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Couto JP, Vulin M, Jehanno C, Coissieux M, Hamelin B, Schmidt A, Ivanek R, Sethi A, Bräutigam K, Frei AL, Hager C, Manivannan M, Gómez‐Miragaya J, Obradović MMS, Varga Z, Koelzer VH, Mertz KD, Bentires‐Alj M. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase sustains a core epigenetic program that promotes metastatic colonization in breast cancer. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112559. [PMID: 37259596 PMCID: PMC10308372 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic colonization of distant organs accounts for over 90% of deaths related to solid cancers, yet the molecular determinants of metastasis remain poorly understood. Here, we unveil a mechanism of colonization in the aggressive basal-like subtype of breast cancer that is driven by the NAD+ metabolic enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). We demonstrate that NNMT imprints a basal genetic program into cancer cells, enhancing their plasticity. In line, NNMT expression is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Accordingly, ablation of NNMT dramatically suppresses metastasis formation in pre-clinical mouse models. Mechanistically, NNMT depletion results in a methyl overflow that increases histone H3K9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) and DNA methylation at the promoters of PR/SET Domain-5 (PRDM5) and extracellular matrix-related genes. PRDM5 emerged in this study as a pro-metastatic gene acting via induction of cancer-cell intrinsic transcription of collagens. Depletion of PRDM5 in tumor cells decreases COL1A1 deposition and impairs metastatic colonization of the lungs. These findings reveal a critical activity of the NNMT-PRDM5-COL1A1 axis for cancer cell plasticity and metastasis in basal-like breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Pinto Couto
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Milica Vulin
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Charly Jehanno
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Marie‐May Coissieux
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Baptiste Hamelin
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Alexander Schmidt
- Proteomics Core Facility, BiozentrumUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Robert Ivanek
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsBaselSwitzerland
| | - Atul Sethi
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsBaselSwitzerland
| | - Konstantin Bräutigam
- Computational and Translational Pathology Group, Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital ZurichUniversity of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- Institute of PathologyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Anja L Frei
- Computational and Translational Pathology Group, Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital ZurichUniversity of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Carolina Hager
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Madhuri Manivannan
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Jorge Gómez‐Miragaya
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Milan MS Obradović
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Zsuzsanna Varga
- Computational and Translational Pathology Group, Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital ZurichUniversity of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Viktor H Koelzer
- Computational and Translational Pathology Group, Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital ZurichUniversity of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Kirsten D Mertz
- Institute of PathologyCantonal Hospital BasellandLiestalSwitzerland
| | - Mohamed Bentires‐Alj
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Department of SurgeryUniversity Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
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2
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Krishnan A, Spegg V, Dettwiler S, Schraml P, Moch H, Dedes K, Varga Z, Altmeyer M. Analysis of the PARP1, ADP-Ribosylation, and TRIP12 Triad With Markers of Patient Outcome in Human Breast Cancer. Mod Pathol 2023; 36:100167. [PMID: 36990278 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2023.100167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
PARP inhibitors (PARPi) are increasingly used in breast cancer therapy, including high-grade triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment. Varying treatment responses and PARPi resistance with relapse currently pose limitations to the efficacy of PARPi therapy. The pathobiological reasons why individual patients respond differently to PARPi are poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed expression of PARP1, the main target of PARPi, in normal breast tissue, breast cancer, and its precursor lesions using human breast cancer tissue microarrays covering a total of 824 patients, including more than 100 TNBC cases. In parallel, we analyzed nuclear adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation as a marker of PARP1 activity and TRIP12, an antagonist of PARPi-induced PARP1 trapping. Although we found PARP1 expression to be generally increased in invasive breast cancer, PARP1 protein levels and nuclear ADP-ribosylation were lower in higher tumor grade and TNBC samples than non-TNBCs. Cancers with low levels of PARP1 and low levels of nuclear ADP-ribosylation were associated with significantly reduced overall survival. This effect was even more pronounced in cases with high levels of TRIP12. These results indicate that PARP1-dependent DNA repair capacity may be compromised in aggressive breast cancers, potentially fueling enhanced accumulation of mutations. Moreover, the results revealed a subset of breast cancers with low PARP1, low nuclear ADP-ribosylation, and high TRIP12 levels, which may compromise their response to PARPi, suggesting a combination of markers for PARP1 abundance, enzymatic activity, and trapping capabilities might aid patient stratification for PARPi therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswini Krishnan
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Spegg
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Dettwiler
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Schraml
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Holger Moch
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Konstantin Dedes
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zsuzsanna Varga
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Altmeyer
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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3
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Monaco ML, Idris OA, Essani K. Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Basic Biology and Immuno-Oncolytic Viruses. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15082393. [PMID: 37190321 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15082393] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most lethal subtype of breast cancer. TNBC diagnoses account for approximately one-fifth of all breast cancer cases globally. The lack of receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER-2, CD340) results in a lack of available molecular-based therapeutics. This increases the difficulty of treatment and leaves more traditional as well as toxic therapies as the only available standards of care in many cases. Recurrence is an additional serious problem, contributing substantially to its higher mortality rate as compared to other breast cancers. Tumor heterogeneity also poses a large obstacle to treatment approaches. No driver of tumor development has been identified for TNBC, and large variations in mutational burden between tumors have been described previously. Here, we describe the biology of six different subtypes of TNBC, based on differential gene expression. Subtype differences can have a large impact on metastatic potential and resistance to treatment. Emerging antibody-based therapeutics, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, have available targets for small subsets of TNBC patients, leading to partial responses and relatively low overall efficacy. Immuno-oncolytic viruses (OVs) have recently become significant in the pursuit of effective treatments for TNBC. OVs generally share the ability to ignore the heterogeneous nature of TNBC cells and allow infection throughout a treated tumor. Recent genetic engineering has allowed for the enhancement of efficacy against certain tumor types while avoiding the most common side effects in non-cancerous tissues. In this review, TNBC is described in order to address the challenges it presents to potential treatments. The OVs currently described preclinically and in various stages of clinical trials are also summarized, as are their strategies to enhance therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Monaco
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA
| | - Omer A Idris
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA
| | - Karim Essani
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA
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Weisman P, Yu Q, Xu J. Clinicopathological characteristics of the SOX10+ subset of HER2+ breast cancer. Ann Diagn Pathol 2023; 63:152087. [PMID: 36669230 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.152087] [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: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
HER2-positive breast cancers (HER2+ BC) are a heterogeneous group of tumors with variable clinical behavior. SOX10, a biomarker that has been studied in the context of breast carcinomas, especially triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBC), has yet to be systematically investigated in a cohort of HER2+ BC. Our aim was to investigate the clinicopathological features of the SOX10+ subset of HER2+ BC. 80 HER2+/ER- invasive breast carcinomas were stained for SOX10. All SOX10+ cases and a matched number of SOX10- cases were also stained for vimentin and androgen receptor (AR). 18 % (14/80) of our cases were SOX10+. SOX10 expression was seen in both IHC positive (3+) and equivocal (2+) but ISH-amplified cases. The SOX10+ tumors were significantly associated with both greater vimentin expression (36 % vs 0 %, p = 0.0407) and less AR expression (14 % vs 100 %, p = 0.0001) compared to SOX10- tumors. Interestingly, the vimentin+/AR- subset of our SOX10+ cases showed uniformly apocrine-like morphology, while all SOX10- cases, including those with apocrine-like morphology, were vimentin-/AR+. Our findings suggest that SOX10+/HER2+ BC are more likely to show a peculiar apocrine-like, vimentin+/AR- phenotype as compared to SOX10-/HER2+ BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Weisman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
| | - Qiqi Yu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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Vitaliti A, Roccatani I, Iorio E, Perta N, Gismondi A, Chirico M, Pisanu ME, Di Marino D, Canini A, De Luca A, Rossi L. AKT-driven epithelial-mesenchymal transition is affected by copper bioavailability in HER2 negative breast cancer cells via a LOXL2-independent mechanism. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:93-115. [PMID: 36454513 PMCID: PMC9947069 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00738-w] [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] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The main mechanism underlying cancer dissemination is the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This process is orchestrated by cytokines like TGFβ, involving "non-canonical" AKT- or STAT3-driven pathways. Recently, the alteration of copper homeostasis seems involved in the onset and progression of cancer. METHODS We expose different breast cancer cell lines, including two triple negative (TNBC) ones, an HER2 enriched and one cell line representative of the Luminal A molecular subtype, to short- or long-term copper-chelation by triethylenetetramine (TRIEN). We analyse changes in the expression of EMT markers (E-cadherin, fibronectin, vimentin and αSMA), in the levels and activity of extracellular matrix components (LOXL2, fibronectin and MMP2/9) and of copper homeostasis markers by Western blot analyses, immunofluorescence, enzyme activity assays and RT-qPCR. Boyden Chamber and wound healing assays revealed the impact of copper chelation on cell migration. Additionally, we explored whether perturbation of copper homeostasis affects EMT prompted by TGFβ. Metabolomic and lipidomic analyses were applied to search the effects of copper chelation on the metabolism of breast cancer cells. Finally, bioinformatics analysis of data on breast cancer patients obtained from different databases was employed to correlate changes in kinases and copper markers with patients' survival. RESULTS Remarkably, only HER2 negative breast cancer cells differently responded to short- or long-term exposure to TRIEN, initially becoming more aggressive but, upon prolonged exposure, retrieving epithelial features, reducing their invasiveness. This phenomenon may be related to the different impact of the short and prolonged activation of the AKT kinase and to the repression of STAT3 signalling. Bioinformatics analyses confirmed the positive correlation of breast cancer patients' survival with AKT activation and up-regulation of CCS. Eventually, metabolomics studies demonstrate a prevalence of glycolysis over mitochondrial energetic metabolism and of lipidome changes in TNBC cells upon TRIEN treatment. CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence of a pivotal role of copper in AKT-driven EMT activation, acting independently of HER2 in TNBC cells and via a profound change in their metabolism. Our results support the use of copper-chelators as an adjuvant therapeutic strategy for TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Vitaliti
- Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy ,PhD program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Ilenia Roccatani
- Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Egidio Iorio
- Core Facilities High Resolution NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Nunzio Perta
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Angelo Gismondi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Mattea Chirico
- Core Facilities High Resolution NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Pisanu
- Core Facilities High Resolution NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Marino
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Antonella Canini
- Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Anastasia De Luca
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Luisa Rossi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
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Chen H, Chen X, Zeng F, Fu A, Huang M. Prognostic value of SOX9 in cervical cancer: Bioinformatics and experimental approaches. Front Genet 2022; 13:939328. [PMID: 36003340 PMCID: PMC9394184 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.939328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Among gynecological cancers, cervical cancer is a common malignancy and remains the leading cause of cancer-related death for women. However, the exact molecular pathogenesis of cervical cancer is not known. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cervical cancer pathogenesis will aid in the development of effective treatment modalities. In this research, we attempted to discern candidate biomarkers for cervical cancer by using multiple bioinformatics approaches. First, we performed differential expression analysis based on cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, then used differentially expressed genes for weighted gene co-expression network construction to find the most relevant gene module for cervical cancer. Next, the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed on the module genes, followed by using protein–protein interaction network analysis and Cytoscape to find the key gene. Finally, we validated the key gene by using multiple online sites and experimental methods. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we found the turquoise module was the highest correlated module with cervical cancer diagnosis. The biological process of the module genes focused on cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and protein binding processes, while the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway of the module significantly enriched pathways related to cancer and cell circle. Among the module genes, SOX9 was identified as the hub gene, and its expression was associated with cervical cancer prognosis. We found the expression of SOX9 correlates with cancer-associated fibroblast immune infiltration in immune cells by Timer2.0. Furthermore, cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration is linked to cervical cancer patients’ prognosis. Compared to those in normal adjacent, immunohistochemical and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) showed that the protein and mRNA expression of SOX9 in cervical cancer were higher. Therefore, the SOX9 gene acts as an oncogene in cervical cancer, interactive with immune infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts, thereby affecting the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhu Zhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan China
| | - Xupeng Chen
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Zhu Zhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan China
| | - Fanhua Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhu Zhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan China
| | - Aizhen Fu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Meiyuan Huang
- Department of Pathology, Zhu Zhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan China
- *Correspondence: Meiyuan Huang,
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7
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Morais M, Vaz Silva J, Tavares MV. Diagnosis and management of primary vulvar adenocarcinoma of mammary gland type: report of two distinct cases. BMJ Case Rep 2022; 15:15/6/e245580. [PMID: 35672058 PMCID: PMC9174835 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-245580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenocarcinoma of mammary gland type (AMGT) of the vulva is extremely rare and its aetiopathogenesis is not fully understood. Low incidence is partly responsible for the lack of guidelines for patient management. Here, two cases of postmenopausal patients diagnosed with AMGT with different therapeutical approaches are reported. Histopathological patterns are considered essential for diagnosis. The triple-negative immunohistochemical (IHC) profile of one of the cases represented a diagnostic challenge. Interestingly, it presented an immunophenotypical profile similar to triple-negative breast cancers, supporting the molecular similarities between vulvar AMGT and breast carcinomas. Surgical procedures include radical vulvectomy or radical local excision. Lymphatic involvement may be assessed by sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymphadenectomy. Adjuvant treatment was dependent on the IHC profile and disease staging. Although both cases had similar features on clinical examination, pathological and molecular characteristics and treatment approach were distinct. That illustrates the diagnostic and therapeutical challenge of this rare entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Morais
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-montes e Alto Douro EPE, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Joao Vaz Silva
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO-Porto), Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP), RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), Porto, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Mariana Vide Tavares
- Gynecology, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil EPE, Porto, Portugal
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8
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Chen J, Shi X, Xiao L, Li Z, Li Z, Sun L. Better or worse? The prognostic role of the mesenchymal subtype in patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer Med 2022; 11:3761-3770. [PMID: 35434908 PMCID: PMC9582683 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor characteristics can be prognostically relevant in patients with high‐grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). This study aimed to determine whether different subtypes of HGSOC, especially the mesenchymal subtype, are associated with overall survival (OS) or progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients with HGSOC. Methods PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies published up to September 2020. The eligibility criteria were (1) population: patients with HGSOG with molecular subtyping of their tumor, (2) exposure: mesenchymal subtype, (3) non‐exposure: differentiated, immunoreactive, proliferative, and other non‐mesenchymal subtypes, (4) outcome: survival, with hazard ratios (HRs), and (5) English language. Results The mesenchymal subtype showed no statistically significant difference in OS compared with the immunoreactive subtype (HR = 1.47, 95% CI: 0.78–2.78, p = 0.238; I2 = 81.2%, pheterogeneity = 0.005) or all non‐mesenchymal subtypes (HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 0.97–2.80, p = 0.063; I2 = 79.4%, pheterogeneity = 0.008). The mesenchymal subtype showed no statistically significant difference in PFS compared with the immunoreactive subtype (HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.71–2.00, p = 0.514; I2 = 71.6%, pheterogeneity = 0.030) but a significant differences was observed when using all non‐mesenchymal subtypes as reference (HR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.00–2.28, p = 0.049). The results were robust according to the sensitivity analyses. Conclusions There are no statistically significant differences in OS between the mesenchymal subtype of HGSOC and other subtypes of HGSOC. Because of statistical power, this meta‐analysis cannot conclude about non‐inferiority, and the relationship between the molecular subtypes and HGSOC prognosis remains controversial. Based on one study, the mesenchymal subtype could have a poorer PFS than the non‐mesenchymal subtypes of HGSOC, but this conclusion requires further evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Chen
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaoyan Shi
- Central Laboratory, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zelian Li
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhimin Li
- Department of Gynecology, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Yu L, Peng F, Dong X, Chen Y, Sun D, Jiang S, Deng C. Sex-Determining Region Y Chromosome-Related High-Mobility-Group Box 10 in Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Target. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:564740. [PMID: 33344444 PMCID: PMC7744619 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.564740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex-determining region Y-related high mobility group-box 10 (SOX10), a member of the SOX family, has recently been highlighted as an essential transcriptional factor involved in developmental biology. Recently, the functionality of SOX 10 has been increasingly revealed by researchers worldwide. It has been reported that SOX10 significantly regulates the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of tumors and is closely associated with the progression of cancer. In this review, we first introduce the basic background of the SOX family and SOX10 and then discuss the pathophysiological roles of SOX10 in cancer. Besides, we enumerate the application of SOX10 in the pathological diagnosis and therapeutic potential of cancer. Eventually, we summarize the potential directions and perspectives of SOX10 in neoplastic theranostics. The information compiled herein may assist in additional studies and increase the potential of SOX10 as a therapeutic target for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Fan Peng
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hopspital, The Airforce Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xue Dong
- Outpatient Department of Liaoning Military Region, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongdong Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hopspital, The Airforce Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuai Jiang
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hopspital, The Airforce Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chao Deng
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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10
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Breast Cancer Subtypes Underlying EMT-Mediated Catabolic Metabolism. Cells 2020; 9:cells9092064. [PMID: 32927665 PMCID: PMC7563728 DOI: 10.3390/cells9092064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient catabolic metabolism of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is essentially required for cancer cell survival, especially in metastatic cancer progression. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in metabolic rewiring of cancer cells as well as in phenotypic conversion and therapeutic resistance. Snail (SNAI1), a well-known inducer of cancer EMT, is critical in providing ATP and NADPH via suppression of several gatekeeper genes involving catabolic metabolism, such as phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK1), fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 (ACC2). Paradoxically, PFK1 and FBP1 are counter-opposing and rate-limiting reaction enzymes of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, respectively. In this study, we report a distinct metabolic circuit of catabolic metabolism in breast cancer subtypes. Interestingly, PFKP and FBP1 are inversely correlated in clinical samples, indicating different metabolic subsets of breast cancer. The luminal types of breast cancer consist of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) subset by suppression of PFKP while the basal-like subtype (also known as triple negative breast cancer, TNBC) mainly utilizes glycolysis and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) by loss of FBP1 and ACC2. Notably, PPP remains active via upregulation of TIGAR in the FBP1-loss basal-like subset, indicating the importance of PPP in catabolic cancer metabolism. These results indicate different catabolic metabolic circuits and thus therapeutic strategies in breast cancer subsets.
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Kriegsmann K, Flechtenmacher C, Heil J, Kriegsmann J, Mechtersheimer G, Aulmann S, Weichert W, Sinn HP, Kriegsmann M. Immunohistological Expression of SOX-10 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Descriptive Analysis of 113 Samples. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176407. [PMID: 32899175 PMCID: PMC7503807 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: SRY-related HMG-box 10 (SOX-10) is commonly expressed in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, data on the biological significance of SOX-10 expression is limited. Therefore, we investigated immunhistological SOX-10 expression in TNBC and correlated the results with genetic alterations and clinical data. Methods: A tissue microarray including 113 TNBC cases was stained by SOX-10. Immunohistological data of AR, BCL2, CD117, p53 and Vimentin was available from a previous study. Semiconductor-based panel sequencing data including commonly altered breast cancer genes was also available from a previous investigation. SOX-10 expression was correlated with clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and genetic data. Results: SOX-10 was significantly associated with CD117 and Vimentin, but not with AR expression. An association of SOX-10 with BCL2, EGFR or p53 staining was not observed. SOX-10-positive tumors harbored more often TP53 mutations but less frequent mutations of PIK3CA or alterations of the PIK3K pathway. SOX-10 expression had no prognostic impact either on disease-free, distant disease-free, or overall survival. Conclusions: While there might be a value of SOX-10 as a differential diagnostic marker to identify metastases of TNBC, its biological role remains to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Kriegsmann
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Christa Flechtenmacher
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.F.); (G.M.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Jörg Heil
- Breast Unit, Women’s Hospital, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Jörg Kriegsmann
- Institute of Pathology, Cytology and Molecular Pathology, 54296 Trier, Germany;
- Danube Private University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Gunhild Mechtersheimer
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.F.); (G.M.); (H.-P.S.)
| | | | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, TU Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Hans-Peter Sinn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.F.); (G.M.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Mark Kriegsmann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (C.F.); (G.M.); (H.-P.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-6221-56-36930
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12
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Jana S, Madhu Krishna B, Singhal J, Horne D, Awasthi S, Salgia R, Singhal SS. SOX9: The master regulator of cell fate in breast cancer. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 174:113789. [PMID: 31911091 PMCID: PMC9048250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.113789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
SRY-related high-mobility group box 9 (SOX9) is an indispensable transcription factor that regulates multiple developmental pathways related to stemness, differentiation, and progenitor development. Previous studies have demonstrated that the SOX9 protein directs pathways involved in tumor initiation, proliferation, migration, chemoresistance, and stem cell maintenance, thereby regulating tumorigenesis as an oncogene. SOX9 overexpression is a frequent event in breast cancer (BC) subtypes. Of note, the molecular mechanisms and functional regulation underlying SOX9 upregulation during BC progression are still being uncovered. The focus of this review is to appraise recent advances regarding the involvement of SOX9 in BC pathogenesis. First, we provide a general overview of SOX9 structure and function, as well as its involvement in various kinds of cancer. Next, we discuss pathways of SOX9 regulation, particularly its miRNA-mediated regulation, in BC. Finally, we describe the involvement of SOX9 in BC pathogenesis via its regulation of pathways involved in regulating cancer hallmarks, as well as its clinical and therapeutic importance. In general, this review article aims to serve as an ample source of knowledge on the involvement of SOX9 in BC progression. Targeting SOX9 activity may improve therapeutic strategies to treat BC, but precisely inhibiting SOX9 using drugs and/or small peptides remains a huge challenge for forthcoming cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Jana
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - B Madhu Krishna
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jyotsana Singhal
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - David Horne
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Sanjay Awasthi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Sharad S Singhal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
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13
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Tariq A, Hao Q, Sun Q, Singh DK, Jadaliha M, Zhang Y, Chetlangia N, Ma J, Holton SE, Bhargava R, Lal A, Prasanth SG, Prasanth KV. LncRNA-mediated regulation of SOX9 expression in basal subtype breast cancer cells. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 26:175-185. [PMID: 31690584 PMCID: PMC6961546 DOI: 10.1261/rna.073254.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive breast cancer (BC) subtypes with a poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. Recent studies have identified vital roles played by several lncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) in BC pathobiology. Cell type-specific expression of lncRNAs and their potential role in regulating the expression of oncogenic and tumor suppressor genes have made them promising cancer drug targets. By performing a transcriptome screen in an isogenic TNBC/basal subtype BC progression cell line model, we recently reported ∼1800 lncRNAs that display aberrant expression during breast cancer progression. Mechanistic studies on one such nuclear-retained lncRNA, linc02095, reveal that it promotes breast cancer proliferation by facilitating the expression of oncogenic transcription factor, SOX9. Both linc02095 and SOX9 display coregulated expression in BC patients as well in basal subtype BC cell lines. Knockdown of linc02095 results in decreased BC cell proliferation, whereas its overexpression promotes cells proliferation. Linc02095-depleted cells display reduced expression of SOX9 concomitant with reduced RNA polymerase II occupancy at the SOX9 gene body as well as defective SOX9 mRNA export, implying that linc02095 positively regulates SOX9 transcription and mRNA export. Finally, we identify a positive feedback loop in BC cells that controls the expression of both linc02095 and SOX9 Thus, our results unearth tumor-promoting activities of a nuclear lncRNA linc02095 by facilitating the expression of key oncogenic transcription factor in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aamira Tariq
- Department of Biosciences, Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Qinyu Hao
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Qinyu Sun
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Deepak K Singh
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Mahdieh Jadaliha
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Yang Zhang
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
| | - Neha Chetlangia
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Jian Ma
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
| | - Sarah E Holton
- Department of Bioengineering and Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Rohit Bhargava
- Department of Bioengineering and Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Ashish Lal
- Regulatory RNAs and Cancer Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Supriya G Prasanth
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Kannanganattu V Prasanth
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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14
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Mehta GA, Khanna P, Gatza ML. Emerging Role of SOX Proteins in Breast Cancer Development and Maintenance. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2019; 24:213-230. [PMID: 31069617 PMCID: PMC6790170 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-019-09430-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The SOX genes encode a family of more than 20 transcription factors that are critical regulators of embryogenesis and developmental processes and, when aberrantly expressed, have been shown to contribute to tumor development and progression in both an oncogenic and tumor suppressive role. Increasing evidence demonstrates that the SOX proteins play essential roles in multiple cellular processes that mediate or contribute to oncogenic transformation and tumor progression. In the context of breast cancer, SOX proteins function both as oncogenes and tumor suppressors and have been shown to be associated with tumor stage and grade and poor prognosis. Experimental evidence demonstrates that a subset of SOX proteins regulate critical aspects of breast cancer biology including cancer stemness and multiple signaling pathways leading to altered cell proliferation, survival, and tumor development; EMT, cell migration and metastasis; as well as other tumor associated characteristics. This review will summarize the role of SOX family members as important mediators of tumorigenesis in breast cancer, with an emphasis on the triple negative or basal-like subtype of breast cancer, as well as examine the therapeutic potential of these genes and their downstream targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav A Mehta
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, CINJ 4558, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Pooja Khanna
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, CINJ 4558, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael L Gatza
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, CINJ 4558, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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15
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Abdeen SK, Aqeilan RI. Decoding the link between WWOX and p53 in aggressive breast cancer. Cell Cycle 2019; 18:1177-1186. [PMID: 31075076 PMCID: PMC6592247 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1616998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are aggressive forms of human breast cancer with poor prognosis and limited treatment response. Molecular understanding of BLBC and TNBC biology is instrumental to improve detection and management of these deadly diseases. Tumor suppressors WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) and TP53 are altered in BLBC and in TNBC. Nevertheless, the functional interplay between WWOX and p53 is poorly understood. In a recent study by Abdeen and colleagues, it has been demonstrated that WWOX loss drives BLBC formation via deregulating p53 functions. In this review, we highlight important signaling pathways regulated by WWOX and p53 that are related to estrogen receptor signaling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and genomic instability and how they impact BLBC and TNBC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhaib K. Abdeen
- Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, IMRIC, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rami I. Aqeilan
- Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, IMRIC, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Singh S, Chakrabarti R. Consequences of EMT-Driven Changes in the Immune Microenvironment of Breast Cancer and Therapeutic Response of Cancer Cells. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8050642. [PMID: 31075939 PMCID: PMC6572359 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8050642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process through which epithelial cells lose their epithelial characteristics and cell–cell contact, thus increasing their invasive potential. In addition to its well-known roles in embryonic development, wound healing, and regeneration, EMT plays an important role in tumor progression and metastatic invasion. In breast cancer, EMT both increases the migratory capacity and invasive potential of tumor cells, and initiates protumorigenic alterations in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In particular, recent evidence has linked increased expression of EMT markers such as TWIST1 and MMPs in breast tumors with increased immune infiltration in the TME. These immune cells then provide cues that promote immune evasion by tumor cells, which is associated with enhanced tumor progression and metastasis. In the current review, we will summarize the current knowledge of the role of EMT in the biology of different subtypes of breast cancer. We will further explore the correlation between genetic switches leading to EMT and EMT-induced alterations within the TME that drive tumor growth and metastasis, as well as their possible effect on therapeutic response in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snahlata Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Rumela Chakrabarti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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17
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The role of SOX family members in solid tumours and metastasis. Semin Cancer Biol 2019; 67:122-153. [PMID: 30914279 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a heavy burden for humans across the world with high morbidity and mortality. Transcription factors including sex determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) proteins are thought to be involved in the regulation of specific biological processes. The deregulation of gene expression programs can lead to cancer development. Here, we review the role of the SOX family in breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, brain tumours, gastrointestinal and lung tumours as well as the entailing therapeutic implications. The SOX family consists of more than 20 members that mediate DNA binding by the HMG domain and have regulatory functions in development, cell-fate decision, and differentiation. SOX2, SOX4, SOX5, SOX8, SOX9, and SOX18 are up-regulated in different cancer types and have been found to be associated with poor prognosis, while the up-regulation of SOX11 and SOX30 appears to be favourable for the outcome in other cancer types. SOX2, SOX4, SOX5 and other SOX members are involved in tumorigenesis, e.g. SOX2 is markedly up-regulated in chemotherapy resistant cells. The SoxF family (SOX7, SOX17, SOX18) plays an important role in angio- and lymphangiogenesis, with SOX18 seemingly being an attractive target for anti-angiogenic therapy and the treatment of metastatic disease in cancer. In summary, SOX transcription factors play an important role in cancer progression, including tumorigenesis, changes in the tumour microenvironment, and metastasis. Certain SOX proteins are potential molecular markers for cancer prognosis and putative potential therapeutic targets, but further investigations are required to understand their physiological functions.
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18
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Primitive Cancer Cell States: A Target for Drug Screening? Trends Pharmacol Sci 2019; 40:161-171. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Kündig P, Giesen C, Jackson H, Bodenmiller B, Papassotirolopus B, Freiberger SN, Aquino C, Opitz L, Varga Z. Limited utility of tissue micro-arrays in detecting intra-tumoral heterogeneity in stem cell characteristics and tumor progression markers in breast cancer. J Transl Med 2018; 16:118. [PMID: 29739401 PMCID: PMC5941467 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-018-1495-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intra-tumoral heterogeneity has been recently addressed in different types of cancer, including breast cancer. A concept describing the origin of intra-tumoral heterogeneity is the cancer stem-cell hypothesis, proposing the existence of cancer stem cells that can self-renew limitlessly and therefore lead to tumor progression. Clonal evolution in accumulated single cell genomic alterations is a further possible explanation in carcinogenesis. In this study, we addressed the question whether intra-tumoral heterogeneity can be reliably detected in tissue-micro-arrays in breast cancer by comparing expression levels of conventional predictive/prognostic tumor markers, tumor progression markers and stem cell markers between central and peripheral tumor areas. Methods We analyzed immunohistochemical expression and/or gene amplification status of conventional prognostic tumor markers (ER, PR, HER2, CK5/6), tumor progression markers (PTEN, PIK3CA, p53, Ki-67) and stem cell markers (mTOR, SOX2, SOX9, SOX10, SLUG, CD44, CD24, TWIST) in 372 tissue-micro-array samples from 72 breast cancer patients. Expression levels were compared between central and peripheral tumor tissue areas and were correlated to histopathological grading. 15 selected cases additionally underwent RNA sequencing for transcriptome analysis. Results No significant difference in any of the analyzed between central and peripheral tumor areas was seen with any of the analyzed methods/or results that showed difference. Except mTOR, PIK3CA and SOX9 (nuclear) protein expression, all markers correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with histopathological grading both in central and peripheral areas. Conclusion Our results suggest that intra-tumoral heterogeneity of stem-cell and tumor-progression markers cannot be reliably addressed in tissue-micro-array samples in breast cancer. However, most markers correlated strongly with histopathological grading confirming prognostic information as expression profiles were independent on the site of the biopsy was taken. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-018-1495-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale Kündig
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Charlotte Giesen
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hartland Jackson
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Bodenmiller
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Sandra Nicole Freiberger
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Lennart Opitz
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zsuzsanna Varga
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Leo C, Cotic C, Pomp V, Fink D, Varga Z. Overexpression of Lox in triple-negative breast cancer. Ann Diagn Pathol 2018; 34:98-102. [PMID: 29661738 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 15% of breast cancers. It is associated with a poor prognosis and typically earlier onset of metastasis in comparison with other breast cancer subtypes. Since TNBC lacks the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and Her2 status is also negative, there is currently no target that can be used for systemic therapy. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. In this study, we examined a subset of EMT markers consisting of Snail, Twist-1 and Lox in TNBC and non-TNBC breast cancer subtypes and analyzed their expression pattern in regard to subtype, clinico-pathological parameters and prognosis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We analyzed 659 breast cancer samples from two tissue microarrays. Breast cancer samples were categorized into two groups according to hormone receptor expression and Her2 status (n = 146 were triple negative, n = 513 were non triple-negative). Immunohistochemical expression of Snail, Twist-1 and Lox was semi-quantitatively analyzed using a three-tiered (weak-moderate-strong) scoring system. Results were statistically analyzed and correlated to clinico-pathological parameters and overall survival. RESULTS Strong overexpression of Lox was significantly higher in triple negative breast cancers when compared to non triple-negative breast cancers (p < 0.001). No difference was seen between the groups regarding Snail and Twist expression (p > 0.05). In addition, Lox expression was significantly stronger in poorly differentiated (G3) breast cancers (p < 0.001 for Lox). CONCLUSIONS The EMT marker Lox has a differential expression pattern in breast cancer, being significantly overexpressed in triple negative breast cancers. We could not link this expression to prognosis, however, this marker might be explored in future studies as possible target for systemic therapy of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Leo
- Department of Gynecology, Kantonsspital Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
| | - Christine Cotic
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Zurich, 8010 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Victoria Pomp
- Department of Pathology and Molecularpathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8010 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Fink
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Zurich, 8010 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Zsuzsanna Varga
- Department of Pathology and Molecularpathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8010 Zurich, Switzerland.
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21
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Fuady JH, Gutsche K, Santambrogio S, Varga Z, Hoogewijs D, Wenger RH. Estrogen-dependent downregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α in invasive breast cancer cells. Oncotarget 2018; 7:31153-65. [PMID: 27105516 PMCID: PMC5058746 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The involvement of estrogen (E2) and hypoxia in tumor progression is well established. Hypoxia has been reported to activate and degrade estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, E2 has been shown to regulate hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α protein, but its role in HIF-2α regulation remains largely unexplored. In this study, we found that both HIF-2α mRNA and protein were down-regulated in ER positive but not ER negative breast cancer cells upon treatment with E2. The analysis of 690 samples derived from 608 mixed and 82 triple-negative breast cancer patients revealed that high nuclear HIF-2α tumor levels are associated with a worse prognosis specifically in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and hormone receptor positive patients. Consistently, ERα/HER2 positive breast cancer cells displayed less pronounced downregulation of HIF-2α by E2. Experiments using a histone deacetylase inhibitor indicate that the E2 mediated decrease in HIF-2α mRNA is due to transcriptional repression. A functional estrogen response element (ERE) was identified in the first intron of the gene encoding HIF-2α (EPAS1), suggesting transcriptional co-repressor recruitment by ERα. Our results demonstrate a novel modulation of HIF-2α in breast cancer cells, explaining the opposing regulation between HIF-1α and HIF-2α in hormone-responsive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry H Fuady
- Institute of Physiology and Zurich Centre for Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Gutsche
- Institute of Physiology and Zurich Centre for Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sara Santambrogio
- Institute of Physiology and Zurich Centre for Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zsuzsanna Varga
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Hoogewijs
- Institute of Physiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Roland H Wenger
- Institute of Physiology and Zurich Centre for Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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22
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Zhou S, Sun X, Yu L, Zhou R, Li A, Li M, Yang W. Differential expression and clinical significance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers among different histological types of triple-negative breast cancer. J Cancer 2018; 9:604-613. [PMID: 29483966 PMCID: PMC5820928 DOI: 10.7150/jca.19190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease closely associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This study aimed to investigate the role of EMT in metaplastic carcinoma. Methods: E-cadherin, Slug, Twist and Vimentin levels were detected by immunohistochemistry in 167 TNBC tumors, including 145 invasive carcinomas of no special type (ICONSTs), 14 spindle cell carcinomas (SpCCs) and 8 matrix-producing carcinomas (MPCs). Results: Nuclear Slug and Twist were more frequently detected in SpCC and MPC tumors than that in ICONST tumors (p<0.001). The rate of E-cadherin loss was much lower in the ICONST tumors than that in the SpCC and MPC tumors (p<0.001). Vimentin was expressed in all SpCC and MPC tumors. Furthermore, nuclear expression of Slug and Twist was positively associated with the cytoplasmic localization of Vimentin (p<0.001) and was inversely associated with membranous staining of E-cadherin (p<0.001). These trends were more apparent in the SpCC and MPC tumors than in the ICONST tumors. Follow-up data were available for 151 patients. The follow-up times ranged from 1 month to 11 years (mean: 74 m; median: 21 m). The median progression-free survival and overall survival times were 24 months (mean: 32 months) and 22 months (mean: 35 months), respectively. Tumor size, TNM stage and E-cadherin were found to be independent prognostic factors of TNBC. Conclusions: EMT may play an important role in TNBC, especially in MPC and SpCC. Further researches are needed to confirm this finding. The results of this study may facilitate the future development of targeted therapies based on alterations in the EMT and stem cell markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuling Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Xiangjie Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Lin Yu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ruoji Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Anqi Li
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Wentao Yang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
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23
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Lakhtakia R, Aljarrah A, Furrukh M, Ganguly SS. Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Metastatic Breast Cancer in Omani Women. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT SOCIETY 2017; 10:25-37. [PMID: 28526992 PMCID: PMC5750198 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-017-0194-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) in Oman affects younger women and has a more aggressive course. Clinical and biological variables like age, pregnancy, tumor size, type, grade, receptor expression and proliferation predict disease aggression but there is no direct predictor of metastasis except lymphovascular invasion. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is characterized by epithelial cells losing epithelial and acquiring mesenchymal morpho-immunophenotypic characteristics. In tumors, EMT-like transitions may signify a metastatic phenotype and have features in common with cancer stem cells (CSC) which show resistance to chemotherapy. This study aimed to identify EMT and CSC phenotypes in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer in Omani women and their association with conventional clinico-pathological predictors of BC. In a retrospective study of ninety-six Omani women with breast cancer, the association of age, pregnancy/lactation, tumor size, type, grade, ductal carcinoma insitu (DCIS), lymphovascular invasion, hormone/ HER2 receptor expression and Ki67 proliferation index (Ki67 PI) was tested with EMT/ CSC phenotype and metastasis. Young age ≤ 40 years, lymphovascular invasion and EMT had a strong association with metastasis; CSC approached significance. Vimentin expression in tumor cells, fibronectin and MMP-11 in stroma were reliable markers of EMT; dual EMT and CSC phenotype (Vim+/ CD44+/ CD 24-/low) had a strong association with apocrine variant, basal-like tumors and triple negative cancers. EMT had a strong association with Ki67 proliferation index (PI) and CSC with HER2-like tumors and distant metastasis. These select markers may be useful in metastasis-prediction in pre-treatment biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Lakhtakia
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | | | - Muhammad Furrukh
- Shifa Medical Center, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan
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24
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Upregulated SOX9 expression indicates worse prognosis in solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oncotarget 2017; 8:113163-113173. [PMID: 29348895 PMCID: PMC5762580 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
It was recently reported that increased SOX9 expression drives tumor growth and promotes cancer invasion during human tumorigenicity and metastasis. However, the prognostic value of SOX9 for the survival of patients with solid tumors remains controversial. The present meta-analysis was thus performed to highlight the link between dysregulated SOX9 expression and prognosis in cancer patients. A systematic literature search was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science and Embase to identify eligible studies. A random-effects meta-analytical model was employed to correlate SOX9 expression with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and clinicopathological features. In total, 17 studies with 3307 patients were eligible for the final analysis. Combined hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) suggested that high SOX9 expression has an unfavourable impact on OS (HR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.36-2.02, P < 0.001) and DFS (HR = 3.54, 95% CI 2.29-5.47, P = 0.008) in multivariate analysis. Additionally, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) indicated that SOX9 over-expression is associated with large tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and a higher clinical stage. Overall, these results indicated that SOX9 over-expression in patients with solid tumors might be related to poor prognosis and could serve as a potential predictive marker of poor clinicopathological prognosis factor.
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25
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Liu JB, Feng CY, Deng M, Ge DF, Liu DC, Mi JQ, Feng XS. E-cadherin expression phenotypes associated with molecular subtypes in invasive non-lobular breast cancer: evidence from a retrospective study and meta-analysis. World J Surg Oncol 2017; 15:139. [PMID: 28764784 PMCID: PMC5539617 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-017-1210-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This retrospective study and meta-analysis was designed to explore the relationship between E-cadherin (E-cad) expression and the molecular subtypes of invasive non-lobular breast cancer, especially in early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Methods A total of 156 post-operative cases of early-stage IDCs were retrospectively collected for the immunohistochemistry (IHC) detection of E-cad expression. The association of E-cad expression with molecular subtypes of early-stage IDCs was analyzed. A literature search was conducted in March 2016 to retrieve publications on E-cad expression in association with molecular subtypes of invasive non-lobular breast cancer, and a meta-analysis was performed to estimate the relational statistics. Results E-cad was expressed in 82.7% (129/156) of early-stage IDCs. E-cad expression was closely associated with the molecular types of early-stage IDCs (P < 0.050); moreover, the molecular subtypes were an independent factor influencing E-cad expression in early-stage IDCs. A total of 12 observational studies (including our study) were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analytical results show a significantly greater risk of E-cad expression loss in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) than in other molecular subtypes (TNBC vs. luminal A: RR = 3.45, 95% CI = 2.79–4.26; TNBC vs. luminal B: RR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.49–3.90; TNBC vs. HER2-enriched: RR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.24–3.07). Conclusions Early-stage IDCs or invasive non-lobular breast cancers with the TNBC molecular phenotype have a higher risk for the loss of E-cad expression than do tumors with non-TNBC molecular phenotypes, suggesting that E-cad expression phenotypes were closely related to molecular subtypes and further studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanism. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12957-017-1210-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Bo Liu
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China.
| | - Chen-Yi Feng
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Cancer Institute, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Miao Deng
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Dong-Feng Ge
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, , Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - De-Chun Liu
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Jian-Qiang Mi
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, , Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Xiao-Shan Feng
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Cancer Institute, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China.
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26
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Marcucci F, Ghezzi P, Rumio C. The role of autophagy in the cross-talk between epithelial-mesenchymal transitioned tumor cells and cancer stem-like cells. Mol Cancer 2017; 16:3. [PMID: 28137290 PMCID: PMC5282816 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-016-0573-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem-like cells (CSC) are becoming highly relevant targets in anticancer drug discovery. A large body of evidence suggests that epithelial-mesenchymal transitioned tumor cells (EMT tumor cells) and CSCs have similar functions. There is also an overlap regarding the stimuli that can induce the generation of EMT tumor cells and CSCs. Moreover, direct evidence has been brought that EMT can give rise to CSCs. It is unclear however, whether EMT tumor cells should be considered CSCs or if they have to undergo further changes. In this article we summarize available evidence suggesting that, indeed, additional programs must be engaged and we propose that macroautophagy (hereafter, autophagy) represents a key trait distinguishing CSCs from EMT tumor cells. Thus, CSCs have often been reported to be in an autophagic state and blockade of autophagy inhibits CSCs. On the other hand, there is ample evidence showing that EMT and autophagy are distinct events. CSCs, however, represent, by themselves, a heterogeneous population. Thus, CSCs have been distinguished in predominantly non-cycling and cycling CSCs, the latter representing CSCs that self-renew and replenish the pool of differentiated tumor cells. We now suggest that the non-cycling CSC subpopulation is in an autophagic state. We propose also two models to explain the relationship between EMT tumor cells and these two major CSC subpopulations: a branching model in which EMT tumor cells can give rise to cycling or non-cycling CSCs, respectively, and a hierarchical model in which EMT tumor cells are first induced to become autophagic CSCs and, subsequently, cycling CSCs. Finally, we address the therapeutic consequences of these insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Marcucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, University of Milano, via Trentacoste 2, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Pietro Ghezzi
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Trafford Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RY, UK
| | - Cristiano Rumio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, University of Milano, via Trentacoste 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
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27
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Britschgi A, Duss S, Kim S, Couto JP, Brinkhaus H, Koren S, De Silva D, Mertz KD, Kaup D, Varga Z, Voshol H, Vissieres A, Leroy C, Roloff T, Stadler MB, Scheel CH, Miraglia LJ, Orth AP, Bonamy GMC, Reddy VA, Bentires-Alj M. The Hippo kinases LATS1 and 2 control human breast cell fate via crosstalk with ERα. Nature 2017; 541:541-545. [PMID: 28068668 DOI: 10.1038/nature20829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell fate perturbations underlie many human diseases, including breast cancer. Unfortunately, the mechanisms by which breast cell fate are regulated are largely unknown. The mammary gland epithelium consists of differentiated luminal epithelial and basal myoepithelial cells, as well as undifferentiated stem cells and more restricted progenitors. Breast cancer originates from this epithelium, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie breast epithelial hierarchy remain ill-defined. Here, we use a high-content confocal image-based short hairpin RNA screen to identify tumour suppressors that regulate breast cell fate in primary human breast epithelial cells. We show that ablation of the large tumour suppressor kinases (LATS) 1 and 2 (refs 5, 6), which are part of the Hippo pathway, promotes the luminal phenotype and increases the number of bipotent and luminal progenitors, the proposed cells-of-origin of most human breast cancers. Mechanistically, we have identified a direct interaction between Hippo and oestrogen receptor-α (ERα) signalling. In the presence of LATS, ERα was targeted for ubiquitination and Ddb1-cullin4-associated-factor 1 (DCAF1)-dependent proteasomal degradation. Absence of LATS stabilized ERα and the Hippo effectors YAP and TAZ (hereafter YAP/TAZ), which together control breast cell fate through intrinsic and paracrine mechanisms. Our findings reveal a non-canonical (that is, YAP/TAZ-independent) effect of LATS in the regulation of human breast cell fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Britschgi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Duss
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sungeun Kim
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, USA
| | - Joana Pinto Couto
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Heike Brinkhaus
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Shany Koren
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Duvini De Silva
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kirsten D Mertz
- Institute of Pathology Liestal, Cantonal Hospital Baselland, 4410 Liestal, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Kaup
- Institute of Pathology Liestal, Cantonal Hospital Baselland, 4410 Liestal, Switzerland
| | - Zsuzsanna Varga
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans Voshol
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Cedric Leroy
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tim Roloff
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael B Stadler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christina H Scheel
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Loren J Miraglia
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, USA
| | - Anthony P Orth
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, USA
| | - Ghislain M C Bonamy
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, USA
| | - Venkateshwar A Reddy
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, USA
| | - Mohamed Bentires-Alj
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
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28
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Kim BR, Van de Laar E, Cabanero M, Tarumi S, Hasenoeder S, Wang D, Virtanen C, Suzuki T, Bandarchi B, Sakashita S, Pham NA, Lee S, Keshavjee S, Waddell TK, Tsao MS, Moghal N. SOX2 and PI3K Cooperate to Induce and Stabilize a Squamous-Committed Stem Cell Injury State during Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002581. [PMID: 27880766 PMCID: PMC5120804 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although cancers are considered stem cell diseases, mechanisms involving stem cell alterations are poorly understood. Squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) is the second most common lung cancer, and its pathogenesis appears to hinge on changes in the stem cell behavior of basal cells in the bronchial airways. Basal cells are normally quiescent and differentiate into mucociliary epithelia. Smoking triggers a hyperproliferative response resulting in progressive premalignant epithelial changes ranging from squamous metaplasia to dysplasia. These changes can regress naturally, even with chronic smoking. However, for unknown reasons, dysplasias have higher progression rates than earlier stages. We used primary human tracheobronchial basal cells to investigate how copy number gains in SOX2 and PIK3CA at 3q26-28, which co-occur in dysplasia and are observed in 94% of SQCCs, may promote progression. We find that SOX2 cooperates with PI3K signaling, which is activated by smoking, to initiate the squamous injury response in basal cells. This response involves SOX9 repression, and, accordingly, SOX2 and PI3K signaling levels are high during dysplasia, while SOX9 is not expressed. By contrast, during regeneration of mucociliary epithelia, PI3K signaling is low and basal cells transiently enter a SOX2LoSOX9Hi state, with SOX9 promoting proliferation and preventing squamous differentiation. Transient reduction in SOX2 is necessary for ciliogenesis, although SOX2 expression later rises and drives mucinous differentiation, as SOX9 levels decline. Frequent coamplification of SOX2 and PIK3CA in dysplasia may, thus, promote progression by locking basal cells in a SOX2HiSOX9Lo state with active PI3K signaling, which sustains the squamous injury response while precluding normal mucociliary differentiation. Surprisingly, we find that, although later in invasive carcinoma SOX9 is generally expressed at low levels, its expression is higher in a subset of SQCCs with less squamous identity and worse clinical outcome. We propose that early pathogenesis of most SQCCs involves stabilization of the squamous injury state in stem cells through copy number gains at 3q, with the pro-proliferative activity of SOX9 possibly being exploited in a subset of SQCCs in later stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Ram Kim
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Van de Laar
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Cabanero
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shintaro Tarumi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stefan Hasenoeder
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dennis Wang
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Carl Virtanen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Takaya Suzuki
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bizhan Bandarchi
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shingo Sakashita
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nhu An Pham
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon Lee
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shaf Keshavjee
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas K. Waddell
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ming-Sound Tsao
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nadeem Moghal
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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29
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EMT in Breast Carcinoma-A Review. J Clin Med 2016; 5:jcm5070065. [PMID: 27429011 PMCID: PMC4961996 DOI: 10.3390/jcm5070065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular program that is involved in embryonic development; wound healing, but also in tumorigenesis. Breast carcinoma (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and the majority of deaths (90%) are caused by invasion and metastasis. The EMT plays an important role in invasion and subsequent metastasis. Several distinct biological events integrate a cascade that leads not only to a change from an epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype, but allows for detachment, migration, invasion and ultimately, colonization of a second site. Understanding the biological intricacies of the EMT may provide important insights that lead to the development of therapeutic targets in pre-invasive and invasive breast cancer, and could be used as biomarkers identifying tumor subsets with greater chances of recurrence, metastasis and therapeutic resistance leading to death.
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30
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Oh TG, Wang SCM, Acharya BR, Goode JM, Graham JD, Clarke CL, Yap AS, Muscat GEO. The Nuclear Receptor, RORγ, Regulates Pathways Necessary for Breast Cancer Metastasis. EBioMedicine 2016; 6:59-72. [PMID: 27211549 PMCID: PMC4856749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously reported that RORγ expression was decreased in ER-ve breast cancer, and increased expression improves clinical outcomes. However, the underlying RORγ dependent mechanisms that repress breast carcinogenesis have not been elucidated. Here we report that RORγ negatively regulates the oncogenic TGF-β/EMT and mammary stem cell (MaSC) pathways, whereas RORγ positively regulates DNA-repair. We demonstrate that RORγ expression is: (i) decreased in basal-like subtype cancers, and (ii) inversely correlated with histological grade and drivers of carcinogenesis in breast cancer cohorts. Furthermore, integration of RNA-seq and ChIP-chip data reveals that RORγ regulates the expression of many genes involved in TGF-β/EMT-signaling, DNA-repair and MaSC pathways (including the non-coding RNA, LINC00511). In accordance, pharmacological studies demonstrate that an RORγ agonist suppresses breast cancer cell viability, migration, the EMT transition (microsphere outgrowth) and mammosphere-growth. In contrast, RNA-seq demonstrates an RORγ inverse agonist induces TGF-β/EMT-signaling. These findings suggest pharmacological modulation of RORγ activity may have utility in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Gyu Oh
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shu-Ching M Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Bipul R Acharya
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Joel M Goode
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - J Dinny Graham
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Christine L Clarke
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - George E O Muscat
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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