote cancer cell growth, as well as their drug resistance. HCC usually arises in the context of cirrhosis, which is always associated with an enrichment of activated fibroblasts that are owed to chronic inflammation. CAFs are a major component of the TME, providing physical support in it and secreting various proteins, such as extracellular matrices (ECMs), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor 1/2 (ILGF1/2) and cytokines that can modulate tumor growth and survival. As such, CAF-derived signaling may increase the pool of resistant cells, thus reducing the duration of clinical responses and increasing the degree of heterogeneity within tumors. Although CAFs are often implicated to be associated with tumor growth, metastasis and drug resistance, several studies have reported that CAFs have significant phenotypic and functional heterogeneity, and some CAFs display antitumor and drug-sensitizing properties. Multiple studies have highlighted the relevance of crosstalk between HCC cells, CAFs and other stromal cells in influence of HCC progression. Although basic and clinical studies partially revealed the emerging roles of CAFs in immunotherapy resistance and immune evasion, a better understanding of the unique functions of CAFs in HCC progression will contribute to development of more effective molecular-targeted drugs. In this review article, molecular mechanisms involved in crosstalk between CAFs, HCC cells and other stromal cells, as well as the effects of CAFs on HCC-cell growth, metastasis, drug resistance and clinical outcomes, are comprehensively discussed.
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166
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Zhao Z, Zhang Y, Guo E, Zhang Y, Wang Y. Periostin secreted from podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes metastasis of gastric cancer by regulating cancer stem cells via AKT and YAP signaling pathway. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:685-699. [PMID: 36785937 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are heterogeneous stromal cells present in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which play a critical role in gastric cancer (GC) progression. Here, we examined a subset of CAFs with high podoplanin (PDPN) expression, which is correlated with tumor metastasis and poor survival in GC patients. Animal models of gastric cancer liver metastasis monitored by micro-PET/CT confirmed that periostin (POSTN) derived from PDPN(+) CAFs regulated CAFs' pro-migratory ability. Mechanistically, PDPN(+) CAFs secreted POSTN to modulate cancer stem cells (CSCs) through FAK/AKT phosphorylation. Furthermore, POSTN could also activate FAK/YAP signaling in GC cells to produce increased amounts of IL-6, which in turn induced phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT in PDPN(+) CAFs. Prolonged PI3K/AKT pathway activation in PDPN(+) CAFs maintains the production of POSTN and the effect on CSC enrichment and GC cell migration. In conclusion, our study demonstrated a positive feedback loop between PDPN(+) CAFs and CSCs during GC progression and suggested a selective target for GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxiong Zhao
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqiu Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Ergang Guo
- Department of Oncology, Tongji HospitalTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanong Wang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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167
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Selection and Identification of an ssDNA Aptamer for Fibroblast Activation Protein. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041682. [PMID: 36838669 PMCID: PMC9965484 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041682] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
As a type II transmembrane serine protease, fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is specifically expressed on the surface of fibroblasts associated with a variety of epithelial-derived malignancies such as pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. It participates in the processes of tumorigenesis, progression, and immunosuppression. FAP constitutes an important target for tumor treatment; however, the current studies on FAP are mainly related to structural characteristics, enzymatic properties, and biological functions, and aptamers of FAP have not been investigated. In this work, by using recombinant human FAP as the target, five candidate aptamers, which are AptFAP-A1, AptFAP-A2, AptFAP-A3, AptFAP-A4, and AptFAP-A5, were selected by capillary electrophoresis-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (CE-SELEX), and their secondary structures were predicted to be mainly stem-loop. Moreover, the CE-laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method was used to determine the equilibrium dissociation constant KD values between the FAP protein and candidate aptamers, and the KD value was in the low molar range. Finally, Cy5-labeled aptamers were co-incubated with human pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts highly expressing FAP protein, and confocal microscopy imaging showed that aptamer AptFAP-A4 had the highest affinities with the cells. The FAP aptamers screened in this study provide a promising direction for the development of rapid tumor diagnosis and targeted therapy.
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168
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NNMT Is an Immune-Related Prognostic Biomarker That Modulates the Tumor Microenvironment in Pan-Cancer. DISEASE MARKERS 2023; 2023:9226712. [PMID: 36817086 PMCID: PMC9934984 DOI: 10.1155/2023/9226712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence has revealed the significant roles of nicotinamide n-methyltransferase (NNMT) in cancer initiation, development, and progression; however, a pan-cancer analysis of NNMT has not been conducted. In this study, we first thoroughly investigated the expression and prognostic significance of NNMT and the relationship between NNMT and the tumor microenvironment using bioinformatic analysis. NNMT was significantly increased and associated with poor prognosis in many common cancers. NNMT expression correlated with the infiltration levels of cancer-associated fibroblasts and macrophages in pan-cancer. Function enrichment analysis discovered that NNMT related to cancer-promoting and immune pathways in various common cancers, such as colon adenocarcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma, and stomach adenocarcinoma. NNMT expression was positively correlated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), especially M2-like TAMs. The results suggest that NNMT might be a new biomarker for immune infiltration and poor prognosis in cancers, providing new direction on therapeutics of cancers.
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169
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Wang Y, Wang S, Wang H, Yang J, Zhou H. Identification and Biological Validation of a Chemokine/Chemokine Receptor-Based Risk Model for Predicting Immunotherapeutic Response and Prognosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043317. [PMID: 36834729 PMCID: PMC9963044 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Over 80% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients failed to respond to immunotherapy, which can likely be attributed to the tumor microenvironment (TME) remolding mediated by chemokines/chemokine receptors (C/CR). This study aimed to establish a C/CR-based risk model for better immunotherapeutic responses and prognosis. After assessing the characteristic patterns of the C/CR cluster from the TCGA-HNSCC cohort, a six-gene C/CR-based risk model was developed to stratify patients by LASSO Cox analysis. The screened genes were multidimensionally validated by RT-qPCR, scRNA-seq, and protein data. A total of 30.4% of patients in the low-risk group had better responses to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in the low-risk group had longer overall survival. A time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve and Cox analyses indicated that risk score served as an independent predictive indicator. The robustness of the immunotherapy response and prognosis prediction was also validated in independent external datasets. Additionally, the TME landscape revealed that the low-risk group was immune activated. Furthermore, the cell communication analysis on the scRNA-seq dataset revealed that cancer-associated fibroblasts were the main communicators within the C/CR ligand-receptor network of TME. Collectively, The C/CR-based risk model simultaneously predicted immunotherapeutic response and prognosis, potentially optimizing personalized therapeutic strategies of HNSCC.
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170
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Huang B, Wei X, Chen K, Wang L, Xu M. Bioprinting of hydrogel beads to engineer pancreatic tumor-stroma microtissues for drug screening. Int J Bioprint 2023; 9:676. [PMID: 37273977 PMCID: PMC10236328 DOI: 10.18063/ijb.676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) having features of dense fibrotic stromal and extracellular matrix (ECM) components has poor clinical outcome. In vitro construction of relevant preclinical PDAC models recapitulating the tumor-stroma characteristics is therefore in great need for the development of pancreatic cancer therapy. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) heterogeneous PDAC microtissue based on a dot extrusion printing (DEP) system is reported. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel beads encapsulating human pancreatic cancer cells and stromal fibroblasts were printed, which demonstrated the capacity of providing ECM-mimetic microenvironments and thus mimicked the native cell-cell junctions and cell-ECM interactions. Besides, the spherical structure of the generated hydrogel beads, which took the advantage of encapsulating cells in a reduced volume, enabled efficient diffusion of oxygen, nutrients and cell waste, thus allowing the embedded cells to proliferate and eventually form a dense pancreatic tumor-stroma microtissue around hundred microns. Furthermore, a tunable stromal microenvironment was easily achieved by adjusting the density of stromal cells in the hydrogel beads. Based on our results, the produced heterogeneous pancreatic microtissue recapitulated the features of cellular interactions and stromal-like microenvironments, and displayed better anti-cancer drug resistance than mono-cultured pancreatic cancer spheroids. Together, the DEP system possesses the ability to simply and flexibly produce GelMA hydrogel beads, providing a robust manufacturing tool for the pancreatic cancer drug screening platform fabrication. In addition, the engineered pancreatic tumor-stroma microtissue based on bioprinted GelMA hydrogel beads, other than being ECM-biomimetic and stroma-tunable, can be used for observation in situ and may serve as a new drug screening platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beisi Huang
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wei
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Keke Chen
- School of Automation, 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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171
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Kazakova A, Sudarskikh T, Kovalev O, Kzhyshkowska J, Larionova I. Interaction of tumor‑associated macrophages with stromal and immune components in solid tumors: Research progress (Review). Int J Oncol 2023; 62:32. [PMID: 36660926 PMCID: PMC9851132 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor‑associated macrophages (TAMs) are crucial cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which belong to the innate immune system and regulate primary tumor growth, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling and metastasis. The review discusses current knowledge of essential cell‑cell interactions of TAMs within the TME of solid tumors. It summarizes the mechanisms of stromal cell (including cancer‑associated fibroblasts and endothelial cells)‑mediated monocyte recruitment and regulation of differentiation, as well as pro‑tumor and antitumor polarization of TAMs. Additionally, it focuses on the perivascular TAM subpopulations that regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. It describes the possible mechanisms of reciprocal interactions of TAMs with other immune cells responsible for immunosuppression. Finally, it highlights the perspectives for novel therapeutic approaches to use combined cellular targets that include TAMs and other stromal and immune cells in the TME. The collected data demonstrated the importance of understanding cell‑cell interactions in the TME to prevent distant metastasis and reduce the risk of tumor recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kazakova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
| | - Tatiana Sudarskikh
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
| | - Oleg Kovalev
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634009, Russian Federation
| | - Julia Kzhyshkowska
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Irina Larionova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634009, Russian Federation
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Ezhilarasan D, Najimi M. Deciphering the possible reciprocal loop between hepatic stellate cells and cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment of the liver. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 182:103902. [PMID: 36621514 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103902] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs)/myofibroblasts are the important sources of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the liver tumor microenvironment (TME). The crosstalk between activated HSCs and tumor cells mediates HCC progression, metastasis, tumor cell survival, angiogenesis and chemoresistance. In TME, HCC cells secrete various soluble factors responsible for the phenotypic activation of quiescent HSCs. Tumor cells use activated HSC-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) for migration and invasion. Further, in liver TME, activated HSCs and sinusoidal endothelial cells engage in a crosstalk that causes the secretion of angiogenesis and metastasis-related growth factors and cytokines. Activated HSCs and immune cells crosstalk to decrease immune surveillance in the liver TME by increasing the population of T regulatory cells and M2 macrophages or myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Thus, HSCs play a vital role in liver TME cell interactions. Therefore, a deep understanding of HSCs activation and their crosstalk with cancer and immune cells in TME may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devaraj Ezhilarasan
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600077, India.
| | - Mustapha Najimi
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels 1200, Belgium
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173
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Ritter A, Kreis NN, Roth S, Friemel A, Safdar BK, Hoock SC, Wildner JM, Allert R, Louwen F, Solbach C, Yuan J. Cancer-educated mammary adipose tissue-derived stromal/stem cells in obesity and breast cancer: spatial regulation and function. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2023; 42:35. [PMID: 36710348 PMCID: PMC9885659 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02592-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and a common cause of cancer-related death in women. It is well recognized that obesity is associated with an enhanced risk of more aggressive breast cancer as well as reduced patient survival. Breast adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (bASCs) are crucial components of the tumor microenvironment. A key step initially involved in this process might be the de-differentiation of bASCs into tumor supporting phenotypes. METHODS In the present work, we isolated bASCs from adipose tissues adjacent to the tumor (aT bASCs) from lean- (ln-aT bASCs, BMI ≤ 25) and breast cancer patients with obesity (ob-aT bASCs, BMI ≥ 35), and analyzed their phenotypes with functional assays and RNA sequencing, compared to their counterparts isolated from adipose tissues distant from the tumor (dT bASCs). RESULTS We show that ln-aT bASCs are susceptible to be transformed into an inflammatory cancer-associated phenotype, whereas ob-aT bASCs are prone to be cancer-educated into a myofibroblastic phenotype. Both ln-aT- and ob-aT bASCs compromise their physiological differentiation capacity, and upregulate metastasis-promoting factors. While ln-aT bASCs stimulate proliferation, motility and chemoresistance by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition of low malignant breast cancer cells, ob-aT bASCs trigger more efficiently a cancer stem cell phenotype in highly malignant breast cancer cells. CONCLUSION Breast cancer-associated bASCs are able to foster malignancy of breast cancer cells by multiple mechanisms, especially, induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and activation of stemness-associated genes in breast cancer cells. Blocking the de-differentiation of bASCs in the tumor microenvironment could be a novel strategy to develop an effective intervention for breast cancer patients. SIGNIFICANCE This study provides mechanistic insights into how obesity affects the phenotype of bASCs in the TME. Moreover, it highlights the molecular changes inside breast cancer cells upon cell-cell interaction with cancer-educated bASCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Ritter
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nina-Naomi Kreis
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Roth
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Alexandra Friemel
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Babek Kahn Safdar
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Samira Catharina Hoock
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Julia Maria Wildner
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Roman Allert
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Frank Louwen
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christine Solbach
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Juping Yuan
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
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Sarkar M, Nguyen T, Gundre E, Ogunlusi O, El-Sobky M, Giri B, Sarkar TR. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: The chief architect in the tumor microenvironment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1089068. [PMID: 36793444 PMCID: PMC9923123 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1089068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Stromal heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in malignancy and therapeutic resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the major players in tumor stroma. The heterogeneous sources of origin and subsequent impacts of crosstalk with breast cancer cells flaunt serious challenges before current therapies to cure triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and other cancers. The positive and reciprocal feedback of CAFs to induce cancer cells dictates their mutual synergy in establishing malignancy. Their substantial role in creating a tumor-promoting niche has reduced the efficacy of several anti-cancer treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Over the years, there has been an emphasis on understanding CAF-induced therapeutic resistance in order to enhance cancer therapy results. CAFs, in the majority of cases, employ crosstalk, stromal management, and other strategies to generate resilience in surrounding tumor cells. This emphasizes the significance of developing novel strategies that target particular tumor-promoting CAF subpopulations, which will improve treatment sensitivity and impede tumor growth. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the origin and heterogeneity of CAFs, their role in tumor progression, and altering the tumor response to therapeutic agents in breast cancer. In addition, we also discuss the potential and possible approaches for CAF-mediated therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States,Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Tristan Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Esheksha Gundre
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Olajumoke Ogunlusi
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Mohanad El-Sobky
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Biplab Giri
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, English Bazar, India,*Correspondence: Biplab Giri, ; Tapasree Roy Sarkar,
| | - Tapasree Roy Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Biplab Giri, ; Tapasree Roy Sarkar,
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175
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Sasaki K, Komamura S, Matsuda K. Extracellular stimulation of lung fibroblasts with arachidonic acid increases interleukin 11 expression through p38 and ERK signaling. Biol Chem 2023; 404:59-69. [PMID: 36268909 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2022-0218] [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: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates proliferation and motility of cancer cells. Fibroblasts reside in the cancer microenvironment and are the primary source of IL-11. Activated fibroblasts, including cancer-associated fibroblasts that produce IL-11, contribute to the development and progression of cancer, and induce fibrosis associated with cancer. Changes in fatty acid composition or its metabolites, and an increase in free fatty acids have been observed in cancer. The effect of deregulated fatty acids on the development and progression of cancer is not fully understood yet. In the present study, we investigated the effects of fatty acids on mRNA expression and secretion of IL-11 in lung fibroblasts. Among the eight fatty acids added exogenously, arachidonic acid (AA) increased mRNA expression and secretion of IL-11 in lung fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. AA-induced upregulation of IL-11 was dependent on the activation of the p38 or ERK MAPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, prostaglandin E2, associated with elevated cyclooxygenase-2 expression, participated in the upregulation of IL-11 via its specific receptor in an autocrine/paracrine manner. These results suggest that AA may mediate IL-11 upregulation in lung fibroblasts in the cancer microenvironment, accompanied by unbalanced fatty acid composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Sasaki
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Nagano, Japan
| | - Shotaro Komamura
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Nagano, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Matsuda
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Nagano, Japan
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176
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Tanaka HY, Nakazawa T, Enomoto A, Masamune A, Kano MR. Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome Fibrotic Barriers to Nanomedicine in the Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030724. [PMID: 36765684 PMCID: PMC9913712 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030724] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its dismal prognosis. The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect theory posits that nanomedicines (therapeutics in the size range of approximately 10-200 nm) selectively accumulate in tumors. Nanomedicine has thus been suggested to be the "magic bullet"-both effective and safe-to treat pancreatic cancer. However, the densely fibrotic tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer impedes nanomedicine delivery. The EPR effect is thus insufficient to achieve a significant therapeutic effect. Intratumoral fibrosis is chiefly driven by aberrantly activated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix (ECM) components secreted. Fibroblast and ECM abnormalities offer various potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we detail the diverse strategies being tested to overcome the fibrotic barriers to nanomedicine in pancreatic cancer. Strategies that target the fibrotic tissue/process are discussed first, which are followed by strategies to optimize nanomedicine design. We provide an overview of how a deeper understanding, increasingly at single-cell resolution, of fibroblast biology is revealing the complex role of the fibrotic stroma in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and consider the therapeutic implications. Finally, we discuss critical gaps in our understanding and how we might better formulate strategies to successfully overcome the fibrotic barriers in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyoshi Y. Tanaka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Takuya Nakazawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biomedicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Enomoto
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya-shi 466-8550, Aichi, Japan
| | - Atsushi Masamune
- Division of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi 980-8574, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mitsunobu R. Kano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biomedicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
- Correspondence:
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177
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Devarasou S, Kang M, Kwon TY, Cho Y, Shin JH. Fibrous Matrix Architecture-Dependent Activation of Fibroblasts with a Cancer-Associated Fibroblast-like Phenotype. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:280-291. [PMID: 36573928 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00694] [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] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most prevalent cell types within the tumor microenvironment (TME). While several physicochemical cues from the TME, including growth factors, cytokines, and ECM specificity, have been identified as essential factors for CAF activation, the precise mechanism of how the ECM architecture regulates CAF initiation remains elusive. Using a gelatin-based electrospun fiber mesh, we examined the effect of matrix fiber density on CAF activation induced by MCF-7 conditioned media (CM). A less dense (3D) gelatin mesh matrix facilitated better activation of dermal fibroblasts into a CAF-like phenotype in the CM than a highly dense (3D) gelatin mesh matrix. In addition, it was discovered that CAF activation on the less dense (LD) matrix is dependent on the cell size-related AKT/mTOR signaling cascade, accompanied by an increase in intracellular tension within the well-spread fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayadineshraj Devarasou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Minwoo Kang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Yoon Kwon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngbin Cho
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jennifer H Shin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
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178
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Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in the Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020335. [PMID: 36672284 PMCID: PMC9856659 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The most common lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with an overall 5-year survival rate of around 20% because NSCLC is a metastatic disease. A better understanding of the mechanism underlying lung cancer metastasis is therefore urgently needed. The tumor microenvironment involves different types of stromal cells and functions as key components in the progression of NSCLC. Through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), in which epithelial cells lose their polarity and acquire mesenchymal potential, cancer cells acquire metastatic abilities, as well as cancer stem-cell-like potential. We previously reported that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) interact with lung cancer cells to allow for the acquisition of malignancy and treatment resistance by paracrine loops via EMT signals in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, CAFs regulate the cytotoxic activity of immune cells via various cytokines and chemokines, creating a microenvironment of immune tolerance. Regulation of CAFs can therefore affect immune responses. Recent research has shown several roles of CAFs in NSCLC tumorigenesis, owing to their heterogeneity, so molecular markers of CAFs should be elucidated to better classify tumor-promoting subtypes and facilitate the establishment of CAF-specific targeted therapies. CAF-targeted cancer treatments may suppress EMT and regulate the niche of cancer stem cells and the immunosuppressive network and thus may prove useful for NSCLC treatment through multiple mechanisms.
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179
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Chen JY, Yiu WH, Tang PMK, Tang SCW. New insights into fibrotic signaling in renal cell carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1056964. [PMID: 36910160 PMCID: PMC9996540 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1056964] [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: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrotic signaling plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of solid cancers including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Intratumoral fibrosis (ITF) and pseudo-capsule (PC) fibrosis are significantly correlated to the disease progression of renal cell carcinoma. Targeting classic fibrotic signaling processes such as TGF-β signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) shows promising antitumor effects both preclinically and clinically. Therefore, a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of fibrotic signaling in renal cell carcinoma at molecular resolution can facilitate the development of precision therapies against solid cancers. In this review, we systematically summarized the latest updates on fibrotic signaling, from clinical correlation and molecular mechanisms to its therapeutic strategies for renal cell carcinoma. Importantly, we examined the reported fibrotic signaling on the human renal cell carcinoma dataset at the transcriptome level with single-cell resolution to assess its translational potential in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao-Yi Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wai-Han Yiu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Patrick Ming-Kuen Tang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sydney Chi-Wai Tang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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180
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Zulaziz N, Chai SJ, Lim KP. The origins, roles and therapies of cancer associated fibroblast in liver cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1151373. [PMID: 37035187 PMCID: PMC10076538 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1151373] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer. It is often preceded by chronic inflammation such as liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Different cell types are believed to give rise to liver-specific cancer associated fibroblast (CAF), these include resident fibroblast, hepatic stellate cell, liver cancer cell, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell and mesenchymal stromal cell. The abundance of fibroblasts has contributed to the cancer progression, immune modulation and treatment resistance in HCC. In this review, we discussed the origins, subtypes and roles of cancer associated fibroblasts in HCC. Their specific roles in shaping the tumor microenvironment, facilitating cancer growth, and modulating different immune cell types to confer a permissive environment for cancer growth. CAF is now an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment, however specific therapeutic development in HCC is still lacking. Hence, we have included preclinical and clinical development of CAF-specific interventions for other cancer types in this review. However, most CAF-specific therapies have resulted in disappointing clinical outcomes, likely due to the difficulties in differentiating CAF from normal fibroblast. A thorough understanding of the characteristics and functionalities of CAF is warranted to further improve the therapeutic efficacy of anti-CAF therapies.
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181
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Xu A, Xu XN, Luo Z, Huang X, Gong RQ, Fu DY. Identification of prognostic cancer-associated fibroblast markers in luminal breast cancer using weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1191660. [PMID: 37207166 PMCID: PMC10191114 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1191660] [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: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in cancer progression and are known to mediate endocrine and chemotherapy resistance through paracrine signaling. Additionally, they directly influence the expression and growth dependence of ER in Luminal breast cancer (LBC). This study aims to investigate stromal CAF-related factors and develop a CAF-related classifier to predict the prognosis and therapeutic outcomes in LBC. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were utilized to obtain mRNA expression and clinical information from 694 and 101 LBC samples, respectively. CAF infiltrations were determined by estimating the proportion of immune and cancer cells (EPIC) method, while stromal scores were calculated using the Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumors using Expression data (ESTIMATE) algorithm. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify stromal CAF-related genes. A CAF risk signature was developed through univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method (LASSO) Cox regression model. The Spearman test was used to evaluate the correlation between CAF risk score, CAF markers, and CAF infiltrations estimated through EPIC, xCell, microenvironment cell populations-counter (MCP-counter), and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithms. The TIDE algorithm was further utilized to assess the response to immunotherapy. Additionally, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the findings. Results We constructed a 5-gene prognostic model consisting of RIN2, THBS1, IL1R1, RAB31, and COL11A1 for CAF. Using the median CAF risk score as the cutoff, we classified LBC patients into high- and low-CAF-risk groups and found that those in the high-risk group had a significantly worse prognosis. Spearman correlation analyses demonstrated a strong positive correlation between the CAF risk score and stromal and CAF infiltrations, with the five model genes showing positive correlations with CAF markers. In addition, the TIDE analysis revealed that high-CAF-risk patients were less likely to respond to immunotherapy. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified significant enrichment of ECM receptor interaction, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and TGF-β signaling pathway gene sets in the high-CAF-risk group patients. Conclusion The five-gene prognostic CAF signature presented in this study was not only reliable for predicting prognosis in LBC patients, but it was also effective in estimating clinical immunotherapy response. These findings have significant clinical implications, as the signature may guide tailored anti-CAF therapy in combination with immunotherapy for LBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Xu
- Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiang-Nan Xu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhou Luo
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao Huang
- Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong-Quan Gong
- Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - De-Yuan Fu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: De-Yuan Fu,
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182
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Owen JS, Clayton A, Pearson HB. Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Heterogeneity, Activation and Function: Implications for Prostate Cancer. Biomolecules 2022; 13:67. [PMID: 36671452 PMCID: PMC9856041 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuous remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) during prostate tumorigenesis is emerging as a critical event that facilitates cancer growth, progression and drug-resistance. Recent advances have identified extensive communication networks that enable tumor-stroma cross-talk, and emphasized the functional importance of diverse, heterogeneous stromal fibroblast populations during malignant growth. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a vital component of the TME, which mediate key oncogenic events including angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metastatic progression and therapeutic resistance, thus presenting an attractive therapeutic target. Nevertheless, how fibroblast heterogeneity, recruitment, cell-of-origin and differential functions contribute to prostate cancer remains to be fully delineated. Developing our molecular understanding of these processes is fundamental to developing new therapies and biomarkers that can ultimately improve clinical outcomes. In this review, we explore the current challenges surrounding fibroblast identification, discuss new mechanistic insights into fibroblast functions during normal prostate tissue homeostasis and tumorigenesis, and illustrate the diverse nature of fibroblast recruitment and CAF generation. We also highlight the promise of CAF-targeted therapies for the treatment of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine S. Owen
- The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Aled Clayton
- Tissue Microenvironment Group, Division of Cancer & Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Helen B. Pearson
- The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
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183
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Lin SC, Liao YC, Chen PM, Yang YY, Wang YH, Tung SL, Chuang CM, Sung YW, Jang TH, Chuang SE, Wang LH. Periostin promotes ovarian cancer metastasis by enhancing M2 macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts via integrin-mediated NF-κB and TGF-β2 signaling. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:109. [PMID: 36550569 PMCID: PMC9784270 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00888-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality among gynecological cancers due to late diagnosis and lack of effective targeted therapy. Although the study of interplay between cancer cells with their microenvironment is emerging, how ovarian cancer triggers signaling that coordinates with immune cells to promote metastasis is still elusive. METHODS Microarray and bioinformatics analysis of low and highly invasive ovarian cancer cell lines were used to reveal periostin (POSTN), a matrix protein with multifunctions in cancer, with elevated expression in the highly invasive cells. Anchorage independent assay, Western blot, RNA interference, confocal analysis and neutralizing antibody treatment were performed to analyze the effects of POSTN on tumor promotion and to explore the underlying mechanism. Chemotaxis, flow cytometry and cytokine array analyses were undertaken to analyze the involvement of POSTN in cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) and macrophage modulation. Correlations between POSTN expression levels and clinical characteristics were analyzed using the Oncomine, commercial ovarian cancer cDNA and China Medical University Hospital patient cohort. In vivo effect of POSTN on metastasis was studied using a mouse xenograft model. RESULTS Expression of POSTN was found to be elevated in highly invasive ovarian cancer cells. We observed that POSTN was co-localized with integrin β3 and integrin β5, which was important for POSTN-mediated activation of ERK and NF-κB. Ectopic expression of POSTN enhanced whereas knockdown of POSTN decreased cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro, as well as tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. POSTN enhanced integrin/ERK/NF-κB signaling through an autocrine effect on cancer cells to produce macrophage attracting and mobilizing cytokines including MIP-1β, MCP-1, TNFα and RANTES resulting in increased chemotaxis of THP-1 monocytes and their polarization to M2 macrophages in vitro. In agreement, tumors derived from POSTN-overexpressing SKOV3 harbored more tumor-associated macrophages than the control tumors. POSTN induced TGF-β2 expression from ovarian cancer cells to promote activation of adipose-derived stromal cells to become CAF-like cells expressing alpha smooth muscle actin and fibroblast activation protein alpha. Consistently, increased CAFs were observed in POSTN overexpressing SKOV3 cells-derived metastatic tumors. In clinical relevance, we found that expression of POSTN was positively correlated with advanced-stage diseases and poor overall survival of patients. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed a POSTN-integrin-NF-κB-mediated signaling and its involvement in enhancing M2 macrophages and CAFs, which could potentially participate in promoting tumor growth. Our results suggest that POSTN could be a useful prognosis marker and potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Chieh Lin
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine and Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, No. 91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chu Liao
- grid.59784.370000000406229172Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Po-Ming Chen
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine and Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, No. 91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.452796.b0000 0004 0634 3637Research Assistant Center, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Yu Yang
- grid.59784.370000000406229172National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsiang Wang
- grid.59784.370000000406229172Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan ,grid.38348.340000 0004 0532 0580Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Shiao-Lin Tung
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Ton-Yen General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan ,Department of Nursing, Hsin Sheng Junior College of Medical Care and Management, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Mu Chuang
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wen Sung
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan ,grid.411508.90000 0004 0572 9415Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Te-Hsuan Jang
- grid.59784.370000000406229172National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan ,grid.38348.340000 0004 0532 0580Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Shuang-En Chuang
- grid.59784.370000000406229172National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Lu-Hai Wang
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine and Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, No. 91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.59784.370000000406229172Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan ,grid.38348.340000 0004 0532 0580Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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184
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Toledo B, Picon-Ruiz M, Marchal JA, Perán M. Dual Role of Fibroblasts Educated by Tumour in Cancer Behavior and Therapeutic Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:15576. [PMID: 36555218 PMCID: PMC9778751 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumours are complex systems with dynamic interactions between tumour cells, non-tumour cells, and extracellular components that comprise the tumour microenvironment (TME). The majority of TME's cells are cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are crucial in extracellular matrix (ECM) construction, tumour metabolism, immunology, adaptive chemoresistance, and tumour cell motility. CAF subtypes have been identified based on the expression of protein markers. CAFs may act as promoters or suppressors in tumour cells depending on a variety of factors, including cancer stage. Indeed, CAFs have been shown to promote tumour growth, survival and spread, and secretome changes, but they can also slow tumourigenesis at an early stage through mechanisms that are still poorly understood. Stromal-cancer interactions are governed by a variety of soluble factors that determine the outcome of the tumourigenic process. Cancer cells release factors that enhance the ability of fibroblasts to secrete multiple tumour-promoting chemokines, acting on malignant cells to promote proliferation, migration, and invasion. This crosstalk between CAFs and tumour cells has given new prominence to the stromal cells, from being considered as mere physical support to becoming key players in the tumour process. Here, we focus on the concept of cancer as a non-healing wound and the relevance of chronic inflammation to tumour initiation. In addition, we review CAFs heterogeneous origins and markers together with the potential therapeutic implications of CAFs "re-education" and/or targeting tumour progression inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Toledo
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain
| | - Manuel Picon-Ruiz
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, E-18100 Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria ibs. GRANADA, Hospitales Universitarios de Granada-Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18016 Granada, Spain
- Excellence Research Unit “Modeling Nature” (MNat), University of Granada, E-18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Marchal
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, E-18100 Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria ibs. GRANADA, Hospitales Universitarios de Granada-Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18016 Granada, Spain
- Excellence Research Unit “Modeling Nature” (MNat), University of Granada, E-18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Macarena Perán
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, E-18100 Granada, Spain
- Excellence Research Unit “Modeling Nature” (MNat), University of Granada, E-18016 Granada, Spain
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185
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Mechanism of Extracellular Vesicle Secretion Associated with TGF-β-Dependent Inflammatory Response in the Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315335. [PMID: 36499660 PMCID: PMC9740594 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as central mediators in communication between tumor and non-tumor cells. These interactions are largely dependent on the function of the endothelial barrier and the set of receptors present on its surface, as endothelial cells (ECs) are a plenteous source of EVs. The molecular basis for EV secretion and action in the tumor microenvironment (TME) has not been fully elucidated to date. Emerging evidence suggests a prominent role of inflammatory pathways in promoting tumor progression and metastasis. Although transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a cytokine with strong immunomodulatory and protective activity in benign and early-stage cancer cells, it plays a pro-tumorigenic role in advanced cancer cells, which is known as the "TGF-β paradox". Thus, the aim of this review is to describe the correlation between EV release, TGF-β-dependent inflammation, and dysregulation of downstream TGF-β signaling in the context of cancer development.
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186
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Differential Expression of RSK4 Transcript Isoforms in Cancer and Its Clinical Relevance. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314569. [PMID: 36498899 PMCID: PMC9737342 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
While we previously revealed RSK4 as a therapeutic target in lung and bladder cancers, the wider role of this kinase in other cancers remains controversial. Indeed, other reports instead proposed RSK4 as a tumour suppressor in colorectal and gastric cancers and are contradictory in breast malignancies. One explanation for these discrepancies may be the expression of different RSK4 isoforms across cancers. Four RNAs are produced from the RSK4 gene, with two being protein-coding. Here, we analysed the expression of the latter across 30 normal and 33 cancer tissue types from the combined GTEx/TCGA dataset and correlated it with clinical features. This revealed the expression of RSK4 isoforms 1 and 2 to be independent prognostic factors for patient survival, pathological stage, cancer metastasis, recurrence, and immune infiltration in brain, stomach, cervical, and kidney cancers. However, we found that upregulation of either isoform can equally be associated with good or bad prognosis depending on the cancer type, and changes in the expression ratio of isoforms fail to predict clinical outcome. Hence, differential isoform expression alone cannot explain the contradictory roles of RSK4 in cancers, and further research is needed to highlight the underlying mechanisms for the context-dependent function of this kinase.
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187
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Reale A, Khong T, Spencer A. Extracellular Vesicles and Their Roles in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11236892. [PMID: 36498469 PMCID: PMC9737553 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11236892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells actively incorporate molecules (e.g., proteins, lipids, RNA) into particles named extracellular vesicles (EVs). Several groups have demonstrated that EVs can be transferred to target (recipient) cells, making EVs an important means of intercellular communication. Indeed, EVs are able to modulate the functions of target cells by reprogramming signaling pathways. In a cancer context, EVs promote the formation of a supportive tumor microenvironment (TME) and (pre)metastatic niches. Recent studies have revealed that immune cells, tumor cells and their secretome, including EVs, promote changes in the TME and immunosuppressive functions of immune cells (e.g., natural killer, dendritic cells, T and B cells, monocytes, macrophages) that allow tumor cells to establish and propagate. Despite the growing knowledge on EVs and on their roles in cancer and as modulators of the immune response/escape, the translation into clinical practice remains in its early stages, hence requiring improved translational research in the EVs field. Here, we comprehensively review the current knowledge and most recent research on the roles of EVs in tumor immune evasion and immunosuppression in both solid tumors and hematological malignancies. We also highlight the clinical utility of EV-mediated immunosuppression targeting and EV-engineering. Importantly, we discuss the controversial role of EVs in cancer biology, current limitations and future perspectives to further the EV knowledge into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Reale
- Myeloma Research Group, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University—Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Tiffany Khong
- Myeloma Research Group, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University—Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Andrew Spencer
- Myeloma Research Group, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University—Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Malignant Haematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Haematology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Clinical Hematology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (A.S.)
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188
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A SERPINE1-Based Immune Gene Signature Predicts Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Gastric Cancer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15111401. [PMID: 36422531 PMCID: PMC9692477 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy has been successfully utilized in the treatment of multiple tumors, but only a fraction of patients with gastric cancer (GC) could greatly benefit from it. A recent study has shown that the tumor microenvironment (TME) can greatly affect the effect of immunotherapy in GC. In this study, we established a novel immune risk signature (IRS) for prognosis and predicting response to ICIs in GC based on the TCGA-STAD dataset. Characterization of the TME was explored and further validated to reveal the underlying survival mechanisms and the potential therapeutic targets of GC. The GC patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups based on the IRS. Patients in the high-risk group, associated with poorer outcomes, were characterized by significantly higher immune function. Further analysis showed higher T cell immune dysfunction and probability of potential immune escape. In vivo, we detected the expressions of SERPINE1 by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)in tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues. In vitro, knockdown of SERPINE1 significantly attenuated malignant biological behaviors of tumor cells in GC. Our signature can effectively predict the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in patients with GC.
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189
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Zhang W, Li S, Li C, Li T, Huang Y. Remodeling tumor microenvironment with natural products to overcome drug resistance. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1051998. [PMID: 36439106 PMCID: PMC9685561 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1051998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
With cancer incidence rates continuing to increase and occurrence of resistance in drug treatment, there is a pressing demand to find safer and more effective anticancer strategy for cancer patients. Natural products, have the advantage of low toxicity and multiple action targets, are always used in the treatment of cancer prevention in early stage and cancer supplement in late stage. Tumor microenvironment is necessary for cancer cells to survive and progression, and immune activation is a vital means for the tumor microenvironment to eliminate cancer cells. A number of studies have found that various natural products could target and regulate immune cells such as T cells, macrophages, mast cells as well as inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment. Natural products tuning the tumor microenvironment via various mechanisms to activate the immune response have immeasurable potential for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, it highlights the research findings related to natural products regulating immune responses against cancer, especially reveals the possibility of utilizing natural products to remodel the tumor microenvironment to overcome drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlu Zhang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shubo Li
- Liaoning Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Liaoning Agricultural Development Service Center, Shenyang, China
| | - Chunting Li
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tianye Li
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yongye Huang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
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190
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Carvalho RF, do Canto LM, Abildgaard C, Aagaard MM, Tronhjem MS, Waldstrøm M, Jensen LH, Steffensen KD, Rogatto SR. Single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing reveal ligands and receptors associated with worse overall survival in serous ovarian cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2022; 20:176. [DOI: 10.1186/s12964-022-00991-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Serous ovarian carcinoma is the most frequent histological subgroup of ovarian cancer and the leading cause of death among gynecologic tumors. The tumor microenvironment and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have a critical role in the origin and progression of cancer. We comprehensively characterized the crosstalk between CAFs and ovarian cancer cells from malignant fluids to identify specific ligands and receptors mediating intercellular communications and disrupted pathways related to prognosis and therapy response.
Methods
Malignant fluids of serous ovarian cancer, including tumor-derived organoids, CAFs-enriched (eCAFs), and malignant effusion cells (no cultured) paired with normal ovarian tissues, were explored by RNA-sequencing. These data were integrated with single-cell RNA-sequencing data of ascites from ovarian cancer patients. The most relevant ligand and receptor interactions were used to identify differentially expressed genes with prognostic values in ovarian cancer.
Results
CAF ligands and epithelial cancer cell receptors were enriched for PI3K-AKT, focal adhesion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling pathways. Collagens, MIF, MDK, APP, and laminin were detected as the most significant signaling, and the top ligand-receptor interactions THBS2/THBS3 (CAFs)—CD47 (cancer cells), MDK (CAFs)—NCL/SDC2/SDC4 (cancer cells) as potential therapeutic targets. Interestingly, 34 genes encoding receptors and ligands of the PI3K pathway were associated with the outcome, response to treatment, and overall survival in ovarian cancer. Up-regulated genes from this list consistently predicted a worse overall survival (hazard ratio > 1.0 and log-rank P < 0.05) in two independent validation cohorts.
Conclusions
This study describes critical signaling pathways, ligands, and receptors involved in the communication between CAFs and cancer cells that have prognostic and therapeutic significance in ovarian cancer.
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191
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Li J, Li X, Huang H, Tao L, Zhang C, Xie Y, Jiang Y. Role of SERCA3 in the Prognosis and Immune Function in Pan-Cancer. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:9359879. [PMID: 36385955 PMCID: PMC9652089 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9359879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) 3 (SERCA3), a member of the SERCA protein family, is located at the endoplasmic reticulum. Its main function is to pump Ca2+ into the endoplasmic reticulum and is involved in maintaining intracellular calcium homeostasis and signal transduction, which are very important factors impacting cancer development and progression. However, the specific role of SERCA3 in cancer remains unclear. Our study, for the first time, comprehensively analyzed the SERCA3 expression profile in multiple cancers and its prognostic value in different cancers using bioinformatics. Furthermore, TCGA database was applied to evaluate the certain correlation of SERCA3 expression with immune modulator genes, immune checkpoints, immune cell infiltration, TMB, and MSI. The results revealed that in many cancers, SERCA3 expression was markedly decreased, which was related to poor prognosis. Additionally, we noticed that SERCA3 expression was correlated with TNM classification and WHO cancer stages in some cancer types. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that SERCA3 expression was closely associated with chemokines, chemokine receptors, MHC, immune activation genes, and immunosuppressive genes. In most cancer types, SERCA3 expression was also associated with immune checkpoints, including PDCD1 and CTLA-4. Further analysis suggested that SERCA3 was significantly correlated with CD8+ T cells, and regulatory T cells. Additionally, pan-cancer analysis confirmed that SERCA3 expression was related to TMB and MSI. In conclusion, these results offer a new insight into the functions and effects of SERCA3 in pan-cancer, and further provide some basis for considering SERCA3 as a potential cancer treatment target and biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- Department of Nephrology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Xionghui Li
- Department of Critical Medicine, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Hong Huang
- Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541000, China
| | - Lijian Tao
- Department of Nephrology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Chenzi Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Yanyun Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Yupeng Jiang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
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192
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Xu M, Zhang T, Xia R, Wei Y, Wei X. Targeting the tumor stroma for cancer therapy. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:208. [PMID: 36324128 PMCID: PMC9628074 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01670-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors are comprised of both cancer cells and surrounding stromal components. As an essential part of the tumor microenvironment, the tumor stroma is highly dynamic, heterogeneous and commonly tumor-type specific, and it mainly includes noncellular compositions such as the extracellular matrix and the unique cancer-associated vascular system as well as a wide variety of cellular components including activated cancer-associated fibroblasts, mesenchymal stromal cells, pericytes. All these elements operate with each other in a coordinated fashion and collectively promote cancer initiation, progression, metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Over the past few decades, numerous studies have been conducted to study the interaction and crosstalk between stromal components and neoplastic cells. Meanwhile, we have also witnessed an exponential increase in the investigation and recognition of the critical roles of tumor stroma in solid tumors. A series of clinical trials targeting the tumor stroma have been launched continually. In this review, we introduce and discuss current advances in the understanding of various stromal elements and their roles in cancers. We also elaborate on potential novel approaches for tumor-stroma-based therapeutic targeting, with the aim to promote the leap from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maosen Xu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Ruolan Xia
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
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193
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Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote the stemness and progression of renal cell carcinoma via exosomal miR-181d-5p. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:439. [PMID: 36319622 PMCID: PMC9626570 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01219-7] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the effects of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) on cancer stemness and tumor progression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have not been elucidated yet. In the present study, we found that the enrichment of CAFs was positively associated with tumor progression and cancer stemness in RCC. Further investigation revealed that CAFs could enhance cancer stemness through delivering exosomes to RCC cells, and miR-181d-5p was identified as the critical exosomal miRNA in CAF-secreted exosomes by small RNA sequencing and subsequent screening assays. Mechanistically, exosomal miR-181d-5p transferred from CAFs to RCC cells directly suppressed the expression of ring finger protein 43 (RNF43) and activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thus promoted cancer stemness and tumor progression. Overexpression of RNF43 strongly suppressed stemness properties and the effects could be reverted by miR-181d-5p. Overall, our findings revealed a crucial mechanism by which CAF-secreted exosomal miRNAs to enhance cancer stemness and thus promote RCC progression, suggesting a new avenue based on CAF-secreted miRNAs for more effective targeted therapies.
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194
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Monavarian M, Elhaw AT, Tang PW, Javed Z, Shonibare Z, Scalise CB, Arend R, Jolly MK, Sewell-Loftin MK, Hempel N, Mythreye K. Emerging perspectives on growth factor metabolic relationships in the ovarian cancer ascites environment. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:709-719. [PMID: 35259492 PMCID: PMC9441472 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The ascites ecosystem in ovarian cancer is inhabited by complex cell types and is bathed in an environment rich in cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that directly and indirectly impact metabolism of cancer cells and tumor associated cells. This milieu of malignant ascites, provides a 'rich' environment for the disease to thrive, contributing to every aspect of advanced ovarian cancer, a devastating gynecological cancer with a significant gap in targeted therapeutics. In this perspective we focus our discussions on the 'acellular' constituents of this liquid malignant tumor microenvironment, and how they influence metabolic pathways. Growth factors, chemokines and cytokines are known modulators of metabolism and have been shown to impact nutrient uptake and metabolic flexibility of tumors, yet few studies have explored how their enrichment in malignant ascites of ovarian cancer patients contributes to the metabolic requirements of ascites-resident cells. We focus here on TGF-βs, VEGF and ILs, which are frequently elevated in ovarian cancer ascites and have all been described to have direct or indirect effects on metabolism, often through gene regulation of metabolic enzymes. We summarize what is known, describe gaps in knowledge, and provide examples from other tumor types to infer potential unexplored roles and mechanisms for ovarian cancer. The distribution and variation in acellular ascites components between patients poses both a challenge and opportunity to further understand how the ascites may contribute to disease heterogeneity. The review also highlights opportunities for studies on ascites-derived factors in regulating the ascites metabolic environment that could act as a unique signature in aiding clinical decisions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehri Monavarian
- Division of Molecular Cellular Pathology, Department of Pathology, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Amal Taher Elhaw
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA
| | - Priscilla W Tang
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA
| | - Zaineb Javed
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA
| | - Zainab Shonibare
- Division of Molecular Cellular Pathology, Department of Pathology, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Carly Bess Scalise
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rebecca Arend
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Center for Biosystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Mary Kathryn Sewell-Loftin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nadine Hempel
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA.
| | - Karthikeyan Mythreye
- Division of Molecular Cellular Pathology, Department of Pathology, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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195
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Raza S, Rajak S, Tewari A, Gupta P, Chattopadhyay N, Sinha RA, Chakravarti B. Multifaceted role of chemokines in solid tumors: From biology to therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:1105-1121. [PMID: 34979274 PMCID: PMC7613720 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chemokines are small secretory chemotactic cytokines that control the directed migration of immune cells. Chemokines are involved in both anti-and pro-tumorigenic immune responses. Accumulating evidence suggests that the balance between these responses is influenced by several factors such as the stage of tumorigenesis, immune cell activation, recruitment of immune activating or immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and chemokine receptor expression on effector and regulatory target cells. Cancer cells engage in a complex network with their TME components via several factors including growth factors, cytokines and chemokines that are critical for the growth of primary tumor and metastasis. However, chemokines show a multifaceted role in tumor progression including maintenance of stem-like properties, tumor cell proliferation/survival/senescence, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The heterogeneity of solid tumors in primary and metastatic cancers presents a challenge to the development of successful cancer therapy. Despite extensive research on how solid tumors escape immune cell-mediated anti-tumor response, finding an effective therapy for metastatic cancer still remains a challenge. This review discusses the multifarious roles of chemokines in solid tumors including various chemokine signaling pathways such as CXCL8-CXCR1/2, CXCL9, 10, 11-CXCR3, CXCR4-CXCL12, CCL(X)-CCR(X) in primary and metastatic cancers. We further discuss the novel therapeutic approaches that have been developed by major breakthroughs in chemokine research to treat cancer patients by the strategic blockade/activation of these signaling axes alone or in combination with immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Raza
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Sangam Rajak
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Archana Tewari
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Pratima Gupta
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Naibedya Chattopadhyay
- Division of Endocrinology and CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226 031, India
| | - Rohit Anthony Sinha
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Bandana Chakravarti
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India.
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196
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Cerro PA, Mascaraque M, Gallego-Rentero M, Almenara-Blasco M, Nicolás-Morala J, Santiago JL, González S, Gracia-Cazaña T, Juarranz Á, Gilaberte Y. Tumor microenvironment in non-melanoma skin cancer resistance to photodynamic therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:970279. [PMID: 36338755 PMCID: PMC9634550 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.970279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-melanoma skin cancer has recently seen an increase in prevalence, and it is estimated that this grow will continue in the coming years. In this sense, the importance of therapy effectiveness has increased, especially photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy has attracted much attention as a minimally invasive, selective and repeatable approach for skin cancer treatment and prevention. Although its high efficiency, this strategy has also faced problems related to tumor resistance, where the tumor microenvironment has gained a well-deserved role in recent years. Tumor microenvironment denotes a wide variety of elements, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, endothelial cells or the extracellular matrix, where their interaction and the secretion of a wide diversity of cytokines. Therefore, the need of designing new strategies targeting elements of the tumor microenvironment to overcome the observed resistance has become evident. To this end, in this review we focus on the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages in the resistance to photodynamic therapy. We are also exploring new approaches consisting in the combination of new and old drugs targeting these cells with photodynamic therapy to enhance treatment outcomes of non-melanoma skin cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina A. Cerro
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Marta Mascaraque
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Gallego-Rentero
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Almenara-Blasco
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Jimena Nicolás-Morala
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Santiago
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital General de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Salvador González
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tamara Gracia-Cazaña
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Ángeles Juarranz
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ángeles Juarranz, ; Yolanda Gilaberte,
| | - Yolanda Gilaberte
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ángeles Juarranz, ; Yolanda Gilaberte,
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197
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Tiwari A, Trivedi R, Lin SY. Tumor microenvironment: barrier or opportunity towards effective cancer therapy. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:83. [PMID: 36253762 PMCID: PMC9575280 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00866-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a specialized ecosystem of host components, designed by tumor cells for successful development and metastasis of tumor. With the advent of 3D culture and advanced bioinformatic methodologies, it is now possible to study TME’s individual components and their interplay at higher resolution. Deeper understanding of the immune cell’s diversity, stromal constituents, repertoire profiling, neoantigen prediction of TMEs has provided the opportunity to explore the spatial and temporal regulation of immune therapeutic interventions. The variation of TME composition among patients plays an important role in determining responders and non-responders towards cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, there could be a possibility of reprogramming of TME components to overcome the widely prevailing issue of immunotherapeutic resistance. The focus of the present review is to understand the complexity of TME and comprehending future perspective of its components as potential therapeutic targets. The later part of the review describes the sophisticated 3D models emerging as valuable means to study TME components and an extensive account of advanced bioinformatic tools to profile TME components and predict neoantigens. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive account of the current knowledge available to target TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aadhya Tiwari
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Rakesh Trivedi
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shiaw-Yih Lin
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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198
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Wen Y, Zhu Y, Zhang C, Yang X, Gao Y, Li M, Yang H, Liu T, Tang H. Chronic inflammation, cancer development and immunotherapy. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1040163. [PMID: 36313280 PMCID: PMC9614255 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1040163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation plays a pivotal role in cancer development. Cancer cells interact with adjacent cellular components (pro-inflammatory cells, intrinsic immune cells, stromal cells, etc.) and non-cellular components to form the inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME). Interleukin 6 (IL-6), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), immune checkpoint factors and other pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by intrinsic immune cells in TME are the main mediators of intercellular communication in TME, which link chronic inflammation to cancer by stimulating different oncogenic signaling pathways and improving immune escape to promote cancer development. In parallel, the ability of monocytes, T regulatory cells (Tregs) and B regulatory cells (Bregs) to perform homeostatic tolerogenic functions is hijacked by cancer cells, leading to local or systemic immunosuppression. Standard treatments for advanced malignancies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy have improved in the last decades. However, clinical outcomes of certain malignant cancers are not satisfactory due to drug resistance and side effects. The clinical application of immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) has brought hope to cancer treatment, although therapeutic efficacy are still limited due to the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Emerging evidences reveal that ideal therapies including clearance of tumor cells, disruption of tumor-induced immunosuppression by targeting suppressive TME as well as reactivation of anti-tumor T cells by ICT. Here, we review the impacts of the major pro-inflammatory cells, mediators and their downstream signaling molecules in TME on cancer development. We also discuss the application of targeting important components in the TME in the clinical management of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalei Wen
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingjie Zhu
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caishi Zhang
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuchen Gao
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Li
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Yang
- Department of Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Hongyan Yang, ; Tongzheng Liu, ; Hui Tang,
| | - Tongzheng Liu
- College of Pharmacy/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Hongyan Yang, ; Tongzheng Liu, ; Hui Tang,
| | - Hui Tang
- Department of Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University (Heyuan Shenhe People’s Hospital), Heyuan, China,*Correspondence: Hongyan Yang, ; Tongzheng Liu, ; Hui Tang,
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199
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ZIP1 + fibroblasts protect lung cancer against chemotherapy via connexin-43 mediated intercellular Zn 2+ transfer. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5919. [PMID: 36207295 PMCID: PMC9547061 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33521-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumour-stroma cell interactions impact cancer progression and therapy responses. Intercellular communication between fibroblasts and cancer cells using various soluble mediators has often been reported. In this study, we find that a zinc-transporter (ZIP1) positive tumour-associated fibroblast subset is enriched after chemotherapy and directly interconnects lung cancer cells with gap junctions. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we identify several fibroblast subpopulations, among which Zip1+ fibroblasts are highly enriched in mouse lung tumours after doxorubicin treatment. ZIP1 expression on fibroblasts enhances gap junction formation in cancer cells by upregulating connexin-43. Acting as a Zn2+ reservoir, ZIP1+ fibroblasts absorb and transfer Zn2+ to cancer cells, leading to ABCB1-mediated chemoresistance. Clinically, ZIP1high stromal fibroblasts are also associated with chemoresistance in human lung cancers. Taken together, our results reveal a mechanism by which fibroblasts interact directly with tumour cells via gap junctions and contribute to chemoresistance in lung cancer.
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200
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Hashemi M, Hasani S, Hajimazdarany S, Mirmazloomi SR, Makvandy S, Zabihi A, Goldoost Y, Gholinia N, Kakavand A, Tavakolpournegari A, Salimimoghadam S, Nabavi N, Zarrabi A, Taheriazam A, Entezari M, Hushmandi K. Non-coding RNAs targeting notch signaling pathway in cancer: From proliferation to cancer therapy resistance. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 222:1151-1167. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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