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Kim SC, Seo HY, Lee JO, Maeng JE, Shin YK, Lee SH, Jang JY, Ku JL. Establishment, characterization, and biobanking of 36 pancreatic cancer organoids: prediction of metastasis in resectable pancreatic cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00939-5. [PMID: 38619751 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00939-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Early dissemination of primary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the main cause of dismal prognosis as it highly limits possible treatment options. A number of PDAC patients experience distant metastasis even after treatment due to the metastatic clones. We aimed to demonstrate the molecular architecture of borderline resectable PDAC manifests cancer dissemination of PDAC. METHODS Here, 36 organoids isolated from primary tumor masses of PDAC patients with diverse metastatic statues are presented. Whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing were performed and drug responses to clinically relevant 18 compounds were assessed. RESULTS Our results revealed that borderline resectable PDAC organoids exhibited distinct patterns according to their metastatic potency highlighted by multiple genetic and transcriptional factors and strong variances in drug responses. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the presence of metastatic PDAC can be identified by integrating molecular compositions and drug responses of borderline resectable PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soon-Chan Kim
- Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
- Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ha-Young Seo
- Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Ja-Oh Lee
- Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Ju Eun Maeng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young-Kyoung Shin
- Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Sang Hyub Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea.
| | - Jin-Young Jang
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.
| | - Ja-Lok Ku
- Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea.
- Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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2
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Huang YK, Cheng WC, Kuo TT, Yang JC, Wu YC, Wu HH, Lo CC, Hsieh CY, Wong SC, Lu CH, Wu WL, Liu SJ, Li YC, Lin CC, Shen CN, Hung MC, Lin JT, Yeh CC, Sher YP. Inhibition of ADAM9 promotes the selective degradation of KRAS and sensitizes pancreatic cancers to chemotherapy. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:400-419. [PMID: 38267627 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00720-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) signaling drives pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) malignancy, which is an unmet clinical need. Here, we identify a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain (ADAM)9 as a modulator of PDAC progression via stabilization of wild-type and mutant KRAS proteins. Mechanistically, ADAM9 loss increases the interaction of KRAS with plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), which functions as a selective autophagy receptor in conjunction with light chain 3 (LC3), triggering lysosomal degradation of KRAS. Suppression of ADAM9 by a small-molecule inhibitor restricts disease progression in spontaneous models, and combination with gemcitabine elicits dramatic regression of patient-derived tumors. Our findings provide a promising strategy to target the KRAS signaling cascade and demonstrate a potential modality to enhance sensitivity to chemotherapy in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Kai Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chung Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Ting Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Juan-Cheng Yang
- School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yang-Chang Wu
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Heng-Hsiung Wu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chien Lo
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ying Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Sze-Ching Wong
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hao Lu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Ling Wu
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Liu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chuan Li
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chan Lin
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ning Shen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mien-Chie Hung
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jaw-Town Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chieh Yeh
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Department of Surgery, Organ Transplantation Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Yuh-Pyng Sher
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Chan A, Tsourkas A. Intracellular Protein Delivery: Approaches, Challenges, and Clinical Applications. BME FRONTIERS 2024; 5:0035. [PMID: 38282957 PMCID: PMC10809898 DOI: 10.34133/bmef.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein biologics are powerful therapeutic agents with diverse inhibitory and enzymatic functions. However, their clinical use has been limited to extracellular applications due to their inability to cross plasma membranes. Overcoming this physiological barrier would unlock the potential of protein drugs for the treatment of many intractable diseases. In this review, we highlight progress made toward achieving cytosolic delivery of recombinant proteins. We start by first considering intracellular protein delivery as a drug modality compared to existing Food and Drug Administration-approved drug modalities. Then, we summarize strategies that have been reported to achieve protein internalization. These techniques can be broadly classified into 3 categories: physical methods, direct protein engineering, and nanocarrier-mediated delivery. Finally, we highlight existing challenges for cytosolic protein delivery and offer an outlook for future advances.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew Tsourkas
- Department of Bioengineering,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Zhou K, Liu Y, Yuan S, Zhou Z, Ji P, Huang Q, Wen F, Li Q. Signalling in pancreatic cancer: from pathways to therapy. J Drug Target 2023; 31:1013-1026. [PMID: 37869884 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2274806] [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: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a common malignant tumour in the digestive system. Due to the lack of sensitive diagnostic markers, strong metastasis ability, and resistance to anti-cancer drugs, the prognosis of PC is inferior. In the past decades, increasing evidence has indicated that the development of PC is closely related to various signalling pathways. With the exploration of RAS-driven, epidermal growth factor receptor, Hedgehog, NF-κB, TGF-β, and NOTCH signalling pathways, breakthroughs have been made to explore the mechanism of pancreatic carcinogenesis, as well as the novel therapies. In this review, we discussed the signalling pathways involved in PC and summarised current targeted agents in the treatment of PC. Furthermore, opportunities and challenges in the exploration of potential therapies targeting signalling pathways were also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexun Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingping Liu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | | | - Ziyu Zhou
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Pengfei Ji
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qianhan Huang
- School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Feng Wen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Hypoxia activated HGF expression in pancreatic stellate cells confers resistance of pancreatic cancer cells to EGFR inhibition. EBioMedicine 2022; 86:104352. [PMID: 36371988 PMCID: PMC9664470 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an essential target for cancer treatment. However, EGFR inhibitor erlotinib showed limited clinical benefit in pancreatic cancer therapy. Here, we showed the underlying mechanism of tumor microenvironment suppressing the sensitivity of EGFR inhibitor through the pancreatic stellate cell (PSC). METHODS The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and hypoxia marker in human pancreatic cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, and their correlation with overall survival was evaluated. Human immortalized PSC was constructed and used to investigate the potential effect on pancreatic cancer cell lines in hypoxia and normoxia. Luciferase reporter assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation were performed to explore the potential mechanisms in vitro. The combined inhibition of EGFR and Met was evaluated in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of pancreatic cancer. FINDINGS We found that high expression levels of α-SMA and hypoxia markers are associated with poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that hypoxia induced the expression and secretion of HGF in PSC via transcription factor HIF-1α. PSC-derived HGF activates Met, the HGF receptor, suppressing the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to EGFR inhibitor in a KRAS-independent manner by activating the PI3K-AKT pathway. Furthermore, we found that the combination of EGFR inhibitor and Met inhibitor significantly suppressed tumor growth in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. INTERPRETATION Our study revealed a previously uncharacterized HIF1α-HGF-Met-PI3K-AKT signaling axis between PSC and cancer cells and indicated that EGFR inhibition plus Met inhibition might be a promising strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment. FUNDING This study was supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China.
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Nishimoto A. Effective combinations of anti-cancer and targeted drugs for pancreatic cancer treatment. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:3637-3643. [PMID: 36161054 PMCID: PMC9372808 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i28.3637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive and lethal. Due to the lack of effective methods for detecting the disease at an early stage, pancreatic cancer is frequently diagnosed late. Gemcitabine has been the standard chemotherapy drug for patients with pancreatic cancer for over 20 years, but its anti-tumor effect is limited. Therefore, FOLFIRINOX (leucovorin, fluorouracil, irinotecan, oxaliplatin) as well as combination therapies using gemcitabine and conventional agents, such as cisplatin and capecitabine, has also been administered; however, these have not resulted in complete remission. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel and effective therapies for pancreatic cancer. Recently, some studies have reported that combinations of gemcitabine and targeted drugs have had significant anti-tumor effects on pancreatic cancer cells. As gemcitabine induced DNA damage response, the proteins related to DNA damage response can be suitable additional targets for novel gemcitabine-based combination therapy. Furthermore, KRAS/ RAF/MEK/ERK signaling triggered by oncogenic mutated KRAS and autophagy are frequently activated in pancreatic cancer. Therefore, these characteristics of pancreatic cancer are potential targets for developing effective novel therapies.
In this minireview, combinations of gemcitabine and targeted drugs to these characteristics, combinations of targeted drugs, combinations of natural products and anti-cancer agents, including gemcitabine, and combinations among natural products are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arata Nishimoto
- Division of Basic Pharmaceutical Science, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sanyo-Onoda City University, Sanyo-Onoda City 756-0884, Yamaguchi, Japan
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Saw PE, Xu X, Kim S, Jon S. Biomedical Applications of a Novel Class of High-Affinity Peptides. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:3576-3592. [PMID: 34406761 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Most therapeutic peptides available on the market today are naturally occurring hormones or protein fragments that were serendipitously discovered to possess therapeutic effects. However, the limited repertoire of available natural resources presents difficulties for the development of new peptide drug candidates. Traditional peptides possess several shortcomings that must be addressed for biomedical applications, including relatively low affinity or specificity toward biological targets compared to antibody- and protein scaffold-based affinity molecules, poor in vivo stability owing to rapid enzymatic degradation, and rapid clearance from circulation owing to their small size. Going forward, it will be increasingly important for scientists to develop novel classes of high-affinity and -specificity peptides against desired targets that mitigate these limitations while remaining compatible with pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Recently, several highly constrained, artificial cyclic peptides have emerged as platforms capable of generating high-affinity peptide binders against various disease-associated protein targets by combining with phage or mRNA display method, some of which have entered clinical trials. In contrast, although linear peptides are relatively easy to synthesize cost-effectively and modify site-specifically at either N- or C-termini compared to cyclic peptides, there have been few linear peptide-based platforms that can provide high-affinity and -specificity peptide binders.In this Account, we describe the creation and development of a novel class of high-affinity peptides, termed "aptide"-from the Latin word "aptus" meaning "to fit" and "peptide"-and summarize their biomedical applications. In the first part, we consider the design and creation of aptides, with a focus on their unique structural features and binding mode, and address screening and identification of target protein-specific aptides. We also discuss advantages of the aptide platform over ordinary linear peptides lacking preorganized structures in terms of the affinity and specificity of identified peptide binders against target molecules. In the second part, we describe the potential biomedical applications of various target-specific aptides, ranging from imaging and therapy to theranostics, according to the types of aptides and diseases. We show that certain aptides can not only bind to a target protein but also inhibit its biological function, thereby showing potential as therapeutics per se. Further, aptides specific for cancer-associated protein antigens can be used as escort molecules or targeting ligands for delivery of chemotherapeutics, cytokine proteins, and nanomedicines, such as liposomes and magnetic particles, to tumors, thereby substantially improving therapeutic effects. Finally, we present a strategy capable of overcoming the critical issue of short blood circulation time associated with most peptides by constructing a hybrid system between an aptide and a hapten cotinine-specific antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phei Er Saw
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
- Biomedical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoding Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
- Biomedical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, P.R. China
| | - Sunghyun Kim
- Center for Convergence Bioceramic Materials, Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology (KICET), Cheongju-si 28160, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyong Jon
- Center for Precision Bio-Nanomedicine, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
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Engineering of an EpCAM-targeting cyclic peptide to improve the EpCAM-mediated cellular internalization and tumor accumulation of a peptide-fused antibody. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 573:35-41. [PMID: 34388452 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Fusion of a target-specific peptide to a full-length antibody (Ab) can result in a peptide-Ab fusion protein with additional specificity and enhanced activity. We recently developed an intracellular pan-RAS-targeting cytosol-penetrating antibody, RT22-ep59, in which a tumor-specific targeting ability was achieved via the fusion of an epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) targeting cyclic peptide (ep133). Here, the aim was to enhance EpCAM-mediated endocytosis and tumor accumulation of the peptide-fused RAS-targeting Ab. Accordingly, we engineered a cyclic peptide (from ep133) that has stronger affinity for EpCAM by using yeast surface display technology and then rationally designed cyclic peptides in the Ab-fused form to enhance colloidal stability. The finally engineered EpCAM-targeting cyclic peptide (ep6)-fused Ab, ep6Ras37, has ∼10-fold stronger affinity (KD ≈ 1.9 nM) for EpCAM than that of RT22-ep59, without deterioration of biophysical properties. Compared with the parental antibody (RT22-ep59), ep6Ras37 more efficiently reached the cytosol of EpCAM-expressing cells and showed greater preferential tumor homing and accumulation in mice bearing EpCAM-expressing LoVo xenograft tumors. Thus, the high-affinity EpCAM-targeting peptide ensures efficient cellular internalization and better tumor accumulation of the peptide-fused Ab.
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