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Funk OH, Levy DL, Fay DS. Epidermal cell fusion promotes the transition from an embryonic to a larval transcriptome in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.22.595354. [PMID: 38826300 PMCID: PMC11142173 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.22.595354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Cell fusion is a fundamental process in the development of multicellular organisms, yet its impact on gene regulation, particularly during crucial developmental stages, remains poorly understood. The Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis comprises 8-10 syncytial cells, with the largest integrating 139 individual nuclei through cell-cell fusion governed by the fusogenic protein EFF-1. To explore the effects of cell fusion on developmental progression and associated gene expression changes, we conducted transcriptomic analyses of eff-1 fusion-deficient mutants. Our RNAseq findings showed widespread transcriptomic changes that were enriched for epidermal genes and key molecular pathways involved in epidermal function during larval development. Subsequent single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization validated the altered expression of mRNA transcripts, confirming quantifiable changes in gene expression in the absence of embryonic epidermal fusion. These results underscore the significance of cell-cell fusion in shaping transcriptional programs during development and raise questions regarding the precise identities and specialized functions of different subclasses of nuclei within developing syncytial cells and tissues.
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2
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Shimode S. Acquisition and Exaptation of Endogenous Retroviruses in Mammalian Placenta. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1482. [PMID: 37892164 PMCID: PMC10604696 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are retrovirus-like sequences that were previously integrated into the host genome. Although most ERVs are inactivated by mutations, deletions, or epigenetic regulation, some remain transcriptionally active and impact host physiology. Several ERV-encoded proteins, such as Syncytins and Suppressyn, contribute to placenta acquisition, a crucial adaptation in mammals that protects the fetus from external threats and other risks while enabling the maternal supply of oxygen, nutrients, and antibodies. In primates, Syncytin-1 and Syncytin-2 facilitate cell-cell fusion for placental formation. Suppressyn is the first ERV-derived protein that inhibits cell fusion by binding to ASCT2, the receptor for Syncytin-1. Furthermore, Syncytin-2 likely inserted into the genome of the common ancestor of Anthropoidea, whereas Syncytin-1 and Suppressyn likely inserted into the ancestor of catarrhines; however, they were inactivated in some lineages, suggesting that multiple exaptation events had occurred. This review discusses the role of ERV-encoded proteins, particularly Syncytins and Suppressyn, in placental development and function, focusing on the integration of ERVs into the host genome and their contribution to the genetic mechanisms underlying placentogenesis. This review provides valuable insights into the molecular and genetic aspects of placentation, potentially shedding light on broader evolutionary and physiological processes in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayumi Shimode
- Genome Editing Innovation Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan;
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
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3
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Gibbs DE, Pyle AD. Muscle fusogens go viral for gene delivery to skeletal muscle. Cell 2023; 186:2041-2043. [PMID: 37172560 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Viruses and multinucleated cells rely on fusogens to facilitate the fusion of their membranes. In this issue of Cell, Millay and colleagues demonstrate that replacing viral fusogens with mammalian skeletal muscle fusogens leads to the specific transduction of skeletal muscle and the ability to deliver gene therapy constructs in a therapeutically relevant muscle disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin E Gibbs
- Molecular Biology Institute, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - April D Pyle
- Molecular Biology Institute, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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4
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Fahey M, Bennett M, Thomas M, Montney K, Vivancos-Koopman I, Pugliese B, Browning L, Bonassar LJ, Delco M. Mesenchymal stromal cells donate mitochondria to articular chondrocytes exposed to mitochondrial, environmental, and mechanical stress. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21525. [PMID: 36513773 PMCID: PMC9747781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25844-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Articular cartilage has limited healing capacity and no drugs are available that can prevent or slow the development of osteoarthritis (OA) after joint injury. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based regenerative therapies for OA are increasingly common, but questions regarding their mechanisms of action remain. Our group recently reported that although cartilage is avascular and relatively metabolically quiescent, injury induces chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction, driving cartilage degradation and OA. MSCs are known to rescue injured cells and improve healing by donating healthy mitochondria in highly metabolic tissues, but mitochondrial transfer has not been investigated in cartilage. Here, we demonstrate that MSCs transfer mitochondria to stressed chondrocytes in cell culture and in injured cartilage tissue. Conditions known to induce chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction, including stimulation with rotenone/antimycin and hyperoxia, increased transfer. MSC-chondrocyte mitochondrial transfer was blocked by non-specific and specific (connexin-43) gap-junction inhibition. When exposed to mechanically injured cartilage, MSCs localized to areas of matrix damage and extended cellular processes deep into microcracks, delivering mitochondria to chondrocytes. This work provides insights into the chemical, environmental, and mechanical conditions that can elicit MSC-chondrocyte mitochondrial transfer in vitro and in situ, and our findings suggest a new potential role for MSC-based therapeutics after cartilage injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Fahey
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Maureen Bennett
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Matthew Thomas
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Kaylee Montney
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Irene Vivancos-Koopman
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Brenna Pugliese
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lindsay Browning
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lawrence J Bonassar
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Michelle Delco
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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5
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Thomas MA, Fahey MJ, Pugliese BR, Irwin RM, Antonyak MA, Delco ML. Human mesenchymal stromal cells release functional mitochondria in extracellular vesicles. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:870193. [PMID: 36082164 PMCID: PMC9446449 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.870193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cartilage and other skeletal soft tissues heal poorly after injury, in part due to their lack of vascularity and low metabolic rate. No pharmacologic approaches have proven effective in preventing chronic degenerative disease after joint injury. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been investigated for their ability to treat pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) and preserve articular cartilage. Limitations of MSCs include variability in cell phenotype, low engraftment and retention rates, and inconsistent clinical outcomes. Therefore, acellular biologic therapies such as extracellular vesicles (EVs) are currently being investigated. MSC-derived EVs have been found to replicate many of the therapeutic effects of their cells of origin, but the mechanisms driving this remain unclear. Recent evidence in non-orthopedic tissues suggests MSCs can rescue injured cells by donating mitochondria, restoring mitochondrial function in recipient cells, preserving cell viability, and promoting tissue repair. Our group hypothesized that MSCs package mitochondria for export into EVs, and that these so-called "mitoEVs" could provide a delivery strategy for cell-free mitochondria-targeted therapy. Therefore, the goals of this study were to: 1) characterize the vesicle fractions of the MSCs secretome with respect to mitochondrial cargoes, 2) determine if MSC-EVs contain functional mitochondria, and 3) determine if chondrocytes can take up MSC-derived mitoEVs. We isolated exosome, microvesicle, and vesicle-free fractions from MSC-conditioned media. Using a combination of dynamic light scattering and nanoparticle tracking, we determined that MSC-EV populations fall within the three size categories typically used to classify EVs (exosomes, microvesicles, apoptotic bodies). Fluorescent nanoparticle tracking, immunoblotting, and flow cytometry revealed that mitochondrial cargoes are abundant across all EV size populations, and mitoEVs are nearly ubiquitous among the largest EVs. Polarization staining indicated a subset of mitoEVs contain functional mitochondria. Finally, flow cytometry and fluorescent imaging confirmed uptake of mitoEVs by chondrocytes undergoing rotenone/antimycin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. These data indicate that MSCs package intact, functional mitochondria into EVs, which can be transferred to chondrocytes in the absence of direct cell-cell interactions. This work suggests intercellular transfer of healthy MT to chondrocytes could represent a new, acellular approach to augment mitochondrial content and function in poorly-healing avascular skeletal soft tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Thomas
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Megan J. Fahey
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Brenna R. Pugliese
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Rebecca M. Irwin
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Marc A. Antonyak
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Michelle L. Delco
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Ithaca, NY, United States
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6
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Azizi Z, Abbaszadeh R, Sahebnasagh R, Norouzy A, Motevaseli E, Maedler K. Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells for diabetes therapy: touch, fuse, and fix? Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:348. [PMID: 35883121 PMCID: PMC9327419 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-03028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) have anti-inflammatory and pro-survival properties. Naturally, they do not express human leukocyte antigen class II surface antigens and have immunosuppressive capabilities. Together with their relatively easy accessibility and expansion, they are an attractive tool for organ support in transplantation and regenerative therapy. Autologous BM-MSC transplantation alone or together with transplanted islets improves β-cell function, graft survival, and glycemic control in diabetes. Albeit MSCs’ capacity to transdifferentiate into β-cell is limited, their protective effects are mediated mainly by paracrine mechanisms through BM-MSCs circulating through the body. Direct cell–cell contact and spontaneous fusion of BM-MSCs with injured cells, although at a very low rate, are further mechanisms of their supportive effect and for tissue regeneration. Diabetes is a disease of long-term chronic inflammation and cell therapy requires stable, highly functional cells. Several tools and protocols have been developed by mimicking natural fusion events to induce and accelerate fusion in vitro to promote β-cell-specific gene expression in fused cells. BM-MSC-islet fusion before transplantation may be a strategy for long-term islet survival and improved function. This review discusses the cell-protective and anti-inflammatory characteristics of BM-MSCs to boost highly functional insulin-producing cells in vitro and in vivo, and the efficacy of their fusion with β-cells as a path to promote β-cell regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Azizi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 88, Italia St, Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran.
| | - Roya Abbaszadeh
- Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Roxana Sahebnasagh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 88, Italia St, Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Norouzy
- Department of Energy & Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Motevaseli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 88, Italia St, Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran
| | - Kathrin Maedler
- Islet Biology Laboratory, Centre for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen, University of Bremen,, Leobener Straße 5, NW2, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
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7
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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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8
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Shin B, Kim MS, Lee Y, Jung GI, Rhee K. Generation and Fates of Supernumerary Centrioles in Dividing Cells. Mol Cells 2021; 44:699-705. [PMID: 34711687 PMCID: PMC8560585 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The centrosome is a subcellular organelle from which a cilium assembles. Since centrosomes function as spindle poles during mitosis, they have to be present as a pair in a cell. How the correct number of centrosomes is maintained in a cell has been a major issue in the fields of cell cycle and cancer biology. Centrioles, the core of centrosomes, assemble and segregate in close connection to the cell cycle. Abnormalities in centriole numbers are attributed to decoupling from cell cycle regulation. Interestingly, supernumerary centrioles are commonly observed in cancer cells. In this review, we discuss how supernumerary centrioles are generated in diverse cellular conditions. We also discuss how the cells cope with supernumerary centrioles during the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byungho Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Myung Se Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Yejoo Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Gee In Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Kunsoo Rhee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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9
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The Role of MSCs and Cell Fusion in Tissue Regeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222010980. [PMID: 34681639 PMCID: PMC8535885 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222010980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Regenerative medicine is concerned with the investigation of therapeutic agents that can be used to promote the process of regeneration after injury or in different diseases. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and their secretome—including extracellular vesicles (EVs) are of great interest, due to their role in tissue regeneration, immunomodulatory capacity and low immunogenicity. So far, clinical studies are not very conclusive as they show conflicting efficacies regarding the use of MSCs. An additional process possibly involved in regeneration might be cell fusion. This process occurs in both a physiological and a pathophysiological context and can be affected by immune response due to inflammation. In this review the role of MSCs and cell fusion in tissue regeneration is discussed.
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Hass R, von der Ohe J, Dittmar T. Cancer Cell Fusion and Post-Hybrid Selection Process (PHSP). Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184636. [PMID: 34572863 PMCID: PMC8470238 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusion of cancer cells either with other cancer cells (homotypic fusion) in local vicinity of the tumor tissue or with other cell types (e.g., macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), mesenchymal stromal-/stem-like cells (MSC)) (heterotypic fusion) represents a rare event. Accordingly, the clinical relevance of cancer-cell fusion events appears questionable. However, enhanced tumor growth and/or development of certain metastases can originate from cancer-cell fusion. Formation of hybrid cells after cancer-cell fusion requires a post-hybrid selection process (PHSP) to cope with genomic instability of the parental nuclei and reorganize survival and metabolic functionality. The present review dissects mechanisms that contribute to a PHSP and resulting functional alterations of the cancer hybrids. Based upon new properties of cancer hybrid cells, the arising clinical consequences of the subsequent tumor heterogeneity after cancer-cell fusion represent a major therapeutic challenge. However, cellular partners during cancer-cell fusion such as MSC within the tumor microenvironment or MSC-derived exosomes may provide a suitable vehicle to specifically address and deliver anti-tumor cargo to cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Hass
- Biochemistry and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Correspondence: (R.H.); (T.D.); Tel.: +49-511-5326070 (R.H.); +49-2302-926165 (T.D.)
| | - Juliane von der Ohe
- Biochemistry and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Center of Biomedical Education and Research (ZABF), Witten/Herdecke University, 58448 Witten, Germany
- Correspondence: (R.H.); (T.D.); Tel.: +49-511-5326070 (R.H.); +49-2302-926165 (T.D.)
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11
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Hybrid Formation and Fusion of Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174496. [PMID: 34503305 PMCID: PMC8431460 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cell fusion as a fundamental biological process is required for various physiological processes, including fertilization, placentation, myogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and wound healing/tissue regeneration. However, cell fusion is also observed during pathophysiological processes like tumor development. Mesenchymal stroma/stem-like cells (MSC) which play an important role within the tumor microenvironment like other cell types such as macrophages can closely interact and hybridize with cancer cells. The formation of cancer hybrid cells can involve various different mechanisms whereby the genomic parts of the hybrid cells require rearrangement to form a new functional hybrid cell. The fusion of cancer cells with neighboring cell types may represent an important mechanism during tumor development since cancer hybrid cells are detectable in various tumor tissues. During this rare event with resulting genomic instability the cancer hybrid cells undergo a post-hybrid selection process (PHSP) to reorganize chromosomes of the two parental nuclei whereby the majority of the hybrid population undergoes cell death. The remaining cancer hybrid cells survive by displaying altered properties within the tumor tissue. Abstract The generation of cancer hybrid cells by intra-tumoral cell fusion opens new avenues for tumor plasticity to develop cancer stem cells with altered properties, to escape from immune surveillance, to change metastatic behavior, and to broaden drug responsiveness/resistance. Genomic instability and chromosomal rearrangements in bi- or multinucleated aneuploid cancer hybrid cells contribute to these new functions. However, the significance of cell fusion in tumorigenesis is controversial with respect to the low frequency of cancer cell fusion events and a clonal advantage of surviving cancer hybrid cells following a post-hybrid selection process. This review highlights alternative processes of cancer hybrid cell development such as entosis, emperipolesis, cannibalism, therapy-induced polyploidization/endoreduplication, horizontal or lateral gene transfer, and focusses on the predominant mechanisms of cell fusion. Based upon new properties of cancer hybrid cells the arising clinical consequences of the subsequent tumor heterogeneity after cancer cell fusion represent a major therapeutic challenge.
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12
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Baudoin NC, Nicholson JM, Soto K, Martin O, Chen J, Cimini D. Asymmetric clustering of centrosomes defines the early evolution of tetraploid cells. eLife 2020; 9:54565. [PMID: 32347795 PMCID: PMC7250578 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetraploidy has long been of interest to both cell and cancer biologists, partly because of its documented role in tumorigenesis. A common model proposes that the extra centrosomes that are typically acquired during tetraploidization are responsible for driving tumorigenesis. However, tetraploid cells evolved in culture have been shown to lack extra centrosomes. This observation raises questions about how tetraploid cells evolve and more specifically about the mechanisms(s) underlying centrosome loss. Here, using a combination of fixed cell analysis, live cell imaging, and mathematical modeling, we show that populations of newly formed tetraploid cells rapidly evolve in vitro to retain a near-tetraploid chromosome number while losing the extra centrosomes gained at the time of tetraploidization. This appears to happen through a process of natural selection in which tetraploid cells that inherit a single centrosome during a bipolar division with asymmetric centrosome clustering are favored for long-term survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolaas C Baudoin
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Joshua M Nicholson
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Kimberly Soto
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Olga Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Daniela Cimini
- Department of Biological Sciences and Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
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13
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Wang R, Lewis MS, Lyu J, Zhau HE, Pandol SJ, Chung LWK. Cancer-stromal cell fusion as revealed by fluorescence protein tracking. Prostate 2020; 80:274-283. [PMID: 31846114 PMCID: PMC6949378 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We previously determined that cancer-stromal interaction was a direct route to tumor cell heterogeneity progression, since cancer-stromal cell fusion in coculture resulted in the creation of heterogeneous clones of fusion hybrid progeny. In this report, we modified the cancer-stromal coculture system to establish optimal experimental conditions for investigating cell fusion machinery and the mechanism of heterogeneity progression. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Red fluorescence protein-tagged LNCaP cells were cocultured with green fluorescence protein-labeled prostate stromal cells for cancer-stromal cell fusion, which was tracked as dual fluorescent cells by fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS We identified the most efficient strategy to isolate clones of fusion hybrid progenies. From the coculture, mixed cells including fusion hybrids were subjected to low-density replating for colony formation by fusion hybrid progeny. These colonies could propagate into derivative cell populations. Compared to the parental LNCaP cells, clones of the fusion hybrid progeny displayed divergent behaviors and exhibited permanent genomic hybridization. CONCLUSIONS Cancer-stromal cell fusion leads to cancer cell heterogeneity. The cancer-stromal coculture system characterized in this study can be used as a model for molecular characterization of cancer cell fusion as the mechanism behind the progression of heterogeneity observed in clinical prostate cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoxiang Wang
- Uro-Oncology Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pathology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Michael S. Lewis
- Uro-Oncology Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pathology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Ji Lyu
- Uro-Oncology Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Haiyen E. Zhau
- Uro-Oncology Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Stephen J. Pandol
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pathology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
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14
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Yin L, Hu P, Shi X, Qian W, Zhau HE, Pandol SJ, Lewis MS, Chung LWK, Wang R. Cancer cell's neuroendocrine feature can be acquired through cell-cell fusion during cancer-neural stem cell interaction. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1216. [PMID: 31988304 PMCID: PMC6985266 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58118-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced and therapy-resistant prostate tumors often display neural or neuroendocrine behavior. We assessed the consequences of prostate cancer cell interaction with neural cells, which are rich in the human prostate and resident of the prostate tumor. In 3-dimensional co-culture with neurospheres, red fluorescent human LNCaP cells formed agglomerates on the neurosphere surface. Upon induced neural differentiation, some red fluorescent cells showed morphology of fully differentiated neural cells, indicating fusion between the cancer and neural stem cells. These fusion hybrids survived for extended times in a quiescent state. A few eventually restarted cell division and propagated to form derivative hybrid progenies. Clones of the hybrid progenies were highly heterogeneous; most had lost prostatic and epithelial markers while some had acquired neural marker expression. These results indicate that cancer cells can fuse with bystander neural cells in the tumor microenvironment; and cancer cell fusion is a direct route to tumor cell heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Yin
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Uro-Oncology Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peizhen Hu
- Uro-Oncology Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xianping Shi
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Weiping Qian
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Haiyen E Zhau
- Uro-Oncology Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stephen J Pandol
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Lewis
- Department of Pathology, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Health System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Leland W K Chung
- Uro-Oncology Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ruoxiang Wang
- Uro-Oncology Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Health System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Abstract
Exosomes and ectosomes, two distinct types of extracellular vesicles generated by all types of cell, play key roles in intercellular communication. The formation of these vesicles depends on local microdomains assembled in endocytic membranes for exosomes and in the plasma membrane for ectosomes. These microdomains govern the accumulation of proteins and various types of RNA associated with their cytosolic surface, followed by membrane budding inward for exosome precursors and outward for ectosomes. A fraction of endocytic cisternae filled with vesicles - multivesicular bodies - are later destined to undergo regulated exocytosis, leading to the extracellular release of exosomes. In contrast, the regulated release of ectosomes follows promptly after their generation. These two types of vesicle differ in size - 50-150 nm for exosomes and 100-500 nm for ectosomes - and in the mechanisms of assembly, composition, and regulation of release, albeit only partially. For both exosomes and ectosomes, the surface and luminal cargoes are heterogeneous when comparing vesicles released by different cell types or by single cells in different functional states. Upon release, the two types of vesicle navigate through extracellular fluid for varying times and distances. Subsequently, they interact with recognized target cells and undergo fusion with endocytic or plasma membranes, followed by integration of vesicle membranes into their fusion membranes and discharge of luminal cargoes into the cytosol, resulting in changes to cellular physiology. After fusion, exosome/ectosome components can be reassembled in new vesicles that are then recycled to other cells, activating effector networks. Extracellular vesicles also play critical roles in brain and heart diseases and in cancer, and are useful as biomarkers and in the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.
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Donné R, Saroul M, Maillet V, Celton-Morizur S, Desdouets C. [Hepatic polyploidy: Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde]. Med Sci (Paris) 2019; 35:519-526. [PMID: 31274081 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2019094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyploidy (alias whole genome amplification) refers to organisms containing more than two basic sets of chromosomes. Polyploidy was first observed in plants more than a century ago, and it is known that such processes occur in many eukaryotes under a variety of circumstances. In mammals, the development of polyploid cells can contribute to tissue differentiation and therefore possibly a gain of function. Alternately, it can be associated with development of disease such as cancer. Polyploidy can occur because of cell fusion or abnormal cell division. Polyploidy is a common characteristic of the mammalian liver. Polyploidization occurs notably during liver development, but also in adults because of cellular stress. Recent progresses have unraveled the mechanisms and functional consequences of hepatocytes polyploidization during normal and pathological liver growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Donné
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, équipe Proliferation, Stress and Liver Physiopathology, 15, rue de l'École de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Maëva Saroul
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, équipe Proliferation, Stress and Liver Physiopathology, 15, rue de l'École de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Vanessa Maillet
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, équipe Proliferation, Stress and Liver Physiopathology, 15, rue de l'École de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Séverine Celton-Morizur
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, équipe Proliferation, Stress and Liver Physiopathology, 15, rue de l'École de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Chantal Desdouets
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, équipe Proliferation, Stress and Liver Physiopathology, 15, rue de l'École de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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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18
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Histone stress: an unexplored source of chromosomal instability in cancer? Curr Genet 2019; 65:1081-1088. [DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-00967-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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Hypoxia Enhances Fusion of Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells and Epithelial Cells Partly via the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Epithelial Cells. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:5015203. [PMID: 29581976 PMCID: PMC5822897 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5015203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence and indications showed that cell fusion is crucial in tumor development and metastasis, and hypoxia, a closely linked factor to tumor microenvironment, which can lead to EMT, induces angiogenesis and metastasis in tumor growth. However, the relationship between hypoxia and fusion has not been reported yet. EMT will change some proteins in the epithelial cell surface and the changes of proteins in cell surface may increase cell fusion. This study found that hypoxia promotes the spontaneous cell fusion between Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells (OSCCs) and Human Immortalized Oral Epithelial Cells (HIOECs). At the same time, Hypoxia can lead to EMT, and hypoxia-pretreated HIOECs increased fusion rate with OSCC, while the fusion rate was significantly reduced by DAPT, a kind of EMT blocker. Therefore, epithelial cells can increase spontaneously cell fusion with OSCC by EMT. Our study may provide a new insight to link among tumor microenvironment, cell fusion, and cancer.
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Zhuang L, Trueb B. Evolution of the fusogenic activity of the receptor FGFRL1. Arch Biochem Biophys 2017; 625-626:54-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Zito F, Lampiasi N, Kireev I, Russo R. United we stand: Adhesion and molecular mechanisms driving cell fusion across species. Eur J Cell Biol 2016; 95:552-562. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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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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23
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Bastida-Ruiz D, Van Hoesen K, Cohen M. The Dark Side of Cell Fusion. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E638. [PMID: 27136533 PMCID: PMC4881464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17050638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion is a physiological cellular process essential for fertilization, viral entry, muscle differentiation and placental development, among others. In this review, we will highlight the different cancer cell-cell fusions and the advantages obtained by these fusions. We will specially focus on the acquisition of metastatic features by cancer cells after fusion with bone marrow-derived cells. The mechanism by which cancer cells fuse with other cells has been poorly studied thus far, but the presence in several cancer cells of syncytin, a trophoblastic fusogen, leads us to a cancer cell fusion mechanism similar to the one used by the trophoblasts. The mechanism by which cancer cells perform the cell fusion could be an interesting target for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bastida-Ruiz
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
| | - Kylie Van Hoesen
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
| | - Marie Cohen
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
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24
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Abstract
Mammalian life begins with a cell-cell fusion event, i.e. the fusion of the spermatozoid with the oocyte and needs further cell-cell fusion processes for the development, growth, and maintenance of tissues and organs over the whole life span. Furthermore, cellular fusion plays a role in infection, cancer, and stem cell-dependent regeneration as well as including an expanded meaning of partial cellular fusion, nanotube formation, and microparticle-cell fusion. The cellular fusion process is highly regulated by proteins which carry the information to organize and regulate membranes allowing the merge of two separate lipid bilayers into one. The regulation of this genetically and epigenetically controlled process is achieved by different kinds of signals leading to communication of fusing cells. The local cellular and extracellular environment additionally initiates specific cell signaling necessary for the induction of the cell-cell fusion process. Common motifs exist in distinct cell-cell fusion processes and their regulation. However, there is specific regulation of different cell-cell fusion processes, e.g. myoblast, placental, osteoclast, and stem cell fusion. Hence, specialized fusion events vary between cell types and species. Molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown, especially limited knowledge is present for cancer and stem cell fusion mechanisms and regulation. More research is necessary for the understanding of cellular fusion processes which can lead to development of new therapeutic strategies grounding on cellular fusion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Willkomm
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933, Cologne, Germany
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Henderson IM, Collins AM, Quintana HA, Montaño GA, Martinez JA, Paxton WF. Lights on: Dye dequenching reveals polymersome fusion with polymer, lipid and stealth lipid vesicles. POLYMER 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2015.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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26
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Abstract
Cell fusion events are essential for the maintenance of skeletal muscle tissue and during its repair processes after damage. However, these mechanisms have not come much into focus in the recent years. Different methods can be used to assess ongoing cell fusion events in adult skeletal muscle tissue. Among these methods, confocal microscopy, western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reactions are ideal, since they provide concerted information about cell fusion events going on in skeletal muscle tissue at both qualitative and quantitative levels. Confocal microscopy allows for the visualization of exact localizations of cell fusion events in adult skeletal muscle. Western blotting allows for a semiquantitative evaluation of protein levels involved and associated with cell fusions events. Finally, quantitative polymerase chain reaction is a valuable tool to precisely assess mRNA levels of genes involved and associated with cell fusions events. In addition to the investigation if cell fusion markers in skeletal muscle tissue, in vitro cell culture systems (e.g., C2C12 cells) can be used to study cell fusions events in a highly standardized system in order to obtain detailed information about genes and proteins involved in these processes. Here, confocal microscopy, western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction are described as methods to investigate cell fusion events and how a C2C12 cell culture system can be run to support the studies of adult muscle tissue.
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27
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Racca AC, Ridano ME, Camolotto S, Genti-Raimondi S, Panzetta-Dutari GM. A novel regulator of human villous trophoblast fusion: the Krüppel-like factor 6. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 21:347-58. [DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gau113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Goldenberg DM, Rooney RJ, Loo M, Liu D, Chang CH. In-vivo fusion of human cancer and hamster stromal cells permanently transduces and transcribes human DNA. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107927. [PMID: 25259521 PMCID: PMC4178054 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
After demonstrating, with karyotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization, the retention of certain human chromosomes and genes following the spontaneous fusion of human tumor and hamster cells in-vivo, it was postulated that cell fusion causes the horizontal transmission of malignancy and donor genes. Here, we analyzed gene expression profiles of 3 different hybrid tumors first generated in the hamster cheek pouch after human tumor grafting, and then propagated in hamsters and in cell cultures for years: two Hodgkin lymphomas (GW-532, GW-584) and a glioblastoma multiforme (GB-749). Based on the criteria of MAS 5.0 detection P-values ≤0.065 and at least a 2-fold greater signal expression value than a hamster melanoma control, we identified 3,759 probe sets (ranging from 1,040 to 1,303 in each transplant) from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of the 3 hybrid tumors, which unambiguously mapped to 3,107 unique Entrez Gene IDs, representative of all human chromosomes; however, by karyology, one of the hybrid tumors (GB-749) had a total of 15 human chromosomes in its cells. Among the genes mapped, 39 probe sets, representing 33 unique Entrez Gene IDs, complied with the detection criteria in all hybrid tumor samples. Five of these 33 genes encode transcription factors that are known to regulate cell growth and differentiation; five encode cell adhesion- and transmigration-associated proteins that participate in oncogenesis and/or metastasis and invasion; and additional genes encode proteins involved in signaling pathways, regulation of apoptosis, DNA repair, and multidrug resistance. These findings were corroborated by PCR and reverse transcription PCR, showing the presence of human alphoid (α)-satellite DNA and the F11R transcripts in additional tumor transplant generations. We posit that in-vivo fusion discloses genes implicated in tumor progression, and gene families coding for the organoid phenotype. Thus, cancer cells can transduce adjacent stromal cells, with the resulting progeny having permanently transcribed genes with malignant and other gene functions of the donor DNA. Using heterospecific in-vivo cell fusion, genes encoding oncogenic and organogenic traits may be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Goldenberg
- Garden State Cancer Center, Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology, Morris Plains, New Jersey, United States of America
- Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Robert J. Rooney
- Genome Explorations, Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Meiyu Loo
- Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Donglin Liu
- Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Chien-Hsing Chang
- Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey, United States of America
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Role of the vasohibin family in the regulation of fetoplacental vascularization and syncytiotrophoblast formation. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104728. [PMID: 25184477 PMCID: PMC4153575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) and vasohibin-2 (VASH2), the 2 members of the vasohibin family, have been identified as novel regulators of angiogenesis. VASH1 ceases angiogenesis, whereas VASH2 stimulates sprouting. Here we characterized their functional role in the placenta. Immunohistochemical analysis of human placental tissue clarified their distinctive localization; VASH1 in endothelial cells and VASH2 in trophoblasts. We then used a mouse model to explore their function. Wild-type, Vash1(−/−), and Vash2(−/−) mice on a C57BL6 background were used in their first pregnancy. As expected, the fetal vascular area was increased in the Vash1(−/−) mice, whereas it was decreased in the Vash2(−/−) mice relative to wild-type. In addition, we noticed that the Vash2(−/−) mice at 18.5dpc displayed thinner villi of the labyrinth and larger maternal lacunae. Careful observation by an electron microscopy revealed that the syncytiotrophoblast formation was defective in the Vash2(−/−) mice. To test the possible involvement of VASH2 in the syncytiotrophoblast formation, we examined the fusion of BeWo cells, a human trophoblastoid choriocarcinoma cell line. The forskolin treatment induced the fusion of BeWo cells, and the knockdown of VASH2 expression significantly inhibited this cell fusion. Conversely, the overexpression of VASH2 by the infection with adenovirus vector encoding human VASH2 gene significantly increased the fusion of BeWo cells. Glial cell missing-1 and endogenous retrovirus envelope glycoprotein Syncytin 1 and Syncytin 2 are known to be involved in the fusion of trophoblasts. However, VASH2 did not alter their expression in BeWo cells. These results indicate that VASH1 and VASH2 showed distinctive localization and opposing function on the fetoplacental vascularization. Moreover, our study shows for the first time that VASH2 expressed in trophoblasts is involved in the regulation of cell fusion for syncytiotrophoblast formation.
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Henderson IM, Paxton WF. Salt, Shake, Fuse-Giant Hybrid Polymer/Lipid Vesicles through Mechanically Activated Fusion. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2014; 53:3372-6. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201309433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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31
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Henderson IM, Paxton WF. Salt, Shake, Fuse-Giant Hybrid Polymer/Lipid Vesicles through Mechanically Activated Fusion. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201309433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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32
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Chuprin A, Gal H, Biron-Shental T, Biran A, Amiel A, Rozenblatt S, Krizhanovsky V. Cell fusion induced by ERVWE1 or measles virus causes cellular senescence. Genes Dev 2013; 27:2356-66. [PMID: 24186980 PMCID: PMC3828521 DOI: 10.1101/gad.227512.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cellular senescence limits proliferation of potentially detrimental cells, preventing tumorigenesis and restricting tissue damage. However, the function of senescence in nonpathological conditions is unknown. Here, Krizhanovsky and colleagues discover a new pathway to activate senescence cell fusion. The authors find that fusion-induced senescence occurs during embryonic development in the placenta. A counterpart of this process is also observed after infection by the measles virus. The results suggest that fusion-induced senescence is essential during development, and reuse of this program later in life protects agains viral infections. Cellular senescence limits proliferation of potentially detrimental cells, preventing tumorigenesis and restricting tissue damage. However, the function of senescence in nonpathological conditions is unknown. We found that the human placental syncytiotrophoblast exhibited the phenotype and expressed molecular markers of cellular senescence. During embryonic development, ERVWE1-mediated cell fusion results in formation of the syncytiotrophoblast, which serves as the maternal/fetal interface at the placenta. Expression of ERVWE1 caused cell fusion in normal and cancer cells, leading to formation of hyperploid syncytia exhibiting features of cellular senescence. Infection by the measles virus, which leads to cell fusion, also induced cellular senescence in normal and cancer cells. The fused cells activated the main molecular pathways of senescence, the p53- and p16–pRb-dependent pathways; the senescence-associated secretory phenotype; and immune surveillance-related proteins. Thus, fusion-induced senescence might be needed for proper syncytiotrophoblast function during embryonic development, and reuse of this senescence program later in life protects against pathological expression of endogenous fusogens and fusogenic viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Chuprin
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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Gentric G, Desdouets C. Polyploidization in liver tissue. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2013; 184:322-31. [PMID: 24140012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Revised: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Polyploidy (alias whole genome amplification) refers to organisms containing more than two basic sets of chromosomes. Polyploidy was first observed in plants more than a century ago, and it is known that such processes occur in many eukaryotes under a variety of circumstances. In mammals, the development of polyploid cells can contribute to tissue differentiation and, therefore, possibly a gain of function; alternately, it can be associated with development of disease, such as cancer. Polyploidy can occur because of cell fusion or abnormal cell division (endoreplication, mitotic slippage, or cytokinesis failure). Polyploidy is a common characteristic of the mammalian liver. Polyploidization occurs mainly during liver development, but also in adults with increasing age or because of cellular stress (eg, surgical resection, toxic exposure, or viral infections). This review will explore the mechanisms that lead to the development of polyploid cells, our current state of understanding of how polyploidization is regulated during liver growth, and its consequence on liver function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Gentric
- French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), U1016, Cochin Institute, Department of Development, Reproduction and Cancer, Paris, France; French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), UMR 8104, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Desdouets
- French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), U1016, Cochin Institute, Department of Development, Reproduction and Cancer, Paris, France; French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), UMR 8104, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
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Forterre P, Prangishvili D. The major role of viruses in cellular evolution: facts and hypotheses. Curr Opin Virol 2013; 3:558-65. [PMID: 23870799 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2013.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Viral particles are much more abundant than cells and viral genes outnumber cellular ones in the biosphere. Cellular genomes also harbour many integrated viruses whereas cellular genes are rare in viral genomes. The gene flux from virus to cell is thus overwhelming if compared with the opposite event. Novel viral genes continuously arose during replication/recombination of viral genomes in the virocell. These genes can become 'cellular genes' when viral genomes integrate into cellular ones. Together with the arm race between viruses and cells, this explains why viruses have played a major role in shaping cellular gene contents. Several documented cases show that viruses have been involved in the emergence of evolutionary innovations. This gives credit to hypotheses suggesting that viruses have played an important role in the formation of modern cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Forterre
- Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, Paris 75015, France; Univ Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR8621, Orsay Cedex 91405, France.
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Huang G, Li Z, Wan X, Wang Y, Dong J. Human endogenous retroviral K element encodes fusogenic activity in melanoma cells. J Carcinog 2013; 12:5. [PMID: 23599687 PMCID: PMC3622401 DOI: 10.4103/1477-3163.109032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 01/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS Nuclear atypia with features of multi nuclei have been detected in human melanoma specimens. We found that the K type human endogenous retroviral element (HERV K) is expressed in such cells. Since cellular syncytia can form when cells are infected with retroviruses, we hypothesized that HERV K expressed in melanoma cells may contribute to the formation of multinuclear atypia cells in melanoma. EXPERIMENTS AND RESULTS We specifically inhibited HERV K expression using RNA interference (RNAi) and monoclonal antibodies and observed dramatic reduction of intercellular fusion of cultured melanoma cells. Importantly, we identified loss of heterozygosity (LOH)of D19S433 in a cell clone that survived and proliferated after cell fusion. CONCLUSION Our results support the notion that proteins encoded by HERV K can mediate intercellular fusion of melanoma cells, which may generate multinuclear cells and drive the evolution of genetic changes that provide growth and survival advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gengming Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA ; Sealy Center for Cancer Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA
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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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Usaj M, Kanduser M. The Systematic Study of the Electroporation and Electrofusion of B16-F1 and CHO Cells in Isotonic and Hypotonic Buffer. J Membr Biol 2012; 245:583-90. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-012-9470-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2012] [Accepted: 06/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The crosstalk between tumor and stromal cells has become an increasing important subject of the biology of oncogenesis, also involving new therapy paradigms for treating tumor-reactive host cells and vasculature. AREAS COVERED This article describes the long-term propagation in hamsters of a human glioblastoma which was derived from the in-vivo fusion of the human tumor cells with hamster stromal cells. The hybrid tumor cells retained at least seven human genes, of which three were able to translate their protein products during serial passages in vitro and in vivo, as well as features of the original tumor's histological appearance. This heterospecific fusion of cancer and normal host stromal cells is discussed as a mechanism for the horizontal transmission of malignancy, which may be a more common phenomenon in human cancer than appreciated previously. EXPERT OPINION Cell-cell fusion in vivo is one of several mechanisms by which genetic information can be transmitted from tumor to host cells, resulting in new and different (more aggressive) tumor cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Goldenberg
- Garden State Cancer Center, Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology, 300 The American Road, Morris Plains, NJ 07950, USA.
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Chan L, Terashima T, Urabe H, Lin F, Kojima H. Pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy: bad to the bone. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2012; 1240:70-6. [PMID: 22172042 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06309.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Insulin and proinsulin are normally produced only by the pancreas and thymus. We detected in diabetic rodents the presence of extra pancreatic proinsulin-producing bone marrow-derived cells (PI-BMDCs) in the BM, liver, and fat. In mice and rats with diabetic neuropathy, we also found proinsulin-producing cells in the sciatic nerve and neurons of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). BM transplantation experiments using genetically marked donor and recipient mice showed that the proinsulin-producing cells in the DRG, which morphologically resemble neurons, are actually polyploid proinsulin-producing fusion cells formed between neurons and PI-BMDCs. Additional experiments indicate that diabetic neuropathy is not simply the result of nerve cells being damaged directly by hyperglycemia. Rather, hyperglycemia induces fusogenic PI-BMDCs that travel to the peripheral nervous system, where they fuse with Schwann cells and DRG neurons, causing neuronal dysfunction and death, the sine qua non for diabetic neuropathy. Poorly controlled diabetes is indeed bad to the bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence Chan
- Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
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Matsuura K, Jigami T, Taniue K, Morishita Y, Adachi S, Senda T, Nonaka A, Aburatani H, Nakamura T, Akiyama T. Identification of a link between Wnt/β-catenin signalling and the cell fusion pathway. Nat Commun 2011; 2:548. [PMID: 22109522 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2011] [Accepted: 10/17/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion has a critical role in various developmental processes, immune response, tissue homeostasis and regeneration, and possibly, in cancer. However, the signals that regulate cell fusion remain poorly understood. In a screen for novel targets of Wnt/β-catenin signalling, we identified glial cells missing 1 (GCM1), which encodes a transcription factor that is involved in epigenetic regulation and is critical for the fusion of syncytiotrophoblast (ST) cells. Here we show that β-catenin/BCL9-Like (BCL9L)/T-cell factor 4 (TCF4) signalling directly targets the GCM1/syncytin pathway and thereby regulates the fusion of human choriocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, we show that the GCM1/syncytin-B pathway is significantly downregulated in the placenta of BCL9L-deficient mice and that the fusion and differentiation of ST-II cells are blocked. Our results demonstrate a signal transduction pathway that regulates cell fusion, and may provide intriguing perspectives into the various biological and pathological processes that involve cell fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Matsuura
- Laboratory of Molecular and Genetic Information, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
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41
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Terashima T, Kojima H, Chan L. Bone marrow expression of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase underlies diabetic neuropathy via hematopoietic-neuronal cell fusion. FASEB J 2011; 26:295-308. [PMID: 21978940 DOI: 10.1096/fj.11-186262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy is the most common diabetic complication. The pathogenetic pathways include oxidative stress, advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation, protein kinase C, and NF-κB activation, as well as increased polyol flux. These metabolic perturbations affect neurons, Schwann cells, and vasa nervorum, which are held to be the primary cell types involved. We hypothesize that diabetes induces the appearance of abnormal bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) that fuse with neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of mice, leading to diabetic neuropathy. Neuronal poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) activation in diabetes is known to generate free radical and oxidant-induced injury and poly(ADP-ribose) polymer formation, resulting in neuronal death and dysfunction, culminating in neuropathy. We further hypothesize that BM-specific PARP expression plays a determining role in disease pathogenesis. Here we show that bone marrow transplantation (BMT) of PARP-knockout (PARPKO) cells to wild-type mice protects against, whereas BMT of wild-type cells to PARPKO mice, which are normally "neuropathy-resistant," confers susceptibility to, diabetic neuropathy. The pathogenetic process involving hyperglycemia, BMDCs, and BMDC-neuron fusion can be recapitulated in vitro. Incubation in high, but not low, glucose confers fusogenicity to BMDCs, which are characterized by proinsulin (PI) and TNF-α coexpression; coincubation of isolated DRG neurons with PI-BMDCs in high glucose leads to spontaneous fusion between the 2 cell types, while the presence of a PARP inhibitor or use of PARPKO BMDCs in the incubation protects against BMDC-neuron fusion. These complementary in vivo and in vitro experiments indicate that BMDC-PARP expression promotes diabetic neuropathy via BMDC-neuron fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Terashima
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Goldenberg DM, Zagzag D, Heselmeyer-Haddad KM, Berroa Garcia LY, Ried T, Loo M, Chang CH, Gold DV. Horizontal transmission and retention of malignancy, as well as functional human genes, after spontaneous fusion of human glioblastoma and hamster host cells in vivo. Int J Cancer 2011; 131:49-58. [PMID: 21796629 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.26327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2011] [Accepted: 07/14/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell fusion in vitro has been used to study cancer, gene mapping and regulation, and the production of antibodies via hybridomas. However, in-vivo heterosynkaryon formation by cell-cell fusion has received less attention. This investigation describes the spontaneous fusion of a human glioblastoma with normal hamster cells after xenogeneic transplantation, resulting in malignant cells that express both human and hamster genes and gene products, and retention of glioblastoma traits with an enhanced ability to metastasize. Three of 7 human genes found showed translation of their proteins during serial propagation in vivo or in vitro for years; namely, CD74, CXCR4 and PLAGL2, each implicated with malignancy or glioblastoma. This supports the thesis that genetic hybridization of cancer and normal cells can transmit malignancy and also, as first described herein, regulatory genes involved in the tumor's organotypic morphology. Evidence also is increasing that even cell-free human cancer DNA can induce malignancy and transfer genetic information to normal cells. Hence, we posit that the transfer of genetic information between tumor and stromal cells, whether by cell-cell fusion or other mechanisms, is implicated in the progression of malignancy, and may further define the crosstalk between cancer cells and their stromal neighbors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Goldenberg
- Garden State Cancer Center, Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology, Morris Plains, NJ, USA.
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Gnidehou S, Gerbaud P, Ducarme G, Ferreira F, Badet J, Malassiné A, Evain-Brion D, Frendo JL. Expression in Escherichia coli and purification of human recombinant connexin-43, a four-pass transmembrane protein. Protein Expr Purif 2011; 78:174-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2011.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2011] [Revised: 04/15/2011] [Accepted: 04/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Søe K, Andersen TL, Hobolt-Pedersen AS, Bjerregaard B, Larsson LI, Delaissé JM. Involvement of human endogenous retroviral syncytin-1 in human osteoclast fusion. Bone 2011; 48:837-46. [PMID: 21111077 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2010.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2010] [Revised: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 11/13/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Generation of osteoclasts through fusion of mono-nucleated precursors is a key event of bone physiology and bone resorption is inefficient without osteoclast fusion. Several factors playing a critical role in the fusion process have already been recognized, but the factors involved in the actual fusion of the lipid bilayers of their cell membranes are still unknown. Syncytin-1 is a protein encoded by a human endogenous retroviral gene which was stably integrated into the human ancestor genome more than 24 million years ago. Upon activation, syncytin-1 is able to destabilize the lipid bilayer of the target cell and to force the merging of plasma membranes. This protein is a key player in the fusion of cytotrophoblasts. In the present study, syncytin-1 as well as its putative receptor ASCT2 was found to be expressed in differentiating osteoclasts in vitro, both on mRNA and protein level. This was documented through Q-PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses. These in vitro findings were confirmed by immunohistochemical stainings in human iliac crest biopsies. A syncytin-1 inhibitory peptide reduced the number of nuclei per osteoclast by 30%, as well as TRACP activity. From a mechanistic point of view, it is interesting that the distribution of syncytin-1 immunoreactivity on the cell surface parallels that of actin, another important player in cell fusion, and that cell-cell proximity induces particular patterns of distribution of syncytin-1 and actin in the respective cells. These complementary observations support a critical role of syncytin-1 in osteoclast fusion, which is of special interest in view of its well-known ability to force the merging of plasma membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent Søe
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology, Vejle Hospital, IRS/CSFU, University of Southern Denmark, Kabbeltoft 25, 7100 Vejle, Denmark.
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Cell Fusion and Tissue Regeneration. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 713:161-75. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0763-4_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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46
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New Insights into the Mechanisms and Roles of Cell–Cell Fusion. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2011; 289:149-209. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-386039-2.00005-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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47
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Dittmar T, Schwitalla S, Seidel J, Haverkampf S, Reith G, Meyer-Staeckling S, Brandt BH, Niggemann B, Zänker KS. Characterization of hybrid cells derived from spontaneous fusion events between breast epithelial cells exhibiting stem-like characteristics and breast cancer cells. Clin Exp Metastasis 2010; 28:75-90. [PMID: 20981475 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-010-9359-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Accepted: 10/11/2010] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Several data of the past years clearly indicated that the fusion of tumor cells and tumor cells or tumor cells and normal cells can give rise to hybrids cells exhibited novel properties such as an increased malignancy, drug resistance, or resistance to apoptosis. In the present study we characterized hybrid cells derived from spontaneous fusion events between the breast epithelial cell line M13SV1-EGFP-Neo and two breast cancer cell lines: HS578T-Hyg and MDA-MB-435-Hyg. Short-tandem-repeat analysis revealed an overlap of parental alleles in all hybrid cells indicating that hybrid cells originated from real cell fusion events. RealTime-PCR-array gene expression data provided evidence that each hybrid cell clone exhibited a unique gene expression pattern, resulting in a specific resistance of hybrid clones towards chemotherapeutic drugs, such as doxorubicin and paclitaxel, as well as a specific migratory behavior of hybrid clones towards EGF. For instance, M13MDA435-4 hybrids showed a marked resistance towards etoposide, doxorubicin and paclitaxel, whereas hybrid clones M13MDA-435-1 and -2 were only resistant towards etoposide. Likewise, all investigated M13MDA435 hybrids responded to EGF with an increased migratory activity, whereas the migration of parental MDA-MB-435-Hyg cells was blocked by EGF, suggesting that M13MDA435 hybrids may have acquired a new motility pathway. Similar findings have been obtained for M13HS hybrids. We conclude from our data that they further support the hypothesis that cell fusion could give rise to drug resistant and migratory active tumor (hybrid) cells in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Zentrum für Biomedizinische Ausbildung und Forschung an der UWH (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
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48
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Oren-Suissa M, Podbilewicz B. Evolution of programmed cell fusion: common mechanisms and distinct functions. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:1515-28. [PMID: 20419783 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells have evolved diverged mechanisms to merge cells. Here, we discuss three types of cell fusion: (1) Non-self-fusion, cells with different genetic contents fuse to start a new organism and fusion between enveloped viruses and host cells; (2) Self-fusion, genetically identical cells fuse to form a multinucleated cell; and (3) Auto-fusion, a single cell fuses with itself by bringing specialized cell membrane domains into contact and transforming itself into a ring-shaped cell. This is a new type of selfish fusion discovered in C. elegans. We divide cell fusion into three stages: (1) Specification of the cell-fusion fate; (2) Cell attraction, attachment, and recognition; (3) Execution of plasma membrane fusion, cytoplasmic mixing and cytoskeletal rearrangements. We analyze cell fusion in diverse biological systems in development and disease emphasizing the mechanistic contributions of C. elegans to the understanding of programmed cell fusion, a genetically encoded pathway to merge specific cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Biology, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Sun Y, Ouyang DY, Pang W, Tu YQ, Li YY, Shen XM, Tam SC, Yang HY, Zheng YT. Expression of syncytin in leukemia and lymphoma cells. Leuk Res 2010; 34:1195-202. [PMID: 20362331 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2010.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2009] [Revised: 03/07/2010] [Accepted: 03/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Syncytin is a placenta-specific protein and generally believed to play a pivotal role in syncytiotrophoblast morphogenesis. In this study, transcripts of this gene were quantified by real-time RT-PCR and the translated products were measured by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Results showed that syncytin was found to be expressed in all nine leukemia and lymphoma cell lines studied albeit at different levels and in 43 peripheral blood samples of 57 leukemia or lymphoma patients. Neither the transcripts nor the translated syncytin was detected in blood samples of normal individuals. In conclusion, peripheral blood syncytin may serve as a marker for leukemia and lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Jiaochang Donglu, Kunming 650223, China
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Pidoux G, Gerbaud P, Gnidehou S, Grynberg M, Geneau G, Guibourdenche J, Carette D, Cronier L, Evain-Brion D, Malassiné A, Frendo JL. ZO-1 is involved in trophoblastic cell differentiation in human placenta. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2010; 298:C1517-26. [PMID: 20200207 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00484.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Trophoblastic cell-cell fusion is an essential event required during human placental development. Several membrane proteins have been described to be directly involved in this process, including connexin 43 (Cx43), syncytin 1 (Herv-W env), and syncytin 2 (Herv-FRD env glycoprotein). Recently, zona occludens (ZO) proteins (peripheral membrane proteins associated with tight junctions, adherens junctions, and gap junctions) were shown to be involved in mouse placental development. Moreover, zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) was localized mainly at the intercellular boundaries between human trophoblastic cells. Therefore the role of ZO-1 in the dynamic process of human trophoblastic cell-cell fusion was investigated using primary trophoblastic cells in culture. In vitro as in situ, ZO-1 was localized mainly at the intercellular boundaries between trophoblastic cells where its expression substantially decreased during differentiation and during fusion. At the same time, Cx43 was localized at the interface of trophoblastic cells and its expression increased during differentiation. To determine a functional role for ZO-1 during trophoblast differentiation, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to knock down ZO-1 expression. Cytotrophoblasts treated with ZO-1 siRNA fused poorly, but interestingly, decreased Cx43 expression without altering the functionality of trophoblastic cell-cell communication as measured by relative permeability time constant determined using gap-FRAP experiments. Because kinetics of Cx43 and ZO-1 proteins show a mirror image, a potential association of these two proteins was investigated. By using coimmunoprecipitation experiments, a physical interaction between ZO-1 and Cx43 was demonstrated. These results demonstrate that a decrease in ZO-1 expression reduces human trophoblast cell-cell fusion and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Pidoux
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U767, Paris, USA
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