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Yao J, Duan L, Huang X, Liu J, Fan X, Xiao Z, Yan R, Liu H, An G, Hu B, Ge Y. Development and Validation of a Prognostic Gene Signature Correlated With M2 Macrophage Infiltration in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:769727. [PMID: 34926275 PMCID: PMC8677679 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.769727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common type of esophageal cancer and the seventh most prevalent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been confirmed to play an crucial role in ESCC progression, prognosis, and the response to immunotherapy. There is a need for predictive biomarkers of TME-related processes to better prognosticate ESCC outcomes. Aim To identify a novel gene signature linked with the TME to predict the prognosis of ESCC. Methods We calculated the immune/stromal scores of 95 ESCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) using the ESTIMATE algorithm, and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between high and low immune/stromal score patients. The key prognostic genes were further analyzed by the intersection of protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks and univariate Cox regression analysis. Finally, a risk score model was constructed using multivariate Cox regression analysis. We evaluated the associations between the risk score model and immune infiltration via the CIBERSORT algorithm. Moreover, we validated the signature using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Within the ten gene signature, five rarely reported genes were further validated with quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using an ESCC tissue cDNA microarray. Results A total of 133 up-regulated genes were identified as DEGs. Ten prognostic genes were selected based on intersection analysis of univariate COX regression analysis and PPI, and consisted of C1QA, C1QB, C1QC, CD86, C3AR1, CSF1R, ITGB2, LCP2, SPI1, and TYROBP (HR>1, p<0.05). The expression of 9 of these genes in the tumor samples were significantly higher compared to matched adjacent normal tissue based on the GEO database (p<0.05). Next, we assessed the ability of the ten-gene signature to predict the overall survival of ESCC patients, and found that the high-risk group had significantly poorer outcomes compared to the low-risk group using univariate and multivariate analyses in the TCGA and GEO cohorts (HR=2.104, 95% confidence interval:1.343-3.295, p=0.001; HR=1.6915, 95% confidence interval:1.053-2.717, p=0.0297). Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated a relatively sensitive and specific profile for the signature (1-, 2-, 3-year AUC=0.672, 0.854, 0.81). To identify the basis for these differences in the TME, we performed correlation analyses and found a significant positive correlation with M1 and M2 macrophages and CD8+ T cells, as well as a strong correlation to M2 macrophage surface markers. A nomogram based on the risk score and select clinicopathologic characteristics was constructed to predict overall survival of ESCC patients. For validation, qRT-PCR of an ESCC patient cDNA microarray was performed, and demonstrated that C1QA, C3AR1, LCP2, SPI1, and TYROBP were up-regulated in tumor samples and predict poor prognosis. Conclusion This study established and validated a novel 10-gene signature linked with M2 macrophages and poor prognosis in ESCC patients. Importantly, we identified C1QA, C3AR1, LCP2, SPI1, and TYROBP as novel M2 macrophage-correlated survival biomarkers. These findings may identify potential targets for therapy in ESCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Yao
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Duan
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuying Huang
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Medical Research Center, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaona Fan
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zeru Xiao
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Yan
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Heshu Liu
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guangyu An
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Ge
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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152
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Dosch AR, Singh S, Nagathihalli NS, Datta J, Merchant NB. Interleukin-1 signaling in solid organ malignancies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1877:188670. [PMID: 34923027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As inflammation plays a critical role in the development and progression of cancer, therapeutic targeting of cytokine pathways involved in both tumorigenesis and dictating response to clinical treatments are of significant interest. Recent evidence has highlighted the importance of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) as a key mediator of tumor growth, metastatic disease spread, immunosuppression, and drug resistance in cancer. IL-1 promotes tumorigenesis through diverse mechanisms, including the activation of oncogenic signaling pathways directly in tumor cells and via orchestrating crosstalk between the cellular constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby driving cancer growth. This review will provide an overview of IL-1 signaling and physiology and summarize the disparate mechanisms involving IL-1 in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Additionally, clinical studies targeting IL-1 signaling in the management of solid organ tumors will be summarized herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin R Dosch
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States of America; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Samara Singh
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States of America; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Nagaraj S Nagathihalli
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States of America; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Jashodeep Datta
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States of America; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Nipun B Merchant
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States of America; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America.
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153
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Johnson RL, Cummings M, Thangavelu A, Theophilou G, de Jong D, Orsi NM. Barriers to Immunotherapy in Ovarian Cancer: Metabolic, Genomic, and Immune Perturbations in the Tumour Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:6231. [PMID: 34944851 PMCID: PMC8699358 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13246231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A lack of explicit early clinical signs and effective screening measures mean that ovarian cancer (OC) often presents as advanced, incurable disease. While conventional treatment combines maximal cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, patients frequently develop chemoresistance and disease recurrence. The clinical application of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) aims to restore anti-cancer T-cell function in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Disappointingly, even though tumour infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with superior survival in OC, ICB has offered limited therapeutic benefits. Herein, we discuss specific TME features that prevent ICB from reaching its full potential, focussing in particular on the challenges created by immune, genomic and metabolic alterations. We explore both recent and current therapeutic strategies aiming to overcome these hurdles, including the synergistic effect of combination treatments with immune-based strategies and review the status quo of current clinical trials aiming to maximise the success of immunotherapy in OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Racheal Louise Johnson
- Department Gynaecological Oncology, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (A.T.); (G.T.); (D.d.J.)
| | - Michele Cummings
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (M.C.); (N.M.O.)
| | - Amudha Thangavelu
- Department Gynaecological Oncology, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (A.T.); (G.T.); (D.d.J.)
| | - Georgios Theophilou
- Department Gynaecological Oncology, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (A.T.); (G.T.); (D.d.J.)
| | - Diederick de Jong
- Department Gynaecological Oncology, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (A.T.); (G.T.); (D.d.J.)
| | - Nicolas Michel Orsi
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (M.C.); (N.M.O.)
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Sunaga N, Miura Y, Kasahara N, Sakurai R. Targeting Oncogenic KRAS in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235956. [PMID: 34885068 PMCID: PMC8656763 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) is the most common driver in NSCLC, and targeting oncogenic KRAS is a major challenge in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While several covalent KRAS G12C inhibitors have emerged as a novel anti-KRAS therapy, the development of combined therapies involving the targeting of oncogenic KRAS plus other targeted drugs is still required given the vast heterogeneity of KRAS-mutated tumors. In this review, we summarize the biological and immunological characteristics of oncogenic KRAS-driven NSCLC and the preclinical and clinical evidence for mutant KRAS-targeted therapies. We also discuss the mechanisms of resistance to KRAS G12C inhibitors and possible therapeutic strategies to overcome this drug resistance. Abstract Recent advances in molecular biology and the resultant identification of driver oncogenes have achieved major progress in precision medicine for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) is the most common driver in NSCLC, and targeting KRAS is considerably important. The recent discovery of covalent KRAS G12C inhibitors offers hope for improving the prognosis of NSCLC patients, but the development of combination therapies corresponding to tumor characteristics is still required given the vast heterogeneity of KRAS-mutated NSCLC. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of KRAS mutations regarding the involvement of malignant transformation and describe the preclinical and clinical evidence for targeting KRAS-mutated NSCLC. We also discuss the mechanisms of resistance to KRAS G12C inhibitors and possible combination treatment strategies to overcome this drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriaki Sunaga
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-27-220-8000
| | - Yosuke Miura
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan;
| | - Norimitsu Kasahara
- Innovative Medical Research Center, Gunma University Hospital, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan;
| | - Reiko Sakurai
- Oncology Center, Gunma University Hospital, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan;
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Resistance of B-Cell Lymphomas to CAR T-Cell Therapy Is Associated With Genomic Tumor Changes Which Can Result in Transdifferentiation. Am J Surg Pathol 2021; 46:742-753. [PMID: 34799485 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000001834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite the impressive efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy (CART) in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, durable responses are uncommon. The histopathologic and molecular features associated with treatment failure are still largely unknown. Therefore, we have analyzed 19 sequential tumor samples from 9 patients, prior anti-CD19 CART (pre-CART) and at relapse (post-CART), using immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization, array comparative genomic hybridization, next-generation DNA and RNA sequencing, and genome-scale DNA methylation. The initial diagnosis was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n=6), double-hit high-grade B-cell lymphoma (n=1), and Burkitt lymphoma (n=2). Histopathologic features were mostly retained at relapse in 7/9 patients, except the frequent loss of 1 or several B-cell markers. The remaining 2 cases (1 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and 1 Burkitt lymphoma) displayed a dramatic phenotypic shift in post-CART tumors, with the drastic downfall of B-cell markers and emergence of T-cell or histiocytic markers, despite the persistence of identical clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements. The post-CART tumor with aberrant T-cell phenotype showed reduced mRNA expression of most B-cell genes with increased methylation of their promoter. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and comparative genomic hybridization showed global stability of chromosomal alterations in all paired samples, including 17p/TP53 deletions. New pathogenic variants acquired in post-CART samples included mutations triggering the PI3K pathway (PIK3R1, PIK3R2, PIK3C2G) or associated with tumor aggressiveness (KRAS, INPP4B, SF3B1, SYNE1, TBL1XR1). These results indicate that CART-resistant B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas display genetic remodeling, which may result in profound dysregulation of B-cell differentiation. Acquired mutations in the PI3K and KRAS pathways suggest that some targeted therapies could be useful to overcome CART resistance.
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156
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Kargbo RB. Targeting KRAS Mutant Protein Inhibitor for Potential Treatment in Cancer. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1633-1634. [PMID: 34795848 PMCID: PMC8591626 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Kargbo
- Usona Institute, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis
Obispo, California 93401-7337, United States
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157
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Construction and Validation of an Immune-Related Gene Prognostic Index for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:7430315. [PMID: 34722771 PMCID: PMC8553461 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7430315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy may benefit patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, novel biomarkers are needed to help predict the response of patients to treatment. Differentially expressed immune-related genes within The Cancer Genome Atlas ESCC dataset were selected using the weighted gene coexpression network and lasso Cox regression analyses. Based on these data, an immune-related gene prognostic index (IRGPI) was constructed. The molecular characteristics of the different IRGPI subgroups were assessed using mutation information and gene set enrichment analysis. Differences in immune cell infiltration and the response to ICI therapy and other drugs were also analyzed. Additionally, tumor and adjacent control tissues were collected from six patients with ESCC and the expression of these genes was verified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. IRGPI was designed based on CLDN1, HCAR3, FNBP1L, and BRCA2, the expression of which was confirmed in ESCC samples. The prognosis of patients in the high-IRGPI group was poor, as verified using publicly available expression data. KMT2D mutations were more common in the high-IRGPI group. Enrichment analysis revealed an active immune response, and immune infiltration assessment showed that the high-IRGPI group had an increased infiltration degree of CD8 T cells, which contributed to the improved response to ICI treatment. Collectively, these data demonstrate that IRGPI is a robust biomarker for predicting the prognosis and response to therapy of patients with ESCC.
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158
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Jun E, Koo B, Kim EJ, Hwang DW, Lee JH, Song KB, Lee W, Park Y, Hong S, Shin Y, Kim SC. Analysis of KRAS Mutation Subtype in Tissue DNA and Cell-Free DNA Using Droplet Digital PCR and the Function of Cell-Free DNA as a Recurrence Predictive Marker in Pancreatic Cancer. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111599. [PMID: 34829828 PMCID: PMC8615414 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
KRAS mutation is a major regulator in the tumor progression of pancreatic cancer. Here, we compared the frequency and mutation burden of KRAS mutation subtypes with paired tumor tissue and blood in patients and examined their clinical significance. DNA from tumor tissues and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from preoperative blood were obtained from 70 patients with pancreatic cancer. Subtypes and mutation burdens of KRAS G12D and G12V mutations were evaluated using droplet digital PCR. Comparing the presence of mutations in tissue, accumulative and simultaneous mutations of G12D or G12V were identified of 67 (95.7%), and 48 patients (68.6%). Conversely, in blood, they were only identified in 18 (25.7%) and four (5.7%) patients; respectively. Next, comparing the mutation burden in tissue, the mutation burden varied from less than 0.1 to more than five, whereas that of cfDNA in blood was mostly between one and five, as cases with a mutation burden lower than 0.1 and higher than five were rare. Finally, the presence of the G12V mutation alone in cfDNA and the combination of the G12V mutation with elevated CA 19-9 levels were associated with poor recurrence-free survival. These fundamental data on the KRAS mutation subtypes and their clinical significance could support their potential as predictive markers for postoperative recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunsung Jun
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea;
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (Y.S.); (S.C.K.); Tel.: +82-2-3010-1696 (E.J.); +82-2-2123-2885 (Y.S.); +82-2-3010-3936 (S.C.K.); Fax: +82-2-474-9027 (E.J.); +82-2-362-7265 (Y.S.); +82-2-474-9027 (S.C.K.)
| | - Bonhan Koo
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Eo Jin Kim
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea;
| | - Dae Wook Hwang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Jae Hoon Lee
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Ki Byung Song
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Woohyung Lee
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Yejong Park
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Sarang Hong
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
| | - Yong Shin
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (Y.S.); (S.C.K.); Tel.: +82-2-3010-1696 (E.J.); +82-2-2123-2885 (Y.S.); +82-2-3010-3936 (S.C.K.); Fax: +82-2-474-9027 (E.J.); +82-2-362-7265 (Y.S.); +82-2-474-9027 (S.C.K.)
| | - Song Cheol Kim
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; (D.W.H.); (J.H.L.); (K.B.S.); (W.L.); (Y.P.); (S.H.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (Y.S.); (S.C.K.); Tel.: +82-2-3010-1696 (E.J.); +82-2-2123-2885 (Y.S.); +82-2-3010-3936 (S.C.K.); Fax: +82-2-474-9027 (E.J.); +82-2-362-7265 (Y.S.); +82-2-474-9027 (S.C.K.)
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Bansod S, Dodhiawala PB, Lim KH. Oncogenic KRAS-Induced Feedback Inflammatory Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer: An Overview and New Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215481. [PMID: 34771644 PMCID: PMC8582583 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains highly refractory to treatment. While the KRAS oncogene is present in almost all PDAC cases and accounts for many of the malignant feats of PDAC, targeting KRAS or its canonical, direct effector cascades remains unsuccessful in patients. The recalcitrant nature of PDAC is also heavily influenced by its highly fibro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME), which comprises an acellular extracellular matrix and various types of non-neoplastic cells including fibroblasts, immune cells, and adipocytes, underscoring the critical need to delineate the bidirectional signaling interplay between PDAC cells and the TME in order to develop novel therapeutic strategies. The impact of tumor-cell KRAS signaling on various cell types in the TME has been well covered by several reviews. In this article, we critically reviewed evidence, including work from our group, on how the feedback inflammatory signals from the TME impact and synergize with oncogenic KRAS signaling in PDAC cells, ultimately augmenting their malignant behavior. We discussed past and ongoing clinical trials that target key inflammatory pathways in PDAC and highlight lessons to be learned from outcomes. Lastly, we provided our perspective on the future of developing therapeutic strategies for PDAC through understanding the breadth and complexity of KRAS and the inflammatory signaling network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sapana Bansod
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and The Alvin J. Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (S.B.); (P.B.D.)
| | - Paarth B. Dodhiawala
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and The Alvin J. Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (S.B.); (P.B.D.)
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Kian-Huat Lim
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and The Alvin J. Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (S.B.); (P.B.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-314-362-6157
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160
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Kargbo RB. KRAS Mutant Combination Therapy for the Effective Treatment of Cancer. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1517-1518. [PMID: 34676026 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Kargbo
- Usona Institute, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401-7337, United States
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161
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Kargbo RB. Dual Inhibition of KRAS G12C and G12D Mutants as a Potential Treatment in Cancer Therapy. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1512-1513. [PMID: 34676024 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Kargbo
- Usona Institute, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401-7337, United States
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162
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Leal AS, Moerland JA, Zhang D, Carapellucci S, Lockwood B, Krieger-Burke T, Aleiwi B, Ellsworth E, Liby KT. The RXR Agonist MSU42011 Is Effective for the Treatment of Preclinical HER2+ Breast Cancer and Kras-Driven Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5004. [PMID: 34638488 PMCID: PMC8508021 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13195004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Notwithstanding numerous therapeutic advances, 176,000 deaths from breast and lung cancers will occur in the United States in 2021 alone. The tumor microenvironment and its modulation by drugs have gained increasing attention and relevance, especially with the introduction of immunotherapy as a standard of care in clinical practice. Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and upon ligand binding, function as transcription factors to modulate multiple cell functions. Bexarotene, the only FDA-approved RXR agonist, is still used to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. (2) Methods: To test the immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects of MSU42011, a new RXR agonist, we used two different immunocompetent murine models (MMTV-Neu mice, a HER2 positive model of breast cancer and the A/J mouse model, in which vinyl carbamate is used to initiate lung tumorigenesis) and an immunodeficient xenograft lung cancer model. (3) Results: Treatment of established tumors in immunocompetent models of HER2-positive breast cancer and Kras-driven lung cancer with MSU42011 significantly decreased the tumor burden and increased the ratio of CD8/CD4, CD25 T cells, which correlates with enhanced anti-tumor efficacy. Moreover, the combination of MSU42011 and immunotherapy (anti-PDL1 and anti-PD1 antibodies) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced tumor size vs. individual treatments. However, MSU42011 was ineffective in an athymic human A549 lung cancer xenograft model, supporting an immunomodulatory mechanism of action. (4) Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that the RXR agonist MSU42011 can be used to modulate the tumor microenvironment in breast and lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana S. Leal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Jessica A. Moerland
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Sarah Carapellucci
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Beth Lockwood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
| | - Teresa Krieger-Burke
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- In Vivo Facility, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Bilal Aleiwi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- Medicinal Chemistry Facility, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Edmund Ellsworth
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- Medicinal Chemistry Facility, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Karen T. Liby
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.S.L.); (J.A.M.); (D.Z.); (S.C.); (B.L.); (T.K.-B.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
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Ras-p53 genomic cooperativity as a model to investigate mechanisms of innate immune regulation in gastrointestinal cancers. Oncotarget 2021; 12:2104-2110. [PMID: 34611484 PMCID: PMC8487722 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite increasingly thorough mechanistic understanding of the dominant genetic drivers of gastrointestinal (GI) tumorigenesis (e.g., Ras/Raf, TP53, etc.), only a small proportion of these molecular alterations are therapeutically actionable. In an attempt to address this therapeutic impasse, our group has proposed an innovative extreme outlier model to identify novel cooperative molecular vulnerabilities in high-risk GI cancers which dictate prognosis, correlate with distinct patterns of metastasis, and define therapeutic sensitivity or resistance. Our model also proposes comprehensive investigation of their downstream transcriptomic, immunomic, metabolic, or upstream epigenomic cellular consequences to reveal novel therapeutic targets in previously “undruggable” tumors with high-risk genomic features. Leveraging this methodology, our and others’ data reveal that the genomic cooperativity between Ras and p53 alterations is not only prognostically relevant in GI malignancy, but may also represent the incipient molecular events that initiate and sustain innate immunoregulatory signaling networks within the GI tumor microenvironment, driving T-cell exclusion and therapeutic resistance in these cancers. As such, deciphering the unique transcriptional programs encoded by Ras-p53 cooperativity that promote innate immune trafficking and chronic inflammatory tumor-stromal-immune crosstalk may uncover immunologic vulnerabilities that could be exploited to develop novel therapeutic strategies for these difficult-to-treat malignancies.
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164
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Highlights on the Role of KRAS Mutations in Reshaping the Microenvironment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910219. [PMID: 34638560 PMCID: PMC8508406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The most frequent mutated oncogene family in the history of human cancer is the RAS gene family, including NRAS, HRAS, and, most importantly, KRAS. A hallmark of pancreatic cancer, recalcitrant cancer with a very low survival rate, is the prevalence of oncogenic mutations in the KRAS gene. Due to this fact, studying the function of KRAS and the impact of its mutations on the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a priority for understanding pancreatic cancer progression and designing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of the dismal disease. Despite some recent enlightening studies, there is still a wide gap in our knowledge regarding the impact of KRAS mutations on different components of the pancreatic TME. In this review, we will present an updated summary of mutant KRAS role in the initiation, progression, and modulation of the TME of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This review will highlight the intriguing link between diabetes mellitus and PDAC, as well as vitamin D as an adjuvant effective therapy via TME modulation of PDAC. We will also discuss different ongoing clinical trials that use KRAS oncogene signaling network as therapeutic targets.
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165
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Wattenberg MM, Reiss KA. Determinants of Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4716. [PMID: 34572943 PMCID: PMC8466888 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a treatment-resistant malignancy associated with high mortality. However, defective homologous recombination (HR), a DNA repair mechanism required for high-fidelity repair of double-strand DNA breaks, is a therapeutic vulnerability. Consistent with this, a subset of patients with pancreatic cancer show unique tumor responsiveness to HR-dependent DNA damage triggered by certain treatments (platinum chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors). While pathogenic mutations in HR genes are a major driver of this sensitivity, another layer of diverse tumor intrinsic and extrinsic factors regulate the HR deficiency (HRD) phenotype. Defining the mechanisms that drive HRD may guide the development of novel strategies and therapeutics to induce treatment sensitivity in non-HRD tumors. Here, we discuss the complexity underlying HRD in pancreatic cancer and highlight implications for identifying and treating this distinct subset of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max M. Wattenberg
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kim A. Reiss
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Modulating Tumor Microenvironment: A Review on STK11 Immune Properties and Predictive vs Prognostic Role for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Immunotherapy. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2021; 22:96. [PMID: 34524570 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-021-00891-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT The quest for immunotherapy (IT) biomarkers is an element of highest clinical interest in both solid and hematologic tumors. In non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, besides PD-L1 expression evaluation with its intrinsic limitations, tissue and circulating parameters, likely portraying the tumor and its stromal/immune counterparts, have been proposed as potential predictors of IT responsiveness. STK11 mutations have been globally labeled as markers of IT resistance. After a thorough literature review, STK11 mutations condition the prognosis of NSCLC patients receiving ICI-containing regimens, implying a relevant biological and clinical significance. On the other hand, waiting for prospective and solid data, the putative negative predictive value of STK11 inactivation towards IT is sustained by less evidence. The physiologic regulation of multiple cellular pathways performed by STK11 likely explains the multifaceted modifications in tumor cells, stroma, and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) observed in STK11 mutant lung cancer, particularly explored in the molecular subgroup of KRAS co-mutation. IT approaches available thus far in NSCLC, mainly represented by anti-PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, are not promising in the case of STK11 inactivation. Perceptive strategies aimed at modulating the TIME, regardless of STK11 status or specifically addressed to STK11-mutated cases, will hopefully provide valid therapeutic options to be adopted in the clinical practice.
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167
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Zhang X, Lin ZI, Yang J, Liu GL, Hu Z, Huang H, Li X, Liu Q, Ma M, Xu Z, Xu G, Yong KT, Tsai WC, Tsai TH, Ko BT, Chen CK, Yang C. Carbon Dioxide-Derived Biodegradable and Cationic Polycarbonates as a New siRNA Carrier for Gene Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11092312. [PMID: 34578632 PMCID: PMC8472555 DOI: 10.3390/nano11092312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy associated with poor prognosis and a high tendency in developing infiltration and metastasis. K-ras mutation is a major genetic disorder in pancreatic cancer patient. RNAi-based therapies can be employed for combating pancreatic cancer by silencing K-ras gene expression. However, the clinical application of RNAi technology is appreciably limited by the lack of a proper siRNA delivery system. To tackle this hurdle, cationic poly (cyclohexene carbonate) s (CPCHCs) using widely sourced CO2 as the monomer are subtly synthesized via ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) and thiol-ene functionalization. The developed CPCHCs could effectively encapsulate therapeutic siRNA to form CPCHC/siRNA nanoplexes (NPs). Serving as a siRNA carrier, CPCHC possesses biodegradability, negligible cytotoxicity, and high transfection efficiency. In vitro study shows that CPCHCs are capable of effectively protecting siRNA from being degraded by RNase and promoting a sustained endosomal escape of siRNA. After treatment with CPCHC/siRNA NPs, the K-ras gene expression in both pancreatic cancer cell line (PANC-1 and MiaPaCa-2) are significantly down-regulated. Subsequently, the cell growth and migration are considerably inhibited, and the treated cells are induced into cell apoptotic program. These results demonstrate the promising potential of CPCHC-mediated siRNA therapies in pancreatic cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmeng Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Zheng-Ian Lin
- Polymeric Biomaterials Laboratory, Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan;
| | - Jingyu Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Guan-Lin Liu
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan;
| | - Zulu Hu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Haoqiang Huang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Xiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Qiqi Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Mingze Ma
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhourui Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Gaixia Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
| | - Ken-Tye Yong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Wei-Chung Tsai
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (W.-C.T.); (T.-H.T.)
| | - Tzu-Hsien Tsai
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (W.-C.T.); (T.-H.T.)
| | - Bao-Tsan Ko
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan;
- Correspondence: (B.-T.K.); (C.-K.C.); (C.Y.); Tel.: +886-4-2284-0411 (ext. 715) (B.-T.K.); +886-7-525-2000 (ext. 4060) (C.-K.C.); +86-0755-2693-2683 (C.Y.)
| | - Chih-Kuang Chen
- Polymeric Biomaterials Laboratory, Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan;
- Correspondence: (B.-T.K.); (C.-K.C.); (C.Y.); Tel.: +886-4-2284-0411 (ext. 715) (B.-T.K.); +886-7-525-2000 (ext. 4060) (C.-K.C.); +86-0755-2693-2683 (C.Y.)
| | - Chengbin Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (X.Z.); (J.Y.); (Z.H.); (H.H.); (X.L.); (Q.L.); (M.M.); (Z.X.); (G.X.)
- Correspondence: (B.-T.K.); (C.-K.C.); (C.Y.); Tel.: +886-4-2284-0411 (ext. 715) (B.-T.K.); +886-7-525-2000 (ext. 4060) (C.-K.C.); +86-0755-2693-2683 (C.Y.)
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Bannoura SF, Uddin MH, Nagasaka M, Fazili F, Al-Hallak MN, Philip PA, El-Rayes B, Azmi AS. Targeting KRAS in pancreatic cancer: new drugs on the horizon. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2021; 40:819-835. [PMID: 34499267 PMCID: PMC8556325 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-021-09990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) is a master oncogene involved in cellular proliferation and survival and is the most commonly mutated oncogene in all cancers. Activating KRAS mutations are present in over 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cases and are implicated in tumor initiation and progression. Although KRAS is a critical oncogene, and therefore an important therapeutic target, its therapeutic inhibition has been very challenging, and only recently specific mutant KRAS inhibitors have been discovered. In this review, we discuss the activation of KRAS signaling and the role of mutant KRAS in PDAC development. KRAS has long been considered undruggable, and many drug discovery efforts which focused on indirect targeting have been unsuccessful. We discuss the various efforts for therapeutic targeting of KRAS. Further, we explore the reasons behind these obstacles, novel successful approaches to target mutant KRAS including G12C mutation as well as the mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar F Bannoura
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Md Hafiz Uddin
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Misako Nagasaka
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCI Health, Orange, CA, 92868, USA
| | - Farzeen Fazili
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Mohammed Najeeb Al-Hallak
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Philip A Philip
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Bassel El-Rayes
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Asfar S Azmi
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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Lindsay CR, Garassino MC, Nadal E, Öhrling K, Scheffler M, Mazières J. On target: Rational approaches to KRAS inhibition for treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma. Lung Cancer 2021; 160:152-165. [PMID: 34417059 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer death. Approximately one-third of patients with NSCLC have a KRAS mutation. KRASG12C, the most common mutation, is found in ~13% of patients. While KRAS was long considered 'undruggable', several novel direct KRASG12C inhibitors have shown encouraging signs of efficacy in phase I/II trials and one of these (sotorasib) has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This review examines the role of KRAS mutations in NSCLC and the challenges in targeting KRAS. Based on specific KRAS biology, it reports exciting progress, exploring the use of novel direct KRAS inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination with other targeted therapies, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin R Lindsay
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK; Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, Manchester and London, UK.
| | | | - Ernest Nadal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Duran i Reynals Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Matthias Scheffler
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology, and Lung Cancer Group, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Julien Mazières
- Service de Pneumologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
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170
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Seitlinger J, Prieto M, Guerrera F, Streit A, Gauchotte G, Siat J, Falcoz PE, Massard G, Ferri L, Spicer J, Renaud S. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is correlated to driver gene mutations in surgically-resected non-small cell lung cancer and its post-operative evolution impacts outcomes. Clin Lung Cancer 2021; 23:e29-e42. [PMID: 34583910 DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We sought to evaluate prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its correlation to oncogenic drivers. We retrospectively reviewed data of patients who underwent anatomic lung resection for NSCLC and whose mutational status was known, from 4 department of thoracic surgery, over the period 2008 to 2019. Primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR). Clinical and molecular factors were investigated in the univariate and multivariate analysis for their association with the primary endpoints. RESULTS 2027 patients were included in the analysis. Correlations between NLR and OS (R2=0.21), NLR and TTR (R2=0.085) were significant (P<0.0001), with corresponding Pearson R of -0.46 (P<0.0001) and -0.292 (P<0.001), respectively. ROC curve analysis defined NLR cut-off value at 4.07. In the univariable analysis, the median OS was 66 months (95% CI: 62.94 - 69.06) in case of pre-operative NLR ≤ 4.07 and 38 months (95% CI: 36.73 - 39.27) in case of pre-operative NLR > 4.07 (P<0.0001), with corresponding 5-y OS of 72% and 29% respectively. Median TTR was associated with pre-operative NLR. Median TTR was 25 months (95% CI: 21.52 - 28.48) in case of pre-operative NLR ≤ 4.07 and 17 months (95% CI: 16.04 - 17.96) in case of pre-operative NLR > 4.07 (P<0.0001), with corresponding 5-years TTR of 18% and 9% respectively. Significant correlations between NLR >4.07 and KRAS (Cramer's V = 0.082, P < 0.0001) and EGFR mutations (Cramer's V = 0.064, P = 0.004) were observed. CONCLUSIONS Low pre-operative NLR is associated with longer OS in patients with resected NSCLC. Low pre-operative NLR is not associated with longer TTR in multivariate analysis. Correlation between the high NLR and KRAS/EGFR mutations were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Seitlinger
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nancy Regional University Hospital, Nancy, France.
| | - Mathilde Prieto
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nancy Regional University Hospital, Nancy, France
| | | | - Arthur Streit
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nancy Regional University Hospital, Nancy, France
| | | | - Joelle Siat
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nancy Regional University Hospital, Nancy, France
| | | | - Gilbert Massard
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lorenzo Ferri
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jonathan Spicer
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Stéphane Renaud
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nancy Regional University Hospital, Nancy, France
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171
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Kargbo RB. Small Molecule Inhibitors of KRAS G12C Mutant. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1210-1211. [PMID: 34413946 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Kargbo
- Usona Institute, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401-7337, United States
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172
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Kargbo RB. Targeting the KRAS G12D Mutant as Potential Therapy in Cancer. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1212-1213. [PMID: 34413947 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Kargbo
- Usona Institute, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401-7337, United States
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173
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Kargbo RB. Small Molecule Inhibitors of KRAS Mutant as a Therapeutic Strategy for the Treatment of Cancer. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1183-1185. [PMID: 34413934 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Kargbo
- Usona Institute, 277 Granada Drive, San Luis Obispo, California 93401-7337, United States
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174
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Schuler LA, Murdoch FE. Endogenous and Therapeutic Estrogens: Maestro Conductors of the Microenvironment of ER+ Breast Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3725. [PMID: 34359625 PMCID: PMC8345134 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) marks heterogeneous breast cancers which display a repertoire of somatic genomic mutations and an immune environment that differs from other breast cancer subtypes. These cancers also exhibit distinct biological behaviors; despite an overall better prognosis than HER2+ or triple negative breast cancers, disseminated dormant cells can lead to disease recurrence decades after the initial diagnosis and treatment. Estrogen is the best studied driver of these cancers, and antagonism or reduction of estrogen activity is the cornerstone of therapeutic approaches. In addition to reducing proliferation of ERα+ cancer cells, these treatments also alter signals to multiple other target cells in the environment, including immune cell subpopulations, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells via several distinct estrogen receptors. In this review, we update progress in our understanding of the stromal cells populating the microenvironments of primary and metastatic ER+ tumors, the effects of estrogen on tumor and stromal cells to modulate immune activity and the extracellular matrix, and net outcomes in experimental and clinical studies. We highlight new approaches that will illuminate the unique biology of these cancers, provide the foundation for developing new treatment and prevention strategies, and reduce mortality of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A. Schuler
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
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175
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Cuesta C, Arévalo-Alameda C, Castellano E. The Importance of Being PI3K in the RAS Signaling Network. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1094. [PMID: 34356110 PMCID: PMC8303222 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ras proteins are essential mediators of a multitude of cellular processes, and its deregulation is frequently associated with cancer appearance, progression, and metastasis. Ras-driven cancers are usually aggressive and difficult to treat. Although the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the first Ras G12C inhibitor is an important milestone, only a small percentage of patients will benefit from it. A better understanding of the context in which Ras operates in different tumor types and the outcomes mediated by each effector pathway may help to identify additional strategies and targets to treat Ras-driven tumors. Evidence emerging in recent years suggests that both oncogenic Ras signaling in tumor cells and non-oncogenic Ras signaling in stromal cells play an essential role in cancer. PI3K is one of the main Ras effectors, regulating important cellular processes such as cell viability or resistance to therapy or angiogenesis upon oncogenic Ras activation. In this review, we will summarize recent advances in the understanding of Ras-dependent activation of PI3K both in physiological conditions and cancer, with a focus on how this signaling pathway contributes to the formation of a tumor stroma that promotes tumor cell proliferation, migration, and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Esther Castellano
- Tumour-Stroma Signalling Laboratory, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (C.C.); (C.A.-A.)
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176
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Pecci F, Cantini L, Bittoni A, Lenci E, Lupi A, Crocetti S, Giglio E, Giampieri R, Berardi R. Beyond Microsatellite Instability: Evolving Strategies Integrating Immunotherapy for Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2021; 22:69. [PMID: 34110510 PMCID: PMC8192371 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-021-00870-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease, characterized by several subtypes with distinctive genetic and epigenetic patterns. During the last years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revamped the standard of care of several tumors such as non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, highlighting the role of immune cells in tumor microenvironment (TME) and their impact on cancer progression and treatment efficacy. An "immunoscore," based on the percentage of two lymphocyte populations both at tumor core and invasive margin, has been shown to improve prediction of treatment outcome when added to UICC-TNM classification. To date, pembrolizumab, an anti-programmed death protein 1 (PD1) inhibitor, has gained approval as first-line therapy for mismatch-repair-deficient (dMMR) and microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) advanced CRC. On the other hand, no reports of efficacy have been presented in mismatch-repair-proficient (pMMR) and microsatellite instability-low (MSI-L) or microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC. This group includes roughly 95% of all advanced CRC, and standard chemotherapy, in addition to anti-EGFR or anti-angiogenesis drugs, still represents first treatment choice. Hopefully, deeper understanding of CRC immune landscape and of the impact of specific genetic and epigenetic alterations on tumor immunogenicity might lead to the development of new drug combination strategies to overcome ICIs resistance in pMMR CRC, thus paving the way for immunotherapy even in this subgroup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Pecci
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Luca Cantini
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bittoni
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Edoardo Lenci
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Alessio Lupi
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Sonia Crocetti
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Enrica Giglio
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Riccardo Giampieri
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Rossana Berardi
- Clinical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Via Conca 71, 60126 Ancona, Italy
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177
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Molina-Arcas M, Samani A, Downward J. Drugging the Undruggable: Advances on RAS Targeting in Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:899. [PMID: 34200676 PMCID: PMC8228461 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Around 20% of all malignancies harbour activating mutations in RAS isoforms. Despite this, there is a deficiency of RAS-targeting agents licensed for therapeutic use. The picomolar affinity of RAS for GTP, and the lack of suitable pockets for high-affinity small-molecule binding, precluded effective therapies despite decades of research. Recently, characterisation of the biochemical properties of KRAS-G12C along with discovery of its 'switch-II pocket' have allowed development of effective mutant-specific inhibitors. Currently seven KRAS-G12C inhibitors are in clinical trials and sotorasib has become the first one to be granted FDA approval. Here, we discuss historical efforts to target RAS directly and approaches to target RAS effector signalling, including combinations that overcome limitations of single-agent targeting. We also review pre-clinical and clinical evidence for the efficacy of KRAS-G12C inhibitor monotherapy followed by an illustration of combination therapies designed to overcome primary resistance and extend durability of response. Finally, we briefly discuss novel approaches to targeting non-G12C mutant isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amit Samani
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK;
- Department of Medical Oncology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Julian Downward
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK;
- Lung Cancer Group, Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
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178
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Osswald L, Hamarsheh S, Uhl FM, Andrieux G, Klein C, Dierks C, Duquesne S, Braun LM, Schmitt-Graeff A, Duyster J, Boerries M, Brummer T, Zeiser R. Oncogenic KrasG12D Activation in the Nonhematopoietic Bone Marrow Microenvironment Causes Myelodysplastic Syndrome in Mice. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1596-1608. [PMID: 34088868 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The bone marrow microenvironment (BMME) is key player in regulation and maintenance of hematopoiesis. Oncogenic RAS mutations, causing constitutive activation of multiple tumor-promoting pathways, are frequently found in human cancer. So far in hematologic malignancies, RAS mutations have only been reported to occur in hematopoietic cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of oncogenic Kras expression in the BMME in a chimeric mouse model. We observed that an activating mutation of Kras in the nonhematopoietic system leads to a phenotype resembling myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) characterized by peripheral cytopenia, marked dysplasia within the myeloid lineage as well as impaired proliferation and differentiation capacity of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The phenotypic changes could be reverted when the BM was re-isolated and transferred into healthy recipients, indicating that the KrasG12D -activation in the nonhematopoietic BMME was essential for the MDS phenotype. Gene expression analysis of sorted nonhematopoietic BM niche cells from KrasG12D mice revealed upregulation of multiple inflammation-related genes including IL1-superfamily members (Il1α, Il1β, Il1f9) and the NLPR3 inflammasome. Thus, pro-inflammatory IL1-signaling in the BMME may contribute to MDS development. Our findings show that a single genetic change in the nonhematopoietic BMME can cause an MDS phenotype. Oncogenic Kras activation leads to pro-inflammatory signaling in the BMME which impairs HSPCs function. IMPLICATIONS: These findings may help to identify new therapeutic targets for MDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Osswald
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Shaima'a Hamarsheh
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Maria Uhl
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Geoffroy Andrieux
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudius Klein
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christine Dierks
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Duquesne
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lukas M Braun
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Justus Duyster
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF), Medical Center- University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Boerries
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF), Medical Center- University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tilman Brummer
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF), Medical Center- University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Zeiser
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF), Medical Center- University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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179
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Melatonin Downregulates PD-L1 Expression and Modulates Tumor Immunity in KRAS-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115649. [PMID: 34073318 PMCID: PMC8199131 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring a KRAS mutation have unfavorable therapeutic outcomes with chemotherapies, and the mutation also renders tolerance to immunotherapies. There is an unmet need for a new strategy for overcoming immunosuppression in KRAS-mutant NSCLC. The recently discovered role of melatonin demonstrates a wide spectrum of anticancer impacts; however, the effect of melatonin on modulating tumor immunity is largely unknown. In the present study, melatonin treatment significantly reduced cell viability accompanied by inducing cell apoptosis in KRAS-mutant NSCLC cell lines including A549, H460, and LLC1 cells. Mechanistically, we found that lung cancer cells harboring the KRAS mutation exhibited a higher level of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, treatment with melatonin substantially downregulated PD-L1 expressions in both the presence and absence of interferon (IFN)-γ stimulation. Moreover, KRAS-mutant lung cancer cells exhibited higher Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) levels, and PD-L1 expression was positively correlated with YAP and TAZ in lung cancer cells. Treatment with melatonin effectively suppressed YAP and TAZ, which was accompanied by downregulation of YAP/TAZ downstream gene expressions. The combination of melatonin and an inhibitor of YAP/TAZ robustly decreased YAP and PD-L1 expressions. Clinical analysis using public databases revealed that PD-L1 expression was positively correlated with YAP and TAZ in patients with lung cancer, and PD-L1 overexpression suggested poor survival probability. An animal study further revealed that administration of melatonin significantly inhibited tumor growth and modulated tumor immunity in a syngeneic mouse model. Together, our data revealed a novel antitumor mechanism of melatonin in modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by suppressing the YAP/PD-L1 axis and suggest the therapeutic potential of melatonin for treating NSCLC.
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180
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Expression of Immuno-Oncologic Biomarkers Is Enriched in Colorectal Cancers and Other Solid Tumors Harboring the A59T Variant of KRAS. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061275. [PMID: 34063999 PMCID: PMC8224072 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular heterogeneity of KRAS is well established, with a pool of variants comprising >75% of all known mutations; this pool includes mutations in classic codons 12, 13, and 61, as well as 146 and 117. In addition, there are rare variants that are more frequently encountered clinically due to the advances in next-generation sequencing and more widespread implementation of All-RAS sequencing over the past five years. We have previously identified a missense variant of KRAS, A59T, in a patient with CRC that was associated with a response to an epidermal growth factor inhibitor when added to chemotherapy, supporting the hypothesis that distinct biochemical impacts of different KRAS mutations may produce varied responses to targeted therapy. In this study, we explored a large genomic database comprising 17,909 cases of CRC to determine the prevalence of the A59T mutation and characterized the concurrent genomic alterations associated with this variant in more detail, particularly in relation to the expanding set of potential predictive immuno-oncologic biomarkers. We identified 14 cases of A59 mutations in this dataset (0.08% prevalence). We evaluated the prevalence of high tumor mutation burden (TMB), positive PD-L1 expression, and microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficiency (MSI-H/dMMR) using both next generation sequencing (NGS) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The genomic features of pertinent signaling pathways were also described, including RAS pathway, chromatin remodeling, DDR, hedgehog signaling, PI3K, receptor tyrosine kinases, signal transduction, TGF-beta, TP53, and WNT. We uncovered a high level of association of predictive markers of responsiveness to checkpoint inhibition and potentially other forms of immunotherapy, with nearly half of all cases harboring microsatellite instability as assessed using NGS. A59T was also detected in 11 additional cancer types, most prominently in cases of gynecologic or other gastrointestinal sites of origin. This study provides supportive evidence that A59T, and possibly other similarly rare KRAS variants, co-occur with predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy.
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181
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Hibino S, Kawazoe T, Kasahara H, Itoh S, Ishimoto T, Sakata-Yanagimoto M, Taniguchi K. Inflammation-Induced Tumorigenesis and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115421. [PMID: 34063828 PMCID: PMC8196678 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation, especially chronic inflammation, plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and metastasis through various mechanisms and is now recognized as a hallmark of cancer and an attractive therapeutic target in cancer. In this review, we discuss recent advances in molecular mechanisms of how inflammation promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis and suppresses anti-tumor immunity in various types of solid tumors, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer as well as hematopoietic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Hibino
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Inflammology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-0041, Japan;
| | - Tetsuro Kawazoe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan;
| | - Hidenori Kasahara
- National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Department of Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan;
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Shinji Itoh
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan;
| | - Takatsugu Ishimoto
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, International Research Center of Medical Sciences (IRCMS), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan;
| | | | - Koji Taniguchi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-706-5050
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182
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Indini A, Rijavec E, Ghidini M, Cortellini A, Grossi F. Targeting KRAS in Solid Tumors: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities of Novel KRAS Inhibitors. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13050653. [PMID: 34064352 PMCID: PMC8147792 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13050653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activating mutations in RAS family proteins are found in ~25% of all human cancers. Different solid tumors are correlated with mutations in certain isoforms of RAS, with Kirsten RAS (KRAS) being the most frequently mutated isoform. Historically, KRAS has been acknowledged as “undruggable”, largely because the RAS proteins do not appear to present suitable pockets to which small inhibitory molecules can bind. However, this scenario has changed over the last years with the advent of novel KRAS inhibitors. In this review, we describe the role of KRAS mutation across different solid tumors, providing data on novel KRAS inhibitors currently under development and an updated overview of ongoing research in this field. A literature search was performed to select papers, abstracts, and oral presentation on KRAS inhibitory strategies in KRAS mutated solid tumors. Overall, the most promising therapeutic results have been obtained with molecules targeting KRAS G12C, thus paving the way for a significant therapeutic improvement in non-small cell lung cancer. Unfortunately, KRAS G12C mutation is rather uncommon in other solid tumors, namely pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and colorectal cancer. Several combination strategies are currently under evaluation in clinical trials, in order to bypass the resistance mechanisms responsible for the intrinsic resistance of mutated KRAS to the main therapeutic strategies adopted to date. Results suggest that the therapeutic scenario of KRAS has started to change, and further research will bring therapeutic results in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Indini
- Medical Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.I.); (E.R.); (M.G.)
| | - Erika Rijavec
- Medical Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.I.); (E.R.); (M.G.)
| | - Michele Ghidini
- Medical Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.I.); (E.R.); (M.G.)
| | - Alessio Cortellini
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W120NN, UK
| | - Francesco Grossi
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, ASST dei Sette Laghi, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Correspondence: or
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183
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Bellio H, Fumet JD, Ghiringhelli F. Targeting BRAF and RAS in Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092201. [PMID: 34063682 PMCID: PMC8124706 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In colorectal cancer, mutations of the KRAS and BRAF genes are quite common and can contribute to the activation of cell signaling pathways that lead to cell proliferation and differentiation. These processes promote cancer growth, and in some cases, they may cause cells to develop resistance to certain types of treatment, notably EGFR inhibitors. We summarize recent knowledge regarding the effects of KRAS and BRAF mutations in the setting of colorectal cancer and discuss the new therapies under development. Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still one of the most frequent forms of cancer in the world in terms of incidence. Around 40% of CRC patients carry a mutation of the Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) gene, while 10% have a mutation in the B-Raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) gene. These mutations are responsible for dysregulation of the mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, leading to the proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, and resistance to apoptosis of cells. Activation of the MAPK pathway results in adaptive therapeutic resistance, rendering EGFR inhibitors ineffective. This review aims to highlight the recent findings that have improved our understanding of KRAS and BRAF mutations in colorectal cancer and to describe new targeted therapies, used alone or in combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Bellio
- University of Burgundy-Franche Comté, Maison de l’université Esplanade Erasme, 21000 Dijon, France; (H.B.); (J.D.F.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center—UNICANCER, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Jean David Fumet
- University of Burgundy-Franche Comté, Maison de l’université Esplanade Erasme, 21000 Dijon, France; (H.B.); (J.D.F.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center—UNICANCER, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Biological Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center—UNICANCER, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
- UMR INSERM 1231, 7 Boulevard Jeanne d’Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
- Genomic and Immunotherapy Medical Institute, Dijon University Hospital, 14 rue Paul Gaffarel, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Francois Ghiringhelli
- University of Burgundy-Franche Comté, Maison de l’université Esplanade Erasme, 21000 Dijon, France; (H.B.); (J.D.F.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center—UNICANCER, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
- Platform of Transfer in Biological Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center—UNICANCER, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
- UMR INSERM 1231, 7 Boulevard Jeanne d’Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
- Genomic and Immunotherapy Medical Institute, Dijon University Hospital, 14 rue Paul Gaffarel, 21000 Dijon, France
- Correspondence:
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184
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Jiang J, Jin Z, Zhang Y, Peng L, Zhang Y, Zhu Z, Wang Y, Tong D, Yang Y, Wang J, Yang Y, Xiao K. Robust Prediction of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:646874. [PMID: 33927719 PMCID: PMC8076602 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.646874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a revolutionary milestone in the field of immune-oncology. However, the low response rate is the major problem of ICI treatment. The recent studies showed that response rate to single-agent programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibition in unselected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is 25% so that researchers defined several biomarkers to predict the response of immunotherapy in ICIs treatment. Common biomarkers like tumor mutational burden (TMB) and PD-L1 expression have several limitations, such as low accuracy and inadequately validated cutoff value. Methods Two published and an unpublished ICIs treatment NSCLC cohorts with 129 patients were collected and divided into a training cohort (n = 53), a validation cohort (n = 22), and two independent test cohorts (n = 34 and n = 20). We identified six immune-related pathways whose mutational status was significantly associated with overall survival after ICIs treatment. Then these pathways mutational status combined with TMB, PD-L1 expression and intratumor heterogeneity were incorporated to build a Bayesian-regularization neural networks (BRNN) model to predict the ICIs treatment response. Results We firstly proved that TMB, PD-L1, and mutant-allele tumor heterogeneity (MATH) were independent biomarkers. The survival analysis of six immune-related pathways revealed the mutational status could distinguish overall survival after ICIs treatment. When predicting immunotherapy efficacy, the overall accuracy of area under curve (AUC) in validation cohort reaches 0.85, outperforming previous predictors in either sensitivity or specificity. And the AUC in two independent test cohorts reach 0.74 and 0.80. Conclusion We developed a pathway-model that could predict the efficacy of ICIs in NSCLC patients. Our study made a significant contribution to solving the low prediction accuracy of immunotherapy of single biomarker. With the accumulation of larger data sets, further studies are warranted to refine the predictive performance of the approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiehan Jiang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of South China Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Zheng Jin
- Research Institute, GloriousMed Clinical Laboratory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqun Zhang
- Research Institute, GloriousMed Clinical Laboratory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Peng
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiruo Zhu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - De Tong
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yining Yang
- Research Institute, GloriousMed Clinical Laboratory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfei Wang
- Research Institute, GloriousMed Clinical Laboratory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yadong Yang
- Research Institute, GloriousMed Clinical Laboratory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Kui Xiao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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185
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Baudoin NC, Bloomfield M. Karyotype Aberrations in Action: The Evolution of Cancer Genomes and the Tumor Microenvironment. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:558. [PMID: 33921421 PMCID: PMC8068843 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a disease of cellular evolution. For this cellular evolution to take place, a population of cells must contain functional heterogeneity and an assessment of this heterogeneity in the form of natural selection. Cancer cells from advanced malignancies are genomically and functionally very different compared to the healthy cells from which they evolved. Genomic alterations include aneuploidy (numerical and structural changes in chromosome content) and polyploidy (e.g., whole genome doubling), which can have considerable effects on cell physiology and phenotype. Likewise, conditions in the tumor microenvironment are spatially heterogeneous and vastly different than in healthy tissues, resulting in a number of environmental niches that play important roles in driving the evolution of tumor cells. While a number of studies have documented abnormal conditions of the tumor microenvironment and the cellular consequences of aneuploidy and polyploidy, a thorough overview of the interplay between karyotypically abnormal cells and the tissue and tumor microenvironments is not available. Here, we examine the evidence for how this interaction may unfold during tumor evolution. We describe a bidirectional interplay in which aneuploid and polyploid cells alter and shape the microenvironment in which they and their progeny reside; in turn, this microenvironment modulates the rate of genesis for new karyotype aberrations and selects for cells that are most fit under a given condition. We conclude by discussing the importance of this interaction for tumor evolution and the possibility of leveraging our understanding of this interplay for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolaas C. Baudoin
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Mathew Bloomfield
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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186
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Persistent Inflammatory Stimulation Drives the Conversion of MSCs to Inflammatory CAFs That Promote Pro-Metastatic Characteristics in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061472. [PMID: 33806906 PMCID: PMC8004890 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) are expressed simultaneously and have tumor-promoting roles in breast cancer. In parallel, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) undergo conversion at the tumor site to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are generally connected to enhanced tumor progression. Here, we determined the impact of consistent inflammatory stimulation on stromal cell plasticity. MSCs that were persistently stimulated by TNFα + IL-1β (generally 14-18 days) gained a CAF-like morphology, accompanied by prominent changes in gene expression, including in stroma/fibroblast-related genes. These CAF-like cells expressed elevated levels of vimentin and fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and demonstrated significantly increased abilities to contract collagen gels. Moreover, they gained the phenotype of inflammatory CAFs, as indicated by the reduced expression of α smooth muscle actin (αSMA), increased proliferation, and elevated expression of inflammatory genes and proteins, primarily inflammatory chemokines. These inflammatory CAFs released factors that enhanced tumor cell dispersion, scattering, and migration; the inflammatory CAF-derived factors elevated cancer cell migration by stimulating the chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CXCR1/2 and Ras-activating receptors, expressed by the cancer cells. Together, these novel findings demonstrate that chronic inflammation can induce MSC-to-CAF conversion, leading to the generation of tumor-promoting inflammatory CAFs.
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187
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Sobhani N, Tardiel-Cyril DR, Davtyan A, Generali D, Roudi R, Li Y. CTLA-4 in Regulatory T Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1440. [PMID: 33809974 PMCID: PMC8005092 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have obtained durable responses in many cancers, making it possible to foresee their potential in improving the health of cancer patients. However, immunotherapies are currently limited to a minority of patients and there is a need to develop a better understanding of the basic molecular mechanisms and functions of pivotal immune regulatory molecules. Immune checkpoint cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and regulatory T (Treg) cells play pivotal roles in hindering the anticancer immunity. Treg cells suppress antigen-presenting cells (APCs) by depleting immune stimulating cytokines, producing immunosuppressive cytokines and constitutively expressing CTLA-4. CTLA-4 molecules bind to CD80 and CD86 with a higher affinity than CD28 and act as competitive inhibitors of CD28 in APCs. The purpose of this review is to summarize state-of-the-art understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlining CTLA-4 immune regulation and the correlation of the ICI response with CTLA-4 expression in Treg cells from preclinical and clinical studies for possibly improving CTLA-4-based immunotherapies, while highlighting the knowledge gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Sobhani
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Dana Rae Tardiel-Cyril
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Aram Davtyan
- Atomwise, 717 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA;
| | - Daniele Generali
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34147 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Raheleh Roudi
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
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188
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Kawalerski RR, Leach SD, Escobar-Hoyos LF. Pancreatic cancer driver mutations are targetable through distant alternative RNA splicing dependencies. Oncotarget 2021; 12:525-533. [PMID: 33796221 PMCID: PMC7984828 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common histological subtype of pancreatic cancer, has one of the highest case fatality rates of all known solid malignancies. Over the past decade, several landmark studies have established mutations in KRAS and TP53 as the predominant drivers of PDAC pathogenesis and therapeutic resistance, though treatment options for PDACs and other tumors with these mutations remain extremely limited. Hampered by late tumor discovery and diagnosis, clinicians are often faced with using aggressive and non-specific chemotherapies to treat advanced disease. Clinically meaningful responses to targeted therapy are often limited to the minority of patients with susceptible PDACs, and immunotherapies have routinely encountered roadblocks in effective activation of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Alternative RNA splicing (ARS) has recently gained traction in the PDAC literature as a field from which we may better understand and treat complex mechanisms of PDAC initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Here, we review PDAC pathogenesis as it relates to fundamental ARS biology, with an extension to implications for PDAC patient clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R. Kawalerski
- Medical Scientist Training Program, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Steven D. Leach
- Departments of Molecular and Systems Biology, Surgery, and Medicine, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Luisa F. Escobar-Hoyos
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06513, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06513, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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189
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Liu YT, Sun ZJ. Turning cold tumors into hot tumors by improving T-cell infiltration. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:5365-5386. [PMID: 33859752 PMCID: PMC8039952 DOI: 10.7150/thno.58390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 352] [Impact Index Per Article: 117.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy, represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has greatly improved the clinical efficacy of malignant tumor therapy. ICI-mediated antitumor responses depend on the infiltration of T cells capable of recognizing and killing tumor cells. ICIs are not effective in "cold tumors", which are characterized by the lack of T-cell infiltration. To realize the full potential of immunotherapy and solve this obstacle, it is essential to understand the drivers of T-cell infiltration into tumors. We present a critical review of our understanding of the mechanisms underlying “cold tumors”, including impaired T-cell priming and deficient T-cell homing to tumor beds. “Hot tumors” with significant T-cell infiltration are associated with better ICI efficacy. In this review, we summarize multiple strategies that promote the transformation of "cold tumors" into “hot tumors” and discuss the mechanisms by which these strategies lead to increased T-cell infiltration. Finally, we discuss the application of nanomaterials to tumor immunotherapy and provide an outlook on the future of this emerging field. The combination of nanomedicines and immunotherapy enhances cross-presentation of tumor antigens and promotes T-cell priming and infiltration. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms opens new possibilities for the development of multiple T cell-based combination therapies to improve ICI effectiveness.
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190
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Ternet C, Kiel C. Signaling pathways in intestinal homeostasis and colorectal cancer: KRAS at centre stage. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:31. [PMID: 33691728 PMCID: PMC7945333 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00712-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestinal epithelium acts as a physical barrier that separates the intestinal microbiota from the host and is critical for preserving intestinal homeostasis. The barrier is formed by tightly linked intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) (i.e. enterocytes, goblet cells, neuroendocrine cells, tuft cells, Paneth cells, and M cells), which constantly self-renew and shed. IECs also communicate with microbiota, coordinate innate and adaptive effector cell functions. In this review, we summarize the signaling pathways contributing to intestinal cell fates and homeostasis functions. We focus especially on intestinal stem cell proliferation, cell junction formation, remodelling, hypoxia, the impact of intestinal microbiota, the immune system, inflammation, and metabolism. Recognizing the critical role of KRAS mutants in colorectal cancer, we highlight the connections of KRAS signaling pathways in coordinating these functions. Furthermore, we review the impact of KRAS colorectal cancer mutants on pathway rewiring associated with disruption and dysfunction of the normal intestinal homeostasis. Given that KRAS is still considered undruggable and the development of treatments that directly target KRAS are unlikely, we discuss the suitability of targeting pathways downstream of KRAS as well as alterations of cell extrinsic/microenvironmental factors as possible targets for modulating signaling pathways in colorectal cancer. Video Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Ternet
- School of Medicine, Systems Biology Ireland, and UCD Charles Institute of Dermatology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Christina Kiel
- School of Medicine, Systems Biology Ireland, and UCD Charles Institute of Dermatology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
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191
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Toledano-Fonseca M, Cano MT, Inga E, Gómez-España A, Guil-Luna S, García-Ortiz MV, Mena-Osuna R, De la Haba-Rodriguez JR, Rodríguez-Ariza A, Aranda E. The Combination of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio with Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers Improves Prognosis Prediction in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061210. [PMID: 33802006 PMCID: PMC7998484 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with a highly inflammatory microenvironment and liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising tool for the noninvasive analysis of this tumor. In this study, plasma was obtained from 58 metastatic PDAC patients, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentration, and circulating RAS mutation were determined. We found that NLR was significantly associated with both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival. Remarkably, NLR was an independent risk factor for poor OS. Moreover, NLR and PLR positively correlated, and combination of both inflammatory markers significantly improved the prognostic stratification of metastatic PDAC patients. NLR also showed a positive correlation with cfDNA levels and RAS mutant allelic fraction (MAF). Besides, we found that neutrophil activation contributed to cfDNA content in the plasma of metastatic PDAC patients. Finally, a multi-parameter prognosis model was designed by combining NLR, PLR, cfDNA levels, RAS mutation, RAS MAF, and CA19-9, which performs as a promising tool to predict the prognosis of metastatic PDAC patients. In conclusion, our study supports the idea that the use of systemic inflammatory markers along with circulating tumor-specific markers may constitute a valuable tool for the clinical management of metastatic PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Toledano-Fonseca
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Cancer Network Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
| | - M. Teresa Cano
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
- Medical Oncology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Inga
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
- Medical Oncology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Auxiliadora Gómez-España
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
- Medical Oncology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Silvia Guil-Luna
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Cancer Network Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
| | - María Victoria García-Ortiz
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
| | - Rafael Mena-Osuna
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
| | - Juan R. De la Haba-Rodriguez
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Cancer Network Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
- Medical Oncology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Ariza
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Cancer Network Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
- Medical Oncology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Enrique Aranda
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Córdoba, Spain; (M.T.-F.); (S.G.-L.); (M.V.G.-O.); (R.M.-O.); (J.R.D.l.H.-R.); (E.A.)
- Cancer Network Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Andalusia-Roche Network Mixed Alliance in Precision Medical Oncology, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.T.C.); (E.I.); (A.G.-E.)
- Medical Oncology Department, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
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192
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Brown SL, Kendrick S. The i-Motif as a Molecular Target: More Than a Complementary DNA Secondary Structure. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14020096. [PMID: 33513764 PMCID: PMC7911047 DOI: 10.3390/ph14020096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Stretches of cytosine-rich DNA are capable of adopting a dynamic secondary structure, the i-motif. When within promoter regions, the i-motif has the potential to act as a molecular switch for controlling gene expression. However, i-motif structures in genomic areas of repetitive nucleotide sequences may play a role in facilitating or hindering expansion of these DNA elements. Despite research on the i-motif trailing behind the complementary G-quadruplex structure, recent discoveries including the identification of a specific i-motif antibody are pushing this field forward. This perspective reviews initial and current work characterizing the i-motif and providing insight into the biological function of this DNA structure, with a focus on how the i-motif can serve as a molecular target for developing new therapeutic approaches to modulate gene expression and extension of repetitive DNA.
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193
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Shi Y, Zhang DD, Liu JB, Yang XL, Xin R, Jia CY, Wang HM, Lu GX, Wang PY, Liu Y, Li ZJ, Deng J, Lin QL, Ma L, Feng SS, Chen XQ, Zheng XM, Zhou YF, Hu YJ, Yin HQ, Tian LL, Gu LP, Lv ZW, Yu F, Li W, Ma YS, Da F. Comprehensive analysis to identify DLEU2L/TAOK1 axis as a prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 23:702-718. [PMID: 33575116 PMCID: PMC7851426 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest malignant tumors that are harmful to human health. Increasing evidence has underscored the critical role of the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks among various human cancers. However, the complexity and behavior characteristics of the ceRNA network in HCC were still unclear. In this study, we aimed to clarify a phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-related ceRNA regulatory network and identify potential prognostic markers associated with HCC. The expression profiles of three RNAs (long non-coding RNAs [lncRNAs], microRNAs [miRNAs], and mRNAs) were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The DLEU2L-hsa-miR-100-5p/ hsa-miR-99a-5p-TAOK1 ceRNA network related to the prognosis of HCC was obtained by performing bioinformatics analysis. Importantly, we identified the DLEU2L/TAOK1 axis in the ceRNA by using correlation analysis, and it appeared to become a clinical prognostic model by Cox regression analysis. Furthermore, methylation analyses suggested that the abnormal upregulation of the DLEU2L/TAOK1 axis likely resulted from hypomethylation, and immune infiltration analysis showed that the DLEU2L/TAOK1 axis may have an impact on the changes in the tumor immune microenvironment and the development of HCC. In summary, the current study constructing a ceRNA-based DLEU2L/TAOK1 axis might be a novel important prognostic factor associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Shi
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China.,Cancer Institute, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Nantong 226631, China.,College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Ji-Bin Liu
- Cancer Institute, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Nantong 226631, China
| | - Xiao-Li Yang
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Rui Xin
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Cheng-You Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Hui-Min Wang
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Gai-Xia Lu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Pei-Yao Wang
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yu Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China.,College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Zi-Jin Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Jing Deng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Qin-Lu Lin
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Liang Ma
- College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Shan-Shan Feng
- College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao-Qi Chen
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Xiang-Min Zheng
- College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Ya-Fu Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410005, Hunan, China
| | - Yong-Jun Hu
- Department of Cardiology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410005, Hunan, China
| | - Hua-Qun Yin
- School of Resource Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan, China
| | - Lin-Lin Tian
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Li-Peng Gu
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Zhong-Wei Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Wen Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China.,College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, Hunan, China
| | - Yu-Shui Ma
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fu Da
- National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Process of Rice and Byproducts, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China.,Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
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194
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Chen H, Smaill JB, Liu T, Ding K, Lu X. Small-Molecule Inhibitors Directly Targeting KRAS as Anticancer Therapeutics. J Med Chem 2020; 63:14404-14424. [PMID: 33225706 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
KRAS, the most frequently mutated oncogene, plays a predominant role in driving initiation and progression of cancers. Decades of effort to target KRAS using small molecules has been unsuccessful, causing KRAS to be considered an "undruggable" cancer target. However, this view began to change recently, as drug discovery techniques have developed several KRAS G12C allosteric inhibitors that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Herein we provide an in-depth analysis of the structure and binding pockets of KRAS, medicinal chemistry optimization processes, and the biological characterization of small-molecule inhibitors that directly target KRAS, including covalent allosteric inhibitors specific for the G12C mutant, GTP-competitive inhibitors targeting the nucleotide-binding site, and protein-protein interaction inhibitors that bind in the switch I/II pocket or the A59 site. Additionally, we propose potential challenges faced by these new classes of KRAS inhibitors under clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chen
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jeff B Smaill
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Tongzheng Liu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ke Ding
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaoyun Lu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
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