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Kavasi RM, Neagu M, Constantin C, Munteanu A, Surcel M, Tsatsakis A, Tzanakakis GN, Nikitovic D. Matrix Effectors in the Pathogenesis of Keratinocyte-Derived Carcinomas. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:879500. [PMID: 35572966 PMCID: PMC9100789 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.879500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), referred to as keratinocyte carcinomas, are skin cancer with the highest incidence. BCCs, rarely metastasize; whereas, though generally not characterized by high lethality, approximately 2–4% of primary cSCCs metastasize with patients exhibiting poor prognosis. The extracellular matrix (ECM) serves as a scaffold that provides structural and biological support to cells in all human tissues. The main components of the ECM, including fibrillar proteins, proteoglycans (PGs), glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and adhesion proteins such as fibronectin, are secreted by the cells in a tissue-specific manner, critical for the proper function of each organ. The skin compartmentalization to the epidermis and dermis compartments is based on a basement membrane (BM), a highly specialized network of ECM proteins that separate and unify the two compartments. The stiffness and assembly of BM and tensile forces affect tumor progenitors' invasion at the stratified epithelium's stromal border. Likewise, the mechanical properties of the stroma, e.g., stiffness, are directly correlated to the pathogenesis of the keratinocyte carcinomas. Since the ECM is a pool for various growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines, its' intense remodeling in the aberrant cancer tissue milieu affects biological functions, such as angiogenesis, adhesion, proliferation, or cell motility by regulating specific signaling pathways. This review discusses the structural and functional modulations of the keratinocyte carcinoma microenvironment. Furthermore, we debate how ECM remodeling affects the pathogenesis of these skin cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela-Maria Kavasi
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Monica Neagu
- Immunology Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania
- Colentina Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
- Doctoral School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Carolina Constantin
- Immunology Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania
- Colentina Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
- Doctoral School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Munteanu
- Immunology Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania
- Doctoral School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihaela Surcel
- Immunology Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Forensic Science Department, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - George N. Tzanakakis
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Dragana Nikitovic
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- *Correspondence: Dragana Nikitovic
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Ray SK, Mukherjee S. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Blood having Excellent Stemness Properties with Therapeutic Benefits - a New Era in Cancer Treatment. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 17:328-338. [PMID: 35469574 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x17666220425102154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most promising candidates for cellular therapies, and most therapeutic applications have focused on MSCs produced from adult bone marrow, despite mounting evidence that MSCs are present in a wide range of conditions. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells, but its therapeutic potential extends beyond the hematopoietic component, which also suggests solid organ regenerative potential. With potential ranging from embryonic-like to lineage-committed progenitor cells, many different stems and progenitor cell populations have been postulated. MSC is currently inferred by numerous clinical applications for human UCB. aAs stem cell therapy kicks off some new research and these cells show such a boon to stem cell therapy, it is nevertheless characteristic that the prospect of UCB conservation is gaining momentum. Taken together, the experience described here shows that MSCs derived from UCB are seen as attractive therapeutic candidates for various human disorders including cancer. It is argued that a therapeutic stem cell transplant, using stem cells from UCB, provides a reliable repository of early precursor cells that can be useful in a large number of different conditions, considering issues of safety, availability, transplant methodology, rejection, and side effects. In particular, we focus on the concept of isolation and expansion, comparing the phenotype with MSC derived from the UCB, describing the ability to differentiate, and lastly, the therapeutic potential concerning stromal support, stemness characteristic, immune modulation, and cancer stem cell therapy. Thus it is an overview of the therapeutic application of UCB derived MSCs, with a special emphasis on cancer. Besides, the current evidence on the double-edged sword of MSCs in cancer treatment and the latest advances in UCB-derived MSC in cancer research will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sukhes Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh-462020, India
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Ageeli W, Zhang X, Ogbonnaya CN, Bray SE, Kernohan NM, Wilson J, Li C, Nabi G. Multimodality Characterization of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Microenvironment and Its Correlation With Ultrasound Shear Wave-Measured Tissue Stiffness in Localized Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:822476. [PMID: 35530322 PMCID: PMC9069005 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.822476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionGrowing evidence suggests that the tumor microenvironment (TME) represented by cellular and acellular components plays a key role in the multistep process of metastases and response to therapies. However, imaging and molecular characterization of the TME in prostate cancer (PCa) and its role in predicting aggressive tumor behavior and disease progression is largely unexplored. The study explores the PCa TME through the characterization of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) using both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and genomics approaches. This is then correlated with transrectal ultrasound shear wave elastography (USWE)-measured tissue stiffness.Patients and MethodsThirty patients with clinically localized PCa undergoing radical prostatectomy for different risk categories of tumor (low, intermediate, and high) defined by Gleason score (GS) were prospectively recruited into this study. Prostatic tissue stiffness was measured using USWE prior to surgery. The CAFs within the TME were identified by IHC using a panel of six antibodies (FAP, SMAα, FSP1, CD36, PDGFRα, and PDGFRβ) as well as gene expression profiling using TempO-sequence analysis. Whether the pattern and degree of immunohistochemical positivity (measured by Quick score method) and expression of genes characterizing CAFs were correlated with USWE- and GS-measured tissue stiffnesses were tested using Spearman’s rank correlation and Pearson correlation.ResultsThere was a statistically significant correlation between GS of cancers, the pattern of staining for CAFs by immunohistochemical staining, and tissue stiffness measured in kPa using USWE (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also observed in immunohistochemical staining patterns between normal prostate and prostatic cancerous tissue. PDGFRβ and SMAα immunostaining scores increased linearly with increasing the USWE stiffness and the GS of PCa. There was a significant positive correlation between increasing tissue stiffness in tumor stroma and SMAα and PDGFRβ gene expression in the fibromuscular stroma (p < 0.001).ConclusionUSWE-measured tissue stiffness correlates with increased SMAα and PDGFRβ expressing CAFs and PCa GSs. This mechanistic correlation could be used for predicting the upgrading of GS from biopsies to radical surgery and response to novel treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Ageeli
- Division of Imaging Sciences and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
- Diagnostic Radiology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Chidozie N. Ogbonnaya
- Division of Imaging Sciences and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Susan E. Bray
- Tayside Biorepository, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Neil M. Kernohan
- Department of Pathology, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Wilson
- Department of Pathology, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Chunhui Li
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Ghulam Nabi
- Division of Imaging Sciences and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Ghulam Nabi,
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Li X, Jiang E, Zhao H, Chen Y, Xu Y, Feng C, Li J, Shang Z. Glycometabolic reprogramming-mediated proangiogenic phenotype enhancement of cancer-associated fibroblasts in oral squamous cell carcinoma: role of PGC-1α/PFKFB3 axis. Br J Cancer 2022; 127:449-461. [PMID: 35444287 PMCID: PMC9345921 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01818-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiogenesis is a key rate-limiting step in the process of tumour progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the most abundant component OSCC stroma, play important roles in pro-angiogenesis. Recently, the stroma "reverse Warburg effect" was proposed, and PFKFB3 has been brought to the forefront as a metabolic enzyme regulating glycometabolism. However, it remains unclear whether glycometabolism reprogramming is involved in promoting the angiogenesis of CAFs. METHODS CAFs and paracancerous fibroblasts (PFs) were isolated from OSCC and adjacent tissues. We detected the pro-angiogenesis and glycometabolism phenotype of three pairs of fibroblasts. Targeted blockage of PFKFB3 or activation of PGC-1α signal was used to investigate the effect of glycolysis on regulating angiogenesis of CAFs in vitro and vivo. RESULTS CAFs exhibited metabolic reprogramming and enhanced proangiogenic phenotype compared with PFs. Inhibition of PFKFB3-dependent glycolysis impaired proangiogenic factors (VEGF-A, PDGF-C and MMP9) expression in CAFs. Furthermore, CAFs proangiogenic phenotype was regulated by glycometabolism through the PGC-1α/PFKFB3 axis. Consistently, PGC-1α overexpression or PFKFB3 knockdown in CAFs slowed down tumour development by reducing tumour angiogenesis in the xenograft model. CONCLUSION CAFs of OSCC are characterised with glycometabolic reprogramming and enhanced proangiogenic phenotypes. Our findings suggest that activating PGC-1α signalling impairs proangiogenic phenotype of CAFs by blocking PFKFB3-driven glycolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Erhui Jiang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Chen
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuming Xu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunyu Feng
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ji Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhengjun Shang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. .,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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155
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Hirabayashi K, Saika T, Nakamura N. Background features in the cytology of pancreatic neoplasms. DEN OPEN 2022; 2:e105. [PMID: 35873514 PMCID: PMC9302047 DOI: 10.1002/deo2.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Cytology is a useful method for diagnosing pancreatic neoplasms. Although endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration has recently become the mainstream method for the diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms, pancreatic juice and pancreatic duct brushing cytology continue to be useful diagnostic methods for the investigation of pancreatic neoplasms. Diagnoses using pancreatic cytology are primarily based on the features related to tumor cells; however, evaluation of the background features provides important information that could further aid the diagnosis. Pancreatic neoplasms show various histological types, each of which is associated with its own characteristic background features. The necrotic background, desmoplastic stroma, and presence of cancer‐associated fibroblasts are background features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a mucinous background is associated with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasms, and hyaline globules are observed in solid pseudopapillary neoplasms. However, some background features are associated with more than one histological type of pancreatic neoplasm, highlighting the importance to base a diagnosis on the results of a comprehensive analysis of not only the background features but also the tumor cells. Here, we provide a review of the key background cytological features of pancreatic neoplasms, which can serve as a guide to improve diagnosis and research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tsubasa Saika
- Diagnostic Pathology Center Tokai University Hospital Kanagawa Japan
| | - Naoya Nakamura
- Department of Pathology Tokai University School of Medicine Kanagawa Japan
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156
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Vahidfar N, Farzanefar S, Ahmadzadehfar H, Molloy EN, Eppard E. A Review of Nuclear Medicine Approaches in the Diagnosis and the Treatment of Gynecological Malignancies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1779. [PMID: 35406552 PMCID: PMC8997132 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear medicine is defined as the diagnosis and the treatment of disease using radiolabeled compounds known as radiopharmaceuticals. Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) based radiopharmaceuticals have proven reliable in diagnostic imaging in nuclear medicine and cancer treatment. One of the most critical cancers that also relies on an early diagnosis is gynecological cancer. Given that approximately 25% of all cancers in developing countries are a subset of gynecological cancer, investigating this cancer subtype is of significant clinical worth, particularly in light of its high rate of mortality. With accurate identification of high grade distant abdominal endometrial cancer as well as extra abdominal metastases, 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) PET/CT imaging is considered a valuable step forward in the investigation of gynecological cancer. Considering these factors, [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging can assist in making management of patient therapy more feasible. In this literature review, we will provide a short overview of the role of nuclear medicine in the diagnosis of obstetric and gynecological cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Vahidfar
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Vali-Asr Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1419733133, Iran; (N.V.); (S.F.)
| | - Saeed Farzanefar
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Vali-Asr Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1419733133, Iran; (N.V.); (S.F.)
| | | | - Eóin N. Molloy
- University Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University (OvGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Eppard
- University Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University (OvGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;
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Willumsen N, Jensen C, Green G, Nissen NI, Neely J, Nelson DM, Pedersen RS, Frederiksen P, Chen IM, Boisen MK, Johansen AZ, Madsen DH, Svane IM, Lipton A, Leitzel K, Ali SM, Erler JT, Hurkmans DP, Mathijssen RHJ, Aerts J, Eslam M, George J, Christiansen C, Bissel MJ, Karsdal MA. Fibrotic activity quantified in serum by measurements of type III collagen pro-peptides can be used for prognosis across different solid tumor types. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:204. [PMID: 35332383 PMCID: PMC8948122 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04226-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Due to activation of fibroblast into cancer-associated fibroblasts, there is often an increased deposition of extracellular matrix and fibrillar collagens, e.g. type III collagen, in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that leads to tumor fibrosis (desmoplasia). Tumor fibrosis is closely associated with treatment response and poor prognosis for patients with solid tumors. To assure that the best possible treatment option is provided for patients, there is medical need for identifying patients with high (or low) fibrotic activity in the TME. Measuring unique collagen fragments such as the pro-peptides released into the bloodstream during fibrillar collagen deposition in the TME can provide a non-invasive measure of the fibrotic activity. Based on data from 8 previously published cohorts, this review provides insight into the prognostic value of quantifying tumor fibrosis by measuring the pro-peptide of type III collagen in serum of a total of 1692 patients with different solid tumor types and discusses the importance of tumor fibrosis for understanding prognosis and for potentially guiding future drug development efforts that aim at overcoming the poor outcome associated with a fibrotic TME.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christina Jensen
- Nordic Bioscience, Herlev Hovedgade 205-207, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Neel I Nissen
- Nordic Bioscience, Herlev Hovedgade 205-207, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | - Inna M Chen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mogens K Boisen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Astrid Z Johansen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Daniel H Madsen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Allan Lipton
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Kim Leitzel
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
| | | | - Janine T Erler
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daan P Hurkmans
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ron H J Mathijssen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim Aerts
- Department of Pulmonology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mohammed Eslam
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Mina J Bissel
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Morten A Karsdal
- Nordic Bioscience, Herlev Hovedgade 205-207, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
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Saha T, Lukong KE. Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells in Drug Resistance: A Review of Mechanisms and Novel Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome Drug Resistance. Front Oncol 2022; 12:856974. [PMID: 35392236 PMCID: PMC8979779 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.856974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequent type of malignancy in women worldwide, and drug resistance to the available systemic therapies remains a major challenge. At the molecular level, breast cancer is heterogeneous, where the cancer-initiating stem-like cells (bCSCs) comprise a small yet distinct population of cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) that can differentiate into cells of multiple lineages, displaying varying degrees of cellular differentiation, enhanced metastatic potential, invasiveness, and resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. Based on the expression of estrogen and progesterone hormone receptors, expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and/or BRCA mutations, the breast cancer molecular subtypes are identified as TNBC, HER2 enriched, luminal A, and luminal B. Management of breast cancer primarily involves resection of the tumor, followed by radiotherapy, and systemic therapies including endocrine therapies for hormone-responsive breast cancers; HER2-targeted therapy for HER2-enriched breast cancers; chemotherapy and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors for TNBC, and the recent development of immunotherapy. However, the complex crosstalk between the malignant cells and stromal cells in the breast TME, rewiring of the many different signaling networks, and bCSC-mediated processes, all contribute to overall drug resistance in breast cancer. However, strategically targeting bCSCs to reverse chemoresistance and increase drug sensitivity is an underexplored stream in breast cancer research. The recent identification of dysregulated miRNAs/ncRNAs/mRNAs signatures in bCSCs and their crosstalk with many cellular signaling pathways has uncovered promising molecular leads to be used as potential therapeutic targets in drug-resistant situations. Moreover, therapies that can induce alternate forms of regulated cell death including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and immunotherapy; drugs targeting bCSC metabolism; and nanoparticle therapy are the upcoming approaches to target the bCSCs overcome drug resistance. Thus, individualizing treatment strategies will eliminate the minimal residual disease, resulting in better pathological and complete response in drug-resistant scenarios. This review summarizes basic understanding of breast cancer subtypes, concept of bCSCs, molecular basis of drug resistance, dysregulated miRNAs/ncRNAs patterns in bCSCs, and future perspective of developing anticancer therapeutics to address breast cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taniya Saha
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kiven Erique Lukong
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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M A M, Kim JY, Pan CH, Kim E. The impact of the spatial heterogeneity of resistant cells and fibroblasts on treatment response. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009919. [PMID: 35263336 PMCID: PMC8906648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A long-standing practice in the treatment of cancer is that of hitting hard with the maximum tolerated dose to eradicate tumors. This continuous therapy, however, selects for resistant cells, leading to the failure of the treatment. A different type of treatment strategy, adaptive therapy, has recently been shown to have a degree of success in both preclinical xenograft experiments and clinical trials. Adaptive therapy is used to maintain a tumor’s volume by exploiting the competition between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells with minimum effective drug doses or timed drug holidays. To further understand the role of competition in the outcomes of adaptive therapy, we developed a 2D on-lattice agent-based model. Our simulations show that the superiority of the adaptive strategy over continuous therapy depends on the local competition shaped by the spatial distribution of resistant cells. Intratumor competition can also be affected by fibroblasts, which produce microenvironmental factors that promote cancer cell growth. To this end, we simulated the impact of different fibroblast distributions on treatment outcomes. As a proof of principle, we focused on five types of distribution of fibroblasts characterized by different locations, shapes, and orientations of the fibroblast region with respect to the resistant cells. Our simulation shows that the spatial architecture of fibroblasts modulates tumor progression in both continuous and adaptive therapy. Finally, as a proof of concept, we simulated the outcomes of adaptive therapy of a virtual patient with four metastatic sites composed of different spatial distributions of fibroblasts and drug-resistant cell populations. Our simulation highlights the importance of undetected metastatic lesions on adaptive therapy outcomes. Tumors are composed of different cancer cells with varying degrees of treatment resistance, which compete for a shared resource. Adaptive therapy exploits this competition. The paradigm employs patient-specific on and off treatment schedules or lower doses to permit a significant number of drug-sensitive cells to survive. The surviving sensitive cells can suppress the growth of drug-resistant cells via intratumor competition. This competition can be modulated by the spatial structure of tumors. For example, resistant cell configuration, carrying capacity, or migration rate may change local spatial competition between drug-resistant cells or between drug-sensitive and drug resistant cells. In addition, the presence of growth factors produced by stromal cells such as fibroblasts promotes the proliferation of cells, enhancing the competition. To understand the impact of forenamed factors on the outcomes of adaptive therapy, we developed a computational model, 2D on-lattice agent-based model. Our findings show that the spatial factors regulate the local competition and may hold back the benefit of adaptive therapy. Further, the impact of fibroblast depends on the respective positioning of fibroblast to the resistant cells. Finally, we simulated the outcomes of adaptive therapy on multiple metastatic lesions of mixed spatial configuration on a virtual patient. In the simulation, we highlight the importance of undetected metastatic lesions on therapy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masud M A
- Natural Product Informatics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Young Kim
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol-Ho Pan
- Natural Product Informatics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjung Kim
- Natural Product Informatics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail:
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160
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Mechanisms of Tumor Progression and Novel Therapeutic Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051231. [PMID: 35267539 PMCID: PMC8909913 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in determining the biological behavior of several of the more aggressive malignancies. Among the various cell types evident in the tumor “field”, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogenous collection of activated fibroblasts secreting a wide repertoire of factors that regulate tumor development and progression, inflammation, drug resistance, metastasis and recurrence. Insensitivity to chemotherapeutics and metastatic spread are the major contributors to cancer patient mortality. This review discusses the complex interactions between CAFs and the various populations of normal and neoplastic cells that interact within the dynamic confines of the tumor microenvironment with a focus on the involved pathways and genes. Abstract Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogenous population of stromal cells found in solid malignancies that coexist with the growing tumor mass and other immune/nonimmune cellular elements. In certain neoplasms (e.g., desmoplastic tumors), CAFs are the prominent mesenchymal cell type in the tumor microenvironment, where their presence and abundance signal a poor prognosis in multiple cancers. CAFs play a major role in the progression of various malignancies by remodeling the supporting stromal matrix into a dense, fibrotic structure while secreting factors that lead to the acquisition of cancer stem-like characteristics and promoting tumor cell survival, reduced sensitivity to chemotherapeutics, aggressive growth and metastasis. Tumors with high stromal fibrotic signatures are more likely to be associated with drug resistance and eventual relapse. Clarifying the molecular basis for such multidirectional crosstalk among the various normal and neoplastic cell types present in the tumor microenvironment may yield novel targets and new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. This review highlights the most recent concepts regarding the complexity of CAF biology including CAF heterogeneity, functionality in drug resistance, contribution to a progressively fibrotic tumor stroma, the involved signaling pathways and the participating genes.
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Kan T, Zhang S, Zhou S, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Gao Y, Zhang T, Gao F, Wang X, Zhao L, Yang M. Single-cell RNA-seq recognized the initiator of epithelial ovarian cancer recurrence. Oncogene 2022; 41:895-906. [PMID: 34992217 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02139-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs) are sensitive to chemotherapy but will ultimately relapse and develop drug resistance. The origin of EOC recurrence has been elusive due to intra-tumor heterogeneity. Here we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in 13,369 cells from primary, untreated peritoneal metastasis, and relapse tumors. We used time-resolved analysis to chart the developmental sequence of cells from the metastatic tumors, then traced the earliest replanting cells back to the primary tumors. We discovered seven distinct subpopulations in primary tumors where the CYR61+ "stress" subpopulation was identified as the relapse-initiators. Furthermore, a subpopulation of RGS5+ cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) was found to strongly support tumor metastasis. The combined CYR61/RGS5 expression scores significantly correlated with the relapse-free-survival of EOC patients and can be used as predictors of EOC recurrence. Our study provides insights into the mechanism of EOC recurrence and presents CYR61+ relapse-initiating cells as potential therapeutic targets to prevent EOC relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Kan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Shupeng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Shengtao Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Yun Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Taian Tumor Prevention and Treatment Hospital, Taian, China
| | - Yinghua Gao
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Linjie Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengsu Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biochip Technology, Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
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162
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Ti W, Wang J, Cheng Y. The Interaction Between Long Non-Coding RNAs and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Lung Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:714125. [PMID: 35087824 PMCID: PMC8787156 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.714125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite great advances in research and treatment, lung cancer is still one of the most leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Evidence is mounting that dynamic communication network in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play an integral role in tumor initiation and development. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which promote tumor growth and metastasis, are the most important stroma component in the tumor microenvironment. Consequently, in-depth identification of relevant molecular mechanisms and biomarkers related to CAFs will increase understanding of tumor development process, which is of great significance for precise treatment of lung cancer. With the development of sequencing technologies such as microarray and next-generation sequencing, lncRNAs without protein-coding ability have been found to act as communicators between tumor cells and CAFs. LncRNAs participate in the activation of normal fibroblasts (NFs) to CAFs. Moreover, activated CAFs can influence the gene expression and secretion characteristics of cells through lncRNAs, enhancing the malignant biological process in tumor cells. In addition, lncRNA-loaded exosomes are considered to be another important form of crosstalk between tumor cells and CAFs. In this review, we focus on the interaction between tumor cells and CAFs mediated by lncRNAs in the lung cancer microenvironment, and discuss the analysis of biological function and molecular mechanism. Furthermore, it contributes to paving a novel direction for the clinical treatment of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Ti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jianbo Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yufeng Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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Čelešnik H, Potočnik U. Peripheral Blood Transcriptome in Breast Cancer Patients as a Source of Less Invasive Immune Biomarkers for Personalized Medicine, and Implications for Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030591. [PMID: 35158858 PMCID: PMC8833511 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive and heterogeneous breast cancer (BC) type which is difficult to treat and accompanied by disease recurrence. A better understanding of TNBC and the identification of novel biomarkers is needed to facilitate clinical decisions. Immune-related biomarkers are of particular interest, since immune responses play an important role in BC outcome. Transcriptome studies of peripheral blood cells can help us to understand the systemic immune responses to cancer cells and the mechanisms underlying cancer initiation and progression. They enable the identification of novel immune biomarkers for early cancer detection and personalized BC management and may bring forward new immunotherapy options. Recent transcriptome analyses of peripheral blood cells have delineated novel BC-patient immune subgroups. This categorization has implications for cancer prognosis, the identification of patients likely to benefit from immunotherapy, and treatment efficacy monitoring. Additionally, transcriptome studies have identified TNBC-enriched blood transcriptional signatures that can differentiate TNBC from other classical BC subtypes. Abstract Transcriptome studies of peripheral blood cells can advance our understanding of the systemic immune response to the presence of cancer and the mechanisms underlying cancer onset and progression. This enables the identification of novel minimally invasive immune biomarkers for early cancer detection and personalized cancer management and may bring forward new immunotherapy options. Recent blood gene expression analyses in breast cancer (BC) identified distinct patient subtypes that differed in the immune reaction to cancer and were distinct from the clinical BC subtypes, which are categorized based on expression of specific receptors on tumor cells. Introducing new BC subtypes based on peripheral blood gene expression profiles may be appropriate, since it may assist in BC prognosis, the identification of patients likely to benefit from immunotherapy, and treatment efficacy monitoring. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, heterogeneous, and difficult-to-treat disease, and identification of novel biomarkers for this BC is crucial for clinical decision-making. A few studies have reported TNBC-enriched blood transcriptional signatures, mostly related to strong inflammation and augmentation of altered immune signaling, that can differentiate TNBC from other classical BC subtypes and facilitate diagnosis. Future research is geared toward transitioning from expression signatures in unfractionated blood cells to those in immune cell subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Čelešnik
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova Ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Center for Human Genetics & Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Uroš Potočnik
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova Ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Center for Human Genetics & Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Department for Science and Research, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska Ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-2-330-5874
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164
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Datar UV, Kale AD, Angadi PV, Hallikerimath S, Deepa M, Desai KM. Role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in oral squamous cell carcinomas, surgical margins, and verrucous carcinomas: An immunohistochemical study. J Clin Transl Res 2022; 8:80-85. [PMID: 35261929 PMCID: PMC8898639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are among the key tumor microenvironment components that determine tumor invasion, progression, and resistance to cancer therapeutics. Histologically normal mucosa adjacent to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been shown to harbor CAFs which aid in the loco-regional recurrence of the lesion. Verrucous carcinoma (VC), a low-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma, has a better clinical outcome. However, few VCs show an aggressive biological course and necessitate wide excision with strict follow-up. Scarce literature is available regarding the role of CAFs in VCs. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the frequency of CAFs in OSCC, normal mucosa adjacent to OSCC, and VC. Methods Thirty cases of squamous cell carcinoma, normal mucosa adjacent to OSCC, and VC each were included in the study. The sections were stained with an antibody against alpha-smooth muscle actin protein and CAF frequency was evaluated. Results The CAF frequency was highest in squamous cell carcinoma, followed by VC, and least in normal mucosa adjacent to OSCC (P<0.001). Conclusion CAF frequency progressively increases with an increase in the grade or biological behavior of the lesion. Thus, screening CAF frequency in these benign and malignant oral lesions is necessary for better treatment outcomes. Relevance for Patients The immunohistochemical screening for CAFs in OSCC and VC can serve as an integrated approach for the development of a directed treatment plan that leads to a better patient prognosis. Routine assessment of CAF frequency in surgical margins can serve as an adjunct in determining clear margins and possible locoregional recurrence. Furthermore, target therapy for CAFs can be used to minimize possible recurrence and distant metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uma Vasant Datar
- 1Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India,Corresponding author: Uma Vasant Datar Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Dental College and Hospital, Sangli - 416 414, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Alka Dinesh Kale
- 2Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE Deemed to be University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Punnya V. Angadi
- 2Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE Deemed to be University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Seema Hallikerimath
- 2Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE Deemed to be University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Mane Deepa
- 2Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE Deemed to be University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Karishma Madhusudan Desai
- 3Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India
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165
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Fan Y, He S. The Characteristics of Tumor Microenvironment in Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Manag Res 2022; 14:1-17. [PMID: 35018117 PMCID: PMC8740624 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s316700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special subtype of breast cancer, accounting for 10-20% of breast cancers with high intrinsic heterogeneity. Its unique immune microenvironment, including high expression of vascular endothelial growth factors, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and other molecules that promote the growth and migration of tumor cells, has been shown to play a dual role in the occurrence, growth, and metastasis of TNBC. Understanding the TNBC microenvironment is of great significance for the prognosis and treatment of TNBC. In this article, we describe the composition and function of immune cells in the TNBC microenvironment and summarize the major cytokine growth factors and chemokines in the TNBC microenvironment. Finally, we discuss the progress of TNBC, cytokine-induced killer cell therapy, and immune checkpoint therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqi Fan
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuai He
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, People’s Republic of China
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166
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New single photon radiopharmaceuticals for cancer imaging. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822960-6.00211-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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167
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Liu L, Kshirsagar PG, Gautam SK, Gulati M, Wafa EI, Christiansen JC, White BM, Mallapragada SK, Wannemuehler MJ, Kumar S, Solheim JC, Batra SK, Salem AK, Narasimhan B, Jain M. Nanocarriers for pancreatic cancer imaging, treatments, and immunotherapies. Theranostics 2022; 12:1030-1060. [PMID: 35154473 PMCID: PMC8771545 DOI: 10.7150/thno.64805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic tumors are highly desmoplastic and immunosuppressive. Delivery and distribution of drugs within pancreatic tumors are compromised due to intrinsic physical and biochemical stresses that lead to increased interstitial fluid pressure, vascular compression, and hypoxia. Immunotherapy-based approaches, including therapeutic vaccines, immune checkpoint inhibition, CAR-T cell therapy, and adoptive T cell therapies, are challenged by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Together, extensive fibrosis and immunosuppression present major challenges to developing treatments for pancreatic cancer. In this context, nanoparticles have been extensively studied as delivery platforms and adjuvants for cancer and other disease therapies. Recent advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of multiple nanocarrier-based formulations that not only improve drug delivery but also enhance immunotherapy-based approaches for pancreatic cancer. This review discusses and critically analyzes the novel nanoscale strategies that have been used for drug delivery and immunomodulation to improve treatment efficacy, including newly emerging immunotherapy-based approaches. This review also presents important perspectives on future research directions that will guide the rational design of novel and robust nanoscale platforms to treat pancreatic tumors, particularly with respect to targeted therapies and immunotherapies. These insights will inform the next generation of clinical treatments to help patients manage this debilitating disease and enhance survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luman Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Prakash G. Kshirsagar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
| | - Shailendra K. Gautam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
| | - Mansi Gulati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
| | - Emad I. Wafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - John C. Christiansen
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Brianna M. White
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Surya K. Mallapragada
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Michael J. Wannemuehler
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
| | - Joyce C. Solheim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
| | - Surinder K. Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
| | - Aliasger K. Salem
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Balaji Narasimhan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
- Nanovaccine Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE
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168
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Licitra F, Giovannelli P, Di Donato M, Monaco A, Galasso G, Migliaccio A, Castoria G. New Insights and Emerging Therapeutic Approaches in Prostate Cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:840787. [PMID: 35222290 PMCID: PMC8873523 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.840787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and several therapeutic approaches are currently available for patient's care. Although the androgen receptor status represents a good predictor of response to androgen deprivation therapy, prostate cancer frequently becomes resistant to this approach and spreads. The molecular mechanisms that contribute to progression and drug-resistance of this cancer remain still debated. However, few therapeutic options are available for patient's management, at this stage. Recent years have seen a great expansion of the studies concerning the role of stromal-epithelial interactions and tumor microenvironment in prostate cancer progression. The findings so far collected have provided new insights into diagnostic and clinical management of prostate cancer patients. Further, new fascinating aspects concerning the intersection of the androgen receptor with survival factors as well as calcium channels have been reported in cultured prostate cancer cells and mouse models. The results of these researches have opened the way for a better understanding of the basic mechanisms involved in prostate cancer invasion and drug-resistance. They have also significantly expanded the list of new biomarkers and druggable targets in prostate cancer. The primary aim of this manuscript is to provide an update of these issues, together with their translational aspects. Exploiting the power of novel promising therapeutics would increase the success rate in the diagnostic path and clinical management of patients with advanced disease.
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169
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Thiery J. Modulation of the antitumor immune response by cancer-associated fibroblasts: mechanisms and targeting strategies to hamper their immunosuppressive functions. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2022; 3:598-629. [PMID: 36338519 PMCID: PMC9630350 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2022.00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are highly heterogeneous players that shape the tumor microenvironment and influence tumor progression, metastasis formation, and response to conventional therapies. During the past years, some CAFs subsets have also been involved in the modulation of immune cell functions, affecting the efficacy of both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Consequently, the implication of these stromal cells in the response to immunotherapeutic strategies raised major concerns. In this review, current knowledge of CAFs origins and heterogeneity in the tumor stroma, as well as their effects on several immune cell populations that explain their immunosuppressive capabilities are summarized. The current development of therapeutic strategies for targeting this population and their implication in the field of cancer immunotherapy is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Thiery
- INSERM, UMR 1186, 94800 Villejuif, France,Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94805 Villejuif, France,University Paris Saclay, Faculty of Medicine, 94270 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France,Correspondence: Jerome Thiery, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, France.
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170
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Advancing Tumor Microenvironment Research by Combining Organs-on-Chips and Biosensors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1379:171-203. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-04039-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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171
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Taeb S, Ashrafizadeh M, Zarrabi A, Rezapoor S, Musa AE, Farhood B, Najafi M. Role of Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Stem Cells Resistance to Radiotherapy. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2021; 22:18-30. [PMID: 34951575 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666211224154952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is a chronic disorder that involves several elements of both the tumor and the host stromal cells. At present, the complex relationship between the various factors presents in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor cells, as well as immune cells located within the TME, is still poorly known. Within the TME, the crosstalk of these factors and immune cells essentially determines how a tumor reacts to the treatment and how the tumor can ultimately be destroyed, remain dormant, or develop and metastasize. Also, in TME, reciprocal crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), extracellular matrix (ECM), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) intensifies the proliferation capacity of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are subpopulation of cells that reside within the tumor bulk and have the capacity to self-renew, differentiate, and repair DNA damage. These characteristics make CSCs develop resistance to a variety of treatments, such as radiotherapy (RT). RT is a frequent and often curative treatment for local cancer which mediates tumor elimination by cytotoxic actions. Also, cytokines and growth factors that are released into TME, have been involved in the activation of tumor radioresistance and the induction of different immune cells, altering local immune responses. In this review, we discuss the pivotal role of TME in resistance of CSCs to RT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahram Taeb
- Department of Radiology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Orta Mahalle, Üniversite Caddesi No. 27, Orhanlı, Tuzla, 34956 , Turkey
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Tuzla 34956, Turkey
| | - Saeed Rezapoor
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Ahmed Eleojo Musa
- Department of Medical Physics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (International Campus), Iran
| | - Bagher Farhood
- Department of Medical Physics and Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences., Iraq
| | - Masoud Najafi
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran
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172
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Delinassios JG, Hoffman RM. The cancer-inhibitory effects of proliferating tumor-residing fibroblasts. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1877:188673. [PMID: 34953931 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Initiation, local progression, and metastasis of cancer are associated with specific morphological, molecular, and functional changes in the extracellular matrix and the fibroblasts within the tumor microenvironment (TME). In the early stages of tumor development, fibroblasts are an obstacle that cancer cells must surpass or nullify to progress. Thus, in early tumor progression, specific signaling from cancer cells activates bio-pathways, which abolish the innate anticancer properties of fibroblasts and convert a high proportion of them to tumor-promoting cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Following this initial event, a wide spectrum of gene expression changes gradually leads to the development of a stromal fibroblast population with complex heterogeneity, creating fibroblast subtypes with characteristic profiles, which may alternate between being tumor-promotive and tumor-suppressive, topologically and chronologically in the TME. These fibroblast subtypes form the tumor's histological landscape including areas of cancer growth, inflammation, angiogenesis, invasion fronts, proliferating and non-proliferating fibroblasts, cancer-cell apoptosis, fibroblast apoptosis, and necrosis. These features reflect general deregulation of tissue homeostasis within the TME. This review discusses fundamental and current knowledge that has established the existence of anticancer fibroblasts within the various interacting elements of the TME. It is proposed that the maintenance of fibroblast proliferation is an essential parameter for the activation of their anticancer capacity, similar to that by which normal fibroblasts would be activated in wound repair, thus maintaining tissue homeostasis. Encouragement of research in this direction may render new means of cancer therapy and a greater understanding of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Delinassios
- International Institute of Anticancer Research, 1(st) km Kapandritiou-Kalamou Rd., Kapandriti, 19014 Attica, Greece.
| | - Robert M Hoffman
- Department of Surgery, University of California, 9300 Campus Point Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St, San Diego, CA 92111, USA.
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173
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Yang D, Zhang N, Li M, Hong T, Meng W, Ouyang T. The Hippo Signaling Pathway: The Trader of Tumor Microenvironment. Front Oncol 2021; 11:772134. [PMID: 34858852 PMCID: PMC8632547 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.772134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway regulates cancer biology in many aspects and the crosstalk with other pathways complicates its role. Accumulated evidence has shown that the bidirectional interactions between tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) are the premises of tumor occurrence, development, and metastasis. The relationship among different components of the TME constitutes a three-dimensional network. We point out the core position of the Hippo pathway in this network and discuss how the regulatory inputs cause the chain reaction of the network. We also discuss the important role of Hippo-TME involvement in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Yang
- Department of the Forth Clinical Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Meihua Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Tao Hong
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wei Meng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Taohui Ouyang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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Magagna I, Gourdin N, Kieffer Y, Licaj M, Mhaidly R, Andre P, Morel A, Vincent-Salomon A, Paturel C, Mechta-Grigoriou F. CD73-Mediated Immunosuppression Is Linked to a Specific Fibroblast Population That Paves the Way for New Therapy in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235878. [PMID: 34884993 PMCID: PMC8657241 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235878] [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: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are heterogeneous with multiple functions in breast cancer. Recently, we identified a specific CAF subpopulation (referred to as CAF-S1), which promotes immunosuppression and immunotherapy resistance. METHODS AND RESULTS Here, by studying a large collection of human samples, we highlight the key function of CD73/NT5E in CAF-S1-mediated immunosuppression in breast cancer. We first reveal that CD73 protein level specifically accumulates in CAF-S1 in breast cancer patients. Interestingly, infiltration of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) is significantly correlated with CD73 expression in stroma but not in epithelium, indicating that CD73 contributes to immunosuppression when expressed in CAF-S1 and not in tumor cells. By performing functional assays based on relevant systems using primary CAF-S1 isolated from patients, we demonstrate that CAF-S1 increase the content in both PD-1+ and CTLA-4+ Tregs. Importantly, the use of a blocking anti-CD73 antibody on CAF-S1 reduces CAF-S1-mediated immunosuppression by preventing expression of these immune checkpoints on Tregs. CONCLUSIONS Our data support the potential clinical benefit of using both anti-CD73 and immune-checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer patients for inhibiting CAF-S1-mediated immunosuppression and enhancing anti-tumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Magagna
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France; (I.M.); (Y.K.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
- Inserm, U830, 75005 Paris, France
- Innate Pharma, 117 Avenue de Luminy BP 30191, 13276 Marseille, France; (N.G.); (P.A.); (A.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Nicolas Gourdin
- Innate Pharma, 117 Avenue de Luminy BP 30191, 13276 Marseille, France; (N.G.); (P.A.); (A.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Yann Kieffer
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France; (I.M.); (Y.K.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
- Inserm, U830, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Monika Licaj
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France; (I.M.); (Y.K.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
- Inserm, U830, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Rana Mhaidly
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France; (I.M.); (Y.K.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
- Inserm, U830, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pascale Andre
- Innate Pharma, 117 Avenue de Luminy BP 30191, 13276 Marseille, France; (N.G.); (P.A.); (A.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Ariane Morel
- Innate Pharma, 117 Avenue de Luminy BP 30191, 13276 Marseille, France; (N.G.); (P.A.); (A.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Anne Vincent-Salomon
- Hospital Group, Department of Diagnostic and Theranostic Medicine, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Carine Paturel
- Innate Pharma, 117 Avenue de Luminy BP 30191, 13276 Marseille, France; (N.G.); (P.A.); (A.M.); (C.P.)
| | - Fatima Mechta-Grigoriou
- Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France; (I.M.); (Y.K.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
- Inserm, U830, 75005 Paris, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)1-56-24-66-53; Fax: +33-(0)1-56-24-66-50
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175
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ROS Pleiotropy in Melanoma and Local Therapy with Physical Modalities. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:6816214. [PMID: 34777692 PMCID: PMC8580636 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6816214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic energy production naturally generates unwanted products such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative damage. Oxidative damage has been linked to several pathologies, including diabetes, premature aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. ROS were therefore originally anticipated as an imperative evil, a product of an imperfect system. More recently, however, the role of ROS in signaling and tumor treatment is increasingly acknowledged. This review addresses the main types, sources, and pathways of ROS in melanoma by linking their pleiotropic roles in antioxidant and oxidant regulation, hypoxia, metabolism, and cell death. In addition, the implications of ROS in various physical therapy modalities targeting melanoma, such as radiotherapy, electrochemotherapy, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy, and medical gas plasma, are also discussed. By including ROS in the main picture of melanoma skin cancer and as an integral part of cancer therapies, a greater understanding of melanoma cell biology is presented, which ultimately may elucidate additional clues on targeting therapy resistance of this most deadly form of skin cancer.
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176
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Abstract
Analogies between placentation, in particular the behavior of trophoblast cells, and cancer have been noted since the beginning of the twentieth century. To what degree these can be explained as a consequence of the evolution of placentation has been unclear. In this review, we conclude that many similarities between trophoblast and cancer cells are shared with other, phylogenetically older processes than placentation. The best candidates for cancer hallmarks that can be explained by the evolution of eutherian placenta are mechanisms of immune evasion. Another dimension of the maternal accommodation of the placenta with an impact on cancer malignancy is the evolution of endometrial invasibility. Species with lower degrees of placental invasion tend to have lower vulnerability to cancer malignancy. We finally identify several areas in which one could expect to see coevolutionary changes in placental and cancer biology but that, to our knowledge, have not been explored. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, Volume 10 is February 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter P Wagner
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA; , , .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Kshitiz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health, Storrs, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Anasuya Dighe
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA; , , .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Andre Levchenko
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA; , , .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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177
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Zainal Abidin SAI, Paterson IC, Hunt S, Lambert DW, Higginbotham S, Pink RC. Myofibroblast transdifferentiation is associated with changes in cellular and extracellular vesicle miRNA abundance. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256812. [PMID: 34762649 PMCID: PMC8584782 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), a pro-fibrotic tumour-derived factor promotes fibroblast differentiation in the tumour microenvironment and is thought to contribute to the development of pro-tumourigenic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) by promoting myofibroblast differentiation. miRNA dysregulation has been demonstrated in myofibroblast transdifferentiation and CAF activation, however, their expression varies among cell types and with the method of fibroblast induction. Here, the expression profile of miRNA in human primary oral fibroblasts treated with TGF-β1, to derive a myofibroblastic, CAF-like phenotype, was determined compared to untreated fibroblasts. Myofibroblast transdifferentiation was determined by the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin-1 extra domain A (FN-EDA1) using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. The formation of stress fibres was assessed by fluorescence microscopy, and associated changes in contractility were assessed using collagen contraction assays. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were purified by using size exclusion chromatography and ultracentrifugation and their size and concentration were determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis. miRNA expression profiling in oral fibroblasts treated with TGF-β1 and their extracellular vesicles was carried out using tiling low-density array cards. The Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used to perform functional and pathway enrichment analysis of target genes. In this study, TGF-β1 induced a myofibroblastic phenotype in normal oral fibroblasts as assessed by expression of molecular markers, the formation of stress fibres and increased contractility. TaqMan Low-Density Array (TLDA) analysis demonstrated that miR-503 and miR-708 were significantly upregulated, while miR-1276 was significantly downregulated in TGF-β1-treated oral fibroblasts (henceforth termed experimentally-derived CAF, eCAF). The gene functional enrichment analysis showed that the candidate miRNAs have the potential to modulate various pathways; including the Ras associated protein 1 (Rap1), PI3K-Akt, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) signalling pathways. In addition, altered levels of several miRNAs were detected in eCAF EV, including miR-142 and miR-222. No differences in size or abundance of EV were detected between eCAF and normal oral fibroblast (NOF). Little overlap was observed between changes in cellular and EV miRNA profiles, suggesting the possibility of selective loading of EV miRNA. The study reveals miRNA expression signature could be involved in myofibroblast transdifferentiation and the miRNA cargo of their EV, providing novel insight into the involvement of miRNA in CAF development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Amalina Inche Zainal Abidin
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Oral Cancer Research & Coordinating Center, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Ian Charles Paterson
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Oral Cancer Research & Coordinating Center, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Stuart Hunt
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel W. Lambert
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Higginbotham
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan Charles Pink
- Department of Biological and Medical Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Ma H, Li F, Shen G, Cai H, Liu W, Lan T, Yang Y, Yang J, Liao J, Liu N. Synthesis and Preliminary Evaluation of 131I-Labeled FAPI Tracers for Cancer Theranostics. Mol Pharm 2021; 18:4179-4187. [PMID: 34591481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.1c00566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
As an excellent target for cancer theranostics, fibroblast activation protein (FAP) has become an attractive focus in cancer research. A class of FAP inhibitors (FAPIs) with a N-(4-quinolinoyl)-Gly-(2-cyanopyrrolidine) scaffold were developed, which displayed nanomolar affinity and high selectivity. Compared with 90Y, 177Lu, 225Ac, and 188Re, 211At seems to be more favored as a therapeutic candidate for FAPI tracers which have fast washout and short retention in tumor sites. Thus, the current study reported the synthesis of two FAPI precursors for 211At and 131I labeling and the preliminary evaluation of 131I-labeled FAPI analogues for cancer theranostics. FAPI variants with stannyl precursors were successfully synthesized and labeled with 131I using a radioiododestannylation reaction. Two radioactive tracers were obtained with high radiochemical purity over 99% and good radiochemical yields of 58.2 ± 1.78 and 59.5 ± 4.44% for 131I-FAPI-02 and 131I-FAPI-04, respectively. Both tracers showed high specific binding to U87MG cells in comparison with little binding to MCF-7 cells. Compared to 131I-FAPI-02, 131I-FAPI-04 exhibited higher affinity, more intracellular uptake, and longer retention time in vitro. Biodistribution studies revealed that both tracers were mainly excreted through the kidneys as well as the hepatobiliary pathway due to their high lipophilicity. In addition, higher accumulation, longer dwell time, and increased tumor-to-organ ratios were achieved by 131I-FAPI-04, which was clearly demonstrated by SPECT/CT imaging. Furthermore, intratumor injection of 131I-FAPI-04 significantly suppressed the tumor growth in U87MG xenograft mice without significant toxicity observed. The above results implied that FAP-targeted alpha endoradiotherapy (specific to 211At) should be used to treat tumors in the near future, considering the chemical similarity between iodine and astatine can ensure the labeling of the latter onto the designed FAPIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Feize Li
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Guohua Shen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Huawei Cai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Weihao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Tu Lan
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Yuanyou Yang
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Jijun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Jiali Liao
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
| | - Ning Liu
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China
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179
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Dendl K, Koerber SA, Finck R, Mokoala KMG, Staudinger F, Schillings L, Heger U, Röhrich M, Kratochwil C, Sathekge M, Jäger D, Debus J, Haberkorn U, Giesel FL. 68Ga-FAPI-PET/CT in patients with various gynecological malignancies. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2021; 48:4089-4100. [PMID: 34050777 PMCID: PMC8484099 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-021-05378-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE 68Ga-FAPI (fibroblast activation protein inhibitor) is a novel and highly promising radiotracer for PET/CT imaging. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to explore the potential of FAPI-PET/CT in gynecological malignancies. We assessed biodistribution, tumor uptake, and the influence of pre- or postmenopausal status on tracer accumulation in hormone-sensitive organs. Furthermore, a comparison with the current standard oncological tracer 18F-FDG was performed in selected cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 31 patients (median age 59.5) from two centers with several gynecological tumors (breast cancer; ovarian cancer; cervical cancer; endometrial cancer; leiomyosarcoma of the uterus; tubal cancer) underwent 68Ga-FAPI-PET/CT. Out of 31 patients, 10 received an additional 18F-FDG scan within a median time interval of 12.5 days (range 1-76). Tracer uptake was quantified by standardized uptake values (SUV)max and (SUV)mean, and tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) was calculated (SUVmax tumor/ SUVmean organ). Moreover, a second cohort of 167 female patients with different malignancies was analyzed regarding their FAPI uptake in normal hormone-responsive organs: endometrium (n = 128), ovary (n = 64), and breast (n = 147). These patients were categorized by age as premenopausal (<35 years; n = 12), postmenopausal (>65 years; n = 68), and unknown menstrual status (35-65 years; n = 87), followed by an analysis of FAPI uptake of the pre- and postmenopausal group. RESULTS In 8 out of 31 patients, the primary tumor was present, and all 31 patients showed lesions suspicious for metastasis (n = 81) demonstrating a high mean SUVmax in both the primary (SUVmax 11.6) and metastatic lesions (SUVmax 9.7). TBR was significantly higher in 68Ga-FAPI compared to 18F-FDG for distant metastases (13.0 vs. 5.7; p = 0.047) and by trend for regional lymph node metastases (31.9 vs 27.3; p = 0.6). Biodistribution of 68Ga-FAPI-PET/CT presented significantly lower uptake or no significant differences in 15 out of 16 organs, compared to 18F-FDG-PET/CT. The highest uptake of all primary lesions was obtained in endometrial carcinomas (mean SUVmax 18.4), followed by cervical carcinomas (mean SUVmax 15.22). In the second cohort, uptake in premenopausal patients differed significantly from postmenopausal patients in endometrium (11.7 vs 3.9; p < 0.0001) and breast (1.8 vs 1.0; p = 0.004), whereas no significant difference concerning ovaries (2.8 vs 1.6; p = 0.141) was observed. CONCLUSION Due to high tracer uptake resulting in sharp contrasts in primary and metastatic lesions and higher TBRs than 18F-FDG-PET/CT, 68Ga-FAPI-PET/CT presents a promising imaging method for staging and follow-up of gynecological tumors. The presence or absence of the menstrual cycle seems to correlate with FAPI accumulation in the normal endometrium and breast. This first investigation of FAP ligands in gynecological tumor entities supports clinical application and further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Dendl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan A Koerber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rebecca Finck
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kgomotso M G Mokoala
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria & Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Private Bag X169, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Fabian Staudinger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Schillings
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Heger
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuel Röhrich
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Clemens Kratochwil
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mike Sathekge
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria & Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Private Bag X169, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Debus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uwe Haberkorn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frederik L Giesel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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180
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Al-Jomah N, Al-Mohanna FH, Aboussekhra A. Tocilizumab suppresses the pro-carcinogenic effects of breast cancer- associated fibroblasts through inhibition of the STAT3/AUF1 pathway. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:1439-1448. [PMID: 34718441 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Active breast cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the most influential cells in breast tumor microenvironment (TME), express/secrete high levels of the proinvasive/metastatic interleukin-6 (IL-6). Therefore, we have tested here the effect of the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) inhibitor tocilizumab (Actemra) on different active breast CAFs. We have shown that tocilizumab potently and persistently suppresses the expression of various CAF biomarkers, namely α-SMA, SDF-1 as well as the STAT3 pathway and its downstream target AUF1. Tocilizumab also inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of active breast CAF cells. Additionally, tocilizumab repressed the ability of CAF cells in promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and enhancing the migratory/invasive and proliferative capacities of breast cancer cells in vitro. Importantly, these findings were confirmed in orthotopic humanized breast tumors in mice. Furthermore, tocilizumab suppressed the expression of the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF-A and its transactivator HIF-1α in CAF cells, and consequently inhibited the angiogenic-promoting effect of active CAFs both in vitro and in orthotopic tumor xenografts. These results indicate that inhibition of the IL-6/STAT3/AUF1 pathway by tocilizumab can normalize active breast CAFs and suppress their paracrine pro-carcinogenic effects, which paves the way towards development of specific CAF-targeting therapy, badly needed for more efficient breast cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naif Al-Jomah
- Molecular Oncology Department, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Falah H Al-Mohanna
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdelilah Aboussekhra
- Molecular Oncology Department, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
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181
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Elwakeel E, Weigert A. Breast Cancer CAFs: Spectrum of Phenotypes and Promising Targeting Avenues. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11636. [PMID: 34769066 PMCID: PMC8583860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Activationof the tumor-associated stroma to support tumor growth is a common feature observed in different cancer entities. This principle is exemplified by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are educated by the tumor to shape its development across all stages. CAFs can alter the extracellular matrix (ECM) and secrete a variety of different molecules. In that manner they have the capability to affect activation, survival, proliferation, and migration of other stromal cells and cancer cell themselves. Alteration of the ECM, desmoplasia, is a common feature of breast cancer, indicating a prominent role for CAFs in shaping tumor development in the mammary gland. In this review, we summarize the multiple roles CAFs play in mammary carcinoma. We discuss experimental and clinical strategies to interfere with CAFs function in breast cancer. Moreover, we highlight the issues arising from CAFs heterogeneity and the need for further research to identify CAFs subpopulation(s) that can be targeted to improve breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiman Elwakeel
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany;
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
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182
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Zheng H, Liu H, Li H, Dou W, Wang X. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies a Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Signature for Predicting Prognosis and Therapeutic Responses in Gastric Cancer. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:744677. [PMID: 34692770 PMCID: PMC8531434 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.744677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most prominent cellular components in gastric cancer (GC) stroma that contribute to GC progression, treatment resistance, and immunosuppression. This study aimed at exploring stromal CAF-related factors and developing a CAF-related classifier for predicting prognosis and therapeutic effects in GC. Methods: We downloaded mRNA expression and clinical information of 431 GC samples from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and 330 GC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. CAF infiltrations were quantified by the estimate the proportion of immune and cancer cells (EPIC) method, and stromal scores were calculated via the Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumors using Expression data (ESTIMATE) algorithm. Stromal CAF-related genes were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A CAF risk signature was then developed using the univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method (LASSO) Cox regression model. We applied the Spearman test to determine the correlation among CAF risk score, CAF markers, and CAF infiltrations (estimated via EPIC, xCell, microenvironment cell populations-counter (MCP-counter), and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithms). The TIDE algorithm was further used to assess immunotherapy response. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to clarify the molecular mechanisms. Results: The 4-gene (COL8A1, SPOCK1, AEBP1, and TIMP2) prognostic CAF model was constructed. GC patients were classified into high– and low–CAF-risk groups in accordance with their median CAF risk score, and patients in the high–CAF-risk group had significant worse prognosis. Spearman correlation analyses revealed the CAF risk score was strongly and positively correlated with stromal and CAF infiltrations, and the four model genes also exhibited positive correlations with CAF markers. Furthermore, TIDE analysis revealed high–CAF-risk patients were less likely to respond to immunotherapy. GSEA revealed that epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), TGF-β signaling, hypoxia, and angiogenesis gene sets were significantly enriched in high–CAF-risk group patients. Conclusion: The present four-gene prognostic CAF signature was not only reliable for predicting prognosis but also competent to estimate clinical immunotherapy response for GC patients, which might provide significant clinical implications for guiding tailored anti-CAF therapy in combination with immunotherapy for GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Heshu Liu
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huayu Li
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Weidong Dou
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
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183
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Chen Y, Hu S, Shu Y, Qi Z, Zhang B, Kuang Y, Ma J, Cheng P. Antifibrotic Therapy Augments the Antitumor Effects of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Via Reprogramming Tumor Microenvironment. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 33:237-249. [PMID: 34405694 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.048] [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] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Solid tumors are characterized by abundant extracellular matrix originating from cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). High collagen content can trigger the collapse of vascular system in the tumor and form physical barrier that eventually impedes the penetration of drug particles and cytotoxic immune cells. Moreover, CAFs is able to promote the enrichment of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that work in concert to develop a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we investigated if halofuginone, an antifibrotic drug, can augment the therapeutic effects of oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The results revealed that halofuginone significantly disrupts the collagen network in tumors and promotes the distribution of VSV and infiltration of CD8+ T cells (p < 0.0001). Combined treatment of VSV and halofuginone also modulates the immunosuppressive TME via deletion of TAM, MDSCs, and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Collectively, the combination therapy remarkably inhibits the tumor growth in multiple murine models and prolongs survival of mice. The results demonstrate the clinical potential of halofuginone in combination with oncolytic virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Shichuan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yongheng Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Zhongbing Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yueting Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Jinhu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Ping Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
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184
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Zheng H, Liu H, Ge Y, Wang X. Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis identifies a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in colorectal cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:552. [PMID: 34670584 PMCID: PMC8529760 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02252-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute notably to colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis, stiffness, angiogenesis, immunosuppression and metastasis, and could serve as a promising therapeutic target. Our purpose was to construct CAF-related prognostic signature for CRC. Methods We performed bioinformatics analysis on single-cell transcriptome data derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and identified 208 differentially expressed cell markers from fibroblasts cluster. Bulk gene expression data of CRC was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO databases. Univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage operator (LASSO) analyses were performed on TCGA training cohort (n = 308) for model construction, and was validated in TCGA validation (n = 133), TCGA total (n = 441), GSE39582 (n = 470) and GSE17536 (n = 177) datasets. Microenvironment Cell Populations-counter (MCP-counter) and Estimate the Proportion of Immune and Cancer cells (EPIC) methods were applied to evaluated CAFs infiltrations from bulk gene expression data. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed in tissue microarrays containing 80 colon cancer samples to further validate the prognostic value of the CAF model. pRRophetic and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithms were utilized to predict chemosensitivity and immunotherapy response. Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the protein expressions. Results A nine-gene prognostic CAF-related signature was established in training cohort. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses revealed patients with higher CAF risk scores were correlated with adverse prognosis in each cohort. MCP-counter and EPIC results consistently revealed CAFs infiltrations were significantly higher in high CAF risk group. Patients with higher CAF risk scores were more prone to not respond to immunotherapy, but were more sensitive to several conventional chemotherapeutics, suggesting a potential strategy of combining chemotherapy with anti-CAF therapy to improve the efficacy of current T-cell based immunotherapies. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses verified the CAF model was as an independent prognostic indicator in predicting overall survival, and a CAF-based nomogram was then built for clinical utility in predicting prognosis of CRC. Conclusion To conclude, the CAF-related signature could serve as a robust prognostic indicator in CRC, which provides novel genomics evidence for anti-CAF immunotherapeutic strategies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02252-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Heshu Liu
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Ge
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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185
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Wu J, Wang Y, Liao T, Rao Z, Gong W, Ou L, Chen Y, Zhang C. Comparison of the Relative Diagnostic Performance of [ 68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 and [ 18F]FDG PET/CT for the Detection of Bone Metastasis in Patients With Different Cancers. Front Oncol 2021; 11:737827. [PMID: 34604078 PMCID: PMC8484883 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.737827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The present retrospective analysis sought to compare the relative diagnostic efficacy of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 to that of [18F]FDG PET/CT as a means of detecting bone metastases in patients with a range of cancer types. Materials In total, 30 patients with bone metastases associated with different underlying malignancies were retrospectively enrolled. All patients had undergone [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET/CT, and the McNemar test was used to compare the relative diagnostic performance of these two imaging modalities. The maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) was used to quantify radiotracer uptake by metastatic lesions, with the relative uptake associated with these two imaging strategies being compared via the Mann-Whitney U test. The cohort was further respectively divided into two (osteolytic and osteoblastic bone metastases) and three clinical subgroups (lung cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer). Results [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT was found to be significantly more sensitive as a means of diagnosing bone metastases relative to [18F]FDG PET/CT ([109/109] 100% vs [89/109] 81.7%; P< 0.01), consistent with the significantly increased uptake of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 by these metastatic lesions relative to that of [18F]FDG (n=109, median SUVmax, 9.1 vs. 4.5; P< 0.01). [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 accumulation was significantly higher than that of [18F]FDG in both osteolytic (n=66, median SUVmax, 10.6 vs 6.1; P < 0.01), and osteoblastic metastases (n=43, median SUVmax, 7.7 vs 3.7; P < 0.01). [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 uptakes were significantly higher than that of [18F]FDG in bone metastases from lung cancer (n = 62, median SUVmax, 10.7 vs 5.2; P < 0.01), thyroid cancer (n = 18, median SUVmax, 5.65 vs 2.1; P < 0.01) and liver cancer (n = 12, median SUVmax, 5.65 vs 3.05; P < 0.01). However, [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 detected 10 false-positive lesions, while only 5 false-positive were visualized by [18F]FDG PET/CT. Conclusion [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT exhibits excellent diagnostic performance as a means of detecting bone metastases, and is superior to [18F]FDG PET/CT in this diagnostic context. Furthermore, [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 tracer uptake levels are higher than those of [18F]FDG for most bone metastases. However, owing to the potential for false-positive bone lesions, it is critical that physicians interpret all CT findings with caution to ensure diagnostic accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Yingwei Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Taiping Liao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Zijuan Rao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Weidong Gong
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Lei Ou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Chunyin Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
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186
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Dendl K, Koerber SA, Kratochwil C, Cardinale J, Finck R, Dabir M, Novruzov E, Watabe T, Kramer V, Choyke PL, Haberkorn U, Giesel FL. FAP and FAPI-PET/CT in Malignant and Non-Malignant Diseases: A Perfect Symbiosis? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4946. [PMID: 34638433 PMCID: PMC8508433 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is an atypical type II transmembrane serine protease with both endopeptidase and post-proline dipeptidyl peptidase activity. FAP is overexpressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are found in most epithelial tumors. CAFs have been implicated in promoting tumor cell invasion, angiogenesis and growth and their presence correlates with a poor prognosis. However, FAP can generally be found during the remodeling of the extracellular matrix and therefore can be detected in wound healing and benign diseases. For instance, chronic inflammation, arthritis, fibrosis and ischemic heart tissue after a myocardial infarction are FAP-positive diseases. Therefore, quinoline-based FAP inhibitors (FAPIs) bind with a high affinity not only to tumors but also to a variety of benign pathologic processes. When these inhibitors are radiolabeled with positron emitting radioisotopes, they provide new diagnostic and prognostic tools as well as insights into the role of the microenvironment in a disease. In this respect, they deliver additional information beyond what is afforded by conventional FDG PET scans that typically report on glucose uptake. Thus, FAP ligands are considered to be highly promising novel tracers that offer a new diagnostic and theranostic potential in a variety of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Dendl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.K.); (J.C.); (R.F.); (U.H.); (F.L.G.)
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Düsseldorf University Hospital, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.D.); (E.N.)
| | - Stefan A. Koerber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Clemens Kratochwil
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.K.); (J.C.); (R.F.); (U.H.); (F.L.G.)
| | - Jens Cardinale
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.K.); (J.C.); (R.F.); (U.H.); (F.L.G.)
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Düsseldorf University Hospital, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.D.); (E.N.)
| | - Rebecca Finck
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.K.); (J.C.); (R.F.); (U.H.); (F.L.G.)
| | - Mardjan Dabir
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Düsseldorf University Hospital, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.D.); (E.N.)
| | - Emil Novruzov
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Düsseldorf University Hospital, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.D.); (E.N.)
| | - Tadashi Watabe
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Tracer Kinetics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Vasko Kramer
- Positronpharma SA, Santiago 7500921, Chile;
- Center of Nuclear Medicine, PositronMed, Santiago 7501068, Chile
| | - Peter L. Choyke
- Molecular Imaging Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1088, USA;
| | - Uwe Haberkorn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.K.); (J.C.); (R.F.); (U.H.); (F.L.G.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg, German Center for Lung Research DZL, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frederik L. Giesel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.K.); (J.C.); (R.F.); (U.H.); (F.L.G.)
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Düsseldorf University Hospital, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.D.); (E.N.)
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Inoue T, Hayashi Y, Tsujii Y, Yoshii S, Sakatani A, Kimura K, Uema R, Kato M, Saiki H, Shinzaki S, Iijima H, Takehara T. Suppression of autophagy promotes fibroblast activation in p53-deficient colorectal cancer cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19524. [PMID: 34593902 PMCID: PMC8484348 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98865-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficiency of p53 in cancer cells activates the transformation of normal tissue fibroblasts into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts; this promotes tumor progression through a variety of mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment. The role of autophagy in carcinoma-associated fibroblasts in tumor progression has not been elucidated. We aimed to clarify the significance of autophagy in fibroblasts, focusing on the TP53 status in co-cultured human colorectal cancer cell lines (TP53-wild-type colon cancer, HCT116; TP53-mutant colon cancer, HT29; fibroblast, CCD-18Co) in vitro. Autophagy in fibroblasts was significantly suppressed in association with ACTA2, CXCL12, TGFβ1, VEGFA, FGF2, and PDGFRA mRNA levels, when co-cultured with p53-deficient HCT116sh p53 cells. Exosomes isolated from the culture media of HCT116sh p53 cells significantly suppressed autophagy in fibroblasts via inhibition of ATG2B. Exosomes derived from TP53-mutant HT29 cells also suppressed autophagy in fibroblasts. miR-4534, extracted from the exosomes of HCT116sh p53 cells, suppressed ATG2B in fibroblasts. In conclusion, a loss of p53 function in colon cancer cells promotes the activation of surrounding fibroblasts through the suppression of autophagy. Exosomal miRNAs derived from cancer cells may play a pivotal role in the suppression of autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Inoue
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Yoshito Hayashi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Tsujii
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yoshii
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Akihiko Sakatani
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Keiichi Kimura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Uema
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Minoru Kato
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Hirotsugu Saiki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Shinzaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Hideki Iijima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Takehara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
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Yang J, Tong Q, Zhang Y, Yuan S, Gao Y, Deng K, Wang Y, Lu J, Xie X, Zhang Z, Zhang J. Overexpression of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase mainly covers stroma of colorectal cancer and correlates with unfavorable survival by its product 1-MNA. J Cancer 2021; 12:6170-6181. [PMID: 34539890 PMCID: PMC8425209 DOI: 10.7150/jca.56419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is abnormally expressed in tumor tissues of several cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC) and associated with cancer progression. However, the distribution characteristics and the clinical value of each part of NNMT expression in CRC are still not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to determine the distribution of NNMT expression and its association with survival in CRC. Methods: By using the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and clinical proteomic tumor analysis consortium (CPTAC), we firstly analyzed the difference of gene and protein levels of NNMT between CRC and normal colorectal tissue. Then, NNMT protein expressions were detected in 18 intraepithelial neoplastic samples and 177 CRC tumor samples through immunohistochemistry in our study cohort. Furthermore, the relationship between NNMT expression and clinicopathological characteristics, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of CRC patients were analyzed by Pearson χ2 test and log-rank test, respectively, in public datasets and our study cohort. Lastly, the function of NNMT and its product 1-methyl-nicotinamide (1-MNA) on migration and invasion in colorectal cancer cells was analyzed by wound healing assay and transwell assay. Results: We determined that higher NNMT expression in CRC tissues than normal tissues in both gene and protein level in TCGA and CPTAC datasets (all p < 0.05). In addition, the strong relationships of NNMT expression with stromal cells were found in the TCGA cohort. Fortunately, our cohort could validate that the expression of NNMT in tumor stroma cell was significantly higher than that in tumor cell (p < 0.0001), and both of them were significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissue (ANT) (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Furthermore, the positive NNMT expression in tumor cell and stromal cell were associated with series of unfavorable clinical characteristics, including advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis (all p < 0.05). Also, higher NNMT was associated with unfavorable survival both in our study and public datasets, including TCGA and two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE33113 and GSE17538). Moreover, the functional experiments showed that stromal cells with high NNMT expression can secret 1-MAN to promote migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro. Conclusions: In CRC, NNMT is overexpressed in tumor cells and stroma cells, and then mainly expressed in tumor stroma cells. Overexpression of NNMT in tumor cell and stroma cell both are associated with metastasis and unfavorable survival. Besides, stromal cells with high NNMT expression secrets 1-MAN to promote migration and invasion of CRC cells. Therefore, NNMT may be a potential prognostic indicator in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Ningbo Diagnostic Pathology Center, 685 North Huancheng Road, Ningbo 315010, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pathology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, 57 Xingning Road, Ningbo 315040, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingchao Tong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shijin Yuan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuzhen Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Deng
- Department of colorectal surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, 57 Xingning Road, Ningbo 315040, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanzhong Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyou Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Ningbo Diagnostic Pathology Center, 685 North Huancheng Road, Ningbo 315010, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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189
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Franchi-Mendes T, Eduardo R, Domenici G, Brito C. 3D Cancer Models: Depicting Cellular Crosstalk within the Tumour Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4610. [PMID: 34572836 PMCID: PMC8468887 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumour microenvironment plays a critical role in tumour progression and drug resistance processes. Non-malignant cell players, such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, immune cells and others, interact with each other and with the tumour cells, shaping the disease. Though the role of each cell type and cell communication mechanisms have been progressively studied, the complexity of this cellular network and its role in disease mechanism and therapeutic response are still being unveiled. Animal models have been mainly used, as they can represent systemic interactions and conditions, though they face recognized limitations in translational potential due to interspecies differences. In vitro 3D cancer models can surpass these limitations, by incorporating human cells, including patient-derived ones, and allowing a range of experimental designs with precise control of each tumour microenvironment element. We summarize the role of each tumour microenvironment component and review studies proposing 3D co-culture strategies of tumour cells and non-malignant cell components. Moreover, we discuss the potential of these modelling approaches to uncover potential therapeutic targets in the tumour microenvironment and assess therapeutic efficacy, current bottlenecks and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Franchi-Mendes
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Eduardo
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Giacomo Domenici
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Lisbon Campus, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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Protein Ligands in the Secretome of CD36 + Fibroblasts Induce Growth Suppression in a Subset of Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184521. [PMID: 34572749 PMCID: PMC8469330 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Human breast cancers are not fully autonomous. They are dependent on nutrients and growth-promoting signals provided by stromal cells. In order to instruct the surrounding cells to provide essential growth factors, cancer cells co-opt normal signaling molecules and mechanisms. To inhibit or potentially reverse tumor growth, our goal is to emulate this signaling and reprogram the microenvironment. For example, in a healthy mammary gland, fibroblasts (FBs) overexpress CD36; and the downregulation of CD36 is one of the hallmarks of cancer-associated FBs. Therefore, in this project, we hypothesized that signaling from CD36+ FBs could cause growth suppression in a subset of breast cancer cell lines. We then designed a series of experiments to validate this growth suppression and identified responsible secreted factors by the CD36+ FBs. These experiments suggested that three protein ligands are primarily responsible for growth suppression in a subset of breast cancer cell lines. Abstract Reprogramming the tumor stroma is an emerging approach to circumventing the challenges of conventional cancer therapies. This strategy, however, is hampered by the lack of a specific molecular target. We previously reported that stromal fibroblasts (FBs) with high expression of CD36 could be utilized for this purpose. These studies are now expanded to identify the secreted factors responsible for tumor suppression. Methodologies included 3D colonies, fluorescent microscopy coupled with quantitative techniques, proteomics profiling, and bioinformatics analysis. The results indicated that the conditioned medium (CM) of the CD36+ FBs caused growth suppression via apoptosis in the triple-negative cell lines of MDA-MB-231, BT549, and Hs578T, but not in the ERBB2+ SKBR3. Following the proteomics and bioinformatic analysis of the CM of CD36+ versus CD36− FBs, we determined KLF10 as one of the transcription factors responsible for growth suppression. We also identified FBLN1, SLIT3, and PENK as active ligands, where their minimum effective concentrations were determined. Finally, in MDA-MB-231, we showed that a mixture of FBLN1, SLIT3, and PENK could induce an amount of growth suppression similar to the CM of CD36+ FBs. In conclusion, our findings suggest that these ligands, secreted by CD36+ FBs, can be targeted for breast cancer treatment.
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191
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Kubicka A, Matczak K, Łabieniec-Watała M. More Than Meets the Eye Regarding Cancer Metabolism. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9507. [PMID: 34502416 PMCID: PMC8430985 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of the continuous improvement in our knowledge of the nature of cancer, the causes of its formation and the development of new treatment methods, our knowledge is still incomplete. A key issue is the difference in metabolism between normal and cancer cells. The features that distinguish cancer cells from normal cells are the increased proliferation and abnormal differentiation and maturation of these cells, which are due to regulatory changes in the emerging tumour. Normal cells use oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in the mitochondrion as a major source of energy during division. During OXPHOS, there are 36 ATP molecules produced from one molecule of glucose, in contrast to glycolysis which provides an ATP supply of only two molecules. Although aerobic glucose metabolism is more efficient, metabolism based on intensive glycolysis provides intermediate metabolites necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, which are in constant high demand due to the intense cell division in cancer. This is the main reason why the cancer cell does not "give up" on glycolysis despite the high demand for energy in the form of ATP. One of the evolving trends in the development of anti-cancer therapies is to exploit differences in the metabolism of normal cells and cancer cells. Currently constructed therapies, based on cell metabolism, focus on the attempt to reprogram the metabolic pathways of the cell in such a manner that it becomes possible to stop unrestrained proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kubicka
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska Street 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland;
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Lodz, Banacha Street 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Karolina Matczak
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska Street 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Łabieniec-Watała
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska Street 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland;
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192
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Sanches BDA, Maldarine JS, Vilamaior PSL, Felisbino SL, Carvalho HF, Taboga SR. Stromal cell interplay in prostate development, physiology, and pathological conditions. Prostate 2021; 81:926-937. [PMID: 34254335 DOI: 10.1002/pros.24196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Advances in prostatic stroma studies over the past few decades have demonstrated that the stroma not only supports and nourishes the gland's secretory epithelium but also participates in key aspects of morphogenesis, in the prostate's hormonal metabolism, and in the functionality of the secretory epithelium. Furthermore, the stroma is implicated in the onset and progression of prostate cancer through the formation of the so-called reactive stroma, which corresponds to a tumorigenesis-permissive microenvironment. Prostatic stromal cells are interconnected and exchange paracrine signals among themselves in a gland that is highly sensitive to endocrine hormones. There is a growing body of evidence that telocytes, recently detected interstitial cells that are also present in the prostate, are involved in stromal organization, so that their processes form a network of interconnections with both the epithelium and the other stromal cells. The present review provides an update on the different types of prostate stromal cells, their interrelationships and implications for prostate development, physiology and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno D A Sanches
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Juliana S Maldarine
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Patricia S L Vilamaior
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Microscopy and Microanalysis, São Paulo State University-UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Sergio L Felisbino
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University-UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Hernandes F Carvalho
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Sebastião R Taboga
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Microscopy and Microanalysis, São Paulo State University-UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
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193
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Lindner T, Altmann A, Giesel F, Kratochwil C, Kleist C, Krämer S, Mier W, Cardinale J, Kauczor HU, Jäger D, Debus J, Haberkorn U. 18F-labeled tracers targeting fibroblast activation protein. EJNMMI Radiopharm Chem 2021; 6:26. [PMID: 34417894 PMCID: PMC8380212 DOI: 10.1186/s41181-021-00144-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts are found in the stroma of epithelial tumors. They are characterized by overexpression of the fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a serine protease which was already proven as attractive target for chelator-based theranostics. Unfortunately, the value of gallium-68 labeled tracers is limited by their batch size and the short nuclide half-life. To overcome this drawback, radiolabeling with aluminum fluoride complexes and 6-fluoronicotinamide derivatives of the longer-lived nuclide fluorine-18 was established. The novel compounds were tested for their FAP-specific binding affinity. Uptake and binding competition were studied in vitro using FAP expressing HT-1080 cells. HEK cells transfected with the closely related dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (HEK-CD26) were used as negative control. Small animal positron emission tomography imaging and biodistribution experiments were performed in HT-1080-FAP xenografted nude mice. [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 was selected for PET/CT imaging in a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient. Results In vitro, 18F-labeled FAPI-derivatives demonstrated high affinity (EC50 = < 1 nm to 4.2 nm) and binding of up to 80% to the FAP-expressing HT1080 cells while no binding to HEK-CD26 cells was observed. While small animal PET imaging revealed unfavorable biliary excretion of most of the 18F-labeled compounds, the NOTA bearing compounds [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 and -75 achieved good tumor-to-background ratios, as a result of their preferred renal excretion. These two compounds showed the highest tumor accumulation in PET imaging. The organ distribution values of [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 were in accordance with the small animal PET imaging results. Due to its less complex synthesis, fast clearance and low background values, [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 was chosen for clinical imaging. PET/CT of a patient with metastasized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), enabled visualization of the primary tumor and its metastases at the hepatic portal and in several bones. This was accompanied by a rapid clearance from the blood pool and low background in healthy organs. Conclusion [18F]AlF-labeled FAPI derivatives represent powerful tracers for PET. Owing to an excellent performance in PET imaging, FAPI-74 can be regarded as a promising precursor for [18F]AlF-based FAP-imaging. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41181-021-00144-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lindner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annette Altmann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frederik Giesel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Clemens Kratochwil
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Kleist
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Krämer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Walter Mier
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jens Cardinale
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Kauczor
- Department of Radiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Debus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uwe Haberkorn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. .,Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany.
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194
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Martínez-López A, García-Casas A, Bragado P, Orimo A, Castañeda-Saucedo E, Castillo-Lluva S. Inhibition of RAC1 activity in cancer associated fibroblasts favours breast tumour development through IL-1β upregulation. Cancer Lett 2021; 521:14-28. [PMID: 34419498 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are highly abundant stromal components in the tumour microenvironment. These cells contribute to tumorigenesis and indeed, they have been proposed as a target for anti-cancer therapies. Similarly, targeting the Rho-GTPase RAC1 has also been suggested as a potential therapeutic target in cancer. Here, we show that targeting RAC1 activity, either pharmacologically or by genetic silencing, increases the pro-tumorigenic activity of CAFs by upregulating IL-1β secretion. Moreover, inhibiting RAC1 activity shifts the CAF subtype to a more aggressive phenotype. Thus, as RAC1 suppresses the secretion of IL-1β by CAFs, reducing RAC1 activity in combination with the depletion of this cytokine should be considered as an interesting therapeutic option for breast cancer in which tumour cells retain intact IL-1β signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Martínez-López
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Biológicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 28040, Spain; Laboratorio de Biología Celular del Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Mexico
| | - Ana García-Casas
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Biológicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 28040, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Paloma Bragado
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, 28040, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Akira Orimo
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eduardo Castañeda-Saucedo
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular del Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Mexico
| | - Sonia Castillo-Lluva
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Biológicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 28040, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, 28040, Spain.
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195
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Su SF, Ho H, Li JH, Wu MF, Wang HC, Yeh HY, Kuo SW, Chen HW, Ho CC, Li KC. DNA methylome and transcriptome landscapes of cancer-associated fibroblasts reveal a smoking-associated malignancy index. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:e139552. [PMID: 34228648 DOI: 10.1172/jci139552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike the better-studied aberrant epigenome in the tumor, the clinicopathologic impact of DNA methylation in the tumor microenvironment (TME), especially the contribution from cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), remains elusive. CAFs exhibit profound patient-to-patient tumorigenic heterogeneity. We asked whether such heterogeneity may be exploited to quantify the level of TME malignancy. We developed a robust and efficient methylome/transcriptome co-analytical system for CAFs and paired normal fibroblasts (NFs) from non-small-cell lung cancer patients. We found 14,781 CpG sites of CAF/NF differential methylation, of which 3,707 sites showed higher methylation changes in ever-smokers than in nonsmokers. Concomitant CAF/NF differential gene expression analysis pointed to a subset of 54 smoking-associated CpG sites with strong methylation-regulated gene expression. A methylation index that summarizes the β values of these CpGs was built for NF/CAF discrimination (MIND) with high sensitivity and specificity. The potential of MIND in detecting premalignancy across individual patients was shown. MIND succeeded in predicting tumor recurrence in multiple lung cancer cohorts without reliance on patient survival data, suggesting that the malignancy level of TME may be effectively graded by this index. Precision TME grading may provide additional pathological information to guide cancer prognosis and open up more options in personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Fang Su
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Oncology, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,YongLin Institute of Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hao Ho
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Hua Li
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Fang Wu
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Toxicology, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Chieh Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Yuan Yeh
- School of Big Data Management, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shuenn-Wen Kuo
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Huei-Wen Chen
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Chi Ho
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ker-Chau Li
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Statistics, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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196
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Aboulkheyr Es H, Zhand S, Thiery JP, Warkiani ME. Pirfenidone reduces immune-suppressive capacity of cancer-associated fibroblasts through targeting CCL17 and TNF-beta. Integr Biol (Camb) 2021; 12:188-197. [PMID: 32638026 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyaa014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Various factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME) regulate the expression of PD-L1 in carcinoma cells. The cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a crucial role in regulating and rewiring TME to enhance their immune suppressive function and to favor the invasion of the malignant cells. Tumor progression may be retarded by targeting CAFs in the TME. Various studies highlighted the ability of targeting CAF with pirfenidone (PFD), leading to increased efficacy of chemotherapy. However, its potential for the reduction of immune-suppression capacity of CAFs remains to be elusive. Here, we assessed the effect of PFD on the expression of PD-L1 on CAF cells. Besides migration inhibitory effects of PFD on CAFs, the expression level of PD-L1 reduced in CAFs after treatment with PFD. The downstream analysis of released cytokines from CAFs showed that PFD significantly dropped the secretion of CCL17 and TNF-β, where a positive association between PFD-targeted proteins and PD-L1 was observed. These data suggest that the treatment of CAF within TME through the PFD may reduce the acquisition of CAF-mediated invasive and immune-suppressive capacity of breast carcinoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Aboulkheyr Es
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sareh Zhand
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inserm Unit 981, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.,Department of Regenerative Medicine and Health, Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
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197
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Saika T, Hirabayashi K, Itoh H, Miyajima Y, Serizawa A, Kato N, Oyamada H, Machida T, Kawanishi A, Nakamura N. Cancer-associated fibroblasts are a useful cytological finding for diagnosing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cytopathology 2021; 31:310-314. [PMID: 32472717 DOI: 10.1111/cyt.12868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activated fibroblasts or myofibroblasts that play a crucial role in the invasiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this study, the cytological features and diagnostic significance of CAFs based on pancreatic duct brushing cytology (PDBC) were evaluated. METHODS The prevalence of fibrous stroma (FS) including CAFs on PDBC in 42 PDAC cases and 33 benign cases was retrospectively investigated. The average nuclear size of fibroblasts was compared between PDAC and benign cases to distinguish CAFs from normal FS. RESULTS Overall, FS was observed in 25 PDAC cases (60%) and eight benign cases (24%). The average nuclear size of FS in PDAC cases was significantly larger than that in benign cases. From the receiver operating characteristics analysis, the cut-off value of the nuclear size of FS for the diagnosis of PDAC was defined as 10.22 µm. FS with nuclei over 10.22 µm in size in PDAC cases had clear prominent nucleoli. In contrast, FS in benign cases had no clear nucleoli. Thus, CAFs on PDBC were considered to be FS with nuclei over 10.22 µm in size and prominent nucleoli. The presence of CAFs on PDBC had 100% positive predictive value and specificity for the diagnosis of PDAC. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that CAFs on PDBC could be distinguished from normal FS by large nuclear size (over 10.22 µm) and prominent nucleoli and that CAFs on PDBC may be used for the diagnosis of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsubasa Saika
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokai University Hospital, Isehara, Japan
| | - Kenichi Hirabayashi
- Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Itoh
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokai University Hospital, Isehara, Japan
| | - Yoko Miyajima
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokai University Hospital, Isehara, Japan
| | - Akihiko Serizawa
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokai University Hospital, Isehara, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Kato
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokai University Hospital, Isehara, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Oyamada
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tokai University Oiso Hospital, Oiso, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Machida
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aya Kawanishi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Naoya Nakamura
- Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
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198
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Dendl K, Finck R, Giesel FL, Kratochwil C, Lindner T, Mier W, Cardinale J, Kesch C, Röhrich M, Rathke H, Gampp H, Ristau J, Adeberg S, Jäger D, Debus J, Haberkorn U, Koerber SA. FAP imaging in rare cancer entities-first clinical experience in a broad spectrum of malignancies. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2021; 49:721-731. [PMID: 34342669 PMCID: PMC8803688 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-021-05488-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE 68 Ga-FAPI (fibroblast activation protein inhibitor) is a rapidly evolving and highly promising radiotracer for PET/CT imaging, presenting excellent results in a variety of tumor entities, particularly in epithelial carcinomas. This retrospective analysis sought to evaluate the potential and impact of FAPI-PET/CT in rare cancer diseases with respect to improvement in staging and therapy, based on tracer uptake in normal organs and tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fifty-five patients with rare tumor entities, defined by a prevalence of 1 person out of 2000 or less, received a 68 Ga-FAPI-PET/CT scan. Fourteen women and 41 men (median age 60) were included within the following subgroups: cancer of unknown primary (n = 10), head and neck cancer (n = 13), gastrointestinal and biliary-pancreatic cancer (n = 17), urinary tract cancer (n = 4), neuroendocrine cancer (n = 4), and others (n = 7). Tracer uptake was quantified by standardized uptake values SUVmax and SUVmean and the tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) was determined (SUVmax tumor/SUVmean organ). RESULTS In 20 out of 55 patients, the primary tumor was identified and 31 patients presented metastases (n = 88), characterized by a high mean SUVmax in primary (10.1) and metastatic lesions (7.6). The highest uptake was observed in liver metastases (n = 6) with a mean SUVmax of 9.8 and a high TBR of 8.7, closely followed by peritoneal carcinomatosis (n = 16) presenting a mean SUVmax of 9.8 and an excellent TBR of 29.6. In terms of the included subgroups, the highest uptake regarding mean SUVmax was determined in gastrointestinal and biliary-pancreatic cancer with 9.8 followed closely by urinary tract cancer with 9.5 and head and neck cancer (9.1). CONCLUSION Due to excellent tumor visualization and, thereby, sharp contrasts in terms of high TBRs in primary and metastatic lesions in different rare malignancies, 68 Ga-FAPI-PET/CT crystallizes as a powerful and valuable imaging tool, particularly with respect to epithelial carcinomas, and therefore an enhancement to standard diagnostics imaging methodologies. The realization of further and prospective studies is of large importance to confirm the potential of FAP imaging in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Dendl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - R Finck
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - F L Giesel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Düsseldorf University Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - C Kratochwil
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - T Lindner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - W Mier
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Cardinale
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C Kesch
- Department of Urology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - M Röhrich
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - H Rathke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - H Gampp
- Department of Cardiology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Ristau
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, INF 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S Adeberg
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, INF 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D Jäger
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Debus
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, INF 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - U Haberkorn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg, Member of the German Center for Lung Research DZL, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S A Koerber
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany. .,Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, INF 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Alcaraz J, Ikemori R, Llorente A, Díaz-Valdivia N, Reguart N, Vizoso M. Epigenetic Reprogramming of Tumor-Associated Fibroblasts in Lung Cancer: Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153782. [PMID: 34359678 PMCID: PMC8345093 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, partly due to limited therapy responses. New avenues of knowledge are indicating that lung cancer cells do not form a tumor in isolation but rather obtain essential support from their surrounding host tissue rich in altered fibroblasts. Notably, there is growing evidence that tumor progression and even the current limited responses to therapies could be prevented by rescuing the normal behavior of fibroblasts, which are critical housekeepers of normal tissue function. For this purpose, it is key to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving the pathologic alterations of fibroblasts in cancer. This work provides a comprehensive review of the main molecular mechanisms involved in fibroblast transformation based on epigenetic reprogramming, and summarizes emerging therapeutic approaches to prevent or overcome the pathologic effects of tumor-associated fibroblasts. Abstract Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The desmoplastic stroma of lung cancer and other solid tumors is rich in tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs) exhibiting an activated/myofibroblast-like phenotype. There is growing awareness that TAFs support key steps of tumor progression and are epigenetically reprogrammed compared to healthy fibroblasts. Although the mechanisms underlying such epigenetic reprogramming are incompletely understood, there is increasing evidence that they involve interactions with either cancer cells, pro-fibrotic cytokines such as TGF-β, the stiffening of the surrounding extracellular matrix, smoking cigarette particles and other environmental cues. These aberrant interactions elicit a global DNA hypomethylation and a selective transcriptional repression through hypermethylation of the TGF-β transcription factor SMAD3 in lung TAFs. Likewise, similar DNA methylation changes have been reported in TAFs from other cancer types, as well as histone core modifications and altered microRNA expression. In this review we summarize the evidence of the epigenetic reprogramming of TAFs, how this reprogramming contributes to the acquisition and maintenance of a tumor-promoting phenotype, and how it provides novel venues for therapeutic intervention, with a special focus on lung TAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Alcaraz
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (R.I.); (A.L.); (N.D.-V.)
- Thoracic Oncology Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.A.); (M.V.)
| | - Rafael Ikemori
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (R.I.); (A.L.); (N.D.-V.)
| | - Alejandro Llorente
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (R.I.); (A.L.); (N.D.-V.)
| | - Natalia Díaz-Valdivia
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (R.I.); (A.L.); (N.D.-V.)
| | - Noemí Reguart
- Thoracic Oncology Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Vizoso
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (J.A.); (M.V.)
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200
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Xue B, Chuang CH, Prosser HM, Fuziwara CS, Chan C, Sahasrabudhe N, Kühn M, Wu Y, Chen J, Biton A, Chen C, Wilkinson JE, McManus MT, Bradley A, Winslow MM, Su B, He L. miR-200 deficiency promotes lung cancer metastasis by activating Notch signaling in cancer-associated fibroblasts. Genes Dev 2021; 35:1109-1122. [PMID: 34301766 PMCID: PMC8336896 DOI: 10.1101/gad.347344.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In this study, Xue et al. identified miR-200 miRNAs as potent suppressors for lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. They show that miR-200 regulates the functional interaction between cancer cells and CAFs at least in part by targeting Notch ligand Jagged1 and Jagged2 in cancer cells and inducing Notch activation in adjacent CAFs, providing new insight into the interaction between cancer cells and CAFs as a mechanism to promote metastatic potential. Lung adenocarcinoma, the most prevalent lung cancer subtype, is characterized by its high propensity to metastasize. Despite the importance of metastasis in lung cancer mortality, its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we identified miR-200 miRNAs as potent suppressors for lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. miR-200 expression is specifically repressed in mouse metastatic lung adenocarcinomas, and miR-200 decrease strongly correlates with poor patient survival. Consistently, deletion of mir-200c/141 in the KrasLSL-G12D/+; Trp53flox/flox lung adenocarcinoma mouse model significantly promoted metastasis, generating a desmoplastic tumor stroma highly reminiscent of metastatic human lung cancer. miR-200 deficiency in lung cancer cells promotes the proliferation and activation of adjacent cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which in turn elevates the metastatic potential of cancer cells. miR-200 regulates the functional interaction between cancer cells and CAFs, at least in part, by targeting Notch ligand Jagged1 and Jagged2 in cancer cells and inducing Notch activation in adjacent CAFs. Hence, the interaction between cancer cells and CAFs constitutes an essential mechanism to promote metastatic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Xue
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA
| | - Chen-Hua Chuang
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Haydn M Prosser
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom.,Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, United Kingdom
| | - Cesar Seigi Fuziwara
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Claudia Chan
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA
| | - Neil Sahasrabudhe
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA
| | - Maximilian Kühn
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA
| | - Yalei Wu
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | - Jingqi Chen
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA
| | - Anne Biton
- Department of Statistics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA.,Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Computational Biology, USR 3756, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pasteur, Paris 01 45 68 80 00, France
| | - Caifu Chen
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | - John Erby Wilkinson
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Michael T McManus
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco Diabetes Center, W.M. Keck Center for Noncoding RNAs, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Allan Bradley
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom.,Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, United Kingdom
| | - Monte M Winslow
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Bo Su
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Lin He
- Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94705, USA
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