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Saadh MJ, Rasulova I, Almoyad MAA, Kiasari BA, Ali RT, Rasheed T, Faisal A, Hussain F, Jawad MJ, Hani T, Sârbu I, Lakshmaiya N, Ciongradi CI. Recent progress and the emerging role of lncRNAs in cancer drug resistance; focusing on signaling pathways. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 253:154999. [PMID: 38118218 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
It is becoming more and more apparent that many of the genetic alterations associated with cancer are located in areas that do not encode proteins. lncRNAs are a class of RNAs that do not code for proteins but play a crucial role in maintaining cell function and regulating various cellular processes. By doing this, they have recently introduced what may be a brand-new and essential layer of biological control. These have more than 200 nucleotides and are linked to several diseases; as a result, they have become potential tools for therapeutic intervention. Emerging technologies suggest the presence of mutations on genomic loci that give rise to lncRNAs rather than proteins in a disease as complex as cancer. These lncRNAs play essential parts in gene regulation, which impacts several cellular homeostasis processes, including proliferation, survival, migration, and genomic stability. The leading cause of death in the world today is cancer. Delays in diagnosis and a lack of standard and efficient treatments are the leading causes of the high death rate. Clinically, surgery is frequently used successfully to remove cancers that have not spread, but it is less successful in treating metastatic cancer, which has a drastically lower chance of survival. Chemotherapeutic drugs are a typical therapy to treat the cancer that has spread to other organs. Drug resistance to chemotherapy, however, presents a significant challenge to achieving positive outcomes and is frequently the cause of treatment failure. A substantial barrier to progress in medical oncology is cancer drug resistance. Resistance can develop clinically either before or after cancer treatment. According to this study, lncRNAs influence drug resistance through several different methods. LncRNAs often impact drug resistance by controlling the expression of a few intermediary regulatory variables rather than by directly affecting drug resistance. Additionally, lncRNAs have a variety of roles in cancer medication resistance. Most lncRNAs induce drug resistance when overexpressed; however, other lncRNAs have inhibitory effects. This study provides an overview of the current understanding of lncRNAs, relevance to cancer, and potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed J Saadh
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Middle East University, Amman 11831, Jordan
| | - Irodakhon Rasulova
- School of Humanities, Natural & Social Sciences, New Uzbekistan University, 54 Mustaqillik Ave., Tashkent 100007, Uzbekistan; Department of Public Health, Samarkand State Medical University, Amir Temur Street 18, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Abdullah Almoyad
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 4536, 47 Abha Mushait, 61412, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bahman Abedi Kiasari
- Microbiology & Immunology Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ronak Taher Ali
- College of Medical Technology, Al-Kitab University, Kirkuk, Iraq
| | - Tariq Rasheed
- College of Science and Humanities, Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Faisal
- Department of Pharmacy, Al-Noor University College, Nineveh, Iraq
| | - Farah Hussain
- Medical Technical College, Al-Farahidi University, Iraq
| | | | - Thamer Hani
- Dentistry Department, Al-Turath University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ioan Sârbu
- 2nd Department of Surgery-Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania.
| | - Natrayan Lakshmaiya
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Carmen Iulia Ciongradi
- 2nd Department of Surgery-Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania.
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Desai N, Katare P, Makwana V, Salave S, Vora LK, Giri J. Tumor-derived systems as novel biomedical tools-turning the enemy into an ally. Biomater Res 2023; 27:113. [PMID: 37946275 PMCID: PMC10633998 DOI: 10.1186/s40824-023-00445-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex illness that presents significant challenges in its understanding and treatment. The classic definition, "a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body," fails to convey the intricate interaction between the many entities involved in cancer. Recent advancements in the field of cancer research have shed light on the role played by individual cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment as a whole in tumor development and progression. This breakthrough enables the utilization of the tumor and its components as biological tools, opening new possibilities. This article delves deeply into the concept of "tumor-derived systems", an umbrella term for tools sourced from the tumor that aid in combatting it. It includes cancer cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (for tumor theranostics), extracellular vesicles (for tumor diagnosis/therapy), tumor cell lysates (for cancer vaccine development), and engineered cancer cells/organoids (for cancer research). This review seeks to offer a complete overview of the tumor-derived materials that are utilized in cancer research, as well as their current stages of development and implementation. It is aimed primarily at researchers working at the interface of cancer biology and biomedical engineering, and it provides vital insights into this fast-growing topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimeet Desai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana, India
| | - Pratik Katare
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana, India
| | - Vaishali Makwana
- Center for Interdisciplinary Programs, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana, India
| | - Sagar Salave
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Gujarat, India
| | - Lalitkumar K Vora
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Jyotsnendu Giri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana, India.
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Jin J, Yoshimura K, Sewastjanow-Silva M, Song S, Ajani JA. Challenges and Prospects of Patient-Derived Xenografts for Cancer Research. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4352. [PMID: 37686627 PMCID: PMC10486659 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We discuss the importance of the in vivo models in elucidating cancer biology, focusing on the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, which are classic and standard functional in vivo platforms for preclinical evaluation. We provide an overview of the most representative models, including cell-derived xenografts (CDX), tumor and metastatic cell-derived xenografts, and PDX models utilizing humanized mice (HM). The orthotopic models, which could reproduce the cancer environment and its progression, similar to human tumors, are particularly common. The standard procedures and rationales of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) orthotopic models are addressed. Despite the significant advantages of the PDX models, such as recapitulating key features of human tumors and enabling drug testing in the in vivo context, some challenges must be acknowledged, including loss of heterogeneity, selection bias, clonal evolution, stroma replacement, tumor micro-environment (TME) changes, host cell carryover and contaminations, human-to-host cell oncogenic transformation, human and host viral infections, as well as limitations for immunologic research. To compensate for these limitations, other mouse models, such as syngeneic and humanized mouse models, are currently utilized. Overall, the PDX models represent a powerful tool in cancer research, providing critical insights into tumor biology and potential therapeutic targets, but their limitations and challenges must be carefully considered for their effective use. Lastly, we present an intronic quantitative PCR (qPCR) method to authenticate, detect, and quantify human/murine cells in cell lines and PDX samples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shumei Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (J.J.); (K.Y.); (M.S.-S.)
| | - Jaffer A. Ajani
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (J.J.); (K.Y.); (M.S.-S.)
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Boinapalli Y, Shankar Pandey R, Singh Chauhan A, Sudheesh MS. Physiological relevance of in-vitro cell-nanoparticle interaction studies as a predictive tool in cancer nanomedicine research. Int J Pharm 2023; 632:122579. [PMID: 36603671 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Cell uptake study is a routine experiment used as a surrogate to predict in vivo response in cancer nanomedicine research. Cell culture conditions should be designed in such a way that it emulates 'real' physiological conditions and avoid artefacts. It is critical to dissect the steps involved in cellular uptake to understand the physical, chemical, and biological factors responsible for particle internalization. The two-dimensional model (2D) of cell culture is overly simplistic to mimic the complexity of cancer tissues that exist in vivo. It cannot simulate the critical tissue-specific properties like cell-cell interaction and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction and its influences on the temporal and spatial distribution of nanoparticles (NPs). The three dimensional model organization of heterogenous cancer and normal cells with the ECM acts as a formidable barrier to NP penetration and cellular uptake. The three dimensional cell culture (3D) technology is a breakthrough in this direction that can mimic the barrier properties of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we discuss the physiological factors that should be considered to bridge the translational gap between in and vitro cell culture studies and in-vivo studies in cancer nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamini Boinapalli
- Dept. of Pharmaceutics, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Health Science Campus, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Ponekkara, Kochi 682041, India
| | - Ravi Shankar Pandey
- SLT Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, C.G. 495009, India
| | - Abhay Singh Chauhan
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States.
| | - M S Sudheesh
- Dept. of Pharmaceutics, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Health Science Campus, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Ponekkara, Kochi 682041, India.
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Bouchalova P, Bouchal P. Current methods for studying metastatic potential of tumor cells. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:394. [PMID: 36494720 PMCID: PMC9733110 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02801-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell migration and invasiveness significantly contribute to desirable physiological processes, such as wound healing or embryogenesis, as well as to serious pathological processes such as the spread of cancer cells to form tumor metastasis. The availability of appropriate methods for studying these processes is essential for understanding the molecular basis of cancer metastasis and for identifying suitable therapeutic targets for anti-metastatic treatment. This review summarizes the current status of these methods: In vitro methods for studying cell migration involve two-dimensional (2D) assays (wound-healing/scratch assay), and methods based on chemotaxis (the Dunn chamber). The analysis of both cell migration and invasiveness in vitro require more complex systems based on the Boyden chamber principle (Transwell migration/invasive test, xCELLigence system), or microfluidic devices with three-dimensional (3D) microscopy visualization. 3D culture techniques are rapidly becoming routine and involve multicellular spheroid invasion assays or array chip-based, spherical approaches, multi-layer/multi-zone culture, or organoid non-spherical models, including multi-organ microfluidic chips. The in vivo methods are mostly based on mice, allowing genetically engineered mice models and transplant models (syngeneic mice, cell line-derived xenografts and patient-derived xenografts including humanized mice models). These methods currently represent a solid basis for the state-of-the art research that is focused on understanding metastatic fundamentals as well as the development of targeted anti-metastatic therapies, and stratified treatment in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Bouchalova
- grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Bouchal
- grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
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Massironi N, Colombo M, Cosentino C, Fiandra L, Mauri M, Kayal Y, Testa F, Torri G, Urso E, Vismara E, Vlodavsky I. Heparin-Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Theranostic Applications. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27207116. [PMID: 36296711 PMCID: PMC9611043 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27207116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were engineered with an organic coating composed of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), providing heparin-based nanoparticle systems (LMWH@SPIONs). The purpose was to merge the properties of the heparin skeleton and an inorganic core to build up a targeted theranostic nanosystem, which was eventually enhanced by loading a chemotherapeutic agent. Iron oxide cores were prepared via the co-precipitation of iron salts in an alkaline environment and oleic acid (OA) capping. Dopamine (DA) was covalently linked to BSA and LMWH by amide linkages via carbodiimide coupling. The following ligand exchange reaction between the DA-BSA/DA-LMWH and OA was conducted in a biphasic system composed of water and hexane, affording LMWH@SPIONs stabilized in water by polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). Their size and morphology were investigated via dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The LMWH@SPIONs’ cytotoxicity was tested, showing marginal or no toxicity for samples prepared with PSS at concentrations of 50 µg/mL. Their inhibitory activity on the heparanase enzyme was measured, showing an effective inhibition at concentrations comparable to G4000 (N-desulfo-N-acetyl heparin, a non-anticoagulant and antiheparanase heparin derivative; Roneparstat). The LMWH@SPION encapsulation of paclitaxel (PTX) enhanced the antitumor effect of this chemotherapeutic on breast cancer cells, likely due to an improved internalization of the nanoformulated drug with respect to the free molecule. Lastly, time-domain NMR (TD-NMR) experiments were conducted on LMWH@SPIONs obtaining relaxivity values within the same order of magnitude as currently used commercial contrast agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Massironi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Miriam Colombo
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Cesare Cosentino
- Istituto di Ricerche Chimiche e Biochimiche “Giuliana Ronzoni”, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Fiandra
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Mauri
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano Bicocca, 20125 Milan, Italy
| | - Yasmina Kayal
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 2611001, Israel
| | - Filippo Testa
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Giangiacomo Torri
- Istituto di Ricerche Chimiche e Biochimiche “Giuliana Ronzoni”, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.T.); (E.V.); Tel.: +39-02-7064-1624 (G.T.); +39-02-2399-3088 (E.V.)
| | - Elena Urso
- Istituto di Ricerche Chimiche e Biochimiche “Giuliana Ronzoni”, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Vismara
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.T.); (E.V.); Tel.: +39-02-7064-1624 (G.T.); +39-02-2399-3088 (E.V.)
| | - Israel Vlodavsky
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 2611001, Israel
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Sun M, Wang Z, Sun W, Chen M, Ma X, Shen J, Fu Z, Zuo D, Wang G, Wang H, Wang C, Yin F, Wang Z, Zhang C, Hua Y, Cai Z. Correlation between Patient-Derived Xenograft Modeling and Prognosis in Osteosarcoma. Orthop Surg 2022; 14:1161-1166. [PMID: 35538733 PMCID: PMC9163969 DOI: 10.1111/os.13211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To retrospectively analyze and compare the relationship between the success rate of patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) modeling of osteosarcoma and prognosis (3‐year overall survival rate and disease‐free survival rate) and incidence of lung metastasis. Methods The sample group consisted of 57 osteosarcoma patients with definite pathological diagnoses from Shanghai General Hospital from 2015–2017. PDX models in 57 patients were analyzed by retrospective analyses. Among the patients currently inoculated, 20 were tumorigenic in the PDX model, and 37 were nontumorigenic. According to the tumorigenicity of PDXs, the corresponding osteosarcoma patients were divided into two groups. The effects of clinically related indicators on the model were retrospectively compared. The patients were followed, and the 3‐year survival, 3‐year disease‐free survival (DFS), and lung metastasis rates were collected. The relationship between the modeling success and patient prognosis was investigated. Results In the chemotherapy‐treated group, the PDX modeling success rate was 17.4%, and in the nonchemotherapy group, the success rate was 47.1%. The success of PDX modeling was related to whether patients received chemotherapy. The success rate of PDX modeling is significantly reduced after receiving chemotherapy. The 3‐year overall survival rate of the PDX‐grafted group was 49.23%, and that of the PDX‐nongrafted group was 65.71%. There was a significant difference between the two groups, showing a strong negative correlation between the 3‐year survival rate and the success rate of the PDX model. The 3‐year disease‐free survival rate of the PDX‐grafted group was 29.54%. The 3‐year DFS of the PDX‐nongrafted group was 50.34%. There was a significant difference between the two groups. Lower grafted rates indicate a higher DFS rate. The incidence of lung metastasis in the PDX‐grafted group was 32.4%, and that in the nongrafted group was 13.1%. There was a significant difference between the two groups. The successful establishment of the PDX model indicates that patients are more likely to have lung metastases. Conclusions The success of PDX modeling often indicates poor prognosis (low 3‐year overall survival rate and disease‐free survival rate) and a greater possibility of lung metastasis. Therefore, PDX modeling in osteosarcoma patients can accurately predict the prognosis of patients and the risk of lung metastasis in advance to help us develop better therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxiong Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zongyi Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojun Ma
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiakang Shen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeze Fu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongqing Zuo
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Gangyang Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongsheng Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chongren Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Yin
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhuoying Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Yingqi Hua
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengdong Cai
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Abstract
Tumor cell spheroids are one of the three-dimensional (3D) culture systems that can be used to study the features of tumor cells in a more physiologic condition. Indeed, this 3D culture system has been validated in preclinical studies to select anticancer drugs. Tumor cell spheroids can be obtained through employing different procedures, and here I describe in detail how to obtain spheroids from tumor cell lines of colorectal carcinoma (CRC). I analyze the procedures employed to evaluate the phenotype and growth of tumor cells in this 3D culture system. Also, interaction with immune cells is considered. Indeed, it is relevant to define whether the antitumor effects exerted by different cytotoxic lymphocyte subsets are similar when tumor cells are used either as cells adherent to a plastic substrate or floating spheroids. To obtain optimal results in this complex system, some parameters must be considered, such as those related to poorly defined experimental variables including biological and biophysical features of tumor cell lines and the quality (purity and time to use after generation) of antitumor effector lymphocyte subsets. Also, I describe in detail the methods to generate these lymphocyte subsets and to characterize their cytotoxic potential and effectiveness in killing tumor cells. Human natural killer cells and T lymphocytes expressing the γδ T cell receptor (in particular Vδ2 T cells) are considered among the cytotoxic lymphocyte populations. Eventually, it should be possible to obtain reliable and feasible results to study the molecular mechanisms involved in recognition and killing of CRC spheroids exerted by effector lymphocytes. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Generation of tumor cell spheroids Basic Protocol 2: Evaluation of ATP content of spheroids Basic Protocol 3: Evaluation of antigen expression by cell spheroids Basic Protocol 4: Generation of effector lymphocytes Basic Protocol 5: Coculture of spheroids and lymphocytes Basic Protocol 6: Evaluation of lymphocyte cytotoxicity using crystal violet staining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Poggi
- Molecular Oncology and Angiogenesis Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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Modeling the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Cell Invasion. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040962. [PMID: 35205707 PMCID: PMC8870277 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Accurate in vitro modeling of diseases is essential to making breakthrough and clinically relevant discoveries. Assays to examine the process of invasion—a classical hallmark of cancer—have evolved over the years to overcome shortfalls in their design and accommodate new knowledge in the field, such as the role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in propagating this process. The goals of this review are two-fold: To walk through the tried-and-true plus novel and new invasion assays currently used in cancer research with a focus on those incorporating cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and to be a resource for researchers to find the correct invasion assays that suit their own unique needs and biological questions. Abstract The major cause of cancer-related deaths can be attributed to the metastatic spread of tumor cells—a dynamic and complex multi-step process beginning with tumor cells acquiring an invasive phenotype to allow them to travel through the blood and lymphatic vessels to ultimately seed at a secondary site. Over the years, various in vitro models have been used to characterize specific steps in the cascade to collectively begin providing a clearer picture of the puzzle of metastasis. With the discovery of the TME’s supporting role in activating tumor cell invasion and metastasis, these models have evolved in parallel to accommodate features of the TME and to observe its interactions with tumor cells. In particular, CAFs that reside in reactive tumor stroma have been shown to play a substantial pro-invasive role through their matrix-modifying functions; accordingly, this warranted further investigation with the development and use of invasion assays that could include these stromal cells. This review explores the growing toolbox of assays used to study tumor cell invasion, from the simple beginnings of a tumor cell and extracellular matrix set-up to the advent of models that aim to more closely recapitulate the interplay between tumor cells, CAFs and the extracellular matrix. These models will prove to be invaluable tools to help tease out the intricacies of tumor cell invasion.
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Ex vivo organotypic cultures for synergistic therapy prioritization identify patient-specific responses to combined MEK and Src inhibition in colorectal cancer. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:219-231. [PMID: 35145327 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-021-00325-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Translating preclinical studies to effective treatment protocols and identifying specific therapeutic responses in individuals with cancer is challenging. This may arise due to the complex genetic makeup of tumor cells and the impact of their multifaceted tumor microenvironment on drug response. To find new clinically relevant drug combinations for colorectal cancer (CRC), we prioritized the top five synergistic combinations from a large in vitro screen for ex vivo testing on 29 freshly resected human CRC tumors and found that only the combination of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) and proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (Src) inhibition was effective when tested ex vivo. Pretreatment phosphorylated Src (pSrc) was identified as a predictive biomarker for MEK and Src inhibition only in the absence of KRASG12 mutations. Overall, we demonstrate the potential of using ex vivo platforms to identify drug combinations and discover MEK and Src dual inhibition as an effective drug combination in a predefined subset of individuals with CRC.
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Fougner V, Hasselbalch B, Lassen U, Weischenfeldt J, Poulsen HS, Urup T. Implementing targeted therapies in the treatment of glioblastoma: Previous shortcomings, future promises, and a multimodal strategy recommendation. Neurooncol Adv 2022; 4:vdac157. [PMID: 36325372 PMCID: PMC9616055 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdac157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The introduction of targeted therapies to the field of oncology has prolonged the survival of several tumor types. Despite extensive research and numerous trials, similar outcomes have unfortunately not been realized for glioblastoma. For more than 15 years, the standard treatment of glioblastoma has been unchanged. This review walks through the elements that have challenged the success of previous trials and highlight some future promises. Concurrently, this review describes how institutions, through a multimodal and comprehensive strategy with 4 essential components, may increase the probability of finding a meaningful role for targeted therapies in the treatment of glioblastoma. These components are (1) prudent trial designs, (2) considered drug and target selection, (3) harnessed real-world clinical and molecular evidence, and (4) incorporation of translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Fougner
- Department for Cancer Treatment, DCCC—Brain Tumor Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Capitol Region of Denmark, Denmark
| | - Benedikte Hasselbalch
- Department for Cancer Treatment, DCCC—Brain Tumor Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Capitol Region of Denmark, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Lassen
- Department for Cancer Treatment, DCCC—Brain Tumor Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Capitol Region of Denmark, Denmark
| | - Joachim Weischenfeldt
- BRIC - Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hans Skovgaard Poulsen
- Department for Cancer Treatment, DCCC—Brain Tumor Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Capitol Region of Denmark, Denmark
| | - Thomas Urup
- Department for Cancer Treatment, DCCC—Brain Tumor Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Capitol Region of Denmark, Denmark
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Mendoza-Martinez AK, Loessner D, Mata A, Azevedo HS. Modeling the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer: The Application of Self-Assembling Biomaterials. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5745. [PMID: 34830897 PMCID: PMC8616551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is one of the leading causes of gynecologic malignancies. Despite treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, OvCa disseminates and recurs frequently, reducing the survival rate for patients. There is an urgent need to develop more effective treatment options for women diagnosed with OvCa. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a key driver of disease progression, metastasis and resistance to treatment. For this reason, 3D models have been designed to represent this specific niche and allow more realistic cell behaviors compared to conventional 2D approaches. In particular, self-assembling peptides represent a promising biomaterial platform to study tumor biology. They form nanofiber networks that resemble the architecture of the extracellular matrix and can be designed to display mechanical properties and biochemical motifs representative of the TME. In this review, we highlight the properties and benefits of emerging 3D platforms used to model the ovarian TME. We also outline the challenges associated with using these 3D systems and provide suggestions for future studies and developments. We conclude that our understanding of OvCa and advances in materials science will progress the engineering of novel 3D approaches, which will enable the development of more effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Karen Mendoza-Martinez
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK;
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Daniela Loessner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials Dresden, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V., 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Alvaro Mata
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Helena S. Azevedo
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK;
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
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Li M, Gonye AL, Truskowski K, Loftus LV, Urbanski LA, Myers KV, Mallin MM, Yang ME, Mendez SA, Kostecka LG, Udedibor CR, Kim CJ, Kuczler MD, Shin GH, Amend SR, Pienta KJ. Twelve unanswered questions in cancer inspired by the life and work of Leland Chung: "if this is true, what does it imply"? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL UROLOGY 2021; 9:254-260. [PMID: 34541023 PMCID: PMC8446763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Melvin Li
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Anna Lk Gonye
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Kevin Truskowski
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Luke V Loftus
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Lanie A Urbanski
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Kayla V Myers
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Mikaela M Mallin
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Margaret E Yang
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Sabrina A Mendez
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Laurie G Kostecka
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Chiamaka R Udedibor
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Chi-Ju Kim
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Morgan D Kuczler
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Gloria H Shin
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Sarah R Amend
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Kenneth J Pienta
- The Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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Three-Dimensional Culture Models to Study Innate Anti-Tumor Immune Response: Advantages and Disadvantages. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13143417. [PMID: 34298630 PMCID: PMC8303518 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Several approaches have shown that the immune response against tumors strongly affects patients' clinical outcome. Thus, the study of anti-tumor immunity is critical to understand and potentiate the mechanisms underlying the elimination of tumor cells. Natural killer (NK) cells are members of innate immunity and represent powerful anti-tumor effectors, able to eliminate tumor cells without a previous sensitization. Thus, the study of their involvement in anti-tumor responses is critical for clinical translation. This analysis has been performed in vitro, co-incubating NK with tumor cells and quantifying the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. In vivo confirmation has been applied to overcome the limits of in vitro testing, however, the innate immunity of mice and humans is different, leading to discrepancies. Different activating receptors on NK cells and counter-ligands on tumor cells are involved in the antitumor response, and innate immunity is strictly dependent on the specific microenvironment where it takes place. Thus, three-dimensional (3D) culture systems, where NK and tumor cells can interact in a tissue-like architecture, have been created. For example, tumor cell spheroids and primary organoids derived from several tumor types, have been used so far to analyze innate immune response, replacing animal models. Herein, we briefly introduce NK cells and analyze and discuss in detail the properties of 3D tumor culture systems and their use for the study of tumor cell interactions with NK cells.
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Nakayama J, Han Y, Kuroiwa Y, Azuma K, Yamamoto Y, Semba K. The In Vivo Selection Method in Breast Cancer Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1886. [PMID: 33672831 PMCID: PMC7918415 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is a complex event in cancer progression and causes most deaths from cancer. Repeated transplantation of metastatic cancer cells derived from transplanted murine organs can be used to select the population of highly metastatic cancer cells; this method is called as in vivo selection. The in vivo selection method and highly metastatic cancer cell lines have contributed to reveal the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis. Here, we present an overview of the methodology for the in vivo selection method. Recent comparative analysis of the transplantation methods for metastasis have revealed the divergence of metastasis gene signatures. Even cancer cells that metastasize to the same organ show various metastatic cascades and gene expression patterns by changing the transplantation method for the in vivo selection. These findings suggest that the selection of metastasis models for the study of metastasis gene signatures has the potential to influence research results. The study of novel gene signatures that are identified from novel highly metastatic cell lines and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) will be helpful for understanding the novel mechanisms of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Nakayama
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Yuxuan Han
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; (Y.H.); (K.A.); (K.S.)
| | - Yuka Kuroiwa
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.Y.)
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; (Y.H.); (K.A.); (K.S.)
| | - Kazushi Azuma
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; (Y.H.); (K.A.); (K.S.)
| | - Yusuke Yamamoto
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Kentaro Semba
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; (Y.H.); (K.A.); (K.S.)
- Department of Cell Factory, Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
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