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Liu S, Wang R, Fang J. Exploring the frontiers: tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:22. [PMID: 38294629 PMCID: PMC10830966 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00870-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The global prevalence of head and neck malignancies positions them as the sixth most common form of cancer, with the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) representing the predominant histological subtype. Despite advancements in multidisciplinary approaches and molecular targeted therapies, the therapeutic outcomes for HNSCC have only marginally improved, particularly in cases of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC (R/MHNSCC). This situation underscores the critical necessity for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Such strategies are essential not only to enhance the efficacy of HNSCC treatment but also to minimize the incidence of associated complications, thus improving overall patient prognosis. Cancer immunotherapy represents a cutting-edge cancer treatment that leverages the immune system for targeting and destroying cancer cells. It's applied to multiple cancers, including melanoma and lung cancer, offering precision, adaptability, and the potential for long-lasting remission through immune memory. It is observed that while HNSCC patients responsive to immunotherapy often experience prolonged therapeutic benefits, only a limited subset demonstrates such responsiveness. Additionally, significant clinical challenges remain, including the development of resistance to immunotherapy. The biological characteristics, dynamic inhibitory changes, and heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in HNSCC play critical roles in its pathogenesis, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance. This review aims to elucidate the functions and mechanisms of anti-tumor immune cells and extracellular components within the HNSCC TME. It also introduces several immunosuppressive agents commonly utilized in HNSCC immunotherapy, examines factors influencing the effectiveness of these treatments, and provides a comprehensive summary of immunotherapeutic strategies relevant to HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaokun Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ru Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jugao Fang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Zheng B, He M, Han Y, Jiang X, Ou X, Zhang P, Guo R, Li J, Zhang X, Qiao Q, Wu H, Hu M, Feng M, Tu W, Yi J. Efficacy and Safety of Nimotuzumab in Combination with Radiotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy for Local Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2024; 24:952-966. [PMID: 38549541 DOI: 10.2174/0115680096281982240117114819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding nimotuzumab to radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS Prospective randomized controlled studies at EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library from January 1, 2010, to October 1, 2022, were searched. Data on the overall survival (OS), progress-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS), complete response rate (CRR), objective response rate (ORR), and all grade adverse events were collected from the enrolled publications. OS was the primary measurement indicator. Pooled analysis was performed with relative risks (RRs), hazard risks (HRs), and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the software Stata SE 16.0. RESULTS Six randomized controlled studies were included in the analysis of the overall pooled effect. As compared to the control group, the nimotuzumab intervention group exhibited improved OS by 21% (pooled HR=0.79,95% CI: 0.64-0.98, P=0.028), along with PFS up to 31% (HR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.55-0.86, P=0.001) and DFS up to 29% (HR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.56-0.91, P=0.006), increased CRR as 50% (RR=1.50, 95% CI:1.09-2.04; P=0.012), and ORR as 35% (RR=1.35, 95% CI:1.04-1.73; P=0.022). Regarding safety, nimotuzumab in combination with RT or CRT did not increase the incidence of all grade adverse events (pooled-RD=-1.27, 95% CI:-2.78-0.23, P=0.099). CONCLUSION The present meta-analysis has demonstrated that nimotuzumab, in combination with RT or CRT, could provide survival benefits and increase response rates. Its safety profile has been found to be controllable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baomin Zheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/ Beijing), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Meilin He
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqian Han
- Hunan Cancer Hospital, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaomin Ou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruyuan Guo
- Deparment of Head and Neck Radiotherapy, Shanxi Tumor Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Jingao Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, Yichun, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ximei Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiao Qiao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Man Hu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, China
| | - Mei Feng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenyong Tu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Junlin Yi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Hebei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Langfang, China
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Lu Y, Deng Y, Ko H, Peng H, Lee H, Kuo MY, Cheng S. Lysyl oxidase-like 2 promotes stemness and enhances antitumor effects of gefitinib in head and neck cancer via IFIT1 and IFIT3. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:3957-3971. [PMID: 37496288 PMCID: PMC10551584 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15912] [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: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) is a matrix-remodeling enzyme that has recently been identified as an important regulator of tumor progression and metastasis. This study discovered that LOXL2 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues was significantly associated with tumor clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and patients' overall survival time. LOXL2-overexpressing human buccal SCC TW2.6 (TW2.6/LOXL2) and hypopharyngeal SCC FaDu (FaDu/LOXL2) cells exhibited enhanced migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotypes, independently of its enzymatic activity. Moreover, TW2.6/LOXL2 significantly increased tumor-initiating frequency in SCID mice. We further demonstrated that LOXL2 increased the levels of interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1 (IFIT1) and IFIT3 in TW2.6/LOXL2 and FaDu/LOXL2 cells. We also identified IFIT1 and IFIT3 as key downstream components of LOXL2 action in migration, invasion, EMT, and CSC phenotypes in TW2.6 and FaDu cells. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between LOXL2 expression and IFIT1 and IFIT3 overexpression in human OSCC tissues was observed. In addition, TW2.6/LOXL2 and FaDu/LOXL2 cells were 3.3- to 3.6-fold more susceptible to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor gefitinib than were their respective control cells. The antitumor effect of gefitinib on orthotopic TW2.6/LOXL2 xenograft tumor was fourfold higher than that on controls. Our results indicate that LOXL2 expression is a strong prognostic factor for OSCC and may be used as a marker to identify patients most likely to respond to EGFR-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi‐Jie Lu
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, College of MedicineNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yi‐Ting Deng
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University Hospital Hsin‐Chu BranchHsin‐ChuTaiwan
| | - Hui‐Hsin Ko
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University Hospital Hsin‐Chu BranchHsin‐ChuTaiwan
| | - Hsin‐Hui Peng
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University Hospital Hsin‐Chu BranchHsin‐ChuTaiwan
| | - Hsiang‐Chieh Lee
- Graduate Institute of Photonics and OptoelectronicsNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Mark Yen‐Ping Kuo
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Shih‐Jung Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, College of MedicineNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Dentistry, College of MedicineNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of DentistryNational Taiwan University HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
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Lee YJ, van den Berg NS, Duan H, Azevedo EC, Ferri V, Hom M, Raymundo RC, Valencia A, Castillo J, Shen B, Zhou Q, Freeman L, Koran ME, Kaplan MJ, Colevas AD, Baik FM, Chin FT, Martin BA, Iagaru A, Rosenthal EL. 89Zr-panitumumab Combined With 18F-FDG PET Improves Detection and Staging of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:4425-4434. [PMID: 35929985 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Determine the safety and specificity of a tumor-targeted radiotracer (89Zr-pan) in combination with 18F-FDG PET/CT to improve diagnostic accuracy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Adult patients with biopsy-proven HNSCC scheduled for standard-of-care surgery were enrolled in a clinical trial and underwent systemic administration of 89Zirconium-panitumumab and panitumumab-IRDye800 followed by preoperative 89Zr-pan PET/CT and intraoperative fluorescence imaging. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were evaluated. RESULTS A total of fourteen patients were enrolled and completed the study. Four patients (28.5%) had areas of high 18F-FDG uptake outside the head and neck region with maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) greater than 2.0 that were not detected on 89Zr-pan PET/CT. These four patients with incidental findings underwent further workup and had no evidence of cancer on biopsy or clinical follow-up. Forty-eight lesions (primary tumor, LNs, incidental findings) with SUVmax ranging 2.0-23.6 were visualized on 18F-FDG PET/CT; 34 lesions on 89Zr-pan PET/CT with SUVmax ranging 0.9-10.5. The combined ability of 18F-FDG PET/CT and 89Zr-pan PET/CT to detect HNSCC in the whole body was improved with higher specificity of 96.3% [confidence interval (CI), 89.2%-100%] compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT alone with specificity of 74.1% (CI, 74.1%-90.6%). One possibly related grade 1 adverse event of prolonged QTc (460 ms) was reported but resolved in follow-up. CONCLUSIONS 89Zr-pan PET/CT imaging is safe and may be valuable in discriminating incidental findings identified on 18F-FDG PET/CT from true positive lesions and in localizing metastatic LNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | | | - Heying Duan
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - E Carmen Azevedo
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Valentina Ferri
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Marisa Hom
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Roan C Raymundo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Alex Valencia
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Jessa Castillo
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Bin Shen
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Quan Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Laura Freeman
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Mary Ellen Koran
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Michael J Kaplan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - A Dimitrios Colevas
- Department of Medicine - Division of Medical Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Fred M Baik
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Frederick T Chin
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Brock A Martin
- Department of Pathology, University of Louisville. Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Andrei Iagaru
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford, California
| | - Eben L Rosenthal
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Nashville, Tennessee
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The Long Noncoding Transcript HNSCAT1 Activates KRT80 and Triggers Therapeutic Efficacy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:4156966. [PMID: 35965679 PMCID: PMC9371835 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4156966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC) is the most prevalent malignancy of the head and neck regions. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are vital in tumorigenesis regulation. However, the role of lncRNAs in HNSC requires further exploration. Herein, through bioinformatic assays using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets, rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) assays, and RNA-FISH, we revealed that a novel cytoplasmic transcript, HNSC-associated transcript 1 (HNSCAT1, previously recognized as linc01269), was downregulated in tumor samples and advanced tumor stages and was also associated with favorable outcomes in HNSC. Overexpression of HNSCAT1 triggered treatment efficacy in HNSCs both in vivo and in vitro. More importantly, through high-throughput transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq, in NODE database, OEZ007550), we identified KRT80, a tumor suppressor in HNSC, as the target of HNSCAT1. KRT80 expression was modulated by lncRNA HNSCAT1 and presented a positive correlation in tumor samples (R = 0.52, p < 0.001). Intriguingly, we identified that miR-1245 simultaneously interacts with KRT80 and HNSCAT1, which bridges the regulatory function between KRT80 and HNSCAT1. Conclusively, our study demonstrated that lncRNA HNSCAT1 functions as a necessary tumor inhibitor in HNSC, which provides a novel mechanism of lncRNA function and provides alternative targets for the diagnosis and treatment of HNSC.
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Patel U, Kannan S, Rane SU, Mittal N, Gera P, Patil A, Manna S, Shejwal V, Noronha V, Joshi A, Patil VM, Prabhash K, Mahimkar MB. Prognostic and predictive roles of cancer stem cell markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving chemoradiotherapy with or without nimotuzumab. Br J Cancer 2022; 126:1439-1449. [PMID: 35140342 PMCID: PMC9091234 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01730-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anti-EGFR-based therapies have limited success in HNSCC patients. Predictive biomarkers are needed to identify the patients most likely to benefit from these therapies. Here, we present predictive and prognostic associations of different cancer stem cell markers in HPV-negative locally advanced (LA) HNSCC patients. METHODS Pretreatment tumour tissues of 404 HPV-negative LA-HNSCCs patients, a subset of-phase 3-randomised study comparing cisplatin-radiation(CRT) and nimotuzumab plus cisplatin-radiation(NCRT) were examined. The expression levels of CD44, CD44v6, CD98hc, ALDH1A1, SOX2 and OCT4A were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Progression-free survival(PFS), loco-regional control(LRC),- and overall survival(OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS NCRT showed significantly improved OS with low membrane expression of CD44 compared to CRT [HR (95% CI) = 0.63 (0.46-0.88)]. Patients with low CD44v6 also showed better outcomes with NCRT [LRC: HR (95% CI) = 0.25 (0.10-0.62); OS: HR (95% CI) = 0.38 (0.19-0.74)]. No similar benefit with NCRT observed in patients with high CD44 or CD44v6 expression. Bootstrap resampling confirmed the predictive effect of CD44 (Interaction P = 0.015) and CD44v6 (Interaction P = 0.041) for OS. Multivariable Cox analysis revealed an independent negative prognostic role of CD98hc membrane expression for LRC [HR (95% CI) = 0.63(0.39-1.0)] and OS[HR (95% CI) = 0.62 (0.40-0.95)]. CONCLUSIONS CD44 and CD44v6 are potential predictive biomarkers for NCRT response. CD98hc emerged as an independent negative prognostic biomarker. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (Trial registration identifier-CTRI/2014/09/004980).
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Affiliation(s)
- Usha Patel
- grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India ,grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India
| | - Sadhana Kannan
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Biostatistician, Clinical Research Secretariat, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Swapnil U. Rane
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Pathology, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Neha Mittal
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Poonam Gera
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Biorepository, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Asawari Patil
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Pathology, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Subhakankha Manna
- grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Vishwayani Shejwal
- grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Vanita Noronha
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Amit Joshi
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Vijay M. Patil
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Kumar Prabhash
- grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India ,grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Manoj B. Mahimkar
- grid.410871.b0000 0004 1769 5793Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India ,grid.450257.10000 0004 1775 9822Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, India
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Montesino B, Steenackers A, Lozano JM, Young GD, Hu N, Sackstein R, Chandler KB. Identification of α1,2-fucosylated signaling and adhesion molecules in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Glycobiology 2021; 32:441-455. [PMID: 34939118 PMCID: PMC9022907 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwab131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the world, and most cases manifest as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Despite the prominent role of fucosylated carbohydrate antigens in tumor cell adhesion and metastasis, little is known about the functional role of fucose-modified glycoproteins in head and neck cancer pathobiology. Inactivating polymorphisms of the fut2 gene, encoding for the α1,2-fucosyltransferase FUT2, are associated with an increased incidence of head and neck cancer among tobacco users. Moreover, the presence of the α1,2-fucosylated Lewis Y epitope, with both α1,2- and α1,3-linked fucose, has been observed in head and neck cancer tumors while invasive regions lose expression, suggesting a potential role for α1,2-fucosylation in the regulation of aggressive tumor cell characteristics. Here, we report an association between fut2 expression and head and neck cancer survival, document differential surface expression of α1,2-fucosylated epitopes in a panel of normal, dysplastic, and head and neck cancer cell lines, identify a set of potentially α1,2-fucosylated signaling and adhesion molecules including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), CD44 and integrins via tandem mass spectrometry, and finally, present evidence that EGFR is among the α1,2-fucosylated and LeY-displaying proteins in head and neck cancer. This knowledge will serve as the foundation for future studies to interrogate the role of LeY-modified and α1,2-fucosylated glycoproteins in head and neck cancer pathogenesis. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD029420.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany Montesino
- Department of Translational Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Agata Steenackers
- Department of Translational Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Juan M Lozano
- Division of Medical and Population Health Science Education and Research, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Geoffrey D Young
- Miami Cancer Institute, 8900 N Kendall Dr, Miami, FL 33176, USA,Department of Surgery, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Nan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Robert Sackstein
- Department of Translational Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Kevin Brown Chandler
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: Tel: 305.348.9136; Fax: 305.348.0123; e-mail:
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van Harten AM, Brakenhoff RH. Targeted Treatment of Head and Neck (Pre)Cancer: Preclinical Target Identification and Development of Novel Therapeutic Applications. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2774. [PMID: 34204886 PMCID: PMC8199752 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) develop in the mucosal lining of the upper-aerodigestive tract. In carcinogen-induced HNSCC, tumors emerge from premalignant mucosal changes characterized by tumor-associated genetic alterations, also coined as 'fields' that are occasionally visible as leukoplakia or erythroplakia lesions but are mostly invisible. Consequently, HNSCC is generally diagnosed de novo at more advanced stages in about 70% of new diagnosis. Despite intense multimodality treatment protocols, the overall 5-years survival rate is 50-60% for patients with advanced stage of disease and seems to have reached a plateau. Of notable concern is the lack of further improvement in prognosis despite advances in treatment. This can be attributed to the late clinical presentation, failure of advanced HNSCC to respond to treatment, the deficit of effective targeted therapies to eradicate tumors and precancerous changes, and the lack of suitable markers for screening and personalized therapy. The molecular landscape of head and neck cancer has been elucidated in great detail, but the absence of oncogenic mutations hampers the identification of druggable targets for therapy to improve outcome of HNSCC. Currently, functional genomic approaches are being explored to identify potential therapeutic targets. Identification and validation of essential genes for both HNSCC and oral premalignancies, accompanied with biomarkers for therapy response, are being investigated. Attentive diagnosis and targeted therapy of the preceding oral premalignant (preHNSCC) changes may prevent the development of tumors. As classic oncogene addiction through activating mutations is not a realistic concept for treatment of HNSCC, synthetic lethality and collateral lethality need to be exploited, next to immune therapies. In recent studies it was shown that cell cycle regulation and DNA damage response pathways become significantly altered in HNSCC causing replication stress, which is an avenue that deserves further exploitation as an HNSCC vulnerability for treatment. The focus of this review is to summarize the current literature on the preclinical identification of potential druggable targets for therapy of (pre)HNSCC, emerging from the variety of gene knockdown and knockout strategies, and the testing of targeted inhibitors. We will conclude with a future perspective on targeted therapy of HNSCC and premalignant changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. van Harten
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tumor Biology & Immunology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; or
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Ruud H. Brakenhoff
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tumor Biology & Immunology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; or
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Zhang L, Song Y, Jiang N, Huang Y, Dong B, Li W, He Y, Chen Y, Liu H, Yu R. Efficacy and safety of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents for the treatment of oesophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e046352. [PMID: 33753446 PMCID: PMC7986677 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite remarkable advances in the treatment of oesophageal cancer (OC), the role of antiepidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) agents in treating OC remains controversial. Herein, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to elucidate the efficacy and safety of anti-EGFR agents in patients with OC. DESIGN Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) identified by searching the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biology Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform databases from inception to December 2019. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. SETTING RCTs from any country and healthcare setting. PARTICIPANTS Patients with OC. INTERVENTIONS Combination therapy with anti-EGFR agents and conventional treatments versus conventional treatments alone in patients with OC. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were primary outcome measures, and objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and treatment toxicities were secondary outcome measures. RESULTS In total, 25 RCTs comprising 3406 patients with OC were included. Overall, anti-EGFR treatment significantly improved the OS (HR: 0.81, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.89, p<0.00001), ORR (relative risk (RR): 1.33, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.52, p<0.0001) and DCR (RR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.34, p<0.0001) but not PFS (HR: 0.91, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.08, p=0.26). Anti-EGFR treatment was significantly associated with higher incidences of myelosuppression, diarrhoea, acne-like rash and hypomagnesaemia. CONCLUSIONS Overall, anti-EGFR agents have positive effects on OS, the ORR and DCR in OC. However, considering the high incidence of adverse effects, such as myelosuppression, diarrhoea, acne-like rashes and hypomagnesaemia, careful monitoring of patients with OC is recommended during anti-EGFR treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42020169230.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Zhang
- School of Nursing, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Yanli Song
- School of Nursing, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- School of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaqi Huang
- School of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Bo Dong
- School of Nursing, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Wei Li
- School of Nursing, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Yanze He
- School of Nursing, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Institute and Hospital, Shenyang, China
| | - Haibin Liu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Liaoning Cancer Institute and Hospital, Shenyang, China
| | - Rui Yu
- Department of Science and Technology, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
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10
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Zahnreich S, Gebrekidan S, Multhoff G, Vaupel P, Schmidberger H, Mayer A. Oxygen Deprivation Modulates EGFR and PD-L1 in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck. Front Oncol 2021; 11:623964. [PMID: 33718186 PMCID: PMC7953989 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.623964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abundance and signaling of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are not only genetically determined but are also subject to the traits of the tumor microenvironment, which has hitherto not been clarified completely. We investigated the impact of hypoxia on the EGFR system and on PD-L1 in six HPV negative HNSCC cell lines in vitro and in FaDu xenografts in vivo. Protein levels of EGFR, AKT, pAKT, ERK1/2, pERK1/2, CA IX, cleaved PARP (apoptosis), LC3B (autophagy), and PD-L1 were quantified by western blot after oxygen deprivation or CoCl2, staurosporine, and erlotinib treatment. In FaDu xenograft tumors the expression of EGFR, CA IX andCD34 staining were analyzed. Reduced oxygen supply strongly downregulated EGFR protein levels and signaling in FaDu cells in vitro and in vivo, and a transient downregulation of EGFR signaling was found in three other HNSCC cell lines. PD-L1 was affected by oxygen deprivation in only one HNSCC cell line showing increased protein amounts. The results of this study indicate a significant impact of the traits of the tumor microenvironment on crucial molecular targets of cancer therapies with high clinical relevance for therapy resistance and response in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Zahnreich
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiation Therapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Senayit Gebrekidan
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiation Therapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Gabriele Multhoff
- Radiation Immuno-Oncology Project Group, Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Vaupel
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiation Therapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heinz Schmidberger
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiation Therapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Arnulf Mayer
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiation Therapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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11
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Mei M, Chen YH, Meng T, Qu LH, Zhang ZY, Zhang X. Comparative efficacy and safety of radiotherapy/cetuximab versus radiotherapy/chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients: a systematic review of published, primarily non-randomized, data. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2020; 12:1758835920975355. [PMID: 33343720 PMCID: PMC7727048 DOI: 10.1177/1758835920975355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cetuximab (CTX) has been approved to be administered concurrently with radiotherapy (RT) to treat locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of concurrent CTX with RT (ExRT). Method: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE databases were systematically searched to find relevant articles. The combined hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval were calculated to assess the efficacy and safety of ExRT in contrast to concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy with RT (ChRT). Results: In total, 32 articles with 4556 patients were included. The pooled HRs indicated that ExRT achieved an unfavorable overall survival (HR: 1.86, p < 0.0001), disease-specific survival (HR: 2.58, p = 0.002), locoregional control (HR: 1.94, p < 0.00001), and progression-free survival (HR: 2.04, p = 0.003) compared with ChRT for locally advanced HNSCC patients. In human papillomavirus-positive patient subgroups, ExRT showed inferior disease-specific survival (HR: 2.55, p = 0.009) and locoregional control (HR: 2.27, p < 0.0001) in contrast to ChRT. Additionally, ExRT increased the occurrence of mucositis (RR: 1.17, p < 0.005), skin toxicity (RR: 6.26, p < 0.00001), and infection (RR: 2.27, p = 0.04) compared with non-CTX groups (ChRT and RT), and was associated with lower incidence of anemia (RR: 0.35, p = 0.009), leukocytopenia (RR: 0.17, p < 0.0001), neutropenia (RR: 0.06, p < 0.0001), nausea/vomiting (RR: 0.23, p < 0.0001), and renal toxicity (RR: 0.14, p = 0.007). Conclusion: ChRT should remain the standard treatment for locally advanced HNSCC patients. ExRT was recognized as an effective alternative treatment for locally advanced HNSCC patients who experienced unbearable toxicities caused by non-CTX treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Mei
- First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Huan Chen
- First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Meng
- First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Han Qu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Zhang
- First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, No. 37A Xishiku Road, Xichen District, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, No. 37A Xishiku Road, Xichen District, Beijing, 100034, China
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12
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Bernat-Peguera A, Navarro-Ventura J, Lorenzo-Sanz L, da Silva-Diz V, Bosio M, Palomero L, Penin RM, Pérez Sidelnikova D, Bermejo JO, Taberna M, Vilariño N, Piulats JM, Mesia R, Viñals JM, González-Suárez E, Capella-Gutierrez S, Villanueva A, Viñals F, Muñoz P. FGFR Inhibition Overcomes Resistance to EGFR-targeted Therapy in Epithelial-like Cutaneous Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 27:1491-1504. [PMID: 33262138 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recurrent and/or metastatic unresectable cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCCs) are treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but have poor clinical responses. A limited response (up to 45% of cases) to EGFR-targeted therapies was observed in clinical trials with patients with advanced and metastatic cSCC. Here, we analyze the molecular traits underlying the response to EGFR inhibitors, and the mechanisms responsible for cSCC resistance to EGFR-targeted therapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We generated primary cell cultures and patient cSCC-derived xenografts (cSCC-PDXs) that recapitulate the histopathologic and molecular features of patient tumors. Response to gefitinib treatment was tested and gefitinib-resistant (GefR) cSCC-PDXs were developed. RNA sequence analysis was performed in matched untreated and GefR cSCC-PDXs to determine the mechanisms driving gefitinib resistance. RESULTS cSCCs conserving epithelial traits exhibited strong activation of EGFR signaling, which promoted tumor cell proliferation, in contrast to mesenchymal-like cSCCs. Gefitinib treatment strongly blocked epithelial-like cSCC-PDX growth in the absence of EGFR and RAS mutations, whereas tumors carrying the E545K PIK3CA-activating mutation were resistant to treatment. A subset of initially responding tumors acquired resistance after long-term treatment, which was induced by the bypass from EGFR to FGFR signaling to allow tumor cell proliferation and survival upon gefitinib treatment. Pharmacologic inhibition of FGFR signaling overcame resistance to EGFR inhibitor, even in PIK3CA-mutated tumors. CONCLUSIONS EGFR-targeted therapy may be appropriate for treating many epithelial-like cSCCs without PIK3CA-activating mutations. Combined EGFR- and FGFR-targeted therapy may be used to treat cSCCs that show intrinsic or acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrià Bernat-Peguera
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Navarro-Ventura
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Lorenzo-Sanz
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria da Silva-Diz
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mattia Bosio
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Palomero
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), ICO, IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa M Penin
- Pathology Service, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge/IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Josep Oriol Bermejo
- Plastic Surgery Unit, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge/IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miren Taberna
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncobell Program, IDIBELL, ICO, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noelia Vilariño
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncobell Program, IDIBELL, ICO, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M Piulats
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncobell Program, IDIBELL, ICO, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ricard Mesia
- Department of Medical Oncology, ICO, B-ARGO Group-Badalona, IGTP, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Maria Viñals
- Plastic Surgery Unit, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge/IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva González-Suárez
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.,Molecular Oncology, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alberto Villanueva
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), ICO, IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Viñals
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), ICO, IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Unitat de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Departament de Ciències Fisiològiques, Universitat de Barcelona-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Purificación Muñoz
- Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
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13
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Pembrolizumab vs the EXTREME Regimen in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Clin Drug Investig 2020; 40:1137-1146. [DOI: 10.1007/s40261-020-00973-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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14
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Patel U, Pandey M, Kannan S, Samant TA, Gera P, Mittal N, Rane S, Patil A, Noronha V, Joshi A, Patil VM, Prabhash K, Mahimkar MB. Prognostic and predictive significance of nuclear HIF1α expression in locally advanced HNSCC patients treated with chemoradiation with or without nimotuzumab. Br J Cancer 2020; 123:1757-1766. [PMID: 32939054 PMCID: PMC7722894 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-01064-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anti-EGFR-based therapies have limited success in HNSCC patients. Predictive biomarkers are greatly needed to identify the patients likely to be benefited from these targeted therapies. Here, we present the prognostic and predictive association of biomarkers in HPV-negative locally advanced (LA) HNSCC patients. METHODS Treatment-naive tumour tissue samples of 404 patients, a subset of randomised Phase 3 trial comparing cisplatin radiation (CRT) versus nimotuzumab plus cisplatin radiation (NCRT) were analysed to evaluate the expression of HIF1α, EGFR and pEGFR by immunohistochemistry and EGFR gene copy change by FISH. Progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS Baseline characteristics of the patients were balanced between two treatment groups (CRT vs NCRT) and were representative of the trial cohort. The median follow-up was of 39.13 months. Low HIF1α was associated with better PFS [HR (95% CI) = 0.62 (0.42-0.93)], LRC [HR (95% CI) = 0.56 (0.37-0.86)] and OS [HR (95% CI) = 0.63 (0.43-0.93)] in the CRT group. Multivariable analysis revealed HIF1α as an independent negative prognostic biomarker. For patients with high HIF1α, NCRT significantly improved the outcomes [PFS:HR (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.37-0.82), LRC:HR (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.36-0.85) and OS:HR (95% CI) = 0.54 (0.36-0.81)] compared to CRT. While in patients with low HIF1α, no difference in the clinical outcomes was observed between treatments. Interaction test suggested a predictive value of HIF1α for OS (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS High HIF1α expression is a predictor of poor clinical response to CRT in HPV-negative LA-HNSCC patients. These patients with high HIF1α significantly benefited with the addition of nimotuzumab to CRT. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (Trial registration identifier-CTRI/2014/09/004980).
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Affiliation(s)
- Usha Patel
- Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Manish Pandey
- Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sadhana Kannan
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Biostatistician, Clinical Research Secretariat, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Tanuja A Samant
- Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Poonam Gera
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Biorepository, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Neha Mittal
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Swapnil Rane
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Asawari Patil
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Vanita Noronha
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Amit Joshi
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Vijay M Patil
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Kumar Prabhash
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Manoj B Mahimkar
- Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. .,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
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15
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Chandler KB, Alamoud KA, Stahl VL, Nguyen BC, Kartha VK, Bais MV, Nomoto K, Owa T, Monti S, Kukuruzinska MA, Costello CE. β-Catenin/CBP inhibition alters epidermal growth factor receptor fucosylation status in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Omics 2020; 16:195-209. [PMID: 32203567 PMCID: PMC7299767 DOI: 10.1039/d0mo00009d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a major driver of head and neck cancer, a devastating malignancy with a major sub-site in the oral cavity manifesting as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). EGFR is a glycoprotein receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) whose activity is upregulated in >80% OSCC. Current anti-EGFR therapy relies on the use of cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody against EGFR, although it has had only a limited response in patients. Here, we uncover a novel mechanism regulating EGFR activity, identifying a role of the nuclear branch of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, the β-catenin/CBP axis, in control of post-translational modification of N-glycans on the EGFR. Genomic and structural analyses reveal that β-catenin/CBP signaling represses fucosylation on the antennae of N-linked glycans on EGFR. By employing nUPLC-MS/MS, we determined that malignant human OSCC cells harbor EGFR with a paucity of N-glycan antennary fucosylation, while indolent cells display higher levels of fucosylation at sites N420 and N579. Additionally, treatment with either ICG-001 or E7386, which are both small molecule inhibitors of β-catenin/CBP signaling, leads to increased transcriptional expression of fucosyltransferases FUT2 and FUT3, with a concomitant increase in EGFR N-glycan antennary fucosylation. In order to discover which fucosylated glycan epitopes are involved in the observed effect, we performed in-depth characterization of multiply-fucosylated N-glycans via tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the EGFR tryptic glycopeptides. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017060. We propose that β-catenin/CBP signaling promotes EGFR oncogenic activity in OSCC by inhibiting its N-glycan antennary fucosylation through transcriptional repression of FUT2 and FUT3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Brown Chandler
- Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Khalid A. Alamoud
- Department of Translational Dental Medicine, Boston University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Vanessa L Stahl
- Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Bach-Cuc Nguyen
- Department of Translational Dental Medicine, Boston University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Vinay K. Kartha
- Division of Computational Biomedicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Manish V. Bais
- Department of Translational Dental Medicine, Boston University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | | | | | - Stefano Monti
- Division of Computational Biomedicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Maria A. Kukuruzinska
- Department of Translational Dental Medicine, Boston University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Catherine E. Costello
- Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
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16
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Lin CY, Hsieh PL, Chou CL, Yang CC, Lee SW, Tian YF, Shiue YL, Li WS. High EREG Expression Is Predictive of Better Outcomes in Rectal Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy. Oncology 2020; 98:549-557. [PMID: 32408308 DOI: 10.1159/000506991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM A great proportion of patients with rectal cancer initially present with locally advanced disease and can potentially benefit from neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for downstaging before surgery. However, risk and clinical outcome stratification remain a great challenge. We aimed to find the potential biomarker to predict the effect of neoadjuvant CCRT on rectal cancer. METHODS We identified epiregulin (EREG) as the most significant predictive marker for neoadjuvant CCRT response from the published rectal cancer transcriptome data set GSE35452. We collected 172 biopsy specimens from rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant CCRT followed by radical proctectomy, performed EREG immunohistochemistry, and analyzed the H-scores. We further examined the correlations between the expression level of EREG and clinicopathological features, tumor regression grade, and survival, including disease-specific survival (DSS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and metastasis-free survival (MeFS). RESULTS High EREG expression was significantly related to early pretreatment (pre-Tx) and posttreatment (post-Tx) tumor status (T1, T2, p = 0.047 and p < 0.001), pre-Tx and post-Tx negative nodal status (N0, p < 0.001 and p = 0.004), less vascular and perineurial invasion (p = 0.015 and p = 0.023), and higher tumor regression grade (p < 0.001). In the survival analysis, high EREG expression was significantly associated with better DSS (p < 0.0001), LRFS (p = 0.0004), and MeFS (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, high EREG expression remained prognostically significant for better DSS (p = 0.003; hazard ratio: 5.599). CONCLUSION These data suggest that EREG is a potential predictive marker and therapeutic target in rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant CCRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yi Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ling Hsieh
- Department of Medical Imaging, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Lin Chou
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chieh Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Wei Lee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Feng Tian
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yow-Ling Shiue
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Shan Li
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, .,Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,
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17
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Liu S, Tian W, Li B. Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis Identifies NEK2 as a Potential Biomarker in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Comput Biol 2020; 27:100-108. [PMID: 31460782 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2019.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenjuan Tian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Burong Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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HOXB5 acts as an oncogenic driver in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma via EGFR/Akt/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis. Eur J Surg Oncol 2019; 46:1066-1073. [PMID: 31864826 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2019.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Identification of therapeutic targets in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is essential because most of the patients with advanced HNSCC have a poor prognosis. Homeobox genes constitute a large cluster of transcription factors with important regulatory roles in mammalian embryonic development and cell differentiation. The oncogenic role of homeobox B5 (HOXB5) in HNSCC has not been investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data to evaluate the correlations between HOXB5 expression and various HNSCC clinicopathological factors. We knocked down HOXB5 expression in HNSCC cell lines and explored the in vitro and in vivo effects on cell proliferation and motility, and HOXB5 signaling. RESULTS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data shows that HOXB5 is overexpressed in HNSCC compared to normal tissues and significantly associates with tumor stage (P = 0.003), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.031), disease stage (P = 0.002), and angiolymphatic invasion (P = 0.004). Our results also show that HOXB5 expression is up-regulated in HNSCC cell lines, and HOXB5 knockdown significantly reduced cell proliferation and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of HOXB5 decreases cell migration and invasion via suppression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins expression. Moreover, HOXB5 directly binds to the promoter region of EGFR and consequently regulates the activity of the Akt/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis. CONCLUSION HOXB5 may be a novel therapeutic target as an oncogenic driver by regulating EGFR transcription in HNSCC.
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Bioinformatics-based discovery of PYGM and TNNC2 as potential biomarkers of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2019; 39:BSR20191612. [PMID: 31324732 PMCID: PMC6663994 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20191612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive malignancy with high morbidity and mortality rates and ranks as the sixth most common cancer all over the world. Despite numerous advancements in therapeutic methods, the prognosis of HNSCC patients still remains poor. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HNSCC progression and to identify essential genes that could serve as effective biomarkers and potential treatment targets. In the present study, original data of three independent datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) and R language was applied to screen out the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). PYGM and TNNC2 were finally selected from the overlapping DEGs of three datasets for further analyses. Transcriptional and survival data related to PYGM and TNNC2 was detected through multiple online databases such as Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), cBioportal, and UALCAN. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis was adopted for the validation of PYGM and TNNC2 mRNA level in HNSCC tissues and cell lines. Survival curves were plotted to evaluate the association of these two genes with HNSCC prognosis. It was demonstrated that PYGM and TNNC2 were significantly down-regulated in HNSCC and the aberrant expression of PYGM and TNNC2 were correlated with HNSCC prognosis, implying the potential of exploiting them as therapeutic targets for HNSCC treatment or potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis.
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Cui J, Zheng X, Yang D, Hu Y, An C, Bo Y, Li H, Zhang Y, Niu M, Xue X, Lu Y, Tang Y, Yin H, Li Z, Gao W, Wu Y. Astragali radix total flavonoid synergizes cisplatin to inhibit proliferation and enhances the chemosensitivity of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. RSC Adv 2019; 9:24471-24482. [PMID: 35527911 PMCID: PMC9069756 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra04701h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the most common head and neck cancer. Astragali radix extracts play crucial roles in the regulation of cancer progression. However, the role of Astragali radix extracts in LSCC and the related mechanisms remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of the combined use of Astragali radix total flavonoid (TFA) and cisplatin (CDDP) on an LSCC mouse model by pharmacodynamics. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was employed to define the prototype of TFA in vivo. The potential drug targets were identified through the integrative analysis of LSCC microarrays, RNA sequencing data and the main bioactive component of TFA. Furthermore, a protein–protein interaction network, compound–target network and target–pathway network were constructed based on the prototype and potential drug targets to identify the main targets and pathways. Animal experiments showed that TFA has significant synergistic antitumor activity with cisplatin and attenuates the nephrotoxicity caused by CDDP chemotherapy, improving the survival of LSCC-bearing mice. Using UPLC-MS/MS, we identified 8 constituents of TFA in experimental mice serum: formononetin, ononin, calycosin, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, 7,2′-dihydroxy-3′,4′-dimethoxyisoflavan, 7,2′-dihydroxy-3′,4′-dimethoxyisoflavaneglucoside, 3-hydroxy-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan and 9,10-dimethoxyptercarpan-3-O-β-d-glucoside. Integrative analysis predicted 19 target genes for TFA constituents, and the target genes were mainly involved in the EGFR-related cancer signaling, metabolism and oxidative stress. Collectively, these findings highlight the role of TFA in the regulation of LSCC and provide potential targets for a high-efficiency and low-toxicity therapeutic strategy of LSCC. Astragali radix total flavonoid synergizes with cisplatin to inhibit tumorigenesis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.![]()
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Li J, Bai TR, Gao S, Zhou Z, Peng XM, Zhang LS, Dou DL, Zhang ZS, Li LY. Human rhomboid family-1 modulates clathrin coated vesicle-dependent pro-transforming growth factor α membrane trafficking to promote breast cancer progression. EBioMedicine 2018; 36:229-240. [PMID: 30279141 PMCID: PMC6197618 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling is critical in epithelial cancer development. Human rhomboid family-1 (RHBDF1) facilitates the secretion of TGFα, an EGFR ligand, in breast cancer; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We evaluated the role for RHBDF1 in clathrin-coated vesicle (CCV)-dependent pro-TGFα membrane trafficking in breast cancer cells upon stimulation by G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists. METHODS RHBDF1 was silenced in various breast cancer cells using shRNA. TGFα levels, subcellular localization, and secretion were evaluated using ELISA, immunofluorescent staining, and coimmunoprecipitation. Phosphorylation and expression of relevant proteins were measured by western blotting. RHBDF1-dependent cell viability and invasion were measured. FINDINGS RHBDF1 mediates GPCR agonist-induced EGFR phosphorylation by promoting TGFα secretion in various types of breast cancer cells. RHBDF1 not only mediates ADAM17-dependent shedding of TGFα, but is essential in membrane trafficking of pro-TGFα. RHBDF1 silencing results in blocking of clathrin uncoating from CCV, a crucial step for the plasma membrane release of pro-TGFα. Interaction of RHBDF1 with auxilin-2, a CCV protein, determines the recruitment of HSC70 to CCV to facilitate clathrin uncoating. RHBDF1 function is required for the proliferation and mobility of breast cancer cells upon stimulation by Sphingosine 1 Phosphate (S1P), a GPCR agonist. We demonstrate a significant correlation between RHBDF1 overexpression and EGFR activation in breast cancer tissues. INTERPRETATION RHBDF1 is an indispensable component of the protein trafficking machinery involved in GPCR-mediated EGFR transactivation, and is an attractive therapeutic target for cancer. FUND: National Natural Science Foundation of China (81,672,740 to ZSZ, 81,272,356 and 81,330,029 to LYL).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Tai-Ran Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Shan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Zhuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xue-Mei Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Li-Song Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Dao-Lei Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Zhi-Song Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Lu-Yuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy and School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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Ma W, Concha-Benavente F, Santegoets SJAM, Welters MJP, Ehsan I, Ferris RL, van der Burg SH. EGFR signaling suppresses type 1 cytokine-induced T-cell attracting chemokine secretion in head and neck cancer. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203402. [PMID: 30192802 PMCID: PMC6128559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to antitumor immunity can be promoted by the oncogenic pathways operational in human cancers, including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway. Here we studied if and how EGFR downstream signaling in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) can affect the attraction of immune cells. HPV-negative and HPV-positive HNSCC cell lines were analyzed in vitro for CCL2, CCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10, IL-6 and IL-1β expression and the attraction of T cells under different conditions, including cetuximab treatment and stimulation with IFNγ and TNFα using qPCR, ELISA and migration experiments. Biochemical analyses with chemical inhibitors and siRNA transfection were used to pinpoint the underlying mechanisms. Stimulation of HNSCC cells with IFNγ and TNFα triggered the production of T-cell attracting chemokines and required c-RAF activation. Blocking of the EGFR with cetuximab during this stimulation increased chemokine production in vitro, and augmented the attraction of T cells. Mechanistically, cetuximab decreased the phosphorylation of MEK1, ERK1/2, AKT, mTOR, JNK, p38 and ERK5. Chemical inhibition of EGFR signaling showed a consistent and pronounced chemokine production with MEK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 and JNK inhibitor SP600125, but not with inhibitors of p38, PI3K or mTOR. Combination treatment with cetuximab and a MEK1/2 or JNK inhibitor induced the highest chemokine expression. In conclusion, overexpression of EGFR results in the activation of multiple downstream signaling pathways that act simultaneously to suppress type 1 cytokine stimulated production of chemokines required to amplify the attraction of T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Concha-Benavente
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | | | - Marij J. P. Welters
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ilina Ehsan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert L. Ferris
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Sjoerd H. van der Burg
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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