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Chu X, Li X, Zhang Y, Dang G, Miao Y, Xu W, Wang J, Zhang Z, Cheng S. Integrative single-cell analysis of human colorectal cancer reveals patient stratification with distinct immune evasion mechanisms. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:1409-1426. [PMID: 39147986 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00807-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) considerably influences colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, therapeutic response and clinical outcome, but studies of interindividual heterogeneities of the TME in CRC are lacking. Here, by integrating human colorectal single-cell transcriptomic data from approximately 200 donors, we comprehensively characterized transcriptional remodeling in the TME compared to noncancer tissues and identified a rare tumor-specific subset of endothelial cells with T cell recruitment potential. The large sample size enabled us to stratify patients based on their TME heterogeneity, revealing divergent TME subtypes in which cancer cells exploit different immune evasion mechanisms. Additionally, by associating single-cell transcriptional profiling with risk genes identified by genome-wide association studies, we determined that stromal cells are major effector cell types in CRC genetic susceptibility. In summary, our results provide valuable insights into CRC pathogenesis and might help with the development of personalized immune therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yu Zhang
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Guohui Dang
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Wenbin Xu
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | | | - Zemin Zhang
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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2
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Faa G, Coghe F, Pretta A, Castagnola M, Van Eyken P, Saba L, Scartozzi M, Fraschini M. Artificial Intelligence Models for the Detection of Microsatellite Instability from Whole-Slide Imaging of Colorectal Cancer. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:1605. [PMID: 39125481 PMCID: PMC11311951 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14151605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
With the advent of whole-slide imaging (WSI), a technology that can digitally scan whole slides in high resolution, pathology is undergoing a digital revolution. Detecting microsatellite instability (MSI) in colorectal cancer is crucial for proper treatment, as it identifies patients responsible for immunotherapy. Even though universal testing for MSI is recommended, particularly in patients affected by colorectal cancer (CRC), many patients remain untested, and they reside mainly in low-income countries. A critical need exists for accessible, low-cost tools to perform MSI pre-screening. Here, the potential predictive role of the most relevant artificial intelligence-driven models in predicting microsatellite instability directly from histology alone is discussed, focusing on CRC. The role of deep learning (DL) models in identifying the MSI status is here analyzed in the most relevant studies reporting the development of algorithms trained to this end. The most important performance and the most relevant deficiencies are discussed for every AI method. The models proposed for algorithm sharing among multiple research and clinical centers, including federal learning (FL) and swarm learning (SL), are reported. According to all the studies reported here, AI models are valuable tools for predicting MSI status on WSI alone in CRC. The use of digitized H&E-stained sections and a trained algorithm allow the extraction of relevant molecular information, such as MSI status, in a short time and at a low cost. The possible advantages related to introducing DL methods in routine surgical pathology are underlined here, and the acceleration of the digital transformation of pathology departments and services is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavino Faa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Ferdinando Coghe
- UOC Laboratorio Analisi, AOU of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Andrea Pretta
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (A.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Massimo Castagnola
- Laboratorio di Proteomica, Centro Europeo di Ricerca sul Cervello, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy;
| | - Peter Van Eyken
- Division of Pathology, Genk Regional Hospital, 3600 Genk, Belgium;
| | - Luca Saba
- Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, University of Cagliari, 40138 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Mario Scartozzi
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (A.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Matteo Fraschini
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica ed Elettronica, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
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3
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Brisset M, Mehlen P, Meurette O, Hollande F. Notch receptor/ligand diversity: contribution to colorectal cancer stem cell heterogeneity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1231416. [PMID: 37860822 PMCID: PMC10582728 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1231416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cell heterogeneity is a key contributor to therapeutic failure and post-treatment recurrence. Targeting cell subpopulations responsible for chemoresistance and recurrence seems to be an attractive approach to improve treatment outcome in cancer patients. However, this remains challenging due to the complexity and incomplete characterization of tumor cell subpopulations. The heterogeneity of cells exhibiting stemness-related features, such as self-renewal and chemoresistance, fuels this complexity. Notch signaling is a known regulator of cancer stem cell (CSC) features in colorectal cancer (CRC), though the effects of its heterogenous signaling on CRC cell stemness are only just emerging. In this review, we discuss how Notch ligand-receptor specificity contributes to regulating stemness, self-renewal, chemoresistance and cancer stem cells heterogeneity in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Brisset
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Cancer Cell Death Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Patrick Mehlen
- Cancer Cell Death Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Olivier Meurette
- Cancer Cell Death Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Frédéric Hollande
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Ottaiano A, Ianniello M, Santorsola M, Ruggiero R, Sirica R, Sabbatino F, Perri F, Cascella M, Di Marzo M, Berretta M, Caraglia M, Nasti G, Savarese G. From Chaos to Opportunity: Decoding Cancer Heterogeneity for Enhanced Treatment Strategies. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1183. [PMID: 37759584 PMCID: PMC10525472 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Cancer manifests as a multifaceted disease, characterized by aberrant cellular proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion. Tumors exhibit variances across diverse dimensions, encompassing genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional realms. This heterogeneity poses significant challenges in prognosis and treatment, affording tumors advantages through an increased propensity to accumulate mutations linked to immune system evasion and drug resistance. In this review, we offer insights into tumor heterogeneity as a crucial characteristic of cancer, exploring the difficulties associated with measuring and quantifying such heterogeneity from clinical and biological perspectives. By emphasizing the critical nature of understanding tumor heterogeneity, this work contributes to raising awareness about the importance of developing effective cancer therapies that target this distinct and elusive trait of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Ottaiano
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS “G. Pascale”, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (M.C.); (M.D.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Monica Ianniello
- AMES, Centro Polidiagnostico Strumentale srl, Via Padre Carmine Fico 24, 80013 Casalnuovo Di Napoli, Italy; (M.I.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (G.S.)
| | - Mariachiara Santorsola
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS “G. Pascale”, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (M.C.); (M.D.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Raffaella Ruggiero
- AMES, Centro Polidiagnostico Strumentale srl, Via Padre Carmine Fico 24, 80013 Casalnuovo Di Napoli, Italy; (M.I.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (G.S.)
| | - Roberto Sirica
- AMES, Centro Polidiagnostico Strumentale srl, Via Padre Carmine Fico 24, 80013 Casalnuovo Di Napoli, Italy; (M.I.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (G.S.)
| | - Francesco Sabbatino
- Oncology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy;
| | - Francesco Perri
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS “G. Pascale”, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (M.C.); (M.D.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Marco Cascella
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS “G. Pascale”, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (M.C.); (M.D.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Massimiliano Di Marzo
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS “G. Pascale”, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (M.C.); (M.D.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Massimiliano Berretta
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy;
| | - Michele Caraglia
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via Luigi De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Guglielmo Nasti
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS “G. Pascale”, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.S.); (F.P.); (M.C.); (M.D.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Giovanni Savarese
- AMES, Centro Polidiagnostico Strumentale srl, Via Padre Carmine Fico 24, 80013 Casalnuovo Di Napoli, Italy; (M.I.); (R.R.); (R.S.); (G.S.)
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Gong D, Adomako-Bonsu AG, Wang M, Li J. Three specific gut bacteria in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer: a concerted effort. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15777. [PMID: 37554340 PMCID: PMC10405800 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC), which develops from the gradual evolution of tubular adenomas and serrated polyps in the colon and rectum, has a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. In addition to genetics, lifestyle, and chronic diseases, intestinal integrity and microbiota (which facilitate digestion, metabolism, and immune regulation) could promote CRC development. For example, enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis, genotoxic Escherichia coli (pks+ E. coli), and Fusobacterium nucleatum, members of the intestinal microbiota, are highly correlated in CRC. This review describes the roles and mechanisms of these three bacteria in CRC development. Their interaction during CRC initiation and progression has also been proposed. Our view is that in the precancerous stage of colorectal cancer, ETBF causes inflammation, leading to potential changes in intestinal ecology that may provide the basic conditions for pks+ E. coli colonization and induction of oncogenic mutations, when cancerous intestinal epithelial cells can further recruit F. nucleatum to colonise the lesion site and F. nucleatum may contribute to CRC advancement by primarily the development of cancer cells, stemization, and proliferation, which could create new and tailored preventive, screening and therapeutic interventions. However, there is the most dominant microbiota in each stage of CRC development, not neglecting the possibility that two or even all three bacteria could be engaged at any stage of the disease. The relationship between the associated gut microbiota and CRC development may provide important information for therapeutic strategies to assess the potential use of the associated gut microbiota in CRC studies, antibiotic therapy, and prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengmei Gong
- Institute of Zoonosis, College of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Amma G Adomako-Bonsu
- Institute of Toxicology and Pharmacology, University Medical School Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Maijian Wang
- Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliate Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Jida Li
- Institute of Zoonosis, College of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
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Roht L, Laidre P, Tooming M, Tõnisson N, Nõukas M, Nurm M, Estonian Biobank Research Team, Roomere H, Rekker K, Toome K, Fjodorova O, Murumets Ü, Šamarina U, Pajusalu S, Aaspõllu A, Salumäe L, Muhu K, Soplepmann J, Õunap K, Kahre T. The Prevalence and Molecular Landscape of Lynch Syndrome in the Affected and General Population. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3663. [PMID: 37509324 PMCID: PMC10377710 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most frequent genetically pre-disposed colorectal cancer (CRC) syndrome, accounting for 2-3% of all CRC cases. In Estonia, ~1000 new cases are diagnosed each year. This retroactive and prospective study aimed to estimate the prevalence of LS and describe disease-causing variants in mismatch repair (MMR) genes in a diagnostic setting and in the Estonian general population. METHODS LS data for the diagnostic cohort were gathered from 2012 to 2022 and data for the general population were acquired from the Estonian Biobank (EstBB). Furthermore, we conducted a pilot study to estimate the improvement of LS diagnostic yield by raising the age limit to >50 years for immunohistochemistry analysis of MMR genes. RESULTS We estimated LS live birth prevalence between 1930 and 2003 in Estonia at 1:8638 (95% CI: 1: 9859-7588). During the study period, we gathered 181 LS individuals. We saw almost a six-fold increase in case prevalence, probably deriving from better health awareness, improved diagnostic possibilities and the implementation of MMR IHC testing in a broader age group. CONCLUSION The most common genes affected in the diagnostic and EstBB cohorts were MLH1 and PMS2 genes, respectively. The LS diagnosis mean age was 44.8 years for index cases and 36.8 years (p = 0.003) for family members. In the MMR IHC pilot study, 29% had LS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Roht
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Piret Laidre
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mikk Tooming
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Neeme Tõnisson
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Estonian Biobank, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margit Nõukas
- Estonian Biobank, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Miriam Nurm
- Estonian Biobank, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Hanno Roomere
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kadri Rekker
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kadri Toome
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Olga Fjodorova
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ülle Murumets
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ustina Šamarina
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sander Pajusalu
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Liis Salumäe
- Pathology Service, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kristina Muhu
- Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, 10142 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Jaan Soplepmann
- Department of Surgical and Gynecological Oncology, Surgery Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Katrin Õunap
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tiina Kahre
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Laboratory Genetics, Genetics and Personalized Medicine Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
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Ruff SM, Shannon AH, Pawlik TM. The Role of Targeted Therapy in the Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Colorectal Liver Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3513. [PMID: 37444625 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Among newly diagnosed patients with CRC, 20% will present with metastatic disease and another 25% will develop metastases. The surgical resection of the primary tumor and metastatic disease sites confers the best chance at long-term survival. Unfortunately, many patients will recur after resection or present with unresectable disease. As such, metastatic CRC is commonly treated with a combination of surgery, systemic therapy, and/or liver-directed therapies. Despite best efforts, 5-year survival for unresectable metastatic CRC is only about 20%. CRC is a heterogeneous disease and the underlying genetic differences inform behavior, treatment strategy, and prognosis. Given the limitations of cytotoxic chemotherapy and the growing role of molecular profiling, research has focused on identifying and developing targeted therapies. We herein review how genetic profiling informs prognosis, crucial cell-signaling pathways that play a role in CRC carcinogenesis, and currently approved targeted therapies for metastatic CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Ruff
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Alexander H Shannon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Timothy M Pawlik
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Hlaváč V, Červenková L, Šůsová S, Holý P, Liška V, Vyčítal O, Šorejs O, Fiala O, Daum O, Souček P. Exome Sequencing of Paired Colorectal Carcinomas and Synchronous Liver Metastases for Prognosis and Therapy Prediction. JCO Precis Oncol 2023; 7:e2200557. [PMID: 37141551 DOI: 10.1200/po.22.00557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Analysis of somatic variant profiles in retrospectively collected pairs of primary tumors and synchronous liver metastases from surgically treated patients with colorectal carcinomas. Mutational profiles were compared between groups of patients stratified by response to chemotherapy and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study used whole-exome sequencing of tumor sample pairs from 20 patients diagnosed and treated at a single center. The Cancer Genome Atlas COAD-READ data set (n = 380) was used for validation in silico, where possible. RESULTS The most frequently altered oncodrivers were APC (55% in primaries and 60% in metastases), TP53 (50/45), TRIP11 (30/5), FAT4 (20/25), and KRAS (15/25). Harboring variants with a high or moderate predicted functional effect in KRAS in primary tumors was significantly associated with poor relapse-free survival in both our sample set and the validation data set. We found a number of additional prognostic associations, including mutational load, alterations in individual genes, oncodriver pathways, and single base substitution (SBS) signatures in primary tissues, which were not confirmed by validation. Altered ATM, DNAH11, and MUC5AC, or a higher share of SBS24 signature in metastases seemed to represent poor prognostic factors, but because of a lack of suitable validation data sets, these results must be treated with extreme caution. No gene or profile was significantly associated with response to chemotherapy. CONCLUSION Taken together, we report subtle differences in exome mutational profiles between paired primary tumors and synchronous liver metastases and a distinct prognostic relevance of KRAS in primary tumors. Although the general scarcity of primary tumor-synchronous metastasis sample pairs with high-quality clinical data makes robust validation difficult, this study provides potentially valuable data for utilization in precision oncology and could serve as a springboard for larger studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Hlaváč
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Červenková
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Genomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Šůsová
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Holý
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Liška
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Genomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Vyčítal
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Genomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Šorejs
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Genomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Fiala
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Genomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Daum
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Souček
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
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Zhang Y, Wang Y, Zhang B, Li P, Zhao Y. Methods and biomarkers for early detection, prediction, and diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114786. [PMID: 37119736 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common digestive diseases worldwide. It has steadily ascended to the top three cancers in terms of incidence and mortality. The primary cause is the inability to diagnose it at an early stage. Therefore, early detection and diagnosis are essential for colorectal cancer prevention. Although there are now various methods for CRC early detection, in addition to recent developments in surgical and multimodal therapy, the poor prognosis and late detection of CRC still remain significant. Thus, it is important to investigate novel technologies and biomarkers to improve the sensitization and specification of CRC diagnosis. Here, we present some common methods and biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis of CRC, we hope this review will encourage the adoption of screening programs and the clinical use of these potential molecules as biomarkers for CRC early detection and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Shandong Province affiliated to Qingdao University, Shandong Province, China
| | - Bingqiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Immune Cells of Qingdao, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Peifeng Li
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China.
| | - Yi Zhao
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China.
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10
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Žilinskas J, Stukas D, Jasukaitienė A, Šapauskienė J, Banienė R, Trumbeckaitė S, Švagždys S, Cicciu M, Dambrauskas Ž, Gulbinas A, Tamelis A. HAMLET effect on cell death and mitochondrial respiration in colorectal cancer cell lines with KRAS/BRAF mutations. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023:10.1007/s00432-023-04777-0. [PMID: 37099199 PMCID: PMC10374481 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04777-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Treatment of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) depends on the correct selection of personalized strategies. HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells) is a natural proteolipid milk compound that might serve as a novel cancer prevention and therapy candidate. Our purpose was to investigate HAMLET effect on viability, death pathway and mitochondrial bioenergetics of CRC cells with different KRAS/BRAF mutational status in vitro. METHODS We treated three cell lines (Caco-2, LoVo, WiDr) with HAMLET to evaluate cell metabolic activity and viability, flow cytometry of apoptotic and necrotic cells, pro- and anti-apoptotic genes, and protein expressions. Mitochondrial respiration (oxygen consumption) rate was recorded by high-resolution respirometry system Oxygraph-2 k. RESULTS The HAMLET complex was cytotoxic to all investigated CRC cell lines and this effect is irreversible. Flow cytometry revealed that HAMLET induces necrotic cell death with a slight increase in an apoptotic cell population. WiDr cell metabolism, clonogenicity, necrosis/apoptosis level, and mitochondrial respiration were affected significantly less than other cells. CONCLUSION HAMLET exhibits irreversible cytotoxicity on human CRC cells in a dose-dependent manner, leading to necrotic cell death and inhibiting the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. BRAF-mutant cell line is more resistant than other type lines. HAMLET decreased mitochondrial respiration and ATP synthesis in CaCo-2 and LoVo cell lines but did not affect WiDr cells' respiration. Pretreatment of cancer cells with HAMLET has no impact on mitochondrial outer and inner membrane permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justas Žilinskas
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, 50161, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Darius Stukas
- Institute of Digestive Research, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Aldona Jasukaitienė
- Institute of Digestive Research, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Jurgita Šapauskienė
- Department of Biochemistry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Rasa Banienė
- Department of Biochemistry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Sonata Trumbeckaitė
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Saulius Švagždys
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, 50161, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Marco Cicciu
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences, Morphological and Functional Images, School of Dentistry, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Žilvinas Dambrauskas
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, 50161, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Institute of Digestive Research, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Antanas Gulbinas
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, 50161, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Institute of Digestive Research, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Algimantas Tamelis
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, 50161, Kaunas, Lithuania
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11
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Porter RJ, Murray GI, Hapca S, Hay A, Craig SG, Humphries MP, James JA, Salto-Tellez M, Brice DP, Berry SH, McLean MH. Subcellular Epithelial HMGB1 Expression Is Associated with Colorectal Neoplastic Progression, Male Sex, Mismatch Repair Protein Expression, Lymph Node Positivity, and an 'Immune Cold' Phenotype Associated with Poor Survival. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061865. [PMID: 36980751 PMCID: PMC10047220 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
New treatment targets are needed for colorectal cancer (CRC). We define expression of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) protein throughout colorectal neoplastic progression and examine the biological consequences of aberrant expression. HMGB1 is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein that shuttles to the cytoplasm under cellular stress. HMGB1 impacts cellular responses, acting as a cytokine when secreted. A total of 846 human tissue samples were retrieved; 6242 immunohistochemically stained sections were reviewed. Subcellular epithelial HMGB1 expression was assessed in a CRC Tissue Microarray (n = 650), normal colonic epithelium (n = 75), adenomatous polyps (n = 52), and CRC polyps (CaP, n = 69). Stromal lymphocyte phenotype was assessed in the CRC microarray and a subgroup of CaP. Normal colonic epithelium has strong nuclear and absent cytoplasmic HMGB1. With progression to CRC, there is an emergence of strong cytoplasmic HMGB1 (p < 0.001), pronounced at the leading cancer edge within CaP (p < 0.001), and reduction in nuclear HMGB1 (p < 0.001). In CRC, absent nuclear HMGB1 is associated with mismatch repair proteins (p = 0.001). Stronger cytoplasmic HMGB1 is associated with lymph node positivity (p < 0.001) and male sex (p = 0.009). Stronger nuclear (p = 0.011) and cytoplasmic (p = 0.002) HMGB1 is associated with greater CD4+ T-cell density, stronger nuclear HMGB1 is associated with greater FOXP3+ (p < 0.001) and ICOS+ (p = 0.018) lymphocyte density, and stronger nuclear HMGB1 is associated with reduced CD8+ T-cell density (p = 0.022). HMGB1 does not directly impact survival but is associated with an 'immune cold' tumour microenvironment which is associated with poor survival (p < 0.001). HMGB1 may represent a new treatment target for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross J Porter
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Graeme I Murray
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Sandra Hapca
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Andrew Hay
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Stephanie G Craig
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, Centre for Cell Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Matthew P Humphries
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, Centre for Cell Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Jacqueline A James
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, Centre for Cell Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Manuel Salto-Tellez
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, Centre for Cell Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Daniel P Brice
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation and Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WU, UK
| | - Susan H Berry
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Mairi H McLean
- Division of Molecular & Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
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12
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Gerwert K, Schörner S, Großerueschkamp F, Kraeft AL, Schuhmacher D, Sternemann C, Feder IS, Wisser S, Lugnier C, Arnold D, Teschendorf C, Mueller L, Timmesfeld N, Mosig A, Reinacher-Schick A, Tannapfel A. Fast and label-free automated detection of microsatellite status in early colon cancer using artificial intelligence integrated infrared imaging. Eur J Cancer 2023; 182:122-131. [PMID: 36773401 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Microsatellite instability (MSI) due to mismatch repair (MMR) defects accounts for 15-20% of colon cancers (CC). MSI testing is currently standard of care in CC with immunohistochemistry of the four MMR proteins representing the gold standard. Instead, label-free quantum cascade laser (QCL) based infrared (IR) imaging combined with artificial intelligence (AI) may classify MSI/microsatellite stability (MSS) in unstained tissue sections user-independently and tissue preserving. METHODS Paraffin-embedded unstained tissue sections of early CC from patients participating in the multicentre AIO ColoPredict Plus (CPP) 2.0 registry were analysed after dividing into three groups (training, test, and validation). IR images of tissue sections using QCL-IR microscopes were classified by AI (convolutional neural networks [CNN]) using a two-step approach. The first CNN (modified U-Net) detected areas of cancer while the second CNN (VGG-Net) classified MSI/MSS. End-points were area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) and area under precision recall curve (AUPRC). RESULTS The cancer detection in the first step was based on 629 patients (train n = 273, test n = 138, and validation n = 218). Resulting classification AUROC was 1.0 for the validation dataset. The second step classifying MSI/MSS was performed on 547 patients (train n = 331, test n = 69, and validation n = 147) reaching AUROC and AUPRC of 0.9 and 0.74, respectively, for the validation cohort. CONCLUSION Our novel label-free digital pathology approach accurately and rapidly classifies MSI vs. MSS. The tissue sections analysed were not processed leaving the sample unmodified for subsequent analyses. Our approach demonstrates an AI-based decision support tool potentially driving improved patient stratification and precision oncology in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Gerwert
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Deptartment of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Stephanie Schörner
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Deptartment of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Frederik Großerueschkamp
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Deptartment of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Kraeft
- Deptartment of Haematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - David Schuhmacher
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Dept. of Bioinformatics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Carlo Sternemann
- Institut für Pathologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Inke S Feder
- Institut für Pathologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sarah Wisser
- Institut für Pathologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Celine Lugnier
- Deptartment of Haematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Arnold
- Oncology, Haematology, Palliative Care Deptartment Asklepios Tumorzentrum Hamburg AK Altona, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Lothar Mueller
- Onkologie UnterEms Leer Emden Papenburg, Onkologische Schwerpunktpraxis Leer-Emden, Leer, Germany
| | - Nina Timmesfeld
- Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Axel Mosig
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Dept. of Bioinformatics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Anke Reinacher-Schick
- Deptartment of Haematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Andrea Tannapfel
- Institut für Pathologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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13
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Ha YJ, Shin YJ, Tak KH, Park JL, Kim JH, Lee JL, Yoon YS, Kim CW, Kim SY, Kim JC. Reduced expression of alanyl aminopeptidase is a robust biomarker of non-familial adenomatous polyposis and non-hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome early-onset colorectal cancer. Cancer Med 2023; 12:10091-10104. [PMID: 36748835 PMCID: PMC10166950 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) has been increasing in incidence worldwide but its genomic pathogenesis is mostly undetermined. This study aimed to identify robust EOCRC-specific gene expression patterns in non-familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and non-hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome (HNPCC) EOCRC. METHOD We first performed gene expression profiling analysis using RNA sequencing of discovery cohort comprised of 49 EOCRC (age <50) and 50 late-onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC) (age >70) specimens. To obtain robust gene expression data from this analysis, we validated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) through TCGA cohort (EOCRC:59 samples, LOCRC:229 samples) and our validation cohort (EOCRC:72 samples, LOCRC:43 samples) using real-time RT-PCR. After the validation of DEGs, we validated the selected gene at protein levels using Western blotting. To identify whether genomic methylation regulates the expression of a particular gene, we selected methylation sites using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets and validated them by pyrosequencing in our validation cohort. RESULTS The EOCRC patients included in this study had significantly more prominent family history of cancer than the LOCRC patients (23 [46.9%] vs. 13 [26%], p = 0.050). Alanyl aminopeptidase (ANPEP) was significantly downregulated in the EOCRC tissues (FC = 1.78, p = 0.0007) and was also commonly downregulated in the TCGA cohort (FC = -1.08, p = 0.0021). Moreover, the ANPEP mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly downregulated in the EOCRC tissues of our validation cohort (p = 0.037 and 0.027). In comparisons of the normal and tumor tissues in public datasets, the ANPEP level was significantly lower in the tumor tissue in the TCGA dataset (p < 2.2 × 10-16 ) and GSE196006 dataset (p = 0.0005). Furthermore, the ANPEP expression level did not show a decreasing tendency at a young age in the normal colon tissue of the GTEx dataset. Lastly, the hypermethylation of cg26222247 in ANPEP was identified to be weakly associated with reduced ANPEP expression in our EOCRC cohort. CONCLUSION The reduced expression of ANPEP was identified as a novel biomarker of non-FAP and non-HNPCC EOCRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Jin Ha
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yun Jae Shin
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Daejeon, South Korea.,Korea Bioinformation Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Bioinformatics, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Ka Hee Tak
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jong Lyul Park
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Daejeon, South Korea.,Korea Bioinformation Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jeong Hwan Kim
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Daejeon, South Korea.,Korea Bioinformation Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jong Lyul Lee
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong Sik Yoon
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chan Wook Kim
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seon Young Kim
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Daejeon, South Korea.,Korea Bioinformation Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Bioinformatics, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jin Cheon Kim
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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14
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Lepore Signorile M, Grossi V, Fasano C, Forte G, Disciglio V, Sanese P, De Marco K, La Rocca F, Armentano R, Valentini AM, Giannelli G, Simone C. c-MYC Protein Stability Is Sustained by MAPKs in Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194840. [PMID: 36230763 PMCID: PMC9562641 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal tract malignancy. Previous reports have shown that cancerous phenotypes in the intestine are dependent on c-MYC target gene expression. Unfortunately, finding c-MYC inhibitors has proven difficult because c-MYC does not have a deep surface-binding pocket. Considering that c-MYC is maintained upregulated through β-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation and ERK-mediated post-translational stabilization, and since we have previously demonstrated that c-MYC transcriptional activation is affected by p38α as a β-catenin chromatin-associated kinase, here, we investigated p38α’s involvement in c-MYC protein stabilization in CRC. Interestingly, we found that p38α sustains c-MYC’s stability by preventing its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Moreover, we showed that p38α inhibitors exhibit a synthetic lethality effect when used in combination with MEK inhibitors in CRC cells. Our findings identify p38α as a promising therapeutic target that acts on the pharmacologically “undruggable” c-MYC protein, with implications for countering c-MYC-mediated CRC proliferation, metastasization, and chemoresistance. Abstract c-MYC is one of the most important factors involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression; indeed, it is found to be upregulated in up to 80% of sporadic cases. During colorectal carcinogenesis, c-MYC is maintained upregulated through β-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation and ERK-mediated post-translational stabilization. Our data demonstrate that p38α, a kinase involved in CRC metabolism and survival, contributes to c-Myc protein stability. Moreover, we show that p38α, like ERK, stabilizes c-MYC protein levels by preventing its ubiquitination. Of note, we found that p38α phosphorylates c-MYC and interacts with it both in vitro and in cellulo. Extensive molecular analyses in the cellular and in vivo models revealed that the p38α kinase inhibitors, SB202190 and ralimetinib, affect c-MYC protein levels. Ralimetinib also exhibited a synthetic lethality effect when used in combination with the MEK1 inhibitor trametinib. Overall, our findings identify p38α as a promising therapeutic target, acting directly on c-MYC, with potential implications for countering c-MYC-mediated CRC proliferation, metastatic dissemination, and chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Lepore Signorile
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Valentina Grossi
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
- Correspondence: (V.G.); (C.S.)
| | - Candida Fasano
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Giovanna Forte
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Vittoria Disciglio
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Paola Sanese
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Katia De Marco
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Francesca La Rocca
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
| | - Raffaele Armentano
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (R.A.); (A.M.V.)
| | - Anna Maria Valentini
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (R.A.); (A.M.V.)
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- Scientific Direction, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy;
| | - Cristiano Simone
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology Saverio de Bellis, IRCCS Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (M.L.S.); (C.F.); (G.F.); (V.D.); (P.S.); (K.D.M.); (F.L.R.)
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: (V.G.); (C.S.)
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15
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Xing C, Du Y, Duan T, Nim K, Chu J, Wang HY, Wang RF. Interaction between microbiota and immunity and its implication in colorectal cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:963819. [PMID: 35967333 PMCID: PMC9373904 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.963819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the world. Besides genetic causes, colonic inflammation is one of the major risk factors for CRC development, which is synergistically regulated by multiple components, including innate and adaptive immune cells, cytokine signaling, and microbiota. The complex interaction between CRC and the gut microbiome has emerged as an important area of current CRC research. Metagenomic profiling has identified a number of prominent CRC-associated bacteria that are enriched in CRC patients, linking the microbiota composition to colitis and cancer development. Some microbiota species have been reported to promote colitis and CRC development in preclinical models, while a few others are identified as immune modulators to induce potent protective immunity against colitis and CRC. Mechanistically, microbiota regulates the activation of different immune cell populations, inflammation, and CRC via crosstalk between innate and adaptive immune signaling pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), type I interferon, and inflammasome. In this review, we provide an overview of the potential interactions between gut microbiota and host immunity and how their crosstalk could synergistically regulate inflammation and CRC, thus highlighting the potential roles and mechanisms of gut microbiota in the development of microbiota-based therapies to prevent or alleviate colitis and CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changsheng Xing
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yang Du
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Tianhao Duan
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kelly Nim
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Junjun Chu
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Helen Y. Wang
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Rong-Fu Wang
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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