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Ye Y, Yang F, Gu Z, Li W, Yuan Y, Liu S, Zhou L, Han B, Zheng R, Cao Z. Fibroblast growth factor pathway promotes glycolysis by activating LDHA and suppressing LDHB in a STAT1-dependent manner in prostate cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:474. [PMID: 38764020 PMCID: PMC11103983 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05193-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The initiation of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) expression coincident with the decrease of FGF2 expression is a well-documented event in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and LDHB are essential metabolic products that promote tumor growth. However, the relationship between FGF1/FGF2 and LDHA/B-mediated glycolysis in PCa progression is not reported. Thus, we aimed to explore whether FGF1/2 could regulate LDHA and LDHB to promote glycolysis and explored the involved signaling pathway in PCa progression. METHODS In vitro studies used RT‒qPCR, Western blot, CCK-8 assays, and flow cytometry to analyze gene and protein expression, cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle in PCa cell lines. Glycolysis was assessed by measuring glucose consumption, lactate production, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). For in vivo studies, a xenograft mouse model of PCa was established and treated with an FGF pathway inhibitor, and tumor growth was monitored. RESULTS FGF1, FGF2, and LDHA were expressed at high levels in PCa cells, while LDHB expression was low. FGF1/2 positively modulated LDHA and negatively modulated LDHB in PCa cells. The depletion of FGF1, FGF2, or LDHA reduced cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, and inhibited glycolysis. LDHB overexpression showed similar inhibitory effect on PCa cells. Mechanistically, we found that FGF1/2 positively regulated STAT1 and STAT1 transcriptionally activated LDHA expression while suppressed LDHB expression. Furthermore, the treatment of an FGF pathway inhibitor suppressed PCa tumor growth in mice. CONCLUSION The FGF pathway facilitates glycolysis by activating LDHA and suppressing LDHB in a STAT1-dependent manner in PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Ye
- Department of Urology, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China
| | - Fukan Yang
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Medical University, Graduate School, 524002, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zhanhao Gu
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Medical University, Graduate School, 524002, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Wenxuan Li
- Department of Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Tumors, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China
| | - Yinjiao Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Tumors, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510510, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoqian Liu
- Department of Urology, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China
| | - Le Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Tumors, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510510, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Han
- Department of Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Tumors, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510510, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruinian Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Tumors, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China.
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, 510510, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhengguo Cao
- Department of Urology, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan people's hospital), 523059, Dongguan, China.
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Waki Y, Morine Y, Noma T, Takasu C, Teraoku H, Yamada S, Saito Y, Ikemoto T, Shimada M. Association between high expression of intratumoral fibroblast activation protein and survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:415. [PMID: 38017374 PMCID: PMC10683315 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-03012-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been reported to exhibit protumorigenic effects. Among the well-known CAF markers such as smooth muscle actin (SMA) and fibroblast activation protein (FAP), high expression of SMA in the peritumoral stroma has been reported to be a prognostic factor in various cancers. However, the effect of high FAP expression in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) has not been fully clarified. We evaluated the expression of CAF markers, focusing on FAP expression in the peripheral and intratumoral regions, to clarify the association with survival in patients with IHCC. METHODS The study cohort comprised 37 patients who underwent curative resection for IHCC. The FAP expressions were evaluated in the peripheral and intratumoral regions of the resected tissues. Clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes were investigated between patients with high versus low FAP expression. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the prognostic factors for overall survival and relapse-free survival. RESULTS The median area percentages of FAP expression in the peripheral and intratumoral regions were 15.5% and 17.8%, respectively. High FAP expression in the intratumoral region was significantly associated with worse overall survival and disease-free survival than low FAP expression in the intratumoral region. Multivariate analysis identified high intratumoral FAP expression as a risk factor for worse overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.450; p = 0.049) and relapse-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.743; p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS High intratumoral FAP expression was associated with worse survival, suggesting that intratumoral FAP expression represents malignant progression in patients with IHCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhei Waki
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yuji Morine
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.
| | - Takayuki Noma
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Chie Takasu
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroki Teraoku
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Yamada
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yu Saito
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Ikemoto
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Shimada
- Department of Digestive and Transplant Surgery, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
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Tourkochristou E, Mouzaki A, Triantos C. Gene Polymorphisms and Biological Effects of Vitamin D Receptor on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Development and Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098288. [PMID: 37175993 PMCID: PMC10179740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, with increasing prevalence worldwide. The genetic and molecular background of NAFLD pathogenesis is not yet clear. The vitamin D/vitamin D receptor (VDR) axis is significantly associated with the development and progression of NAFLD. Gene polymorphisms may influence the regulation of the VDR gene, although their biological significance remains to be elucidated. VDR gene polymorphisms are associated with the presence and severity of NAFLD, as they may influence the regulation of adipose tissue activity, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Vitamin D binds to the hepatic VDR to exert its biological functions, either by activating VDR transcriptional activity to regulate gene expression associated with inflammation and fibrosis or by inducing intracellular signal transduction through VDR-mediated activation of Ca2+ channels. VDR activity has protective and detrimental effects on hepatic steatosis, a characteristic feature of NAFLD. Vitamin D-VDR signaling may control the progression of NAFLD by regulating immune responses, lipotoxicity, and fibrogenesis. Elucidation of the genetic and molecular background of VDR in the pathophysiology of NAFLD will provide new therapeutic targets for this disease through the development of VDR agonists, which already showed promising results in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evanthia Tourkochristou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, 26504 Patras, Greece
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Athanasia Mouzaki
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Christos Triantos
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, 26504 Patras, Greece
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Mieczkowski K, Kitowska K, Braun M, Galikowska-Bogut B, Gorska-Arcisz M, Piasecka D, Stawiski K, Zaczek AJ, Nejc D, Kordek R, Romanska HM, Sadej R. FGF7/FGFR2-JunB signalling counteracts the effect of progesterone in luminal breast cancer. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:2823-2842. [PMID: 35726195 PMCID: PMC9348598 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently demonstrated that fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2)‐mediated signalling alters progesterone receptor (PR) activity and response of oestrogen receptor α (ER)‐positive (ER+) breast cancer (BCa) cell lines to anti‐ER agents. Little is known about whether the crosstalk between ER and PR, shown to be modulated by the hormonal background, might also be affected by FGFR2. Here, PR‐dependent behaviour of ER+ BCa cells was studied in the presence of oestrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) and/or FGF7. In vitro analyses showed that FGF7/FGFR2 signalling: (a) abolished the effect of P4 on E2‐promoted 3D cell growth and response to tamoxifen; (b) regulated ER and PR expression and activity; (c) increased formation of ER–PR complexes; and (d) reversed P4‐triggered deregulation of ER‐dependent genes. Analysis of clinical data demonstrated that the prognostic value of FGFR2 varied between patients with different menopausal status; that is, high expression of FGFR2 was significantly associated with longer progression‐free survival (PFS) in postmenopausal patients, whereas there was no significant association in premenopausal patients. FGFR2 was found to positively correlate with the expression of JunB proto‐oncogene, AP‐1 transcription factor subunit (JUNB), an ER‐dependent gene, only in premenopausal patients. Molecular analyses revealed that the presence of JunB was a prerequisite for FGFR2‐mediated abrogation of P4‐induced inhibition of cell growth. Our results demonstrate for the first time that the FGF7/FGFR2–JunB axis abolishes the modulatory effects of PR on ER‐associated biological functions in premenopausal ER+ BCa. This may provide foundations for a better selection of patients for FGFR‐targeting therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Mieczkowski
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Kamila Kitowska
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marcin Braun
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Barbara Galikowska-Bogut
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Monika Gorska-Arcisz
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dominika Piasecka
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Konrad Stawiski
- Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Anna J Zaczek
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Nejc
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Radzisław Kordek
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Hanna M Romanska
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Rafal Sadej
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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5
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Luthold C, Hallal T, Labbé DP, Bordeleau F. The Extracellular Matrix Stiffening: A Trigger of Prostate Cancer Progression and Castration Resistance? Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14122887. [PMID: 35740556 PMCID: PMC9221142 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14122887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advancements made in diagnosis and treatment, prostate cancer remains the second most diagnosed cancer among men worldwide in 2020, and the first in North America and Europe. Patients with localized disease usually respond well to first-line treatments, however, up to 30% develop castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), which is often metastatic, making this stage of the disease incurable and ultimately fatal. Over the last years, interest has grown into the extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening as an important mediator of diseases, including cancers. While this process is increasingly well-characterized in breast cancer, a similar in-depth look at ECM stiffening remains lacking for prostate cancer. In this review, we scrutinize the current state of literature regarding ECM stiffening in prostate cancer and its potential association with disease progression and castration resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Luthold
- Centre de Recherche sur le Cancer, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada;
- Division of Oncology, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Tarek Hallal
- Cancer Research Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada;
| | - David P. Labbé
- Cancer Research Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada;
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- Correspondence: (D.P.L.); (F.B.)
| | - François Bordeleau
- Centre de Recherche sur le Cancer, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada;
- Division of Oncology, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Biochimie Médicale et Pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Correspondence: (D.P.L.); (F.B.)
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Araújo R, Fabris V, Lamb CA, Lanari C, Helguero LA, Gil AM. Metabolic Adaptations in an Endocrine-Related Breast Cancer Mouse Model Unveil Potential Markers of Tumor Response to Hormonal Therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:786931. [PMID: 35299741 PMCID: PMC8921989 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.786931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women and, in most cases, it is hormone-dependent (HD), thus relying on ovarian hormone activation of intracellular receptors to stimulate tumor growth. Endocrine therapy (ET) aimed at preventing hormone receptor activation is the primary treatment strategy, however, about half of the patients, develop resistance in time. This involves the development of hormone independent tumors that initially are ET-responsive (HI), which may subsequently become resistant (HIR). The mechanisms that promote the conversion of HI to HIR tumors are varied and not completely understood. The aim of this work was to characterize the metabolic adaptations accompanying this conversion through the analysis of the polar metabolomes of tumor tissue and non-compromised mammary gland from mice implanted subcutaneously with HD, HI and HIR tumors from a medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)-induced BC mouse model. This was carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of tissue polar extracts and data mining through multivariate and univariate statistical analysis. Initial results unveiled marked changes between global tumor profiles and non-compromised mammary gland tissues, as expected. More importantly, specific metabolic signatures were found to accompany progression from HD, through HI and to HIR tumors, impacting on amino acids, nucleotides, membrane percursors and metabolites related to oxidative stress protection mechanisms. For each transition, sets of polar metabolites are advanced as potential markers of progression, including acquisition of resistance to ET. Putative biochemical interpretation of such signatures are proposed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Araújo
- Department of Chemistry and CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (CICECO/UA), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Victoria Fabris
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IByME), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Caroline A Lamb
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IByME), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Lanari
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IByME), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luisa A Helguero
- Institute of Biomedicine (iBIMED), Department of Medical Sciences, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ana M Gil
- Department of Chemistry and CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (CICECO/UA), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
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Pérez Piñero C, Giulianelli S, Lamb CA, Lanari C. New Insights in the Interaction of FGF/FGFR and Steroid Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer. Endocrinology 2022; 163:6491899. [PMID: 34977930 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Luminal breast cancer (BrCa) has a favorable prognosis compared with other tumor subtypes. However, with time, tumors may evolve and lead to disease progression; thus, there is a great interest in unraveling the mechanisms that drive tumor metastasis and endocrine resistance. In this review, we focus on one of the many pathways that have been involved in tumor progression, the fibroblast growth factor/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) axis. We emphasize in data obtained from in vivo experimental models that we believe that in luminal BrCa, tumor growth relies in a crosstalk with the stromal tissue. We revisited the studies that illustrate the interaction between hormone receptors and FGFR. We also highlight the most frequent alterations found in BrCa cell lines and provide a short review on the trials that use FGFR inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapies. Analysis of these data suggests there are many players involved in this pathway that might be also targeted to decrease FGF signaling, in addition to specific FGFR inhibitors that may be exploited to increase their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Pérez Piñero
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sebastián Giulianelli
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT CENPAT-CONICET, U9120ACD Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - Caroline A Lamb
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Lanari
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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FGF/FGFR-Dependent Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Anti-Cancer Drug Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225796. [PMID: 34830951 PMCID: PMC8616288 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Deregulation of the FGF/FGFR axis is associated with many types of cancer and contributes to the development of chemoresistance, limiting the effectiveness of current treatment strategies. There are several mechanisms involved in this phenomenon, including cross-talks with other signaling pathways, avoidance of apoptosis, stimulation of angiogenesis, and initiation of EMT. Here, we provide an overview of current research and approaches focusing on targeting components of the FGFR/FGF signaling module to overcome drug resistance during anti-cancer therapy. Abstract Increased expression of both FGF proteins and their receptors observed in many cancers is often associated with the development of chemoresistance, limiting the effectiveness of currently used anti-cancer therapies. Malfunctioning of the FGF/FGFR axis in cancer cells generates a number of molecular mechanisms that may affect the sensitivity of tumors to the applied drugs. Of key importance is the deregulation of cell signaling, which can lead to increased cell proliferation, survival, and motility, and ultimately to malignancy. Signaling pathways activated by FGFRs inhibit apoptosis, reducing the cytotoxic effect of some anti-cancer drugs. FGFRs-dependent signaling may also initiate angiogenesis and EMT, which facilitates metastasis and also correlates with drug resistance. Therefore, treatment strategies based on FGF/FGFR inhibition (using receptor inhibitors, ligand traps, monoclonal antibodies, or microRNAs) appear to be extremely promising. However, this approach may lead to further development of resistance through acquisition of specific mutations, metabolism switching, and molecular cross-talks. This review brings together information on the mechanisms underlying the involvement of the FGF/FGFR axis in the generation of drug resistance in cancer and highlights the need for further research to overcome this serious problem with novel therapeutic strategies.
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9
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Progesterone receptors in normal breast development and breast cancer. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:951-969. [PMID: 34061163 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Progesterone receptors (PR) play a pivotal role in many female reproductive tissues such as the uterus, the ovary, and the mammary gland (MG). Moreover, PR play a key role in breast cancer growth and progression. This has led to the development and study of different progestins and antiprogestins, many of which are currently being tested in clinical trials for cancer treatment. Recent reviews have addressed the role of PR in MG development, carcinogenesis, and breast cancer growth. Thus, in this review, in addition to making an overview on PR action in normal and tumor breast, the focus has been put on highlighting the still unresolved topics on hormone treatment involving PR isoforms and breast cancer prognosis.
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10
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Ferguson HR, Smith MP, Francavilla C. Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs) and Noncanonical Partners in Cancer Signaling. Cells 2021; 10:1201. [PMID: 34068954 PMCID: PMC8156822 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that success of targeted therapies in the treatment of cancer is context-dependent and is influenced by a complex crosstalk between signaling pathways and between cell types in the tumor. The Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)/FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling axis highlights the importance of such context-dependent signaling in cancer. Aberrant FGFR signaling has been characterized in almost all cancer types, most commonly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, glioblastoma, prostate cancer and gastrointestinal cancer. This occurs primarily through amplification and over-expression of FGFR1 and FGFR2 resulting in ligand-independent activation. Mutations and translocations of FGFR1-4 are also identified in cancer. Canonical FGF-FGFR signaling is tightly regulated by ligand-receptor combinations as well as direct interactions with the FGFR coreceptors heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and Klotho. Noncanonical FGFR signaling partners have been implicated in differential regulation of FGFR signaling. FGFR directly interacts with cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, contributing to invasive and migratory properties of cancer cells, whereas interactions with other receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) regulate angiogenic, resistance to therapy, and metastatic potential of cancer cells. The diversity in FGFR signaling partners supports a role for FGFR signaling in cancer, independent of genetic aberration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet R. Ferguson
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health (FBMH), The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
| | - Michael P. Smith
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health (FBMH), The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
| | - Chiara Francavilla
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health (FBMH), The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
- Manchester Breast Centre, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
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11
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Tokuda K, Morine Y, Miyazaki K, Yamada S, Saito Y, Nishi M, Tokunaga T, Ikemoto T, Imura S, Shimada M. The interaction between cancer associated fibroblasts and tumor associated macrophages via the osteopontin pathway in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncotarget 2021; 12:333-343. [PMID: 33659044 PMCID: PMC7899554 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27881] [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: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-tumor associated macrophage (TAM)-cancer associated fibroblast (CAF) interactions are an important factor in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were cultured with cancer cell-conditioned medium (Ca.-CM), TAM-CM and CAF-CM, and the expression of CAF markers were evaluated by RT-PCR. Whether HSCs cultured with Ca.-CM, TAM-CM and CAF-CM contributed to the enhanced malignancy of cancer cells was examined using proliferation, invasion and migration assays. Furthermore, the differences between these three types of CM were evaluated using cytokine arrays. RESULTS HSCs cultured with Ca.-CM, TAM-CM and CAF-CM showed significantly increased mRNA expression of αSMA, FAP and IL-6. All HSCs cultured with each CM exhibited significantly increased proliferation, invasion and migration of cancer cells. The osteopontin concentration was significantly higher in HSCs cultured with TAM-CM than the other CAF-CMs. Osteopontin inhibition significantly reduced osteopontin secretion from HSCs cultured with TAM-CM and suppressed the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells enhanced by HSCs cultured with TAM-CM. CONCLUSIONS We observed enhanced osteopontin secretion from TAMs, and this increased osteopontin further promoted osteopontin secretion from HSCs cultured with TAM-CM, leading to increased malignancy. For the first time, we demonstrated the importance of cancer-TAM-CAF interactions via osteopontin in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazunori Tokuda
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yuji Morine
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Katsuki Miyazaki
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Yamada
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yu Saito
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nishi
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takuya Tokunaga
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Ikemoto
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Satoru Imura
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Shimada
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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12
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Lamb CA, Fabris VT, Lanari C. Progesterone and breast. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2020; 69:85-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2020.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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13
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Santolla MF, Maggiolini M. The FGF/FGFR System in Breast Cancer: Oncogenic Features and Therapeutic Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3029. [PMID: 33081025 PMCID: PMC7603197 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12103029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major challenges in the treatment of breast cancer is the heterogeneous nature of the disease. With multiple subtypes of breast cancer identified, there is an unmet clinical need for the development of therapies particularly for the less tractable subtypes. Several transduction mechanisms are involved in the progression of breast cancer, therefore making the assessment of the molecular landscape that characterizes each patient intricate. Over the last decade, numerous studies have focused on the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to target the main pathways dysregulated in breast cancer, however their effectiveness is often limited either by resistance to treatments or the appearance of adverse effects. In this context, the fibroblast growth factor/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGF/FGFR) system represents an emerging transduction pathway and therapeutic target to be fully investigated among the diverse anti-cancer settings in breast cancer. Here, we have recapitulated previous studies dealing with FGFR molecular aberrations, such as the gene amplification, point mutations, and chromosomal translocations that occur in breast cancer. Furthermore, alterations in the FGF/FGFR signaling across the different subtypes of breast cancer have been described. Next, we discussed the functional interplay between the FGF/FGFR axis and important components of the breast tumor microenvironment. Lastly, we pointed out the therapeutic usefulness of FGF/FGFR inhibitors, as revealed by preclinical and clinical models of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
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14
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Braun M, Piasecka D, Tomasik B, Mieczkowski K, Stawiski K, Zielinska A, Kopczynski J, Nejc D, Kordek R, Sadej R, Romanska HM. Hormonal Receptor Status Determines Prognostic Significance of FGFR2 in Invasive Breast Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092713. [PMID: 32971804 PMCID: PMC7564845 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary FGFR2-ER-PR crosstalk leads to hormone-independent progression of breast cancer. In vitro, FGFR2 stimulates PR transcriptional activity and mediates resistance to anti-ER therapies. The postulated poor prognostic effect of FGFR2 overexpression has not been confirmed at clinical level. Our clinical data show that, counterintuitively, low expression of FGFR is linked to poor prognosis in breast cancer and its prognostic value is dependent on the hormonal receptor status, but not PR transcriptional activity. This shows, that the role of FGFR in breast cancer is more complex, which may explain unsatisfactory results of the clinical trials with FGFR inhibitors. Abstract Interaction between fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) and estrogen/progesterone receptors (ER/PR) affects resistance to anti-ER therapies, however the prognostic value of FGFR2 in breast cancer (BCa) remains largely unexplored. We have recently showed in vitro that FGFR2-mediated signaling alters PR activity and response to anti-ER treatment. Herein, prognostic significance of FGFR2 in BCa was evaluated in relation to both ER/PR protein status and a molecular signature designed to reflect PR transcriptional activity. FGFR2 was examined in 353 BCa cases using immunohistochemistry and Nanostring-based RNA quantification. FGFR2 expression was higher in ER+PR+ and ER+PR- compared to ER−PR− cases (p < 0.001). Low FGFR2 was associated with higher grade (p < 0.001), higher Ki67 proliferation index (p < 0.001), and worse overall and disease-free survival (HR = 2.34 (95% CI: 1.26–4.34), p = 0.007 and HR = 2.22 (95% CI: 1.25–3.93), p = 0.006, respectively). The poor prognostic value of low FGFR2 was apparent in ER+PR+, but not in ER+PR− patients, and it did not depend on the expression level of PR-dependent genes. Despite the functional link between FGFR2 and ER/PR revealed by preclinical studies, the data showed a link between FGFR2 expression and poor prognosis in BCa patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Braun
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland; (M.B.); (D.P.); (A.Z.); (R.K.)
| | - Dominika Piasecka
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland; (M.B.); (D.P.); (A.Z.); (R.K.)
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Bartlomiej Tomasik
- Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (B.T.); (K.S.)
| | - Kamil Mieczkowski
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Konrad Stawiski
- Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (B.T.); (K.S.)
| | - Aleksandra Zielinska
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland; (M.B.); (D.P.); (A.Z.); (R.K.)
| | - Janusz Kopczynski
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Holycross Cancer Centre, 25-734 Kielce, Poland;
| | - Dariusz Nejc
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, 93-513 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Radzislaw Kordek
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland; (M.B.); (D.P.); (A.Z.); (R.K.)
| | - Rafal Sadej
- Department of Molecular Enzymology and Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland;
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (H.M.R.); Tel.: +48-58-349-1469 (R.S.); +48-42-272-5605 (H.M.R.)
| | - Hanna M. Romanska
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland; (M.B.); (D.P.); (A.Z.); (R.K.)
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (H.M.R.); Tel.: +48-58-349-1469 (R.S.); +48-42-272-5605 (H.M.R.)
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15
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Dwyer AR, Truong TH, Ostrander JH, Lange CA. 90 YEARS OF PROGESTERONE: Steroid receptors as MAPK signaling sensors in breast cancer: let the fates decide. J Mol Endocrinol 2020; 65:T35-T48. [PMID: 32209723 PMCID: PMC7329584 DOI: 10.1530/jme-19-0274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormone receptors (SRs) are classically defined as ligand-activated transcription factors that function as master regulators of gene programs important for a wide range of processes governing adult physiology, development, and cell or tissue homeostasis. A second function of SRs includes the ability to activate cytoplasmic signaling pathways. Estrogen (ER), androgen (AR), and progesterone (PR) receptors bind directly to membrane-associated signaling molecules including mitogenic protein kinases (i.e. c-SRC and AKT), G-proteins, and ion channels to mediate context-dependent actions via rapid activation of downstream signaling pathways. In addition to making direct contact with diverse signaling molecules, SRs are further fully integrated with signaling pathways by virtue of their N-terminal phosphorylation sites that act as regulatory hot-spots capable of sensing the signaling milieu. In particular, ER, AR, PR, and closely related glucocorticoid receptors (GR) share the property of accepting (i.e. sensing) ligand-independent phosphorylation events by proline-directed kinases in the MAPK and CDK families. These signaling inputs act as a 'second ligand' that dramatically impacts cell fate. In the face of drugs that reliably target SR ligand-binding domains to block uncontrolled cancer growth, ligand-independent post-translational modifications guide changes in cell fate that confer increased survival, EMT, migration/invasion, stemness properties, and therapy resistance of non-proliferating SR+ cancer cell subpopulations. The focus of this review is on MAPK pathways in the regulation of SR+ cancer cell fate. MAPK-dependent phosphorylation of PR (Ser294) and GR (Ser134) will primarily be discussed in light of the need to target changes in breast cancer cell fate as part of modernized combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R. Dwyer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
| | - Thu H. Truong
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
| | - Julie H. Ostrander
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
- Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
| | - Carol A. Lange
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
- Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
- Corresponding author: Carol A Lange, Professor, ; 612-626-0621 (phone), University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, Delivery Code 2812, Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, 2231 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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16
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Avagliano A, Fiume G, Ruocco MR, Martucci N, Vecchio E, Insabato L, Russo D, Accurso A, Masone S, Montagnani S, Arcucci A. Influence of Fibroblasts on Mammary Gland Development, Breast Cancer Microenvironment Remodeling, and Cancer Cell Dissemination. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1697. [PMID: 32604738 PMCID: PMC7352995 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The stromal microenvironment regulates mammary gland development and tumorigenesis. In normal mammary glands, the stromal microenvironment encompasses the ducts and contains fibroblasts, the main regulators of branching morphogenesis. Understanding the way fibroblast signaling pathways regulate mammary gland development may offer insights into the mechanisms of breast cancer (BC) biology. In fact, the unregulated mammary fibroblast signaling pathways, associated with alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and branching morphogenesis, drive breast cancer microenvironment (BCM) remodeling and cancer growth. The BCM comprises a very heterogeneous tissue containing non-cancer stromal cells, namely, breast cancer-associated fibroblasts (BCAFs), which represent most of the tumor mass. Moreover, the different components of the BCM highly interact with cancer cells, thereby generating a tightly intertwined network. In particular, BC cells activate recruited normal fibroblasts in BCAFs, which, in turn, promote BCM remodeling and metastasis. Thus, comparing the roles of normal fibroblasts and BCAFs in the physiological and metastatic processes, could provide a deeper understanding of the signaling pathways regulating BC dissemination. Here, we review the latest literature describing the structure of the mammary gland and the BCM and summarize the influence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EpMT) and autophagy in BC dissemination. Finally, we discuss the roles of fibroblasts and BCAFs in mammary gland development and BCM remodeling, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Avagliano
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (S.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Fiume
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (G.F.); (E.V.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Ruocco
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Nunzia Martucci
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (S.M.)
| | - Eleonora Vecchio
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (G.F.); (E.V.)
| | - Luigi Insabato
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.I.); (D.R.)
| | - Daniela Russo
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.I.); (D.R.)
| | - Antonello Accurso
- Department of General, Oncological, Bariatric and Endocrine-Metabolic Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Stefania Masone
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Stefania Montagnani
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (S.M.)
| | - Alessandro Arcucci
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.M.); (S.M.)
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17
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Suh J, Kim DH, Lee YH, Jang JH, Surh YJ. Fibroblast growth factor-2, derived from cancer-associated fibroblasts, stimulates growth and progression of human breast cancer cells via FGFR1 signaling. Mol Carcinog 2020; 59:1028-1040. [PMID: 32557854 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute a major compartment of the tumor microenvironment. In the present study, we investigated the role for CAFs in breast cancer progression and underlying molecular mechanisms. Human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells treated with the CAF-conditioned media manifested a more proliferative phenotype, as evidenced by enhanced messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Cyclin D1, c-Myc, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) expression was well correlated with the presence of CAFs. We noticed that the mRNA level of FGF2 in CAFs was higher than that in normal fibroblasts. FGF2 exerts its biological effects through interaction with FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1). In the breast cancer tissue array, 42% estrogen receptor-negative patients coexpressed FGF2 and FGFR1, whereas only 19% estrogen receptor-positive patients exhibited coexpression. CAF-stimulated MDA-MB-231 cell migration and invasiveness were abolished when FGF2-neutralizing antibody was added to the conditioned media of CAFs. In a xenograft mouse model, coinjection of MDA-MB-231 cells with activated fibroblasts expressing FGF2 dramatically enhanced tumor growth, and this was abrogated by silencing of FGFR1 in cancer cells. In addition, treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with FGF2 enhanced expression of Cyclin D1, a key molecule involved in cell cycle progression. FGF2-induced cell migration and upregulation of Cyclin D1 were abolished by siRNA-mediated FGFR1 silencing. Taken together, the above findings suggest that CAFs promote growth, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells via the paracrine FGF2-FGFR1 loop in the breast tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyoung Suh
- Tumor Microenvironment Global Core Research Center and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Do-Hee Kim
- Department of Chemistry, College of Convergence and Integrated Science, Kyonggi University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Yeon-Hwa Lee
- Tumor Microenvironment Global Core Research Center and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Hoon Jang
- Tumor Microenvironment Global Core Research Center and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young-Joon Surh
- Tumor Microenvironment Global Core Research Center and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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18
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Lappano R, Rigiracciolo DC, Belfiore A, Maggiolini M, De Francesco EM. Cancer associated fibroblasts: role in breast cancer and potential as therapeutic targets. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:559-572. [PMID: 32249708 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1751819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the largest population of stromal cells in breast tumors. Emerging evidence has suggested that CAFs are important players not only in fostering tumor growth and spread but also in altering the tumor response to therapeutic agents. On the basis of these observations, huge efforts have been made to exploit CAFs as potential targets for breast cancer therapy.Areas covered: The current understanding of the hallmarks and biology of CAFs, their multilayered interplay with various cell populations of breast tumor microenvironment toward cancer initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to anticancer therapies are discussed. In addition, a comprehensive overview of the CAFs-based molecular druggable targets in breast tumors is provided. The most relevant literature, in particular the studies retrieved in Medline in the last 10 years, served for this purpose.Expert opinion: The interest on CAFs as a target to fight breast cancer has becoming a hot topic for drug discovery. Indeed, several CAFs-targeted approaches are emerging as appealing therapeutic strategies in breast cancer. At pre-clinical level, this research field is speedily advancing toward the assessment of successful tactics targeting CAFs in breast cancer. Therefore, anti-CAFs therapies may display an intriguing potential to be exploited in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | | | - Antonino Belfiore
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
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19
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Undifferentiated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Putative Role for the EBV-Encoded Oncoprotein, LMP1. Pathogens 2019; 9:pathogens9010008. [PMID: 31861782 PMCID: PMC7168608 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is 100% associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, and biopsies display variable levels of expression of the viral oncoprotein, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). Emerging evidence suggests an important role for cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the NPC tumour microenvironment, yet the interaction between the virus, its latent gene products and the recruitment and activation of CAFs in the NPC tumour stroma remains unclear. This short review will discuss the current evidence for the importance of CAFs in NPC pathogenesis and outline a putative role for the EBV-encoded oncoprotein, LMP1, in governing tumour–stromal interactions.
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20
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Figueroa V, Rodríguez MS, Lanari C, Lamb CA. Nuclear action of FGF members in endocrine-related tissues and cancer: Interplay with steroid receptor pathways. Steroids 2019; 152:108492. [PMID: 31513818 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2019.108492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the fibroblast growth factors/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGF/FGFR) pathway has been implicated in a wide range of human disorders and several members have been localized in the nuclear compartment. Hormone-activated steroid receptors or ligand independent activated receptors form nuclear complexes that activate gene transcription. This review aims to highlight the interplay between the steroid receptor and the FGF/FGFR pathways and focuses on the current knowledge on nuclear action of FGF members in endocrine-related tissues and cancer. The nuclear trafficking and targets of FGF/FGFR members and the available evidence on the interplay with steroid hormones and receptors is described. Finally, the data on aberrant FGF/FGFR signaling is summarized and the nuclear action of FGF members on endocrine resistant breast cancer is highlighted. Identifying the mechanisms underlying FGF-induced endocrine resistance will be important to understand how to efficiently target endocrine-related diseases and even enhance or restore endocrine sensitivity in hormone receptor positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Figueroa
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - María Sol Rodríguez
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - Claudia Lanari
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - Caroline Ana Lamb
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
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21
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Lu C, Rong D, Zhang B, Zheng W, Wang X, Chen Z, Tang W. Current perspectives on the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma: challenges and opportunities. Mol Cancer 2019; 18:130. [PMID: 31464625 PMCID: PMC6714090 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-019-1047-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 240] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is on the rise due to the prevalence of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Although there are surgical and chemotherapy treatment avenues the mortality rate of HCC remains high. Immunotherapy is currently the new frontier of cancer treatment and the immunobiology of HCC is emerging as an area for further exploration. The tumor microenvironment coexists and interacts with various immune cells to sustain the growth of HCC. Thus, immunosuppressive cells play an important role in the anti-tumor immune response. This review will discuss the current concepts of immunosuppressive cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, marrow-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated neutrophils, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and regulatory T cell interactions to actively promote tumorigenesis. It further elaborates on current treatment modalities and future areas of exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dawei Rong
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Betty Zhang
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wubin Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuehao Wang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. .,Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ziyi Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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22
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Liu Q, Peng F, Chen J. The Role of Exosomal MicroRNAs in the Tumor Microenvironment of Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E3884. [PMID: 31395836 PMCID: PMC6719057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20163884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, ranking first among women's cancers worldwide, develops from the breast tissue. Study of the breast tissue is, therefore of great significance to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Exosomes, acting as an effective communicator between cells, are in the ascendant in recent years. One of the most important cargoes contained in the exosomes is microRNAs, belonging to the non-coding RNA family. When the exosomal microRNAs are absorbed into the intracellular location, most of the microRNAs will act as tumor promoters or suppressors by inhibiting the translation process of the target mRNA, thus affecting the behavior of other stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. At present, growing research focuses on the different types of donor cell sources, their contribution to cancer, miRNA profiling, their biomarker potential, etc. This review aims to state the function of diverse miRNAs in exosomes medicated cell-cell communication and the potency of some specific enriched miRNAs as molecular markers in clinical trials. We also describe the mechanism of anti-cancer compounds through exosomes and the exploration of artificially engineered techniques that lead miRNA-inhibitors into exosomes for therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Liu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam 999077, Hong Kong, China
- HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Fu Peng
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam 999077, Hong Kong, China
- HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen 518057, China
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jianping Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam 999077, Hong Kong, China.
- HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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23
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Fu R, Han CF, Ni T, Di L, Liu LJ, Lv WC, Bi YR, Jiang N, He Y, Li HM, Wang S, Xie H, Chen BA, Wang XS, Weiss SJ, Lu T, Guo QL, Wu ZQ. A ZEB1/p53 signaling axis in stromal fibroblasts promotes mammary epithelial tumours. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3210. [PMID: 31324807 PMCID: PMC6642263 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11278-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that the zinc-finger transcription factor ZEB1 is predominantly expressed in the stroma of several tumours. However, the role of stromal ZEB1 in tumour progression remains unexplored. In this study, while interrogating human databases, we uncover a remarkable decrease in relapse-free survival of breast cancer patients expressing high ZEB1 levels in the stroma. Using a mouse model of breast cancer, we show that ZEB1 inactivation in stromal fibroblasts suppresses tumour initiation, progression and metastasis. We associate this with reduced extracellular matrix remodeling, immune cell infiltration and decreased angiogenesis. ZEB1 deletion in stromal fibroblasts increases acetylation, expression and recruitment of p53 to FGF2/7, VEGF and IL6 promoters, thereby reducing their production and secretion into the surrounding stroma. Importantly, p53 ablation in ZEB1 stroma-deleted mammary tumours sufficiently recovers the impaired cancer growth and progression. Our findings identify the ZEB1/p53 axis as a stroma-specific signaling pathway that promotes mammary epithelial tumours.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Breast/pathology
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation
- Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/metabolism
- Extracellular Matrix/metabolism
- Female
- Fibroblast Growth Factor 2/metabolism
- Fibroblast Growth Factor 7/metabolism
- Fibroblasts/metabolism
- Gene Deletion
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics
- Humans
- Interleukin-6
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Mice
- Mice, Knockout
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Experimental
- Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial/pathology
- Signal Transduction
- Tumor Microenvironment
- Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism
- Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1/genetics
- Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Chen-Feng Han
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Ting Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Lei Di
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Li-Juan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Wen-Cong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yan-Ran Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yin He
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Hong-Mei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Shui Wang
- Division of Breast Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210036, China
| | - Hui Xie
- Division of Breast Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210036, China
| | - Bao-An Chen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, The Affiliated Zhong-Da Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiao-Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Stephen J Weiss
- The Life Sciences Institute, Rogel Cancer Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Tao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Qing-Long Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Zhao-Qiu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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24
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Piasecka D, Braun M, Kitowska K, Mieczkowski K, Kordek R, Sadej R, Romanska H. FGFs/FGFRs-dependent signalling in regulation of steroid hormone receptors - implications for therapy of luminal breast cancer. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:230. [PMID: 31142340 PMCID: PMC6542018 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1236-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Stromal stimuli mediated by growth factor receptors, leading to ligand-independent activation of steroid hormone receptors, have long been implicated in development of breast cancer resistance to endocrine therapy. Mutations in fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) genes have been associated with a higher incidence and progression of breast cancer. Increasing evidence suggests that FGFR-mediated interaction between luminal invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC) and its microenvironment contributes to the progression to hormone-independence. Therapeutic strategies based on FGFR inhibitors hold promise for overcoming resistance to the ER-targeting treatment. A series of excellent reviews discuss a potential role of FGFR in development of IDC. Here, we provide a concise updated summary of existing literature on FGFR-mediated signalling with an emphasis on an interaction between FGFR and estrogen/progesterone receptors (ER/PR) in IDC. Focusing on the regulatory role of tumour microenvironment in the activity of steroid hormone receptors, we compile the available functional data on FGFRs-mediated signalling, as a fundamental mechanism of luminal IDC progression and failure of anti-ER treatment. We also highlight the translational value of the presented findings and summarize ongoing oncologic clinical trials investigating FGFRs inhibition in interventional studies in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Piasecka
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213, Lodz, Poland
| | - Marcin Braun
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213, Lodz, Poland
| | - Kamila Kitowska
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1 Street, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Kamil Mieczkowski
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1 Street, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Radzislaw Kordek
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213, Lodz, Poland
| | - Rafal Sadej
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1 Street, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Hanna Romanska
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213, Lodz, Poland.
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25
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Giulianelli S, Riggio M, Guillardoy T, Pérez Piñero C, Gorostiaga MA, Sequeira G, Pataccini G, Abascal MF, Toledo MF, Jacobsen BM, Guerreiro AC, Barros A, Novaro V, Monteiro FL, Amado F, Gass H, Abba M, Helguero LA, Lanari C. FGF2 induces breast cancer growth through ligand-independent activation and recruitment of ERα and PRBΔ4 isoform to MYC regulatory sequences. Int J Cancer 2019; 145:1874-1888. [PMID: 30843188 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Progression to hormone-independent growth leading to endocrine therapy resistance occurs in a high proportion of patients with estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and progesterone receptors (PR) positive breast cancer. We and others have previously shown that estrogen- and progestin-induced tumor growth requires ERα and PR interaction at their target genes. Here, we show that fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2)-induces cell proliferation and tumor growth through hormone-independent ERα and PR activation and their interaction at the MYC enhancer and proximal promoter. MYC inhibitors, antiestrogens or antiprogestins reverted FGF2-induced effects. LC-MS/MS identified 700 canonical proteins recruited to MYC regulatory sequences after FGF2 stimulation, 397 of which required active ERα (ERα-dependent). We identified ERα-dependent proteins regulating transcription that, after FGF2 treatment, were recruited to the enhancer as well as proteins involved in transcription initiation that were recruited to the proximal promoter. Also, among the ERα-dependent and independent proteins detected at both sites, PR isoforms A and B as well as the novel protein product PRBΔ4 were found. PRBΔ4 lacks the hormone-binding domain and was able to induce reporter gene expression from estrogen-regulated elements and to increase cell proliferation when cells were stimulated with FGF2 but not by progestins. Analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas data set revealed that PRBΔ4 expression is associated with worse overall survival in luminal breast cancer patients. This discovery provides a new mechanism by which growth factor signaling can engage nonclassical hormone receptor isoforms such as PRBΔ4, which interacts with growth-factor activated ERα and PR to stimulate MYC gene expression and hence progression to endocrine resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Giulianelli
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT CENPAT-CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - Marina Riggio
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tomas Guillardoy
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cecilia Pérez Piñero
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María A Gorostiaga
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gonzalo Sequeira
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Pataccini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María F Abascal
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María F Toledo
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Britta M Jacobsen
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ana C Guerreiro
- Department of Chemistry, QOPNA - Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - António Barros
- Department of Chemistry, QOPNA - Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Virginia Novaro
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fátima L Monteiro
- Department of Medical Sciences, iBiMED - Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Francisco Amado
- Department of Chemistry, QOPNA - Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Hugo Gass
- Hospital de Agudos Magdalena V de Martínez, General Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martin Abba
- CINIBA, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Luisa A Helguero
- Department of Medical Sciences, iBiMED - Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Claudia Lanari
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IByME-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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26
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Biological heterogeneity and versatility of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment. Oncogene 2019; 38:4887-4901. [PMID: 30816343 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0765-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Increasing lines of evidence show that the malignant behavior of cancer is not exclusively attributable to cancer cells but also radically influenced by cancerous stroma activity and controlled through various mechanisms by the microenvironment. In addition to structural components, such as the extracellular matrix, stromal cells, such as macrophages, endothelial cells, and specifically cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), have attracted substantial attention over recent decades. CAFs provide routes for aggressive carcinomas and contribute to invasion and metastasis through the biochemical alteration and regulation of cancer-related pathways. However, another facet of CAFs that has been neglected by numerous studies is that CAFs might serve as a negative regulator of cancer progression under certain circumstances. The various origins of CAFs, the diverse tissues in which they reside and their interactions with different cancer cells appear to be responsible for this inconsistency. This review summarizes the latest knowledge regarding CAF heterogeneity and offers a novel perspective and a beneficial approach for obtaining an improved understanding of CAFs.
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27
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Negrete-Garcia MC, Ramírez-Rodriguez SL, Rangel-Escareño C, Muñoz-Montero S, Kelly-García J, Vázquez-Manríquez ME, Santillán P, Ramírez MM, Ramírez-Martínez G, Ramírez-Venegas A, Ortiz-Quintero B. Deregulated MicroRNAs in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts from Front Tumor Tissues of Lung Adenocarcinoma as Potential Predictors of Tumor Promotion. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2018; 246:107-120. [PMID: 30369556 DOI: 10.1620/tjem.246.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the main component of the tumor stroma and promote tumor progression through several mechanisms. Recent evidence indicates that small noncoding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), play key roles in CAF tumor-promoting properties; however, the role of miRNAs in lung cancer-associated fibroblasts remains poorly defined. We characterized the differential miRNA expression profile of fibroblasts isolated from matched tumor front (F-CAFs), inner tumor (In-CAFs), and normal adjacent (NFs) tissues from four lung adenocarcinoma patients (ADs) using microarray analysis. Proliferation and invasion assays of A549 human lung cancer cells in the presence of conditioned medium from F-CAFs, In-CAFs or NFs were performed to assess tumorigenic properties. Ten identified candidate miRNAs in F-CAFs, In-CAFs and NFs from 12 ADs were then validated by RT-PCR. Both F-CAFs and In-CAFs enhanced the proliferation and invasion of A549 cells compared with NFs; moreover, F-CAFs showed a significantly stronger effect than In-CAFs. RT-PCR validation demonstrated three downregulated miRNAs in F-CAFs compared with NFs (miR-145-3p, miR-299-3p, and miR-505-3p), two in F-CAFs compared with In-CAFs (miR-410-3p and miR-485-5p), but no differentially expressed miRNAs between In-CAFs and NFs. Further target-gene prediction and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that deregulated miRNAs in F-CAFs showed significant associations with "pathways in cancer" (miR-145-3p, miR-299-3p and miR-410-3p), "Wnt signaling pathway" (miR-410-3p and miR-505-3p), and "TGF-beta signaling pathway" (miR-410-3p). Importantly, a tumor-promoting growth factor targeted by those miRNAs, VEGFA, was upregulated in F-CAFs compared with NFs, as judged by RT-PCR. In conclusion, deregulated miRNAs in F-CAFs are potentially associated with CAF tumor-promoting properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Cristina Negrete-Garcia
- Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas".,Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Patricio Santillán
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas"
| | - Martha Montaño Ramírez
- Department of Cellular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas"
| | - Gustavo Ramírez-Martínez
- Department of Immunobiology and Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas"
| | - Alejandra Ramírez-Venegas
- Smoking and COPD Research Department, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas"
| | - Blanca Ortiz-Quintero
- Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas"
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28
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Sahores A, Figueroa V, May M, Liguori M, Rubstein A, Fuentes C, Jacobsen BM, Elía A, Rojas P, Sequeira GR, Álvarez MM, González P, Gass H, Hewitt S, Molinolo A, Lanari C, Lamb CA. Increased High Molecular Weight FGF2 in Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer. Discov Oncol 2018; 9:338-348. [PMID: 29956066 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-018-0339-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine resistance may develop as a consequence of enhanced growth factor signaling. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) consists of a low and several high molecular weight forms (HMW-FGF2). We previously demonstrated that antiprogestin-resistant mammary carcinomas display lower levels of progesterone receptor A isoforms (PRA) than B isoforms (PRB). Our aim was to evaluate the role of FGF2 isoforms in breast cancer progression. We evaluated FGF2 expression, cell proliferation, and pathway activation in models with different PRA/PRB ratios. We performed lentiviral infections of different FGF2 isoforms using the human hormone-responsive T47D-YA cells, engineered to only express PRA, and evaluated tumor growth, metastatic dissemination, and endocrine responsiveness. We assessed FGF2 expression and localization in 81 human breast cancer samples. Antiprogestin-resistant experimental mammary carcinomas with low PRA/PRB ratios and T47D-YB cells, which only express PRB, displayed higher levels of HMW-FGF2 than responsive variants. HMW-FGF2 overexpression in T47D-YA cells induced increased tumor growth, lung metastasis, and antiprogestin resistance compared to control tumors. In human breast carcinomas categorized by their PRA/PRB ratio, we found nuclear FGF2 expression in 55.6% of tumor cells. No differences were found between nuclear FGF2 expression and Ki67 proliferation index, tumor stage, or tumor grade. In low-grade tumor samples, moderate to high nuclear FGF2 levels were associated to carcinomas with low PRA/PRB ratio. In conclusion, we show that HMW-FGF2 isoforms are PRB targets which confer endocrine resistance and are localized in the nuclei of breast cancer samples. Hence, targeting intracellular FGF2 may contribute to overcome tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sahores
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Virginia Figueroa
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María May
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcos Liguori
- Hospital de Agudos Magdalena V de Martínez, General Pacheco, Argentina
| | | | - Cynthia Fuentes
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Britta M Jacobsen
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Andrés Elía
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paola Rojas
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gonzalo R Sequeira
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Michelle M Álvarez
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pedro González
- Hospital de Agudos Magdalena V de Martínez, General Pacheco, Argentina
| | - Hugo Gass
- Hospital de Agudos Magdalena V de Martínez, General Pacheco, Argentina
| | | | - Alfredo Molinolo
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Lanari
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Caroline A Lamb
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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29
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Piasecka D, Kitowska K, Czaplinska D, Mieczkowski K, Mieszkowska M, Turczyk L, Skladanowski AC, Zaczek AJ, Biernat W, Kordek R, Romanska HM, Sadej R. Fibroblast growth factor signalling induces loss of progesterone receptor in breast cancer cells. Oncotarget 2018; 7:86011-86025. [PMID: 27852068 PMCID: PMC5349893 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We have recently demonstrated that, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGFR2), signalling via ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (RSK2), promotes progression of breast cancer (BCa). Loss of progesterone receptor (PR), whose activity in BCa cells can be stimulated by growth factor receptors (GFRs), is associated with poor patient outcome. Here we showed that FGF7/FGFR2 triggered phosphorylation of PR at Ser294, PR ubiquitination and subsequent receptor`s degradation via the 26S proteasome pathway in BCa cells. We further demonstrated that RSK2 mediated FGF7/FGFR2-induced PR downregulation. In addition, a strong synergistic effect of FGF7 and progesterone (Pg), reflected in the enhanced anchorage-independent growth and cell migration, was observed. Analysis of clinical material demonstrated that expression of PR inversely correlated with activated RSK (RSK-P) (p = 0.016). Patients with RSK-P(+)/PR(–) tumours had 3.629-fold higher risk of recurrence (p = 0.002), when compared with the rest of the cohort. Moreover, RSK-P(+)/PR(–) phenotype was shown as an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.006). These results indicate that the FGF7/FGFR2-RSK2 axis promotes PR turnover and activity, which may sensitize BCa cells to stromal stimuli and contribute to the progression toward steroid hormone negative BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Piasecka
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.,Department of Pathology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
| | - Kamila Kitowska
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dominika Czaplinska
- Department of Cell Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Kamil Mieczkowski
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Mieszkowska
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Lukasz Turczyk
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Andrzej C Skladanowski
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Anna J Zaczek
- Department of Cell Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Wojciech Biernat
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | | | | | - Rafal Sadej
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
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Shee K, Yang W, Hinds JW, Hampsch RA, Varn FS, Traphagen NA, Patel K, Cheng C, Jenkins NP, Kettenbach AN, Demidenko E, Owens P, Faber AC, Golub TR, Straussman R, Miller TW. Therapeutically targeting tumor microenvironment-mediated drug resistance in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. J Exp Med 2018; 215:895-910. [PMID: 29436393 PMCID: PMC5839765 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20171818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) cytokine screening revealed FGF2 as a clinically relevant mechanism of resistance to anti-estrogens, mTORC1 inhibition, and PI3K inhibition in ER+ breast cancer. Shee et al. highlight an underdeveloped aspect of precision oncology: treating patients according to their TME constitution. Drug resistance to approved systemic therapies in estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer remains common. We hypothesized that factors present in the human tumor microenvironment (TME) drive drug resistance. Screening of a library of recombinant secreted microenvironmental proteins revealed fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) as a potent mediator of resistance to anti-estrogens, mTORC1 inhibition, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibition in ER+ breast cancer. Phosphoproteomic analyses identified ERK1/2 as a major output of FGF2 signaling via FGF receptors (FGFRs), with consequent up-regulation of Cyclin D1 and down-regulation of Bim as mediators of drug resistance. FGF2-driven drug resistance in anti-estrogen–sensitive and –resistant models, including patient-derived xenografts, was reverted by neutralizing FGF2 or FGFRs. A transcriptomic signature of FGF2 signaling in primary tumors predicted shorter recurrence-free survival independently of age, grade, stage, and FGFR amplification status. These findings delineate FGF2 signaling as a ligand-based drug resistance mechanism and highlights an underdeveloped aspect of precision oncology: characterizing and treating patients according to their TME constitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Shee
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - John W Hinds
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Riley A Hampsch
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Frederick S Varn
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH.,Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Nicole A Traphagen
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Kishan Patel
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH.,Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Nicole P Jenkins
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Arminja N Kettenbach
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Eugene Demidenko
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Philip Owens
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN.,Research Medicine, Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN
| | - Anthony C Faber
- VCU Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Todd R Golub
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Ravid Straussman
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Todd W Miller
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH .,Comprehensive Breast Program, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
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31
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Parida S, Chakraborty S, Maji RK, Ghosh Z. Elucidating the gene regulatory networks modulating cancer stem cells and non-stem cancer cells in high grade serous ovarian cancer. Genomics 2018; 111:103-113. [PMID: 29355597 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The origin and pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer have perplexed investigators for decades. The most prevalent type of it is the high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOv) which is a highly aggressive disease with high relapse rates and insurgence of chemo-resistance at later stages of treatment. These are driven by a rare population of stem cell like cancer cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). We have taken up a systems approach to find out the common gene interaction paths between non-CSC tumor cells (CCs) and CSCs in HGSOv. Detailed investigation reveals a set of 17 Transcription Factors (named as pivot-TFs) which can govern changes in the mode of gene regulation along these paths. Overall, this work highlights a divergent road map of functional information relayed by these common key players in the two cell states, which might aid towards designing novel therapeutic measures to target the CSCs for ovarian cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibun Parida
- Bioinformatics Centre, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India
| | | | | | - Zhumur Ghosh
- Bioinformatics Centre, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India.
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Subramani R, Lakshmanaswamy R. Pregnancy and Breast Cancer. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2017; 151:81-111. [PMID: 29096898 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among women worldwide. The majority of breast cancers are sporadic and the etiology is not well understood. Several factors have been attributed to altering the risk of breast cancer. A full-term pregnancy is a crucial factor in altering the risk. Early full-term pregnancy has been shown to reduce the lifetime risk of breast cancer, while a later first full-term pregnancy increases breast cancer risk. Epidemiological and experimental data demonstrate that spontaneous or induced abortions do not significantly alter the risk of breast cancer. In this study, we briefly discuss the different types and stages of breast cancer, various risk factors, and potential mechanisms involved in early full-term pregnancy-induced protection against breast cancer. Understanding how early full-term pregnancy induces protection against breast cancer will help design innovative preventive and therapeutic strategies. This understanding can also help in the development of molecular biomarkers that can be of tremendous help in predicting the risk of breast cancer in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramadevi Subramani
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer Research, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States
| | - Rajkumar Lakshmanaswamy
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer Research, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States.
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FGFR2-Driven Signaling Counteracts Tamoxifen Effect on ERα-Positive Breast Cancer Cells. Neoplasia 2017; 19:791-804. [PMID: 28869838 PMCID: PMC5964976 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 07/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Signaling mediated by growth factors receptors has long been suggested as one of the key factors responsible for failure of endocrine treatment in breast cancer (BCa). Herein we present that in the presence of tamoxifen, FGFs (Fibroblast Growth Factors) promote BCa cell growth with the strongest effect being produced by FGF7. FGFR2 was identified as a mediator of FGF7 action and the FGFR2-induced signaling was found to underlie cancer-associated fibroblasts-dependent resistance to tamoxifen. FGF7/FGFR2-triggered pathway was shown to induce ER phosphorylation, ubiquitination and subsequent ER proteasomal degradation which counteracted tamoxifen-promoted ER stabilization. We also identified activation of PI3K/AKT signaling targeting ER-Ser167 and regulation of Bcl-2 expression as a mediator of FGFR2-promoted resistance to tamoxifen. Analysis of tissue samples from patients with invasive ductal carcinoma revealed an inversed correlation between expression of FGFR2 and ER, thus supporting our in vitro data. These results unveil the complexity of ER regulation by FGFR2-mediated signaling likely to be associated with BCa resistance to endocrine therapy.
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Sun Y, Fan X, Zhang Q, Shi X, Xu G, Zou C. Cancer-associated fibroblasts secrete FGF-1 to promote ovarian proliferation, migration, and invasion through the activation of FGF-1/FGFR4 signaling. Tumour Biol 2017; 39:1010428317712592. [PMID: 28718374 DOI: 10.1177/1010428317712592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, due to its high propensity for metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts, as the dominant component of tumor microenvironment, are crucial for tumor progression. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of ovarian cancer cells by cancer-associated fibroblasts remain little known. Here, we first isolated cancer-associated fibroblasts from patients' ovarian tissues and found that cancer-associated fibroblasts promoted SKOV3 cells' proliferation, migration, and invasion. Fibroblast growth factor-1 was identified as a highly increased factor in cancer-associated fibroblasts compared with normal fibroblasts by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (~4.6-fold, p < 0.01) and ELISA assays (~4-fold, p < 0.01). High expression of fibroblast growth factor-1 in cancer-associated fibroblasts either naturally or through gene recombination led to phosphorylation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 in SKOV3 cells, which is followed by the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-associated gene Snail1 and MMP3 expression. Moreover, treatment of SKOV3 cell with fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitor PD173074 terminated cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, reduced the phosphorylation level of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4, and suppressed the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase pathway. In addition, the expression level of Snail1 and MMP3 was reduced, while the expression level of E-cadherin increased. These observations suggest a crucial role for cancer-associated fibroblasts and fibroblast growth factor-1/fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 signaling in the progression of ovarian cancer. Therefore, this fibroblast growth factor-1/fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 axis may become a potential target for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanzhen Sun
- 1 Department of Laboratory, Laiwu Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Laiwu, China
| | - Xiaoli Fan
- 2 Department of Occupational Poisoning, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- 3 Department of Laboratory, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Shi
- 1 Department of Laboratory, Laiwu Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Laiwu, China
| | - Guangwei Xu
- 4 Department of Laboratory, Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, China
| | - Cuimin Zou
- 4 Department of Laboratory, Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, China
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The histone H2A isoform Hist2h2ac is a novel regulator of proliferation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in mammary epithelial and in breast cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2017; 396:42-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Gascard P, Tlsty TD. Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts: orchestrating the composition of malignancy. Genes Dev 2017; 30:1002-19. [PMID: 27151975 PMCID: PMC4863733 DOI: 10.1101/gad.279737.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 516] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The tumor stroma is no longer seen solely as physical support for mutated epithelial cells but as an important modulator and even a driver of tumorigenicity. Within the tumor stromal milieu, heterogeneous populations of fibroblast-like cells, collectively termed carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), are key players in the multicellular, stromal-dependent alterations that contribute to malignant initiation and progression. This review focuses on novel insights into the contributions of CAFs to disease progression, emergent events leading to the generation of CAFs, identification of CAF-specific biomarkers predictive of disease outcome, and recent therapeutic approaches aimed at blunting or reverting detrimental protumorigenic phenotypes associated with CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Gascard
- Department of Pathology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Thea D Tlsty
- Department of Pathology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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Activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in the tumor stroma drives endocrine therapy-dependent breast tumor regression. Oncotarget 2016; 6:22081-97. [PMID: 26098779 PMCID: PMC4673148 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Improved efficacy of neoadjuvant endocrine-targeting therapies in luminal breast carcinomas could be achieved with optimal use of pathway targeting agents. In a mouse model of ductal breast carcinoma we identify a tumor regressive stromal reaction that is induced by neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. This reparative reaction is characterized by tumor neovascularization accompanied by infiltration of immune cells and carcinoma-associated fibroblasts that stain for phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (pS6), downstream the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. While tumor variants with higher PI3K/Akt/mTOR activity respond well to a combination of endocrine and PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors, tumor variants with lower PI3K/Akt/mTOR activity respond more poorly to the combination therapy than to the endocrine therapy alone, associated with inhibition of stromal pS6 and the reparative reaction. In human breast cancer xenografts we confirm that such differential sensitivity to therapy is primarily determined by the level of PI3K/Akt/mTOR in tumor cells. We further show that the clinical response of breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant endocrine therapy is associated with the reparative stromal reaction. We conclude that tumor level and localization of pS6 are associated with therapeutic response in breast cancer and represent biomarkers to distinguish which tumors will benefit from the incorporation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors with neoadjuvant endocrine therapy.
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Kubo N, Araki K, Kuwano H, Shirabe K. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2016; 22:6841-6850. [PMID: 27570421 PMCID: PMC4974583 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i30.6841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatic stellate cells in the liver are stimulated sustainably by chronic injury of the hepatocytes, activating myofibroblasts, which produce abundant collagen. Myofibroblasts are the major source of extracellular proteins during fibrogenesis, and may directly, or secreted products, contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the components of the tumor microenvironment that promote the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells by secreting various growth factors and cytokines. CAFs crosstalk with cancer cells stimulates tumor progression by creating a favorable microenvironment for progression, invasion, and metastasis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Basic studies on CAFs have advanced, and the role of CAFs in tumors has been elucidated. In particular, for hepatocellular carcinoma, carcinogenesis from cirrhosis is a known fact, and participation of CAFs in carcinogenesis is supported. In this review, we discuss the current literature on the role of CAFs and CAF-related signaling in carcinogenesis, crosstalk with cancer cells, immunosuppressive effects, angiogenesis, therapeutic targets, and resistance to chemotherapy. The role of CAFs is important in cancer initiation and progression. CAFtargeted therapy may be effective for suppression not only of fibrosis but also cancer progression.
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Their Characteristics and Their Roles in Tumor Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2015; 7:2443-58. [PMID: 26690480 PMCID: PMC4695902 DOI: 10.3390/cancers7040902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 544] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer tissues are composed of cancer cells and the surrounding stromal cells (e.g., fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, and immune cells), in addition to the extracellular matrix. Most studies investigating carcinogenesis and the progression, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis of cancer have focused on alterations in cancer cells, including genetic and epigenetic changes. Recently, interactions between cancer cells and the stroma have attracted considerable attention, and increasing evidence has accumulated on this. Several researchers have gradually clarified the origins, features, and roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major component of the cancer stroma. CAFs function in a similar manner to myofibroblasts during wound healing. We previously reported the relationship between CAFs and angiogenesis. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a multifunctional cytokine, plays a central role in regulating inflammatory and immune responses, and important roles in the progression, including proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, of several cancers. We showed that CAFs are an important IL-6 source and that anti-IL-6 receptor antibody suppressed angiogenesis and inhibited tumor-stroma interactions. Furthermore, CAFs contribute to drug-resistance acquisition in cancer cells. The interaction between cancer cells and the stroma could be a potential target for anti-cancer therapy.
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Rothschild E, Banerjee D. Subverting Subversion: A Review on the Breast Cancer Microenvironment and Therapeutic Opportunities. Breast Cancer (Auckl) 2015; 9:7-15. [PMID: 26417204 PMCID: PMC4571991 DOI: 10.4137/bcbcr.s29423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Revised: 08/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
This review combines the recent research on the subject of tumor immunology and methods of correcting the immune system's reaction to the tumor microenvironment while impeding the survival and growth of tumor cells, with a focus on breast cancer. Induction of hypoxia-inducible genes in the microenvironment leads to lowering of its pH. This impedes the adaptive immune response and acts to recruit cells of the immune system, which suppress the immune response. Regulatory T-cells (Tregs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and their derivatives coordinate an anti-autoimmunity response and a healing response in concert with tumor-secreted cytokines, enzymes, and antigens. Together, they suppress a proper immune reaction to tumor cells and promote cellular reproduction (Fig. 1). In addition, the hypoxia-inducible response and components of the tumor microenvironment such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) also create an ideal environment for tumor growth and metastasis via neoangiogenesis and increased motility. Broad-spectrum chemotherapy drugs are problematic as breast cancer cells develop resistance through selective loss of a novel target and downregulation of apoptotic factors. A better understanding of the tumor microenvironment offers new therapeutic opportunities to rescue the immune response, inhibit cancer cell growth pathways, and subvert the tumor microenvironment with little toxicity and side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Rothschild
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Debabrata Banerjee
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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Shah SH, Miller P, Garcia-Contreras M, Ao Z, Machlin L, Issa E, El-Ashry D. Hierarchical paracrine interaction of breast cancer associated fibroblasts with cancer cells via hMAPK-microRNAs to drive ER-negative breast cancer phenotype. Cancer Biol Ther 2015; 16:1671-81. [PMID: 26186233 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2015.1071742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple juxtacrine and paracrine interactions occur between cancer cells and non-cancer cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME) that direct tumor progression. Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) are an integral component of the TME, and the majority of breast tumor stroma is comprised of CAFs. Heterotypic interactions between cancer cells and non-cancer cells of the TME occur via soluble agents, including cytokines, hormones, growth factors, and secreted microRNAs. We previously identified a microRNA signature indicative of hyperactive MAPK signaling (hMAPK-miRNA signature) that significantly associated with reduced recurrence-free and overall survival. Here we report that the hMAPK-miRNA signature associates with a high metric of stromal cell infiltrate, and we investigate the role of microRNAs, particularly hMAPK-microRNAs, secreted by CAFs on estrogen receptor (ER) expression in breast cancer cells. ER-positive MCF-7/ltE2- cells were treated with conditioned media (CM) from CAFs derived from breast cancers of different PAM50 subtypes (CAFBAS, CAFHER2, and CAFLA). CAF CM isolated specifically from ER-negative primary breast tumors led to ER repression in vitro. Nanoparticle tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of CAF-secreted exosomes in CM and the uptake of these exosomes by the ER+ MCF-7/ltE2- cells. Differentially expressed microRNAs in CAF CM as well as in MCF-7/ltE2- cells treated with this CM were identified. Knockdown of miR-221/222 in CAFBAS resulted in knockdown of miR221/222 levels in the conditioned media and the CM from CAFBAS; miR221/222 knockdown rescued ER repression in ER-positive cell lines treated with CAFBAS-CM. Collectively, our results demonstrate that CAF-secreted microRNAs are directly involved in ER-repression, and may contribute to the MAPK-induced ER repression in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanket H Shah
- a Cancer Biology; University of Miami ; Miami , FL USA
| | - Philip Miller
- c Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine ; Miami , FL USA
| | - Marta Garcia-Contreras
- d Diabetes Research Institute; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine ; Miami , FL USA
| | - Zheng Ao
- a Cancer Biology; University of Miami ; Miami , FL USA
| | - Leah Machlin
- c Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine ; Miami , FL USA
| | - Emilio Issa
- e Department of Biology ; University of Miami ; Miami , FL USA
| | - Dorraya El-Ashry
- b Department of Internal Medicine ; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine ; Miami , FL USA.,c Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine ; Miami , FL USA
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FGFR3 Down-Regulation is Involved in bacillus Calmette-Guérin Induced Bladder Tumor Growth Inhibition. J Urol 2015; 195:188-97. [PMID: 26144336 DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2015.06.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Bacillus Calmette-Guérin is the standard treatment for patients with nonmuscle invasive high histological grade bladder cancer. Previously we found that bacillus Calmette-Guérin induces murine bladder cancer MB49 cell death in vitro and in vivo, generating tissue remodeling, which involves the release of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied the effect of bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment on FGF-2 and FGF receptor (FGFR) expression in bladder cancer. RESULTS In vitro FGF-2 increased MB49 cell proliferation but did not reverse bacillus Calmette-Guérin induced cell death. Increased FGF-2 expression was detected after bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment. Moreover MB49 cells expressed high FGFR3 levels, which decreased after treatment. Similar results were observed in human T24 bladder cancer cells. In vivo MB49 tumors expressed higher FGFR3 levels than normal urothelium. Tumor FGFR3 decreased after treatment and correlated with tumor growth inhibition in response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin. In a pilot bioassay using 11 human bladder tumors treated ex vivo with bacillus Calmette-Guérin we found a subgroup of 41% of patients in whom FGFR3 was decreased after treatment. CONCLUSIONS Based on bladder cancer murine model results we infer that down-regulation of FGFR3 is a predictive marker of a good response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. The decrease in FGFR3 in response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin occurred not only in a murine model but also in a human bladder cancer cell line and in some patient samples. More patients and increased followup are needed to establish the predictive role of FGFR3 as a marker in human bladder cancer.
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Saucedo L, Buffa GN, Rosso M, Guillardoy T, Góngora A, Munuce MJ, Vazquez-Levin MH, Marín-Briggiler C. Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs) in Human Sperm: Expression, Functionality and Involvement in Motility Regulation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127297. [PMID: 25970615 PMCID: PMC4430232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors receptors (FGFRs) have been widely characterized in somatic cells, but there is scarce evidence of their expression and function in mammalian gametes. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the expression of FGFRs in human male germ cells, to determine sperm FGFR activation by the FGF2 ligand and their participation in the regulation of sperm motility. The expression of FGFR1, 2, 3 and 4 mRNAs and proteins in human testis and localization of these receptors in germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium was demonstrated. In ejaculated sperm, FGFRs were localized to the acrosomal region and flagellum. Sperm exposure to FGF2 caused an increase in flagellar FGFR phosphorylation and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) signaling pathways. Incubation with FGF2 led to a significant increase in the percentage of total and progressive sperm motility, as well as in sperm kinematics. All responses were prevented by sperm preincubation with BGJ398, a specific inhibitor of FGFR tyrosine kinase activity. In addition to confirming the expression of FGFRs in germ cells of the human testis, our study describes for the first time the presence, localization and functionality of human sperm FGFRs, and provides evidence of the beneficial effect of FGF2 upon sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Saucedo
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela N. Buffa
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina Rosso
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tomás Guillardoy
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrian Góngora
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María J. Munuce
- Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Area de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Reprolab, Sanatorio Británico de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Mónica H. Vazquez-Levin
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Marín-Briggiler
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-FIBYME, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and paracrine diffusible signals have a major role in the promotion of breast cancer cell migration induced by cancer-associated fibroblasts. Br J Cancer 2015; 112:1675-86. [PMID: 25880005 PMCID: PMC4430719 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite the recognised contribution of the stroma to breast cancer development and progression, the effective targeting of the tumor microenvironment remains a challenge to be addressed. We previously reported that normal fibroblasts (NFs) and, notably, breast cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and increases in cell membrane fluidity and migration in well- (MCF-7) and poorly-differentiated (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells. This study was designed to better define the role played, especially by CAFs, in promoting breast tumor cell migration. Methods: Fibroblast/breast cancer cell co-cultures were set up to investigate the influence of NFs and CAFs on gene and protein expression of Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), the main enzyme regulating membrane fluidity, as well as on the protein level and activity of its transcription factor, the sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. To assess the role of SREBP1 in the regulation of SCD1 expression, the desaturase levels were also determined in tumor cells treated with an SREBP1 inhibitor. Migration was evaluated by wound-healing assay in SCD1-inhibited (by small-interfering RNA (siRNA) or pharmacologically) cancer cells and the effect of CAF-conditioned medium was also assessed. To define the role of stroma-derived signals in cancer cell migration speed, cell-tracking analysis was performed in the presence of neutralising antibodies to hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor-β or basic fibroblast growth factor. Results: A two to three fold increase in SCD1 mRNA and protein expression has been induced, particularly by CAFs, in the two cancer cell lines that appear to be dependent on SREBP1 activity in MCF-7 but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Both siRNA-mediated and pharmacological inhibition of SCD1 impaired tumor cells migration, also when promoted by CAF-released soluble factors. Fibroblast-triggered increase in cancer cell migration speed was markedly reduced or abolished by neutralising the above growth factors. Conclusion: These results provide further insights in understanding the role of CAFs in promoting tumor cell migration, which may help to design new stroma-based therapeutic strategies.
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Arai D, Hegab AE, Soejima K, Kuroda A, Ishioka K, Yasuda H, Naoki K, Shizuko K, Hamamoto J, Yin Y, Ornitz DM, Betsuyaku T. Characterization of the cell of origin and propagation potential of the fibroblast growth factor 9-induced mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma. J Pathol 2015; 235:593-605. [PMID: 25413587 PMCID: PMC4329097 DOI: 10.1002/path.4486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is essential for lung development and is highly expressed in a subset of human lung adenocarcinomas. We recently described a mouse model in which FGF9 expression in the lung epithelium caused proliferation of the airway epithelium at the terminal bronchioles and led to rapid development of adenocarcinoma. Here, we used this model to characterize the effects of prolonged FGF9 induction on the proximal and distal lung epithelia, and examined the propagation potential of FGF9-induced lung tumours. We showed that prolonged FGF9 over-expression in the lung resulted in the development of adenocarcinomas arising from both alveolar type II and airway secretory cells in the lung parenchyma and airways, respectively. We found that tumour cells harboured tumour-propagating cells that were able to form secondary tumours in recipient mice, regardless of FGF9 expression. However, the highest degree of tumour propagation was observed when unfractionated tumour cells were co-administered with autologous, tumour-associated mesenchymal cells. Although the initiation of lung adenocarcinomas was dependent on activation of the FGF9-FGF receptor 3 (FGFR3) signalling axis, maintenance and propagation of the tumour was independent of this signalling. Activation of an alternative FGF-FGFR axis and the interaction with tumour stromal cells is likely to be responsible for the development of this independence. This study demonstrates the complex role of FGF-FGFR signalling in the initiation, growth and propagation of lung cancer. Our findings suggest that analysing the expressions of FGF-FGFRs in human lung cancer will be a useful tool for guiding customized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Arai
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ahmed E. Hegab
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenzo Soejima
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aoi Kuroda
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kota Ishioka
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Yasuda
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Naoki
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kagawa Shizuko
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junko Hamamoto
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yongjun Yin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USA
| | - David M. Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USA
| | - Tomoko Betsuyaku
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Huang L, Xu AM, Liu S, Liu W, Li TJ. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in digestive tumors. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:17804-17818. [PMID: 25548479 PMCID: PMC4273131 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i47.17804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2014] [Revised: 06/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The significant influence of tumor stroma on malignant cells has been extensively investigated in this era of targeted therapy. The tumor microenvironment, as a dynamic system, is orchestrated by various cells including tumor vascular composing cells, inflammatory cells and fibroblasts. As a major and important component in tumor stroma, increasing evidence has shown that spindle-shaped cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a significant modifier of cancer evolution, and promote tumorigenesis, tumor invasion and metastasis by stimulating angiogenesis, malignant cell survival, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and proliferation via direct cell-to-cell contact or secretion of soluble factors in most digestive solid tumors. CAFs are thought to be activated, characterized by the expression of α-smooth muscle actin, fibroblast activated protein, fibroblast specific protein, vimentin, fibronectin, etc. They are hypothesized to originate from normal or aged fibroblasts, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells, or vascular endothelial cells. EMT may also be an important process generating CAFs, and most probably, CAFs may originate from multiple cells. A close link exists between EMT, tumor stem cells, and chemo-resistance of tumor cells, which is largely orchestrated by CAFs. CAFs significantly induce immunosuppression, and may be a prognostic marker in various malignancies. Targeted therapy toward CAFs has displayed promising anticancer efficacy, which further reinforces the necessity to explore the relationship between CAFs and their hosts.
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Fior J. Salamander regeneration as a model for developing novel regenerative and anticancer therapies. J Cancer 2014; 5:715-9. [PMID: 25258653 PMCID: PMC4174516 DOI: 10.7150/jca.9971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Among vertebrates, urodele amphibians are the only tetrapods with the ability to regenerate complex structures such as limbs, tail, and spinal cord throughout their lives. Furthermore, the salamander regeneration process has been shown to reverse tumorigenicity. Fibroblasts are essential for salamander regeneration, but the mechanisms underlying their role in the formation of a regeneration blastema remain unclear. Here, I review the role of fibroblasts in salamander limb regeneration and how their activity compares with that of human fibroblasts. In addition, the question of whether salamander blastema tissue could induce regeneration and tumor regression in animals with a limited regeneration ability is discussed. A deeper understanding of these processes may lead to the development of novel regenerative and anticancer therapies.
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Abstract
To date, 18 distinct receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are reported to be trafficked from the cell surface to the nucleus in response to ligand binding or heterologous agonist exposure. In most cases, an intracellular domain (ICD) fragment of the receptor is generated at the cell surface and translocated to the nucleus, whereas for a few others the intact receptor is translocated to the nucleus. ICD fragments are generated by several mechanisms, including proteolysis, internal translation initiation, and messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing. The most prevalent mechanism is intramembrane cleavage by γ-secretase. In some cases, more than one mechanism has been reported for the nuclear localization of a specific RTK. The generation and use of RTK ICD fragments to directly communicate with the nucleus and influence gene expression parallels the production of ICD fragments by a number of non-RTK cell-surface molecules that also influence cell proliferation. This review will be focused on the individual RTKs and to a lesser extent on other growth-related cell-surface transmembrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Carpenter
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-0146
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Brady N, Chuntova P, Bade LK, Schwertfeger KL. The FGF/FGFR axis as a therapeutic target in breast cancer. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2013; 8:391-402. [PMID: 25400686 PMCID: PMC4228698 DOI: 10.1586/17446651.2013.811910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling is a vital component of both embryonic and postnatal mammary gland development, which has prompted researchers to investigate both its relevance to breast cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target. Deregulated FGFR signaling during breast cancer occurs through various mechanisms, including amplification of the receptor genes, aberrant ligand expression, receptor mutations and translocations. Recent experimental outcomes involving both animal models and human breast cancer cell lines have led to the initiation of multiple early clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of small molecule FGFR inhibitors. In this article we review both the most recent discoveries and the need for further investigation of the mechanisms through which FGF/FGFR signaling has emerged as an oncogenic driver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Brady
- Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 609, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Polly Chuntova
- Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 609, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Lindsey K Bade
- Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 609, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Kathryn L Schwertfeger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 609, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 609, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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