1
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Azizan EAB, Drake WM, Brown MJ. Primary aldosteronism: molecular medicine meets public health. Nat Rev Nephrol 2023; 19:788-806. [PMID: 37612380 PMCID: PMC7615304 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-023-00753-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Primary aldosteronism is the most common single cause of hypertension and is potentially curable when only one adrenal gland is the culprit. The importance of primary aldosteronism to public health derives from its high prevalence but huge under-diagnosis (estimated to be <1% of all affected individuals), despite the consequences of poor blood pressure control by conventional therapy and enhanced cardiovascular risk. This state of affairs is attributable to the fact that the tools used for diagnosis or treatment are still those that originated in the 1970-1990s. Conversely, molecular discoveries have transformed our understanding of adrenal physiology and pathology. Many molecules and processes associated with constant adrenocortical renewal and interzonal metamorphosis also feature in aldosterone-producing adenomas and aldosterone-producing micronodules. The adrenal gland has one of the most significant rates of non-silent somatic mutations, with frequent selection of those driving autonomous aldosterone production, and distinct clinical presentations and outcomes for most genotypes. The disappearance of aldosterone synthesis and cells from most of the adult human zona glomerulosa is the likely driver of the mutational success that causes aldosterone-producing adenomas, but insights into the pathways that lead to constitutive aldosterone production and cell survival may open up opportunities for novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena A B Azizan
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia (UKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Endocrine Hypertension, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - William M Drake
- St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Morris J Brown
- Endocrine Hypertension, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
- NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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2
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Morales-Guadarrama G, Méndez-Pérez EA, García-Quiroz J, Avila E, Ibarra-Sánchez MJ, Esparza-López J, García-Becerra R, Larrea F, Díaz L. The Inhibition of the FGFR/PI3K/Akt Axis by AZD4547 Disrupts the Proangiogenic Microenvironment and Vasculogenic Mimicry Arising from the Interplay between Endothelial and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13770. [PMID: 37762073 PMCID: PMC10531243 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a process in which aggressive cancer cells form tube-like structures, plays a crucial role in providing nutrients and escape routes. Highly plastic tumor cells, such as those with the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) phenotype, can develop VM. However, little is known about the interplay between the cellular components of the tumor microenvironment and TNBC cells' VM capacity. In this study, we analyzed the ability of endothelial and stromal cells to induce VM when interacting with TNBC cells and analyzed the involvement of the FGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway in this process. VM was corroborated using fluorescently labeled TNBC cells. Only endothelial cells triggered VM formation, suggesting a predominant role of paracrine/juxtacrine factors from an endothelial origin in VM development. Via immunocytochemistry, qPCR, and secretome analyses, we determined an increased expression of proangiogenic factors as well as stemness markers in VM-forming cancer cells. Similarly, endothelial cells primed by TNBC cells showed an upregulation of proangiogenic molecules, including FGF, VEGFA, and several inflammatory cytokines. Endothelium-dependent TNBC-VM formation was prevented by AZD4547 or LY294002, strongly suggesting the involvement of the FGFR/PI3K/Akt axis in this process. Given that VM is associated with poor clinical prognosis, targeting FGFR/PI3K/Akt pharmacologically may hold promise for treating and preventing VM in TNBC tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Morales-Guadarrama
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico; (G.M.-G.)
| | - Edgar A. Méndez-Pérez
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico; (G.M.-G.)
| | - Janice García-Quiroz
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico; (G.M.-G.)
| | - Euclides Avila
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico; (G.M.-G.)
| | - María J. Ibarra-Sánchez
- Unidad de Bioquímica Dr. Guillermo Soberón Acevedo, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico
| | - José Esparza-López
- Unidad de Bioquímica Dr. Guillermo Soberón Acevedo, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico
| | - Rocío García-Becerra
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
- Programa de Investigación de Cáncer de Mama, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Fernando Larrea
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico; (G.M.-G.)
| | - Lorenza Díaz
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico; (G.M.-G.)
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3
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Faggioli F, Velarde MC, Wiley CD. Cellular Senescence, a Novel Area of Investigation for Metastatic Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060860. [PMID: 36980201 PMCID: PMC10047218 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is a systemic condition and the major challenge among cancer types, as it can lead to multiorgan vulnerability. Recently, attention has been drawn to cellular senescence, a complex stress response condition, as a factor implicated in metastatic dissemination and outgrowth. Here, we examine the current knowledge of the features required for cells to invade and colonize secondary organs and how senescent cells can contribute to this process. First, we describe the role of senescence in placentation, itself an invasive process which has been linked to higher rates of invasive cancers. Second, we describe how senescent cells can contribute to metastatic dissemination and colonization. Third, we discuss several metabolic adaptations by which senescent cells could promote cancer survival along the metastatic journey. In conclusion, we posit that targeting cellular senescence may have a potential therapeutic efficacy to limit metastasis formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Faggioli
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (IRGB-CNR) uos Milan, Via Fantoli 15/16, 20090 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-82245211
| | - Michael C. Velarde
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City PH 1101, Philippines
| | - Christopher D. Wiley
- Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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4
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Bhat A, Ghatage T, Bhan S, Lahane GP, Dhar A, Kumar R, Pandita RK, Bhat KM, Ramos KS, Pandita TK. Role of Transposable Elements in Genome Stability: Implications for Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147802. [PMID: 35887150 PMCID: PMC9319628 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Most living organisms have in their genome a sizable proportion of DNA sequences capable of mobilization; these sequences are commonly referred to as transposons, transposable elements (TEs), or jumping genes. Although long thought to have no biological significance, advances in DNA sequencing and analytical technologies have enabled precise characterization of TEs and confirmed their ubiquitous presence across all forms of life. These findings have ignited intense debates over their biological significance. The available evidence now supports the notion that TEs exert major influence over many biological aspects of organismal life. Transposable elements contribute significantly to the evolution of the genome by giving rise to genetic variations in both active and passive modes. Due to their intrinsic nature of mobility within the genome, TEs primarily cause gene disruption and large-scale genomic alterations including inversions, deletions, and duplications. Besides genomic instability, growing evidence also points to many physiologically important functions of TEs, such as gene regulation through cis-acting control elements and modulation of the transcriptome through epigenetic control. In this review, we discuss the latest evidence demonstrating the impact of TEs on genome stability and the underling mechanisms, including those developed to mitigate the deleterious impact of TEs on genomic stability and human health. We have also highlighted the potential therapeutic application of TEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audesh Bhat
- Centre for Molecular Biology, Central University of Jammu, Jammu 181143, India;
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (T.K.P.)
| | - Trupti Ghatage
- Department of Pharmacy, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (T.G.); (G.P.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Sonali Bhan
- Centre for Molecular Biology, Central University of Jammu, Jammu 181143, India;
| | - Ganesh P. Lahane
- Department of Pharmacy, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (T.G.); (G.P.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Arti Dhar
- Department of Pharmacy, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (T.G.); (G.P.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishnav Devi University, Katra 182320, India;
| | - Raj K. Pandita
- Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Krishna M. Bhat
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Kenneth S. Ramos
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Tej K. Pandita
- Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (T.K.P.)
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5
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Zhang H, Ma H, Yang X, Fan L, Tian S, Niu R, Yan M, Zheng M, Zhang S. Cell Fusion-Related Proteins and Signaling Pathways, and Their Roles in the Development and Progression of Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:809668. [PMID: 35178400 PMCID: PMC8846309 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.809668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion is involved in many physiological and pathological processes, including gamete binding, and cancer development. The basic processes of cell fusion include membrane fusion, cytoplasmic mixing, and nuclear fusion. Cell fusion is regulated by different proteins and signaling pathways. Syncytin-1, syncytin-2, glial cell missing 1, galectin-1 and other proteins (annexins, myomaker, myomerger etc.) involved in cell fusion via the cyclic adenosine-dependent protein kinase A, mitogen-activated protein kinase, wingless/integrase-1, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathways. In the progression of malignant tumors, cell fusion is essential during the organ-specific metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation, the formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), cancer angiogenesis and cancer immunity. In addition, diploid cells can be induced to form polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) via cell fusion under many kinds of stimuli, including cobalt chloride, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and traditional Chinese medicine. PGCCs have CSC-like properties, and the daughter cells derived from PGCCs have a mesenchymal phenotype and exhibit strong migration, invasion, and proliferation abilities. Therefore, exploring the molecular mechanisms of cell fusion can enable us better understand the development of malignant tumors. In this review, the basic process of cell fusion and its significance in cancer is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Ma
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Linlin Fan
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Shifeng Tian
- Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Rui Niu
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Man Yan
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Minying Zheng
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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6
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Zhang T, Zhang L, Gao Y, Wang Y, Liu Y, Zhang H, Wang Q, Hu F, Li J, Tan J, Wang DD, Gires O, Lin PP, Li B. Role of aneuploid circulating tumor cells and CD31 + circulating tumor endothelial cells in predicting and monitoring anti-angiogenic therapy efficacy in advanced NSCLC. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:2891-2909. [PMID: 34455700 PMCID: PMC8564645 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prognosticating the efficacy of anti‐angiogenic therapy through longitudinal monitoring and early detection of treatment resistance in cancer patients remain highly challenging. In this study, co‐detection and comprehensive phenotypic and karyotypic molecular characterization of aneuploid circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor endothelial cells (CTECs) were conducted on non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. Prognostic values of the cell‐based significant univariate risk factors identified by Cox regression analyses were progressively investigated. Subjects showing an increase in total post‐therapeutic platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 (CD31)– CTCs and CD31+ CTECs exhibited a significantly reduced median progression‐free survival (mPFS) and overall survival. Further stratification analyses indicated that pretherapeutic patients bearing vimentin (Vim)+ CTECs (mesenchymal M‐type) at baseline revealed a significantly shortened mPFS compared with patients with Vim– CTECs. Post‐therapeutic patients harboring epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)+ CTCs and CTECs (epithelial E‐type), regardless of Vim expression or not, showed a significantly reduced mPFS. Post‐therapeutic patients possessing de novo EpCAM+/Vim+ (hybrid E/M‐type) CTECs displayed the shortest mPFS. Patients harboring either pre‐ or post‐therapeutic EpCAM–/Vim– null CTECs (N‐type) exhibited a better response to therapy compared to patients harboring EpCAM+ and/or Vim+ CTECs. The presented results support the notion that baseline Vim+ CTECs and post‐therapeutic EpCAM+ CTCs and CTECs are predictive biomarkers for longitudinal monitoring of response to anti‐angiogenesis combination regimens in NSCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongmei Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yanxia Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Qunhui Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Fanbin Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jinjing Tan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | | | - Olivier Gires
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | | | - Baolan Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
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7
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El Bakary NM, Alsharkawy AZ, Shouaib ZA, Barakat EMS. Role of Bee Venom and Melittin on Restraining Angiogenesis and Metastasis in γ-Irradiated Solid Ehrlich Carcinoma-Bearing Mice. Integr Cancer Ther 2021; 19:1534735420944476. [PMID: 32735464 PMCID: PMC7401046 DOI: 10.1177/1534735420944476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological angiogenesis and apoptosis evasion are common hallmarks of cancer. The present work was an endeavor to evaluate the influence of bee venom (BV) or its major constituent melittin (MEL) as antiapoptotic and angiogenic regulator modifier on the tumor growth and the cell sensitivity to ionizing radiation targeting the improvement of cancer therapeutic protocols. BV (0.56 mg/kg/day) and MEL (500 µg/kg body weight/day) were injected intraperitoneally to mice bearing 1 cm3 solid tumor of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) for 21 consecutive days. Mice were whole-body exposed to 1 Gray (Gy) of γ-radiation (2 fractionated doses). Treatment with BV or MEL markedly suppresses the proliferation of tumor in EAC mice. The concentrations of m-RNA for angiogenic factors (TNF-α, VEGF) as well as MMPs 2 and 9 activities and NO concentration were significantly decreased, combined with improvements in apoptotic regulators (caspase-3 activity) and normal cells redox tone (catalase and free radicals content) compared with EAC mice. Moreover, the histopathological investigation confirms the improvement exerted by BV or MEL in the EAC mice group or EAC + R group. Exposure to γ-radiation sustained the modulatory effect of BV on tumor when compared with EAC + BV mice. Convincingly, the role of BV or MEL as a natural antiangiogenic in the biological sequelae after radiation exposure is verified. Hence, BV and its major constituent MEL might represent a potential therapeutic strategy for increasing the radiation response of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nermeen M El Bakary
- National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
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8
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席 玉. 制备人脐静脉内皮细胞和人肺腺癌细胞融合细胞的新方法. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2021; 20:15330338211034260. [PMID: 34318732 PMCID: PMC8323407 DOI: 10.1177/15330338211034260] [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] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs) have been proved to be
an effective whole-cell vaccine inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.
In this study, we fused HUVECs with human lung adenocarcinoma
cells A549 s, aiming at preparing lung cancer vaccine to achieve
dual effects of anti-tumor angiogenesis and specific immunity to
tumor cells. Methods: A549 cells were induced by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and
8-azaguanine (8-AG) to get hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl
transferase (HGPRT) auxotrophic A549 cells. Then Fused HGPRT
auxotrophic A549 cells with primary HUVEC cells by combining
electrofusion with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Afterward the
fusion cells were screened by HAT and HT selective medium and
sorted by flow cell sorter to obtain high-purity HUVEC-A549
cells. Finally, HUVEC-A549 cells were identified by karyotype
analysis and western blotting. Results: The fusion efficiency of HUVEC-A549 cells prepared by combining
electrofusion with polyethylene glycol (PEG) was significantly
higher than that of electrofusion and PEG (43.0% vs 17.60% vs
2.71%, P < 0.05). After screened by HAT and
HT selective medium and sorted by flow cell sorter, the
proportion of HUVEC-A549 cells can count for 71.2% ± 3.2%. The
mode of chromosomes in HUVEC-A549 cells was 68, and the
chromosome was triploid. VE-cadherin and platelet endothelial
cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) were highly expressed in HUVECs
and HUVEC-A549 cells, but not in A549 cells. Conclusions: These results indicate that HUVEC-A549 cells retain the biological
characteristics of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and
A549 cells. It can be used in the experimental study of lung
cancer cell vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- 玉峰 席
- Department of Neonatology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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Melzer C, von der Ohe J, Luo T, Hass R. Spontaneous Fusion of MSC with Breast Cancer Cells Can Generate Tumor Dormancy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115930. [PMID: 34072967 PMCID: PMC8198754 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct cellular interactions of MDA-MB-231cherry breast cancer cells with GFP-transduced human mesenchymal stroma/stem-like cells (MSCGFP) in a co-culture model resulted in spontaneous cell fusion by the generation of MDA-MSC-hyb5cherry GFP breast cancer hybrid cells. The proliferative capacity of MDA-MSC-hyb5 cells was enhanced about 1.8-fold when compared to the parental MDA-MB-231cherry breast cancer cells. In contrast to a spontaneous MDA-MB-231cherry induced tumor development in vivo within 18.8 days, the MDA-MSC-hyb5 cells initially remained quiescent in a dormancy-like state. At distinct time points after injection, NODscid mice started to develop MDA-MSC-hyb5 cell-induced tumors up to about a half year later. Following tumor initiation, however, tumor growth and formation of metastases in various different organs occurred rapidly within about 10.5 days. Changes in gene expression levels were evaluated by RNA-microarray analysis and revealed certain increase in dormancy-associated transcripts in MDA-MSC-hyb5. Chemotherapeutic responsiveness of MDA-MSC-hyb5 cells was partially enhanced when compared to MDA-MB-231 cells. However, some resistance, e.g., for taxol was detectable in cancer hybrid cells. Moreover, drug response partially changed during the tumor development of MDA-MSC-hyb5 cells; this suggests the presence of unstable in vivo phenotypes of MDA-hyb5 cells with increased tumor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ralf Hass
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-532-6070
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10
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Grundy EE, Diab N, Chiappinelli KB. Transposable element regulation and expression in cancer. FEBS J 2021; 289:1160-1179. [PMID: 33471418 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Approximately 45% of the human genome is composed of transposable elements (TEs). Expression of these elements is tightly regulated during normal development. TEs may be expressed at high levels in embryonic stem cells but are epigenetically silenced in terminally differentiated cells. As part of the global 'epigenetic dysregulation' that cells undergo during transformation from normal to cancer, TEs can lose epigenetic silencing and become transcribed, and, in some cases, active. Here, we summarize recent advances detailing the consequences of TE activation in cancer and describe how these understudied residents of our genome can both aid tumorigenesis and potentially be harnessed for anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Grundy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The Institute for Biomedical Sciences at The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Noor Diab
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Katherine B Chiappinelli
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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11
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Miroshnychenko D, Baratchart E, Ferrall-Fairbanks MC, Velde RV, Laurie MA, Bui MM, Tan AC, Altrock PM, Basanta D, Marusyk A. Spontaneous cell fusions as a mechanism of parasexual recombination in tumour cell populations. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:379-391. [PMID: 33462489 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01367-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The initiation and progression of cancers reflect the underlying process of somatic evolution, in which the diversification of heritable phenotypes provides a substrate for natural selection, resulting in the outgrowth of the most fit subpopulations. Although somatic evolution can tap into multiple sources of diversification, it is assumed to lack access to (para)sexual recombination-a key diversification mechanism throughout all strata of life. On the basis of observations of spontaneous fusions involving cancer cells, the reported genetic instability of polypoid cells and the precedence of fusion-mediated parasexual recombination in fungi, we asked whether cell fusions between genetically distinct cancer cells could produce parasexual recombination. Using differentially labelled tumour cells, we found evidence of low-frequency, spontaneous cell fusions between carcinoma cells in multiple cell line models of breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. While some hybrids remained polyploid, many displayed partial ploidy reduction, generating diverse progeny with heterogeneous inheritance of parental alleles, indicative of partial recombination. Hybrid cells also displayed elevated levels of phenotypic plasticity, which may further amplify the impact of cell fusions on the diversification of phenotypic traits. Using mathematical modelling, we demonstrated that the observed rates of spontaneous somatic cell fusions may enable populations of tumour cells to amplify clonal heterogeneity, thus facilitating the exploration of larger areas of the adaptive landscape (relative to strictly asexual populations), which may substantially accelerate a tumour's ability to adapt to new selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Miroshnychenko
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Etienne Baratchart
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Meghan C Ferrall-Fairbanks
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Robert Vander Velde
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Mark A Laurie
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Marilyn M Bui
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Aik Choon Tan
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Philipp M Altrock
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David Basanta
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andriy Marusyk
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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12
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Altered Tumor Plasticity after Different Cancer Cell Fusions with MSC. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218347. [PMID: 33172211 PMCID: PMC7664391 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While cell fusion demonstrates an important pathway during tissue development and regeneration of distinct organs, this process can also contribute to pathophysiological phenotypes during tumor progression. Hybrid cell formation after heterofusion between cancer cells and various other cell types within the tumor microenvironment is observed in vitro and in vivo. In particular, mesenchymal stroma/stem-like cells (MSC) perform diverse levels of communication with cancer cells by exhibiting anti- and pro-tumorigenic effects. During these cellular interactions, MSC can eventually fuse with cancer cells. Thereby, the newly generated disparate hybrid populations display aneuploidy associated with chromosomal instability. Based upon a subsequent post-hybrid selection process (PHSP), fused cancer cells can undergo apoptosis/necroptosis, senescence, dormancy, or a proliferative state by acquisition of new properties. Consequently, PHSP-surviving hybrid cancer cells demonstrate altered functionalities within the tumor tissue. This is accompanied by changes in therapeutic responsiveness and a different metastatic behavior. Accordingly, enhanced tumor plasticity interferes with successful therapeutic interventions and aggravates patient prognoses. The present review article focusses on fusion of MSC with different human cancer cells, in particular breast cancer populations and resulting characteristics of various cancer hybrid cells. Moreover, some mechanisms of cancer cell fusion are discussed together with multiple PHSP pathways.
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13
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Breast Cancer Heterogeneity and Response to Novel Therapeutics. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12113271. [PMID: 33167363 PMCID: PMC7694303 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that is driven by genetic, epigenetic and phenotypic modifications and is also affected by the microenvironment and the metabolism. In this article we review genetic and non-genetic causes of tumor heterogeneity focusing on the impact that heterogeneity has on resistance to therapy. We will provide examples of personalized medicines and their translation to the clinic. Abstract Targeted cancer therapies against oncogenic drivers are actively being developed and tested in clinical trials. Targeting an oncogenic driver may only prove effective if the mutation is present in most tumoral cells. Therefore, highly heterogeneous tumors may be refractory to these therapies. This makes tumor heterogeneity a major challenge in cancer therapy. Although heterogeneity has traditionally been attributed to genetic diversity within cancer cell populations, it is now widely recognized that human cancers are heterogeneous in almost all distinguishable phenotypic characteristics. Understanding the genetic variability and also the non-genetic influences of tumor heterogeneity will provide novel insights into how to reverse therapeutic resistance and improve cancer therapy.
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14
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Zhang LN, Zhang DD, Yang L, Gu YX, Zuo QP, Wang HY, Xu J, Liu DX. Roles of cell fusion between mesenchymal stromal/stem cells and malignant cells in tumor growth and metastasis. FEBS J 2020; 288:1447-1456. [PMID: 33070450 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Invasion and metastasis are the basic characteristics and important markers of malignant tumors, which are also the main cause of death in cancer patients. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is recognized as the first step of tumor invasion and metastasis. Many studies have demonstrated that cell fusion is a common phenomenon and plays a critical role in cancer development and progression. At present, cancer stem cell fusion has been considered as a new mechanism of cancer metastasis. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) is a kind of adult stem cells with high self-renewal ability and multidifferentiation potential, which is used as a very promising fusogenic candidate in the tumor microenvironment and has a crucial role in cancer progression. Many research results have shown that MSCs are involved in the regulation of tumor growth and metastasis through cell fusion. However, the role of cell fusion between MSCs and malignant cells in tumor growth and metastasis is still controversial. Several studies have demonstrated that MSCs can enhance malignant characteristics, promoting tumor growth and metastasis by fusing with malignant cells, while other conflicting reports believe that MSCs can reduce tumorigenicity upon fusion with malignant cells. In this review, we summarize the recent research on cell fusion events between MSCs and malignant cells in tumor growth and metastasis. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms between MSC fusion and tumor metastasis may provide an effective strategy for tumor biotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Na Zhang
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Di-Di Zhang
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Gu
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Qiu-Ping Zuo
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Hao-Yi Wang
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Xu
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Dian-Xin Liu
- Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Antivirus Drug, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
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15
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Aneuploid Circulating Tumor-Derived Endothelial Cell (CTEC): A Novel Versatile Player in Tumor Neovascularization and Cancer Metastasis. Cells 2020; 9:cells9061539. [PMID: 32599893 PMCID: PMC7349247 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematogenous and lymphogenous cancer metastases are significantly impacted by tumor neovascularization, which predominantly consists of blood vessel-relevant angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry, and lymphatic vessel-related lymphangiogenesis. Among the endothelial cells that make up the lining of tumor vasculature, a majority of them are tumor-derived endothelial cells (TECs), exhibiting cytogenetic abnormalities of aneuploid chromosomes. Aneuploid TECs are generated from “cancerization of stromal endothelial cells” and “endothelialization of carcinoma cells” in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Both processes crucially engage the hypoxia-triggered epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT). Compared to the cancerization process, endothelialization of cancer cells, which comprises the fusion of tumor cells with endothelial cells and transdifferentiation of cancer cells into TECs, is the dominant pathway. Tumor-derived endothelial cells, possessing the dual properties of cancerous malignancy and endothelial vascularization ability, are thus the endothelialized cancer cells. Circulating tumor-derived endothelial cells (CTECs) are TECs shed into the peripheral circulation. Aneuploid CD31+ CTECs, together with their counterpart CD31- circulating tumor cells (CTCs), constitute a unique pair of cellular circulating tumor biomarkers. This review discusses a proposed cascaded framework that focuses on the origins of TECs and CTECs in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment and their clinical implications for tumorigenesis, neovascularization, disease progression, and cancer metastasis. Aneuploid CTECs, harboring hybridized properties of malignancy, vascularization and motility, may serve as a unique target for developing a novel metastasis blockade cancer therapy.
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16
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Shabo I, Svanvik J, Lindström A, Lechertier T, Trabulo S, Hulit J, Sparey T, Pawelek J. Roles of cell fusion, hybridization and polyploid cell formation in cancer metastasis. World J Clin Oncol 2020; 11:121-135. [PMID: 32257843 PMCID: PMC7103524 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v11.i3.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell fusion is a normal biological process playing essential roles in organ formation and tissue differentiation, repair and regeneration. Through cell fusion somatic cells undergo rapid nuclear reprogramming and epigenetic modifications to form hybrid cells with new genetic and phenotypic properties at a rate exceeding that achievable by random mutations. Factors that stimulate cell fusion are inflammation and hypoxia. Fusion of cancer cells with non-neoplastic cells facilitates several malignancy-related cell phenotypes, e.g., reprogramming of somatic cell into induced pluripotent stem cells and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. There is now considerable in vitro, in vivo and clinical evidence that fusion of cancer cells with motile leucocytes such as macrophages plays a major role in cancer metastasis. Of the many changes in cancer cells after hybridizing with leucocytes, it is notable that hybrids acquire resistance to chemo- and radiation therapy. One phenomenon that has been largely overlooked yet plays a role in these processes is polyploidization. Regardless of the mechanism of polyploid cell formation, it happens in response to genotoxic stresses and enhances a cancer cell’s ability to survive. Here we summarize the recent progress in research of cell fusion and with a focus on an important role for polyploid cells in cancer metastasis. In addition, we discuss the clinical evidence and the importance of cell fusion and polyploidization in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Shabo
- Endocrine and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE 171 77, Sweden
- Patient Area of Breast Cancer, Sarcoma and Endocrine Tumours, Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm SE 171 76, Sweden
| | - Joar Svanvik
- The Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg SE 413 45, Sweden
- Division of Surgery, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping SE 581 83, Sweden
| | - Annelie Lindström
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping SE 581 85, Sweden
| | - Tanguy Lechertier
- Novintum Bioscience Ltd, London Bioscience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Trabulo
- Novintum Bioscience Ltd, London Bioscience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, United Kingdom
| | - James Hulit
- Novintum Bioscience Ltd, London Bioscience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Sparey
- Novintum Bioscience Ltd, London Bioscience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, United Kingdom
| | - John Pawelek
- Department of Dermatology and the Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
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17
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Manjunath Y, Porciani D, Mitchem JB, Suvilesh KN, Avella DM, Kimchi ET, Staveley-O’Carroll KF, Burke DH, Li G, Kaifi JT. Tumor-Cell-Macrophage Fusion Cells as Liquid Biomarkers and Tumor Enhancers in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1872. [PMID: 32182935 PMCID: PMC7084898 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although molecular mechanisms driving tumor progression have been extensively studied, the biological nature of the various populations of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) within the blood is still not well understood. Tumor cell fusion with immune cells is a longstanding hypothesis that has caught more attention in recent times. Specifically, fusion of tumor cells with macrophages might lead to the development of metastasis by acquiring features such as genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity, chemotherapeutic resistance, and immune tolerance. In addition to the traditional FDA-approved definition of a CTC (CD45-, EpCAM+, cytokeratins 8+, 18+ or 19+, with a DAPI+ nucleus), an additional circulating cell population has been identified as being potential fusions cells, characterized by distinct, large, polymorphonuclear cancer-associated cells with a dual epithelial and macrophage/myeloid phenotype. Artificial fusion of tumor cells with macrophages leads to migratory, invasive, and metastatic phenotypes. Further studies might investigate whether these have a potential impact on the immune response towards the cancer. In this review, the background, evidence, and potential relevance of tumor cell fusions with macrophages is discussed, along with the potential role of intercellular connections in their formation. Such fusion cells could be a key component in cancer metastasis, and therefore, evolve as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in cancer precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yariswamy Manjunath
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - David Porciani
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (D.P.); (D.H.B.)
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Jonathan B. Mitchem
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Kanve N. Suvilesh
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
| | - Diego M. Avella
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Eric T. Kimchi
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Kevin F. Staveley-O’Carroll
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Donald H. Burke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (D.P.); (D.H.B.)
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Guangfu Li
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (D.P.); (D.H.B.)
| | - Jussuf T. Kaifi
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; (Y.M.); (J.B.M.); (K.N.S.); (D.M.A.); (E.T.K.); (K.F.S.-O.); (G.L.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
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18
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Chen S, Liu M, Huang H, Li B, Zhao H, Feng XQ, Zhao HP. Heat Stress-Induced Multiple Multipolar Divisions of Human Cancer Cells. Cells 2019; 8:E888. [PMID: 31412680 PMCID: PMC6721694 DOI: 10.3390/cells8080888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multipolar divisions of heated cells has long been thought to stem from centrosome aberrations of cells directly caused by heat stress. In this paper, through long-term live-cell imaging, we provide direct cellular evidences to demonstrate that heat stress can promote multiple multipolar divisions of MGC-803 and MCF-7 cells. Our results show that, besides facilitating centrosome aberration, polyploidy induced by heat stress is another mechanism that causes multipolar cell divisions, in which polyploid cancer cells engendered by mitotic slippage, cytokinesis failure, and cell fusion. Furthermore, we also find that the fates of theses polyploid cells depend on their origins, in the sense that the polyploid cells generated by mitotic slippage experience bipolar divisions with a higher rate than multipolar divisions, while those polyploid cells induced by both cytokinesis failure and cell fusion have a higher frequency of multipolar divisions compared with bipolar divisions. This work indicates that heat stress-induced multiple multipolar divisions of cancer cells usually produce aneuploid daughter cells, and might lead to genetically unstable cancer cells and facilitate tumor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyong Chen
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mingyue Liu
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Huiming Huang
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hucheng Zhao
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xi-Qiao Feng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Hong-Ping Zhao
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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19
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Tumor Microenvironment and Cell Fusion. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:5013592. [PMID: 31380426 PMCID: PMC6657644 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5013592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion is a highly regulated biological process that occurs under both physiological and pathological conditions. The cellular and extracellular environment is critical for the induction of the cell-cell fusion. Aberrant cell fusion is initiated during tumor progression. Tumor microenvironment is a complex dynamic system formed by the interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding cells. Cell-cell fusion mediates direct interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding cells and is associated with tumor initiation and progression. Various microenvironmental factors affect cell fusion in tumor microenvironment and generate hybrids that acquire genomes of both parental cells and exhibit novel characteristics, such as tumor stem cell-like properties, radioresistance, drug resistance, immune evasion, and enhanced migration and invasion abilities, which are closely related to the initiation, invasion, and metastasis of tumor. The phenotypic characteristics of hybrids are based on the phenotypes of parental cells, and the fusion of tumor cells with diverse types of microenvironmental fusogenic cells is concomitant with phenotypic heterogeneity. This review highlights the types of fusogenic cells in tumor microenvironment that can fuse with tumor cells and their specific significance and summarizes the various microenvironmental factors affecting tumor cell fusion. This review may be used as a reference to develop strategies for future research on tumor cell fusion and the exploration of cell fusion-based antitumor therapies.
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20
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Cancer cell fusion: a potential target to tackle drug-resistant and metastatic cancer cells. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:1836-1844. [PMID: 31163272 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion is an integral, established phenomenon underlying various physiological processes in the cell cycle. Although research in cancer metastasis has hypothesised numerous molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways responsible for invasion and metastasis, the origin and progression of metastatic cells within primary tumours remains unclear. Recently, the role of cancer cell fusion in cancer metastasis and development of multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumours has gained prominence. However, evidence remains lacking to justify the role of cell fusion in cancer metastasis and drug resistance. Here, we highlight plausible mechanisms governing cell fusion with different cell types in the tumour microenvironment (TME), the clinical relevance of cancer cell fusion, its potential as a target for overcoming MDR and inhibiting metastasis, and putative modes of treatment.
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21
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Yuan Y, Zhou C, Chen X, Tao C, Cheng H, Lu X. Suppression of tumor cell proliferation and migration by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells: A possible role for apoptosis and Wnt signaling. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:8536-8544. [PMID: 29805590 PMCID: PMC5950566 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) represent potential therapeutic tools for solid tumors. However, there are numerous inconsistent results regarding the effects of hUCMSCs on tumors, and the mechanisms underlying this remain poorly understood. The present study further examined this controversial issue by analyzing the molecular mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of hUCMSCs on the proliferation and migration of the human lung cancer A549 cell line and the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) BEL7402 cell line in vitro. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that hUCMSCs arrested tumor cells in specific phases of the cell cycle and induced the apoptosis of tumor cells by using the hUCMSC-conditioned medium (hUCMSC-CM). The hUCMSC-CM also attenuated the migratory abilities of the two tumor cell types. Furthermore, the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), the pro-form of caspase-7 (pro-caspase-7), β-catenin and c-Myc was downregulated, while that of ephrin receptor (EphA5), a biomarker of cancer cell dormancy, was slightly increased in these two tumor cell lines treated with hUCMSC-CM. Specifically, when co-cultured via direct cell-to-cell contact, hUCMSCs were able to spontaneously fuse with any of the two types of solid tumor cells. These observations suggested that hUCMSCs may be a promising candidate for the biological therapy of lung cancer and HCC. Future studies should focus on detailed evidence for cell fusion, as well as other mechanisms proposed in the present study, by introducing additional experimental approaches and models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Yuan
- School of Life Science and Biopharmacology, School of Anatomy and Histology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Candidate Drug Research, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, P.R. China
| | - Chang Zhou
- School of Life Science and Biopharmacology, School of Anatomy and Histology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Candidate Drug Research, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, P.R. China
| | - Xuan Chen
- School of Life Science and Biopharmacology, School of Anatomy and Histology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Candidate Drug Research, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, P.R. China
| | - Changli Tao
- School of Life Science and Biopharmacology, School of Anatomy and Histology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Candidate Drug Research, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, P.R. China
| | - Huiqing Cheng
- School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, P.R. China
| | - Xin Lu
- School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, P.R. China
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22
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Lizier M, Anselmo A, Mantero S, Ficara F, Paulis M, Vezzoni P, Lucchini F, Pacchiana G. Fusion between cancer cells and macrophages occurs in a murine model of spontaneous neu+ breast cancer without increasing its metastatic potential. Oncotarget 2018; 7:60793-60806. [PMID: 27563823 PMCID: PMC5308617 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion between neoplastic and normal cells has been suggested to play a role in the acquisition of a malignant phenotype. Several studies have pointed to the macrophage as the normal partner in this fusion, suggesting that the fused cells could acquire new invasive properties and become able to disseminate to distant organs. However, this conclusion is mainly based on studies with transplantable cell lines. We tested the occurrence of cell fusion in the MMTV-neu model of mouse mammary carcinoma. In the first approach, we generated aggregation chimeras between GFP/neu and RFP/neu embryos. Tumor cells would display both fluorescent proteins only if cell fusion with normal cells occurred. In addition, if cell fusion conferred a growth/dissemination advantage, cells with both markers should be detectable in lung metastases at increased frequency. We confirmed that fused cells are present at low but consistent levels in primary neoplasms and that the macrophage is the normal partner in the fusion events. Similar results were obtained using a second approach in which bone marrow from mice carrying the Cre transgene was transplanted into MMTV-neu/LoxP-tdTomato transgenic animals, in which the Tomato gene is activated only in the presence of CRE recombinase. However, no fused cells were detected in lung metastases in either model. We conclude that fusion between macrophages and tumor cells does not confer a selective advantage in our spontaneous model of breast cancer, although these data do not rule out a possible role in models in which an inflammation environment is prominent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Lizier
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Milan,Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.,Centro Ricerche Biotecnologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Cremona, Milan, Italy
| | - Achille Anselmo
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Mantero
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Milan,Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Ficara
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Milan,Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marianna Paulis
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Milan,Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Vezzoni
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Milan,Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Franco Lucchini
- Centro Ricerche Biotecnologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Cremona, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pacchiana
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Milan,Italy.,Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
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Do M, Kwak IH, Ahn JH, Lee IJ, Lee JH. Survivin protects fused cancer cells from cell death. BMB Rep 2017; 50:361-366. [PMID: 28193315 PMCID: PMC5584743 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2017.50.7.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetraploidy, a potential precursor of cancer-associated aneuploidy, is produced either by cell fusion or failure of cytokinesis. In this study, low p53-expressing HeLa cells were used to address the fate of cancer cells after fusion. We found that massive cell death or growth arrest occurred a few days after fusion. Interestingly, cells with larger nuclei preferentially died after fusion, suggesting that a larger deviation of DNA content is a strong inducer of apoptosis. Notably, a fraction of cells escaped cell death. Also, the stability of survivin increased, and its localization changed preferentially to the cytosol in fused cells. Knockdown of survivin decreased the survival of fused cells, more than observed in unfused cells, showing increased dependency of fused cells on survivin. Collectively, after cancer cell fusion, some fused cells avoid the apoptotic crisis partly owing to survivin, and continue to proliferate, a process that contributes to human cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihyang Do
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Genomic instability Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine; Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - In-Hae Kwak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Ju-Hyun Ahn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Genomic instability Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine; Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - In Jeong Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Genomic instability Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine; Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
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24
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Guzmán-Lastra F, Kaiser A, Löwen H. Fission and fusion scenarios for magnetic microswimmer clusters. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13519. [PMID: 27874006 PMCID: PMC5121419 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fission and fusion processes of particle clusters occur in many areas of physics and chemistry from subnuclear to astronomic length scales. Here we study fission and fusion of magnetic microswimmer clusters as governed by their hydrodynamic and dipolar interactions. Rich scenarios are found that depend crucially on whether the swimmer is a pusher or a puller. In particular a linear magnetic chain of pullers is stable while a pusher chain shows a cascade of fission (or disassembly) processes as the self-propulsion velocity is increased. Contrarily, magnetic ring clusters show fission for any type of swimmer. Moreover, we find a plethora of possible fusion (or assembly) scenarios if a single swimmer collides with a ringlike cluster and two rings spontaneously collide. Our predictions are obtained by computer simulations and verifiable in experiments on active colloidal Janus particles and magnetotactic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Guzmán-Lastra
- Institut für Theoretische Physik II: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andreas Kaiser
- Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - Hartmut Löwen
- Institut für Theoretische Physik II: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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25
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Mesenchymal stem cells generate distinct functional hybrids in vitro via cell fusion or entosis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36863. [PMID: 27827439 PMCID: PMC5101832 DOI: 10.1038/srep36863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Homotypic and heterotypic cell-to-cell fusion are key processes during development and tissue regeneration. Nevertheless, aberrant cell fusion can contribute to tumour initiation and metastasis. Additionally, a form of cell-in-cell structure called entosis has been observed in several human tumours. Here we investigate cell-to-cell interaction between mouse mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and embryonic stem cells (ESCs). MSCs represent an important source of adult stem cells since they have great potential for regenerative medicine, even though they are also involved in cancer progression. We report that MSCs can either fuse forming heterokaryons, or be invaded by ESCs through entosis. While entosis-derived hybrids never share their genomes and induce degradation of the target cell, fusion-derived hybrids can convert into synkaryons. Importantly we show that hetero-to-synkaryon transition occurs through cell division and not by nuclear membrane fusion. Additionally, we also observe that the ROCK-actin/myosin pathway is required for both fusion and entosis in ESCs but only for entosis in MSCs. Overall, we show that MSCs can undergo fusion or entosis in culture by generating distinct functional cellular entities. These two processes are profoundly different and their outcomes should be considered given the beneficial or possible detrimental effects of MSC-based therapeutic applications.
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26
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Noubissi FK, Ogle BM. Cancer Cell Fusion: Mechanisms Slowly Unravel. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17091587. [PMID: 27657058 PMCID: PMC5037852 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17091587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Although molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways driving invasion and metastasis have been studied for many years, the origin of the population of metastatic cells within the primary tumor is still not well understood. About a century ago, Aichel proposed that cancer cell fusion was a mechanism of cancer metastasis. This hypothesis gained some support over the years, and recently became the focus of many studies that revealed increasing evidence pointing to the possibility that cancer cell fusion probably gives rise to the metastatic phenotype by generating widespread genetic and epigenetic diversity, leading to the emergence of critical populations needed to evolve resistance to the treatment and development of metastasis. In this review, we will discuss the clinical relevance of cancer cell fusion, describe emerging mechanisms of cancer cell fusion, address why inhibiting cancer cell fusion could represent a critical line of attack to limit drug resistance and to prevent metastasis, and suggest one new modality for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brenda M Ogle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- Institute for Engineering and Medicine, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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27
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Soygur B, Sati L. The role of syncytins in human reproduction and reproductive organ cancers. Reproduction 2016; 152:R167-78. [PMID: 27486264 DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human life begins with sperm and oocyte fusion. After fertilization, various fusion events occur during human embryogenesis and morphogenesis. For example, the fusion of trophoblastic cells constitutes a key process for normal placental development. Fusion in the placenta is facilitated by syncytin 1 and syncytin 2. These syncytins arose from retroviral sequences that entered the primate genome 25 million and more than 40 million years ago respectively. About 8% of the human genome consists of similar human endogenous retroviral (HERVs) sequences. Many are inactive because of mutations or deletions. However, the role of the few that remain transcriptionally active has not been fully elucidated. Syncytin proteins maintain cell-cell fusogenic activity based on ENV: gene-mediated viral cell entry. In this review, we summarize how syncytins and their receptors are involved in fusion events during human reproduction. The significance of syncytins in tumorigenesis is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bikem Soygur
- Department of Histology and EmbryologyAkdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Leyla Sati
- Department of Histology and EmbryologyAkdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
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28
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Xie Y, Zhong Y, Gao T, Zhang X, Li LI, Ruan H, Li D. Human lymphatic endothelial cells contribute to epithelial ovarian carcinoma metastasis by promoting lymphangiogenesis and tumour cell invasion. Exp Ther Med 2016; 11:1587-1594. [PMID: 27168777 PMCID: PMC4840642 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.3134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The microenvironment of a tumour is an important factor in ovarian cancer metastasis. The present study aimed to simulate the in vivo microenvironment of an ovarian carcinoma using a co-culture system consisting of human lymphatic endothelial cells (HLECs) and human ovarian carcinoma cells with directional high lymphatic metastasis (SKOV3-PM4s) in order to investigate the role of both cell types in ovarian carcinoma metastasis. The SKOV3-PM4s cultured in the HLEC-conditioned medium exhibited increased numbers of pseudopodia and mitotic figures, proliferated at a faster rate and exhibited enhanced invasion and migratory abilities. Furthermore, the HLECs cultured in SKOV3-PM4-conditioned medium exhibited significant morphological alterations and vacuolisation of the cytoplasm, as well as increased invasion, migratory and tube forming abilities. In addition, spontaneous fusion of the SKOV3-PM4s and HLECs was observed in the co-culture system using laser confocal microscopy. The gelatin zymography assay demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinase-2, which was downregulated in the SKOV3-PM4s, was upregulated in the co-culture system. The results of the present study suggested that the invasion ability of the SKOV3-PM4s was increased in the in vitro co-culture system of SKOV3-PM4 and HLECs. Therefore, alterations in the cell microenvironment may represent a novel strategy for ovarian cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihong Xie
- Research Department, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Yanping Zhong
- Medical Scientific Research Centre, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Ting Gao
- Research Department, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Xinying Zhang
- Research Department, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - L I Li
- Research Department, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Heyun Ruan
- Research Department, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Danrong Li
- Research Department, Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
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29
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Wei HJ, Nickoloff JA, Chen WH, Liu HY, Lo WC, Chang YT, Yang PC, Wu CW, Williams DF, Gelovani JG, Deng WP. FOXF1 mediates mesenchymal stem cell fusion-induced reprogramming of lung cancer cells. Oncotarget 2015; 5:9514-29. [PMID: 25237908 PMCID: PMC4253450 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Several reports suggest that malignant cells generate phenotypic diversity through fusion with various types of stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) is one of the critical components in the tumor microenvironment and a promising fusogenic candidate, but the underlying functions of MSC fusion with malignant cell have not been fully examined. Here, we demonstrate that MSCs fuse spontaneously with lung cancer cells, and the latter is reprogrammed to slow growth and stem-like state. Transcriptome profiles reveal that lung cancer cells are reprogrammed to a more benign state upon MSC fusion. We further identified FOXF1 as a reprogramming mediator that contributes not only to the reprogramming toward stemness but also to the p21-regulated growth suppression in fusion progeny. Collectively, MSC fusion does not enhance the intrinsic malignancy of lung cancer cells. The anti-malignant effects of MSC fusion-induced reprogramming on lung cancer cells were accomplished by complementation of tumorigenic defects, including restoration of p21 function and normal terminal differentiation pathways as well as up-regulation of FOXF1, a putative tumor suppressor. Such fusion process raises the therapeutic potential that MSC fusion can be utilized to reverse cellular phenotypes in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Jian Wei
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan. Stem Cell Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Jac A Nickoloff
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Wei-Hong Chen
- Stem Cell Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Hen-Yu Liu
- Stem Cell Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Cheng Lo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan. School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Chang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Pan-Chyr Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Wen Wu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - David F Williams
- Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Juri G Gelovani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Win-Ping Deng
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan. Stem Cell Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
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30
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Noubissi FK, Harkness T, Alexander CM, Ogle BM. Apoptosis-induced cancer cell fusion: a mechanism of breast cancer metastasis. FASEB J 2015; 29:4036-45. [PMID: 26085132 DOI: 10.1096/fj.15-271098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although cancer cell fusion has been suggested as a mechanism of cancer metastasis, the underlying mechanisms defining this process are poorly understood. In a recent study, apoptotic cells were newly identified as a type of cue that induces signaling via phosphatidylserine receptors to promote fusion of myoblasts. The microenvironment of breast tumors is often hypoxic, and because apoptosis is greatly increased in hypoxic conditions, we decided to investigate whether the mechanism of breast cancer cell fusion with mesenchymal stem/multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) involves apoptosis. We used a powerful tool for identification and tracking of hybrids based on bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and found that breast cancer cells fused spontaneously with MSCs. This fusion was significantly enhanced with hypoxia and signaling associated with apoptotic cells, especially between nonmetastatic breast cancer cells and MSCs. In addition, the hybrids showed a significantly higher migratory capacity than did the parent cells. Taken together, these findings describe a mechanism by which hypoxia-induced apoptosis stimulates fusion between MSCs and breast tumor cells resulting in hybrids with an enhanced migratory capacity that may enable their dissemination to distant sites or metastases. In the long run, this study may provide new strategies for developing novel drugs for preventing cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicite K Noubissi
- *Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Institute, Lillehei Heart Institute, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; and Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ty Harkness
- *Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Institute, Lillehei Heart Institute, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; and Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Caroline M Alexander
- *Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Institute, Lillehei Heart Institute, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; and Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Brenda M Ogle
- *Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Institute, Lillehei Heart Institute, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; and Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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31
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Schlesinger M, Bendas G. Contribution of very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) integrin to cancer progression and metastasis. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2015; 34:575-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s10555-014-9545-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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32
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Song K, Song Y, Zhao XP, Shen H, Wang M, Yan TL, Liu K, Shang ZJ. Oral cancer/endothelial cell fusion experiences nuclear fusion and acquisition of enhanced survival potential. Exp Cell Res 2014; 328:156-163. [PMID: 25016285 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2014] [Revised: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Most previous studies have linked cancer-macrophage fusion with tumor progression and metastasis. However, the characteristics of hybrid cells derived from oral cancer and endothelial cells and their involvement in cancer remained unknown. Double-immunofluorescent staining and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed to confirm spontaneous cell fusion between eGFP-labeled human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and RFP-labeled SCC9, and to detect the expression of vementin and cytokeratin 18 in the hybrids. The property of chemo-resistance of such hybrids was examined by TUNEL assay. The hybrid cells in xenografted tumor were identified by FISH and GFP/RFP dual-immunofluoresence staining. We showed that SCC9 cells spontaneously fused with cocultured endothelial cells, and the resultant hybrid cells maintained the division and proliferation activity after re-plating and thawing. Such hybrids expressed markers of both parental cells and became more resistant to chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin as compared to the parental SCC9 cells. Our in vivo data indicated that the hybrid cells contributed to tumor composition by using of immunostaining and FISH analysis, even though the hybrid cells and SCC9 cells were mixed with 1:10,000, according to the FACS data. Our study suggested that the fusion events between oral cancer and endothelial cells undergo nuclear fusion and acquire a new property of drug resistance and consequently enhanced survival potential. These experimental findings provide further supportive evidence for the theory that cell fusion is involved in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Song
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong Province, China; The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Song
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Department of Stomatology, Liu Zhou People׳s Hospital, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Shen
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Wang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting-Lin Yan
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 237 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China; The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zheng-Jun Shang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 237 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China; The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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33
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In vitro assay using engineered yeast vacuoles for neuronal SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:7677-82. [PMID: 24821814 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1400036111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular membrane fusion requires not only SNARE proteins but also other regulatory proteins such as the Rab and Sec1/Munc18 (SM) family proteins. Although neuronal SNARE proteins alone can drive the fusion between synthetic liposomes, it remains unclear whether they are also sufficient to induce the fusion of biological membranes. Here, through the use of engineered yeast vacuoles bearing neuronal SNARE proteins, we show that neuronal SNAREs can induce membrane fusion between yeast vacuoles and that this fusion does not require the function of the Rab protein Ypt7p or the SM family protein Vps33p, both of which are essential for normal yeast vacuole fusion. Although excess vacuolar SNARE proteins were also shown to mediate Rab-bypass fusion, this fusion required homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting complex, which bears Vps33p and was accompanied by extensive membrane lysis. We also show that this neuronal SNARE-driven vacuole fusion can be stimulated by the neuronal SM protein Munc18 and blocked by botulinum neurotoxin serotype E, a well-known inhibitor of synaptic vesicle fusion. Taken together, our results suggest that neuronal SNARE proteins are sufficient to induce biological membrane fusion, and that this new assay can be used as a simple and complementary method for investigating synaptic vesicle fusion mechanisms.
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34
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Tumor and endothelial cell hybrids participate in glioblastoma vasculature. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:827327. [PMID: 24868550 PMCID: PMC4017715 DOI: 10.1155/2014/827327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background. Recently antiangiogenic therapy with bevacizumab has shown a high but transient efficacy in glioblastoma (GBM). Indeed, GBM is one of the most angiogenic human tumors and endothelial proliferation is a hallmark of the disease. We therefore hypothesized that tumor cells may participate in endothelial proliferation of GBM. Materials and Methods. We used EGFR FISH Probe to detect EGFR amplification and anti-CD31, CD105, VE-cadherin, and vWF to identify endothelial cells. Endothelial and GBM cells were grown separately, labeled with GFP and DsRed lentiviruses, and then cocultured with or without contact. Results. In a subset of GBM tissues, we found that several tumor endothelial cells carry EGFR amplification, characteristic of GBM tumor cells. This observation was reproduced in vitro: when tumor stem cells derived from GBM were grown in the presence of human endothelial cells, a fraction of them acquired endothelial markers (CD31, CD105, VE-cadherin, and vWF). By transduction with GFP and DsRed expressing lentiviral vectors, we demonstrate that this phenomenon is due to cell fusion and not transdifferentiation. Conclusion. A fraction of GBM stem cells thus has the capacity to fuse with endothelial cells and the resulting hybrids may participate in tumor microvascular proliferation and in treatment resistance.
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Bjerregaard B, Lemmen JG, Petersen MR, Østrup E, Iversen LH, Almstrup K, Larsson LI, Ziebe S. Syncytin-1 and its receptor is present in human gametes. J Assist Reprod Genet 2014; 31:533-9. [PMID: 24687878 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-014-0224-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
MAIN PURPOSE AND RESEARCH QUESTION To determine whether the true fusogen Syncytin-1 and its receptor (ASCT-2) is present in human gametes using qRT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. METHODS Donated oocytes and spermatozoa, originating from a fertility center in tertiary referral university hospital, underwent qRT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyzes. RESULTS Quantitative RT-PCR of sperm samples from sperm donors showed that syncytin-1 is present in all samples, however, protein levels varied between donors. Syncytin-1 immunoreactivity predominates in the sperm head and around the equatorial segment. The receptor ASCT-2 is expressed in the acrosomal region and in the sperm tail. Moreover, ASCT-2, but not syncytin-1, is expressed in oocytes and the mRNA level increases with increasing maturity of the oocytes. CONCLUSIONS Syncytin and its receptor are present in human gametes and localization and temporal appearance is consistent with a possible role in fusion between oocyte and sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Bjerregaard
- Faculty of Life Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Oikawa T, Nakamura A, Onishi N, Yamada T, Matsuo K, Saya H. Acquired expression of NFATc1 downregulates E-cadherin and promotes cancer cell invasion. Cancer Res 2013; 73:5100-9. [PMID: 23811942 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-0274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
NFATc1 is a transcription factor that regulates T-cell development, osteoclastogenesis, and macrophage function. Given that T cells, osteoclasts, and macrophages in the tumor microenvironment are thought to modulate tumor progression, tumor cells may acquire NFATc1 expression through fusion with these NFATc1-expressing normal cells. We here revealed that a small proportion of tumor cells in human carcinoma specimens expressed NFATc1. To investigate the consequences of NFATc1 acquisition by tumor cells, we established A549 and MCF7 cell lines expressing a constitutively active form of NFATc1 (NFATc1CA) in an inducible manner. The expression of NFATc1CA promoted cancer cell invasion in association with changes in cell morphology. Analysis of gene expression and RNA interference experiments revealed that NFATc1CA suppressed E-cadherin expression by upregulating the transcriptional repressors Snail and Zeb1 in a manner independent of TGF-β signaling. Induced expression of NFATc1CA also downregulated E-cadherin expression and increased invasive activity in tumor xenografts in vivo. Our results thus suggest that the acquisition of NFATc1 expression contributes to tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsukasa Oikawa
- Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Biology, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
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Spontaneous cell fusion of acute leukemia cells and macrophages observed in cells with leukemic potential. Neoplasia 2013; 14:1057-66. [PMID: 23226099 DOI: 10.1593/neo.12736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2012] [Revised: 09/15/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion plays a well-recognized physiological role during development, while its function during progression is still unclear. Here, we show that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells spontaneously fused with murine host cells in vivo. AML cells fused in most cases with mouse macrophages. Other targets of AML cell fusion were dendritic and endothelial cells. Cytogenetic and molecular analysis revealed that successive recipients conserved detectable amounts of parental DNA. Moreover, in a mouse AML1-ETO model where female AML1-ETO-leukemic cells, expressing CD45.2, were injected in congenic CD45.1 male mice AML cells, we found hybrid cells expressing both allelic types of CD45 and XXY set of sexual chromosomes. More importantly, the fusion protein AML1-ETO was transferred in the hybrid cells. When sorted hybrid cells were reinjected in a secondary recipient, they gave rise to leukemia with 100% penetrance and similar time of onset of leukemic cells. Our data indicate that in vivo fusion of cancer cells with host cells may be a mechanism of gene transfer for cancer dissemination and suggest that fused cells may be used to identify still unrecognized leukemogenic genes that are conserved in hybrid cells and able to perpetuate leukemia in vivo.
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Wang R, Sun X, Wang CY, Hu P, Chu CY, Liu S, Zhau HE, Chung LWK. Spontaneous cancer-stromal cell fusion as a mechanism of prostate cancer androgen-independent progression. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42653. [PMID: 22880071 PMCID: PMC3411834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that human prostate cancer cells are capable of acquiring malignant attributes through interaction with stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment, while the interacting stromal cells can also become affected with both phenotypic and genotypic alterations. This study used a co-culture model to investigate the mechanism underlying the co-evolution of cancer and stromal cells. Red fluorescent androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells were cultured with a matched pair of normal and cancer-associated prostate myofibroblast cells to simulate cancer-stromal interaction, and cellular changes in the co-culture were documented by tracking the red fluorescence. We found frequent spontaneous fusions between cancer and stromal cells throughout the co-culture. In colony formation assays assessing the fate of the hybrid cells, most of the cancer-stromal fusion hybrids remained growth-arrested and eventually perished. However, some of the hybrids survived to form colonies from the co-culture with cancer-associated stromal cells. These derivative clones showed genomic alterations together with androgen-independent phenotype. The results from this study reveal that prostate cancer cells are fusogenic, and cancer-stromal interaction can lead to spontaneous fusion between the two cell types. While a cancer-stromal fusion strategy may allow the stromal compartment to annihilate invading cancer cells, certain cancer-stromal hybrids with increased survival capability may escape annihilation to form a derivative cancer cell population with an altered genotype and increased malignancy. Cancer-stromal fusion thus lays a foundation for an incessant co-evolution between cancer and the cancer-associated stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoxiang Wang
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
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Song K, Zhu F, Zhang HZ, Shang ZJ. Tumor necrosis factor-α enhanced fusions between oral squamous cell carcinoma cells and endothelial cells via VCAM-1/VLA-4 pathway. Exp Cell Res 2012; 318:1707-15. [PMID: 22664325 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2012.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2012] [Revised: 05/01/2012] [Accepted: 05/24/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Fusion between cancer cells and host cells, including endothelial cells, may strongly modulate the biological behavior of tumors. However, no one is sure about the driving factors and underlying mechanism involved in such fusion. We hypothesized in this study that inflammation, one of the main characteristics in tumor microenvironment, serves as a prominent catalyst for fusion events. Our results showed that oral cancer cells can fuse spontaneously with endothelial cells in co-culture and inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) increased fusion of human umbilical vein endothelium cells and oral cancer cells by up to 3-fold in vitro. Additionally, human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and 35 out of 50 (70%) oral squamous carcinoma specimens express VLA-4, an integrin, previously implicated in fusions between human peripheral blood CD34-positive cells and murine cardiomyocytes. Expression of VCAM-1, a ligand for VLA-4, was evident on vascular endothelium of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis revealed that expression of VCAM-1 increased obviously in TNF-α-stimulated endothelial cells. Anti-VLA-4 or anti-VCAM-1 treatment can decrease significantly cancer-endothelial adhesion and block such fusion. Collectively, our results suggested that TNF-α could enhance cancer-endothelial cell adhesion and fusion through VCAM-1/VLA-4 pathway. This study provides insights into regulatory mechanism of cancer-endothelial cell fusion, and has important implications for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for prevention of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Song
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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40
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Aagaard L, Bjerregaard B, Kjeldbjerg AL, Pedersen FS, Larsson LI, Rossi JJ. Silencing of endogenous envelope genes in human choriocarcinoma cells shows that envPb1 is involved in heterotypic cell fusions. J Gen Virol 2012; 93:1696-1699. [PMID: 22573740 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.041764-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Syncytin-1 and envPb1 are two conserved envelope genes in the human genome encoded by single loci from the HERV-W and -Pb families, respectively. To characterize the role of these envelope proteins in cell-cell fusion, we have developed lentiviral vectors that express short hairpin RNAs for stable knockdown of syncytin-1 and envPb1. Analysis of heterotypic fusion activity between trophoblast-derived choriocarcinoma BeWo cells, in which syncytin-1 and envPb1 are specifically silenced, and endothelial cells demonstrated that both syncytin-1 and envPb1 are important to fusion. The ability to fuse cells makes syncytin-1 and envPb1 attractive candidate molecules in therapy against cancer. Our available vectors may help eventually to decipher roles for these genes in human health and/or disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Aagaard
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark.,Division of Molecular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Bolette Bjerregaard
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institute of Animal and Veterinary Basic Sciences, Copenhagen University, Frederiksberg DK-1870, Denmark.,Division of Molecular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Anders L Kjeldbjerg
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
| | - Finn Skou Pedersen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
| | - Lars-Inge Larsson
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institute of Animal and Veterinary Basic Sciences, Copenhagen University, Frederiksberg DK-1870, Denmark
| | - John J Rossi
- Division of Molecular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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Iriuchishima H, Takubo K, Miyakawa Y, Nakamura-Ishizu A, Miyauchi Y, Fujita N, Miyamoto K, Miyamoto T, Ikeda E, Kizaki M, Nojima Y, Suda T. Neovascular niche for human myeloma cells in immunodeficient mouse bone. PLoS One 2012; 7:e30557. [PMID: 22347385 PMCID: PMC3274528 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction with bone marrow (BM) plays a crucial role in pathophysiological features of multiple myeloma (MM), including cell proliferation, chemoresistance, and bone lesion progression. To characterize the MM-BM interactions, we utilized an in vivo experimental model for human MM in which a GFP-expressing human MM cell line is transplanted into NOG mice (the NOG-hMM model). Transplanted MM cells preferentially engrafted at the metaphyseal region of the BM endosteum and formed a complex with osteoblasts and osteoclasts. A subpopulation of MM cells expressed VE-cadherin after transplantation and formed endothelial-like structures in the BM. CD138+ myeloma cells in the BM were reduced by p53-dependent apoptosis following administration of the nitrogen mustard derivative bendamustine to mice in the NOG-hMM model. Bendamustine maintained the osteoblast lining on the bone surface and protected extracellular matrix structures. Furthermore, bendamustine suppressed the growth of osteoclasts and mesenchymal cells in the NOG-hMM model. Since VE-cadherin+ MM cells were chemoresistant, hypoxic, and HIF-2α-positive compared to the VE-cadherin− population, VE-cadherin induction might depend on the oxygenation status. The NOG-hMM model described here is a useful system to analyze the dynamics of MM pathophysiology, interactions of MM cells with other cellular compartments, and the utility of novel anti-MM therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirono Iriuchishima
- Department of Cell Differentiation, The Sakaguchi Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Keiyo Takubo
- Department of Cell Differentiation, The Sakaguchi Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (KT); (TS)
| | - Yoshitaka Miyakawa
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayako Nakamura-Ishizu
- Department of Cell Differentiation, The Sakaguchi Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiteru Miyauchi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Fujita
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kana Miyamoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Miyamoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiji Ikeda
- Department of Pathology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kizaki
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Hematology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Nojima
- Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Toshio Suda
- Department of Cell Differentiation, The Sakaguchi Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (KT); (TS)
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Yu L, Guo W, Zhao S, Wang F, Xu Y. Fusion between cancer cells and myofibroblasts is involved in osteosarcoma. Oncol Lett 2011; 2:1083-1087. [PMID: 22848271 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2011.363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2011] [Accepted: 07/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Communication between cancer cells and the microenvironment appears to be an important determinant of disease prognosis. However, the detailed mechanisms of the interactions between cancer cells and surrounding cells have yet to be clarified. Recent studies on cell fusion have indicated this interaction to be one of the driving forces in cancer progression. Fibroblasts constitute a significant component of the carcinoma stromal compartment. Many of these fibroblasts are thought to differentiate into myofibroblasts, which are characterized by a positive expression of α-smooth muscle actin. Expression of α-smooth muscle actin in osteosarcoma was evaluated, and was observed to be excessive in the multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells in osteosarcoma tissue, indicating the possibility of cell fusion between cancer cells and myofibroblasts. In order to test the above hypothesis, we first transformed the primary mouse embryonic fibroblast cells into activated myofibroblast cells. Osteosarcoma cells were then co-cultured with mouse myofibroblast cells, and cell fusion was investigated using species-specific chromosomal markers. Expression of α-smooth muscle actin was successfully induced in primary mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. Cells fused spontaneously with a fusion rate of approximately 1-2% and fusion between more than two cells was also observed. Our study demonstrated that fusion between cancer cells and myofibroblasts may contribute to the observed multinucleated giant cells in osteosarcoma. We posit that cell fusion is a novel mechanism for the interaction between cancer cells and the microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Yu
- Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China
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Shabo I, Svanvik J. Expression of macrophage antigens by tumor cells. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 714:141-50. [PMID: 21506012 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0782-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages are a heterogeneous cell population of the myeloid linage derived from monocytes. These cells show two different polarization states, M1 and M2 macrophages in response to different micro environmental signals. Tumor associated macrophages (TAM) represent the M2 type and promote tumor progression. These cells express antigens that more or less are specific for macrophages like: CD14, CD68, MAC387, CD163, and DAP12. In a series of recent studies it is shown that cancer cells may express these antigens and CD163, MAC387 and DAP12 may be expressed by e.g. breast cancer cells. Thus, 48% of the breast cancers expressed CD163 that is a scavenger receptor normally expressed by macrophages alone. The corresponding figure for rectal cancer is 31%. The expression of CD163 is correlated to early distant recurrence in breast cancer and local recurrence in rectal cancer and reduced survival time in both conditions. Expression of macrophage antigens in breast- and colorectal-cancers may have a prognostic relevance in clinical praxis. One explanation to these findings is that resemblance with macrophages may indicate a more invasive phenotype due to genetic exchange between the primary tumor cells and associated macrophages. This is further supported by the finding that expression of DAP12, a macrophage fusion receptor, in breast cancer is associated with an advanced tumor grade and higher rates of skeletal and liver metastases and overall shorter distant recurrence free survival. Another explanation to the changed phenotype is a genetic exchange between the cells by exosome-mediated transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Shabo
- Department of Surgery, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
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Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that many metastatic cancers arise from cells of the myeloid/macrophage lineage regardless of the primary tissue of origin. A myeloid origin of metastatic cancer stands apart from origins involving clonal evolution or epithelial-mesenchymal transitions. Evidence is reviewed demonstrating that numerous human cancers express multiple properties of macrophages including phagocytosis, fusogenicity, and gene/protein expression. It is unlikely that the macrophage properties expressed in metastatic cancers arise from sporadic random mutations in epithelial cells, but rather from damage to an already existing mesenchymal cell, e.g., a myeloid/macrophage-type cell. Such cells would naturally embody the capacity to express the multiple behaviors of metastatic cells. The view of metastasis as a myeloid/macrophage disease will impact future cancer research and anti-metastatic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne C. Huysentruyt
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
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Gasent Blesa J, Candel V. Cell-cell fusion as a potential target in cancer therapy. Ecancermedicalscience 2009; 3:145. [PMID: 22276010 PMCID: PMC3224012 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2009.145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2009] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the fight against cancer, new and more specific targets are needed. Here, we offer an example of a potential target that has not been widely studied, namely the syncytin protein. Syncytin is expressed mainly in the human placenta and is implicated in placental syncytiotrophoblast cell fusion. Not much is known about the role of syncytin in cancer, but the existing data call for more intense research. Its retroviral origin and particular tissue distribution make syncytin an interesting potential target in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jm Gasent Blesa
- Hospital General Universitari Marina Alta, Denia, Plana de l'Est no 5, Alacant, Spain
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Lu ZJ, Ren YQ, Wang GP, Song Q, Li M, Jiang SS, Ning T, Guan YS, Yang JL, Luo F. Biological behaviors and proteomics analysis of hybrid cell line EAhy926 and its parent cell line A549. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2009; 28:16. [PMID: 19216771 PMCID: PMC2657126 DOI: 10.1186/1756-9966-28-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2008] [Accepted: 02/13/2009] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is well established that cancer cells can fuse with endothelial cells to form hybrid cells spontaneously, which facilitates cancer cells traversing the endothelial barrier to form metastases. However, up to now, little is known about the biologic characteristics of hybrid cells. Therefore, we investigate the malignant biologic behaviors and proteins expression of the hybrid cell line EAhy926 with its parent cell line A549. Methods Cell counting and flow cytometry assay were carried out to assess cell proliferation. The number of cells attached to the extracellular matrix (Matrigel) was measured by MTT assay for the adhesion ability of cells. Transwell chambers were established for detecting the ability of cell migration and invasion. Tumor xenograft test was carried out to observe tumorigenesis of the cell lines. In addition, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry were utilized to identify differentially expressed proteins between in Eahy926 cells and in A549 cells. Results The doubling time of EAhy926 cell and A549 cell proliferation was 25.32 h and 27.29 h, respectively (P > 0.1). Comparing the phase distribution of cell cycle of EAhy926 cells with that of A549 cells, the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase, in S phase and in G2/M phase was (63.7% ± 2.65%) VS (60.0% ± 3.17%), (15.4% ± 1.52%) VS (13.8% ± 1.32%), and (20.9% ± 3.40%) VS (26.3% ± 3.17%), respectively (P > 0.05). For the ability of cell adhesion of EAhy926 cells and A549 cells, the value of OD in Eahy926 cells was significantly higher than that in A549 cells (0.3236 ± 0.0514 VS 0.2434 ± 0.0390, P < 0.004). We also found that the migration ability of Eahy926 cells was stronger than that of A549 cells (28.00 ± 2.65 VS 18.00 ± 1.00, P < 0.01), and that the invasion ability of Eahy926 cells was significantly weak than that of A549 cells (15.33 ± 0.58 VS 26.67 ± 2.52, P < 0.01). In the xenograft tumor model, expansive masses of classic tumor were found in the A549 cells group, while subcutaneous inflammatory focuses were found in the EAhy926 cells group. Besides, twenty-eight proteins were identified differentially expressed between in EAhy926 cells and in A549 cells by proteomics technologies. Conclusion As for the biological behaviors, the ability of cell proliferation in Eahy926 cells was similar to that in A549 cells, but the ability in adhesion and migration of Eahy926 cells was higher. In addition, Eahy926 cells had weaker ability in invasion and could not form tumor mass. Furthermore, there were many differently expressed proteins between hybrid cell line Eahy926 cells and A549 cells, which might partly account for some of the differences between their biological behaviors at the molecular level. These results may help to understand the processes of tumor angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, and to search for screening method for more targets for tumor therapy in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Jun Lu
- Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China.
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Abstract
The cause of metastasis remains elusive despite vast information on cancer cells. We posit that cancer cell fusion with macrophages or other migratory bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) provides an explanation. BMDCs fused with tumor cells were present in animal tumor xenografts where they were associated with metastases. In myeloma patients, transcriptionally active myeloma nuclei were incorporated into osteoclasts through fusion. In patients with renal cell carcinoma arising poststem cell transplant, donor genes were incorporated in recipient cancer cell nuclei, most likely through fusion, and showed tumor distribution patterns characteristic of cancer stem cells. Melanoma-macrophage hybrids generated in vitro contained chromosomes from both parental partners, showed increased ploidy, and transcribed and translated genes from both parents. They exhibited chemotactic migration in vitro toward fibronectin and exhibited high frequencies of metastasis when implanted in mice. They produced macromolecules that are characteristic of macrophages and known indicators of metastasis (c-Met, SPARC, MCR1, GnT-V, and the integrin subunits alpha(3), alpha(5), alpha(6), alpha(v), beta(1), beta(3)). They also produced high levels of beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides-predictors of poor survival in patients with melanoma or carcinomas of the breast, lung, and colon. We thus hypothesize that such gene expression patterns in cancer are generated through fusion. Tumor hybrids also showed active autophagy, a characteristic of both metastatic cancers and macrophages. BMDC-tumor cell fusion explains epidermal-mesenchymal transition in cancer since BMDCs express mesodermal traits and epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulators (Twist, SPARC, and others). If BMDC-tumor cell fusion underlies invasion and metastasis in human cancer, new approaches for therapeutic intervention would be mandated.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Pawelek
- Department of Dermatology and the Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Pawelek JM, Chakraborty AK. Fusion of tumour cells with bone marrow-derived cells: a unifying explanation for metastasis. Nat Rev Cancer 2008; 8:377-86. [PMID: 18385683 DOI: 10.1038/nrc2371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 256] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The causes of metastasis remain elusive despite vast information on cancer cells. We posit that cancer cell fusion with macrophages or other migratory bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) provides an explanation. BMDC-tumour hybrids have been detected in numerous animal models and recently in human cancer. Molecular studies indicate that gene expression in such hybrids reflects a metastatic phenotype. Should BMDC-tumour fusion be found to underlie invasion and metastasis in human cancer, new approaches for therapy would surely follow.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Pawelek
- Department of Dermatology and the Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-08059, USA.
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Bertolini F. Chemotherapy and the tumor microenvironment: the contribution of circulating endothelial cells. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2008; 27:95-101. [PMID: 18066648 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-007-9110-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Anti-angiogenic drugs, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutics, are increasingly used by medical oncologists. In many cases, however, their mechanism of action and the tailoring of optimal dosage/schedule are still elusive. Circulating endothelial cell (CEC) and progenitor (CEP) number and viability are modulated in a large series of diseases including cancer, and look promising as surrogate biomarkers for the definition of the optimal biological dose of anti-angiogenic drugs and for patients' stratification. Along with CECs and CEPs, potential EC- and CEP-related surrogate molecular markers such as VE-Cadherin and CD133 are currently under preclinical and clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bertolini
- Department of Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.
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50
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Abstract
Cell fusions are important to fertilization, placentation, development of skeletal muscle and bone, calcium homeostasis and the immune defense system. Additionally, cell fusions participate in tissue repair and may be important to cancer development and progression. A large number of factors appear to regulate cell fusions, including receptors and ligands, membrane domain organizing proteins, proteases, signaling molecules and fusogenic proteins forming alpha-helical bundles that bring membranes close together. The syncytin family of proteins represent true fusogens and the founding member, syncytin-1, has been documented to be involved in fusions between placental trophoblasts, between cancer cells and between cancer cells and host cells. We review the literature with emphasis on the syncytin family and propose that syncytins may represent universal fusogens in primates and rodents, which work together with a number of other proteins to regulate the cell fusion machinery.
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