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Liu YJ, Ye QW, Li JP, Bai L, Zhang W, Wang SS, Zou X. Integrated analysis to identify biological features and molecular markers of poorly cohesive gastric carcinoma (PCC). Sci Rep 2024; 14:22596. [PMID: 39349535 PMCID: PMC11442943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-73062-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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
As one of the two main histologic subtypes of gastric cancer (GC), diffuse-type gastric cancer (DGC) containing poorly cohesive gastric carcinoma (PCC) components has a worse prognosis and does not respond well to typical therapies. Despite the large number of studies revealing the complex pathogenic network of DGC, the molecular heterogeneity of DGC is still not fully understood. We obtained single-cell RNA-seq data and bulk data from the tumor immune single cell hub, the public gene expression omnibus, and the cancer genome atlas databases. A series of bioinformatics analyses were performed using R software. Immunofluorescence staining, hematoxylin and eosin staining, western blot, and functional experiments were used for experimental validation. Caudin-3, -4 and -7 were lowly expressed in DGC and their expression levels were further reduced in PCC. The PCC components were mainly located in the deeper layers of the DGC and had a high level of hypoxic Wnt/β-catenin signaling and stemness. We further identified Insulin Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (IGFBP7) as a marker for PCC components in the deep layer. IGFBP7 is stimulated by hypoxia and promotes cancer cell invasiveness and reduced claudin expression. In addition, programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) was specifically expressed in the deep layer, reflecting deep layer-specific immunosuppression. The PCC components are predominantly situated in the deeper layers of DGC. Initial molecular characterization of these PCC components revealed distinct features, including low expression of claudin-3, -4, and -7, high expression of IGFBP7, and the presence of PD-L1. These molecular traits may partially account for the pronounced tumor heterogeneity observed in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Jie Liu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qian-Wen Ye
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie-Pin Li
- Key Laboratory of Tumor System Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Le Bai
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Respiratory, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuang-Shuang Wang
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xi Zou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tumor System Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
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Kooshan Z, Cárdenas-Piedra L, Clements J, Batra J. Glycolysis, the sweet appetite of the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Lett 2024; 600:217156. [PMID: 39127341 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells display an altered metabolic phenotype, characterised by increased glycolysis and lactate production, even in the presence of sufficient oxygen - a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. This metabolic reprogramming is a crucial adaptation that enables cancer cells to meet their elevated energy and biosynthetic demands. Importantly, the tumor microenvironment plays a pivotal role in shaping and sustaining this metabolic shift in cancer cells. This review explores the intricate relationship between the tumor microenvironment and the Warburg effect, highlighting how communication within this niche regulates cancer cell metabolism and impacts tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. We discuss the potential of targeting the Warburg effect as a promising therapeutic strategy, with the aim of disrupting the metabolic advantage of cancer cells and enhancing our understanding of this complex interplay within the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Kooshan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Center for Genomics and Personalised Health, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Lilibeth Cárdenas-Piedra
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Center for Genomics and Personalised Health, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Cell & Tissue Engineering Technologies, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Judith Clements
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Center for Genomics and Personalised Health, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jyotsna Batra
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Center for Genomics and Personalised Health, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Cell & Tissue Engineering Technologies, Brisbane, Australia.
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3
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Zhang TQ, Lv QY, Jin WL. The cellular-centered view of hypoxia tumor microenvironment: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189137. [PMID: 38880161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a profoundly dynamic, heterogeneous and aggressive systemic ailment, with a coordinated evolution of various types of tumor niches. Hypoxia plays an indispensable role in the tumor micro-ecosystem, drastically enhancing the plasticity of cancer cells, fibroblasts and immune cells and orchestrating intercellular communication. Hypoxia-induced signals, particularly hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), drive the reprogramming of genetic, transcriptional, and proteomic profiles. This leads to a spectrum of interconnected processes, including augmented survival of cancer cells, evasion of immune surveillance, metabolic reprogramming, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, and the development of resistance to conventional therapeutic modalities like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Here, we summarize the latest research on the multifaceted effects of hypoxia, where a multitude of cellular and non-cellular elements crosstalk with each other and co-evolve in a synergistic manner. Additionally, we investigate therapeutic approaches targeting hypoxic niche, encompassing hypoxia-activated prodrugs, HIF inhibitors, nanomedicines, and combination therapies. Finally, we discuss some of the issues to be addressed and highlight the potential of emerging technologies in the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Qi Zhang
- Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Qian-Yu Lv
- The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Tomecka P, Kunachowicz D, Górczyńska J, Gebuza M, Kuźnicki J, Skinderowicz K, Choromańska A. Factors Determining Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8972. [PMID: 39201656 PMCID: PMC11354349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which an epithelial cell undergoes multiple modifications, acquiring both morphological and functional characteristics of a mesenchymal cell. This dynamic process is initiated by various inducing signals that activate numerous signaling pathways, leading to the stimulation of transcription factors. EMT plays a significant role in cancer progression, such as metastasis and tumor heterogeneity, as well as in drug resistance. In this article, we studied molecular mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, and cellular plasticity of EMT, as well as microenvironmental factors influencing this process. We included both in vivo and in vitro models in EMT investigation and clinical implications of EMT, such as the use of EMT in curing oncological patients and targeting its use in therapies. Additionally, this review concludes with future directions and challenges in the wide field of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Tomecka
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Dominika Kunachowicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211a, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Julia Górczyńska
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Michał Gebuza
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Jacek Kuźnicki
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Katarzyna Skinderowicz
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.T.); (J.G.); (M.G.); (J.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Anna Choromańska
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211a, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland
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Motevasseli M, Darvishi M, Khoshnevisan A, Zeinalizadeh M, Saffar H, Bayat S, Najafi A, Abbaspour MJ, Mamivand A, Olson SB, Tabrizi M. Distinct tumor-TAM interactions in IDH-stratified glioma microenvironments unveiled by single-cell and spatial transcriptomics. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:133. [PMID: 39148129 PMCID: PMC11328419 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01837-5] [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: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) residing in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are characterized by their pivotal roles in tumor progression, antitumor immunity, and TME remodeling. However, a thorough comparative characterization of tumor-TAM crosstalk across IDH-defined categories of glioma remains elusive, likely contributing to mixed outcomes in clinical trials. We delineated the phenotypic heterogeneity of TAMs across IDH-stratified gliomas. Notably, two TAM subsets with a mesenchymal phenotype were enriched in IDH-WT glioblastoma (GBM) and correlated with poorer patient survival and reduced response to anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). We proposed SLAMF9 receptor as a potential therapeutic target. Inference of gene regulatory networks identified PPARG, ELK1, and MXI1 as master transcription factors of mesenchymal BMD-TAMs. Our analyses of reciprocal tumor-TAM interactions revealed distinct crosstalk in IDH-WT tumors, including ANXA1-FPR1/3, FN1-ITGAVB1, VEGFA-NRP1, and TNFSF12-TNFRSF12A with known contribution to immunosuppression, tumor proliferation, invasion and TAM recruitment. Spatially resolved transcriptomics further elucidated the architectural organization of highlighted communications. Furthermore, we demonstrated significant upregulation of ANXA1, FN1, NRP1, and TNFRSF12A genes in IDH-WT tumors using bulk RNA-seq and RT-qPCR. Longitudinal expression analysis of candidate genes revealed no difference between primary and recurrent tumors indicating that the interactive network of malignant states with TAMs does not drastically change upon recurrence. Collectively, our study offers insights into the unique cellular composition and communication of TAMs in glioma TME, revealing novel vulnerabilities for therapeutic interventions in IDH-WT GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meysam Motevasseli
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Darvishi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Khoshnevisan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Zeinalizadeh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hiva Saffar
- Department of Pathology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shiva Bayat
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Najafi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Abbaspour
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Mamivand
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Susan B Olson
- Molecular and Medical Genetics, Knight Diagnostics Laboratories, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Mina Tabrizi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Molecular and Medical Genetics, Knight Diagnostics Laboratories, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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Wu X, Zhang S, Zhang Z, He Z, Xu Z, Wang W, Jin Z, You J, Guo Y, Zhang L, Huang W, Wang F, Liu X, Yan D, Cheng J, Yan J, Zhang S, Zhang B. Biologically interpretable multi-task deep learning pipeline predicts molecular alterations, grade, and prognosis in glioma patients. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:181. [PMID: 39152182 PMCID: PMC11329669 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00670-2] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Deep learning models have been developed for various predictions in glioma; yet, they were constrained by manual segmentation, task-specific design, or a lack of biological interpretation. Herein, we aimed to develop an end-to-end multi-task deep learning (MDL) pipeline that can simultaneously predict molecular alterations and histological grade (auxiliary tasks), as well as prognosis (primary task) in gliomas. Further, we aimed to provide the biological mechanisms underlying the model's predictions. We collected multiscale data including baseline MRI images from 2776 glioma patients across two private (FAHZU and HPPH, n = 1931) and three public datasets (TCGA, n = 213; UCSF, n = 410; and EGD, n = 222). We trained and internally validated the MDL model using our private datasets, and externally validated it using the three public datasets. We used the model-predicted deep prognosis score (DPS) to stratify patients into low-DPS and high-DPS subtypes. Additionally, a radio-multiomics analysis was conducted to elucidate the biological basis of the DPS. In the external validation cohorts, the MDL model achieved average areas under the curve of 0.892-0.903, 0.710-0.894, and 0.850-0.879 for predicting IDH mutation status, 1p/19q co-deletion status, and tumor grade, respectively. Moreover, the MDL model yielded a C-index of 0.723 in the TCGA and 0.671 in the UCSF for the prediction of overall survival. The DPS exhibits significant correlations with activated oncogenic pathways, immune infiltration patterns, specific protein expression, DNA methylation, tumor mutation burden, and tumor-stroma ratio. Accordingly, our work presents an accurate and biologically meaningful tool for predicting molecular subtypes, tumor grade, and survival outcomes in gliomas, which provides personalized clinical decision-making in a global and non-invasive manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewei Wu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuaitong Zhang
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zicong He
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zexin Xu
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhe Jin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingjing You
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yang Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenhui Huang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianzhi Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongming Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Shuixing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Quenneville J, Feghaly A, Tual M, Thomas K, Major F, Gagnon E. Long-term severe hypoxia adaptation induces non-canonical EMT and a novel Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) isoform. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:1237-1250. [PMID: 38977895 PMCID: PMC11327107 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00795-3] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The majority of cancer deaths are caused by solid tumors, where the four most prevalent cancers (breast, lung, colorectal and prostate) account for more than 60% of all cases (1). Tumor cell heterogeneity driven by variable cancer microenvironments, such as hypoxia, is a key determinant of therapeutic outcome. We developed a novel culture protocol, termed the Long-Term Hypoxia (LTHY) time course, to recapitulate the gradual development of severe hypoxia seen in vivo to mimic conditions observed in primary tumors. Cells subjected to LTHY underwent a non-canonical epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) based on miRNA and mRNA signatures as well as displayed EMT-like morphological changes. Concomitant to this, we report production of a novel truncated isoform of WT1 transcription factor (tWt1), a non-canonical EMT driver, with expression driven by a yet undescribed intronic promoter through hypoxia-responsive elements (HREs). We further demonstrated that tWt1 initiates translation from an intron-derived start codon, retains proper subcellular localization and DNA binding. A similar tWt1 is also expressed in LTHY-cultured human cancer cell lines as well as primary cancers and predicts long-term patient survival. Our study not only demonstrates the importance of culture conditions that better mimic those observed in primary cancers, especially with regards to hypoxia, but also identifies a novel isoform of WT1 which correlates with poor long-term survival in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Quenneville
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Biology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
| | - Albert Feghaly
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Margaux Tual
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Kiersten Thomas
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - François Major
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Etienne Gagnon
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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Lee J, Yoon JH, Lee E, Lee HY, Jeong S, Park S, Jo YS, Kwak JY. Immune response and mesenchymal transition of papillary thyroid carcinoma reflected in ultrasonography features assessed by radiologists and deep learning. J Adv Res 2024; 62:219-228. [PMID: 37783270 PMCID: PMC11331164 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ultrasonography (US) features of papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs) are used to select nodules for biopsy due to their association with tumor behavior. However, the molecular biological mechanisms that lead to the characteristic US features of PTCs are largely unknown. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the molecular biological mechanisms behind US features assessed by radiologists and three convolutional neural networks (CNN) through transcriptome analysis. METHODS Transcriptome data from 273 PTC tissue samples were generated and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified according to US feature. Pathway enrichment analyses were also conducted by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and ClusterProfiler according to assessments made by radiologists and three CNNs - CNN1 (ResNet50), CNN2 (ResNet101) and CNN3 (VGG16). Signature gene scores for PTCs were calculated by single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA). RESULTS Individual suspicious US features consistently suggested an upregulation of genes related to immune response and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Likewise, PTCs assessed as positive by radiologists and three CNNs showed the coordinate enrichment of similar gene sets with abundant immune and stromal components. However, PTCs assessed as positive by radiologists had the highest number of DEGs, and those assessed as positive by CNN3 had more diverse DEGs and gene sets compared to CNN1 or CNN2. The percentage of PTCs assessed as positive or negative concordantly by radiologists and three CNNs was 85.6% (231/273) and 7.1% (3/273), respectively. CONCLUSION US features assessed by radiologists and CNNs revealed molecular biologic features and tumor microenvironment in PTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jandee Lee
- Department of Surgery, Open NBI Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Yonsei Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Jung Hyun Yoon
- Department of Radiology, Severance Hospital, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Eunjung Lee
- School of Mathematics and Computing (Computational Science and Engineering), Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Hwa Young Lee
- Department of Surgery, Open NBI Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Yonsei Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Seonhyang Jeong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Open NBI Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Sunmi Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Open NBI Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Young Suk Jo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Open NBI Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea.
| | - Jin Young Kwak
- Department of Radiology, Severance Hospital, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea.
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Larionov A, Hammer CM, Fiedler K, Filgueira L. Dynamics of Endothelial Cell Diversity and Plasticity in Health and Disease. Cells 2024; 13:1276. [PMID: 39120307 PMCID: PMC11312403 DOI: 10.3390/cells13151276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells (ECs) are vital structural units of the cardiovascular system possessing two principal distinctive properties: heterogeneity and plasticity. Endothelial heterogeneity is defined by differences in tissue-specific endothelial phenotypes and their high predisposition to modification along the length of the vascular bed. This aspect of heterogeneity is closely associated with plasticity, the ability of ECs to adapt to environmental cues through the mobilization of genetic, molecular, and structural alterations. The specific endothelial cytoarchitectonics facilitate a quick structural cell reorganization and, furthermore, easy adaptation to the extrinsic and intrinsic environmental stimuli, known as the epigenetic landscape. ECs, as universally distributed and ubiquitous cells of the human body, play a role that extends far beyond their structural function in the cardiovascular system. They play a crucial role in terms of barrier function, cell-to-cell communication, and a myriad of physiological and pathologic processes. These include development, ontogenesis, disease initiation, and progression, as well as growth, regeneration, and repair. Despite substantial progress in the understanding of endothelial cell biology, the role of ECs in healthy conditions and pathologies remains a fascinating area of exploration. This review aims to summarize knowledge and concepts in endothelial biology. It focuses on the development and functional characteristics of endothelial cells in health and pathological conditions, with a particular emphasis on endothelial phenotypic and functional heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Larionov
- Faculty of Science and Medicine, Anatomy, University of Fribourg, Route Albert-Gockel 1, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (C.M.H.); (L.F.)
| | - Christian Manfred Hammer
- Faculty of Science and Medicine, Anatomy, University of Fribourg, Route Albert-Gockel 1, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (C.M.H.); (L.F.)
| | - Klaus Fiedler
- Independent Researcher, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland;
| | - Luis Filgueira
- Faculty of Science and Medicine, Anatomy, University of Fribourg, Route Albert-Gockel 1, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (C.M.H.); (L.F.)
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Kakani P, Dhamdhere SG, Pant D, Joshi R, Mishra J, Samaiya A, Shukla S. Hypoxia-induced CTCF promotes EMT in breast cancer. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114367. [PMID: 38900639 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells experiencing hypoxic stress employ epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to undergo metastasis through rewiring of the chromatin landscape, epigenetics, and importantly, gene expression. Here, we showed that hypoxia modulates the epigenetic landscape on CTCF promoter and upregulates its expression. Hypoxia-driven epigenetic regulation, specifically DNA demethylation mediated by TET2, is a prerequisite for CTCF induction. Mechanistically, in hypoxic conditions, Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α) binds to the unmethylated CTCF promoter, causing transcriptional upregulation. Further, we uncover the pivotal role of CTCF in promoting EMT as loss of CTCF abrogated invasiveness of hypoxic breast cancer cells. These findings highlight the functional contribution of HIF1α-CTCF axis in promoting EMT in hypoxic breast cancer cells. Lastly, CTCF expression is alleviated and the potential for EMT is diminished when the HIF1α binding is particularly disrupted through the dCas9-DNMT3A system-mediated maintenance of DNA methylation on the CTCF promoter. This axis may offer a unique therapeutic target in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parik Kakani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
| | - Shruti Ganesh Dhamdhere
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
| | - Deepak Pant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
| | - Rushikesh Joshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
| | - Jharna Mishra
- Department of Pathology, Bansal Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462016, India
| | - Atul Samaiya
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Bansal Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462016, India
| | - Sanjeev Shukla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India.
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11
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Han X, Zhu Y, Ke J, Zhai Y, Huang M, Zhang X, He H, Zhang X, Zhao X, Guo K, Li X, Han Z, Zhang Y. Progression of m 6A in the tumor microenvironment: hypoxia, immune and metabolic reprogramming. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:331. [PMID: 39033180 PMCID: PMC11271487 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02092-2] [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: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has aroused widespread discussion in the scientific community as a mode of RNA modification. m6A comprises writers, erasers, and readers, which regulates RNA production, nuclear export, and translation and is very important for human health. A large number of studies have found that the regulation of m6A is closely related to the occurrence and invasion of tumors, while the homeostasis and function of the tumor microenvironment (TME) determine the occurrence and development of tumors to some extent. TME is composed of a variety of immune cells (T cells, B cells, etc.) and nonimmune cells (tumor-associated mesenchymal stem cells (TA-MSCs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), etc.). Current studies suggest that m6A is involved in regulating the function of various cells in the TME, thereby affecting tumor progression. In this manuscript, we present the composition of m6A and TME, the relationship between m6A methylation and characteristic changes in TME, the role of m6A methylation in TME, and potential therapeutic strategies to provide new perspectives for better treatment of tumors in clinical work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Han
- First Clinical College of Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Linfen Central Hospital, Linfen, China
| | - Juan Ke
- Linfen Central Hospital, Linfen, China
| | | | - Min Huang
- Linfen Central Hospital, Linfen, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Linfen Central Hospital, Linfen, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Zhongyu Han
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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12
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Zhang Y, Wang J, Sun H, Xun Z, He Z, Zhao Y, Qi J, Sun S, Yang Q, Gu Y, Zhang L, Zhou C, Ye Y, Wu N, Zou D, Su B. TWIST1+FAP+ fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of intestinal fibrosis in Crohn's disease. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e179472. [PMID: 39024569 PMCID: PMC11405050 DOI: 10.1172/jci179472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Intestinal fibrosis, a severe complication of Crohn's disease (CD), is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and induces intestinal strictures, but there are no effective antifibrosis drugs available for clinical application. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) of fibrotic and nonfibrotic ileal tissues from patients with CD with intestinal obstruction. Analysis revealed mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as the major producers of ECM and the increased infiltration of its subset FAP+ fibroblasts in fibrotic sites, which was confirmed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of chronic dextran sulfate sodium salt murine colitis model revealed that CD81+Pi16- fibroblasts exhibited transcriptomic and functional similarities to human FAP+ fibroblasts. Consistently, FAP+ fibroblasts were identified as the key subtype with the highest level of ECM production in fibrotic intestines. Furthermore, specific knockout or pharmacological inhibition of TWIST1, which was highly expressed by FAP+ fibroblasts, could significantly ameliorate fibrosis in mice. In addition, TWIST1 expression was induced by CXCL9+ macrophages enriched in fibrotic tissues via IL-1β and TGF-β signal. These findings suggest the inhibition of TWIST1 as a promising strategy for CD fibrosis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Hongxiang Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, and
| | - Zhenzhen Xun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, and
| | - Zirui He
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yizhou Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Jingjing Qi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, and
| | - Sishen Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Qidi Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Yubei Gu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Chunhua Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Youqiong Ye
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, and
| | - Ningbo Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, and
| | - Duowu Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Bing Su
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Immune-Related Diseases, Ruijin Hospital
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, and
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13
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Sabaté-Ortega J, Albert-Carrasco M, Escribano-Ferrer C, Grau-Manrubia G, Fina-Planas C, López-Núñez C, Teixidor-Vilà E, Bujons-Buscarons E, Montañés-Ferrer C, Sala-González N. Case report: Uncommon gastric metastasis as a presentation of recurrent clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1354127. [PMID: 38807761 PMCID: PMC11131944 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1354127] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney neoplasm that accounts for 85% of cases and has complex genetic pathways that affect its development and progression. RCC metastasis can occur in 20%-50% of patients and usually affects distant organs. Gastric metastases (GM) from RCC are rare and present as polyp-like growths in the submucosal layer, accounting for 0.2%-0.7% of cases. This case report describes an 84-year-old female with Furhman grade II ccRCC who presented with an atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding nine years post-radical nephrectomy. Gastroscopy revealed a 12mm pseudopedicled gastric lesion with ulceration and bleeding, diagnosed as metastatic ccRCC. The discussion focuses on the rarity, diagnostic challenges, and prognostic elements of gastric metastasis from RCC. The median survival after detecting digestive metastasis varies widely, and the mechanisms include direct invasion and dissemination through lymphatic, transcelomic, or hematogenous routes. Prognostic markers encompass patient history, symptoms, time since RCC diagnosis, overall health, and genetic factors. Surgical removal of gastric lesions and targeted therapy are treatment options that can improve survival. This case report highlights the need for further research to enhance diagnostic and treatment strategies for this rare aspect of RCC pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Sabaté-Ortega
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGIR-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Salt, Spain
| | - Marc Albert-Carrasco
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitari Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
| | | | - Gerard Grau-Manrubia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitari Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
| | - Clàudia Fina-Planas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGIR-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Salt, Spain
| | - Carme López-Núñez
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitari Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
| | - Eduard Teixidor-Vilà
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGIR-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Salt, Spain
| | - Elisabet Bujons-Buscarons
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGIR-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Salt, Spain
| | - Clàudia Montañés-Ferrer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGIR-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Salt, Spain
| | - Núria Sala-González
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Spain
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGIR-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Salt, Spain
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14
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Liu Z, Lin Z, Jiang M, Zhu G, Xiong T, Cao F, Cui Y, Niu YN. Cancer-associated fibroblast exosomes promote prostate cancer metastasis through miR-500a-3p/FBXW7/HSF1 axis under hypoxic microenvironment. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:698-709. [PMID: 38351137 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00742-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is the main cause of deaths in prostate cancer (PCa). However, the exact mechanisms underlying PCa metastasis are not fully understood. In this study, we discovered pronounced hypoxia in primary lesions of metastatic PCa(mPCa). The exosomes secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) under hypoxic conditions significantly enhance PCa metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Through miRNA sequencing and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), we found that hypoxia elevated miR-500a-3p levels in CAFs exosomes. Subsequent RT-qPCR, western blotting, and dual luciferase reporter assays identified F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7(FBXW7) as a target of miR-500a-3p. In addition, immunohistochemistry revealed that FBXW7 expression decreased with the progression of PCa, while heat shock transcription factor 1(HSF1) expression increased. Introducing an FBXW7 plasmid into PCa cells reduced their metastatic potential and significantly lowered HSF1 expression. These findings suggest that CAFs exosomes drive PCa metastasis via the miR-500a-3p/FBXW7/HSF1 axis in a hypoxic microenvironment. Targeting either hypoxia or exosomal miR-500a-3p could be a promising strategy for PCa management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanliang Liu
- Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Zhemin Lin
- Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100038, Beijing, China
| | - Mingxin Jiang
- Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Guangyi Zhu
- Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100038, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Xiong
- Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Cao
- Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, 100021, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Cui
- Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100016, Beijing, China.
| | - Y N Niu
- Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China.
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15
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Wu S, Qin X, Huang L. The role of alternative polyadenylation in epithelial-mesenchymal transition of non-small cell lung cancer. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:677-686. [PMID: 38224682 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae001] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the cancers with high incidence, poor survival, and limited treatment. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the first step by which an early tumor converts to an invasive one. Studying the underlying mechanisms of EMT can help the understanding of cancer metastasis and improve the treatment. In this study, 1013 NSCLC patients and 123 NSCLC cell lines are deeply analyzed for the potential roles of alternative polyadenylation (APA) in the EMT process. A trend of shorter 3'-UTRs (three prime untranslated region) is discovered in the mesenchymal samples. The identification of EMT-related APA events highlights the proximal poly(A) selection of CARM1. It is a pathological biomarker of mesenchymal tumor and cancer metastasis through losing miRNA binding to upregulate the EMT inducer of CARM1 and releasing miRNAs to downregulate the EMT inhibitor of RBM47. The crucial role of this APA event in EMT also guides its effect on drug responses. The patients with shorter 3'-UTR of CARM1 are more benefit from chemotherapy drugs, especially cisplatin. A stratification of NSCLC patients based on this APA event is useful for chemotherapy design in future clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, No. 2, South Taibai Road, Yanta district, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Xinyu Qin
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, No. 2, South Taibai Road, Yanta district, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Liyu Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, No. 2, South Taibai Road, Yanta district, Xi'an 710071, China
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16
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He S, Jin Y, Nazaret A, Shi L, Chen X, Rampersaud S, Dhillon BS, Valdez I, Friend LE, Fan JL, Park CY, Mintz RL, Lao YH, Carrera D, Fang KW, Mehdi K, Rohde M, McFaline-Figueroa JL, Blei D, Leong KW, Rudensky AY, Plitas G, Azizi E. Starfysh integrates spatial transcriptomic and histologic data to reveal heterogeneous tumor-immune hubs. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02173-8. [PMID: 38514799 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02173-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Spatially resolved gene expression profiling provides insight into tissue organization and cell-cell crosstalk; however, sequencing-based spatial transcriptomics (ST) lacks single-cell resolution. Current ST analysis methods require single-cell RNA sequencing data as a reference for rigorous interpretation of cell states, mostly do not use associated histology images and are not capable of inferring shared neighborhoods across multiple tissues. Here we present Starfysh, a computational toolbox using a deep generative model that incorporates archetypal analysis and any known cell type markers to characterize known or new tissue-specific cell states without a single-cell reference. Starfysh improves the characterization of spatial dynamics in complex tissues using histology images and enables the comparison of niches as spatial hubs across tissues. Integrative analysis of primary estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) tissues led to the identification of spatial hubs with patient- and disease-specific cell type compositions and revealed metabolic reprogramming shaping immunosuppressive hubs in aggressive MBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yinuo Jin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Achille Nazaret
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lingting Shi
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xueer Chen
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sham Rampersaud
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bahawar S Dhillon
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Izabella Valdez
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lauren E Friend
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joy Linyue Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cameron Y Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel L Mintz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yeh-Hsing Lao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - David Carrera
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kaylee W Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kaleem Mehdi
- Department of Computer Science, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - José L McFaline-Figueroa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Blei
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Statistics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Y Rudensky
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Ludwig Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - George Plitas
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Ludwig Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Breast Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Elham Azizi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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17
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Bae T, Hallis SP, Kwak MK. Hypoxia, oxidative stress, and the interplay of HIFs and NRF2 signaling in cancer. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:501-514. [PMID: 38424190 PMCID: PMC10985007 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01180-8] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxygen is crucial for life and acts as the final electron acceptor in mitochondrial energy production. Cells adapt to varying oxygen levels through intricate response systems. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), including HIF-1α and HIF-2α, orchestrate the cellular hypoxic response, activating genes to increase the oxygen supply and reduce expenditure. Under conditions of excess oxygen and resulting oxidative stress, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) activates hundreds of genes for oxidant removal and adaptive cell survival. Hypoxia and oxidative stress are core hallmarks of solid tumors and activated HIFs and NRF2 play pivotal roles in tumor growth and progression. The complex interplay between hypoxia and oxidative stress within the tumor microenvironment adds another layer of intricacy to the HIF and NRF2 signaling systems. This review aimed to elucidate the dynamic changes and functions of the HIF and NRF2 signaling pathways in response to conditions of hypoxia and oxidative stress, emphasizing their implications within the tumor milieu. Additionally, this review explored the elaborate interplay between HIFs and NRF2, providing insights into the significance of these interactions for the development of novel cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taegeun Bae
- Integrated Research Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi‑do, 14662, Republic of Korea
| | - Steffanus Pranoto Hallis
- Department of Pharmacy, Graduate School of The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi‑do, 14662, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Kyoung Kwak
- Integrated Research Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi‑do, 14662, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Pharmacy, Graduate School of The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi‑do, 14662, Republic of Korea.
- College of Pharmacy, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi‑do, 14662, Republic of Korea.
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18
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Musleh Ud Din S, Streit SG, Huynh BT, Hana C, Abraham AN, Hussein A. Therapeutic Targeting of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2060. [PMID: 38396737 PMCID: PMC10888675 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In the realm of cancer therapeutics, targeting the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway has emerged as a promising strategy. This study delves into the intricate web of HIF-associated mechanisms, exploring avenues for future anticancer therapies. Framing the investigation within the broader context of cancer progression and hypoxia response, this article aims to decipher the pivotal role played by HIF in regulating genes influencing angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and glucose metabolism. Employing diverse approaches such as HIF inhibitors, anti-angiogenic therapies, and hypoxia-activated prodrugs, the research methodologically intervenes at different nodes of the HIF pathway. Findings showcase the efficacy of agents like EZN-2968, Minnelide, and Acriflavine in modulating HIF-1α protein synthesis and destabilizing HIF-1, providing preliminary proof of HIF-1α mRNA modulation and antitumor activity. However, challenges, including toxicity, necessitate continued exploration and development, as exemplified by ongoing clinical trials. This article concludes by emphasizing the potential of targeted HIF therapies in disrupting cancer-related signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Musleh Ud Din
- Department of Internal Medicine, Memorial Healthcare System, 703 North Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA
| | - Spencer G. Streit
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Healthcare System, 703 North Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (S.G.S.); (C.H.); (A.-N.A.); (A.H.)
| | - Bao Tran Huynh
- Department of Pharmacy, Memorial Healthcare System, 703 North Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA
| | - Caroline Hana
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Healthcare System, 703 North Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (S.G.S.); (C.H.); (A.-N.A.); (A.H.)
| | - Anna-Ninny Abraham
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Healthcare System, 703 North Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (S.G.S.); (C.H.); (A.-N.A.); (A.H.)
| | - Atif Hussein
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Healthcare System, 703 North Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA; (S.G.S.); (C.H.); (A.-N.A.); (A.H.)
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19
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Li H, Zheng N, Guo A, Tang W, Li M, Cao Y, Ma X, Cao H, Ma Y, Wang H, Zhao S. FSTL3 promotes tumor immune evasion and attenuates response to anti-PD1 therapy by stabilizing c-Myc in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:107. [PMID: 38302412 PMCID: PMC10834545 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06469-0] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PDL1)/programmed cell death 1 (PD1) blockade immunotherapy provides a prospective strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), but various constraints on the effectiveness of the treatment are still remaining. As reported in previous studies, follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) could mediate inflammatory response in macrophages by induction lipid accumulation. Herein, we revealed that FSTL3 were overexpressed in malignant cells in the CRC microenvironment, notably, the expression level of FSTL3 was related to tumor immune evasion and the clinical efficacy of anti-PD1 therapy. Further studies determined that hypoxic tumor microenvironment induced the FSTL3 expression via HIF1α in CRC cells, FSTL3 could bind to the transcription factor c-Myc (354-406 amino acids) to suppress the latter's ubiquitination and increase its stability, thereby to up-regulated the expression of PDL1 and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). The results in the immunocompetent tumor models verified that FSLT3 knockout in tumor cells increased the proportion of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment, reduced the proportion of regulatory T cells (CD25+ Foxp3+) and exhausted T cells (PD1+ CD8+), and synergistically improved the anti-PD1 therapy efficacy. To sum up, FSTL3 enhanced c-Myc-mediated transcriptional regulation to promote immune evasion and attenuates response to anti-PD1 therapy in CRC, suggesting the potential of FSTL3 as a biomarker of immunotherapeutic efficacy as well as a novel immunotherapeutic target in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Li
- Department of general surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Na Zheng
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Anning Guo
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Muxin Li
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuanyuan Cao
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinhua Ma
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongyong Cao
- Department of general surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yong Ma
- Department of general surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Hanjin Wang
- Department of general surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Shuli Zhao
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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20
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Bigos KJA, Quiles CG, Lunj S, Smith DJ, Krause M, Troost EGC, West CM, Hoskin P, Choudhury A. Tumour response to hypoxia: understanding the hypoxic tumour microenvironment to improve treatment outcome in solid tumours. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1331355. [PMID: 38352889 PMCID: PMC10861654 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1331355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumours affecting their biology and response to therapy. One of the main transcription factors activated by hypoxia is hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which regulates the expression of genes involved in various aspects of tumourigenesis including proliferative capacity, angiogenesis, immune evasion, metabolic reprogramming, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, and cell migration. This can negatively impact patient outcomes by inducing therapeutic resistance. The importance of hypoxia is clearly demonstrated by continued research into finding clinically relevant hypoxia biomarkers, and hypoxia-targeting therapies. One of the problems is the lack of clinically applicable methods of hypoxia detection, and lack of standardisation. Additionally, a lot of the methods of detecting hypoxia do not take into consideration the complexity of the hypoxic tumour microenvironment (TME). Therefore, this needs further elucidation as approximately 50% of solid tumours are hypoxic. The ECM is important component of the hypoxic TME, and is developed by both cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumour cells. However, it is important to distinguish the different roles to develop both biomarkers and novel compounds. Fibronectin (FN), collagen (COL) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are important components of the ECM that create ECM fibres. These fibres are crosslinked by specific enzymes including lysyl oxidase (LOX) which regulates the stiffness of tumours and induces fibrosis. This is partially regulated by HIFs. The review highlights the importance of understanding the role of matrix stiffness in different solid tumours as current data shows contradictory results on the impact on therapeutic resistance. The review also indicates that further research is needed into identifying different CAF subtypes and their exact roles; with some showing pro-tumorigenic capacity and others having anti-tumorigenic roles. This has made it difficult to fully elucidate the role of CAFs within the TME. However, it is clear that this is an important area of research that requires unravelling as current strategies to target CAFs have resulted in worsened prognosis. The role of immune cells within the tumour microenvironment is also discussed as hypoxia has been associated with modulating immune cells to create an anti-tumorigenic environment. Which has led to the development of immunotherapies including PD-L1. These hypoxia-induced changes can confer resistance to conventional therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the impact of hypoxia on the TME and its implications for therapy resistance. It also discusses the potential of hypoxia biomarkers as prognostic and predictive indictors of treatment response, as well as the challenges and opportunities of targeting hypoxia in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamilla JA. Bigos
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Conrado G. Quiles
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sapna Lunj
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle J. Smith
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mechthild Krause
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiation Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, Helmholtz Association / Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- School of Medicine, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Esther GC. Troost
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiation Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, Helmholtz Association / Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- School of Medicine, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Radiooncology – OncoRay, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Rossendorf, Germany
| | - Catharine M. West
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Christie Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Hoskin
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, United Kingdom
| | - Ananya Choudhury
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, Germany
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21
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Chida K, Oshi M, An N, Kanazawa H, Roy AM, Mann GK, Yan L, Endo I, Hakamada K, Takabe K. Gastric cancer with enhanced myogenesis is associated with less cell proliferation, enriched epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis, and poor clinical outcomes. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:355-367. [PMID: 38323295 PMCID: PMC10839307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) remains a lethal disease, with over 26,000 new cases and more than 11,000 deaths annually in the US. Thus, a deeper understanding of GC biology is critical to improve survival. Myogenesis is the formation of muscle fibers, which is a mesodermal tissue. In cancer, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a known phenomenon that promotes metastasis and poor survival. Given that myogenesis produces mesenchymal cells, we hypothesized that GC with increased myogenesis is linked to aggressive tumor behaviors and less favorable outcomes. In this study, three GC patient cohorts: TCGA (n=375), GSE26253 (n=432), and GSE84437 (n=482), were analyzed. The "MYOGENESIS" set in the Hallmark collection which comprises 200 myogenesis-related genes was analyzed to perform gene set variation analysis to create a score to quantify the myogenesis activity. Our results showed that T category of AJCC cancer staging that reflects the tumor invasion to stomach wall consistently correlated with myogenesis activity in two GC cohorts. High myogenesis GC was associated with lower cell proliferation, evidenced by reduced proliferation scores, decreased Ki67 gene expression, and less enrichment of E2F Targets, G2M checkpoint, MYC Targets V1, and V2 gene sets. High myogenesis tumors showed increased stromal cells (fibroblasts and adipocytes) infiltration within the tumor microenvironment, as well as less silent and non-silent mutation rates and copy number alterations. Higher lymphocyte infiltration, leukocyte fraction, T-cell receptor richness, and B-cell receptor richness were associated with high myogenesis GC. However, infiltration of CD4 cells, T helper type 1 and 2 cells, Natural Killer cells, regulatory T cells, and plasma cells was lower, with increased infiltration of dendritic cells in high myogenesis GC. High myogenesis GC enriched EMT, Hedgehog, TGF-β, and KRAS gene sets. Furthermore, it was associated with enhanced angiogenesis, evidenced by enrichment of Angiogenesis, Coagulation, and Hypoxia gene sets, and increased infiltration of microvascular and lymphatic endothelial cells and pericytes. High myogenesis GC consistently correlated with worse overall survival in all three cohorts, and worse disease-specific and progression-free survival in the TCGA cohort. Hence, our findings suggest that GC with enhanced myogenesis is associated with decreased cell proliferation, increased EMT and angiogenesis, and worse prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Chida
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of MedicineHirosaki 036-8562, Japan
| | - Masanori Oshi
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of MedicineYokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Nan An
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Hirofumi Kanazawa
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler School of MedicineTyler, TX 11937, USA
| | - Arya M Roy
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Gabriella K Mann
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Li Yan
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Itaru Endo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of MedicineYokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Kenichi Hakamada
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of MedicineHirosaki 036-8562, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Takabe
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of MedicineYokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
- Department of Surgery, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New YorkBuffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Department of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Tokyo Medical UniversityTokyo 160-8402, Japan
- Division of Digestive and General Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigata 951-8510, Japan
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of MedicineFukushima 960-1295, Japan
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22
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Loeffler E, Ancel J, Dalstein V, Deslée G, Polette M, Nawrocki-Raby B. HER2 Alterations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Biologico-Clinical Consequences and Interest in Therapeutic Strategies. Life (Basel) 2023; 14:64. [PMID: 38255679 PMCID: PMC10820545 DOI: 10.3390/life14010064] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer stands as the first cause of death by cancer in the world. Despite the improvement in patients' outcomes in the past decades through the development of personalized medicine approaches, a substantial portion of patients remains ineligible for targeted therapies due to the lack of a "druggable" molecular target. HER2, a receptor tyrosine kinase member of the EGFR/ErbB family, is known to show oncogenic properties. In this review, we focus on the different HER2 dysregulation mechanisms that have been observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): gene mutation, gene amplification, protein overexpression and protein hyper-phosphorylation, the latter suggesting that HER2 dysregulation can occur independently of any molecular aberration. These HER2 alterations inevitably have consequences on tumor biology. Here, we discuss how they are not only involved in abnormal proliferation and survival of cancer cells but also potentially in increased angiogenic properties, mesenchymal features and tumor immune escape. Finally, we review the impact of these HER2 alterations in various therapeutic approaches. While standard chemotherapy and groundbreaking immunotherapy seem rather ineffective for HER2-altered NSCLCs, the development of HER2-targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, anti-HER2 antibodies and especially antibody-drug conjugates could provide new hopes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Loeffler
- Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Inserm, UMR-S 1250 P3Cell, SFR CAP Santé, 51092 Reims, France; (E.L.); (J.A.); (V.D.); (G.D.); (M.P.)
| | - Julien Ancel
- Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Inserm, UMR-S 1250 P3Cell, SFR CAP Santé, 51092 Reims, France; (E.L.); (J.A.); (V.D.); (G.D.); (M.P.)
- CHU de Reims, Hôpital Maison-Blanche, Service de Pneumologie, 51092 Reims, France
| | - Véronique Dalstein
- Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Inserm, UMR-S 1250 P3Cell, SFR CAP Santé, 51092 Reims, France; (E.L.); (J.A.); (V.D.); (G.D.); (M.P.)
- CHU de Reims, Pôle de Biologie Territoriale, Service de Pathologie, 51092 Reims, France
| | - Gaëtan Deslée
- Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Inserm, UMR-S 1250 P3Cell, SFR CAP Santé, 51092 Reims, France; (E.L.); (J.A.); (V.D.); (G.D.); (M.P.)
- CHU de Reims, Hôpital Maison-Blanche, Service de Pneumologie, 51092 Reims, France
| | - Myriam Polette
- Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Inserm, UMR-S 1250 P3Cell, SFR CAP Santé, 51092 Reims, France; (E.L.); (J.A.); (V.D.); (G.D.); (M.P.)
- CHU de Reims, Pôle de Biologie Territoriale, Service de Pathologie, 51092 Reims, France
| | - Béatrice Nawrocki-Raby
- Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Inserm, UMR-S 1250 P3Cell, SFR CAP Santé, 51092 Reims, France; (E.L.); (J.A.); (V.D.); (G.D.); (M.P.)
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23
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Yakubovich E, Cook DP, Rodriguez GM, Vanderhyden BC. Mesenchymal ovarian cancer cells promote CD8 + T cell exhaustion through the LGALS3-LAG3 axis. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:61. [PMID: 38086828 PMCID: PMC10716312 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00322-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells often metastasize by undergoing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although abundance of CD8+ T-cells in the tumor microenvironment correlates with improved survival, mesenchymal cancer cells acquire greater resistance to antitumor immunity in some cancers. We hypothesized the EMT modulates the immune response to ovarian cancer. Here we show that cancer cells from infiltrated/inflamed tumors possess more mesenchymal cells, than excluded and desert tumors. We also noted high expression of LGALS3 is associated with EMT in vivo, a finding validated with in vitro EMT models. Dissecting the cellular communications among populations in the tumor revealed that mesenchymal cancer cells in infiltrated tumors communicate through LGALS3 to LAG3 receptor expressed by CD8+ T cells. We found CD8+ T cells express high levels of LAG3, a marker of T cell exhaustion. The results indicate that EMT in ovarian cancer cells promotes interactions between cancer cells and T cells through the LGALS3 - LAG3 axis, which could increase T cell exhaustion in infiltrated tumors, dampening antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Yakubovich
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - David P Cook
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Galaxia M Rodriguez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara C Vanderhyden
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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24
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Abou Khouzam R, Janji B, Thiery J, Zaarour RF, Chamseddine AN, Mayr H, Savagner P, Kieda C, Gad S, Buart S, Lehn JM, Limani P, Chouaib S. Hypoxia as a potential inducer of immune tolerance, tumor plasticity and a driver of tumor mutational burden: Impact on cancer immunotherapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 97:104-123. [PMID: 38029865 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
In cancer patients, immune cells are often functionally compromised due to the immunosuppressive features of the tumor microenvironment (TME) which contribute to the failures in cancer therapies. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that developing tumors adapt to the immunological environment and create a local microenvironment that impairs immune function by inducing immune tolerance and invasion. In this context, microenvironmental hypoxia, which is an established hallmark of solid tumors, significantly contributes to tumor aggressiveness and therapy resistance through the induction of tumor plasticity/heterogeneity and, more importantly, through the differentiation and expansion of immune-suppressive stromal cells. We and others have provided evidence indicating that hypoxia also drives genomic instability in cancer cells and interferes with DNA damage response and repair suggesting that hypoxia could be a potential driver of tumor mutational burden. Here, we reviewed the current knowledge on how hypoxic stress in the TME impacts tumor angiogenesis, heterogeneity, plasticity, and immune resistance, with a special interest in tumor immunogenicity and hypoxia targeting. An integrated understanding of the complexity of the effect of hypoxia on the immune and microenvironmental components could lead to the identification of better adapted and more effective combinational strategies in cancer immunotherapy. Clearly, the discovery and validation of therapeutic targets derived from the hypoxic tumor microenvironment is of major importance and the identification of critical hypoxia-associated pathways could generate targets that are undeniably attractive for combined cancer immunotherapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raefa Abou Khouzam
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman 4184, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Bassam Janji
- Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, 6A, rue Nicolas-Ernest Barblé, L-1210 Luxembourg city, Luxembourg.
| | - Jerome Thiery
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Rania Faouzi Zaarour
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman 4184, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Ali N Chamseddine
- Gastroenterology Department, Cochin University Hospital, Université de Paris, APHP, Paris, France; Ambroise Paré - Hartmann Private Hospital Group, Oncology Unit, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
| | - Hemma Mayr
- Swiss Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) and Transplantation Center, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Surgery & Transplantation, University and University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Pierre Savagner
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Claudine Kieda
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland; Centre for Molecular Biophysics, UPR 4301 CNRS, 45071 Orleans, France; Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-004 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Sophie Gad
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), Paris Sciences Lettres University (PSL), 75014 Paris, France; UMR CNRS 9019, Genome Integrity and Cancers, Gustave Roussy, Paris-Saclay University, 94800 Villejuif, France.
| | - Stéphanie Buart
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Jean-Marie Lehn
- Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS), Université de Strasbourg, 8 allée Gaspard Monge, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Perparim Limani
- Swiss Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) and Transplantation Center, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Surgery & Transplantation, University and University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman 4184, United Arab Emirates; INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
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25
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Gulia S, Chandra P, Das A. The Prognosis of Cancer Depends on the Interplay of Autophagy, Apoptosis, and Anoikis within the Tumor Microenvironment. Cell Biochem Biophys 2023; 81:621-658. [PMID: 37787970 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01179-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Within the tumor microenvironment, the fight between the immune system and cancer influences tumor transformation. Metastasis formation is an important stage in the progression of cancer. This process is aided by cellular detachment and resistance to anoikis, which are achieved by altering intercellular signaling. Autophagy, specifically pro-survival autophagy, aids cancer cells in developing treatment resistance. Numerous studies have shown that autophagy promotes tumor growth and resistance to anoikis. To regulate protective autophagy, cancer-related genes phosphorylate both pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. Apoptosis, a type of controlled cell death, eliminates damaged or unwanted cells. Anoikis is a type of programmed cell death in which cells lose contact with the extracellular matrix. The dysregulation of these cellular pathways promotes tumor growth and spread. Apoptosis, anoikis, and autophagy interact meticulously and differently depending on the cellular circumstances. For instance, autophagy can protect cancer cells from apoptosis by removing cellular components that are damaged and might otherwise trigger apoptotic pathways. Similarly, anoikis dysregulation can trigger autophagy by causing cellular harm and metabolic stress. In order to prevent or treat metastatic disease, specifically, targeting these cellular mechanisms may present a promising prospect for cancer therapy. This review discourses the state of our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tumor transformation and the establishment of metastatic tumors. To enhance the prognosis for cancer, we highlight and discuss potential therapeutic approaches that target these processes and genes involved in them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Gulia
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Prakash Chandra
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Asmita Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India.
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26
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Alzamami A. Implications of single-cell immune landscape of tumor microenvironment for the colorectal cancer diagnostics and therapy. Med Oncol 2023; 40:352. [PMID: 37950801 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02226-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) originates from the polyps lining the colon and is among the most common types of cancer. With the increasing popularity of single-cell sequencing technologies, researchers have been able to better understand the immune landscape of colorectal cancer, by analyzing their expression and interactions in detail with the tumor microenvironment (TME) at single-cell level. Since the tumor-immune cell interactions play a critical part in the advancement as well as treatment response in colorectal cancer, the release of inhibitory factors such as T cells are important for recognizing and destroying cancer cells. Such information is vital to identify immunotherapeutic targets for cure and monitoring response to treatments. Therefore, a comprehensive single-cell studies-based overview of key immunogenic agents regulating the TME of CRC is provided in this review. Tumor-associated macrophages can promote tumor growth and resistance to treatment by releasing factors that inhibit the function of other immune cells. Additionally, colorectal cancer cells can express programmed cell death protein 1 and its ligand, which can also inhibit T-cell function. Researchers have found that certain types of immune cells, prominently T cells, natural killer, and dendritic cells, can have a positive impact on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. Treatments like immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T therapies that help to release the inhibitory signals from the cancer cells allow the immune cells to function more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Alzamami
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, 11961, Al-Quwayiyah, Saudi Arabia.
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27
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Peng PH, Chen JL, Wu HH, Yang WH, Lin LJ, Lai JCY, Chang JS, Syu JL, Wu HT, Hsu FT, Cheng WC, Hsu KW. Interplay between lncRNA RP11-367G18.1 variant 2 and YY1 plays a vital role in hypoxia-mediated gene expression and tumorigenesis. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:266. [PMID: 37941005 PMCID: PMC10634066 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03067-6] [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: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypoxia-responsive long non-coding RNA, RP11-367G18.1, has recently been reported to induce histone 4 lysine 16 acetylation (H4K16Ac) through its variant 2; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. METHODS RNA pull-down assay and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were performed to identify RP11-367G18.1 variant 2-binding partner. The molecular events were examined utilizing western blot analysis, real-time PCR, luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and chromatin isolation by RNA purification assays. The migration, invasion, soft agar colony formation, and in vivo xenograft experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of RP11-367G18.1 variant 2-YY1 complex on tumor progression. RESULTS In this study, RNA sequencing data revealed that hypoxia and RP11-367G18.1 variant 2 co-regulated genes were enriched in tumor-related pathways. YY1 was identified as an RP11-367G18.1 variant 2-binding partner that activates the H4K16Ac mark. YY1 was upregulated under hypoxic conditions and served as a target gene for hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. RP11-367G18.1 variant 2 colocalized with YY1 and H4K16Ac in the nucleus under hypoxic conditions. Head and neck cancer tissues had higher levels of RP11-367G18.1 and YY1 which were associated with poor patient outcomes. RP11-367G18.1 variant 2-YY1 complex contributes to hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity. YY1 regulated hypoxia-induced genes dependent on RP11-367G18.1 variant 2. CONCLUSIONS RP11-367G18.1 variant 2-YY1 complex mediates the tumor-promoting effects of hypoxia, suggesting that this complex can be targeted as a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Hua Peng
- Cancer Genome Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Ji-Lin Chen
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih- Pai Road, Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Heng-Hsiung Wu
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Drug Development Center, Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Hao Yang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jie Lin
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- The PhD Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Joseph Chieh-Yu Lai
- Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Shou Chang
- Cancer Genome Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Ling Syu
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Han-Tsang Wu
- Cancer Research Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - Fei-Ting Hsu
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Chung Cheng
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
- The PhD Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
| | - Kai-Wen Hsu
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
- Drug Development Center, Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
- Institute of Translational Medicine and New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
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Baser A, Basar B, Dogan HB, Sener G, Ozsamur NG, Celik FS, Altves S, Erbas-Cakmak S. Reprograming cancer cells by a BODIPY G-quadruplex stabiliser. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:12447-12450. [PMID: 37779498 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03453d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
A cationic BODIPY-based G-quadruplex-selective stabiliser is developed and shown to decrease cancer cell migration-invasion up to 90%. The expression of critical genes (HIF1α, VIM, CDH1) related to metastasis is modulated. The stabiliser reprograms hypoxia-adaptive metabolism and an 1.82-fold increase in O2 consumption, enabling back-to-normal switching of energy metabolism, is observed. Stabilisers with a strong G-quadruplex affinity (0.38 μM Kd) significantly contribute to small molecule anti-cancer approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminesena Baser
- Konya Food and Agriculture University, Beysehir Cd. No: 9 Meram, Konya, Turkey
| | - Beyza Basar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Yerleskesi, Meram, 42090, Konya, Turkey.
- Science and Research Application Center (BİTAM), Necmettin Erbakan University, Koycegiz Yerleskesi, Meram, 42140, Konya, Turkey
| | - Hanim Beyza Dogan
- Konya Food and Agriculture University, Beysehir Cd. No: 9 Meram, Konya, Turkey
| | - Gulnur Sener
- Konya Food and Agriculture University, Beysehir Cd. No: 9 Meram, Konya, Turkey
| | - Nezahat Gokce Ozsamur
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Yerleskesi, Meram, 42090, Konya, Turkey.
- Science and Research Application Center (BİTAM), Necmettin Erbakan University, Koycegiz Yerleskesi, Meram, 42140, Konya, Turkey
| | - Fatma Secer Celik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Yerleskesi, Meram, 42090, Konya, Turkey.
| | - Safaa Altves
- Department of Medicinal Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram, 42080, Konya, Turkey
| | - Sundus Erbas-Cakmak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Yerleskesi, Meram, 42090, Konya, Turkey.
- Science and Research Application Center (BİTAM), Necmettin Erbakan University, Koycegiz Yerleskesi, Meram, 42140, Konya, Turkey
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29
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Peng Y, Ou S, Li M, Hu Z, Zeng Z, Feng N. An electrochemical biosensor based on network-like DNA nanoprobes for detection of mesenchymal circulating tumor cells. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 238:115564. [PMID: 37544105 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The identification and detection of mesenchymal circulating tumor cells (mCTCs) is important for early warning of tumor metastasis. The majority of conventional detection methods for CTCs rely on the recognition of epithelial biomarkers, which is technically challenging for detecting CTCs with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-induced phenotypic alteration. In this work, we have constructed a label-free biosensor for sensitive electrochemical assay of mCTCs. In our design, the capture probe can recognize the vimentin overexpressed on the surface of mCTCs with high specificity. Meantime, the network-like DNA nanoprobes with multiple G-quadruplex/hemin complexes and multiple cholesterol molecules can be grafted to the cell surface based on the high affinity between cholesterol molecules and cell membrane. Owing to the mimic horseradish peroxidase of G-quadruplex/hemin complexes, strong electrochemical responses will be obtained for sensitive quantification of mCTCs with a detection limit of 8 cell mL-1. Moreover, the biosensor can effectively overcome the interference of vimentin negative cells or secretory vimentin, and realize the recovery tests in whole blood with high accuracy, thereby may further promoting the diagnosis and personalized treatment of cancer in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Peng
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center in University of Guizhou Province, Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, School of Biology and Engineering (School of Modern Industry for Health and Medicine), Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China.
| | - Sha Ou
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center in University of Guizhou Province, Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, School of Biology and Engineering (School of Modern Industry for Health and Medicine), Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Menglu Li
- Department of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, 214000, China
| | - Zuquan Hu
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center in University of Guizhou Province, Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, School of Biology and Engineering (School of Modern Industry for Health and Medicine), Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering in University of Guizhou Province, Engineering Research Center of Cellular Immunotherapy of Guizhou Proviol of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China; State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhu Zeng
- Immune Cells and Antibody Engineering Research Center in University of Guizhou Province, Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, School of Biology and Engineering (School of Modern Industry for Health and Medicine), Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering in University of Guizhou Province, Engineering Research Center of Cellular Immunotherapy of Guizhou Proviol of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China; State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China.
| | - Ninghan Feng
- Department of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, 214000, China.
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30
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Petraroia I, Ghidotti P, Bertolini G, Pontis F, Roz L, Balsamo M, Suatoni P, Pastorino U, Ferretti AM, Sozzi G, Fortunato O. Extracellular vesicles from subjects with COPD modulate cancer initiating cells phenotype through HIF-1α shuttling. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:681. [PMID: 37838700 PMCID: PMC10576796 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06212-1] [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] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for lung cancer development. COPD induces activation of hypoxia-induced signaling, causing remodeling of surrounding microenvironmental cells also modulating the release and cargo of their extracellular vesicles (EVs). We aimed to evaluate the potential role of circulating EVs from COPD subjects in lung cancer onset. Plasma-EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation from heavy smoker volunteers with (COPD-EVs) or without (heavy smoker-EVs, HS-EV) COPD and characterized following MISEV guidelines. Immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (CDK4, hTERT-HBEC3-KT), genetically modified with different oncogenic alterations commonly found in lung cancer (sh-p53, KRASV12), were used to test plasma-EVs pro-tumorigenic activity in vitro. COPD-EVs mainly derived from immune and endothelial cells. COPD-EVs selectively increased the subset of CD133+CXCR4+ metastasis initiating cells (MICs) in HBEC-sh-p53-KRASV12high cells and stimulated 3D growth, migration/invasion, and acquisition of mesenchymal traits. These effects were not observed in HBEC cells bearing single oncogenic mutation (sh-p53 or KRASV12). Mechanistically, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) transferred from COPD-EVs triggers CXCR4 pathway activation that in turn mediates MICs expansion and acquisition of pro-tumorigenic effects. Indeed, HIF-1α inhibition or CXCR4 silencing prevented the acquisition of malignant traits induced by COPD-EVs alone. Hypoxia recapitulates the effects observed with COPD-EVs in HBEC-sh-p53-KRASV12high cells. Notably, higher levels of HIF-1α were observed in EVs from COPD subjects who subsequently developed cancer compared to those who remained cancer-free. Our findings support a role of COPD-EVs to promote the expansion of MICs in premalignant epithelial cells through HIF-1α-CXCR4 axis activation thereby potentially sustaining lung cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Petraroia
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Patrizia Ghidotti
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Bertolini
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy.
| | - Francesca Pontis
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca Roz
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Melissa Balsamo
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Paola Suatoni
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Ugo Pastorino
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Gabriella Sozzi
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Orazio Fortunato
- Epigenomics and biomarkers of solid tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
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31
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Vogiatzoglou AP, Spanou S, Sachini N, Drakos E, Nikolaou C, Makatounakis T, Kretsovali A, Papamatheakis J. Promyelocytic leukemia protein regulates angiogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition to limit metastasis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:2090-2108. [PMID: 37518985 PMCID: PMC10552902 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) modulates diverse cell functions that contribute to both tumor suppressor and pro-oncogenic effects, depending on the cellular context. We show here that PML knockdown (KD) in MDA-MB-231, but not MCF7, breast cancer cells, prolonged stem-cell-like survival, and increased cell proliferation and migration, which is in line with gene-enrichment results from their RNA sequencing analysis. Of note, increased migration was accompanied by higher levels of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulator Twist-related protein 2 (TWIST2). We showed here that PML binds to TWIST2 via its basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) region and functionally interferes with the suppression of the epithelial target of TWIST2, CD24. In addition, PML ablation in MDA-MB-231 cells led to higher protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1a), resulting in a higher cell hypoxic response. Functionally, PML directly suppressed the induction of the HIF1a target gene vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFa). In line with these results, tumor xenografts of MDA-MB-231 PML-KD cells had enhanced aggressive properties, including higher microvessel density, faster local growth, and higher metastatic ability, with a preference for lung. Collectively, PML suppresses the cancer aggressive behavior by multiple mechanisms that impede both the HIF-hypoxia-angiogenic and EMT pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia P. Vogiatzoglou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)Foundation for Research and Technology‐Hellas (FORTH)CreteGreece
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CreteHeraklionGreece
| | - Syrago Spanou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)Foundation for Research and Technology‐Hellas (FORTH)CreteGreece
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CreteHeraklionGreece
| | - Nikoleta Sachini
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)Foundation for Research and Technology‐Hellas (FORTH)CreteGreece
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CreteHeraklionGreece
- ADC Therapeutics LimitedLondonUK
| | - Elias Drakos
- Department of Pathology, Medical SchoolUniversity of CreteGreece
| | - Christoforos Nikolaou
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center “Alexander Fleming”Institute for BioinnovationVariGreece
| | - Takis Makatounakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)Foundation for Research and Technology‐Hellas (FORTH)CreteGreece
| | - Androniki Kretsovali
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)Foundation for Research and Technology‐Hellas (FORTH)CreteGreece
| | - Joseph Papamatheakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)Foundation for Research and Technology‐Hellas (FORTH)CreteGreece
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CreteHeraklionGreece
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32
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Hua H, Zou S, Ma Z, Guo W, Fong CY, Khoo BL. A deformability-based biochip for precise label-free stratification of metastatic subtypes using deep learning. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:120. [PMID: 37780810 PMCID: PMC10539402 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Cellular deformability is a promising biomarker for evaluating the physiological state of cells in medical applications. Microfluidics has emerged as a powerful technique for measuring cellular deformability. However, existing microfluidic-based assays for measuring cellular deformability rely heavily on image analysis, which can limit their scalability for high-throughput applications. Here, we develop a parallel constriction-based microfluidic flow cytometry device and an integrated computational framework (ATMQcD). The ATMQcD framework includes automatic training set generation, multiple object tracking, segmentation, and cellular deformability quantification. The system was validated using cancer cell lines of varying metastatic potential, achieving a classification accuracy of 92.4% for invasiveness assessment and stratifying cancer cells before and after hypoxia treatment. The ATMQcD system also demonstrated excellent performance in distinguishing cancer cells from leukocytes (accuracy = 89.5%). We developed a mechanical model based on power-law rheology to quantify stiffness, which was fitted with measured data directly. The model evaluated metastatic potentials for multiple cancer types and mixed cell populations, even under real-world clinical conditions. Our study presents a highly robust and transferable computational framework for multiobject tracking and deformation measurement tasks in microfluidics. We believe that this platform has the potential to pave the way for high-throughput analysis in clinical applications, providing a powerful tool for evaluating cellular deformability and assessing the physiological state of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojun Hua
- City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Shangjie Zou
- City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077 China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE), Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Zhiqiang Ma
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE), Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Wang Guo
- City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077 China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE), Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Ching Yin Fong
- City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Bee Luan Khoo
- City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077 China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE), Hong Kong, 999077 China
- City University of Hong Kong Futian-Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057 China
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33
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Sokol O, Durante M. Carbon Ions for Hypoxic Tumors: Are We Making the Most of Them? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4494. [PMID: 37760464 PMCID: PMC10526811 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia, which is associated with abnormal vessel growth, is a characteristic feature of many solid tumors that increases their metastatic potential and resistance to radiotherapy. Carbon-ion radiation therapy, either alone or in combination with other treatments, is one of the most promising treatments for hypoxic tumors because the oxygen enhancement ratio decreases with increasing particle LET. Nevertheless, current clinical practice does not yet fully benefit from the use of carbon ions to tackle hypoxia. Here, we provide an overview of the existing experimental and clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of C-ion radiotherapy in overcoming hypoxia-induced radioresistance, followed by a discussion of the strategies proposed to enhance it, including different approaches to maximize LET in the tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Sokol
- Biophysics Department, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforchung, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Marco Durante
- Biophysics Department, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforchung, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany;
- Institute for Condensed Matter Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 8, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
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Bandopadhyay S, Patranabis S. Mechanisms of HIF-driven immunosuppression in tumour microenvironment. J Egypt Natl Canc Inst 2023; 35:27. [PMID: 37646847 DOI: 10.1186/s43046-023-00186-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia arises due to insufficient oxygen delivery to rapidly proliferating tumour cells that outpace the available blood supply. It is a characteristic feature of most solid tumour microenvironments and plays a critical role in regulating anti-tumour immunity, enhancing tumoral heterogeneity, and promoting therapeutic resistance and poor clinical outcomes. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are the major hypoxia-responsive transcription factors that are activated under low oxygenation conditions and have been identified to drive multifunctional roles in tumour immune evasion. The HIF signalling network serves as an attractive target for targeted therapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most crucial mechanisms by which HIF controls the expression of immunosuppressive molecules and immune checkpoints, disrupts cancer immunogenicity, and induces immunotherapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Somi Patranabis
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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35
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Astore S, Baciarello G, Cerbone L, Calabrò F. Primary and acquired resistance to first-line therapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:517-546. [PMID: 37842234 PMCID: PMC10571064 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2023.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of first-line combinations had improved the outcomes for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) compared to sunitinib. However, some patients either have inherent resistance or develop resistance as a result of the treatment. Depending on the kind of therapy employed, many factors underlie resistance to systemic therapy. Angiogenesis and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), nevertheless, are inextricably linked. Although angiogenesis and the manipulation of the tumor microenvironment are linked to hypoxia, which emerges as a hallmark of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) pathogenesis, it is only one of the potential elements involved in the distinctive intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity of RCC that is still dynamic. We may be able to more correctly predict therapy response and comprehend the mechanisms underlying primary or acquired resistance by integrating tumor genetic and immunological markers. In order to provide tools for patient selection and to generate hypotheses for the development of new strategies to overcome resistance, we reviewed the most recent research on the mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that target the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR).We can choose patients' treatments and cancer preventive strategies using an evolutionary approach thanks to the few evolutionary trajectories that characterize ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Astore
- Medical Oncology, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Rome 00152, Italy
| | | | - Linda Cerbone
- Medical Oncology, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Rome 00152, Italy
| | - Fabio Calabrò
- Medical Oncology, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Rome 00152, Italy
- Medical Oncology, IRCSS, National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Rome 00128, Italy
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36
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Stampone E, Bencivenga D, Capellupo MC, Roberti D, Tartaglione I, Perrotta S, Della Ragione F, Borriello A. Genome editing and cancer therapy: handling the hypoxia-responsive pathway as a promising strategy. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:220. [PMID: 37477829 PMCID: PMC10361942 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04852-2] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The precise characterization of oxygen-sensing pathways and the identification of pO2-regulated gene expression are both issues of critical importance. The O2-sensing system plays crucial roles in almost all the pivotal human processes, including the stem cell specification, the growth and development of tissues (such as embryogenesis), the modulation of intermediate metabolism (including the shift of the glucose metabolism from oxidative to anaerobic ATP production and vice versa), and the control of blood pressure. The solid cancer microenvironment is characterized by low oxygen levels and by the consequent activation of the hypoxia response that, in turn, allows a complex adaptive response characterized mainly by neoangiogenesis and metabolic reprogramming. Recently, incredible advances in molecular genetic methodologies allowed the genome editing with high efficiency and, above all, the precise identification of target cells/tissues. These new possibilities and the knowledge of the mechanisms of adaptation to hypoxia suggest the effective development of new therapeutic approaches based on the manipulation, targeting, and exploitation of the oxygen-sensor system molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Stampone
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Debora Bencivenga
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Capellupo
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Roberti
- Department of the Woman, the Child and of the General and Specialty Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 2, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Tartaglione
- Department of the Woman, the Child and of the General and Specialty Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 2, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Silverio Perrotta
- Department of the Woman, the Child and of the General and Specialty Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 2, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Fulvio Della Ragione
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
| | - Adriana Borriello
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio, 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
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Srivastava N, Usmani SS, Subbarayan R, Saini R, Pandey PK. Hypoxia: syndicating triple negative breast cancer against various therapeutic regimens. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1199105. [PMID: 37492478 PMCID: PMC10363988 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1199105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the deadliest subtypes of breast cancer (BC) for its high aggressiveness, heterogeneity, and hypoxic nature. Based on biological and clinical observations the TNBC related mortality is very high worldwide. Emerging studies have clearly demonstrated that hypoxia regulates the critical metabolic, developmental, and survival pathways in TNBC, which include glycolysis and angiogenesis. Alterations to these pathways accelerate the cancer stem cells (CSCs) enrichment and immune escape, which further lead to tumor invasion, migration, and metastasis. Beside this, hypoxia also manipulates the epigenetic plasticity and DNA damage response (DDR) to syndicate TNBC survival and its progression. Hypoxia fundamentally creates the low oxygen condition responsible for the alteration in Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) signaling within the tumor microenvironment, allowing tumors to survive and making them resistant to various therapies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for society to establish target-based therapies that overcome the resistance and limitations of the current treatment plan for TNBC. In this review article, we have thoroughly discussed the plausible significance of HIF-1α as a target in various therapeutic regimens such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, adjuvant therapy photodynamic therapy, adoptive cell therapy, combination therapies, antibody drug conjugates and cancer vaccines. Further, we also reviewed here the intrinsic mechanism and existing issues in targeting HIF-1α while improvising the current therapeutic strategies. This review highlights and discusses the future perspectives and the major alternatives to overcome TNBC resistance by targeting hypoxia-induced signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nityanand Srivastava
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Salman Sadullah Usmani
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rajasekaran Subbarayan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Research, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Educations, Chennai, India
| | - Rashmi Saini
- Department of Zoology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Pranav Kumar Pandey
- Dr. R.P. Centre for Opthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Suzuki T, Conant A, Curow C, Alexander A, Ioffe Y, Unternaehrer JJ. Role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition factor SNAI1 and its targets in ovarian cancer aggressiveness. JOURNAL OF CANCER METASTASIS AND TREATMENT 2023; 9:25. [PMID: 38009093 PMCID: PMC10673625 DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2023.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the USA. For over twenty years, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been characterized extensively in development and disease. The dysregulation of this process in cancer has been identified as a mechanism by which epithelial tumors become more aggressive, allowing them to survive and invade distant tissues. This occurs in part due to the increased expression of the EMT transcription factor, SNAI1 (Snail). In the case of epithelial ovarian cancer, Snail has been shown to contribute to cancer invasion, stemness, chemoresistance, and metabolic changes. Thus, in this review, we focus on summarizing current findings on the role of EMT (specifically, factors downstream of Snail) in determining ovarian cancer aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tise Suzuki
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Ashlyn Conant
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Casey Curow
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- University of Redlands, Department of Biology, Redlands, CA 92373, USA
| | - Audrey Alexander
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
| | - Yevgeniya Ioffe
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Juli J Unternaehrer
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J, Kharazinejad E. The impact of hypoxia on tumor-mediated bypassing anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114646. [PMID: 37011483 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Extending the durability of response is the current focus in cancer immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, factors like non-immunogenic tumor microenvironment (TME) along with aberrant angiogenesis and dysregulated metabolic systems are negative contributors. Hypoxia is a key TME condition and a critical promoter of tumor hallmarks. It acts on immune and non-immune cells within TME in order for promoting immune evasion and therapy resistance. Extreme hypoxia is a major promoter of resistance to the programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor therapy. Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) acts as a key mediator of hypoxia and a critical promoter of resistance to the anti-PD-(L)1. Targeting hypoxia or HIF-1 can thus be an effective strategy for reinvigoration of cellular immunity against cancer. Among various strategies presented so far, the key focus is over vascular normalization, which is an approach highly effective for reducing the rate of hypoxia, increasing drug delivery into the tumor area, and boosting the efficacy of anti-PD-(L)1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Islamic Republic of Iran.
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Disease Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Ebrahim Kharazinejad
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
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40
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Mishra AB, Nishank SS. Therapeutic targeting approach on epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity to combat cancer metastasis. Med Oncol 2023; 40:190. [PMID: 37247000 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02049-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) is a process in which epithelial cells lose their characteristics and acquire mesenchymal properties, leading to increased motility and invasiveness, which are key factors in cancer metastasis. Targeting EMP has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach to combat cancer metastasis. Various strategies have been developed to target EMP, including inhibition of key signaling pathways, such as TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin, and Notch, that regulate EMP, as well as targeting specific transcription factors, such as Snail, Slug, and Twist, that promote EMP. Additionally, targeting the tumor microenvironment, which plays a critical role in promoting EMP, has also shown promise. Several preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of EMP-targeting therapies in inhibiting cancer metastasis. However, further research is needed to optimize these strategies and improve their clinical efficacy. Overall, therapeutic targeting of EMP represents a promising approach for the development of novel cancer therapies that can effectively inhibit metastasis, a major cause of cancer-related mortality.
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Poh AR, Ernst M. Functional roles of SRC signaling in pancreatic cancer: Recent insights provide novel therapeutic opportunities. Oncogene 2023:10.1038/s41388-023-02701-x. [PMID: 37120696 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02701-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignant disease with a 5-year survival rate of <10%. Aberrant activation or elevated expression of the tyrosine kinase c-SRC (SRC) is frequently observed in PDAC and is associated with a poor prognosis. Preclinical studies have revealed a multifaceted role for SRC activation in PDAC, including promoting chronic inflammation, tumor cell proliferation and survival, cancer cell stemness, desmoplasia, hypoxia, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Strategies to inhibit SRC signaling include suppressing its catalytic activity, inhibiting protein stability, or by interfering with signaling components of the SRC signaling pathway including suppressing protein interactions of SRC. In this review, we discuss the molecular and immunological mechanisms by which aberrant SRC activity promotes PDAC tumorigenesis. We also provide a comprehensive update of SRC inhibitors in the clinic, and discuss the clinical challenges associated with targeting SRC in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh R Poh
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, VIC, 3084, Australia.
| | - Matthias Ernst
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, VIC, 3084, Australia.
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42
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Leischner C, Marongiu L, Piotrowsky A, Niessner H, Venturelli S, Burkard M, Renner O. Relevant Membrane Transport Proteins as Possible Gatekeepers for Effective Pharmacological Ascorbate Treatment in Cancer. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12040916. [PMID: 37107291 PMCID: PMC10135768 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12040916] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the increasing number of newly diagnosed malignancies worldwide, therapeutic options for some tumor diseases are unfortunately still limited. Interestingly, preclinical but also some clinical data suggest that the administration of pharmacological ascorbate seems to respond well, especially in some aggressively growing tumor entities. The membrane transport and channel proteins are highly relevant for the use of pharmacological ascorbate in cancer therapy and are involved in the transfer of active substances such as ascorbate, hydrogen peroxide, and iron that predominantly must enter malignant cells to induce antiproliferative effects and especially ferroptosis. In this review, the relevant conveying proteins from cellular surfaces are presented as an integral part of the efficacy of pharmacological ascorbate, considering the already known genetic and functional features in tumor tissues. Accordingly, candidates for diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets are mentioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Leischner
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Luigi Marongiu
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tuebingen, Otfried-Mueller-Straße 10, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Alban Piotrowsky
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Heike Niessner
- Department of Dermatology, Division of Dermatooncology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstraße 25, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sascha Venturelli
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute of Physiology, Department of Vegetative and Clinical Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Wilhelmstraße 56, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Markus Burkard
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Olga Renner
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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43
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Zhang XH, Song YC, Qiu F, Wang ZC, Li N, Zhao FB. Hypoxic glioma cell-secreted exosomal circ101491 promotes the progression of glioma by regulating miR-125b-5p/EDN1. Brain Res Bull 2023; 195:55-65. [PMID: 36796652 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia and exosomes play important roles in the occurrence and development of glioma. While circRNAs are involved in biological processes of various tumors, the mechanism underlying exosome-dependent regulatory effects of circRNAs on the progression of glioma under hypoxia is unclear. Results suggested that circ101491 was overexpressed in tumor tissues and plasma exosomes of glioma patients, while the overexpression of circ101491 was closely related to the differentiation degree and TNM staging of the patients. Moreover, circ101491 overexpression promoted viability, invasion and migration of glioma cells both in vivo and in vitro; the above regulatory effects can be reversed by inhibition of circ101491 expression. Mechanistic studies revealed that circ101491 upregulated EDN1 expression through sponging miR-125b-5p, thus facilitating glioma progression. In summary, hypoxia could promote circ101491 overexpression in glioma cell-derived exosomes, and circ101491/miR-125b-5p/EDN1 regulatory axis might be implicated in the malignant progression of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hui Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China.
| | - Yi-Cun Song
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Feng Qiu
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Zheng-Cai Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Nan Li
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Fang-Bo Zhao
- College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, PR China
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44
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Extra-Cellular Vesicles Derived from Thyroid Cancer Cells Promote the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and the Transfer of Malignant Phenotypes through Immune Mediated Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032754. [PMID: 36769076 PMCID: PMC9917007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032754] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer, and its incidence is increasing in many countries around the world. Among thyroid cancers, the papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) histotype is particularly prevalent. A small percentage of papillary tumors is associated with metastases and aggressive behavior due to de-differentiation obtained through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by which epithelial thyroid cells acquire a fibroblast-like morphology, reduce cellular adhesion, increase motility and expression of mesenchymal proteins. The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in promoting an aggressive phenotype through hypoxia and the secretion of HMGB1 and other factors. Hypoxia has been shown to drastically change the tumor cell phenotype and has been associated with increasing metastatic and migratory behavior. Cells transfer information to neighboring cells or distant locations by releasing extracellular membrane vesicles (EVs) that contain key molecules, such as mRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and proteins, that are able to modify protein expression in recipient cells. In this study, we investigated the potential role of EVs released by the anaplastic cancer cell line CAL-62 in inducing a malignant phenotype in a papillary cancer cell line (BCPAP).
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45
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Cahill T, da Silveira WA, Renaud L, Wang H, Williamson T, Chung D, Chan S, Overton I, Hardiman G. Investigating the effects of chronic low-dose radiation exposure in the liver of a hypothermic zebrafish model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:918. [PMID: 36650199 PMCID: PMC9845366 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26976-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mankind's quest for a manned mission to Mars is placing increased emphasis on the development of innovative radio-protective countermeasures for long-term space travel. Hibernation confers radio-protective effects in hibernating animals, and this has led to the investigation of synthetic torpor to mitigate the deleterious effects of chronic low-dose-rate radiation exposure. Here we describe an induced torpor model we developed using the zebrafish. We explored the effects of radiation exposure on this model with a focus on the liver. Transcriptomic and behavioural analyses were performed. Radiation exposure resulted in transcriptomic perturbations in lipid metabolism and absorption, wound healing, immune response, and fibrogenic pathways. Induced torpor reduced metabolism and increased pro-survival, anti-apoptotic, and DNA repair pathways. Coupled with radiation exposure, induced torpor led to a stress response but also revealed maintenance of DNA repair mechanisms, pro-survival and anti-apoptotic signals. To further characterise our model of induced torpor, the zebrafish model was compared with hepatic transcriptomic data from hibernating grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and active controls revealing conserved responses in gene expression associated with anti-apoptotic processes, DNA damage repair, cell survival, proliferation, and antioxidant response. Similarly, the radiation group was compared with space-flown mice revealing shared changes in lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Cahill
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Willian Abraham da Silveira
- School of Health, Science and Wellbeing, Department of Biological Sciences, Science Centre, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke-On-Trent, ST4 2DF, UK
- International Space University, 1 Rue Jean-Dominique Cassini, 67400, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Ludivine Renaud
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Tucker Williamson
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Dongjun Chung
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Sherine Chan
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- JLABS at the Children's National Research and Innovation Campus, Washington, DC, 20012, USA
| | - Ian Overton
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Gary Hardiman
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK.
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
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Xia Z, Quan Y. Effect of tumor microenvironment on ferroptosis: inhibition or promotion. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1155511. [PMID: 37213276 PMCID: PMC10196176 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1155511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a type of lipid peroxidation-induced, iron-dependent programmed cell death. Emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis is intimately connected to tumorigenesis, development, treatment and plays a major role in tumor immune regulation. This study focused on the connection between ferroptosis and immune regulation, which may offer a theoretical basis for targeting ferroptosis and tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengzhen Xia
- The First Clinical Medical School, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Quan
- The First Clinical Medical School, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
- Department of Oncology Medical Center, The First People’s Hospital of Zhaoqing, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China
- *Correspondence: Yi Quan,
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Wang F, Lu S, Zhou X, Di X, Wu R, Chen G, Tian S. Dissected subgroups predict the risk of recurrence of stage II colorectal cancer and select rational treatment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1103741. [PMID: 37033948 PMCID: PMC10076777 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1103741] [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: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Stage II colorectal cancer(CRC) patients after surgery alone have a five-year survival rate of ~60-80%; the incremental benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy is <5%. Predicting risk of recurrence and selecting effective personalized adjuvant drugs for stage II CRC using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded(FFPE) samples is a major challenge. Methods 1319 stage II CRC patients who enrolled in 2011-2019 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were screened. RNAseq data of FFPE tumor samples of 222 stage II microsatellite stable(MSS) CRC patients(recurrence (n=47), norecurrence (n=175), median follow-up=41 months) were used to develop a method TFunctionalProg for dissecting heterogeneous subgroups of recurrence and predicting risk of recurrence. Results TFunctionalProg showed significant predictive values in 222 stage II MSS CRCs. The TFunctionalProg low-risk group had significantly better recurrence free survival (validation set: HR=4.78, p-value=1e-4, low-risk group three-year recurrence free survival=92.6%, high-risk group three-year recurrence free survival=59.7%). TFunctionalProg dissected two subgroups of transition states of stage II MSS CRCs at a high risk of recurrence; each state displays distinct levels of hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal traits, CD8+ T cell suppression mechanisms and FOLFOX resistance. Based on mechanisms in two subgroups, TFunctionalProg proposed personalized rational adjuvant drug combinations of immunotherapy, chemotherapy and repurposed CNS drugs. TFunctionalProg provides different utilities from ctDNA-based prognostic biomarkers. Conclusion TFunctionalProg was validated using FFPE samples to predict the risk of recurrence and propose rational adjuvant drug combinations for stage II CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulong Wang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shixun Lu
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaotang Di
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Rujia Wu
- Carbon Logic Biotech Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sun Tian
- Carbon Logic Biotech Ltd., Foshan, Guangdong, China
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48
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Zhang J, Hu Z, Horta CA, Yang J. Regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition by tumor microenvironmental signals and its implication in cancer therapeutics. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 88:46-66. [PMID: 36521737 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in various aspects of tumor development, including tumor invasion and metastasis, cancer stemness, and therapy resistance. Diverse stroma cell types along with biochemical and biophysical factors in the tumor microenvironment impinge on the EMT program to impact tumor progression. Here we provide an in-depth review of various tumor microenvironmental signals that regulate EMT in cancer. We discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of EMT in therapy resistance and highlight new therapeutic approaches targeting the tumor microenvironment to impact EMT and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Zhimin Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Calista A Horta
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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49
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Deng Y, Li H, Fu J, Pu Y, Zhang Y, Chen S, Tong S, Liu H. A hypoxia risk score for prognosis prediction and tumor microenvironment in adrenocortical carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:796681. [PMID: 36583015 PMCID: PMC9792869 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.796681] [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: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant endocrine tumor derived from the adrenal cortex. Because of its highly aggressive nature, the prognosis of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma is not impressive. Hypoxia exists in the vast majority of solid tumors and contributes to invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. This study aimed to reveal the role of hypoxia in Adrenocortical carcinoma and develop a hypoxia risk score (HRS) for Adrenocortical carcinoma prognostic prediction. Methods: Hypoxia-related genes were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database. The training cohorts of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas, while another three validation cohorts with comprehensive survival data were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus. In addition, we constructed a hypoxia classifier using a random survival forest model. Moreover, we explored the relationship between the hypoxia risk score and immunophenotype in adrenocortical carcinoma to evaluate the efficacy of immune check inhibitors (ICI) therapy and prognosis of patients. Results: HRS and tumor stage were identified as independent prognostic factors. HRS was negatively correlated with immune cycle activity, immune cell infiltration, and the T cell inflammatory score. Therefore, we considered the low hypoxia risk score group as the inflammatory immunophenotype, whereas the high HRS group was a non-inflammatory immunophenotype. In addition, the HRS was negatively related to the expression of common immune checkpoint molecules such as PD-L1, CD200, CTLA-4, and TIGIT, suggesting that patients with a lower hypoxia risk score respond better to immunotherapy. Conclusion: We developed and validated a novel hypoxia risk score to predict the immunophenotype and response of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma to immune check inhibitors therapy. These findings not only provide fresh prognostic indicators for adrenocortical carcinoma but also offer several promising treatment targets for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Deng
- Department of Geriatric Endocrine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huihuang Li
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jinglan Fu
- Department of Geriatric Endocrine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Pu
- Department of Geriatric Endocrine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Endocrine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shijing Chen
- Department of Geriatric Endocrine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shiyu Tong
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China,*Correspondence: Huixia Liu, ; Shiyu Tong,
| | - Huixia Liu
- Department of Geriatric Endocrine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China,*Correspondence: Huixia Liu, ; Shiyu Tong,
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Single-cell transcriptomics reveals cellular heterogeneity and molecular stratification of cervical cancer. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1208. [DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04142-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractCervical cancer (CC) is the most common gynecological malignancy, whose cellular heterogeneity has not been fully understood. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to survey the transcriptomes of 57,669 cells derived from three CC tumors with paired normal adjacent non-tumor (NAT) samples. Single-cell transcriptomics analysis revealed extensive heterogeneity in malignant cells of human CCs, wherein epithelial subpopulation exhibited different genomic and transcriptomic signatures. We also identified cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that may promote tumor progression of CC, and further distinguished inflammatory CAF (iCAF) and myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF). CD8+ T cell diversity revealed both proliferative (MKI67+) and non-cycling exhausted (PDCD1+) subpopulations at the end of the trajectory path. We used the epithelial signature genes derived from scRNA-seq to deconvolute bulk RNA-seq data of CC, identifying four different CC subtypes, namely hypoxia (S-H subtype), proliferation (S-P subtype), differentiation (S-D subtype), and immunoactive (S-I subtype) subtype. The S-H subtype showed the worst prognosis, while CC patients of the S-I subtype had the longest overall survival time. Our results lay the foundation for precision prognostic and therapeutic stratification of CC.
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