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Talia M, Cirillo F, Scordamaglia D, Di Dio M, Zicarelli A, De Rosis S, Miglietta AM, Capalbo C, De Francesco EM, Belfiore A, Grande F, Rizzuti B, Occhiuzzi MA, Fortino G, Guzzo A, Greco G, Maggiolini M, Lappano R. The G Protein Estrogen Receptor (GPER) is involved in the resistance to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in breast cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:171. [PMID: 38886784 PMCID: PMC11184778 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03096-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cyclin D1-cyclin dependent kinases (CDK)4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy shows remarkable efficacy in the management of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (BC). Nevertheless, resistance to palbociclib frequently arises, highlighting the need to identify new targets toward more comprehensive therapeutic strategies in BC patients. METHODS BC cell lines resistant to palbociclib were generated and used as a model system. Gene silencing techniques and overexpression experiments, real-time PCR, immunoblotting and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies as well as cell viability, colony and 3D spheroid formation assays served to evaluate the involvement of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the resistance to palbociclib in BC cells. Molecular docking simulations were also performed to investigate the potential interaction of palbociclib with GPER. Furthermore, BC cells co-cultured with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) isolated from mammary carcinoma, were used to investigate whether GPER signaling may contribute to functional cell interactions within the tumor microenvironment toward palbociclib resistance. Finally, by bioinformatics analyses and k-means clustering on clinical and expression data of large cohorts of BC patients, the clinical significance of novel mediators of palbociclib resistance was explored. RESULTS Dissecting the molecular events that characterize ER-positive BC cells resistant to palbociclib, the down-regulation of ERα along with the up-regulation of GPER were found. To evaluate the molecular events involved in the up-regulation of GPER, we determined that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) interacts with the promoter region of GPER and stimulates its expression toward BC cells resistance to palbociclib treatment. Adding further cues to these data, we ascertained that palbociclib does induce pro-inflammatory transcriptional events via GPER signaling in CAFs. Of note, by performing co-culture assays we demonstrated that GPER contributes to the reduced sensitivity to palbociclib also facilitating the functional interaction between BC cells and main components of the tumor microenvironment named CAFs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results provide novel insights on the molecular events through which GPER may contribute to palbociclib resistance in BC cells. Additional investigations are warranted in order to assess whether targeting the GPER-mediated interactions between BC cells and CAFs may be useful in more comprehensive therapeutic approaches of BC resistant to palbociclib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Talia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Domenica Scordamaglia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Marika Di Dio
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Azzurra Zicarelli
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Salvatore De Rosis
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Miglietta
- Breast and General Surgery Unit, Regional Hospital Cosenza, Cosenza, 87100, Italy
| | - Carlo Capalbo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
- Complex Operative Oncology Unit, Regional Hospital Cosenza, Cosenza, 87100, Italy
| | | | - Antonino Belfiore
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, 95122, Italy
| | - Fedora Grande
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Bruno Rizzuti
- Department of Physics, CNR-NANOTEC, SS Rende (CS), University of Calabria, Rende, CS, 87036, Italy
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Joint Unit GBsC-CSIC-BIFI, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain
| | | | - Giancarlo Fortino
- Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronic, and System Engineering, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Antonella Guzzo
- Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronic, and System Engineering, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Greco
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy.
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy.
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Inayatullah M, Mahesh A, Turnbull AK, Dixon JM, Natrajan R, Tiwari VK. Basal-epithelial subpopulations underlie and predict chemotherapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:823-853. [PMID: 38480932 PMCID: PMC11018633 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00050-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, characterized by extensive intratumoral heterogeneity, high metastasis, and chemoresistance, leading to poor clinical outcomes. Despite progress, the mechanistic basis of these aggressive behaviors remains poorly understood. Using single-cell and spatial transcriptome analysis, here we discovered basal epithelial subpopulations located within the stroma that exhibit chemoresistance characteristics. The subpopulations are defined by distinct signature genes that show a frequent gain in copy number and exhibit an activated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition program. A subset of these genes can accurately predict chemotherapy response and are associated with poor prognosis. Interestingly, among these genes, elevated ITGB1 participates in enhancing intercellular signaling while ACTN1 confers a survival advantage to foster chemoresistance. Furthermore, by subjecting the transcriptional signatures to drug repurposing analysis, we find that chemoresistant tumors may benefit from distinct inhibitors in treatment-naive versus post-NAC patients. These findings shed light on the mechanistic basis of chemoresistance while providing the best-in-class biomarker to predict chemotherapy response and alternate therapeutic avenues for improved management of TNBC patients resistant to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Inayatullah
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Arun Mahesh
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Arran K Turnbull
- Edinburgh Breast Cancer Now Research Group, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - J Michael Dixon
- Edinburgh Breast Cancer Now Research Group, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Rachael Natrajan
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Vijay K Tiwari
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK.
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS), Odense M, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark.
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Kashyap D, Bhattacharya S, Irinike S, Khare S, Das A, Singh G, Bal A. Cancer associated fibroblasts modulate the cytotoxicity of anti-cancer drugs in breast cancer: An in vitro study. Breast Dis 2024; 43:25-36. [PMID: 38517765 DOI: 10.3233/bd-230011] [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] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumour microenvironment (TME) contributes to resistance to anti-cancer drugs through multiple mechanisms including secretion of pro-survival factors by cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In this study, we determined the chemotherapy resistance producing potential of CAFs in molecular subtypes of breast cancer. METHODS The CAFs were isolated from fresh lumpectomy/mastectomy specimens of different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The CAFs were cultured and secretome was collected from each breast cancer subtype. Breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, SK-BR3, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-468 were treated with different doses of tamoxifen, trastuzumab, cisplatin, and doxorubicin alone respectively and in combination with secretome of CAFs from respective subtypes. MTT assay was done to check cell death after drug treatment. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) analysis of CAF secretome was also done. RESULTS MTT assay showed that anti-cancer drugs alone had growth inhibitory effect on the cancer cells however, presence of CAF secretome reduced the anti-cancer effect of the drugs. Resistant to drugs in the presence of secretome, was determined by increased cell viability i.e., MCF-7, 51.02% to 63.02%; SK-BR-3, 34.22% to 44.88%; MDA-MB-231, 52.59% to 78.63%; and MDA-MB-468, 48.92% to 55.08%. LCMS analysis of the secretome showed the differential abundance of CAFs secreted proteins across breast cancer subtypes. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of breast cancer cell lines with anti-cancer drugs in combination with secretome isolated from molecular subtype specific CAFs, reduced the cytotoxic effect of the drugs. In addition, LCMS data also highlighted different composition of secreted proteins from different breast cancer associated fibroblasts. Thus, TME has heterogenous population of CAFs across the breast cancer subtypes and in vitro experiments highlight their contribution to chemotherapy resistance which needs further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharambir Kashyap
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shalmoli Bhattacharya
- Department of Biophysics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
| | - Santosh Irinike
- Department of General Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
| | - Siddhant Khare
- Department of General Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashim Das
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gurpreet Singh
- Department of General Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
| | - Amanjit Bal
- Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Sector-12, Chandigarh, India
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Huang J, Wei W, Kang F, Tan S, Li Y, Lu X, Wang N. ANXA3, associated with YAP1 regulation, participates in the proliferation and chemoresistance of cervical cancer cells. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:1575-1586. [PMID: 37843781 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01461-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cervical cancer, as one of the most common cancers in women, remains a major health threat worldwide. Annexin A3 (ANXA3), a component of the annexin family, is upregulated in numerous cancers, with no explicit role in cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the function of ANXA3 in cervical cancer. METHODS Differential expression genes between the cervical cancer tissues of patients and the controls were analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. Using transfection approaches to either upregulate or downregulate ANXA3, its role in cell proliferation and chemosensitivity of human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and C33A) was evaluated. Furthermore, the binding activity between YAP1 and ANXA3 was also explored. RESULTS Genomics analysis indicated that differential genes were mostly associated with cell cycle progression and DNA replication. ANXA3 was highly expressed in the cervical cancer tissues and closely linked to malignancy degree. Knockdown of ANXA3 in cervical cancer cells inhibited cell cycle progression. A similar result was observed in the reduction of cyclin D, CDK4, cyclin E, and CDK2 in cervical cancer cells with ANXA3 silencing. Cervical cancer cells obtained high sensitivity to cisplatin (DDP) when ANXA3 was downregulated. Conversely, these capabilities were the opposite in cervical cancer cells overexpressing ANXA3. Furthermore, the expression levels of ANXA3 and YAP1 were positively correlated. YAP1 upregulation was positively connected with malignant behaviors, which were reversed by ANXA3 downregulation. CONCLUSION In light of our findings, targeting ANXA3 expressed in cervical cancer might contribute to more potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazhen Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuli Kang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Tan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Yibing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohang Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, People's Republic of China.
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Li J, Wei D, Fu Q. Anatase TiO 2-x and zwitterionic porphyrin polymer-based nanocomposite for enhanced cancer photodynamic therapy. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:14790-14799. [PMID: 37642471 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03012a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy has been used as a treatment option for cancer; however, the existing TiO2 photosensitizer does not have the ability to specifically target cancer cells. This lack of selectivity reduces its effectiveness in overcoming cancer resistance. To improve photodynamic therapy outcomes, an innovative solution is proposed. In this study, we report on the compounding of a zwitterionic covalent organic polymer (COP) with a TiO2 photosensitizer for the first time. The aim is to overcome cancer cellular resistance. A one-pot synthetic strategy, which includes the construction of a porphyrin-based COP has been employed. This strategy has also been applied to the rapid preparation of anatase defective TiO2 (TiO2-x). To improve the hydrophilic and antifouling properties of the polymer, zwitterion L-cysteine has been conjugated with a porphyrin-based COP using a thiol-ene "click chemistry" reaction. The novel zwitterionic porphyrin-based COP has the ability to trigger biodegradation under the acid microenvironment due to the presence of acid-sensitive β-thioether esters. When combined with TiO2-x, the resultant nanocomposite produces an enhanced photodynamic therapy effect for drug-resistant cancer cells under NIR laser irradiation. This is due to the strong mutual sensitization of zwitterionic porphyrin-based COP and TiO2-x. Importantly, the nanocomposite delivery system exhibits excellent cytocompatibility in the dark and has the potential to improve the accuracy of cancer diagnosis through fluorescence imaging. The results of this study demonstrate the potential application of this alternative nanocomposite delivery system for remote-controllable photodynamic therapy of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxu Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Natural Polymer Chemistry and Physics, College of Chemistry and Materials, Graduate School, Nanning Normal University, Nanning 530001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dengshuai Wei
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qinrui Fu
- Institute for Translational Medicine, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, People's Republic of China.
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Khawar MB, Ge F, Afzal A, Sun H. From barriers to novel strategies: smarter CAR T therapy hits hard to tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1203230. [PMID: 37520522 PMCID: PMC10375020 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1203230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for solid tumors shows promise, but several hurdles remain. Strategies to overcome barriers such as CAR T therapy-related toxicities (CTT), immunosuppression, and immune checkpoints through research and technology are needed to put the last nail to the coffin and offer hope for previously incurable malignancies. Herein we review current literature and infer novel strategies for the mitigation of CTT while impeding immune suppression, stromal barriers, tumor heterogeneity, on-target/off-tumor toxicities, and better transfection strategies with an emphasis on clinical research and prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Babar Khawar
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research Yangzhou, Yangzhou, China
- Applied Molecular Biology and Biomedicine Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan
| | - Fei Ge
- Haian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ali Afzal
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research Yangzhou, Yangzhou, China
| | - Haibo Sun
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research Yangzhou, Yangzhou, China
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Karancsi Z, Hagenaars SC, Németh K, Mesker WE, Tőkés AM, Kulka J. Tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) in breast cancer: comparison of scoring core biopsies versus resection specimens. Virchows Arch 2023:10.1007/s00428-023-03555-0. [PMID: 37198327 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03555-0] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) is an important prognostic and predictive factor in several tumour types. The aim of this study is to determine whether TSR evaluated in breast cancer core biopsies is representative of the whole tumour. METHOD Different TSR scoring methods, their reproducibility, and the association of TSR with clinicopathological characteristics were investigated in 178 breast carcinoma core biopsies and corresponding resection specimens. TSR was assessed by two trained scientists on the most representative H&E-stained digitised slides. Patients were treated primarily with surgery between 2010 and 2021 at Semmelweis University, Budapest. RESULTS Ninety-one percent of the tumours were hormone receptor (HR)-positive (luminal-like). Interobserver agreement was highest using 100 × magnification (κcore = 0.906, κresection specimen = 0.882). The agreement between TSR of core biopsies and resection specimens of the same patients was moderate (κ = 0.514). Differences between the two types of samples were most frequent in cases with TSR scores close to the 50% cut-off point. TSR was strongly correlated with age at diagnosis, pT category, histological type, histological grade, and surrogate molecular subtype. A tendency was identified for more recurrences among stroma-high (SH) tumours (p = 0.07). Significant correlation was detected between the TSR and tumour recurrence in grade 1 HR-positive breast cancer cases (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS TSR is easy to determine and reproducible on both core biopsies and in resection specimens and is associated with several clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer. TSR scored on core biopsies is moderately representative for the whole tumour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Karancsi
- Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 93, 1091, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Sophie C Hagenaars
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kristóf Németh
- Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 93, 1091, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Wilma E Mesker
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Mária Tőkés
- Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 93, 1091, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Janina Kulka
- Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 93, 1091, Budapest, Hungary
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Priwitaningrum DL, Pednekar K, Gabriël AV, Varela-Moreira AA, Le Gac S, Vellekoop I, Storm G, Hennink WE, Prakash J. Evaluation of paclitaxel-loaded polymeric nanoparticles in 3D tumor model: impact of tumor stroma on penetration and efficacy. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2023; 13:1470-1483. [PMID: 36853438 PMCID: PMC10102101 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-023-01310-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Since tumor stroma poses as a barrier to achieve efficacy of nanomedicines, it is essential to evaluate nano-chemotherapeutics in stroma-mimicking 3D models that reliably predict their behavior regarding these hurdles limiting efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the effect of paclitaxel-loaded polymeric micelles (PTX-PMCs) and polymeric nanoparticles (PTX-PNPs) in a tumor stroma-mimicking 3D in vitro model. PTX-PMCs (77 nm) based on a amphiphilic block copolymer of mPEG-b-p(HPMAm-Bz) and PTX-PNPs (159 nm) based on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) were prepared, which had an encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of 81 ± 15% and 45 ± 8%, respectively. 3D homospheroids of mouse 4T1 breast cancer cells and heterospheroids of NIH3T3 fibroblasts and 4T1 (5:1 ratio) were prepared and characterized with high content two-photon microscopy and immunostaining. Data showed an induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (α-SMA) in both homo- and heterospheroids, while ECM (collagen) deposition only in heterospheroids. Two-photon imaging revealed that both fluorescently labeled PMCs and PNPs penetrated into the core of homospheroids and only PMCs penetrated into heterospheroids. Furthermore, PTX-PMCs, PTX-PNPs, and free PTX induced cytotoxicity in tumor cells and fibroblasts grown as monolayer, but these effects were substantially reduced in 3D models, in particular in heterospheroids. Gene expression analysis showed that heterospheroids had a significant increase of drug resistance markers (Bcl2, Abgc2) compared to 2D or 3D monocultures. Altogether, this study shows that the efficacy of nanotherapeutics is challenged by stroma-induced poor penetration and development of resistant phenotype. Therefore, this tumor stroma-mimicking 3D model can provide an excellent platform to study penetration and effects of nanotherapeutics before in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwi L Priwitaningrum
- Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7500AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
| | - Kunal Pednekar
- Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7500AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandros V Gabriël
- Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7500AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Aida A Varela-Moreira
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Severine Le Gac
- Applied Microfluidics for BioEngineering Research, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Ivo Vellekoop
- Biomedical Photonic Imaging, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Gert Storm
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wim E Hennink
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jai Prakash
- Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7500AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.
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Yan B, Shi R, Lu YY, Fang DD, Ye MN, Zhou QM. Shenqi Fuzheng injection reverses M2 macrophage-mediated cisplatin resistance through the PI3K pathway in breast cancer. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279752. [PMID: 36693064 PMCID: PMC9873177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SQFZ) combined with chemotherapy can sensitize tumour cells. However, the mechanisms underlying SQFZ's effects remain unknown. In human breast cancer cell lines and M2 macrophages, we showed that SQFZ was a significantly potent agent of sensitization. METHODS The human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231/DDP, and the human acute leukaemia mononuclear cell line, THP-1, were used. MDA-MB-231/DDP breast cancer xenografts were established to monitor tumour growth. Resistance-associated proteins were examined by western blotting. Levels of cytokines and chemokines were detected by ELISA. Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS SQFZ significantly enhanced the capability of cisplatin to reduce tumour mass. SQFZ and cisplatin decreased the expression of CD206 by 1.89-fold and increased that of CD86 by 1.76-fold as compared to cisplatin alone. The levels of PGE2, IL-6, and CCL1 decreased significantly, and the activation of p-PI3K and the expressions of P-gp and ABCG2 were also inhibited by SQFZ in combination with cisplatin treatment in vivo. The survival following cisplatin administration of 60 μM and 120 μM reduced significantly in the presence of SQFZ in MDA-MB-231/DDP and M2 co-cultured cells. IGF-1, a PI3K activator, combined with SQFZ weakened the effects of SQFZ-induced apoptosis from 28.7% to 10.5%. The effects of IGF-1 on increasing the expressions of P-gp, ABCG2, and Bcl-2, and decreasing that of Bax were reversed by SQFZ. CONCLUSION Our findings provide evidence that SQFZ is a potential therapeutic drug for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yan
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong Shi
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-yu Lu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong-dong Fang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei-na Ye
- Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian-mei Zhou
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail:
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Li Z, Yu J, Lv C, Luo Z. Cancer-associated fibroblasts-derived lncRNA signature as a putative biomarker in breast cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1028664. [PMID: 36408190 PMCID: PMC9667072 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1028664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play a key role in regulating tumor microenvironment and immunity. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant in many tumors. However, the functional and clinical significance of lncRNAs specifically expressed in CAFs has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified a list of 95 CAF-specific lncRNAs (FibLnc), including HHLA3, TP53TG1, ST7-AS1, LINC00536, ZNF503-AS1, MIR22HG, and MAPT-AS1, based on immune cell transcriptome expression profiling data. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus datasets, we found that the FibLnc score predicted differences in overall patient survival and performed well in multiple datasets. FibLnc score was associated with the clinical stage of patients with breast cancer but did not significantly correlate with the PAM50 classification. Functional analysis showed that FibLnc was positively correlated with signaling pathways associated with malignant tumor progression. In addition, FibLnc was positively correlated with tumor mutational load and could predict immunotherapy response in patients with breast cancer receiving anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA4 therapy. Our proposed FibLnc score was able to reflect the status of the immune environment and immunotherapeutic response in breast cancer, which could help explore potential therapeutic decisions and regulatory mechanisms of CAF-specific lncRNAs.
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11
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Uddin MN, Wang X. Identification of breast cancer subtypes based on gene expression profiles in breast cancer stroma. Clin Breast Cancer 2022; 22:521-537. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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12
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Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Cancer Therapy Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051359. [PMID: 35267667 PMCID: PMC8909607 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils and their products are increasingly recognized to have a key influence on cancer progression and response to therapy. Their involvement has been shown in nearly every aspect of cancer pathophysiology with growing evidence now supporting their role in resistance to a variety of cancer therapies. Recently, the role of neutrophils in cancer progression and therapy resistance has been further complicated with the discovery of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs are web-like structures of chromatin decorated with a variety of microbicidal proteins. They are released by neutrophils in a process called NETosis. NET-dependent mechanisms of cancer pathology are beginning to be appreciated, particularly with respect to tumor response to chemo-, immuno-, and radiation therapy. Several studies support the functional role of NETs in cancer therapy resistance, involving T-cell exhaustion, drug detoxification, angiogenesis, the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and extracellular matrix remodeling mechanisms, among others. Given this, new and promising data suggests NETs provide a microenvironment conducive to limited therapeutic response across a variety of neoplasms. As such, this paper aims to give a comprehensive overview of evidence on NETs in cancer therapy resistance with a focus on clinical applicability.
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13
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Francavilla C, O'Brien CS. Fibroblast growth factor receptor signalling dysregulation and targeting in breast cancer. Open Biol 2022; 12:210373. [PMID: 35193394 PMCID: PMC8864352 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) signalling plays a critical role in breast embryonal development, tissue homeostasis, tumorigenesis and metastasis. FGFR, its numerous FGF ligands and signalling partners are often dysregulated in breast cancer progression and are one of the causes of resistance to treatment in breast cancer. Furthermore, FGFR signalling on epithelial cells is affected by signals from the breast microenvironment, therefore increasing the possibility of breast developmental abnormalities or cancer progression. Increasing our understanding of the multi-layered roles of the complex family of FGFRs, their ligands FGFs and their regulatory partners may offer novel treatment strategies for breast cancer patients, as a single agent or rational co-target, which will be explored in depth in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Francavilla
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
- The Manchester Breast Centre, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Ciara S. O'Brien
- The Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 2BX, UK
- The Manchester Breast Centre, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
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14
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Jiang P, Chen Y, Liu B. Prognostic Efficacy of Tumor-Stroma Ratio in Women With Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. Front Oncol 2021; 11:731409. [PMID: 34976792 PMCID: PMC8716503 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.731409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) has been suggested as an emerging prognostic predictor in women with breast cancer. However, previous studies evaluating the association between TSR and survival in women with breast cancer showed inconsistent results. We performed a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the possible prognostic role of TSR in breast cancer. Methods Relevant cohort studies were obtained via search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. A random-effects model, which incorporated the potential heterogeneity, was used to pool the results. Results Twelve cohort studies with 6175 patients were included. Nine of the 12 studies used 50% as the cutoff to divide the patients into those with stroma-rich (low TSR) and stroma-poor (high TSR) tumors. Pooled results showed that compared women with stroma-poor tumor, those with stroma-rich tumor were associated with worse survival outcomes (disease-free survival [DFS]: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32 to 1.85, P < 0.001; overall survival [OS]: HR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.46 to 1.91, P < 0.001; and cancer-specific survival [CSS]: HR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.40 to 2.20, P < 0.001). Analysis limited to women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) showed consistent results (DFS: HR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.59 to 2.71, P < 0.001; OS: HR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.52 to 2.73, P < 0.001; and CSS: HR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.52 to 3.78, P < 0.001). Conclusions Current evidence from retrospective studies supports that tumor TSR is a prognostic predictor or poor survival in women with breast cancer.
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15
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Huang T, Cao L, Feng N, Xu B, Dong Y, Wang M. N 6-methyladenosine (m 6A)-mediated lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1enhances breast canceradriamycin resistance through miR-299-3p/WTAP feedback loop. Bioengineered 2021; 12:10935-10944. [PMID: 34866525 PMCID: PMC8809972 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2000198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy resistance is identified as an obstacle for breast cancer (BC) therapy, and, besides, increasing evidence indicates that long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the regulation of BC adriamycin (ADR) resistance. Here, our work shows that lncRNA DLGAP1 antisense RNA 1 (DLGAP1-AS1) is up-regulated in ADR-resistant BC cells (MCF-7/ADR). Clinically, higher DLGAP1-AS1 expression was closely correlated to poorer clinical prognosis. Results showed that DLGAP1-AS1 promoted the ADR IC50 and proliferation of ADR-resistant cells. Moreover, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase WT1 associated protein (WTAP) binds to the m6A modified site of DLGAP1-AS1 and motivates its stability. Mechanistically, DLGAP1-AS1 sponged miR-299-3p through 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) binding, which in turn relieved the repression of WTAP and thus upregulated WTAP expression. In conclusion, above findings conclude that lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1 promotes BC ADR-resistance through WTAP/DLGAP1-AS1/miR-299-3p feedback loop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhangdian District People's Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Lili Cao
- Department of Oncology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Ningning Feng
- Department of Infection Disease, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Bo Xu
- Department of Oncology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Yujin Dong
- Department of Oncology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Oncology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
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16
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Masoudi-Khoram N, Abdolmaleki P. Effects of repeated exposure to 50 Hz electromagnetic field on breast cancer cells. Electromagn Biol Med 2021; 41:44-51. [PMID: 34747307 DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2021.1995872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) is emerging as a novel approach in cancer treatment. This study evaluated the impact of daily exposure to 50 Hz EMF on breast cancer cells in vitro. The MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were exposed to EMF (50 Hz 20 mT, for 3 hours per day for up to four days) and examined for cell vaibility. The effect of daily ELF-EMF exposure on cell cycle progression and cell death was further investigated. The result revealed that the consecutive exposure to 50 Hz EMF at 20 mT remarkably decreased the viability of MDA-MB-231 compared to the non-exposed group, while it had no significant effect on MCF-7 cells. The ELF-EMF exposure induced G1 phase arrest along with the increase in sub-G1 cell population in MDA-MB-231. Moreover, repeated exposure to 50 Hz EMF promoted cell cycle progression in MCF-7 by increasing the percentage of cells in the S phase. The fluorescent staining revealed that daily exposure of ELF-EMF induced apoptotic cell death in MDA-MB-231, but no morphological change was observed in MCF-7 cells. The results showed that repeated daily exposure to 50 Hz EMF exhibited anti-proliferative activity against invasive breast cancer cells by impairing cell cycle progression and inducing cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastaran Masoudi-Khoram
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Abdolmaleki
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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17
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Terceiro LEL, Edechi CA, Ikeogu NM, Nickel BE, Hombach-Klonisch S, Sharif T, Leygue E, Myal Y. The Breast Tumor Microenvironment: A Key Player in Metastatic Spread. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4798. [PMID: 34638283 PMCID: PMC8507966 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment plays a pivotal role in the tumorigenesis, progression, and metastatic spread of many cancers including breast. There is now increasing evidence to support the observations that a bidirectional interplay between breast cancer cells and stromal cells exists within the tumor and the tumor microenvironment both at the primary tumor site and at the metastatic site. This interaction occurs through direct cell to cell contact, or by the release of autocrine or paracrine factors which can activate pro-tumor signaling pathways and modulate tumor behavior. In this review, we will highlight recent advances in our current knowledge about the multiple interactions between breast cancer cells and neighboring cells (fibroblasts, endothelial cells, adipocytes, innate and adaptive immune cells) in the tumor microenvironment that coordinate to regulate metastasis. We also highlight the role of exosomes and circulating tumor cells in facilitating breast cancer metastasis. We discuss some key markers associated with stromal cells in the breast tumor environment and their potential to predict patient survival and guide treatment. Finally, we will provide some brief perspectives on how current technologies may lead to the development of more effective therapies for the clinical management of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas E. L. Terceiro
- Department of Pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada; (L.E.L.T.); (C.A.E.); (T.S.)
| | - Chidalu A. Edechi
- Department of Pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada; (L.E.L.T.); (C.A.E.); (T.S.)
| | - Nnamdi M. Ikeogu
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada;
| | - Barbara E. Nickel
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada;
| | - Sabine Hombach-Klonisch
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada;
| | - Tanveer Sharif
- Department of Pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada; (L.E.L.T.); (C.A.E.); (T.S.)
| | - Etienne Leygue
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada;
| | - Yvonne Myal
- Department of Pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada; (L.E.L.T.); (C.A.E.); (T.S.)
- Senior Scientist, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
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18
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Li D, Wang T, Yu Z, Zhang Y, Wu X, Zheng N, Zhang W, Wu L. MiR-519d-5p modulates the sensitivity of breast cancer to chemotherapy by forming a negative feedback loop with RELA. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:1171. [PMID: 34430612 PMCID: PMC8350717 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-3241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background The chemoresistance of breast cancer (BC) has become the main cause of treatment failure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in tumorigenesis, development, and chemoresistance, but the underlying mechanism of miR-519d in BC development and chemotherapy sensitivity remains to be elucidated. Methods The levels of miR-519d-5p in BC samples and cell lines were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell viability was monitored by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The in vivo effect of miR-519d-5p on tumor formation and doxorubicin response were investigated in a xenograft study. Bioinformatic analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, and western blotting were conducted to validate RELA as a target gene of miR-519d-5p. We performed RT-qPCR, western blotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and DNA pull down to verify miR-519d-5p as a transcriptional target of RELA. Results This study found that miR-519d-5p was expressed at lower levels in BC cells and tissues, and overexpression of miR-519d-5p sensitized BC to chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, the expression of RELA was negatively correlated with miR-519d-5p. We then showed that RELA is one of the targets of miR-519d-5p: miR-519d-5p inhibited RELA expression by directly binding to its 3'-unstranslated region (3'-UTR). Conversely, it was verified that miR-519d-5p is one of the targets of transcription factor RELA, and RELA repressed miR-519d-5p by binding to the promoter region of miR-519d-5p, which forms a feedback loop. Conclusions Overall, the results provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the combinational use of miR-519d-5p and chemotherapeutic agents to overcome chemo-resistance by forming a negative feedback loop with RELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zelei Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Xiamen Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ning Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wenzhou Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lixian Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.,Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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19
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Guardia C, Bianchini G, Arpí-LLucià O, Menendez S, Casadevall D, Galbardi B, Dugo M, Servitja S, Montero JC, Soria-Jiménez L, Sabbaghi M, Peña R, Madoz-Gúrpide J, Lloveras B, Lluch A, Eroles P, Arribas J, Pandiella A, Gianni L, Rojo F, Rovira A, Albanell J. Preclinical and Clinical Characterization of Fibroblast-derived Neuregulin-1 on Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab Activity in HER2-positive Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:5096-5108. [PMID: 34385295 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-2915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize expression of neuregulin-1 (NRG1), an HER3 ligand, in HER2-positive breast cancer and its relation with the efficacy of trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Characterization of NRG1 expression in tumor cell lines, in tumor specimens, and in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Patient-derived CAFs were used to investigate NRG1 impact on the activity of trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. The relationship between NRG1 expression and pathologic response to anti-HER2-based neoadjuvant therapy was assessed in a retrospective patient cohort and in the NeoSphere trial. RESULTS NRG1 was expressed in HER2-positive breast cancer-derived fibroblasts at significantly higher levels than in cancer cells. NRG1 and the conditioned media (CM) from CAFs phosphorylated HER3 and AKT in cancer cells and mediated trastuzumab resistance. Stable genetic depletion of NRG1 from CAFs overcame trastuzumab resistance. Pertuzumab effectively suppressed trastuzumab resistance mediated by either NRG1 or CAF's CM. NRG1 engaged an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition that was prevented by trastuzumab and pertuzumab. In clinical samples, stromal and/or tumor cell expression of NRG1 determined by immunohistochemistry was uncommon (13.2%) yet significantly linked with residual disease following trastuzumab-based neoadjuvant therapy. In the NeoSphere trial, the magnitude of the difference of pathologic complete response rates favoring the pertuzumab arm was higher in the NRG1-high group. CONCLUSIONS CAF-derived NRG1 mediates trastuzumab resistance through HER3/AKT, which might be reverted by pertuzumab. In patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, high expression of NRG1 was associated to poor response to trastuzumab, but not in combination with pertuzumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Guardia
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Oriol Arpí-LLucià
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Menendez
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Casadevall
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Barbara Galbardi
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Sonia Servitja
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Luis Soria-Jiménez
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - MohammadA Sabbaghi
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raul Peña
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Madoz-Gúrpide
- Department of Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Belen Lloveras
- Department of Pathology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Lluch
- INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico de Valencia-CIBERONC, Universitat de València, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Eroles
- INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico de Valencia-CIBERONC, Universitat de València, Barcelona, Spain.,INCLIVA, Biomedical Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Joaquin Arribas
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Preclinical Research Program, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Atanasio Pandiella
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, IBSAL-CSIC-CIBERONC, Salamanca, Spain
| | | | - Federico Rojo
- Department of Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Rovira
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Albanell
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain. .,Medical Oncology Department, Hospital del Mar-CIBERONC, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Fernández-Nogueira P, Fuster G, Gutierrez-Uzquiza Á, Gascón P, Carbó N, Bragado P. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Breast Cancer Treatment Response and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3146. [PMID: 34201840 PMCID: PMC8268405 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BrCa) is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, with about one million new cases diagnosed each year. In spite of the improvements in diagnosis, early detection and treatment, there is still a high incidence of mortality and failure to respond to current therapies. With the use of several well-established biomarkers, such as hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2), as well as genetic analysis, BrCa patients can be categorized into multiple subgroups: Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-enriched, and Basal-like, with specific treatment strategies. Although chemotherapy and targeted therapies have greatly improved the survival of patients with BrCa, there is still a large number of patients who relapse or who fail to respond. The role of the tumor microenvironment in BrCa progression is becoming increasingly understood. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the principal population of stromal cells in breast tumors. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of CAFs' role in altering the tumor response to therapeutic agents as well as in fostering metastasis in BrCa. In addition, we also review the available CAFs-directed molecular therapies and their potential implications for BrCa management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Fernández-Nogueira
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona (IBUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (P.G.); (N.C.)
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Fuster
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona (IBUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (P.G.); (N.C.)
- Department of Biochemistry & Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Vic, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Álvaro Gutierrez-Uzquiza
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pere Gascón
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona (IBUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (P.G.); (N.C.)
| | - Neus Carbó
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona (IBUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (G.F.); (P.G.); (N.C.)
| | - Paloma Bragado
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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21
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Li J, Zheng L, Li C, Xiao Y, Liu J, Wu S, Zhang B. Mannose modified zwitterionic polyester-conjugated second near-infrared organic fluorophore for targeted photothermal therapy. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:4648-4661. [PMID: 34008632 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm00396h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer resistance has been the huge challenge to clinical treatment. A photothermal therapy of second near-infrared (NIR-II) organic dye small molecule has been used to conquer the cancer resistance. However, the available NIR-II dye lacks selectivity and spreads throughout the body. It has toxicity and indiscriminate burn injuries normal cells and tissues during therapy. Hence, to improve the therapeutic outcomes, herein, for the first time, we report the mannose-modified zwitterionic nanoparticles loading IR1048 dye, aiming to overcome cancer cellular resistance. The targeting molecule mannose has been applied to modify zwitterionic polyester, and the obtained polyester is employed to load IR1048 to prolong the circulation time in the blood and improve the stability of loaded dye, due to the good cytocompatibility of polyester and the antifouling properties of zwitterions. In vitro experimental results show that the pH-responsive targeted nanoparticles display satisfactory photophysical properties, prominent photothermal conversion efficiency (44.07%), excellent photothermal stability, negligible cytotoxicity for normal cells and strong photothermal toxicity to drug-resistant cancer cells. Moreover, due to the mannose targeting effect, cancer cells can endocytose the nanoparticles effectively. All these results demonstrate potential application of this alternative hyperthermal delivery system with remote-controllable photothermal therapy of tumor for accurate diagnosis by NIR-II fluorescence imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxu Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Liuchun Zheng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China. and School of Textile Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuncheng Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yaonan Xiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jiajian Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shaohua Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
| | - Bo Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
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22
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Ramadan WS, Talaat IM, Hachim MY, Lischka A, Gemoll T, El-Awady R. The impact of CBP expression in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:72. [PMID: 33827682 PMCID: PMC8028106 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01060-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of new biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic prominence will greatly enhance the management of breast cancer (BC). Several reports suggest the involvement of the histone acetyltransferases CREB-binding protein (CBP) and general control non-depressible 5 (GCN5) in tumor formation; however, their clinical significance in BC remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the value of CBP and GCN5 as markers and/or targets for BC prognosis and therapy. Expression of CBP, GCN5, estrogen receptor α (ERα), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in BC was analyzed in cell lines by western blot and in patients’ tissues by immunohistochemistry. The gene amplification data were also analyzed for CBP and GCN5 using the publicly available data from BC patients. Results Elevated expression of CBP and GCN5 was detected in BC tissues from patients and cell lines more than normal ones. In particular, CBP was more expressed in luminal A and B subtypes. Using chemical and biological inhibitors for CBP, ERα and HER2 showed a strong association between CBP and the expression of ERα and HER2. Moreover, analysis of the CREBBP (for CBP) and KAT2A (for GCN5) genes in a larger number of patients in publicly available databases showed amplification of both genes in BC patients. Amplification of CREBBP gene was observed in luminal A, luminal B and triple-negative but not in HER2 overexpressing subtypes. Furthermore, patients with high CREBBP or KAT2A gene expression had better 5-year disease-free survival than the low gene expression group (p = 0.0018 and p < 0.00001, respectively). Conclusions We conclude that the persistent amplification and overexpression of CBP in ERα- and PR-positive BC highlights the significance of CBP as a new diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in hormone-positive BC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01060-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wafaa S Ramadan
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.,College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Iman M Talaat
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. .,College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. .,Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Mahmood Y Hachim
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Annette Lischka
- Section for Translational Surgical Oncology and Biobanking, Department of Surgery, University of Lübeck and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Timo Gemoll
- Section for Translational Surgical Oncology and Biobanking, Department of Surgery, University of Lübeck and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Raafat El-Awady
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. .,College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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