Elevated expressions of MMP7, TROP2, and survivin are associated with survival, disease recurrence, and liver metastasis of colon cancer

Datopotamab deruxtecan: A novel antibody drug conjugate for triple-negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents the breast cancer subtype with least favorable outcome because of the lack of effective treatment options and its molecular features. Recently, ADCs have dramatically changed the breast cancer treatment landscape; the anti-TROP2 ADC Sacituzumab Govitecan has been approved for treatment of previously treated, metastatic TNBC patients. The novel ADC Datopotecan-deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) has recently shown encouraging results for TNBC. In the current paper, we summarize and discuss available data regarding this TROP-2 directed agent mechanism of action and pharmacologic activity, we describe first results on efficacy and safety of the drug and report characteristics, inclusion criteria and endpoints of the main ongoing clinical trials.

Cytotoxicity of fourth-generation anti-Trop2 CAR-T cells against breast cancer

The treatment of breast cancer (BC) remains a formidable challenge due to the emergence of drug resistance, necessitating the exploration of innovative strategies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, a groundbreaking approach in hematologic malignancies, is actively under investigation for its potential application in solid tumors, including BC. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) has emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic target in various cancers and is notably overexpressed in BC. To enhance therapeutic efficacy in BC, a fourth-generation CAR (CAR4) construct was developed. This CAR4 design incorporates an anti-Trop2 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) fused with three costimulatory domains -CD28/4-1BB/CD27, and CD3ζ. Comparative analysis with the conventional second-generation CAR (CAR2; 28ζ) revealed that anti-Trop2 CAR4 T cells exhibited heightened cytotoxicity and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production against Trop2-expressing MCF-7 cells. Notably, anti-Trop2 CAR4-T cells demonstrated superior long-term cytotoxic functionality and proliferative capacity. Crucially, anti-Trop2 CAR4-T cells displayed specific cytotoxicity against Trop2-positive BC cells (MDA-MB-231, HCC70, and MCF-7) in both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture systems. Following antigen-specific killing, these cells markedly secreted interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IFN-γ, and Granzyme B compared to non-transduced T cells. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of anti-Trop2 CAR4-T cells in adoptive T cell therapy for BC, offering significant promise for the advancement of BC treatment strategies.

Expression Analysis of Early Metastatic Seeding of Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Distant metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Tumor dissemination for metastasis formation occurs in advanced cancers and also during early stages of tumorigenesis. Here, we investigated the genes involved in early metastatic seeding of CRC using gene expression analysis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a cDNA microarray using specimens resected from stages I-II CRC with and without metachronous metastatic recurrence. For the candidate genes, we immunohistochemically validated protein expression using a tissue microarray of stages I-III CRC.

RESULTS

The expression of TROP2, VWCE, and BMP7 was upregulated in the recurrence group rather than in the non-recurrence group. Protein expression analysis revealed significant association of these genes with distant metastatic recurrence. The specimens with high expression of BMP7 showed worse recurrence-free survival (RFS; p = 0.02). Those with high expression of TROP2 and VWCE showed worse overall survival (OS) and RFS (TROP2: p = 0.01 and p = 0.03; VWCE: p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, high expression of VWCE and BMP7 was an independent predictor of recurrence [VWCE: hazard ratio (HR) 3.41, p < 0.001; BMP7: HR 2.93, p = 0.005]. In contrast, TROP2 was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR 4.58, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Gene expression analysis revealed that TROP2, VWCE, and BMP7 were involved in early metastatic seeding. The high expression of these genes may warrant careful surveillance or adjuvant therapy, even in stages I-II CRC cases.

An electrochemical biosensor to assay Trop-2 of breast cancer cells fabricated by methylene blue-assisted assembly of DNA nanoparticles

Human trophoblast surface cell antigen 2 (Trop-2) on the tumor cell membrane can not only serve as the target for chemotherapy drugs, but also as a biomarker for typing and prognosis of breast cancer; however, assay of Trop-2 is seriously hampered due to the limitations of available tool. Herein, we have designed and fabricated an electrochemical biosensor for the assay of Trop-2 based on methylene blue (MB)-assisted assembly of DNA nanocomposite particles (DNPs). Specially, the recognition between Trop-2 and its aptamer may activate the primer exchange reaction (PER) on an electrode surface to produce long single-strand DNA (ssDNA) which can be self-assembled into DNPs by electrostatic interaction between negative charged DNA and positive charged and electro-active MB molecules which can also be used to give electrochemical signal. By using this electrochemical biosensor, ultrasensitive detection of tumor cells with high Trop-2 expressions can be conducted, with the limit of detection (LOD) of 1 cell/mL. Moreover, this biosensor can be further used for accurately profiling Trop-2 expression of tumor cells in mouse tissues, suggesting its great potential in the precise definition of breast cancer.

DNA demethylation and tri-methylation of H3K4 at the TACSTD2 promoter are complementary players for TROP2 regulation in colorectal cancer cells

TROP2 is a powerful cancer driver in colorectal cancer cells. Divergent epigenetic regulation mechanisms for the corresponding TACSTD2 gene exist such as miRNAs or DNA methylation. However, the role of TACSTD2 promoter hypermethylation in colorectal cancer has not been investigated yet. In this study, TROP2 expression strongly correlated with promoter methylation in different colorectal tumor cell lines. Treatment with 5-Azacytidine, a DNMT1 inhibitor, led to demethylation of the TACSTD2 promoter accompanied by an increase in TROP2 protein expression. TROP2 expression correlated with promoter methylation in vivo in human colon tumor tissue, thereby verifying promoter methylation as an important factor in the regulation of TROP2 expression in colorectal cancer. When performing a ChIP-Seq analysis in HCT116 and HT29 cells, we found that TACSTD2 promoter demethylation was accompanied by tri-methylation of H3K4. In silico analysis of GSE156613 data set confirmed that a higher binding of histone mark H3K4me3 around the TACSTD2 promoter was found in TACSTD2 high expressing tumors of colon cancer patients compared to the corresponding adjacent tumor tissue. Moreover, the link between TROP2 and the H3K4me3 code was even evident in tumors showing high intratumoral heterogeneity for TROP2 staining. Our data provide novel evidence for promoter demethylation and simultaneous gains of the active histone mark H3K4me3 across CpG-rich sequences, both being complementary mechanisms in the transcriptional regulation of TACSTD2 in colon cancer. The functional consequences of TROP2 loss in colorectal cancer needs to be further investigated.

Preclinical evaluation of the theranostic potential of 89Zr/177Lu-labeled anti-TROP-2 antibody in triple-negative breast cancer model

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors among women, characterized by high invasiveness, high heterogeneity, and lack of specific therapeutic targets such as estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Trophoblast cell-surface antigen-2 (TROP-2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein over-expressed in 80% of TNBC patients and is associated with the occurrence, progress, and poor prognosis of TNBC. The TROP-2 targeted immunoPET imaging allows non-invasive quantification of the TROP-2 expression levels of tumors, which could help to screen beneficiaries most likely to respond to SG and predict the response. This study aimed to develop a 89Zr/177Lu-radiolabeled anti-TROP-2 antibody (NY003) for immunoPET and SPECT imaging, as well as radioimmunotherapy (RIT) in TROP-2 (+)TNBC tumor-bearing model. Based on the camelid antibody, we developed a TROP-2 targeted recombinant antibody NY003. NY003 was conjugated with DFO and DTPA for 89Zr and 177Lu radiolabelling, respectively. The theranostic potential of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NY003/[177Lu]Lu-DTPA-NY003 was evaluated through immunoPET, SPECT imaging, and RIT studies in the subcutaneous TROP-2 positive TNBC xenograft mice model.

RESULTS

The high binding affinity of NY003 to TROP-2 was verified through ELISA. The radiochemical purity of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NY003/[177Lu]Lu-DTPA-NY003 exceeded 95% and remained stable within 144h p.i. in vitro. ImmunoPET and SPECT imaging showed the specific accumulation of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NY003/[177Lu]Lu-DTPA-NY003 in MDA-MB-231 tumors and gradually increased with the time tested, significantly higher than that in control groups (P < 0.05). The strongest anti-tumor efficacy was observed in the high-dose of [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-NY003 group, followed by the low-dose group, the tumor growth was significantly suppressed by [177Lu]Lu-DTPA-NY003, the tumor volumes of both high- and low-dose groups were smaller than the control groups (P < 0.05). Ex vivo biodistribution and histological staining verified the results of in vivo imaging and RIT studies.

CONCLUSION

As a drug platform for radiotheranostics, 89Zr/177Lu-radiolabeled anti-TROP-2 antibody NY003 could not only non-invasively screen the potential beneficiaries for optimizing SG ADC treatment but also suppressed the growth of TROP-2 positive TNBC tumors, strongly supporting the theranostic potential of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NY003/[177Lu]Lu-DTPA-NY003.

Prognostic Significance of Cyclin D1 Expression in Small Intestinal Adenocarcinoma

Cyclin D1, a critical cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6-dependent regulator of G1/S transition, has attracted much interest as a therapeutic target. The cyclin D1 expression in small intestinal adenocarcinomas (SIACs) has not yet been comprehensively studied, owing to the rarity of this tumor. We investigated the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of the cyclin D1 expression in 232 surgically resected primary SIACs through a multi-institutional study. A high expression of cyclin D1 (cyclin D1High) was detected in 145 SIAC cases (63%), which was significantly higher than that in normal small intestinal mucosa (11%). Cyclin D1High was more commonly found in SIACs with a lower T-category and disease stage and KRAS mutation and predicted better patient survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that cyclin D1High, the absence of retroperitoneal seeding and lymphovascular invasion, and the lower N-category were identified as independent prognostic indicators for patients with SIACs. Specifically, cyclin D1High affected patient survival in the lower stage group (stages I and II). In conclusion, cyclin D1 was commonly overexpressed in SIACs, and cyclin D1High acted as a favorable prognostic indicator in patients with SIACs. These findings in SIACs may, thus, be important to further comprehend the mechanism of cyclin D1 in carcinogenesis and to strategize appropriate patient therapies.

The Impact of Trophoblast Cell-Surface Antigen 2 Expression on the Survival of Patients with Gastrointestinal Tumors: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP-2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in epithelial cells that has been associated with malignant progression in most carcinomas. Accordingly, the genetic complexity of gastrointestinal tumors necessitates the investigation of new biomarkers with potential prognostic value. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effect of TROP-2 on the overall survival of patients who underwent surgery for gastrointestinal malignancy.

METHODS

The present systematic review was designed using the PRISMA and AMSTAR guidelines. We searched the Pubmed, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases from their inception to September 2023.

RESULTS

Ten studies that enrolled 2293 patients were included for qualitative analysis. Six studies evaluated patients with colorectal cancer, two studies included patients with gastric carcinoma, patients with pancreatic cancer were included in one study and one study included hepatobiliary cancer patients. TROP-2 was positive in 1005/2293 samples of the immunohistochemically evaluated biopsies and was associated with poor overall survival in all studies. High intensity was also associated with more aggressive histopathological characteristics, such us deep tissue invasion, lymph node metastasis and cell atypia. The prognostic value of TROP-2 was shown to be enhanced in patients with advanced disease and poor histological differentiation.

CONCLUSION

TROP-2 was expressed at high levels in gastrointestinal tumors, which was associated with both tumor development and pathological aggressiveness. Therefore, TROP-2 could be used as a biomarker to determine clinical prognosis and as a potential therapeutic target in malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, but further studies need to validate it.

Prognostic significance of trophoblastic cell surface antigen 2 expression and pathologic parameters in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma

Trophoblastic cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) has been reported to be up-regulated in several types of carcinomas and is associated with aggressive behavior and poor survival. However, TROP2 expression and its clinical significance in ampullary adenocarcinoma (AA) have not been investigated. We examined TROP2 expression by immunohistochemistry in 112 patients with AAs. The associations of TROP2 expression with clinicopathologic characteristics were evaluated by χ2 analyses or Fisher's exact tests. The associations of TROP2 expression and pathologic parameters with survival were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Eighty-six AAs (76.8%) were positive for TROP2, which showed a membranous and cytoplasmic staining. TROP2 expression was associated with higher frequency (P = .04) and higher number (P = .03) of lymph node metastasis, higher pN stage (P = .03), less frequent adenoma (P = .04), and higher frequency of recurrence/metastasis (P = .004). TROP2 expression was associated with shorter disease-free survival (P = .02) and overall survival (P = .03). TROP2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (P = .04). We demonstrated that TROP2 was expressed in 76.8% of AAs. TROP2 expression was associated with higher frequency and high number of lymph node metastasis and higher pN stage. More importantly, TROP2 expression was associated with higher frequency of recurrence/metastasis, shorter disease-free and overall survival and was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival. Our results suggest that TROP2 may be used both as a prognostic marker and as a therapeutic target for patients with AAs.

Trop-2 and Nectin-4 immunohistochemical expression in metastatic colorectal cancer: searching for the right population for drugs' development

BACKGROUND

Trop-2 and Nectin-4 are transmembrane proteins overexpressed in many tumours and targets of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). In metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the role of Trop-2 and Nectin-4 has been poorly investigated.

METHODS

Tumour samples of patients randomised in the phase III TRIBE2 were assessed for Trop-2 and Nectin-4 expression.

RESULTS

Three hundred eighty-six tumours were assessed for Trop-2 expression. 90 (23%), 115 (30%) and 181 (47%) were Trop-2 high, medium and low, respectively. Patients with low Trop-2 tumours achieved longer PFS (12 versus 9.9 months, p = 0.047) and OS (27.3 versus 21.3 months, p = 0.015) than those with high/medium Trop-2 tumours. These findings were confirmed in multivariate analysis (p = 0.022 and p = 0.023, respectively). A greater OS benefit from treatment intensification with FOLFOXIRI/bevacizumab was observed in patients with high/medium Trop-2 tumours (p-for-interaction = 0.041). Two hundred fifty-one tumours were assessed for Nectin-4 expression. Fourteen (5%), 67 (27%) and 170 (68%) were high, medium and low, respectively. No prognostic impact was observed based on Nectin-4 expression and no interaction effect was reported between Nectin-4 expression groups and treatment arm.

CONCLUSIONS

In mCRC, expression levels of Trop-2 and Nectin-4 are heterogeneous, suggesting a target-driven development of anti-Trop2 and anti-Nectin-4 ADCs. Medium/high Trop-2 expression is associated with worse prognosis and higher benefit from chemotherapy intensification.

Prognostic Potential of Cyclin D1 Expression in Colorectal Cancer

Cyclin D1 is mainly known as an oncogenic driver in cancers, and the dysregulated cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 axis is considered an attractive target for cancer therapy. Recent studies have reported that tumors respond to therapeutic interventions targeting altered cyclin D1 expression via application of the CDK4/6 inhibitor. However, the prognostic and therapeutic contributions of cyclin D1 to colorectal cancer (CRC) remain controversial. Herein, we assessed the associations between cyclin D1 expression and clinicopathological factors, including patients' overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), in 495 surgically resected primary CRCs. We also examined previous studies for cyclin D1 in CRCs. High expressions of cyclin D1 (cyclin D1^High) was observed in 389 CRC cases (78.6%). Cyclin D1^High consistently predicted better patient OS and RFS in CRCs. Based on multivariate analysis, cyclin D1^High and young age of patients remained as independent prognosticators of higher OS rate, whereas cyclin D1^High, females, chemotherapy, absence of nodal metastasis, and lower T-category remained as independent prognosticators of better RFS. Cyclin D1 is commonly overexpressed in CRCs, and its expression can be used as a favorable prognostic indicator in patients with CRCs; this may be important for predicting responses to subsequent CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Preclinical Evaluation of a Novel Small Molecule LCC-21 to Suppress Colorectal Cancer Malignancy by Inhibiting Angiogenic and Metastatic Signatures

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers, and it frequently metastasizes to the liver and lymph nodes. Despite major advances in treatment modalities, CRC remains a poorly characterized biological malignancy, with high reported cases of deaths globally. Moreover, cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their microenvironment have been widely shown to promote colon cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Therefore, an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the maintenance of CSCs and their markers in CRC is crucial in efforts to treat cancer metastasis and develop specific therapeutic targets for augmenting current standard treatments. Herein, we applied computational simulations using bioinformatics to identify potential theranostic markers for CRC. We identified the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor-α (VEGFA)/β-catenin/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7/Cluster of Differentiation 44 (CD44) in CRC to be associated with cancer progression, stemness, resistance to therapy, metastasis, and poor clinical outcomes. To further investigate, we explored in silico molecular docking, which revealed potential inhibitory activities of LCC-21 as a potential multitarget small molecule for VEGF-A/CTNNB1/MMP7/CD44 oncogenic signatures, with the highest binding affinities displayed. We validated these finding in vitro and demonstrated that LCC-21 inhibited colony and sphere formation, migration, and invasion, and these results were further confirmed by a Western blot analysis in HCT116 and DLD-1 cells. Thus, the inhibitory effects of LCC-21 on these angiogenic and onco-immunogenic signatures could be of translational relevance as potential CRC biomarkers for early diagnosis.

Trop-2 as a Therapeutic Target in Breast Cancer

The emergence of Trop-2 as a therapeutic target has given rise to new treatment paradigms for the treatment of patients with advanced and metastatic breast cancer. Trop-2 is most highly expressed in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), but the receptor is found across all breast cancer subtypes. With sacituzumab govitecan, the first FDA-approved, Trop-2 inhibitor, providing a survival benefit in patients with both metastatic TNBC and hormone receptor positive breast cancer, additional Trop-2 directed therapies are under investigation. Ongoing studies of combination regimens with immunotherapy, PARP inhibitors, and other targeted agents aim to further harness the effect of Trop-2 inhibition. Current investigations are also underway in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting to evaluate the therapeutic benefit of Trop-2 inhibition in patients with early stage disease. This review highlights the significant impact the discovery Trop-2 has had on our patients with heavily pretreated breast cancer, for whom few treatment options exist, and the future direction of novel Trop-2 targeted therapies.

Advances in Trop2-targeted therapy: Novel agents and opportunities beyond breast cancer

Trop2 is a transmembrane glycoprotein and calcium signal transducer with limited expression in normal human tissues. It is consistently overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors and participates in several oncogenic signaling pathways that lead to tumor development, invasion, and metastasis. As a result, Trop2 has become an attractive therapeutic target in cancer treatment. The anti-Trop2 antibody-drug conjugate (Trodelvy™, sacituzumab govitecan) has been approved to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. However, it is still unclear whether the success observed in Trop2-positive breast cancer could be replicated in other tumor types, owing to the differences in the expression levels and functions of Trop2 across cancer types. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the structures and functions of Trop2 and highlight the potential diagnostic and therapeutic value of Trop2 beyond breast cancer. In addition, the promising novel Trop2-targeted agents in the clinic were discussed, which will likely alter the therapeutic landscape of Trop2-positive tumors in the future.

TROP2 Represents a Negative Prognostic Factor in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma and Its Expression Is Associated with Features of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Invasiveness

Simple Summary

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. While the systemic treatment of CRC is based on chemotherapy, subsequent therapeutic options are far less effective. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is highly expressed in many carcinomas, including CRC, where its expression correlates with a poor prognosis. Anti-TROP2-targeted therapy was approved for the treatment of breast and urothelial carcinomas. We aimed to determine whether TROP2 is a suitable target for the treatment of CRC. We demonstrated that TROP2 expression in CRC correlates with lymph node metastasis and poor tumor differentiation. An analysis of mouse tumor models, patient-derived organoids, and tumor cells revealed that TROP2 expression is associated with features related to epithelial–mesenchymal transition and invasiveness. Our results suggest that TROP2 targeting may be a promising approach, especially in the early phase of treatment.

Abstract

Trophoblastic cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a membrane glycoprotein overexpressed in many solid tumors with a poor prognosis, including intestinal neoplasms. In our study, we show that TROP2 is expressed in preneoplastic lesions, and its expression is maintained in most colorectal cancers (CRC). High TROP2 positivity correlated with lymph node metastases and poor tumor differentiation and was a negative prognostic factor. To investigate the role of TROP2 in intestinal tumors, we analyzed two mouse models with conditional disruption of the adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) tumor-suppressor gene, human adenocarcinoma samples, patient-derived organoids, and TROP2-deficient tumor cells. We found that Trop2 is produced early after Apc inactivation and its expression is associated with the transcription of genes involved in epithelial–mesenchymal transition, the regulation of migration, invasiveness, and extracellular matrix remodeling. A functionally similar group of genes was also enriched in TROP2-positive cells from human CRC samples. To decipher the driving mechanism of TROP2 expression, we analyzed its promoter. In human cells, this promoter was activated by β-catenin and additionally by the Yes1-associated transcriptional regulator (YAP). The regulation of TROP2 expression by active YAP was verified by YAP knockdown in CRC cells. Our results suggest a possible link between aberrantly activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling, YAP, and TROP2 expression.

ATF2 loss promotes tumor invasion in colorectal cancer cells via upregulation of cancer driver TROP2

In cancer, the activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) has pleiotropic functions in cellular responses to growth stimuli, damage, or inflammation. Due to only limited studies, the significance of ATF2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is not well understood. We report that low ATF2 levels correlated with worse prognosis and tumor aggressiveness in CRC patients. NanoString gene expression and ChIP analysis confirmed trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) as a novel inhibitory ATF2 target gene. This inverse correlation was further observed in primary human tumor tissues. Immunostainings revealed that high intratumoral heterogeneity for ATF2 and TROP2 expression was sustained also in liver metastasis. Mechanistically, our in vitro data of CRISPR/Cas9-generated ATF2 knockout (KO) clones revealed that high TROP2 levels were critical for cell de-adhesion and increased cell migration without triggering EMT. TROP2 was enriched in filopodia and displaced Paxillin from adherens junctions. In vivo imaging, micro-computer tomography, and immunostainings verified that an ATF2^KO/TROP2^high status triggered tumor invasiveness in in vivo mouse and chicken xenograft models. In silico analysis provided direct support that ATF2^low/TROP2^high expression status defined high-risk CRC patients. Finally, our data demonstrate that ATF2 acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting the cancer driver TROP2. Therapeutic TROP2 targeting might prevent particularly the first steps in metastasis, i.e., the de-adhesion and invasion of colon cancer cells.

Steroid glycosides isolated from Paris polyphylla var. chinensis aerial parts and paris saponin II induces G1/S-phase MCF-7 cell cycle arrest

In our previous research on Vietnamese medicinal plants, we found that the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis exhibited cytotoxic effects in vitro in the MCF-7 human cancer cell line. Here, we used combined chromatographic separations to isolate six compounds including a new steroid glycoside, paripoloside A (3), and five known compounds, from the butanol extract of the aerial parts of P. polyphylla. We unambiguously elucidated their structures based on spectroscopic data (proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, heteronuclear single quantum coherence, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation, correlation spectroscopy, and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy data), and chemical reactions. Among the isolated compounds, paris saponin II (PSII) had the strongest cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Interestingly, PSII significantly increased the expression of p53, p21, p27, and Bax protein levels and significantly suppressed the expression of cyclin D1 and retinoblastoma protein. These data suggest that PSII may induce G1/S phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis pathway development in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the MCF-7 breast cancer cells mechanism of PSII was also investigated using molecular docking. Together, our results demonstrate that isolated compounds from P. polyphylla are promising candidates as breast cancer inhibitors.

Implication of Different Tumor Biomarkers in Drug Resistance and Invasiveness in Primary and Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

Protein expression profiles are directly related to the different properties of cells and are conditioned by the cellular niche. As an example, they are the cause of the characteristic cell plasticity, epithelium-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and drug resistance of cancer cells. This article characterizes ten biomarkers related to these features in three human colorectal cancer cell lines: SW-480, SW-620, and DLD-1, evaluated by flow cytometry; and in turn, resistance to oxaliplatin is studied through dose-response trials. The main biomarkers present in the three studied lines correspond to EpCAM, CD-133, and AC-133, with the latter two in low proportions in the DLD-1 line. The biomarker CD166 is present in greater amounts in SW-620 and DLD-1 compared to SW-480. Finally, DLD-1 shows high values of Trop2, which may explain the aggressiveness and resistance of these cells to oxaliplatin treatments, as EpCAM is also highly expressed. Exposure to oxaliplatin slows cell growth but also helps generate resistance to the treatment. In conclusion, the response of the cell lines is variable, due to their genetic variability, which will condition protein expression and cell growth. Further analyses in this area will provide important information for better understanding of patients' cellular response and how to prevent resistance.

Salivary Scca1, Scca2 and Trop2 in Oral Cancer Patients—A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is frequently diagnosed in the advanced stages. The purpose of this paper is to determine the salivary values of SCCA1, SCCA2 and TROP2 in patients with T1N0M0 OSCC and to compare them with the values obtained from healthy individuals. Unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated (SWS) saliva was sampled from 29 patients with T1N0M0 OSCC and 29 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals. Statistical difference was observed in SCCA1 and SCCA2 levels both in UWS and SWS samples. TROP2 was not measurable in most of the salivary samples. Both SCCA1 and SCCA2 could represent potential biomarkers for the early-stage OSCC. Research on a larger sample and biomarker validation is needed to assess the clinical potential of SCCA1 and SCCA2 in the OSCC early diagnostics.

Oncogene-mediated metabolic gene signature predicts breast cancer outcome

Breast cancer remains the second most lethal cancer among women in the United States and triple-negative breast cancer is the most aggressive subtype with limited treatment options. Trop2, a cell membrane glycoprotein, is overexpressed in almost all epithelial cancers. In this study, we demonstrate that Trop2 is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and downregulation of Trop2 delays TNBC cell and tumor growth supporting the oncogenic role of Trop2 in breast cancer. Through proteomic profiling, we discovered a metabolic signature comprised of TALDO1, GPI, LDHA, SHMT2, and ADK proteins that were downregulated in Trop2-depleted breast cancer tumors. The identified oncogene-mediated metabolic gene signature is significantly upregulated in TNBC patients across multiple RNA-expression clinical datasets. Our study further reveals that the metabolic gene signature reliably predicts poor survival of breast cancer patients with early stages of the disease. Taken together, our study identified a new five-gene metabolic signature as an accurate predictor of breast cancer outcome.

Recent advances in trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 targeted therapy for solid tumors

Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop 2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is highly expressed in various cancer types with relatively low or no baseline expression in most normal tissues. Its overexpression is associated with tumor growth and poor prognosis; Trop 2 is, therefore, an ideal therapeutic target for epithelial cancers. Several Trop 2 targeted therapeutics have recently been developed for the treatment of cancers, such as anti-Trop 2 antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), as well as Trop 2-specific cell therapy. In particular, the safety and clinical benefit of Trop 2-based ADCs have been demonstrated in clinical trials across multiple tumor types, including those with limited treatment options, such as triple-negative breast cancer, platinum-resistant urothelial cancer, and heavily pretreated non-small cell lung cancer. In this review, we elaborate on recent advances in Trop 2 targeted modalities and provide an overview of novel insights for future developments in this field.

TROPHY-U-01: A Phase II Open-Label Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan in Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Progressing After Platinum-Based Chemotherapy and Checkpoint Inhibitors

PURPOSE

Patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) who progress on platinum-based combination chemotherapy (PLT) and checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) have limited options that offer objective response rates (ORRs) of approximately 10% with a median overall survival (OS) of 7-8 months. Sacituzumab govitecan (SG) is a TROP-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate with an SN-38 payload that has shown preliminary activity in mUC.

METHODS

TROPHY-U-01 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03547973) is a multicohort, open-label, phase II, registrational study. Cohort 1 includes patients with locally advanced or unresectable or mUC who had progressed after prior PLT and CPI. Patients received SG 10 mg/kg on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles. The primary outcome was centrally reviewed ORR; secondary outcomes were progression-free survival, OS, duration of response, and safety.

RESULTS

Cohort 1 included 113 patients (78% men; median age, 66 years; 66.4% visceral metastases; median of three [range, 1-8] prior therapies). At a median follow-up of 9.1 months, the ORR was 27% (31 of 113; 95% CI, 19.5 to 36.6); 77% had decrease in measurable disease. Median duration of response was 7.2 months (95% CI, 4.7 to 8.6 months), with median progression-free survival and OS of 5.4 months (95% CI, 3.5 to 7.2 months) and 10.9 months (95% CI, 9.0 to 13.8 months), respectively. Key grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events included neutropenia (35%), leukopenia (18%), anemia (14%), diarrhea (10%), and febrile neutropenia (10%), with 6% discontinuing treatment because of treatment-related adverse events.

CONCLUSION

SG is an active drug with a manageable safety profile with most common toxicities of neutropenia and diarrhea. SG has notable efficacy compared with historical controls in pretreated mUC that has progressed on both prior PLT regimens and CPI. The results from this study supported accelerated approval of SG in this population.

The paradoxical role of matrix metalloproteinase-11 in cancer

The microenvironment surrounding the tumor affects biological processes, such as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and invasion. Therefore, the ability to change these environments is an important attribute for tumor cells to obtain specific functions necessary for growth and metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent proteolytic metalloenzymes that facilitate protease-dependent tumor progression by degrading extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, releasing cytokines, growth factors, and other cell surface molecules. As one of the most widely studied MMPs, MMP-11 is an important protease that is expressed in cancer cells, stromal cells, and the adjacent microenvironment. MMP-11 has a dual effect on tumors. On one hand, MMP-11 promotes tumor development by inhibiting apoptosis and promoting the migration and invasion of cancer cells in the early stage. On the other hand, in animal models, MMP-11 has a protective effect on tumor growth and metastasis at an advanced stage. Based on current findings regarding the importance of MMP-11 in altering the tumor microenvironment, there is a need to further understand how stromal cells and the ECM regulate tumor progression, which may result in the re-examination of MMPs as drug targets for cancer and other diseases. In this review, we summarize the dual role of MMP-11 in cancer and its potential clinical significance.

Emerging Mechanisms and Treatment Progress on Liver Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is currently the third largest malignant tumor in the world, with high new cases and high mortality. Metastasis is one of the most common causes of death of colorectal cancer, of which liver metastasis is the most fatal. Since the beginning of the Human Genome Project in 2001, people have gradually recognized the 3 billion base pairs that make up the human genome, of which only about 1.5% of the nucleic acid sequences are used for protein coding, including proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. A large number of differences in the expression of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have also been found in the study of colorectal cancer, which proves that they are also actively involved in the progression of colorectal cancer and promote the occurrence of liver metastasis. Except for 1.5% of the coding sequence, the rest of the nucleic acid sequence does not encode any protein, which is called non-coding RNA. With the deepening of research, genome sequences without protein coding potential that were originally considered “junk sequences” may have important biological functions. Many years of studies have found that a large number of abnormal expression of ncRNA in colorectal cancer liver metastasis, indicating that ncRNA plays an important role in it. To explore the role and mechanism of these coding sequences and non-coding RNA in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer is very important for the early diagnosis and treatment of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. This article reviews the coding genes and ncRNA that have been found in the study of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer in recent years, as well as the mechanisms that have been identified or are still under study, as well as the clinical treatment of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Relationship between Metalloprotease-7 and -14 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloprotease 1 Expression by Mucosal Stromal Cells and Colorectal Cancer Development in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an example of an inflammation-related cancer. Matrix metalloproteases (MMP) are known to be associated with both processes. The aim of the study was to compare the expression of MMP-7, MMP-14 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases-1 (TIMP-1) in sporadic CRC- and IBD-associated CRC, and to compare the expression in inflamed and non-inflamed colonic tissue samples from IBD patients without or with associated CRC. An immunohistochemical study of MMP-7, -14 and TIMP-1 was performed on sporadic CRC (n = 86), IBD-associated CRC (n = 23) and colorectal mucosa of non-tumor samples from IBD patients without (n = 47) and with (n = 23) associated CRC. These factors were more frequently expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) from IBD-associated CRC than by CAF from CRC not associated with IBD. Regarding the inflamed tissue of IBD patients, Crohn’s disease (CD) patients with CRC development showed a higher expression of MMP-14 by fibroblasts and by mononuclear inflammatory cells (MICs) than CD patients without CRC development. In non-inflamed tissue samples, MMP-7 associated with fibroblasts and MICs, and TIMP-1 associated with MICs, were more frequently expressed in CD patients with CRC development than in CD patients without CRC development. Our data suggest that these factor expressions by stromal cells may be biological markers of CRC development risk in IBD patients.

DNA methylation of tumor associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2) loci shows association with clinically aggressive renal cell cancers

Background

DNA methylation is frequently observed in the development and progression of many human tumors as well as renal cell cancer (RCC). Tumor Associated Calcium Signal Transducer 2 (TACSTD2) participates in cell cycle progression through MAPK signalling pathway activation. Moreover, tumor-specific hypermethylation and association with aggressive cancer characteristics has been found for lung adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. Whether TACSTD2 is tumor specifically hypermethylated in RCC or shows association of methylation with adverse clinicopathological parameters and survival of patients has not been investigated at yet.

Methods

Quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) analysis of a locus in the intron 1 region of TACSTD2 gene was carried out in a cross-sectional study of 127 paired RCC and normal samples. In silico analysis of TACSTD2 methylation in the TCGA Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC) dataset of 280 patients served as validation cohort. Statistical analyses were carried out using the two-sided paired t-test for matched tumor and normal sample comparisons, logistic regression for subgroup comparisons, Cox regression for analysis of recurrence free survival (RFS) and Pearson correlation analysis for correlation of TACSTD2 methylation and TACSTD2 mRNA in KIRC data.

Results

Higher methylation levels in RCC were significantly associated with advanced disease (p < 0.001), high tumor stage (p = 0.003), tumor differentiation (p = 0.033) and presence of lymph node (p = 0.021) or distant metastases (p = 0.008). TACSTD2 hypermethylation was associated with a shorter RFS of patients and demonstrate statistical independency from clinical parameters as state of metastasis, tumor stage, grade and state of advanced disease. In silico validation using TCGA KIRC data also demonstrated association of TACSTD2 loci with adverse clinicopathology and shortened RFS of patients. In addition, in silico analyses of TCGA KIRC data showed an inverse correlation between DNA methylation levels of TACSTD2 and mRNA expression.

Conclusions

Our results suggest an association between TACSTD2 methylation and disease progression and clinical course of RCC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08172-1.

Clinicopathologic significance of TROP2 and phospho-TROP2 in gastric cancer

Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in epithelial cells. Increased TROP2 expression has been reported to be associated with malignant progression in most carcinomas; however, TROP2 has a tumor-suppressive function in certain types of cancer. Since the function of TROP2 is controversial, the present study subsequently aimed to clarify the clinicopathologic significance of TROP2 and pTROP2 expression in human gastric cancer (GC). The cases of 704 patients with GC who underwent gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The expression levels of TROP2 and pTROP2 in each tumor were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The association between the clinicopathologic features of patients with GC and the levels of TROP2 and pTROP2 in their tumors was analyzed. Increased TROP2 and pTROP2 expression was identified in 330 (46.9%) and 306 (43.5%) of the 704 patients with GC, respectively. Increased TROP2 expression was associated with the histological intestinal type, high tumor invasion depth (T3/T4), lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion and venous invasion. By contrast, increased pTROP2 expression was associated with intestinal type, low tumor invasion depth (T1/2), no lymph node metastasis and no lymphatic invasion. Increased TROP2 expression was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) (P<0.01; log rank test), whereas increased pTROP2 expression was significantly associated with improved OS (P<0.01; log rank test). In conclusion, increased expression levels of TROP2, but not pTROP2, may be associated with the metastatic ability of GC, resulting in poor prognosis of patients with GC.

Could trop-2 overexpression indicate tumor aggressiveness among prostatic adenocarcinomas?

BACKGROUND

TROP-2, a novel marker of trophoblastic cells, is being widely analyzed for its possible role in carcinogenesis and clinical behavior of various carcinomas. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between clinicopathologic parameters and TROP2 expression in prostatic adenocarcinomas.

METHODS

101 prostatic adenocarcinomas treated by radical prostatectomy in our hospital between 2013 and 2018 were reviewed retrospectively for histopathological features, and one representative block of each case was stained with TROP2 antibody. Histopathologic prognostic features were assessed for their relationship with TROP2 expression.

RESULTS

The mean age was found as 64.11 year. TROP2 was stained in over 10% of the tumoral cells in 64 (63.4.%) cases. Gleason grade group, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, ganglionic and seminal vesicle involvement, lateral and basal surgical margin positivity showed a significant relationship with TROP2 staining.

CONCLUSION

TROP2 is overexpressed in various human cancers and TROP2 overexpression appears to correlate with poor prognosis leading to the suggestion that TROP2 could be a therapeutic target for various carcinomas. Our results suggest that TROP2 expression is higher in advanced tumors and these results need to be supported by larger studies.

Diagnostic Value of TROP2 Expression in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents the most common primary malignant thyroid lesion in all age groups. As diagnosis of PTC could be challenging in some cases and borderline nuclear features could be seen in some benign mimickers, several immunohistochemical markers are proposed to be helpful for making the correct diagnosis. In this study the authors investigated the diagnostic value of transmembrane glycoprotein (TROP2) for differentiating PTC from other thyroid follicular lesions. A total of 155 total thyroidectomy specimens including 84 cases of PTC and 71 cases of non-PTC were investigated. Among non-PTC group, 45 cases were follicular neoplasms and 26 cases were Hashimoto thyroiditis. TROP2 expression was observed in 82 of 84 cases of PTC group. In contrast only 5 cases of non-PTC group, all from Hashimoto thyroiditis specimens, showed positive expression. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of TROP2 for diagnosis of PTC was 98%, 93%, 94%, and 97%, respectively. The authors concluded that high sensitivity and specificity of TROP2 as well as its uniform negative reaction in follicular adenoma and carcinoma makes it a valuable immunohistochemical marker for diagnosis of PTC.

Trop2: Jack of All Trades, Master of None

Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) is a widely expressed glycoprotein and an epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) family member. Although initially identified as a transmembrane protein, other subcellular localizations and processed forms were described. Its congenital mutations cause a gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy, a disease characterized by loss of barrier function in corneal epithelial cells. Trop2 is considered a stem cell marker and its expression associates with regenerative capacity in various tissues. Trop2 overexpression was described in tumors of different origins; however, functional studies revealed both oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles. Nevertheless, therapeutic potential of Trop2 was recognized and clinical studies with drug-antibody conjugates have been initiated in various cancer types. One of these agents, sacituzumab govitecan, has been recently granted an accelerated approval for therapy of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. In this article, we review the current knowledge about the yet controversial function of Trop2 in homeostasis and pathology.

MPC1 Deficiency Promotes CRC Liver Metastasis via Facilitating Nuclear Translocation of β-Catenin

Accumulating evidence has pointed out that metastasis is the leading cause of death in several malignant tumor, including CRC. During CRC, metastatic capacity is closely correlated with reprogrammed energy metabolism. Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1 (MPC1), as the carrier of transporting pyruvate into mitochondria, linked the glycolysis and TCA cycle, which would affect the energy production. However, the specific role of MPC1 on tumor metastasis in CRC remains unexplored. Here, by data mining of genes involved in pyruvate metabolism using the TCGA dataset, we found that MPC1 was significantly downregulated in CRC compared to nontumor tissues. Similar MPC1 expression pattern was also found in multiple GEO datasets. IHC staining in both human sample and AOM/DSS induced mouse CRC model revealed significant downregulation of MPC1. What is more, we found that MPC1 expression was gradually decreased in normal tissue, primary CRC, and metastasis CRC. Additionally, poor prognosis emerged in the MPC1 low expression patients, especially in patients with metastasis. Following, functional tests showed that MPC1 overexpression inhibited the motility of CRC cells in vitro and MPC1 silencing enhanced liver metastases in vivo. Furthermore, we uncovered that decreased MPC1 activated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by promoting nuclear translocation of β-catenin to mediate the expression of MMP7, E-cadherin, Snail1, and myc. Collectively, our data suggest that MPC1 has the potential to be served as a promising biomarker for diagnosis and a therapeutic target in CRC.

The emerging role of antibody-drug conjugates in urothelial carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

In December 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the novel nectin-4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, enfortumab vedotin, for the treatment of platinum-refractory and immune checkpoint blockade-refractory locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Antibody-drug conjugates represent a new therapeutic modality in urothelial cancer; and beyond nectin-4, agents targeting Trop-2, HER2, and EpCAM are also in clinical development.

AREAS COVERED

This review outlines the biologic rationale and the clinical development of novel antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of urothelial cancer across the spectrum of disease from non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer through treatment-refractory metastatic disease.

EXPERT OPINION

The high response rates observed with enfortumab vedotin - both as monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint blockade immunotherapy - suggest this and other antibody-drug conjugates may have efficacy similar to or even exceeding that of traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. Ongoing clinical development of antibody-drug conjugates in urothelial cancer will address the optimal combination or sequencing strategy with anti-PD-1/L1 immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy.

IGF-1 promotes multiple myeloma progression through PI3K/Akt-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition

AIMS

To investigate the role and mechanism of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1)-mediated EMT on multiple myeloma (MM) growth and metastasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression data from GEO datasets were utilized to explore the expression levels of IGF-1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in MM. Western blotting and flow cytometry analysis were performed to detect the protein levels of EMT markers as well as key components of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Cell proliferation ability was assessed using colony formation assay and EdU incorporation assays. Transwell migration and invasion assays were performed to assess cell metastasis properties. Vimentin was knocked down by using electro-transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) to detect the effect of IGF-1-mediated EMT on MM cell growth and metastasis.

KEY FINDINGS

First of all, the analysis of GEO database revealed that IGF-1 was excessively expressed and closely correlated with the expression of the EMT markers in MM patients. Furthermore, we demonstrated that IGF-1 enhanced the acquisition of mesenchymal features in a time-dependent manner. Additionally, in vitro studies revealed that IGF-1-mediated mesenchymal phenotype promoted MM migration, invasion and colony formation. Finally, the mechanism study showed PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was involved in the IGF-1-induced EMT in MM cells.

SIGNIFICANCE

IGF-1-induced mesenchymal phenotype contributed to MM progression via the PI3K/Akt pathway regulation.

Cyclooxygenase 2-Regulated Genes an Alternative Avenue to the Development of New Therapeutic Drugs for Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and recurrent types of cancer, with high mortality rates. Several clinical trials and meta-analyses have determined that the use of pharmacological inhibitors of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), the enzyme that catalyses the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of prostaglandins (PG) from arachidonic acid, can reduce the incidence of CRC as well as the risk of recurrence of this disease, when used together with commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. These observations suggest that inhibition of COX-2 may be useful in the treatment of CRC, although the current drugs targeting COX-2 are not widely used since they increase the risk of health complications. To overcome this difficulty, a possibility is to identify genes regulated by COX-2 activity that could give an advantage to the cells to form tumors and/or metastasize. The modulation of those genes as effectors of COX-2 may cancel the beneficial effects of COX-2 in tumor transformation and metastasis. A review of the available databases and literature and our own data have identified some interesting molecules induced by prostaglandins or COX-2 that have been also described to play a role in colon cancer, being thus potential pharmacological targets in colon cancer. Among those mPGES-1, DUSP4, and 10, Programmed cell death 4, Trop2, and many from the TGFβ and p53 pathways have been identified as genes upregulated in response to COX-2 overexpression or PGs in colon carcinoma lines and overexpressed in colon tumor tissue. Here, we review the available evidence of the potential roles of those molecules in colon cancer in the context of PG/COX signaling pathways that could be critical mediators of some of the tumor growth and metastasis advantage induced by COX-2. At the end, this may allow defining new therapeutic targets/drugs against CRC that could act specifically against tumor cells and would be effective in the prevention and treatment of CRC, lacking the unwanted side effects of COX-2 pharmacological inhibitors, providing alternative approaches in colon cancer.

Preclinical activity of sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132) in uterine and ovarian carcinosarcomas

Background

Uterine and ovarian carcinosarcomas (CS) are rare cancers with poor prognosis. Sacituzumab-govitecan (SG) is a new class of antibody-drug-conjugate (ADC) targeting the human-trophoblast-cell-surface marker (Trop-2) conjugated with the active metabolite of irinotecan (SN-38). We evaluated the efficacy of SG against biologically aggressive CS.

Methods

Trop-2 expression was evaluated in 10 formalin-fixed-paraffined-embedded (FFPE) CS by immunohistochemistry and 9 primary CS cell-lines by flow-cytometry. One Trop-2 low/negative (SARARK14) and two Trop-2 positive (SARARK4, SARARK9) cell-lines were tested in cell-viability assays . The in vivo antitumor activity of SG was tested in xenografts models (ie, SARARK9) with strong Trop-2 expression.

Results

Strong/diffuse staining was seen in 30% (3/10) of FFPE tumors and 33% (3/9) of primary CS cell lines. Trop-2 positive cell-lines (SARARK4, SARARK9) showed higher sensitivity to SG in vitro when compared to Trop-2 low/negative (SARARK14) cell lines. In xenografts, twice-weekly intravenous administration of SG for three weeks showed a significant tumor growth inhibition when compared to control, to ADC control and to the naked AB (p=0.004, p=0.007 and p=0.0007, respectively). SG significantly improved overall survival at 90 days when compared to control groups (p<0.0001).

Conclusion

SG may represent a novel class of active drugs for carcinosarcomas patients overexpressing Trop-2.

The prognostic value of cyclin D1 expression in the survival of cancer patients: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The relationship between the expression of cyclin D1 and cancer prognosis and outcomes in different malignancies has not been fully elucidated.

AIMS

In the presented meta-analysis, we assessed the association between the expression level of cyclin D1 with overall survival (OS) in several cancers.

METHODS

Eligible studies were identified using PubMed, EMBase, Scopus, Web of Sciences and Cochrane Library databases. For the prognostic meta-analysis, study-specific hazard ratios (HRs) of tissue cyclin D1 for survival were obtained. Finally we pooled data derived from one hundred and eight studies comprising 19,224 patients with 10 different cancer types.

RESULTS

In the pooled analysis, high expression of cyclin D1 was significantly related to a poor OS with a pooled HR of 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02-1.20, P = 0.015; random-effects). Sub-group analysis revealed that high expression of cyclin D1 was related to worse OS of head and neck cancers (HR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.75-2.47; P < 0.001), but not in breast (HR = 1.033, 95% CI: 0.873-1.223, P = 0.702), gastrointestinal (HR = 1.025, 95% CI:0.824-1.275; P = 0.825), bladder (HR = 0.937, CI: 0.844-1.041; P = 0.225) and in lung cancer patients (HR = 1.092, CI: 0.819-1.455; P = 0.549).

CONCLUSION

Further large, prospective, and well-designed trials are warranted to elucidate the precise clinical importance of cyclin D1 overexpression in the prognosis of cancer patients receiving different treatment regimens.

In vitro and in vivo activity of sacituzumab govitecan, an antibody-drug conjugate targeting trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop-2) in uterine serous carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is an aggressive variant of endometrial cancer with poor prognosis. Sacituzumab govitecan (SG) is a novel antibody-drug-conjugate (ADC) targeting trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop-2), a transmembrane-calcium-signal-transducer, to deliver SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of Trop-2 in USC and the preclinical activity of SG against primary USC cell-lines and xenografts.

METHODS

We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and flow-cytometry-based assays to evaluate Trop-2 expression and cell-viability in USC tissue and primary tumor-cell-lines after exposure to SG, non-targeting control ADC, and naked antibody hRS7-IgG. Antibody-dependent-cell-cytotoxicity (ADCC) against Trop-2+ and Trop-2- USC cell-lines was evaluated in vitro using 4-hr-Chromium-release-assays. In vivo activity of SG was tested against Trop-2+ USC xenografts by intravenous administration of SG, control ADC, and hRS7.

RESULTS

Trop-2 expression by IHC was detected in 95.1% of USC samples (99/104). Primary tumor cell-lines overexpressing Trop-2 were significantly more sensitive to SG when compared to control ADC (p <0.05). Both SG and hRS7 mediated ADCC in Trop2+ USC cell-lines while no cytotoxicity was detected against Trop-2- cells. SG induced significant bystander killing of Trop-2- tumors when admixed with Trop-2+ tumors. SG caused growth-inhibition and increased survival in SG treated mice harboring Trop-2+ xenografts when compared to controls (p <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

SG is remarkably active against USC overexpressing Trop-2 in vitro and in vivo. Our results combined with SG clinical responses recently reported against multiple chemotherapy resistant human tumors further support clinical development of SG in USC patients with advanced/recurrent disease.

TROP2 increases growth and metastasis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Most malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity are oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which is a type of highly malignant tumor with a propensity for forming distant metastases. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a transmembrane protein that is overexpressed in several types of tumor cells, although its role and regulatory mechanism in OSCC have not been determined. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of TROP2 in human OSCC cell lines. The present study demonstrated that TROP2 protein expression was upregulated in OSCC cell lines. Transfection of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting TROP2 (sh‑TROP2) reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cell lines, whereas overexpression of TROP2 increased proliferation, migration and invasion. sh‑TROP2 transfection in OSCC cell lines inhibited tumor growth in OSCC mouse models. Furthermore, TROP2 expression activated the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway in human OSCC cells. These results suggest that TROP2 induces cell growth, migration and invasion through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in OSCC cells.

Exosomes isolated from CAPS1‑overexpressing colorectal cancer cells promote cell migration

Calcium‑dependent activator protein for secretion 1 (CAPS1) has been reported to promote metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC), however, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. The present study revealed that exosomes derived from CAPS1‑overexpressing CRC cells could enhance the migration of normal colonic epithelial FHC cells. GW4869, an inhibitor of exosomes, could attenuate the migration of FHC cells. Furthermore, liquid chromatography‑mass spectrometry (LC‑MS) and bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that overexpression of CAPS1 could alter the expression pattern of exosomal proteins involved in cell migration. Bone morphogenetic protein 4, which may serve vital roles in the process of CAPS1‑induced cell migration, was downregulated in the exosomes. In summary, the present results demonstrated that CAPS1 promotes cell migration by regulating exosomes. Inhibiting the secretion of exosomes may be helpful for the treatment of patients with metastatic CRC.

A pan-cancer perspective of matrix metalloproteases (MMP) gene expression profile and their diagnostic/prognostic potential

Implication

By understanding Matrix Metalloprotease (MMP) dysregulation from a pan-cancer perspective, this study sheds light on the diagnostic potentials of MMPs across multiple neoplasms.

Background

MMPs are intriguing genes related to cancer disease progression, functional promotion of angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and avoidance of immune surveillance. Many studies have noted these genes are frequently upregulated in cancer. However, expression patterns of all MMPs and their diagnostic and prognostic potential have not been investigated in a pan-cancer perspective.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data were used to evaluate diagnostic and prognostic potential of 24 MMPs in fifteen different cancer types. Gene expression measured by RNA-seq was analyzed by differential expression, hierarchical clustering, and ROC analysis for individual genes and in combination.

Results

MMP1, MMP9, MMP10, MMP11, and MMP13 were almost universally upregulated across all cancers, with significant (p < 0.05) fold change (FC > 2) in ten of fifteen cancers. MMP3, MMP7, MMP12 and MMP14) are significantly up-regulated in at least 10 cancer types. Interestingly, MMP2, MMP7, MMP23B, MMP27 and MMP28) are significantly down-regulated in seven to nine cancer types. Multiple MMPs possess AUC’s > 0.9 in more than one cancer. However, survival analyses suggest that the prognostic value of MMPs is limited to clear cell renal carcinoma.

Conclusions

Most MMPs have consistently increased gene expression across cancers, while several MMPs have consistently decreased expression in several cancer types. Many MMPs have diagnostic value individually or in combination, while the prognostic value of MMPs is restricted to one subtype of kidney cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5768-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Silencing of the TROP2 gene suppresses proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

Objectives

Overexpression of human trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) has been observed in many cancers; however, its roles in proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the function of Trop2 in HCC.

Methods

Trop2 protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in HCC tissues. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion were respectively measured by CCK-8, flow cytometry, Transwell, and wound healing assays. Expression levels of epithelial–mesenchymal transition-related proteins and Trop2 protein in HCC cell lines were detected by western blotting after silencing of the TROP2 gene.

Results

Trop2 protein was highly expressed in HCC tissues and HCC cell lines. Trop2 mRNA and protein expression levels decreased in HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells after transfection with Trop2 siRNA. Silencing of the TROP2 gene in HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells strongly inhibited cell proliferation and migration, while enhancing cell apoptosis. Investigation of the molecular mechanism revealed that silencing of the TROP2 gene suppressed epithelial–mesenchymal transition of HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells.

Conclusions

The results of the present study may improve understanding of the role of Trop2 in regulation of cell proliferation and invasion, and may aid in development of novel therapy for HCC.

TROP2 overexpression in colorectal liver oligometastases is associated with poor prognosis after liver resection

Background:

The aim of this study was to assess trophoblast antigen protein 2 (TROP2) expression in liver oligometastases and its prognostic value for colorectal liver oligometastasis (CLO) patients undergoing liver resection.

Methods:

We retrospectively selected 129 consecutive CLO patients who underwent curative liver resection between June 1999 and December 2016. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect TROP2 expression in paraffin-embedded specimens. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test, and independent prognostic factors were identified with Cox regression modeling.

Results:

TROP2 was expressed in 72.9% (94/129) of liver oligometastatic tissues. TROP2 expression in primary tumors and liver oligometastases was significantly positively correlated (r = 0.758, p < 0.001). Survival analysis indicated that CLO patients with high TROP2 expression had worse 3-year RFS (44.2% versus 66.4%, p = 0.007) and 3-year OS rates (70.3% versus 85.4%, p = 0.035) than did those with low TROP2 expression. Multivariate analysis indicated that high TROP2 expression was independently associated with poor RFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.017; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.198–3.396; p = 0.023] and OS (HR = 2.090; 95% CI 1.037–4.214; p = 0.039). Gene expression profile analysis indicated that high TROP2 expression was associated with TNFα signaling via NF-κB, the inflammatory response and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Conclusions:

TROP2 overexpression was associated with an unfavorable oncologic prognosis in patients with CLO undergoing liver resection. Detecting TROP2 expression may be valuable for guiding postoperative treatment among CLO patients.

Diagnostic Value of TROP-2 and CK19 Expression in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Both Surgical and Cytological Specimens

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents the most common primary malignant thyroid tumor and its diagnosis is dependent on the presence of classic nuclear features that are sometimes seen in some non-neoplastic and benign lesions. Several immunohistochemical markers are used individually or in combination to help in differentiation of PTC from mimickers. The aim of the current study was to assess the diagnostic value of TROP-2 and cytokeratin 19 (CK19) expression in differentiating PTC from other mimickers both singly and in combination. The current study was carried out on 77 surgical specimens (56 PTC and 21 non-neoplastic cases) and 12 cytological specimens (4 THY2, 6 THY4, and 2 THY5). TROP-2 was negative in 81% of non-neoplastic surgical specimens and in 100% of THY2 cytological specimens while it was positive in 71.4% of PTC surgical specimens and 100% of THY4/THY5 cytological specimens. Sensitivity and specificity of TROP-2 positive expression for diagnosis of PTC in surgical specimens reached 71% and 81%, respectively, while it reached 100% for both in cytological specimens. Cytokeratin 19 showed positive expression in 85.7% of non-neoplastic surgical specimens and in 92.9% of PTC surgical specimens. Cytokeratin 19 showed negative expression in 75% of Thy2 cases while it was positive in all studied Thy4 and Thy5 cases. Sensitivity and specificity of CK19 total estimated score for diagnosis of PTC in surgical specimens were 78.6% and 66.7%, respectively, while it reached 100% and 75% in cytological specimens. Positive TROP-2 and CK19 expression in PTC were associated with lymph node metastasis. TROP-2 is a specific rather than sensitive marker while CK19 is a sensitive rather than specific marker in differentiating PTC from other mimickers in surgical specimens. The diagnostic validity of both markers was superior in diagnosis of classic PTC compared with follicular variant PTC. TROP-2 is superior to CK19 in diagnosis of PTC in cytological specimens. Both TROP-2 and CK19 could be used preoperatively in adjunct to hematoxylin and eosin for more confident diagnosis of thyroid cytology and along with radiology as predictors of lymph node metastasis.

Molecular and Immunohistochemical Markers with Prognostic and Predictive Significance in Liver Metastases from Colorectal Carcinoma

Despite the significant recent achievements in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), the prognosis of these patients has currently plateaued. During the past few years, the opportunity to consider multiple treatment modalities (including surgery and other locoregional treatments, systemic therapy, and targeted therapy) led to the research of novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers in CRC liver metastases (CRCLM) patients. In this review, we seek to describe the current state of knowledge of CRCLM biomarkers and to outline impending clinical perspectives, in particular focusing on the cutting-edge tools available for their characterization.

Down-regulation of TROP-2 Predicts Poor Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and lethal cancer types worldwide, especially in Asian countries. Genetic alterations, including hyperactivation of oncogenes and loss of expression of tumor suppressor genes, greatly contribute to the initiation and progression of HCC. Here we report that down-regulation of trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP-2) was frequently detected in HCC. Transcriptome sequencing of non-tumor and HCC patient samples revealed down-regulation of TROP-2 in tumor tissues. Immunohistochemical staining showed nearly undetectable levels of TROP-2 in HCC tissues but distinct and strong staining of TROP-2 in adjacent non-tumor tissues. The frequent down-regulation of TROP-2 expression was further confirmed in an in-house cohort of 205 pairs of HCC patient samples and in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. Furthermore, the down-regulation of TROP-2 was associated with poor overall survival of HCC patients, severe adjacent organ invasion, and poor differentiation of HCC. Using bisulfite genomic sequencing and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction analyses, we show that higher levels of promoter methylation were detected in the DNA samples of HCC tissues (low TROP-2 expression) than that of the non-tumor tissues (high TROP-2 expression). Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that promoter hypermethylation contributes to the frequent down-regulation of TROP-2 in HCC, and that TROP-2 down-regulation predicts poor prognosis of HCC patients.

TROP2 methylation and expression in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The DNA methyltransferase 1 inhibitor, 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) is a potential treatment for breast cancer. However, not all breast tumors will respond similarly to treatment with 5-Aza-dC, and little is known regarding the response of hormone-resistant breast cancers to 5-Aza-dC.

METHODS

We demonstrate that 5-Aza-dC-treatment has a stronger effect on an estrogen receptor-negative, Tamoxifen-selected cell line, TMX2-28, than on the estrogen receptor-positive, MCF7, parental cell line. Using data obtained from the HM450 Methylation Bead Chip, pyrosequencing, and RT-qPCR, we identified a panel of genes that are silenced by promoter methylation in TMX2-28 and re-expressed after treatment with 5-Aza-dC.

RESULTS

One of the genes identified, tumor associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2), is altered by DNA methylation, and there is evidence that in some cancers decreased expression may result in greater proliferation. Analysis of DNA methylation of TACSTD2 and protein expression of its product, trophoblast antigen protein 2 (TROP2), was extended to a panel of primary (n = 34) and recurrent (n = 34) breast tumors. Stratifying tumors by both recurrence and ER status showed no significant relationship between TROP2 levels and TACSTD2 methylation. Knocking down TACSTD2 expression in MCF7 increased proliferation however; re-expressing TACSTD2 in TMX2-28 did not inhibit proliferation, indicating that TACSTD2 re-expression alone was insufficient to explain the decreased proliferation observed after treatment with 5-Aza-dC.

CONCLUSIONS

These results illustrate the complexity of the TROP2 signaling network. However, TROP2 may be a valid therapeutic target for some cancers. Further studies are needed to identify biomarkers that indicate how TROP2 signaling affects tumor growth and whether targeting TROP2 would be beneficial to the patient.

TROP2 promotes cell proliferation and migration in osteosarcoma through PI3K/AKT signaling

Human trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) has been noted to serve an important role in the proliferation and migration of various types of human cancers. However, the potential role and the molecular mechanisms of TROP2 in osteosarcoma (OS) remain largely unclear. In the present study, high expression of TROP2 in human OS tissues and cell lines was observed. Overexpression of TROP2 promoted the proliferation and migration of OS cell lines, while TROP2 knockdown markedly decreased cell growth and migration. Furthermore, it was revealed that TROP2 overexpression significantly activated the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway. Collectively, these results suggested that TROP2 may promote OS cell proliferation and migration via PI3K/AKT signaling and may serve as a novel treatment target for OS.

The Potential Diagnostic Utility of TROP-2 in Thyroid Neoplasms

Objectives:

Human trophoblast cell-surface marker (TROP-2) has been reported to be overexpressed in various human carcinomas (CAs) and suggested to be a prognostic marker for some CAs. The diagnostic utility of TROP-2 in CAs has not been explored.

Methods:

Immunohistochemical evaluation of TROP-2 expression on tissue microarray sections of 136 thyroid neoplasms, surgical specimens of 61 atypical thyroid follicular-patterned lesions [including 33 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), 17 atypical follicular neoplasms (AFNs), and 11 adenomatoid nodules with focal nuclear atypia (ANFNA)], and 20 benign thyroid lesions, as well as 10 cytology specimens of PTCs was performed. For comparison, immunoassay for Hector Battifora mesothelial-1 (HBME-1), galectin-3, and cytokeratin 19 was performed on the 61 atypical thyroid follicular-patterned lesions.

Results:

Strong membranous staining with TROP-2 was seen in 94% (33/35) of classic PTCs and 81% (30/37) of confirmed follicular variant PTCs on tissue microarray and routine surgical sections, as well as 100% (10/10) of PTCs on cytology specimens; it was not observed in follicular adenomas (n=51) or CAs (n=37), AFNs or ANFNA (n=28), benign (n=20) or normal (n=15) thyroid tissue. In contrast, the expression of HBME-1 and galectin-3 was identified in 100% (33/33) of surgical cases of PTCs and in 57% (16/28) and 50% (14/28) of AFNs and ANFNA, respectively.

Conclusions:

Our findings demonstrate that a membranous TROP-2 staining pattern is highly specific for PTC, which may serve as a potential diagnostic marker aiding in the accurate classification of morphologically equivocal thyroid follicular-patterned lesions.

Expression of a novel CNPY2 isoform in colorectal cancer and its association with oncologic prognosis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Recently, we identified a novel biomarker, canopy fibroblast growth factor signaling regulator 2 (CNPY2) isoform2, and subsequently investigated its expression and prognostic value in CRC patients. We initially generated CNPY2 isoform2 monoclonal antibodies and examined CNPY2 isoform2 expression in CRC cell lines and tissues using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses. We found that CNPY2 isoform2 expression significantly increased in tumor cell lines and tissues compared with that in normal colon epithelial cells and tumor-adjacent normal tissues. Survival analysis indicated that patients with low CNPY2 isoform2 expression had poorer 5-year overall survival (OS) in both the training cohort (41.7% vs. 77.7%, P = 0.007) and validation cohort (47.1% vs. 78.8%, P = 0.002). In multivariable analysis, CNPY2 isoform2 was identified as a predictor of 5-year OS in both the training cohort [hazard ratio (HR) = 5.001; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.156–11.598, P < 0.001) and validation cohort (HR= 2.443; 95% CI 1.197- 4.983, P = 0.014). In conclusion, CNPY2 isoform2 represents as a novel and valuable prognostic indicator for CRC patients, while the oncologic function of CNPY2 requires further study.

Platform-independent gene expression signature differentiates sessile serrated adenomas/polyps and hyperplastic polyps of the colon

Background

Sessile serrated adenomas/polyps are distinguished from hyperplastic colonic polyps subjectively by their endoscopic appearance and histological morphology. However, hyperplastic and sessile serrated polyps can have overlapping morphological features resulting in sessile serrated polyps diagnosed as hyperplastic. While sessile serrated polyps can progress into colon cancer, hyperplastic polyps have virtually no risk for colon cancer. Objective measures, differentiating these types of polyps would improve cancer prevention and treatment outcome.

Methods

RNA-seq training data set and Affimetrix, Illumina testing data sets were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). RNA-seq single-end reads were filtered with FastX toolkit. Read mapping to the human genome, gene abundance estimation, and differential expression analysis were performed with Tophat-Cufflinks pipeline. Background correction, normalization, and probe summarization steps for Affimetrix arrays were performed using the robust multi-array method (RMA). For Illumina arrays, log₂-scale expression data was obtained from GEO. Pathway analysis was implemented using Bioconductor package GSAR. To build a platform-independent molecular classifier that accurately differentiates sessile serrated and hyperplastic polyps we developed a new feature selection step. We also developed a simple procedure to classify new samples as either sessile serrated or hyperplastic with a class probability assigned to the decision, estimated using Cantelli’s inequality.

Results

The classifier trained on RNA-seq data and tested on two independent microarray data sets resulted in zero and three errors. The classifier was further tested using quantitative real-time PCR expression levels of 45 blinded independent formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens and was highly accurate. Pathway analyses have shown that sessile serrated polyps are distinguished from hyperplastic polyps and normal controls by: up-regulation of pathways implicated in proliferation, inflammation, cell-cell adhesion and down-regulation of serine threonine kinase signaling pathway; differential co-expression of pathways regulating cell division, protein trafficking and kinase activities.

Conclusions

Most of the differentially expressed pathways are known as hallmarks of cancer and likely to explain why sessile serrated polyps are more prone to neoplastic transformation than hyperplastic. The new molecular classifier includes 13 genes and may facilitate objective differentiation between two polyps.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12920-017-0317-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.