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Targeting neutrophil extracellular traps with thrombomodulin prevents pancreatic cancer metastasis. Cancer Lett 2020; 497:1-13. [PMID: 33065249 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Surgery is the only curative treatment option for pancreatic cancer, but patients often develop postoperative recurrence. Surgical invasiveness might be involved in the mechanism of recurrence. The associations among inflammation caused by surgery, neutrophils, and cancer metastasis were investigated. At first, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were examined in clinical specimens, and NETs were observed around metastatic tumors. To explore how NETs were induced, neutrophils were cultured with pancreatic cancer or in cancer-conditioned medium. Neutrophils formed NETs when they were cultured with pancreatic cancer or even its conditioned medium. The effects of NETs on cancer cells were further investigated in vitro and in vivo. NETs induced the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cancer cells and thereby promoted their migration and invasion. HMGB1 derived from NETs appeared to potentiate the malignancy of cancer cells. In a mouse model of liver metastasis with inflammation, NETs participated in the metastatic process by enhancing extravasation. Interestingly, thrombomodulin degraded HMGB1 and consequently inhibited the induction of NETs, thereby preventing pancreatic cancer metastasis to the liver. In conclusion, NETs interact reciprocally with pancreatic cancer cells, which play a pivotal role in inflammation-associated metastasis. Targeting NETs with thrombomodulin can be a novel strategy to improve the surgical outcome of pancreatic cancer patients.
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Khan KA, McMurray JL, Mohammed F, Bicknell R. C-type lectin domain group 14 proteins in vascular biology, cancer and inflammation. FEBS J 2019; 286:3299-3332. [PMID: 31287944 PMCID: PMC6852297 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The C‐type lectin domain (CTLD) group 14 family of transmembrane glycoproteins consist of thrombomodulin, CD93, CLEC14A and CD248 (endosialin or tumour endothelial marker‐1). These cell surface proteins exhibit similar ectodomain architecture and yet mediate a diverse range of cellular functions, including but not restricted to angiogenesis, inflammation and cell adhesion. Thrombomodulin, CD93 and CLEC14A can be expressed by endothelial cells, whereas CD248 is expressed by vasculature associated pericytes, activated fibroblasts and tumour cells among other cell types. In this article, we review the current literature of these family members including their expression profiles, interacting partners, as well as established and speculated functions. We focus primarily on their roles in the vasculature and inflammation as well as their contributions to tumour immunology. The CTLD group 14 family shares several characteristic features including their ability to be proteolytically cleaved and engagement of some shared extracellular matrix ligands. Each family member has strong links to tumour development and in particular CD93, CLEC14A and CD248 have been proposed as attractive candidate targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabir A Khan
- Biological Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Jack L McMurray
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Fiyaz Mohammed
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Roy Bicknell
- Institutes of Cardiovascular Sciences and Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
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Chang YJ, Cheng YW, Lin RK, Huang CC, Chen WTL, Ke TW, Wei PL. Thrombomodulin Influences the Survival of Patients with Non-Metastatic Colorectal Cancer through Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160550. [PMID: 27512995 PMCID: PMC4981396 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Treatment resistance and metastasis are the major causes of death among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Approximately 20% of surgically treated patients ultimately develop metastases during the follow-up period. Currently, the TNM system is the only available prognostic test. Therefore, the identification of new markers for CRC remains important. Thrombomodulin (TM), a glycoprotein, is involved in angiogenesis and has been linked to many malignant diseases. However, the function of TM in CRC remains unclear. Methods A total of 170 patients with CRC participated in this study. TM expression was analyzed via immunohistochemistry. Univariate (Kaplan-Meier) analysis was used to analyze patient outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). TM expression was manipulated using shRNA or an overexpression system. Transwell migration assays, wound healing migration assays, and the xCELLigence biosensor system were used to detect cell proliferative and migratory capacities. Results TM expression in the tumor tissues significantly and positively correlated with the DFS and OS of non-metastatic patients with CRC (ps = 0.036 and 0.0218, respectively). Suppression of TM expression increased the proliferation and migration of DLD-1 cells. TM overexpression reduced the cells’ proliferative and migratory capacities. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression was up-regulated following TM silencing. Furthermore, the association between the migration of colon cancer cells and the levels of TM and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (fibronectin, vimentin and ezrin) was confirmed in HT29 and DLD-1 cells. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that patients with non-metastatic CRC display low TM expression in their tumors and exhibit reduced DFS and OS. The enhanced expression of mesenchymal markers and COX-2 may be involved in the mechanisms that underlie recurrence in patients with cancer displaying low TM expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jia Chang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ya-Wen Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology,Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ruo-Kai Lin
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chi-Chou Huang
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - William Tzu-Liang Chen
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tao-Wei Ke
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
- Institute of Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Po-Li Wei
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology,Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Cancer Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- * E-mail:
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Zheng N, Huo Z, Zhang B, Meng M, Cao Z, Wang Z, Zhou Q. Thrombomodulin reduces tumorigenic and metastatic potential of lung cancer cells by up-regulation of E-cadherin and down-regulation of N-cadherin expression. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 476:252-259. [PMID: 27223053 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.05.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Thrombomodulin (TM) is an endothelial cell membrane protein and plays critical roles in anti-thrombosis, anti-inflammation, vascular endothelial protection, and is traditionally regarded as a "vascular protection god". In recent years, although TM has been reported to be down-regulated in a variety of malignant tumors including lung cancer, the role and mechanism of TM in lung cancer are enigmatic. In this study, we found that induction of TM overexpression by cholesterol-reducing drug atorvastatin significantly diminished the tumorigenic capability of the lung cancer cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that TM overexpression caused G0/G1 phase arrest and markedly reduced the colony forming capability of the cells. Furthermore, overexpression of TM inhibited cell migration and invasion. Consistently, depletion of TM promoted cell growth, reduced the cell population at the G0/G1 phase, and enhanced cell migratory ability. Mechanistic study revealed that TM up-regulated E-cadherin but down-regulated N-cadherin expression, resulting in reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the lung cancer cells. Moreover, silencing TM expression led to decreased E-cadherin and increased N-cadherin. Taken together, our study suggests that TM functions as a tumor suppressive protein, providing a conceptual framework for inducing TM overexpression as a sensible strategy and approach for novel anti-lung cancer drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Zheng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Zihe Huo
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Mei Meng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Zhifei Cao
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China; Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Quansheng Zhou
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
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