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Zhang Y, Popel AS, Bazzazi H. Combining Multikinase Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Targeting the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Cluster of Differentiation 47 Signaling Pathways Is Predicted to Increase the Efficacy of Antiangiogenic Combination Therapies. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:710-726. [PMID: 37200806 PMCID: PMC10186363 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a critical step in tumor growth, development, and invasion. Nascent tumor cells secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that significantly remodels the tumor microenvironment through interaction with multiple receptors on vascular endothelial cells, including type 2 VEGF receptor (VEGFR2). The complex pathways initiated by VEGF binding to VEGFR2 lead to enhanced proliferation, survival, and motility of vascular endothelial cells and formation of a new vascular network, enabling tumor growth. Antiangiogenic therapies that inhibit VEGF signaling pathways were among the first drugs that targeted stroma rather than tumor cells. Despite improvements in progression-free survival and higher response rates relative to chemotherapy in some types of solid tumors, the impact on overall survival (OS) has been limited, with the majority of tumors eventually relapsing due to resistance or activation of alternate angiogenic pathways. Here, we developed a molecularly detailed computational model of endothelial cell signaling and angiogenesis-driven tumor growth to investigate combination therapies targeting different nodes of the endothelial VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway. Simulations predicted a strong threshold-like behavior in extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation relative to phosphorylated VEGFR2 levels, as continuous inhibition of at least 95% of receptors was necessary to abrogate phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2). Combinations with mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) and spingosine-1-phosphate inhibitors were found to be effective in overcoming the ERK1/2 activation threshold and abolishing activation of the pathway. Modeling results also identified a mechanism of resistance whereby tumor cells could reduce pERK1/2 sensitivity to inhibitors of VEGFR2 by upregulation of Raf, MEK, and sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), thus highlighting the need for deeper investigation of the dynamics of the crosstalk between VEGFR2 and SphK1 pathways. Inhibition of VEGFR2 phosphorylation was found to be more effective at blocking protein kinase B, also known as AKT, activation; however, to effectively abolish AKT activation, simulations identified Axl autophosphorylation or the Src kinase domain as potent targets. Simulations also supported activating cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) on endothelial cells as an effective combination partner with tyrosine kinase inhibitors to inhibit angiogenesis signaling and tumor growth. Virtual patient simulations supported the effectiveness of CD47 agonism in combination with inhibitors of VEGFR2 and SphK1 pathways. Overall, the rule-based system model developed here provides new insights, generates novel hypothesis, and makes predictions regarding combinations that may enhance the OS with currently approved antiangiogenic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Aleksander S. Popel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Hojjat Bazzazi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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2
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Okuneye K, Bergman D, Bloodworth JC, Pearson AT, Sweis RF, Jackson TL. A validated mathematical model of FGFR3-mediated tumor growth reveals pathways to harness the benefits of combination targeted therapy and immunotherapy in bladder cancer. COMPUTATIONAL AND SYSTEMS ONCOLOGY 2022; 1. [PMID: 34984415 PMCID: PMC8722426 DOI: 10.1002/cso2.1019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is a common malignancy with over 80,000 estimated new cases and nearly 18,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Therapeutic options for metastatic bladder cancer had not evolved much for nearly four decades, until recently, when five immune checkpoint inhibitors were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite the activity of these drugs in some patients, the objective response rate for each is less than 25%. At the same time, fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) have been attractive drug targets for a variety of cancers, and in 2019 the FDA approved the first therapy targeted against FGFR3 for bladder cancer. Given the excitement around these new receptor tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint targeted strategies, and the challenges they each may face on their own, emerging data suggest that combining these treatment options could lead to improved therapeutic outcomes. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model for FGFR3-mediated tumor growth and use it to investigate the impact of the combined administration of a small molecule inhibitor of FGFR3 and a monoclonal antibody against the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint. The model is carefully calibrated and validated with experimental data before survival benefits, and dosing schedules are explored. Predictions of the model suggest that FGFR3 mutation reduces the effectiveness of anti-PD-L1 therapy, that there are regions of parameter space where each monotherapy can outperform the other, and that pretreatment with anti-PD-L1 therapy always results in greater tumor reduction even when anti-FGFR3 therapy is the more effective monotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Bergman
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Bloodworth
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexander T Pearson
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Randy F Sweis
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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3
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Zhang Y, Wang H, Oliveira RHM, Zhao C, Popel AS. Systems biology of angiogenesis signaling: Computational models and omics. WIREs Mech Dis 2021; 14:e1550. [PMID: 34970866 PMCID: PMC9243197 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a highly regulated multiscale process that involves a plethora of cells, their cellular signal transduction, activation, proliferation, differentiation, as well as their intercellular communication. The coordinated execution and integration of such complex signaling programs is critical for physiological angiogenesis to take place in normal growth, development, exercise, and wound healing, while its dysregulation is critically linked to many major human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and ocular disorders; it is also crucial in regenerative medicine. Although huge efforts have been devoted to drug development for these diseases by investigation of angiogenesis‐targeted therapies, only a few therapeutics and targets have proved effective in humans due to the innate multiscale complexity and nonlinearity in the process of angiogenic signaling. As a promising approach that can help better address this challenge, systems biology modeling allows the integration of knowledge across studies and scales and provides a powerful means to mechanistically elucidate and connect the individual molecular and cellular signaling components that function in concert to regulate angiogenesis. In this review, we summarize and discuss how systems biology modeling studies, at the pathway‐, cell‐, tissue‐, and whole body‐levels, have advanced our understanding of signaling in angiogenesis and thereby delivered new translational insights for human diseases. This article is categorized under:Cardiovascular Diseases > Computational Models Cancer > Computational Models
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hanwen Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebeca Hannah M Oliveira
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chen Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Aleksander S Popel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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4
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Barnaby JP, Sorribes IC, Jain HV. Relating prostate‐specific antigen leakage with vascular tumor growth in a mathematical model of prostate cancer response to androgen deprivation. COMPUTATIONAL AND SYSTEMS ONCOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/cso2.1014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Johnna P. Barnaby
- Department of Mathematics Shippensberg University Shippensburg Pennsylvania USA
| | | | - Harsh Vardhan Jain
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth Minnesota USA
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5
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Rahman HS, Tan BL, Othman HH, Chartrand MS, Pathak Y, Mohan S, Abdullah R, Alitheen NB. An Overview of In Vitro, In Vivo, and Computational Techniques for Cancer-Associated Angiogenesis Studies. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:8857428. [PMID: 33381591 PMCID: PMC7748901 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8857428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a crucial area in scientific research because it involves many important physiological and pathological processes. Indeed, angiogenesis is critical for normal physiological processes, including wound healing and embryonic development, as well as being a component of many disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and diabetic retinopathies. Investigations of angiogenic mechanisms require assays that can activate the critical steps of angiogenesis as well as provide a tool for assessing the efficacy of therapeutic agents. Thus, angiogenesis assays are key tools for studying the mechanisms of angiogenesis and identifying the potential therapeutic strategies to modulate neovascularization. However, the regulation of angiogenesis is highly complex and not fully understood. Difficulties in assessing the regulators of angiogenic response have necessitated the development of an alternative approach. In this paper, we review the standard models for the study of tumor angiogenesis on the macroscopic scale that include in vitro, in vivo, and computational models. We also highlight the differences in several modeling approaches and describe key advances in understanding the computational models that contributed to the knowledge base of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heshu Sulaiman Rahman
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, 46001 Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology, Chaq Chaq Qularaesee, 46001 Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Bee Ling Tan
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Hemn Hassan Othman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Sulaimani, 46001 Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | | | - Yashwant Pathak
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA and Adjunct Professor at Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Syam Mohan
- Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Center, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rasedee Abdullah
- Department of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Noorjahan Banu Alitheen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Bio-Molecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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Chelliah V, Lazarou G, Bhatnagar S, Gibbs JP, Nijsen M, Ray A, Stoll B, Thompson RA, Gulati A, Soukharev S, Yamada A, Weddell J, Sayama H, Oishi M, Wittemer-Rump S, Patel C, Niederalt C, Burghaus R, Scheerans C, Lippert J, Kabilan S, Kareva I, Belousova N, Rolfe A, Zutshi A, Chenel M, Venezia F, Fouliard S, Oberwittler H, Scholer-Dahirel A, Lelievre H, Bottino D, Collins SC, Nguyen HQ, Wang H, Yoneyama T, Zhu AZX, van der Graaf PH, Kierzek AM. Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Approaches for Immuno-Oncology: Adding Virtual Patients to the Development Paradigm. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2020; 109:605-618. [PMID: 32686076 PMCID: PMC7983940 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.1987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Drug development in oncology commonly exploits the tools of molecular biology to gain therapeutic benefit through reprograming of cellular responses. In immuno‐oncology (IO) the aim is to direct the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. After remarkable successes of antibodies targeting PD1/PD‐L1 and CTLA4 receptors in targeted patient populations, the focus of further development has shifted toward combination therapies. However, the current drug‐development approach of exploiting a vast number of possible combination targets and dosing regimens has proven to be challenging and is arguably inefficient. In particular, the unprecedented number of clinical trials testing different combinations may no longer be sustainable by the population of available patients. Further development in IO requires a step change in selection and validation of candidate therapies to decrease development attrition rate and limit the number of clinical trials. Quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) proposes to tackle this challenge through mechanistic modeling and simulation. Compounds’ pharmacokinetics, target binding, and mechanisms of action as well as existing knowledge on the underlying tumor and immune system biology are described by quantitative, dynamic models aiming to predict clinical results for novel combinations. Here, we review the current QSP approaches, the legacy of mathematical models available to quantitative clinical pharmacologists describing interaction between tumor and immune system, and the recent development of IO QSP platform models. We argue that QSP and virtual patients can be integrated as a new tool in existing IO drug development approaches to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the search for novel combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Avijit Ray
- Abbvie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Abhishek Gulati
- Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, USA.,Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo or Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Serguei Soukharev
- Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, USA.,Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo or Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamada
- Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, USA.,Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo or Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Jared Weddell
- Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, USA.,Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo or Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Sayama
- Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, USA.,Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo or Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Masayo Oishi
- Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, USA.,Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc./Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo or Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Irina Kareva
- EMD Serono, Merck KGaA, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Alex Rolfe
- EMD Serono, Merck KGaA, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anup Zutshi
- EMD Serono, Merck KGaA, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Dean Bottino
- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sabrina C Collins
- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hoa Q Nguyen
- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haiqing Wang
- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tomoki Yoneyama
- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andy Z X Zhu
- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Wu Q, Finley SD. Mathematical Model Predicts Effective Strategies to Inhibit VEGF-eNOS Signaling. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051255. [PMID: 32357492 PMCID: PMC7287924 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling pathway in endothelial cells has multiple physiological significances. It produces nitric oxide (NO), an important vasodilator, and enables a long-term proliferative response, contributing to angiogenesis. This signaling pathway is mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a pro-angiogenic species that is often targeted to inhibit tumor angiogenesis. However, inhibiting VEGF-mediated eNOS signaling can lead to complications such as hypertension. Therefore, it is important to understand the dynamics of eNOS signaling in the context of angiogenesis inhibitors. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is an important angiogenic inhibitor that, through interaction with its receptor CD47, has been shown to redundantly inhibit eNOS signaling. However, the exact mechanisms of TSP1's inhibitory effects on this pathway remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we established a molecular-detailed mechanistic model to describe VEGF-mediated eNOS signaling, and we used the model to identify the potential intracellular targets of TSP1. In addition, we applied the predictive model to investigate the effects of several approaches to selectively target eNOS signaling in cells experiencing high VEGF levels present in the tumor microenvironment. This work generates insights for pharmacologic targets and therapeutic strategies to inhibit tumor angiogenesis signaling while avoiding potential side effects in normal vasoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
| | - Stacey D. Finley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-213-740-8788
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R A Anderson
- Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Philip K Maini
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, Oxford, UK.
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9
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Li D, Finley SD. The impact of tumor receptor heterogeneity on the response to anti-angiogenic cancer treatment. Integr Biol (Camb) 2019; 10:253-269. [PMID: 29623971 DOI: 10.1039/c8ib00019k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Multiple promoters and inhibitors mediate angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, and these factors represent potential targets for impeding vessel growth in tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor targeted in anti-angiogenic cancer therapies. In addition, thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is a major endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis, and TSP1 mimetics are being developed as an alternative type of anti-angiogenic agent. The combination of bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF agent, and ABT-510, a TSP1 mimetic, has been tested in clinical trials to treat advanced solid tumors. However, the patients' responses are highly variable and show disappointing outcomes. To obtain mechanistic insight into the effects of this combination anti-angiogenic therapy, we have constructed a novel whole-body systems biology model including the VEGF and TSP1 reaction networks. Using this molecular-detailed model, we investigated how the combination anti-angiogenic therapy changes the amounts of pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic complexes in cancer patients. We particularly focus on answering the question of how the effect of the combination therapy is influenced by tumor receptor expression, one aspect of patient-to-patient variability. Overall, this model complements the clinical administration of combination anti-angiogenic therapy, highlights the role of tumor receptor variability in the heterogeneous responses to anti-angiogenic therapy, and identifies the tumor receptor profiles that correlate with a high likelihood of a positive response to the combination therapy. Our model provides novel understanding of the VEGF-TSP1 balance in cancer patients at the systems-level and could be further used to optimize combination anti-angiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, 1042 Downey Way, DRB 140, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
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Nazari F, Pearson AT, Nör JE, Jackson TL. A mathematical model for IL-6-mediated, stem cell driven tumor growth and targeted treatment. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1005920. [PMID: 29351275 PMCID: PMC5792033 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting key regulators of the cancer stem cell phenotype to overcome their critical influence on tumor growth is a promising new strategy for cancer treatment. Here we present a modeling framework that operates at both the cellular and molecular levels, for investigating IL-6 mediated, cancer stem cell driven tumor growth and targeted treatment with anti-IL6 antibodies. Our immediate goal is to quantify the influence of IL-6 on cancer stem cell self-renewal and survival, and to characterize the subsequent impact on tumor growth dynamics. By including the molecular details of IL-6 binding, we are able to quantify the temporal changes in fractional occupancies of bound receptors and their influence on tumor volume. There is a strong correlation between the model output and experimental data for primary tumor xenografts. We also used the model to predict tumor response to administration of the humanized IL-6R monoclonal antibody, tocilizumab (TCZ), and we found that as little as 1mg/kg of TCZ administered weekly for 7 weeks is sufficient to result in tumor reduction and a sustained deceleration of tumor growth. A small population of cancer stem cells that share many of the biological characteristics of normal adult stem cells are believed to initiate and sustain tumor growth for a wide variety of malignancies. Growth and survival of these cancer stem cells is highly influenced by tumor micro-environmental factors and molecular signaling initiated by cytokines and growth factors. This work focuses on quantifying the influence of IL-6, a pleiotropic cytokine secreted by a variety of cell types, on cancer stem cell self-renewal and survival. We present a mathematical model for IL-6 mediated, cancer stem cell driven tumor growth that operates at the following levels: (1) the molecular level—capturing cell surface dynamics of receptor-ligand binding and receptor activation that lead to intra-cellular signal transduction cascades; and (2) the cellular level—describing tumor growth, cellular composition, and response to treatments targeted against IL-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Nazari
- Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational, and Modeling Sciences Center, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Alexander T. Pearson
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jacques Eduardo Nör
- Departments of Cardiology, Restorative Sciences, and Endontics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Trachette L. Jackson
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Wu Q, Finley SD. Predictive model identifies strategies to enhance TSP1-mediated apoptosis signaling. Cell Commun Signal 2017; 15:53. [PMID: 29258506 PMCID: PMC5735807 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-017-0207-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is a matricellular protein that functions to inhibit angiogenesis. An important pathway that contributes to this inhibitory effect is triggered by TSP1 binding to the CD36 receptor, inducing endothelial cell apoptosis. However, therapies that mimic this function have not demonstrated clear clinical efficacy. This study explores strategies to enhance TSP1-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells. In particular, we focus on establishing a computational model to describe the signaling pathway, and using this model to investigate the effects of several approaches to perturb the TSP1-CD36 signaling network. METHODS We constructed a molecularly-detailed mathematical model of TSP1-mediated intracellular signaling via the CD36 receptor based on literature evidence. We employed systems biology tools to train and validate the model and further expanded the model by accounting for the heterogeneity within the cell population. The initial concentrations of signaling species or kinetic rates were altered to simulate the effects of perturbations to the signaling network. RESULTS Model simulations predict the population-based response to strategies to enhance TSP1-mediated apoptosis, such as downregulating the apoptosis inhibitor XIAP and inhibiting phosphatase activity. The model also postulates a new mechanism of low dosage doxorubicin treatment in combination with TSP1 stimulation. Using computational analysis, we predict which cells will undergo apoptosis, based on the initial intracellular concentrations of particular signaling species. CONCLUSIONS This new mathematical model recapitulates the intracellular dynamics of the TSP1-induced apoptosis signaling pathway. Overall, the modeling framework predicts molecular strategies that increase TSP1-mediated apoptosis, which is useful in many disease settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Stacey D Finley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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12
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History and conceptual developments in vascular biology and angiogenesis research: a personal view. Angiogenesis 2017; 20:463-478. [DOI: 10.1007/s10456-017-9569-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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