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Jovanović B, Temko D, Stevens LE, Seehawer M, Fassl A, Murphy K, Anand J, Garza K, Gulvady A, Qiu X, Harper NW, Daniels VW, Xiao-Yun H, Ge JY, Alečković M, Pyrdol J, Hinohara K, Egri SB, Papanastasiou M, Vadhi R, Font-Tello A, Witwicki R, Peluffo G, Trinh A, Shu S, Diciaccio B, Ekram MB, Subedee A, Herbert ZT, Wucherpfennig KW, Letai AG, Jaffe JD, Sicinski P, Brown M, Dillon D, Long HW, Michor F, Polyak K. Heterogeneity and transcriptional drivers of triple-negative breast cancer. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113564. [PMID: 38100350 PMCID: PMC10842760 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113564] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease with limited treatment options. To characterize TNBC heterogeneity, we defined transcriptional, epigenetic, and metabolic subtypes and subtype-driving super-enhancers and transcription factors by combining functional and molecular profiling with computational analyses. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed relative homogeneity of the major transcriptional subtypes (luminal, basal, and mesenchymal) within samples. We found that mesenchymal TNBCs share features with mesenchymal neuroblastoma and rhabdoid tumors and that the PRRX1 transcription factor is a key driver of these tumors. PRRX1 is sufficient for inducing mesenchymal features in basal but not in luminal TNBC cells via reprogramming super-enhancer landscapes, but it is not required for mesenchymal state maintenance or for cellular viability. Our comprehensive, large-scale, multiplatform, multiomics study of both experimental and clinical TNBC is an important resource for the scientific and clinical research communities and opens venues for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojana Jovanović
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daniel Temko
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Laura E Stevens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marco Seehawer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anne Fassl
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katherine Murphy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jayati Anand
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kodie Garza
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anushree Gulvady
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xintao Qiu
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nicholas W Harper
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Veerle W Daniels
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Huang Xiao-Yun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jennifer Y Ge
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maša Alečković
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jason Pyrdol
- Departments of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Departments of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kunihiko Hinohara
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shawn B Egri
- The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Raga Vadhi
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alba Font-Tello
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Robert Witwicki
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Guillermo Peluffo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anne Trinh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shaokun Shu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benedetto Diciaccio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Muhammad B Ekram
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ashim Subedee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Zachary T Herbert
- Department of Molecular Biology Core Facility, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kai W Wucherpfennig
- Departments of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Departments of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anthony G Letai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jacob D Jaffe
- The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Piotr Sicinski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Myles Brown
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Deborah Dillon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Henry W Long
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Franziska Michor
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Kornelia Polyak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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2
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Xu D, Forbes AN, Cohen S, Palladino A, Karadimitriou T, Khurana E. Recapitulation of patient-specific 3D chromatin conformation using machine learning. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100578. [PMID: 37673071 PMCID: PMC10545938 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory networks containing enhancer-gene edges define cellular states. Multiple efforts have revealed these networks for reference tissues and cell lines by integrating multi-omics data. However, the methods developed cannot be applied for large patient cohorts due to the infeasibility of chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) for limited biopsy material. We trained machine-learning models using chromatin interaction analysis with paired-end tag sequencing (ChIA-PET) and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture combined with chromatin immunoprecipitation (HiChIP) data that can predict connections using only assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA-seq data as input, which can be generated from biopsies. Our method overcomes limitations of correlation-based approaches that cannot distinguish between distinct target genes of given enhancers or between active vs. poised states in different samples, a hallmark of network rewiring in cancer. Application of our model on 371 samples across 22 cancer types revealed 1,780 enhancer-gene connections for 602 cancer genes. Using CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), we validated enhancers predicted to regulate ESR1 in estrogen receptor (ER)+ breast cancer and A1CF in liver hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Xu
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andre Neil Forbes
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra Cohen
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ann Palladino
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Ekta Khurana
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Przybyszewska-Podstawka A, Czapiński J, Kałafut J, Rivero-Müller A. Synthetic circuits based on split Cas9 to detect cellular events. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14988. [PMID: 37696879 PMCID: PMC10495424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41367-z] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology involves the engineering of logic circuit gates that process different inputs to produce specific outputs, enabling the creation or control of biological functions. While CRISPR has become the tool of choice in molecular biology due to its RNA-guided targetability to other nucleic acids, it has not been frequently applied to logic gates beyond those controlling the guide RNA (gRNA). In this study, we present an adaptation of split Cas9 to generate logic gates capable of sensing biological events, leveraging a Cas9 reporter (EGxxFP) to detect occurrences such as cancer cell origin, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell-cell fusion. First, we positioned the complementing halves of split Cas9 under different promoters-one specific to cancer cells of epithelial origin (phCEA) and the other a universal promoter. The use of self-assembling inteins facilitated the reconstitution of the Cas9 halves. Consequently, only cancer cells with an epithelial origin activated the reporter, exhibiting green fluorescence. Subsequently, we explored whether this system could detect biological processes such as epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). To achieve this, we designed a logic gate where one half of Cas9 is expressed under the phCEA, while the other is activated by TWIST1. The results showed that cells undergoing EMT effectively activated the reporter. Next, we combined the two inputs (epithelial origin and EMT) to create a new logic gate, where only cancer epithelial cells undergoing EMT activated the reporter. Lastly, we applied the split-Cas9 logic gate as a sensor of cell-cell fusion, both in induced and naturally occurring scenarios. Each cell type expressed one half of split Cas9, and the induction of fusion resulted in the appearance of multinucleated syncytia and the fluorescent reporter. The simplicity of the split Cas9 system presented here allows for its integration into various cellular processes, not only as a sensor but also as an actuator.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jakub Czapiński
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Joanna Kałafut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Adolfo Rivero-Müller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093, Lublin, Poland.
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Zhou J, Wu J, Wu G, Huang J, Zhang Y, Che J, Zhu K, Geng J, Fan Q. TBX18 knockdown sensitizes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to radiotherapy by blocking the CHN1/RhoA axis. Radiother Oncol 2023; 186:109788. [PMID: 37399907 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109788] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Radioresistance is a challenge in the effective treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Herein, this research ascertained whether TBX18 reduced the radiosensitivity of ESCC. METHODS Bioinformatics analysis was utilized to retrieve differentially expressed genes. Then, the expression of corresponding candidate genes was tested using qRT-PCR in ESCC clinical specimens, and TBX18 was selected for subsequent experiments. The binding between TBX18 and CHN1 was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter and ChIP assays, and the relationship between CHN1 and RhoA was identified by GST pull-down. Ectopic expression or knockdown experiments and radiation treatment were performed in cells and the nude mouse xenograft model to clarify the impacts of TBX18, CHN1, and RhoA on radiosensitivity in ESCC. RESULTS Bioinformatics analysis and qRT-PCR retrieved upregulated TBX18 in ESCC for the follow-up study. Additionally, TBX18 was positively correlated with CHN1 in ESCC clinical specimens. Mechanistically, TBX18 bound to the CHN1 promoter region to transcriptionally activate CHN1, thus elevating RhoA activity. Moreover, TBX18 knockdown reduced ESCC cell proliferation and migration while augmenting their apoptosis after radiation, which was negated by further overexpressing CHN1 or RhoA. CHN1 or RhoA knockdown diminished ESCC cell proliferation and migration, as well as enhanced cell apoptosis, subsequent to radiation. Likewise, TBX18 overexpression increased ESCC cell autophagy after radiation, which was partially reversed by knockdown of RhoA. The results of in vivo xenograft experiments in nude mice were concurrent with the in vitro results. CONCLUSION TBX18 knockdown lowered CHN1 transcription and thus reduced RhoA activity, which sensitized ESCC cells to radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialiang Zhou
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Jia Wu
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Gang Wu
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Jianfeng Huang
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Yunxia Zhang
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Jun Che
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Koujun Zhu
- Depatement of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Jiqun Geng
- Depatement of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China
| | - Qiang Fan
- Depatement of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China.
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Druzhkova I, Ignatova N, Shirmanova M. Cell-in-Cell Structures in Gastrointestinal Tumors: Biological Relevance and Clinical Applications. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1149. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.3390/jpm13071149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes information about cell-in-cell (CIC) structures with a focus on gastrointestinal tumors. The phenomenon when one cell lives in another one has attracted an attention of researchers over the past decades. We briefly discuss types of CIC structures and mechanisms of its formation, as well as the biological basis and consequences of the cell-engulfing process. Numerous clinico-histopathological studies demonstrate the significance of these structures as prognostic factors, mainly correlated with negative prognosis. The presence of CIC structures has been identified in all gastrointestinal tumors. However, the majority of studies concern pancreatic cancer. In this field, in addition to the assessment of the prognostic markers, the attempts to manipulate the ability of cells to form CISs have been done in order to stimulate the death of the inner cell. Number of CIC structures also correlates with genetic features for some gastrointestinal tu-mors. The role of CIC structures in the responses of tumors to therapies, both chemotherapy and immunotherapy, seems to be the most poorly studied. However, there is some evidence of involvement of CIC structures in treatment failure. Here, we summarized the current literature on CIC structures in cancer with a focus on gastrointestinal tumors and specified future perspectives for investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Druzhkova
- Research Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 603005 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Ignatova
- Research Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 603005 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Marina Shirmanova
- Research Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 603005 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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Druzhkova I, Ignatova N, Shirmanova M. Cell-in-Cell Structures in Gastrointestinal Tumors: Biological Relevance and Clinical Applications. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1149. [PMID: 37511762 PMCID: PMC10381133 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071149] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes information about cell-in-cell (CIC) structures with a focus on gastrointestinal tumors. The phenomenon when one cell lives in another one has attracted an attention of researchers over the past decades. We briefly discuss types of CIC structures and mechanisms of its formation, as well as the biological basis and consequences of the cell-engulfing process. Numerous clinico-histopathological studies demonstrate the significance of these structures as prognostic factors, mainly correlated with negative prognosis. The presence of CIC structures has been identified in all gastrointestinal tumors. However, the majority of studies concern pancreatic cancer. In this field, in addition to the assessment of the prognostic markers, the attempts to manipulate the ability of cells to form CISs have been done in order to stimulate the death of the inner cell. Number of CIC structures also correlates with genetic features for some gastrointestinal tu-mors. The role of CIC structures in the responses of tumors to therapies, both chemotherapy and immunotherapy, seems to be the most poorly studied. However, there is some evidence of involvement of CIC structures in treatment failure. Here, we summarized the current literature on CIC structures in cancer with a focus on gastrointestinal tumors and specified future perspectives for investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Druzhkova
- Research Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 603005 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Ignatova
- Research Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 603005 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Marina Shirmanova
- Research Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 603005 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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Di Giorgio E, Benetti R, Kerschbamer E, Xodo L, Brancolini C. Super-enhancer landscape rewiring in cancer: The epigenetic control at distal sites. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 380:97-148. [PMID: 37657861 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Super-enhancers evolve as elements at the top of the hierarchical control of gene expression. They are important end-gatherers of signaling pathways that control stemness, differentiation or adaptive responses. Many epigenetic regulations focus on these regions, and not surprisingly, during the process of tumorigenesis, various alterations can account for their dysfunction. Super-enhancers are emerging as key drivers of the aberrant gene expression landscape that sustain the aggressiveness of cancer cells. In this review, we will describe and discuss about the structure of super-enhancers, their epigenetic regulation, and the major changes affecting their functionality in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eros Di Giorgio
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Roberta Benetti
- Laboratory of Epigenomics, Department of Medicine, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Emanuela Kerschbamer
- Laboratory of Epigenomics, Department of Medicine, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Luigi Xodo
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Claudio Brancolini
- Laboratory of Epigenomics, Department of Medicine, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy.
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Generation of Cancer Stem/Initiating Cells by Cell-Cell Fusion. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094514. [PMID: 35562905 PMCID: PMC9101717 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
CS/ICs have raised great expectations in cancer research and therapy, as eradication of this key cancer cell type is expected to lead to a complete cure. Unfortunately, the biology of CS/ICs is rather complex, since no common CS/IC marker has yet been identified. Certain surface markers or ALDH1 expression can be used for detection, but some studies indicated that cancer cells exhibit a certain plasticity, so CS/ICs can also arise from non-CS/ICs. Another problem is intratumoral heterogeneity, from which it can be inferred that different CS/IC subclones must be present in the tumor. Cell–cell fusion between cancer cells and normal cells, such as macrophages and stem cells, has been associated with the generation of tumor hybrids that can exhibit novel properties, such as an enhanced metastatic capacity and even CS/IC properties. Moreover, cell–cell fusion is a complex process in which parental chromosomes are mixed and randomly distributed among daughter cells, resulting in multiple, unique tumor hybrids. These, if they have CS/IC properties, may contribute to the heterogeneity of the CS/IC pool. In this review, we will discuss whether cell–cell fusion could also lead to the origin of different CS/ICs that may expand the overall CS/IC pool in a primary tumor.
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9
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Munne PM, Martikainen L, Räty I, Bertula K, Nonappa, Ruuska J, Ala-Hongisto H, Peura A, Hollmann B, Euro L, Yavuz K, Patrikainen L, Salmela M, Pokki J, Kivento M, Väänänen J, Suomi T, Nevalaita L, Mutka M, Kovanen P, Leidenius M, Meretoja T, Hukkinen K, Monni O, Pouwels J, Sahu B, Mattson J, Joensuu H, Heikkilä P, Elo LL, Metcalfe C, Junttila MR, Ikkala O, Klefström J. Compressive stress-mediated p38 activation required for ERα + phenotype in breast cancer. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6967. [PMID: 34845227 PMCID: PMC8630031 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27220-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is now globally the most frequent cancer and leading cause of women's death. Two thirds of breast cancers express the luminal estrogen receptor-positive (ERα + ) phenotype that is initially responsive to antihormonal therapies, but drug resistance emerges. A major barrier to the understanding of the ERα-pathway biology and therapeutic discoveries is the restricted repertoire of luminal ERα + breast cancer models. The ERα + phenotype is not stable in cultured cells for reasons not fully understood. We examine 400 patient-derived breast epithelial and breast cancer explant cultures (PDECs) grown in various three-dimensional matrix scaffolds, finding that ERα is primarily regulated by the matrix stiffness. Matrix stiffness upregulates the ERα signaling via stress-mediated p38 activation and H3K27me3-mediated epigenetic regulation. The finding that the matrix stiffness is a central cue to the ERα phenotype reveals a mechanobiological component in breast tissue hormonal signaling and enables the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Subject terms: ER-positive (ER + ), breast cancer, ex vivo model, preclinical model, PDEC, stiffness, p38 SAPK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauliina M Munne
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lahja Martikainen
- Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, PO Box, 15100, FI-00076, Espoo, Finland
| | - Iiris Räty
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kia Bertula
- Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, PO Box, 15100, FI-00076, Espoo, Finland
| | - Nonappa
- Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, PO Box, 15100, FI-00076, Espoo, Finland
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering, Espoo, Finland
| | - Janika Ruuska
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hanna Ala-Hongisto
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aino Peura
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Babette Hollmann
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lilya Euro
- Research Program of Stem Cells and Metabolism, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kerim Yavuz
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Enhancer Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Linda Patrikainen
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Salmela
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juho Pokki
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Mikko Kivento
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, Oncogenomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juho Väänänen
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, Oncogenomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomi Suomi
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Liina Nevalaita
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Minna Mutka
- Department of Pathology, HUSLAB and Haartman Institute, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Panu Kovanen
- Department of Pathology, HUSLAB and Haartman Institute, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marjut Leidenius
- Breast Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuomo Meretoja
- Breast Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katja Hukkinen
- Department of Mammography, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Outi Monni
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, Oncogenomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jeroen Pouwels
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Biswajyoti Sahu
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Enhancer Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johanna Mattson
- Department of Oncology, University of Helsinki & Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heikki Joensuu
- Department of Oncology, University of Helsinki & Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Heikkilä
- Department of Pathology, HUSLAB and Haartman Institute, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura L Elo
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Ciara Metcalfe
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | | | - Olli Ikkala
- Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, PO Box, 15100, FI-00076, Espoo, Finland
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering, Espoo, Finland
| | - Juha Klefström
- Finnish Cancer Institute, FICAN South Helsinki University Hospital & Translational Cancer Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki. Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory, PO Box 63 Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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10
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Seachrist DD, Anstine LJ, Keri RA. FOXA1: A Pioneer of Nuclear Receptor Action in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205205. [PMID: 34680352 PMCID: PMC8533709 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pioneering function of FOXA1 establishes estrogen-responsive transcriptomes in luminal breast cancer. Dysregulated FOXA1 chromatin occupancy through focal amplification, mutation, or cofactor recruitment modulates estrogen receptor (ER) transcriptional programs and drives endocrine-resistant disease. However, ER is not the sole nuclear receptor (NR) expressed in breast cancers, nor is it the only NR for which FOXA1 serves as a licensing factor. Receptors for androgens, glucocorticoids, and progesterone are also found in the majority of breast cancers, and their functions are also impacted by FOXA1. These NRs interface with ER transcriptional programs and, depending on their activation level, can reprogram FOXA1-ER cistromes. Thus, NR interplay contributes to endocrine therapy response and resistance and may provide a vulnerability for future therapeutic benefit in patients. Herein, we review what is known regarding FOXA1 regulation of NR function in breast cancer in the context of cell identity, endocrine resistance, and NR crosstalk in breast cancer progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcie D. Seachrist
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA;
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Lindsey J. Anstine
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Ruth A. Keri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA;
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Correspondence:
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11
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Hass R, von der Ohe J, Dittmar T. Cancer Cell Fusion and Post-Hybrid Selection Process (PHSP). Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184636. [PMID: 34572863 PMCID: PMC8470238 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusion of cancer cells either with other cancer cells (homotypic fusion) in local vicinity of the tumor tissue or with other cell types (e.g., macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), mesenchymal stromal-/stem-like cells (MSC)) (heterotypic fusion) represents a rare event. Accordingly, the clinical relevance of cancer-cell fusion events appears questionable. However, enhanced tumor growth and/or development of certain metastases can originate from cancer-cell fusion. Formation of hybrid cells after cancer-cell fusion requires a post-hybrid selection process (PHSP) to cope with genomic instability of the parental nuclei and reorganize survival and metabolic functionality. The present review dissects mechanisms that contribute to a PHSP and resulting functional alterations of the cancer hybrids. Based upon new properties of cancer hybrid cells, the arising clinical consequences of the subsequent tumor heterogeneity after cancer-cell fusion represent a major therapeutic challenge. However, cellular partners during cancer-cell fusion such as MSC within the tumor microenvironment or MSC-derived exosomes may provide a suitable vehicle to specifically address and deliver anti-tumor cargo to cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Hass
- Biochemistry and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Correspondence: (R.H.); (T.D.); Tel.: +49-511-5326070 (R.H.); +49-2302-926165 (T.D.)
| | - Juliane von der Ohe
- Biochemistry and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Center of Biomedical Education and Research (ZABF), Witten/Herdecke University, 58448 Witten, Germany
- Correspondence: (R.H.); (T.D.); Tel.: +49-511-5326070 (R.H.); +49-2302-926165 (T.D.)
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12
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Hybrid Formation and Fusion of Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174496. [PMID: 34503305 PMCID: PMC8431460 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cell fusion as a fundamental biological process is required for various physiological processes, including fertilization, placentation, myogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and wound healing/tissue regeneration. However, cell fusion is also observed during pathophysiological processes like tumor development. Mesenchymal stroma/stem-like cells (MSC) which play an important role within the tumor microenvironment like other cell types such as macrophages can closely interact and hybridize with cancer cells. The formation of cancer hybrid cells can involve various different mechanisms whereby the genomic parts of the hybrid cells require rearrangement to form a new functional hybrid cell. The fusion of cancer cells with neighboring cell types may represent an important mechanism during tumor development since cancer hybrid cells are detectable in various tumor tissues. During this rare event with resulting genomic instability the cancer hybrid cells undergo a post-hybrid selection process (PHSP) to reorganize chromosomes of the two parental nuclei whereby the majority of the hybrid population undergoes cell death. The remaining cancer hybrid cells survive by displaying altered properties within the tumor tissue. Abstract The generation of cancer hybrid cells by intra-tumoral cell fusion opens new avenues for tumor plasticity to develop cancer stem cells with altered properties, to escape from immune surveillance, to change metastatic behavior, and to broaden drug responsiveness/resistance. Genomic instability and chromosomal rearrangements in bi- or multinucleated aneuploid cancer hybrid cells contribute to these new functions. However, the significance of cell fusion in tumorigenesis is controversial with respect to the low frequency of cancer cell fusion events and a clonal advantage of surviving cancer hybrid cells following a post-hybrid selection process. This review highlights alternative processes of cancer hybrid cell development such as entosis, emperipolesis, cannibalism, therapy-induced polyploidization/endoreduplication, horizontal or lateral gene transfer, and focusses on the predominant mechanisms of cell fusion. Based upon new properties of cancer hybrid cells the arising clinical consequences of the subsequent tumor heterogeneity after cancer cell fusion represent a major therapeutic challenge.
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13
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Jilishitz I, Quiñones JL, Patel P, Chen G, Pasetsky J, VanInwegen A, Schoninger S, Jogalekar MP, Tsiperson V, Yan L, Wu Y, Gottesman SRS, Somma J, Blain SW. NP-ALT, a Liposomal:Peptide Drug, Blocks p27Kip1 Phosphorylation to Induce Oxidative Stress, Necroptosis, and Regression in Therapy-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1929-1945. [PMID: 34446542 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Resistance to cyclin D-CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) represents an unmet clinical need and is frequently caused by compensatory CDK2 activity. Here we describe a novel strategy to prevent CDK4i resistance by using a therapeutic liposomal:peptide formulation, NP-ALT, to inhibit the tyrosine phosphorylation of p27Kip1(CDKN1B), which in turn inhibits both CDK4/6 and CDK2. We find that NP-ALT blocks proliferation in HR+ breast cancer cells, as well as CDK4i-resistant cell types, including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The peptide ALT is not as stable in primary mammary epithelium, suggesting that NP-ALT has little effect in nontumor tissues. In HR+ breast cancer cells specifically, NP-ALT treatment induces ROS and RIPK1-dependent necroptosis. Estrogen signaling and ERα appear required. Significantly, NP-ALT induces necroptosis in MCF7 ESRY537S cells, which contain an ER gain of function mutation frequently detected in metastatic patients, which renders them resistant to endocrine therapy. Here we show that NP-ALT causes necroptosis and tumor regression in treatment naïve, palbociclib-resistant, and endocrine-resistant BC cells and xenograft models, demonstrating that p27 is a viable therapeutic target to combat drug resistance. IMPLICATIONS: This study reveals that blocking p27 tyrosine phosphorylation inhibits CDK4 and CDK2 activity and induces ROS-dependent necroptosis, suggesting a novel therapeutic option for endocrine and CDK4 inhibitor-resistant HR+ tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Jilishitz
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Jason Luis Quiñones
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Priyank Patel
- Concarlo Holdings, LLC, Downstate Biotechnology Incubator, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Grace Chen
- Concarlo Holdings, LLC, Downstate Biotechnology Incubator, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Jared Pasetsky
- College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Allison VanInwegen
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Scott Schoninger
- College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Manasi P Jogalekar
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Vladislav Tsiperson
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Lingyue Yan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Yun Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Susan R S Gottesman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Jonathan Somma
- Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Los Angeles
| | - Stacy W Blain
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
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Sieler M, Weiler J, Dittmar T. Cell-Cell Fusion and the Roads to Novel Properties of Tumor Hybrid Cells. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061465. [PMID: 34207991 PMCID: PMC8230653 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of cancer cell–cell fusion is commonly associated with the origin of more malignant tumor cells exhibiting novel properties, such as increased drug resistance or an enhanced metastatic capacity. However, the whole process of cell–cell fusion is still not well understood and seems to be rather inefficient since only a certain number of (cancer) cells are capable of fusing and only a rather small population of fused tumor hybrids will survive at all. The low survivability of tumor hybrids is attributed to post-fusion processes, which are characterized by the random segregation of mixed parental chromosomes, the induction of aneuploidy and further random chromosomal aberrations and genetic/epigenetic alterations in daughter cells. As post-fusion processes also run in a unique manner in surviving tumor hybrids, the occurrence of novel properties could thus also be a random event, whereby it might be speculated that the tumor microenvironment and its spatial habitats could direct evolving tumor hybrids towards a specific phenotype.
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15
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Li GH, Qu Q, Qi TT, Teng XQ, Zhu HH, Wang JJ, Lu Q, Qu J. Super-enhancers: a new frontier for epigenetic modifiers in cancer chemoresistance. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:174. [PMID: 34011395 PMCID: PMC8132395 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01974-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although new developments of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy treatments for cancer have improved patient survival, the emergence of chemoresistance in cancer has significant impacts on treatment effects. The development of chemoresistance involves several polygenic, progressive mechanisms at the molecular and cellular levels, as well as both genetic and epigenetic heterogeneities. Chemotherapeutics induce epigenetic reprogramming in cancer cells, converting a transient transcriptional state into a stably resistant one. Super-enhancers (SEs) are central to the maintenance of identity of cancer cells and promote SE-driven-oncogenic transcriptions to which cancer cells become highly addicted. This dependence on SE-driven transcription to maintain chemoresistance offers an Achilles' heel for chemoresistance. Indeed, the inhibition of SE components dampens oncogenic transcription and inhibits tumor growth to ultimately achieve combined sensitization and reverse the effects of drug resistance. No reviews have been published on SE-related mechanisms in the cancer chemoresistance. In this review, we investigated the structure, function, and regulation of chemoresistance-related SEs and their contributions to the chemotherapy via regulation of the formation of cancer stem cells, cellular plasticity, the microenvironment, genes associated with chemoresistance, noncoding RNAs, and tumor immunity. The discovery of these mechanisms may aid in the development of new drugs to improve the sensitivity and specificity of cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Hua Li
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Qu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Ting Qi
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Qi Teng
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai-Hong Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiong Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jian Qu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Wang HF, Xiang W, Xue BZ, Wang YH, Yi DY, Jiang XB, Zhao HY, Fu P. Cell fusion in cancer hallmarks: Current research status and future indications. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:530. [PMID: 34055095 PMCID: PMC8138896 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion is involved in several physiological processes, such as reproduction, development and immunity. Although cell fusion in tumors was reported 130 years ago, it has recently attracted great interest, with recent progress in tumorigenesis research. However, the role of cell fusion in tumor progression remains unclear. The pattern of cell fusion and its role under physiological conditions are the basis for our understanding of the pathological role of cell fusion. However, the role of cell fusion in tumors and its functions are complicated. Cell fusion can directly increase tumor heterogeneity by forming polyploids or aneuploidies. Several studies have reported that cell fusion is associated with tumorigenesis, metastasis, recurrence, drug resistance and the formation of cancer stem cells. Given the diverse roles cell fusion plays in different tumor phenotypes, methods based on targeted cell fusion have been designed to treat tumors. Research on cell fusion in tumors may provide novel ideas for further treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Fei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Bing-Zhou Xue
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Hao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Dong-Ye Yi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Bing Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Yang Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Peng Fu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
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17
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Miroshnychenko D, Baratchart E, Ferrall-Fairbanks MC, Velde RV, Laurie MA, Bui MM, Tan AC, Altrock PM, Basanta D, Marusyk A. Spontaneous cell fusions as a mechanism of parasexual recombination in tumour cell populations. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:379-391. [PMID: 33462489 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01367-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The initiation and progression of cancers reflect the underlying process of somatic evolution, in which the diversification of heritable phenotypes provides a substrate for natural selection, resulting in the outgrowth of the most fit subpopulations. Although somatic evolution can tap into multiple sources of diversification, it is assumed to lack access to (para)sexual recombination-a key diversification mechanism throughout all strata of life. On the basis of observations of spontaneous fusions involving cancer cells, the reported genetic instability of polypoid cells and the precedence of fusion-mediated parasexual recombination in fungi, we asked whether cell fusions between genetically distinct cancer cells could produce parasexual recombination. Using differentially labelled tumour cells, we found evidence of low-frequency, spontaneous cell fusions between carcinoma cells in multiple cell line models of breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. While some hybrids remained polyploid, many displayed partial ploidy reduction, generating diverse progeny with heterogeneous inheritance of parental alleles, indicative of partial recombination. Hybrid cells also displayed elevated levels of phenotypic plasticity, which may further amplify the impact of cell fusions on the diversification of phenotypic traits. Using mathematical modelling, we demonstrated that the observed rates of spontaneous somatic cell fusions may enable populations of tumour cells to amplify clonal heterogeneity, thus facilitating the exploration of larger areas of the adaptive landscape (relative to strictly asexual populations), which may substantially accelerate a tumour's ability to adapt to new selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Miroshnychenko
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Etienne Baratchart
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Meghan C Ferrall-Fairbanks
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Robert Vander Velde
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Mark A Laurie
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Marilyn M Bui
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Aik Choon Tan
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Philipp M Altrock
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David Basanta
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andriy Marusyk
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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18
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Cell Fusion of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells and Breast Cancer Cells Leads to the Formation of Hybrid Cells Exhibiting Diverse and Individual (Stem Cell) Characteristics. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249636. [PMID: 33348862 PMCID: PMC7765946 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most common diseases worldwide, and treatment bears many challenges such as drug and radioresistance and formation of metastases. These difficulties are due to tumor heterogeneity, which has many origins. One may be cell fusion, a process that is relevant in both physiological (e.g., wound healing) and pathophysiological (cancer and viral infection) processes. In this study, we examined if cell fusion between mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and breast cancer (BC) cells occurs and if newly generated hybrid cells may exhibit cancer stem/initiating cell (CS/IC) characteristics. Therefore, several methods such as mammosphere assay, AldeRed assay, flow cytometry (CD24, CD44, CD104) and Western blot analysis (of epithelial to mesenchymal transition markers such as SNAIL, SLUG and Twist) were applied. In short, four different hybrid clones, verified by short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, were analyzed; each expressed an individual phenotype that seemed not to be explicitly related to either a more stem cell or cancer cell phenotype. These results show that cancer cells and MSCs are able to fuse spontaneously in vitro, thereby giving rise to hybrid cells with new properties, which likely indicate that cell fusion may be a trigger for tumor heterogeneity.
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19
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Won KA, Spruck C. Triple‑negative breast cancer therapy: Current and future perspectives (Review). Int J Oncol 2020; 57:1245-1261. [PMID: 33174058 PMCID: PMC7646583 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2020.5135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 10-15% of all breast cancer cases. TNBCs lack estrogen and progesterone receptors and express low levels of HER2, and therefore do not respond to hormonal or anti-HER2 therapies. TNBC is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer that generally displays poorer prognosis compared to other breast cancer subtypes. TNBC is chemotherapy sensitive, and this treatment remains the standard of care despite its limited benefit. Recent advances with novel agents have been made for specific subgroups with PD-L1+ tumors or germline Brca-mutated tumors. However, only a fraction of these patients responds to immune checkpoint or PARP inhibitors and even those who do respond often develop resistance and relapse. Various new agents and combination strategies have been explored to further understand molecular and immunological aspects of TNBC. In this review, we discuss clinical trials in the management of TNBC as well as perspectives for potential future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charles Spruck
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI‑Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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20
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Triggering a switch from basal- to luminal-like breast cancer subtype by the small-molecule diptoindonesin G via induction of GABARAPL1. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:635. [PMID: 32801338 PMCID: PMC7429843 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that includes different molecular subtypes. The basal-like subtype has a poor prognosis and a high recurrence rate, whereas the luminal-like subtype confers a more favorable patient prognosis partially due to anti-hormone therapy responsiveness. Here, we demonstrate that diptoindonesin G (Dip G), a natural product, exhibits robust differentiation-inducing activity in basal-like breast cancer cell lines and animal models. Specifically, Dip G treatment caused a partial transcriptome shift from basal to luminal gene expression signatures and prompted sensitization of basal-like breast tumors to tamoxifen therapy. Dip G upregulated the expression of both GABARAPL1 (GABAA receptor-associated protein-like 1) and ERβ. We revealed a previously unappreciated role of GABARAPL1 as a regulator in the specification of breast cancer subtypes that is dependent on ERβ levels. Our findings shed light on new therapeutic opportunities for basal-like breast cancer via a phenotype switch and indicate that Dip G may serve as a leading compound for the therapy of basal-like breast cancer.
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21
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Fahlbusch SS, Keil S, Epplen JT, Zänker KS, Dittmar T. Comparison of hybrid clones derived from human breast epithelial cells and three different cancer cell lines regarding in vitro cancer stem/ initiating cell properties. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:446. [PMID: 32430004 PMCID: PMC7236176 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-06952-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several physiological (fertilization, placentation, wound healing) and pathophysiological processes (infection with enveloped viruses, cancer) depend on cell fusion. In cancer it was postulated that the fusion of cancer cells with normal cells such as macrophages or stem cells may not only give rise to hybrid cells exhibiting novel properties, such as an increased metastatic capacity and drug resistance, but possibly also cancer stem/ initiating cell properties. Hence, hybrid clone cells (M13HS, M13MDA435 and M13MDA231) that were derived from spontaneous fusion events of human M13SV1-EGFP-Neo breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg, MDA-MB-435-Hyg and MDA-MB-231-Hyg cancer cells were investigated regarding potential in vitro cancer stem/ initiating cell properties. Methods CD44/CD24 expression pattern and ALDH1 activity of parental cells and hybrid clones was determined by flow cytometry. A colony formation and mammosphere formation assay was applied to determine the cells’ capability to form colonies and mammospheres. Sox9, Slug and Snail expression levels were determined by Western blot analysis. Results Flow cytometry revealed that all hybrid clone cells were CD44+/CD24−/low, but differed markedly among each other regarding ALDH1 activity. Likewise, each hybrid clone possessed a unique colony formation and mammosphere capacity as well as unique Snail, Slug and Sox9 expression patterns. Nonetheless, comparison of hybrid clones revealed that M13HS hybrids exhibited more in vitro cancer stem/ initiating cell properties than M13MDA231 and M13MDA435 hybrids, such as more ALDH1 positive cells or an increased capacity to form colonies and mammospheres. Conclusion The fate whether cancer stem/ initiating cells may originate from cell fusion events likely depends on the specific characteristics of the parental cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sera Selina Fahlbusch
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Silvia Keil
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Jörg T Epplen
- Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Kurt S Zänker
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany.
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22
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Ge JY, Shu S, Kwon M, Jovanović B, Murphy K, Gulvady A, Fassl A, Trinh A, Kuang Y, Heavey GA, Luoma A, Paweletz C, Thorner AR, Wucherpfennig KW, Qi J, Brown M, Sicinski P, McDonald TO, Pellman D, Michor F, Polyak K. Acquired resistance to combined BET and CDK4/6 inhibition in triple-negative breast cancer. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2350. [PMID: 32393766 PMCID: PMC7214447 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16170-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BET inhibitors are promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but the rapid emergence of resistance necessitates investigation of combination therapies and their effects on tumor evolution. Here, we show that palbociclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, and paclitaxel, a microtubule inhibitor, synergize with the BET inhibitor JQ1 in TNBC lines. High-complexity DNA barcoding and mathematical modeling indicate a high rate of de novo acquired resistance to these drugs relative to pre-existing resistance. We demonstrate that the combination of JQ1 and palbociclib induces cell division errors, which can increase the chance of developing aneuploidy. Characterizing acquired resistance to combination treatment at a single cell level shows heterogeneous mechanisms including activation of G1-S and senescence pathways. Our results establish a rationale for further investigation of combined BET and CDK4/6 inhibition in TNBC and suggest novel mechanisms of action for these drugs and new vulnerabilities in cells after emergence of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Y Ge
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shaokun Shu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Mijung Kwon
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Life Science and the Research Center for Cellular Homeostasis, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 120-750, Korea
| | - Bojana Jovanović
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Katherine Murphy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anushree Gulvady
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anne Fassl
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anne Trinh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yanan Kuang
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Grace A Heavey
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Adrienne Luoma
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Cloud Paweletz
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Aaron R Thorner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kai W Wucherpfennig
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jun Qi
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Myles Brown
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Piotr Sicinski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Thomas O McDonald
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - David Pellman
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Franziska Michor
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Kornelia Polyak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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23
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Peluffo G, Subedee A, Harper NW, Kingston N, Jovanović B, Flores F, Stevens LE, Beca F, Trinh A, Chilamakuri CSR, Papachristou EK, Murphy K, Su Y, Marusyk A, D'Santos CS, Rueda OM, Beck AH, Caldas C, Carroll JS, Polyak K. EN1 Is a Transcriptional Dependency in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Associated with Brain Metastasis. Cancer Res 2019; 79:4173-4183. [PMID: 31239270 PMCID: PMC6698222 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
To define transcriptional dependencies of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), we identified transcription factors highly and specifically expressed in primary TNBCs and tested their requirement for cell growth in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. We found that EN1 (engrailed 1) is overexpressed in TNBCs and its downregulation preferentially and significantly reduced viability and tumorigenicity in TNBC cell lines. By integrating gene expression changes after EN1 downregulation with EN1 chromatin binding patterns, we identified genes involved in WNT and Hedgehog signaling, neurogenesis, and axonal guidance as direct EN1 transcriptional targets. Quantitative proteomic analyses of EN1-bound chromatin complexes revealed association with transcriptional repressors and coactivators including TLE3, TRIM24, TRIM28, and TRIM33. High expression of EN1 correlated with short overall survival and increased risk of developing brain metastases in patients with TNBC. Thus, EN1 is a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target in TNBC. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that the EN1 transcription factor regulates neurogenesis-related genes and is associated with brain metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Peluffo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashim Subedee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- BBS Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicholas W Harper
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Natalie Kingston
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bojana Jovanović
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Felipe Flores
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Laura E Stevens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Francisco Beca
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anne Trinh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Katherine Murphy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ying Su
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andriy Marusyk
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clive S D'Santos
- Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Oscar M Rueda
- Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew H Beck
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carlos Caldas
- Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kornelia Polyak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- BBS Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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24
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Platt JL, Cascalho M. Cell Fusion in Malignancy: A Cause or Consequence? A Provocateur or Cure? Cells 2019; 8:E587. [PMID: 31207918 PMCID: PMC6628134 DOI: 10.3390/cells8060587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion has been observed in malignancy, and cancer cells have been found especially apt to fuse with other cells. Investigation of human and experimental malignancies suggests spontaneous fusion of normal cells can induce manifold genetic changes and manifestations of malignant transformation. Fusion of transformed cells with other cells can promote the progression of cancer to more malignant forms. However, observations in various fields suggest cell fusion also potentially contributes to natural defenses against cancer. Thus, cell fusion potentially corrects genetic and/or phenotypic changes underlying malignant transformation. Cell fusion also might help nonmalignant cells in tumors thwart tumor growth. Perhaps most importantly, cell fusion may generate genetic changes that lead to the expression of neoantigens, provide the mass of neoantigen expression needed to elicit immunity, and promote the function of antigen-presenting cells in a way that favors protective immunity as a defense against malignancy. To the extent that cell fusion promotes cellular, tissue, and/or systemic resistance to malignancy, the propensity of tumor cells to fuse with other cells might constitute a natural defense against malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Platt
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Marilia Cascalho
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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25
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He Y, Long W, Liu Q. Targeting Super-Enhancers as a Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer Treatment. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:361. [PMID: 31105558 PMCID: PMC6499164 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Super-enhancers (SEs) refer to large clusters of enhancers that drive gene expressions. Recent data has provided novel insights in elucidating the roles of SEs in many diseases, including cancer. Many mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis and progression, ranging from internal gene mutation and rearrangement to external damage and inducement, have been demonstrated to be highly associated with SEs. Moreover, translocation, formation, deletion, or duplication of SEs themselves could lead to tumor development. It has been reported that various oncogenic molecules and pathways are tightly regulated by SEs. Moreover, several clinical trials on novel SEs blockers, such as BET inhibitor and CDK7i, have indicated the potential roles of SEs in cancer therapy. In this review, we highlighted the underlying mechanism of action of SEs in cancer development and the corresponding novel potential therapeutic strategies. It is speculated that targeting SEs could complement the traditional approaches and lead to more effective treatment for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenyong Long
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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26
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Weiler J, Dittmar T. Cell Fusion in Human Cancer: The Dark Matter Hypothesis. Cells 2019; 8:E132. [PMID: 30736482 PMCID: PMC6407028 DOI: 10.3390/cells8020132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Current strategies to determine tumor × normal (TN)-hybrid cells among human cancer cells include the detection of hematopoietic markers and other mesodermal markers on tumor cells or the presence of donor DNA in cancer samples from patients who had previously received an allogenic bone marrow transplant. By doing so, several studies have demonstrated that TN-hybrid cells could be found in human cancers. However, a prerequisite of this cell fusion search strategy is that such markers are stably expressed by TN-hybrid cells over time. However, cell fusion is a potent inducer of genomic instability, and TN-hybrid cells may lose these cell fusion markers, thereby becoming indistinguishable from nonfused tumor cells. In addition, hybrid cells can evolve from homotypic fusion events between tumor cells or from heterotypic fusion events between tumor cells and normal cells possessing similar markers, which would also be indistinguishable from nonfused tumor cells. Such indistinguishable or invisible hybrid cells will be referred to as dark matter hybrids, which cannot as yet be detected and quantified, but which contribute to tumor growth and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Weiler
- Chair of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Chair of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
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27
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Tsuchida J, Rothman J, McDonald KA, Nagahashi M, Takabe K, Wakai T. Clinical target sequencing for precision medicine of breast cancer. Int J Clin Oncol 2019; 24:131-140. [DOI: 10.1007/s10147-018-1373-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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28
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Upregulation of Ets1 expression by NFATc2 and NFKB1/RELA promotes breast cancer cell invasiveness. Oncogenesis 2018; 7:91. [PMID: 30467308 PMCID: PMC6250664 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-018-0101-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is highly aggressive and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women in developed countries. The ETS proto-oncogene 1 (Ets1) has versatile roles during the cellular processes of cancer development. It is often highly expressed in breast cancers and mediates migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells. However, underlying mechanisms of Ets1 gene expression is still ambiguous. Here, we identified a core-regulatory element (CRE) located in the Ets1 promoter region (−540/−80 bp from TSS) that contains elements responsible for associating with NFATs and NF-κBs. Compared with the less metastatic breast cancer cells, metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) show open chromatin configurations in the CRE, which facilitates direct binding of NFATc2 and/or NFKB1/RELA complex to trans-activate Ets1 transcription. Moreover, enhanced level of Nfatc2 and Nfkb1 positively correlated with Ets1 expression in the human breast cancer specimens. Deletion of the CRE region by CRISPR/Cas9 system resulted in significant reduction in Ets1 expression, which led to alterations of Ets1-mediated transcription programs including tumor invasiveness-related genes. Proper regulation of Ets1 gene expression by targeting the NFATc2 and NFKB1/RELA interaction could be a potential therapeutic target for Ets1-mediated metastatic breast cancer.
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29
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TBX2 is a neuroblastoma core regulatory circuitry component enhancing MYCN/FOXM1 reactivation of DREAM targets. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4866. [PMID: 30451831 PMCID: PMC6242972 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06699-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome 17q gains are almost invariably present in high-risk neuroblastoma cases. Here, we perform an integrative epigenomics search for dosage-sensitive transcription factors on 17q marked by H3K27ac defined super-enhancers and identify TBX2 as top candidate gene. We show that TBX2 is a constituent of the recently established core regulatory circuitry in neuroblastoma with features of a cell identity transcription factor, driving proliferation through activation of p21-DREAM repressed FOXM1 target genes. Combined MYCN/TBX2 knockdown enforces cell growth arrest suggesting that TBX2 enhances MYCN sustained activation of FOXM1 targets. Targeting transcriptional addiction by combined CDK7 and BET bromodomain inhibition shows synergistic effects on cell viability with strong repressive effects on CRC gene expression and p53 pathway response as well as several genes implicated in transcriptional regulation. In conclusion, we provide insight into the role of the TBX2 CRC gene in transcriptional dependency of neuroblastoma cells warranting clinical trials using BET and CDK7 inhibitors. In high-risk neuroblastoma cases, gains in chromosome 17q are common. Here, the authors investigate the epigenomics and transcriptomics of neuroblastoma, identifying TBX2 as a core regulatory circuitry component enhancing the reactivation of DREAM targets by MYCN/FOXM1.
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30
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Webber JT, Kaushik S, Bandyopadhyay S. Integration of Tumor Genomic Data with Cell Lines Using Multi-dimensional Network Modules Improves Cancer Pharmacogenomics. Cell Syst 2018; 7:526-536.e6. [PMID: 30414925 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Leveraging insights from genomic studies of patient tumors is limited by the discordance between these tumors and the cell line models used for functional studies. We integrate omics datasets using functional networks to identify gene modules reflecting variation between tumors and show that the structure of these modules can be evaluated in cell lines to discover clinically relevant biomarkers of therapeutic responses. Applied to breast cancer, we identify 219 gene modules that capture recurrent alterations and subtype patients and quantitate various cell types within the tumor microenvironment. Comparison of modules between tumors and cell lines reveals that many modules composed primarily of gene expression and methylation are poorly preserved. In contrast, preserved modules are highly predictive of drug responses in a manner that is robust and clinically relevant. This work addresses a fundamental challenge in pharmacogenomics that can only be overcome by the joint analysis of patient and cell line data.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Webber
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Institute for Computational Health Sciences, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Swati Kaushik
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Institute for Computational Health Sciences, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sourav Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Institute for Computational Health Sciences, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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31
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Le AVP, Szaumkessel M, Tan TZ, Thiery JP, Thompson EW, Dobrovic A. DNA Methylation Profiling of Breast Cancer Cell Lines along the Epithelial Mesenchymal Spectrum-Implications for the Choice of Circulating Tumour DNA Methylation Markers. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19092553. [PMID: 30154364 PMCID: PMC6164039 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) is a dynamic process whereby epithelial carcinoma cells reversibly acquire morphological and invasive characteristics typical of mesenchymal cells. Identifying the methylation differences between epithelial and mesenchymal states may assist in the identification of optimal DNA methylation biomarkers for the blood-based monitoring of cancer. (2) Methods: Methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) was used to examine the promoter methylation status of a panel of established and novel markers in a range of breast cancer cell lines spanning the epithelial–mesenchymal spectrum. Pyrosequencing was used to validate the MS-HRM results. (3) Results: VIM, DKK3, and CRABP1 were methylated in the majority of epithelial breast cancer cell lines, while methylation of GRHL2, MIR200C, and CDH1 was restricted to mesenchymal cell lines. Some markers that have been used to assess minimal residual disease such as AKR1B1 and APC methylation proved to be specific for epithelial breast cell lines. However, RASSF1A, RARβ, TWIST1, and SFRP2 methylation was seen in both epithelial and mesenchymal cell lines, supporting their suitability for a multimarker panel. (4) Conclusions: Profiling DNA methylation shows a distinction between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes. Understanding how DNA methylation varies between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes may lead to more rational selection of methylation-based biomarkers for circulating tumour DNA analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh Viet-Phuong Le
- Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
- Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia.
| | - Marcin Szaumkessel
- Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore.
| | - Jean-Paul Thiery
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore.
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Erik W Thompson
- Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia.
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Alexander Dobrovic
- Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University Bundoora, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
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32
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Roswall P, Bocci M, Bartoschek M, Li H, Kristiansen G, Jansson S, Lehn S, Sjölund J, Reid S, Larsson C, Eriksson P, Anderberg C, Cortez E, Saal LH, Orsmark-Pietras C, Cordero E, Haller BK, Häkkinen J, Burvenich IJG, Lim E, Orimo A, Höglund M, Rydén L, Moch H, Scott AM, Eriksson U, Pietras K. Microenvironmental control of breast cancer subtype elicited through paracrine platelet-derived growth factor-CC signaling. Nat Med 2018. [PMID: 29529015 PMCID: PMC5896729 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Breast tumors of the basal-like, hormone receptor-negative, subtype remain an unmet clinical challenge, as patients exhibit a high rate of recurrence and poor survival. Co-evolution of the malignant mammary epithelium and its underlying stroma instigates cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to endorse most, if not all, hallmarks of cancer progression. Here, we delineate a previously unappreciated role for CAFs as determinants of the molecular subtype of breast cancer. We identified a paracrine cross-talk between cancer cells expressing platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-CC and CAFs expressing the cognate receptors in human basal-like mammary carcinomas. Genetic or pharmacological intervention with PDGF-CC activity in mouse models of cancer resulted in conversion of basal-like breast cancers into a hormone receptor-positive state that conferred sensitivity to endocrine therapy in previously impervious tumors. We conclude that specification of the basal-like subtype of breast cancer is under microenvironmental control and therapeutically actionable in order to achieve sensitivity to endocrine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pernilla Roswall
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Division of Vascular Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matteo Bocci
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Michael Bartoschek
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hong Li
- Division of Vascular Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Sara Jansson
- Division of Oncology and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sophie Lehn
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jonas Sjölund
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Steven Reid
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Christer Larsson
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pontus Eriksson
- Division of Oncology and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Anderberg
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eliane Cortez
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lao H Saal
- Division of Oncology and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Eugenia Cordero
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bengt Kristian Haller
- Division of Vascular Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jari Häkkinen
- Division of Oncology and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ingrid J G Burvenich
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elgene Lim
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Akira Orimo
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mattias Höglund
- Division of Oncology and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lisa Rydén
- Division of Oncology and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Holger Moch
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrew M Scott
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ulf Eriksson
- Division of Vascular Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristian Pietras
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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33
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Miano V, Ferrero G, Rosti V, Manitta E, Elhasnaoui J, Basile G, De Bortoli M. Luminal lncRNAs Regulation by ERα-Controlled Enhancers in a Ligand-Independent Manner in Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E593. [PMID: 29462945 PMCID: PMC5855815 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is a ligand-inducible protein which mediates estrogenic hormones signaling and defines the luminal BC phenotype. Recently, we demonstrated that even in absence of ligands ERα (apoERα) binds chromatin sites where it regulates transcription of several protein-coding and lncRNA genes. Noteworthy, apoERα-regulated lncRNAs marginally overlap estrogen-induced transcripts, thus representing a new signature of luminal BC genes. By the analysis of H3K27ac enrichment in hormone-deprived MCF-7 cells, we defined a set of Super Enhancers (SEs) occupied by apoERα, including one mapped in proximity of the DSCAM-AS1 lncRNA gene. This represents a paradigm of apoERα activity since its expression is largely unaffected by estrogenic treatment, despite the fact that E2 increases ERα binding on DSCAM-AS1 promoter. We validated the enrichment of apoERα, p300, GATA3, FoxM1 and CTCF at both DSCAM-AS1 TSS and at its associated SE by ChIP-qPCR. Furthermore, by analyzing MCF-7 ChIA-PET data and by 3C assays, we confirmed long range chromatin interaction between the SE and the DSCAM-AS1 TSS. Interestingly, CTCF and p300 binding showed an enrichment in hormone-depleted medium and in the presence of ERα, elucidating the dynamics of the estrogen-independent regulation of DSCAM-AS1 expression. The analysis of this lncRNA provides a paradigm of transcriptional regulation of a luminal specific apoERα regulated lncRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Miano
- Center for Molecular Systems Biology, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
| | - Giulio Ferrero
- Center for Molecular Systems Biology, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Computer Science, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy.
| | - Valentina Rosti
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Manitta
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
| | - Jamal Elhasnaoui
- Center for Molecular Systems Biology, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
| | - Giulia Basile
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), 10126 Turin, Italy.
| | - Michele De Bortoli
- Center for Molecular Systems Biology, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
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Sancisi V, Manzotti G, Gugnoni M, Rossi T, Gandolfi G, Gobbi G, Torricelli F, Catellani F, Faria do Valle I, Remondini D, Castellani G, Ragazzi M, Piana S, Ciarrocchi A. RUNX2 expression in thyroid and breast cancer requires the cooperation of three non-redundant enhancers under the control of BRD4 and c-JUN. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:11249-11267. [PMID: 28981843 PMCID: PMC5737559 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant reactivation of embryonic pathways is a common feature of cancer. RUNX2 is a transcription factor crucial during embryogenesis that is aberrantly reactivated in many tumors, including thyroid and breast cancer, where it promotes aggressiveness and metastatic spreading. Currently, the mechanisms driving RUNX2 expression in cancer are still largely unknown. Here we showed that RUNX2 transcription in thyroid and breast cancer requires the cooperation of three distantly located enhancers (ENHs) brought together by chromatin three-dimensional looping. We showed that BRD4 controls RUNX2 by binding to the newly identified ENHs and we demonstrated that the anti-proliferative effects of bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) is associated with RUNX2 transcriptional repression. We demonstrated that each RUNX2 ENH is potentially controlled by a distinct set of TFs and we identified c-JUN as the principal pivot of this regulatory platform. We also observed that accumulation of genetic mutations within these elements correlates with metastatic behavior in human thyroid tumors. Finally, we identified RAINs, a novel family of ENH-associated long non-coding RNAs, transcribed from the identified RUNX2 regulatory unit. Our data provide a new model to explain how RUNX2 expression is reactivated in thyroid and breast cancer and how cancer-driving signaling pathways converge on the regulation of this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Sancisi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Gloria Manzotti
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Mila Gugnoni
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Teresa Rossi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Greta Gandolfi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giulia Gobbi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Federica Torricelli
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Francesca Catellani
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | | | - Daniel Remondini
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gastone Castellani
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Moira Ragazzi
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Simonetta Piana
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Alessia Ciarrocchi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
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35
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SIRT6 Suppresses Cancer Stem-like Capacity in Tumors with PI3K Activation Independently of Its Deacetylase Activity. Cell Rep 2017; 18:1858-1868. [PMID: 28228253 PMCID: PMC5329120 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have high tumorigenic capacity. Here, we show that stem-like traits of specific human cancer cells are reduced by overexpression of the histone deacetylase sirtuin 6 (SIRT6). SIRT6-sensitive cancer cells bear mutations that activate phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, and overexpression of SIRT6 reduces growth, progression, and grade of breast cancer in a mouse model with PI3K activation. Tumor metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal that SIRT6 overexpression dampens PI3K signaling and stem-like characteristics and causes metabolic rearrangements in this cancer model. Ablation of a PI3K activating mutation in otherwise isogenic cancer cells is sufficient to convert SIRT6-sensitive into SIRT6-insensitive cells. SIRT6 overexpression suppresses PI3K signaling at the transcriptional level and antagonizes tumor sphere formation independent of its histone deacetylase activity. Our data identify SIRT6 as a putative molecular target that hinders stemness of tumors with PI3K activation. Enhanced SIRT6 hinders stemness of human cancer cells with PI3K activation Enhanced SIRT6 rearranges metabolism of cancer cells with PI3K activation Enhanced SIRT6 reduces grade and progression of murine tumors with PI3K activation Anti-cancer-stemness action is independent of SIRT6 histone deacetylase activity
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36
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Gauck D, Keil S, Niggemann B, Zänker KS, Dittmar T. Hybrid clone cells derived from human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells exhibit properties of cancer stem/initiating cells. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:515. [PMID: 28768501 PMCID: PMC5541689 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3509-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been associated with cancer progression since it was determined that normal cell × tumor cell fusion-derived hybrid cells could exhibit novel properties, such as enhanced metastatogenic capacity or increased drug resistance, and even as a mechanism that could give rise to cancer stem/initiating cells (CS/ICs). CS/ICs have been proposed as cancer cells that exhibit stem cell properties, including the ability to (re)initiate tumor growth. METHODS Five M13HS hybrid clone cells, which originated from spontaneous cell fusion events between M13SV1-EGFP-Neo human breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg human breast cancer cells, and their parental cells were analyzed for expression of stemness and EMT-related marker proteins by Western blot analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The frequency of ALDH1-positive cells was determined by flow cytometry using AldeRed fluorescent dye. Concurrently, the cells' colony forming capabilities as well as the cells' abilities to form mammospheres were investigated. The migratory activity of the cells was analyzed using a 3D collagen matrix migration assay. RESULTS M13HS hybrid clone cells co-expressed SOX9, SLUG, CK8 and CK14, which were differently expressed in parental cells. A variation in the ALDH1-positive putative stem cell population was observed among the five hybrids ranging from 1.44% (M13HS-7) to 13.68% (M13HS-2). In comparison to the parental cells, all five hybrid clone cells possessed increased but also unique colony formation and mammosphere formation capabilities. M13HS-4 hybrid clone cells exhibited the highest colony formation capacity and second highest mammosphere formation capacity of all hybrids, whereby the mean diameter of the mammospheres was comparable to the parental cells. In contrast, the largest mammospheres originated from the M13HS-2 hybrid clone cells, whereas these cells' mammosphere formation capacity was comparable to the parental breast cancer cells. All M13HS hybrid clones exhibited a mesenchymal phenotype and, with the exception of one hybrid clone, responded to EGF with an increased migratory activity. CONCLUSION Fusion of human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells can give rise to hybrid clone cells that possess certain CS/IC properties, suggesting that cell fusion might be a mechanism underlying how tumor cells exhibiting a CS/IC phenotype could originate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Gauck
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
- Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Silvia Keil
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Bernd Niggemann
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Kurt S. Zänker
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
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37
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Zhang J, Zhang S. Discovery of cancer common and specific driver gene sets. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e86. [PMID: 28168295 PMCID: PMC5449640 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is known as a disease mainly caused by gene alterations. Discovery of mutated driver pathways or gene sets is becoming an important step to understand molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis. However, systematically investigating commonalities and specificities of driver gene sets among multiple cancer types is still a great challenge, but this investigation will undoubtedly benefit deciphering cancers and will be helpful for personalized therapy and precision medicine in cancer treatment. In this study, we propose two optimization models to de novo discover common driver gene sets among multiple cancer types (ComMDP) and specific driver gene sets of one certain or multiple cancer types to other cancers (SpeMDP), respectively. We first apply ComMDP and SpeMDP to simulated data to validate their efficiency. Then, we further apply these methods to 12 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and obtain several biologically meaningful driver pathways. As examples, we construct a common cancer pathway model for BRCA and OV, infer a complex driver pathway model for BRCA carcinogenesis based on common driver gene sets of BRCA with eight cancer types, and investigate specific driver pathways of the liquid cancer lymphoblastic acute myeloid leukemia (LAML) versus other solid cancer types. In these processes more candidate cancer genes are also found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Zhang
- National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shihua Zhang
- National Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Mathematics Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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38
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Breton CV, Marsit CJ, Faustman E, Nadeau K, Goodrich JM, Dolinoy DC, Herbstman J, Holland N, LaSalle JM, Schmidt R, Yousefi P, Perera F, Joubert BR, Wiemels J, Taylor M, Yang IV, Chen R, Hew KM, Freeland DMH, Miller R, Murphy SK. Small-Magnitude Effect Sizes in Epigenetic End Points are Important in Children's Environmental Health Studies: The Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center's Epigenetics Working Group. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:511-526. [PMID: 28362264 PMCID: PMC5382002 DOI: 10.1289/ehp595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Characterization of the epigenome is a primary interest for children's environmental health researchers studying the environmental influences on human populations, particularly those studying the role of pregnancy and early-life exposures on later-in-life health outcomes. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to consider the state of the science in environmental epigenetics research and to focus on DNA methylation and the collective observations of many studies being conducted within the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers, as they relate to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. METHODS We address the current laboratory and statistical tools available for epigenetic analyses, discuss methods for validation and interpretation of findings, particularly when magnitudes of effect are small, question the functional relevance of findings, and discuss the future for environmental epigenetics research. DISCUSSION A common finding in environmental epigenetic studies is the small-magnitude epigenetic effect sizes that result from such exposures. Although it is reasonable and necessary that we question the relevance of such small effects, we present examples in which small effects persist and have been replicated across populations and across time. We encourage a critical discourse on the interpretation of such small changes and further research on their functional relevance for children's health. CONCLUSION The dynamic nature of the epigenome will require an emphasis on future longitudinal studies in which the epigenome is profiled over time, over changing environmental exposures, and over generations to better understand the multiple ways in which the epigenome may respond to environmental stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kari Nadeau
- Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Nina Holland
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | | | - Paul Yousefi
- University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Bonnie R. Joubert
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Joseph Wiemels
- University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Ivana V. Yang
- University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA
- National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Rui Chen
- Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
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39
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Zhang M, Lee AV, Rosen JM. The Cellular Origin and Evolution of Breast Cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2017; 7:cshperspect.a027128. [PMID: 28062556 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a027128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we will discuss how the cell of origin may modulate breast cancer intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) as well as the role of ITH in the evolution of cancer. The clonal evolution and the cancer stem cell (CSC) models, as well as a model that integrates clonal evolution with a CSC hierarchy, have all been proposed to explain the development of ITH. The extent of ITH correlates with clinical outcome and reflects the cellular complexity and dynamics within a tumor. A unique subtype of breast cancer, the claudin-low subtype that is highly resistant to chemotherapy and most closely resembles mammary epithelial stem cells, will be discussed. Furthermore, we will review how the interactions among various tumor cells, some with distinct mutations, may impact breast cancer treatment. Finally, novel technologies that may help advance our understanding of ITH and lead to improvements in the design of new treatments also will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Zhang
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Adrian V Lee
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Jeffrey M Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
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40
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Wu Y, Wang Y, Lin Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Jia J, Singh P, Chi YI, Wang C, Dong C, Li W, Tao M, Napier D, Shi Q, Deng J, Mark Evers B, Zhou BP. Dub3 inhibition suppresses breast cancer invasion and metastasis by promoting Snail1 degradation. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14228. [PMID: 28198361 PMCID: PMC5316870 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Snail1, a key transcription factor of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is subjected to ubiquitination and degradation, but the mechanism by which Snail1 is stabilized in tumours remains unclear. We identify Dub3 as a bona fide Snail1 deubiquitinase, which interacts with and stabilizes Snail1. Dub3 is overexpressed in breast cancer; knockdown of Dub3 resulted in Snail1 destabilization, suppressed EMT and decreased tumour cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. These effects are rescued by ectopic Snail1 expression. IL-6 also stabilizes Snail1 by inducing Dub3 expression, the specific inhibitor WP1130 binds to Dub3 and inhibits the Dub3-mediating Snail1 stabilization in vitro and in vivo. Our study reveals a critical Dub3-Snail1 signalling axis in EMT and metastasis, and provides an effective therapeutic approach against breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadi Wu
- Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Yiwei Lin
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Yajuan Liu
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Yifan Wang
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Jianhang Jia
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Puja Singh
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota 55912, USA
| | - Young-In Chi
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota 55912, USA
| | - Chi Wang
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Chenfang Dong
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, PREMED Key Laboratory for Precision Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Min Tao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, PREMED Key Laboratory for Precision Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Dana Napier
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Pathology, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Qiuying Shi
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Pathology, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Jiong Deng
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - B Mark Evers
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Surgery, the University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
| | - Binhua P. Zhou
- Markey Cancer Center, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
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41
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Tu Y, Johnstone CN, Stewart AG. Annexin A1 influences in breast cancer: Controversies on contributions to tumour, host and immunoediting processes. Pharmacol Res 2017; 119:278-288. [PMID: 28212890 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Annexin A1 is a multifunctional protein characterised by its actions in modulating the innate and adaptive immune response. Accumulating evidence of altered annexin A1 expression in many human tumours raises interest in its functional role in cancer biology. In breast cancer, altered annexin A1 expression levels suggest a potential influence on tumorigenic and metastatic processes. However, reports of conflicting results reveal a relationship that is much more complex than first conceptualised. In this review, we explore the diverse actions of annexin A1 on breast tumour cells and various host cell types, including stromal immune and structural cells, particularly in the context of cancer immunoediting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Cameron N Johnstone
- Cancer & Inflammation Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Australia
| | - Alastair G Stewart
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
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42
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Abraham BJ, Hnisz D, Weintraub AS, Kwiatkowski N, Li CH, Li Z, Weichert-Leahey N, Rahman S, Liu Y, Etchin J, Li B, Shen S, Lee TI, Zhang J, Look AT, Mansour MR, Young RA. Small genomic insertions form enhancers that misregulate oncogenes. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14385. [PMID: 28181482 PMCID: PMC5309821 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The non-coding regions of tumour cell genomes harbour a considerable fraction of total DNA sequence variation, but the functional contribution of these variants to tumorigenesis is ill-defined. Among these non-coding variants, somatic insertions are among the least well characterized due to challenges with interpreting short-read DNA sequences. Here, using a combination of Chip-seq to enrich enhancer DNA and a computational approach with multiple DNA alignment procedures, we identify enhancer-associated small insertion variants. Among the 102 tumour cell genomes we analyse, small insertions are frequently observed in enhancer DNA sequences near known oncogenes. Further study of one insertion, somatically acquired in primary leukaemia tumour genomes, reveals that it nucleates formation of an active enhancer that drives expression of the LMO2 oncogene. The approach described here to identify enhancer-associated small insertion variants provides a foundation for further study of these abnormalities across human cancers. Sequencing initiatives have detected multiple types of mutations in cancer. Here the authors, analysing enhancer-targeting sequence data, show that small insertions in transcriptional enhancers are frequently found near oncogenes, and demonstrate how one mutation deregulates expression of LMO2 in leukemia cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Abraham
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Denes Hnisz
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Abraham S Weintraub
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Nicholas Kwiatkowski
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Charles H Li
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Zhaodong Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Nina Weichert-Leahey
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Sunniyat Rahman
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Computational Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA
| | - Julia Etchin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Benshang Li
- Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology &Oncology Ministry of Health, Department of Hematology &Oncology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.,Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Shuhong Shen
- Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology &Oncology Ministry of Health, Department of Hematology &Oncology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.,Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Tong Ihn Lee
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA
| | - A Thomas Look
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Marc R Mansour
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Richard A Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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43
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Fundamental Pathways in Breast Cancer 4: Signaling to Chromatin in Breast Development. Breast Cancer 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-48848-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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44
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Martínez-Cardús A, Moran S, Musulen E, Moutinho C, Manzano JL, Martinez-Balibrea E, Tierno M, Élez E, Landolfi S, Lorden P, Arribas C, Müller F, Bock C, Tabernero J, Esteller M. Epigenetic Homogeneity Within Colorectal Tumors Predicts Shorter Relapse-Free and Overall Survival Times for Patients With Locoregional Cancer. Gastroenterology 2016; 151:961-972. [PMID: 27521480 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS There are few validated biomarkers that can be used to predict outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer. Part of the challenge is the genetic and molecular heterogeneity of colorectal tumors not only among patients, but also within tumors. We have explored intratumor heterogeneity at the epigenetic level, due to its dynamic nature. We analyzed DNA methylation profiles of the digestive tract surface and the central bulk and invasive front regions of colorectal tumors. METHODS We determined the DNA methylation profiles of >450,000 CpG sites in 3 macrodissected regions of 79 colorectal tumors and 23 associated liver metastases, obtained from 2 hospitals in Spain. We also analyzed samples for KRAS and BRAF mutations, 499,170 single nucleotide polymorphisms, and performed immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS We observed differences in DNA methylation among the 3 tumor sections; regions of tumor-host interface differed the most from the other tumor sections. Interestingly, tumor samples collected from areas closer to the gastrointestinal transit most frequently shared methylation events with metastases. When we calculated individual coefficients to quantify heterogeneity, we found that epigenetic homogeneity was significantly associated with short time of relapse-free survival (log-rank P = .037) and short time of overall survival (log-rank P = .026) in patients with locoregional colorectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS In an analysis of 79 colorectal tumors, we found significant heterogeneity in patterns of DNA methylation within each tumor; the level of heterogeneity correlates with times of relapse-free and overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Martínez-Cardús
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sebastian Moran
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Eva Musulen
- Pathology Department, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Cátia Moutinho
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jose L Manzano
- Medical Oncology Department, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Eva Martinez-Balibrea
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Health Sciences Research Institute of the Germans Trias i Pujol Foundation, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Montserrat Tierno
- Catalan Institute of Oncology, Health Sciences Research Institute of the Germans Trias i Pujol Foundation, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Elena Élez
- Medical Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Institute of Oncology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Center affiliated with the Spanish Cancer Research Network (Institute of Health Carlos III), Spain
| | - Stefania Landolfi
- Pathology Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Patricia Lorden
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carles Arribas
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fabian Müller
- Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Christoph Bock
- Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Saarbrücken, Germany; Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Josep Tabernero
- Medical Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Institute of Oncology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Center affiliated with the Spanish Cancer Research Network (Institute of Health Carlos III), Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Department of Physiological Sciences II, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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45
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Akrap N, Andersson D, Bom E, Gregersson P, Ståhlberg A, Landberg G. Identification of Distinct Breast Cancer Stem Cell Populations Based on Single-Cell Analyses of Functionally Enriched Stem and Progenitor Pools. Stem Cell Reports 2016; 6:121-36. [PMID: 26771357 PMCID: PMC4719187 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of breast cancer cell subpopulations featuring truly malignant stem cell qualities is a challenge due to the complexity of the disease and lack of general markers. By combining extensive single-cell gene expression profiling with three functional strategies for cancer stem cell enrichment including anchorage-independent culture, hypoxia, and analyses of low-proliferative, label-retaining cells derived from mammospheres, we identified distinct stem cell clusters in breast cancer. Estrogen receptor (ER)α+ tumors featured a clear hierarchical organization with switch-like and gradual transitions between different clusters, illustrating how breast cancer cells transfer between discrete differentiation states in a sequential manner. ERα− breast cancer showed less prominent clustering but shared a quiescent cancer stem cell pool with ERα+ cancer. The cellular organization model was supported by single-cell data from primary tumors. The findings allow us to understand the organization of breast cancers at the single-cell level, thereby permitting better identification and targeting of cancer stem cells. ERα+ and ERα− breast cancer stem cells share a quiescent cancer stem cell pool Single-cell analysis identified distinct cancer stem cell populations in breast cancer Identified ERα+ breast cancer cell populations were hierarchically organized Switch-like and gradual transitions exist between ERα+ stem and progenitor pools
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Akrap
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniel Andersson
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Bom
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Gregersson
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anders Ståhlberg
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Göran Landberg
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
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46
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Gupta S, Li J, Kemeny G, Bitting RL, Beaver J, Somarelli JA, Ware KE, Gregory S, Armstrong AJ. Whole Genomic Copy Number Alterations in Circulating Tumor Cells from Men with Abiraterone or Enzalutamide-Resistant Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 23:1346-1357. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-1211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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47
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Chen X, Hu H, He L, Yu X, Liu X, Zhong R, Shu M. A novel subtype classification and risk of breast cancer by histone modification profiling. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2016; 157:267-279. [DOI: 10.1007/s10549-016-3826-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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48
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Sorolla A, Ho D, Wang E, Evans CW, Ormonde CFG, Rashwan R, Singh R, Iyer KS, Blancafort P. Sensitizing basal-like breast cancer to chemotherapy using nanoparticles conjugated with interference peptide. NANOSCALE 2016; 8:9343-53. [PMID: 27089946 DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08331a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Basal-like breast cancers are highly aggressive malignancies associated with very poor prognosis. Although these cancers may initially respond to first-line treatment, they become highly resistant to standard chemotherapy in the metastatic setting. Chemotherapy resistance in basal-like breast cancers is associated with highly selective overexpression of the homeobox transcription factor Engrailed 1 (EN1). Herein, we propose a novel therapeutic strategy using poly(glycidyl methacrylate) nanoparticles decorated with poly(acrylic acid) that enable dual delivery of docetaxel and interference peptides designed to block or inhibit EN1 (EN1-iPep). We demonstrate that EN1-iPep is highly selective in inducing apoptotic cell death in basal-like cancer cells with negligible effects in a non-neoplastic human mammary epithelial cell line. Furthermore, we show that treatment with EN1-iPep results in a highly synergistic pharmacological interaction with docetaxel in inhibiting cancer cell growth. The incorporation of these two agents in a single nanoformulation results in greater anticancer efficacy than current nanoparticle-based treatments used in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sorolla
- Cancer Epigenetics, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - D Ho
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - E Wang
- Cancer Epigenetics, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - C W Evans
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - C F G Ormonde
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - R Rashwan
- Cancer Epigenetics, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - R Singh
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - K Swaminathan Iyer
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - P Blancafort
- Cancer Epigenetics, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
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49
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Li W, Itou J, Tanaka S, Nishimura T, Sato F, Toi M. A homeobox protein, NKX6.1, up-regulates interleukin-6 expression for cell growth in basal-like breast cancer cells. Exp Cell Res 2016; 343:177-189. [PMID: 27032575 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2016.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Among breast cancer subtypes, basal-like breast cancer is particularly aggressive, and research on the molecules involved in its pathology might contribute to therapy. In this study, we found that expression of NKX6.1, a homeobox transcription factor, is higher in basal-like breast cancer than in other subtypes. In loss-of-function experiments on basal-like breast cancer cell lines, NKX6.1-depleted cells exhibited reduced cell growth. Because cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is expressed in basal-like breast cancer, and increases cell growth, we analyzed expression levels of IL6, an IL-6 gene, and observed reduced IL6 expression in NKX6.1-depleted cells. In a reporter assay, IL6 promoter activity was reduced by loss of NKX6.1 function. A pull-down assay showed that NKX6.1 binds to the proximal region in IL6 promoter. These results indicate that NKX6.1 directly up-regulates IL6 expression. To investigate further, we established cells with forced expression of IL-6. We observed that exogenous IL-6 expression restored the reduced cell growth of NKX6.1-depleted cells. Furthermore, orthotopic xenografts showed that NKX6.1-depleted cells lost the capacity for tumor formation. We therefore conclude that NKX6.1 is a factor for IL-6-regulated growth and tumor formation in basal-like breast cancer. Our findings facilitate profound understanding of basal-like breast cancer, and the development of suitable therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhao Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Junji Itou
- Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Sunao Tanaka
- Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Tomomi Nishimura
- Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Sato
- Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Masakazu Toi
- Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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50
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Carels N, Spinassé LB, Tilli TM, Tuszynski JA. Toward precision medicine of breast cancer. Theor Biol Med Model 2016; 13:7. [PMID: 26925829 PMCID: PMC4772532 DOI: 10.1186/s12976-016-0035-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we report on breast cancer's molecular features and on how high throughput technologies are helping in understanding the dynamics of tumorigenesis and cancer progression with the aim of developing precision medicine methods. We first address the current state of the art in breast cancer therapies and challenges in order to progress towards its cure. Then, we show how the interaction of high-throughput technologies with in silico modeling has led to set up useful inferences for promising strategies of target-specific therapies with low secondary effect incidence for patients. Finally, we discuss the challenge of pharmacogenetics in the clinical practice of cancer therapy. All these issues are explored within the context of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Carels
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN, CNPq), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Lizânia Borges Spinassé
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN, CNPq), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Tatiana Martins Tilli
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN, CNPq), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Jack Adam Tuszynski
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1Z2, Canada. .,Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
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