1
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Zhu H, Jin RU. The role of the fibroblast in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:319-327. [PMID: 38626060 PMCID: PMC11155289 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000001032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the number one risk factor for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a deadly cancer with limited treatment options that has been increasing in incidence in the US. In this report, we discuss current studies on the role of mesenchyme and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in BE and EAC, and we highlight translational prospects of targeting these cells. RECENT FINDINGS New insights through studies using single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNA seq) have revealed an important emerging role of the mesenchyme in developmental signaling and cancer initiation. BE and EAC share similar stromal gene expression, as functional classifications of nonepithelial cells in BE show a remarkable similarity to EAC CAFs. Several recent sc-RNA seq studies and novel organoid fibroblast co-culture systems have characterized the subgroups of fibroblasts in BE and EAC, and have shown that these cells can directly influence the epithelium to induce BE development and cancer progression. Targeting the CAFs in EAC with may be a promising novel therapeutic strategy. SUMMARY The fibroblasts in the surrounding mesenchyme may have a direct role in influencing altered epithelial plasticity during BE development and progression to EAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huili Zhu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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2
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Ma Y, Hu Y, Liu H, Li X, Li Y, Zhao Y, Zhang Q, Zhang Z, Leng Q, Luo L, Li L, Dai Y, Chen G, Zhang J, Li Z. High-Lactate-Metabolizing Photosynthetic Bacteria Reprogram Tumor Immune Microenvironment. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2405930. [PMID: 38924191 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202405930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The elevated levels of lactate in tumor tissue play a pivotal role in fostering an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Therefore, efficiently reducing lactate levels to reprogram tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) is considered a crucial step for boosted immunotherapy. Here, a high-lactate-metabolizing photosynthetic bacteria (LAB-1) is selectively screened for TIM reprogramming, which then improves the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy. The culture medium for LAB-1 screening is initially developed through an orthogonal experiment, simulating the tumor microenvironment (TME) and utilizing lactate as the sole organic carbon source. As demonstrated in a murine 4T1 model, LAB-1 colonizes the TME selectively, resulting in a significant reduction in lactate levels and a subsequent increase in pH values within the tumor tissue. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing analysis reveals that LAB-1 effectively reprograms the TIM, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of antitumor immune therapy. This approach of utilizing lactate-consuming bacteria represents a potent tool for augmenting tumor immunotherapy efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichuan Ma
- College of Chemistry & Materials Science, State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Ministry of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yujing Hu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Huifang Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Xiaoya Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yuanhang Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- College of Chemistry & Materials Science, State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Ministry of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Ziyang Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Qingqing Leng
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Li Luo
- The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523059, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Lanya Li
- The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523059, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yunlu Dai
- Cancer Centre and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, SAR, 999078, China
| | - Guojun Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Jinchao Zhang
- College of Chemistry & Materials Science, State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Ministry of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Zhenhua Li
- The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523059, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, 510515, China
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3
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Varveri A, Papadopoulou M, Papadovasilakis Z, Compeer EB, Legaki AI, Delis A, Damaskou V, Boon L, Papadogiorgaki S, Samiotaki M, Foukas PG, Eliopoulos AG, Hatzioannou A, Alissafi T, Dustin ML, Verginis P. Immunological synapse formation between T regulatory cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes tumour development. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4988. [PMID: 38862534 PMCID: PMC11167033 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49282-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have emerged as a dominant non-hematopoietic cell population in the tumour microenvironment, serving diverse functions in tumour progression. However, the mechanisms via which CAFs influence the anti-tumour immunity remain poorly understood. Here, using multiple tumour models and biopsies from cancer patients, we report that α-SMA+ CAFs can form immunological synapses with Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in tumours. Notably, α-SMA+ CAFs can phagocytose and process tumour antigens and exhibit a tolerogenic phenotype which instructs movement arrest, activation and proliferation in Tregs in an antigen-specific manner. Moreover, α-SMA+ CAFs display double-membrane structures resembling autophagosomes in their cytoplasm. Single-cell transcriptomic data showed an enrichment in autophagy and antigen processing/presentation pathways in α-SMA-expressing CAF clusters. Conditional knockout of Atg5 in α-SMA+ CAFs promoted inflammatory re-programming in CAFs, reduced Treg cell infiltration and attenuated tumour development. Overall, our findings reveal an immunosuppressive mechanism entailing the formation of synapses between α-SMA+ CAFs and Tregs in an autophagy-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athina Varveri
- Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Tolerance, Division of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Miranta Papadopoulou
- Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Tolerance, Division of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Zacharias Papadovasilakis
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Tolerance, Division of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ewoud B Compeer
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Aigli-Ioanna Legaki
- Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasios Delis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vasileia Damaskou
- 2nd Department of Pathology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Martina Samiotaki
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Alexander Fleming, Vari, Athens, 166 72, Greece
| | - Periklis G Foukas
- 2nd Department of Pathology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Aristides G Eliopoulos
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Medicine, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Hatzioannou
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Medicine, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Themis Alissafi
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Medicine, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michael L Dustin
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Panayotis Verginis
- Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Tolerance, Division of Basic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology, Heraklion, Greece.
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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McGinnis CS, Miao Z, Superville D, Yao W, Goga A, Reticker-Flynn NE, Winkler J, Satpathy AT. The temporal progression of lung immune remodeling during breast cancer metastasis. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:1018-1031.e6. [PMID: 38821060 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Tumor metastasis requires systemic remodeling of distant organ microenvironments that impacts immune cell phenotypes, population structure, and intercellular communication. However, our understanding of immune phenotypic dynamics in the metastatic niche remains incomplete. Here, we longitudinally assayed lung immune transcriptional profiles in the polyomavirus middle T antigen (PyMT) and 4T1 metastatic breast cancer models from primary tumorigenesis, through pre-metastatic niche formation, to the final stages of metastatic outgrowth at single-cell resolution. Computational analyses of these data revealed a TLR-NFκB inflammatory program enacted by both peripherally derived and tissue-resident myeloid cells that correlated with pre-metastatic niche formation and mirrored CD14+ "activated" myeloid cells in the primary tumor. Moreover, we observed that primary tumor and metastatic niche natural killer (NK) cells are differentially regulated in mice and human patient samples, with the metastatic niche featuring elevated cytotoxic NK cell proportions. Finally, we identified cell-type-specific dynamic regulation of IGF1 and CCL6 signaling during metastatic progression that represents anti-metastatic immunotherapy candidate pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S McGinnis
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA
| | - Zhuang Miao
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Daphne Superville
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Winnie Yao
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Andrei Goga
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | - Juliane Winkler
- Center for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria.
| | - Ansuman T Satpathy
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA.
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5
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Lee CY, Clatworthy MR, Withers DR. Decoding changes in tumor-infiltrating leukocytes through dynamic experimental models and single-cell technologies. Immunol Cell Biol 2024. [PMID: 38853634 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12787] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The ability to characterize immune cells and explore the molecular interactions that govern their functions has never been greater, fueled in recent years by the revolutionary advance of single-cell analysis platforms. However, precisely how immune cells respond to different stimuli and where differentiation processes and effector functions operate remain incompletely understood. Inferring cellular fate within single-cell transcriptomic analyses is now omnipresent, despite the assumptions typically required in such analyses. Recently developed experimental models support dynamic analyses of the immune response, providing insights into the temporal changes that occur within cells and the tissues in which such transitions occur. Here we will review these approaches and discuss how these can be combined with single-cell technologies to develop a deeper understanding of the immune responses that should support the development of better therapeutic options for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Yc Lee
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infection Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Menna R Clatworthy
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infection Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David R Withers
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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6
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Isaak AJ, Clements GR, Buenaventura RGM, Merlino G, Yu Y. Development of Personalized Strategies for Precisely Battling Malignant Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5023. [PMID: 38732242 PMCID: PMC11084485 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25095023] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most severe and fatal form of skin cancer, resulting from multiple gene mutations with high intra-tumor and inter-tumor molecular heterogeneity. Treatment options for patients whose disease has progressed beyond the ability for surgical resection rely on currently accepted standard therapies, notably immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies. Acquired resistance to these therapies and treatment-associated toxicity necessitate exploring novel strategies, especially those that can be personalized for specific patients and/or populations. Here, we review the current landscape and progress of standard therapies and explore what personalized oncology techniques may entail in the scope of melanoma. Our purpose is to provide an up-to-date summary of the tools at our disposal that work to circumvent the common barriers faced when battling melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yanlin Yu
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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7
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Mathieson L, Koppensteiner L, Dorward DA, O'Connor RA, Akram AR. Cancer-associated fibroblasts expressing fibroblast activation protein and podoplanin in non-small cell lung cancer predict poor clinical outcome. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:1758-1769. [PMID: 38582812 PMCID: PMC11130154 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02671-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a dominant cell type in the stroma of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fibroblast heterogeneity reflects subpopulations of CAFs, which can influence prognosis and treatment efficacy. We describe the subtypes of CAFs in NSCLC. METHODS Primary human NSCLC resections were assessed by flow cytometry and multiplex immunofluorescence for markers of fibroblast activation which allowed identification of CAF subsets. Survival data were analysed for our NSCLC cohort consisting of 163 patients to understand prognostic significance of CAF subsets. RESULTS We identified five CAF populations, termed CAF S1-S5. CAF-S5 represents a previously undescribed population, and express FAP and PDPN but lack the myofibroblast marker αSMA, whereas CAF-S1 populations express all three. CAF-S5 are spatially further from tumour regions then CAF-S1 and scRNA data demonstrate an inflammatory phenotype. The presence of CAF-S1 or CAF-S5 is correlated to worse survival outcome in NSCLC, despite curative resection, highlighting the prognostic importance of CAF subtypes in NSCLC. TCGA data suggest the predominance of CAF-S5 has a poor prognosis across several cancer types. CONCLUSION This study describes the fibroblast heterogeneity in NSCLC and the prognostic importance of the novel CAF-S5 subset where its presence correlates to worse survival outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Mathieson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Lilian Koppensteiner
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - David A Dorward
- Department of Pathology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Richard A O'Connor
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Ahsan R Akram
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK.
- Translational Healthcare Technologies Group, Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Dr, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, UK.
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK.
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8
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Kou Z, Liu C, Zhang W, Sun C, Liu L, Zhang Q. Heterogeneity of primary and metastatic CAFs: From differential treatment outcomes to treatment opportunities (Review). Int J Oncol 2024; 64:54. [PMID: 38577950 PMCID: PMC11015919 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2024.5642] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared with primary tumor sites, metastatic sites appear more resistant to treatments and respond differently to the treatment regimen. It may be due to the heterogeneity in the microenvironment between metastatic sites and primary tumors. Cancer‑associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are widely present in the tumor stroma as key components of the tumor microenvironment. Primary tumor CAFs (pCAFs) and metastatic CAFs (mCAFs) are heterogeneous in terms of source, activation mode, markers and functional phenotypes. They can shape the tumor microenvironment according to organ, showing heterogeneity between primary tumors and metastases, which may affect the sensitivity of these sites to treatment. It was hypothesized that understanding the heterogeneity between pCAFs and mCAFs can provide a glimpse into the difference in treatment outcomes, providing new ideas for improving the rate of metastasis control in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixing Kou
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa Island 999078, Macau SAR, P.R. China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Qiming Zhang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
- Department of Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100007, P.R. China
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9
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Raymant M, Astuti Y, Alvaro-Espinosa L, Green D, Quaranta V, Bellomo G, Glenn M, Chandran-Gorner V, Palmer DH, Halloran C, Ghaneh P, Henderson NC, Morton JP, Valiente M, Mielgo A, Schmid MC. Macrophage-fibroblast JAK/STAT dependent crosstalk promotes liver metastatic outgrowth in pancreatic cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3593. [PMID: 38678021 PMCID: PMC11055860 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47949-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly metastatic disease for which better therapies are urgently needed. Fibroblasts and macrophages are heterogeneous cell populations able to enhance metastasis, but the role of a macrophage-fibroblast crosstalk in regulating their pro-metastatic functions remains poorly understood. Here we deconvolve how macrophages regulate metastasis-associated fibroblast (MAF) heterogeneity in the liver. We identify three functionally distinct MAF populations, among which the generation of pro-metastatic and immunoregulatory myofibroblastic-MAFs (myMAFs) critically depends on macrophages. Mechanistically, myMAFs are induced through a STAT3-dependent mechanism driven by macrophage-derived progranulin and cancer cell-secreted leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF). In a reciprocal manner, myMAF secreted osteopontin promotes an immunosuppressive macrophage phenotype resulting in the inhibition of cytotoxic T cell functions. Pharmacological blockade of STAT3 or myMAF-specific genetic depletion of STAT3 restores an anti-tumour immune response and reduces metastases. Our findings provide molecular insights into the complex macrophage-fibroblast interactions in tumours and reveal potential targets to inhibit PDAC liver metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meirion Raymant
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Yuliana Astuti
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Laura Alvaro-Espinosa
- Brain Metastasis Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Green
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Valeria Quaranta
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Gaia Bellomo
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Mark Glenn
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Vatshala Chandran-Gorner
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Daniel H Palmer
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Christopher Halloran
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Paula Ghaneh
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Neil C Henderson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Research-UK Scotland Institute and School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Manuel Valiente
- Brain Metastasis Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ainhoa Mielgo
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Michael C Schmid
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK.
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10
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Du Q, An Q, Zhang J, Liu C, Hu Q. Unravelling immune microenvironment features underlying tumor progression in the single-cell era. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:143. [PMID: 38649887 PMCID: PMC11036673 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03335-z] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The relationship between the immune cell and tumor occurrence and progression remains unclear. Profiling alterations in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) at high resolution is crucial to identify factors influencing cancer progression and enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy. However, traditional sequencing methods, including bulk RNA sequencing, exhibit varying degrees of masking the cellular heterogeneity and immunophenotypic changes observed in early and late-stage tumors. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has provided significant and precise TIME landscapes. Consequently, this review has highlighted TIME cellular and molecular changes in tumorigenesis and progression elucidated through recent scRNA-seq studies. Specifically, we have summarized the cellular heterogeneity of TIME at different stages, including early, late, and metastatic stages. Moreover, we have outlined the related variations that may promote tumor occurrence and metastasis in the single-cell era. The widespread applications of scRNA-seq in TIME will comprehensively redefine the understanding of tumor biology and furnish more effective immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilian Du
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qi An
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jiajun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Qinyong Hu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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11
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Tian J, Bai X, Quek C. Single-Cell Informatics for Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4485. [PMID: 38674070 PMCID: PMC11050520 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084485] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer comprises malignant cells surrounded by the tumor microenvironment (TME), a dynamic ecosystem composed of heterogeneous cell populations that exert unique influences on tumor development. The immune community within the TME plays a substantial role in tumorigenesis and tumor evolution. The innate and adaptive immune cells "talk" to the tumor through ligand-receptor interactions and signaling molecules, forming a complex communication network to influence the cellular and molecular basis of cancer. Such intricate intratumoral immune composition and interactions foster the application of immunotherapies, which empower the immune system against cancer to elicit durable long-term responses in cancer patients. Single-cell technologies have allowed for the dissection and characterization of the TME to an unprecedented level, while recent advancements in bioinformatics tools have expanded the horizon and depth of high-dimensional single-cell data analysis. This review will unravel the intertwined networks between malignancy and immunity, explore the utilization of computational tools for a deeper understanding of tumor-immune communications, and discuss the application of these approaches to aid in diagnosis or treatment decision making in the clinical setting, as well as the current challenges faced by the researchers with their potential future improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camelia Quek
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.T.); (X.B.)
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12
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Zimarino C, Moody W, Davidson SE, Munir H, Shields JD. Disruption of CD47-SIRPα signaling restores inflammatory function in tumor-associated myeloid-derived suppressor cells. iScience 2024; 27:109546. [PMID: 38577107 PMCID: PMC10993187 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous immune population with diverse immunosuppressive functions in solid tumors. Here, we explored the role of the tumor microenvironment in regulating MDSC differentiation and immunosuppressive properties via signal-regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα)/CD47 signaling. In a murine melanoma model, we observed progressive increases in monocytic MDSCs and monocyte-derived dendritic cells that exhibited potent T cell-suppressive capabilities. These adaptations could be recapitulated in vitro by exposing hematopoietic stem cells to tumor-derived factors. Engagement of CD47 with SIRPα on myeloid cells reduced their phagocytic capability, enhanced expression of immune checkpoints, increased reactive oxygen species production, and suppressed T cell proliferation. Perturbation of SIRPα signaling restored phagocytosis and antigen presentation by MDSCs, which was accompanied by renewed T cell activity and delayed tumor growth in multiple solid cancers. These data highlight that therapeutically targeting myeloid functions in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors could enhance anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Zimarino
- MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - William Moody
- MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah E. Davidson
- MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hafsa Munir
- MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology Mainz (HI-TRON Mainz) – A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ, Mainz, Germany
- German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Division of Dermal Oncoimmunology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jacqueline D. Shields
- MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Kings College London, London, UK
- Centre for Cancer Sciences, School of Medicine, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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13
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Mao X, Tang X, Pan H, Yu M, Ji S, Qiu W, Che N, Zhang K, Huang Z, Jiang Y, Wang J, Zhong Z, Wang J, Liu M, Chen M, Zhou W, Wang S. B Cells and IL-21-Producing Follicular Helper T Cells Cooperate to Determine the Dynamic Alterations of Premetastatic Tumor Draining Lymph Nodes of Breast Cancer. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0346. [PMID: 38559676 PMCID: PMC10981934 DOI: 10.34133/research.0346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is the major cause of cancer-related death, and lymph node is the most common site of metastasis in breast cancer. However, the alterations that happen in tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) to form a premetastatic microenvironment are largely unknown. Here, we first report the dynamic changes in size and immune status of TDLNs before metastasis in breast cancer. With the progression of tumor, the TDLN is first enlarged and immune-activated at early stage that contains specific antitumor immunity against metastasis. The TDLN is then contracted and immunosuppressed at late stage before finally getting metastasized. Mechanistically, B and follicular helper T (Tfh) cells parallelly expand and contract to determine the size of TDLN. The activation status and specific antitumor immunity of CD8+ T cells in the TDLN are determined by interleukin-21 (IL-21) produced by Tfh cells, thus showing parallel changes. The turn from activated enlargement to suppressed contraction is due to the spontaneous contraction of germinal centers mediated by follicular regulatory T cells. On the basis of the B-Tfh-IL-21-CD8+ T cell axis, we prove that targeting the axis could activate TDLNs to resist metastasis. Together, our findings identify the dynamic alterations and regulatory mechanisms of premetastatic TDLNs of breast cancer and provide new strategies to inhibit lymph node metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinrui Mao
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xinyu Tang
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Hong Pan
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Muxin Yu
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Sihan Ji
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Wen Qiu
- Department of Immunology,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Nan Che
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Pancreatic Center & Department of General Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Pancreas Institute of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhendong Huang
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Department of Pathology,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yunshan Jiang
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ji Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Zhaoyun Zhong
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jiaming Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Mingduo Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Mingkang Chen
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Department of Ophthalmology,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Wenbin Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Shui Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health,
Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
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14
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Zhou D, Zheng L. Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:638-650. [PMID: 38420743 PMCID: PMC10950138 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000003031] [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: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Anti-cancer therapies usually focus on tumor cells, but non-tumor stromal components in the tumor microenvironment also play vital roles in tumor initiation and progression, which may be the prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the essential component in the tumor environment, exhibiting high heterogeneity in their cell origin and phenotype with diverse functions that influence tumor angiogenesis, immune systems, and metabolism. Single-cell RNA sequencing and genetically engineered mouse models have increased our understanding of CAF diversity, and many subtypes have been defined. However, the precise functions of these subtypes need to be studied and validated. Studies of signaling pathways and epigenetic changes in CAFs facilitate understanding of the phenotypes of CAFs and the crosstalk between tumor cells and CAFs to provide potential therapeutic targets. Some clinical trials, including phase III trials targeting CAFs, have been performed recently. However, few of these trials have generated promising results, which indicates that the complexity of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment remains largely unknown, and in-depth investigations of CAFs should be performed. This review summarizes the research on CAFs, focusing on the heterogeneity of their phenotypes and functions, specific signaling pathways, and the therapeutic strategies involving CAFs. Additionally, we briefly discuss the current technologies commonly used in CAF studies and describe the challenges and future perspectives of CAF research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donger Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center for Clinical Research and Care, and The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Immunotherapy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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15
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Lujano Olazaba O, Farrow J, Monkkonen T. Fibroblast heterogeneity and functions: insights from single-cell sequencing in wound healing, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and melanoma. Front Genet 2024; 15:1304853. [PMID: 38525245 PMCID: PMC10957653 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1304853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer has been described as the wound that does not heal, in large part due to fibroblast involvement. Activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contributes to critical features of the tumor microenvironment, including upregulation of key marker proteins, recruitment of immune cells, and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM)-similar to fibroblast activation in injury-induced wound healing. Prior to the widespread availability of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA seq), studies of CAFs or fibroblasts in wound healing largely relied on models guided by individual fibroblast markers, or methods with less resolution to unravel the heterogeneous nature of CAFs and wound healing fibroblasts (especially regarding scarring outcome). Here, insights from the enhanced resolution provided by scRNA sequencing of fibroblasts in normal wound healing, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and melanoma are discussed. These data have revealed differences in expression of established canonical activation marker genes, epigenetic modifications, fibroblast lineages, new gene and proteins of clinical interest for further experimentation, and novel signaling interactions with other cell types that include spatial information.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Teresa Monkkonen
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
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16
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Piwocka O, Piotrowski I, Suchorska WM, Kulcenty K. Dynamic interactions in the tumor niche: how the cross-talk between CAFs and the tumor microenvironment impacts resistance to therapy. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1343523. [PMID: 38455762 PMCID: PMC10918473 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1343523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex ecosystem of cells, signaling molecules, and extracellular matrix components that profoundly influence cancer progression. Among the key players in the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have gained increasing attention for their diverse and influential roles. CAFs are activated fibroblasts found abundantly within the TME of various cancer types. CAFs contribute significantly to tumor progression by promoting angiogenesis, remodeling the extracellular matrix, and modulating immune cell infiltration. In order to influence the microenvironment, CAFs engage in cross-talk with immune cells, cancer cells, and other stromal components through paracrine signaling and direct cell-cell interactions. This cross-talk can result in immunosuppression, tumor cell proliferation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, contributing to disease progression. Emerging evidence suggests that CAFs play a crucial role in therapy resistance, including resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. CAFs can modulate the tumor response to treatment by secreting factors that promote drug efflux, enhance DNA repair mechanisms, and suppress apoptosis pathways. This paper aims to understand the multifaceted functions of CAFs within the TME, discusses cross-talk between CAFs with other TME cells, and sheds light on the contibution of CAFs to therapy resistance. Targeting CAFs or disrupting their cross-talk with other cells holds promise for overcoming drug resistance and improving the treatment efficacy of various cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliwia Piwocka
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Radiobiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Igor Piotrowski
- Radiobiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wiktoria M. Suchorska
- Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Radiobiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kulcenty
- Radiobiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
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17
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Cao L, Meng X, Zhang Z, Liu Z, He Y. Macrophage heterogeneity and its interactions with stromal cells in tumour microenvironment. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:16. [PMID: 38303024 PMCID: PMC10832170 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01201-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophages and tumour stroma cells account for the main cellular components in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Current advancements in single-cell analysis have revolutionized our understanding of macrophage diversity and macrophage-stroma interactions. Accordingly, this review describes new insight into tumour-associated macrophage (TAM) heterogeneity in terms of tumour type, phenotype, metabolism, and spatial distribution and presents the association between these factors and TAM functional states. Meanwhile, we focus on the immunomodulatory feature of TAMs and highlight the tumour-promoting effect of macrophage-tumour stroma interactions in the immunosuppressive TME. Finally, we summarize recent studies investigating macrophage-targeted therapy and discuss their therapeutic potential in improving immunotherapy by alleviating immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liren Cao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, National Center of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Xiaoyan Meng
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, National Center of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, National Center of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Zhonglong Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, National Center of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Yue He
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, National Center of Stomatology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
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18
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Jin Y, He Y, Liu B, Zhang X, Song C, Wu Y, Hu W, Yan Y, Chen N, Ding Y, Ou Y, Wu Y, Zhang M, Xing S. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the dynamics and heterogeneity of lymph node immune cells during acute and chronic viral infections. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1341985. [PMID: 38352870 PMCID: PMC10863051 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1341985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The host immune response determines the differential outcome of acute or chronic viral infections. The comprehensive comparison of lymphoid tissue immune cells at the single-cell level between acute and chronic viral infections is largely insufficient. Methods To explore the landscape of immune responses to acute and chronic viral infections, single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq), scTCR-seq and scBCR-seq were utilized to evaluate the longitudinal dynamics and heterogeneity of lymph node CD45+ immune cells in mouse models of acute (LCMV Armstrong) and chronic (LCMV clone 13) viral infections. Results In contrast with acute viral infection, chronic viral infection distinctly induced more robust NK cells and plasma cells at the early stage (Day 4 post-infection) and acute stage (Day 8 post-infection), respectively. Moreover, chronic viral infection exerted decreased but aberrantly activated plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) at the acute phase. Simultaneously, there were significantly increased IgA+ plasma cells (MALT B cells) but differential usage of B-cell receptors in chronic infection. In terms of T-cell responses, Gzma-high effector-like CD8+ T cells were significantly induced at the early stage in chronic infection, which showed temporally reversed gene expression throughout viral infection and the differential usage of the most dominant TCR clonotype. Chronic infection also induced more robust CD4+ T cell responses, including follicular helper T cells (Tfh) and regulatory T cells (Treg). In addition, chronic infection compromised the TCR diversity in both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Discussion In conclusion, gene expression and TCR/BCR immune repertoire profiling at the single-cell level in this study provide new insights into the dynamic and differential immune responses to acute and chronic viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubei Jin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yudan He
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Caimei Song
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunchen Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenjing Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiwen Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nuo Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingying Ding
- Department of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ou
- Department of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Yixiu Wu
- Department of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Mingxia Zhang
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shaojun Xing
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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19
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Cohen C, Mhaidly R, Croizer H, Kieffer Y, Leclere R, Vincent-Salomon A, Robley C, Anglicheau D, Rabant M, Sannier A, Timsit MO, Eddy S, Kretzler M, Ju W, Mechta-Grigoriou F. WNT-dependent interaction between inflammatory fibroblasts and FOLR2+ macrophages promotes fibrosis in chronic kidney disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:743. [PMID: 38272907 PMCID: PMC10810789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44886-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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem driven by myofibroblast accumulation, leading to interstitial fibrosis. Heterogeneity is a recently recognized characteristic in kidney fibroblasts in CKD, but the role of different populations is still unclear. Here, we characterize a proinflammatory fibroblast population (named CXCL-iFibro), which corresponds to an early state of myofibroblast differentiation in CKD. We demonstrate that CXCL-iFibro co-localize with macrophages in the kidney and participate in their attraction, accumulation, and switch into FOLR2+ macrophages from early CKD stages on. In vitro, macrophages promote the switch of CXCL-iFibro into ECM-secreting myofibroblasts through a WNT/β-catenin-dependent pathway, thereby suggesting a reciprocal crosstalk between these populations of fibroblasts and macrophages. Finally, the detection of CXCL-iFibro at early stages of CKD is predictive of poor patient prognosis, which shows that the CXCL-iFibro population is an early player in CKD progression and demonstrates the clinical relevance of our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Cohen
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Rana Mhaidly
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Hugo Croizer
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Yann Kieffer
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Renaud Leclere
- Department of Diagnostic and Theragnostic Medicine, Institut Curie Hospital Group, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
| | - Anne Vincent-Salomon
- Department of Diagnostic and Theragnostic Medicine, Institut Curie Hospital Group, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Robley
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Dany Anglicheau
- Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Cité University, Inserm U1151, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marion Rabant
- Department of Pathology, Necker Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Cité University, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Sannier
- Department of Pathology, AP-HP, Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris Cité University, Inserm, U1148, 46, rue Henri Huchard, 75877, Paris, France
| | - Marc-Olivier Timsit
- Department of Urology, Européen George Pompidou Hospital, APHP, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Sean Eddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Matthias Kretzler
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Wenjun Ju
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Fatima Mechta-Grigoriou
- Institut Curie, Stress and Cancer Laboratory, Equipe labélisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, PSL Research University, 26, rue d'Ulm, F-75248, Paris, France.
- Inserm, U830, 26, rue d'Ulm, Paris, F-75005, France.
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20
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Lee CYC, Kennedy BC, Richoz N, Dean I, Tuong ZK, Gaspal F, Li Z, Willis C, Hasegawa T, Whiteside SK, Posner DA, Carlesso G, Hammond SA, Dovedi SJ, Roychoudhuri R, Withers DR, Clatworthy MR. Tumour-retained activated CCR7 + dendritic cells are heterogeneous and regulate local anti-tumour cytolytic activity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:682. [PMID: 38267413 PMCID: PMC10808534 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44787-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumour dendritic cells (DCs) internalise antigen and upregulate CCR7, which directs their migration to tumour-draining lymph nodes (dLN). CCR7 expression is coupled to an activation programme enriched in regulatory molecule expression, including PD-L1. However, the spatio-temporal dynamics of CCR7+ DCs in anti-tumour immune responses remain unclear. Here, we use photoconvertible mice to precisely track DC migration. We report that CCR7+ DCs are the dominant DC population that migrate to the dLN, but a subset remains tumour-resident despite CCR7 expression. These tumour-retained CCR7+ DCs are phenotypically and transcriptionally distinct from their dLN counterparts and heterogeneous. Moreover, they progressively downregulate the expression of antigen presentation and pro-inflammatory transcripts with more prolonged tumour dwell-time. Tumour-residing CCR7+ DCs co-localise with PD-1+CD8+ T cells in human and murine solid tumours, and following anti-PD-L1 treatment, upregulate stimulatory molecules including OX40L, thereby augmenting anti-tumour cytolytic activity. Altogether, these data uncover previously unappreciated heterogeneity in CCR7+ DCs that may underpin a variable capacity to support intratumoural cytotoxic T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Y C Lee
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bethany C Kennedy
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Nathan Richoz
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Isaac Dean
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Zewen K Tuong
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fabrina Gaspal
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Zhi Li
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Claire Willis
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Tetsuo Hasegawa
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - David A Posner
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - David R Withers
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Menna R Clatworthy
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.
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21
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Kirschenbaum D, Xie K, Ingelfinger F, Katzenelenbogen Y, Abadie K, Look T, Sheban F, Phan TS, Li B, Zwicky P, Yofe I, David E, Mazuz K, Hou J, Chen Y, Shaim H, Shanley M, Becker S, Qian J, Colonna M, Ginhoux F, Rezvani K, Theis FJ, Yosef N, Weiss T, Weiner A, Amit I. Time-resolved single-cell transcriptomics defines immune trajectories in glioblastoma. Cell 2024; 187:149-165.e23. [PMID: 38134933 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.032] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Deciphering the cell-state transitions underlying immune adaptation across time is fundamental for advancing biology. Empirical in vivo genomic technologies that capture cellular dynamics are currently lacking. We present Zman-seq, a single-cell technology recording transcriptomic dynamics across time by introducing time stamps into circulating immune cells, tracking them in tissues for days. Applying Zman-seq resolved cell-state and molecular trajectories of the dysfunctional immune microenvironment in glioblastoma. Within 24 hours of tumor infiltration, cytotoxic natural killer cells transitioned to a dysfunctional program regulated by TGFB1 signaling. Infiltrating monocytes differentiated into immunosuppressive macrophages, characterized by the upregulation of suppressive myeloid checkpoints Trem2, Il18bp, and Arg1, over 36 to 48 hours. Treatment with an antagonistic anti-TREM2 antibody reshaped the tumor microenvironment by redirecting the monocyte trajectory toward pro-inflammatory macrophages. Zman-seq is a broadly applicable technology, enabling empirical measurements of differentiation trajectories, which can enhance the development of more efficacious immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kirschenbaum
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ken Xie
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Florian Ingelfinger
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Kathleen Abadie
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Thomas Look
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fadi Sheban
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Truong San Phan
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Baoguo Li
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Pascale Zwicky
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ido Yofe
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eyal David
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Kfir Mazuz
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jinchao Hou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hila Shaim
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mayra Shanley
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Soeren Becker
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jiawen Qian
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Florent Ginhoux
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138648, Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fabian J Theis
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Nir Yosef
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tobias Weiss
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Assaf Weiner
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel.
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22
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Abstract
For our immune system to contain or eliminate malignant solid tumours, both myeloid and lymphoid haematopoietic cells must not only extravasate from the bloodstream into the tumour tissue but also further migrate to various specialized niches of the tumour microenvironment to functionally interact with each other, with non-haematopoietic stromal cells and, ultimately, with cancer cells. These interactions regulate local immune cell survival, proliferative expansion, differentiation and their execution of pro-tumour or antitumour effector functions, which collectively determine the outcome of spontaneous or therapeutically induced antitumour immune responses. None of these interactions occur randomly but are orchestrated and critically depend on migratory guidance cues provided by chemokines, a large family of chemotactic cytokines, and their receptors. Understanding the functional organization of the tumour immune microenvironment inevitably requires knowledge of the multifaceted roles of chemokines in the recruitment and positioning of its cellular constituents. Gaining such knowledge will not only generate new insights into the mechanisms underlying antitumour immunity or immune tolerance but also inform the development of biomarkers (or 'biopatterns') based on spatial tumour tissue analyses, as well as novel strategies to therapeutically engineer immune responses in patients with cancer. Here we will discuss recent observations on the role of chemokines in the tumour microenvironment in the context of our knowledge of their physiological functions in development, homeostasis and antimicrobial responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten R Mempel
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Julia K Lill
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lukas M Altenburger
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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23
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Melchionna R, Trono P, Di Carlo A, Di Modugno F, Nisticò P. Transcription factors in fibroblast plasticity and CAF heterogeneity. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:347. [PMID: 38124183 PMCID: PMC10731891 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02934-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, research focused on the multifaceted landscape and functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) aimed to reveal their heterogeneity and identify commonalities across diverse tumors for more effective therapeutic targeting of pro-tumoral stromal microenvironment. However, a unified functional categorization of CAF subsets remains elusive, posing challenges for the development of targeted CAF therapies in clinical settings.The CAF phenotype arises from a complex interplay of signals within the tumor microenvironment, where transcription factors serve as central mediators of various cellular pathways. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing technology have emphasized the role of transcription factors in the conversion of normal fibroblasts to distinct CAF subtypes across various cancer types.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the specific roles of transcription factor networks in shaping CAF heterogeneity, plasticity, and functionality. Beginning with their influence on fibroblast homeostasis and reprogramming during wound healing and fibrosis, it delves into the emerging insights into transcription factor regulatory networks. Understanding these mechanisms not only enables a more precise characterization of CAF subsets but also sheds light on the early regulatory processes governing CAF heterogeneity and functionality. Ultimately, this knowledge may unveil novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment, addressing the existing challenges of stromal-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Melchionna
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Trono
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Di Carlo
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Modugno
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Nisticò
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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24
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Schenkel JM, Pauken KE. Localization, tissue biology and T cell state - implications for cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Immunol 2023; 23:807-823. [PMID: 37253877 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00884-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tissue localization is a critical determinant of T cell immunity. CD8+ T cells are contact-dependent killers, which requires them to physically be within the tissue of interest to kill peptide-MHC class I-bearing target cells. Following their migration and extravasation into tissues, T cells receive many extrinsic cues from the local microenvironment, and these signals shape T cell differentiation, fate and function. Because major organ systems are variable in their functions and compositions, they apply disparate pressures on T cells to adapt to the local microenvironment. Additional complexity arises in the context of malignant lesions (either primary or metastatic), and this has made understanding the factors that dictate T cell function and longevity in tumours challenging. Moreover, T cell differentiation state influences how cues from the microenvironment are interpreted by tissue-infiltrating T cells, highlighting the importance of T cell state in the context of tissue biology. Here, we review the intertwined nature of T cell differentiation state, location, survival and function, and explain how dysfunctional T cell populations can adopt features of tissue-resident memory T cells to persist in tumours. Finally, we discuss how these factors have shaped responses to cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Schenkel
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Kristen E Pauken
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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25
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Meri S, Magrini E, Mantovani A, Garlanda C. The Yin Yang of Complement and Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1578-1588. [PMID: 37902610 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-related inflammation is a crucial component of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Complement activation occurs in cancer and supports the development of an inflammatory microenvironment. Complement has traditionally been considered a mechanism of immune resistance against cancer, and its activation is known to contribute to the cytolytic effects of antibody-based immunotherapeutic treatments. However, several studies have recently revealed that complement activation may exert protumoral functions by sustaining cancer-related inflammation and immunosuppression through different molecular mechanisms, targeting both the TME and cancer cells. These new discoveries have revealed that complement manipulation can be considered a new strategy for cancer therapies. Here we summarize our current understanding of the mechanisms by which the different elements of the complement system exert antitumor or protumor functions, both in preclinical studies and in human tumorigenesis. Complement components can serve as disease biomarkers for cancer stratification and prognosis and be exploited for tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seppo Meri
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology and Translational Immunology Research Program, University and University Hospital of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Alberto Mantovani
- IRCCS-Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- The William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cecilia Garlanda
- IRCCS-Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
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26
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Kaesler N, Cheng M, Nagai J, O’Sullivan J, Peisker F, Bindels EM, Babler A, Moellmann J, Droste P, Franciosa G, Dugourd A, Saez-Rodriguez J, Neuss S, Lehrke M, Boor P, Goettsch C, Olsen JV, Speer T, Lu TS, Lim K, Floege J, Denby L, Costa I, Kramann R. Mapping cardiac remodeling in chronic kidney disease. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadj4846. [PMID: 38000021 PMCID: PMC10672229 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) mostly die from sudden cardiac death and recurrent heart failure. The mechanisms of cardiac remodeling are largely unclear. To dissect molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiac remodeling in CKD in an unbiased fashion, we performed left ventricular single-nuclear RNA sequencing in two mouse models of CKD. Our data showed a hypertrophic response trajectory of cardiomyocytes with stress signaling and metabolic changes driven by soluble uremia-related factors. We mapped fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation in this process and identified notable changes in the cardiac vasculature, suggesting inflammation and dysfunction. An integrated analysis of cardiac cellular responses to uremic toxins pointed toward endothelin-1 and methylglyoxal being involved in capillary dysfunction and TNFα driving cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in CKD, which was validated in vitro and in vivo. TNFα inhibition in vivo ameliorated the cardiac phenotype in CKD. Thus, interventional approaches directed against uremic toxins, such as TNFα, hold promise to ameliorate cardiac remodeling in CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Kaesler
- Clinic for Renal and Hypertensive Disorders, Rheumatological and Immunological Disease, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mingbo Cheng
- Institute for Computational Genomics, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - James Nagai
- Institute for Computational Genomics, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - James O’Sullivan
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Fabian Peisker
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Eric M. J. Bindels
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anne Babler
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia Moellmann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Patrick Droste
- Clinic for Renal and Hypertensive Disorders, Rheumatological and Immunological Disease, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Giulia Franciosa
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Aurelien Dugourd
- Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine, and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Bioquant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julio Saez-Rodriguez
- Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine, and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Bioquant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Neuss
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Biointerface Laboratory, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Michael Lehrke
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Boor
- Clinic for Renal and Hypertensive Disorders, Rheumatological and Immunological Disease, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Claudia Goettsch
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jesper V. Olsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thimoteus Speer
- Department of Medicine (Nephrology), Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tzong-Shi Lu
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Renal Division, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth Lim
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jürgen Floege
- Clinic for Renal and Hypertensive Disorders, Rheumatological and Immunological Disease, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Laura Denby
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ivan Costa
- Institute for Computational Genomics, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rafael Kramann
- Clinic for Renal and Hypertensive Disorders, Rheumatological and Immunological Disease, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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27
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Yang Y, Louie R, Puc J, Vedvyas Y, Alcaina Y, Min IM, Britz M, Luciani F, Jin MM. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy Targeting Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule in Gastric Cancer: Mechanisms of Tumor Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5552. [PMID: 38067255 PMCID: PMC10705754 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15235552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is a tumor-associated antigen that is frequently overexpressed in various carcinomas. We have developed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells specifically targeting EpCAM for the treatment of gastric cancer. This study sought to unravel the precise mechanisms by which tumors evade immune surveillance and develop resistance to CAR T cell therapy. Through a combination of whole-body CAR T cell imaging and single-cell multiomic analyses, we uncovered intricate interactions between tumors and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). In a gastric cancer model, tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells exhibited both cytotoxic and exhausted phenotypes, while CD4 T cells were mainly regulatory T cells. A T cell receptor (TCR) clonal analysis provided evidence of CAR T cell proliferation and clonal expansion within resistant tumors, which was substantiated by whole-body CAR T cell imaging. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics showed that tumor cells in mice with refractory or relapsing outcomes were enriched for genes involved in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and antigen presentation pathways, interferon-γ and interferon-α responses, mitochondrial activities, and a set of genes (e.g., CD74, IDO1, IFI27) linked to tumor progression and unfavorable disease prognoses. This research highlights an approach that combines imaging and multiomic methodologies to concurrently characterize the evolution of tumors and the differentiation of CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Yang
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (I.M.M.)
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Raymond Louie
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia;
| | - Janusz Puc
- AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc., Natick, MA 01760, USA
| | - Yogindra Vedvyas
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (I.M.M.)
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Yago Alcaina
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Irene M. Min
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (I.M.M.)
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Matt Britz
- AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc., Natick, MA 01760, USA
| | - Fabio Luciani
- School of Medical Sciences and Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Moonsoo M. Jin
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA (I.M.M.)
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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28
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Fan Z, Sun J, Thorpe H, Lee S, Kim S, Park HJ. Deep neural network learning biological condition information refines gene-expression-based cell subtypes. Brief Bioinform 2023; 25:bbad512. [PMID: 38233089 PMCID: PMC10794113 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad512] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
With the recent advent of single-cell level biological understanding, a growing interest is in identifying cell states or subtypes that are homogeneous in terms of gene expression and are also enriched in certain biological conditions, including disease samples versus normal samples (condition-specific cell subtype). Despite the importance of identifying condition-specific cell subtypes, existing methods have the following limitations: since they train models separately between gene expression and the biological condition information, (1) they do not consider potential interactions between them, and (2) the weights from both types of information are not properly controlled. Also, (3) they do not consider non-linear relationships in the gene expression and the biological condition. To address the limitations and accurately identify such condition-specific cell subtypes, we develop scDeepJointClust, the first method that jointly trains both types of information via a deep neural network. scDeepJointClust incorporates results from the power of state-of-the-art gene-expression-based clustering methods as an input, incorporating their sophistication and accuracy. We evaluated scDeepJointClust on both simulation data in diverse scenarios and biological data of different diseases (melanoma and non-small-cell lung cancer) and showed that scDeepJointClust outperforms existing methods in terms of sensitivity and specificity. scDeepJointClust exhibits significant promise in advancing our understanding of cellular states and their implications in complex biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjiang Fan
- Department of Computer Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jie Sun
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Henry Thorpe
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Stephen Lee
- Department of Computer Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Soyeon Kim
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hyun Jung Park
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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29
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Zhou Y, Gao W, Xu Y, Wang J, Wang X, Shan L, Du L, Sun Q, Li H, Liu F. Implications of different cell death patterns for prognosis and immunity in lung adenocarcinoma. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023; 7:121. [PMID: 37968457 PMCID: PMC10651893 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-023-00456-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has become a focus of attention due to its low response to treatment, poor prognosis, and lack of reliable indicators to predict the progression or therapeutic effect of LUAD. Different cell death patterns play a crucial role in tumor development and are promising for predicting LUAD prognosis. From the TCGA and GEO databases, we obtained bulk transcriptomes, single-cell transcriptomes, and clinical information. Genes in 15 types of cell death were analyzed for cell death index (CDI) signature establishment. The CDI signature using necroptosis + immunologic cell death-related genes was established in the TCGA cohort with the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year AUC values were 0.772, 0.736, 0.723, 0.795, and 0.743, respectively. The prognosis was significantly better in the low CDI group than in the high CDI group. We also investigated the relationship between the CDI signature and clinical variables, published prognosis biomarkers, immune cell infiltration, functional enrichment pathways, and immunity biomarkers. In vitro assay showed that HNRNPF and FGF2 promoted lung cancer cell proliferation and migration and were also involved in cell death. Therefore, as a robust prognosis biomarker, CDI signatures can screen for patients who might benefit from immunotherapy and improve diagnostic accuracy and LUAD patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Weitong Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Xu
- College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, 150030, Harbin, China
| | - Jiale Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, China
| | - Liying Shan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Lijuan Du
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Qingyu Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150081, Harbin, China.
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30
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El Marrahi A, Lipreri F, Kang Z, Gsell L, Eroglu A, Alber D, Hausser J. NIPMAP: niche-phenotype mapping of multiplex histology data by community ecology. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7182. [PMID: 37935691 PMCID: PMC10630431 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42878-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: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in multiplex histology allow surveying millions of cells, dozens of cell types, and up to thousands of phenotypes within the spatial context of tissue sections. This leads to a combinatorial challenge in (a) summarizing the cellular and phenotypic architecture of tissues and (b) identifying phenotypes with interesting spatial architecture. To address this, we combine ideas from community ecology and machine learning into niche-phenotype mapping (NIPMAP). NIPMAP takes advantage of geometric constraints on local cellular composition imposed by the niche structure of tissues in order to automatically segment tissue sections into niches and their interfaces. Projecting phenotypes on niches and their interfaces identifies previously-reported and previously-unreported spatially-driven phenotypes, concisely summarizes the phenotypic architecture of tissues, and reveals fundamental properties of tissue architecture. NIPMAP is applicable to both protein and RNA multiplex histology of healthy and diseased tissue. An open-source R/Python package implements NIPMAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa El Marrahi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Fabio Lipreri
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Ziqi Kang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Louise Gsell
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Alper Eroglu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden
| | - David Alber
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden
| | - Jean Hausser
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden.
- SciLifeLab; Solna, Stockholm, 171 65, Sweden.
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31
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Di Carlo SE, Raffenne J, Varet H, Ode A, Granados DC, Stein M, Legendre R, Tuckermann J, Bousquet C, Peduto L. Depletion of slow-cycling PDGFRα +ADAM12 + mesenchymal cells promotes antitumor immunity by restricting macrophage efferocytosis. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:1867-1878. [PMID: 37798557 PMCID: PMC10602852 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01642-7] [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: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The capacity to survive and thrive in conditions of limited resources and high inflammation is a major driver of tumor malignancy. Here we identified slow-cycling ADAM12+PDGFRα+ mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) induced at the tumor margins in mouse models of melanoma, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. Using inducible lineage tracing and transcriptomics, we demonstrated that metabolically altered ADAM12+ MSCs induced pathological angiogenesis and immunosuppression by promoting macrophage efferocytosis and polarization through overexpression of genes such as Gas6, Lgals3 and Csf1. Genetic depletion of ADAM12+ cells restored a functional tumor vasculature, reduced hypoxia and acidosis and normalized CAFs, inducing infiltration of effector T cells and growth inhibition of melanomas and pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, in a process dependent on TGF-β. In human cancer, ADAM12 stratifies patients with high levels of hypoxia and innate resistance mechanisms, as well as factors associated with a poor prognosis and drug resistance such as AXL. Altogether, our data show that depletion of tumor-induced slow-cycling PDGFRα+ MSCs through ADAM12 restores antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene E Di Carlo
- Stroma, Inflammation & Tissue Repair Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1224, Paris, France
| | - Jerome Raffenne
- INSERM U1037, Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), Toulouse, France
| | - Hugo Varet
- Transcriptome and Epigenome Platform-Biomics Pole, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Anais Ode
- Stroma, Inflammation & Tissue Repair Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1224, Paris, France
| | - David Cabrerizo Granados
- Stroma, Inflammation & Tissue Repair Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1224, Paris, France
- Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Merle Stein
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rachel Legendre
- Transcriptome and Epigenome Platform-Biomics Pole, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jan Tuckermann
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Corinne Bousquet
- INSERM U1037, Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), Toulouse, France
| | - Lucie Peduto
- Stroma, Inflammation & Tissue Repair Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1224, Paris, France.
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32
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Li J, Zhu Z, Zhu Y, Li J, Li K, Zhong W. METTL3-mediated m6A methylation of C1qA regulates the Rituximab resistance of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:405. [PMID: 37907575 PMCID: PMC10618261 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01698-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rituximab has been incorporated into the standard treatment regimen for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and induces the death of tumor cells via complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Unfortunately, the resistance of DLBCL cells to Rituximab limits its clinical usefulness. It remains unclear whether the complement system is related to Rituximab resistance in DLBCL. A Rituximab-resistant DLBCL cell line (Farage/R) was generated under the stress of Rituximab. Constituent proteins of the complement system in wild-type Farage cells (Farage/S) and Farage/R cells were analyzed by qPCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence. In vitro and in vivo knockdown and overexpression studies confirmed that the complement 1Q subcomponent A chain (C1qA) was a regulator of Rituximab resistance. Finally, the mechanism by which C1qA is regulated by m6A methylation was explored. The reader and writer were identified by pull-down studies and RIP-qPCR. Activity of the complement system in Farage/R cells was suppressed. C1qA expression was reduced in Farage/R cells due to post-transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo results showed that C1qA knockdown in Farage/S cells decreased their sensitivity to Rituximab, and C1qA overexpression in Farage/R cells attenuated the Rituximab resistance of those cells. Moreover, METTL3 and YTHDF2 were proven to be the reader and writer for m6A methylation of C1qA, respectively. Knockdown of METTL3 or YTHDF2 in Farage/R cells up-regulated C1qA expression and reduced their resistance to Rituximab. In summary, the aberrant downregulation of C1qA was related to Rituximab resistance in DLBCL cells, and C1qA was found to be regulated by METTL3- and YTHDF2-mediated m6A methylation. Enhancing the response of the complement system via regulation of C1qA might be an effective strategy for inhibiting Rituximab resistance in DLBCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junping Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Hematology & Oncology Ward, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, 510180, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhigang Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics, Hematology & Oncology Ward, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, 510180, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics, Hematology & Oncology Ward, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, 510180, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinqing Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Hematology & Oncology Ward, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, 510180, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Kangbao Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Gastroenterology Ward, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, 510180, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Weijie Zhong
- Department of Geriatrics, Hematology & Oncology Ward, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, 510180, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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33
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Robinson TP, Hamidi T, Counts B, Guttridge DC, Ostrowski MC, Zimmers TA, Koniaris LG. The impact of inflammation and acute phase activation in cancer cachexia. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1207746. [PMID: 38022578 PMCID: PMC10644737 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1207746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of cachexia in the setting of cancer or other chronic diseases is a significant detriment for patients. Cachexia is associated with a decreased ability to tolerate therapies, reduction in ambulation, reduced quality of life, and increased mortality. Cachexia appears intricately linked to the activation of the acute phase response and is a drain on metabolic resources. Work has begun to focus on the important inflammatory factors associated with the acute phase response and their role in the immune activation of cachexia. Furthermore, data supporting the liver, lung, skeletal muscle, and tumor as all playing a role in activation of the acute phase are emerging. Although the acute phase is increasingly being recognized as being involved in cachexia, work in understanding underlying mechanisms of cachexia associated with the acute phase response remains an active area of investigation and still lack a holistic understanding and a clear causal link. Studies to date are largely correlative in nature, nonetheless suggesting the possibility for a role for various acute phase reactants. Herein, we examine the current literature regarding the acute phase response proteins, the evidence these proteins play in the promotion and exacerbation of cachexia, and current evidence of a therapeutic potential for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler P. Robinson
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Tewfik Hamidi
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Brittany Counts
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Denis C. Guttridge
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Michael C. Ostrowski
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Teresa A. Zimmers
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Leonidas G. Koniaris
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, United States
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34
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Du H, Si G, Si J, Song X, Si F. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed malignant ductal cell heterogeneity and prognosis signatures in pancreatic cancer. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2023; 47:102200. [PMID: 37643692 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2023.102200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PAC) remains one of the most lethal malignant neoplasms, which is diagnosed at an advanced stage and thus lose the chance for curative resection. Here, we further probed PAC with a comprehensive multi-omics approach. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we provided an integrated analysis of ductal cell subpopulations over the Leiden algorithm to identify two mian subcluster: S100A6 + cells and FXYD2 + cells. The gene set enrichment analysis results show that the two subtypes focused on different pathways related to tumor development. Furthermore, we integrated bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing datasets to generate and validate the prognostic signatures of the overall survival (OS) in PAC patients and S100A6 + cells were significantly enriched in high-risk groups which had a poor prognosis. Collectively, this research expands our understanding of ductal cell and provides a new reliable prognosis signature in PAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Du
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhong Jing) school, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key Laboratory of TCM Syndrome and Prescription Signaling, Henan International Joint Laboratory of TCM Syndrome and Prescription Signaling, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Gao Si
- Department of Orthopedic, The Third Hospital of Peking University, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jiqing Si
- Henan Hospital of TCM, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xuejie Song
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhong Jing) school, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key Laboratory of TCM Syndrome and Prescription Signaling, Henan International Joint Laboratory of TCM Syndrome and Prescription Signaling, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Fuchun Si
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhong Jing) school, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key Laboratory of TCM Syndrome and Prescription Signaling, Henan International Joint Laboratory of TCM Syndrome and Prescription Signaling, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
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35
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Cogliati B, Yashaswini CN, Wang S, Sia D, Friedman SL. Friend or foe? The elusive role of hepatic stellate cells in liver cancer. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:647-661. [PMID: 37550577 PMCID: PMC10671228 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-023-00821-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a substantial risk factor for the development and progression of liver cancer, which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Studies utilizing cell fate mapping and single-cell transcriptomics techniques have identified quiescent perisinusoidal hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) as the primary source of activated collagen-producing HSCs and liver cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in HCC and liver metastasis, complemented in iCCA by contributions from portal fibroblasts. At the same time, integrative computational analysis of single-cell, single-nucleus and spatial RNA sequencing data have revealed marked heterogeneity among HSCs and CAFs, with distinct subpopulations displaying unique gene expression signatures and functions. Some of these subpopulations have divergent roles in promoting or inhibiting liver fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. In this Review, we discuss the dual roles of HSC subpopulations in liver fibrogenesis and their contribution to liver cancer promotion, progression and metastasis. We review the transcriptomic and functional similarities between HSC and CAF subpopulations, highlighting the pathways that either promote or prevent fibrosis and cancer, and the immunological landscape from which these pathways emerge. Insights from ongoing studies will yield novel strategies for developing biomarkers, assessing prognosis and generating new therapies for both HCC and iCCA prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Cogliati
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Shuang Wang
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniela Sia
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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36
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Anderson-Crannage M, Ascensión AM, Ibanez-Solé O, Zhu H, Schaefer E, Ottomanelli D, Hochberg B, Pan J, Luo W, Tian M, Chu Y, Cairo MS, Izeta A, Liao Y. Inflammation-mediated fibroblast activation and immune dysregulation in collagen VII-deficient skin. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1211505. [PMID: 37809094 PMCID: PMC10557493 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1211505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is known to play a critical role in all stages of tumorigenesis; however, less is known about how it predisposes the tissue microenvironment preceding tumor formation. Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a skin-blistering disease secondary to COL7A1 mutations and associated with chronic wounding, inflammation, fibrosis, and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), models this dynamic. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) to analyze gene expression patterns in skin cells from a mouse model of RDEB. We uncovered a complex landscape within the RDEB dermal microenvironment that exhibited altered metabolism, enhanced angiogenesis, hyperproliferative keratinocytes, infiltration and activation of immune cell populations, and inflammatory fibroblast priming. We demonstrated the presence of activated neutrophil and Langerhans cell subpopulations and elevated expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in T cells and antigen-presenting cells, respectively. Unsupervised clustering within the fibroblast population further revealed two differentiation pathways in RDEB fibroblasts, one toward myofibroblasts and the other toward a phenotype that shares the characteristics of inflammatory fibroblast subsets in other inflammatory diseases as well as the IL-1-induced inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAFs) reported in various cancer types. Quantitation of inflammatory cytokines indicated dynamic waves of IL-1α, TGF-β1, TNF, IL-6, and IFN-γ concentrations, along with dermal NF-κB activation preceding JAK/STAT signaling. We further demonstrated the divergent and overlapping roles of these cytokines in inducing inflammatory phenotypes in RDEB patients as well as RDEB mouse-derived fibroblasts together with their healthy controls. In summary, our data have suggested a potential role of inflammation, driven by the chronic release of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, in creating an immune-suppressed dermal microenvironment that underlies RDEB disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Anderson-Crannage
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Alex M. Ascensión
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Tissue Engineering Group, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Olga Ibanez-Solé
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Tissue Engineering Group, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Hongwen Zhu
- Department of Research & Development, Guizhou Atlasus Technology Co., Ltd., Guiyang, China
| | - Edo Schaefer
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Darcy Ottomanelli
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Bruno Hochberg
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Jian Pan
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Wen Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Meijuan Tian
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Yaya Chu
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Mitchell S. Cairo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Ander Izeta
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Tissue Engineering Group, San Sebastian, Spain
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Science, School of Engineering, Tecnun University of Navarra, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Yanling Liao
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
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37
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Vail ME, Farnsworth RH, Hii L, Allen S, Arora S, Anderson RL, Dickins RA, Orimo A, Wu SZ, Swarbrick A, Scott AM, Janes PW. Inhibition of EphA3 Expression in Tumour Stromal Cells Suppresses Tumour Growth and Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4646. [PMID: 37760615 PMCID: PMC10527215 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumour progression relies on interactions with untransformed cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME), including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which promote blood supply, tumour progression, and immune evasion. Eph receptor tyrosine kinases are cell guidance receptors that are most active during development but re-emerge in cancer and are recognised drug targets. EphA3 is overexpressed in a wide range of tumour types, and we previously found expression particularly in stromal and vascular tissues of the TME. To investigate its role in the TME, we generated transgenic mice with inducible shRNA-mediated knockdown of EphA3 expression. EphA3 knockdown was confirmed in aortic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which displayed reduced angiogenic capacity. In mice with syngeneic lung tumours, EphA3 knockdown reduced vasculature and CAF/MSC-like cells in tumours, and inhibited tumour growth, which was confirmed also in a melanoma model. Single cell RNA sequencing analysis of multiple human tumour types confirmed EphA3 expression in CAFs, including in breast cancer, where EphA3 was particularly prominent in perivascular- and myofibroblast-like CAFs. Our results thus indicate expression of the cell guidance receptor EphA3 in distinct CAF subpopulations is important in supporting tumour angiogenesis and tumour growth, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Vail
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Rae H. Farnsworth
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Linda Hii
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Stacey Allen
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Sakshi Arora
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Robin L. Anderson
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Ross A. Dickins
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Akira Orimo
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Sunny Z. Wu
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research and School of Clinical Medicine, University of NSW, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Alexander Swarbrick
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research and School of Clinical Medicine, University of NSW, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andrew M. Scott
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Peter W. Janes
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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38
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Taves MD, Otsuka S, Taylor MA, Donahue KM, Meyer TJ, Cam MC, Ashwell JD. Tumors produce glucocorticoids by metabolite recycling, not synthesis, and activate Tregs to promote growth. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e164599. [PMID: 37471141 PMCID: PMC10503810 DOI: 10.1172/jci164599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones with potent immunosuppressive properties. Their primary source is the adrenals, where they are generated via de novo synthesis from cholesterol. In addition, many tissues have a recycling pathway in which glucocorticoids are regenerated from inactive metabolites by the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1, encoded by Hsd11b1). Here, we find that multiple tumor types express Hsd11b1 and produce active glucocorticoids. Genetic ablation of Hsd11b1 in such cells had no effect on in vitro growth, but reduced in vivo tumor progression, which corresponded with increased frequencies of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expressing activation markers and producing effector cytokines. Tumor-derived glucocorticoids were found to promote signatures of Treg activation and suppress signatures of conventional T cell activation in tumor-infiltrating Tregs. Indeed, CD8+ T cell activation was restored and tumor growth reduced in mice with Treg-specific glucocorticoid receptor deficiency. Importantly, pharmacologic inhibition of 11β-HSD1 reduced tumor growth to the same degree as gene knockout and rendered immunotherapy-resistant tumors susceptible to PD-1 blockade. Given that HSD11B1 expression is upregulated in many human tumors and that inhibition of 11β-HSD1 is well tolerated in clinical studies, these data suggest that targeting 11β-HSD1 may be a beneficial adjunct in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Thomas J. Meyer
- CCR Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Margaret C. Cam
- CCR Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Schütz S, Solé-Boldo L, Lucena-Porcel C, Hoffmann J, Brobeil A, Lonsdorf AS, Rodríguez-Paredes M, Lyko F. Functionally distinct cancer-associated fibroblast subpopulations establish a tumor promoting environment in squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5413. [PMID: 37669956 PMCID: PMC10480447 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41141-9] [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: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a serious public health problem due to its high incidence and metastatic potential. It may progress from actinic keratosis (AK), a precancerous lesion, or the in situ carcinoma, Bowen's disease (BD). During this progression, malignant keratinocytes activate dermal fibroblasts into tumor promoting cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), whose origin and emergence remain largely unknown. Here, we generate and analyze >115,000 single-cell transcriptomes from healthy skin, BD and cSCC of male donors. Our results reveal immunoregulatory and matrix-remodeling CAF subtypes that may derive from pro-inflammatory and mesenchymal fibroblasts, respectively. These CAF subtypes are largely absent in AK and interact with different cell types to establish a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. These findings are cSCC-specific and could not be recapitulated in basal cell carcinomas. Our study provides important insights into the potential origin and functionalities of dermal CAFs that will be highly beneficial for the specific targeting of the cSCC microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Schütz
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Llorenç Solé-Boldo
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carlota Lucena-Porcel
- Institute of Pathology, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen Hoffmann
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Brobeil
- Institute of Pathology, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anke S Lonsdorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuel Rodríguez-Paredes
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Frank Lyko
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Wang L, Zheng Y, Sun Y, Mao S, Li H, Bo X, Li C, Chen H. TimeTalk uses single-cell RNA-seq datasets to decipher cell-cell communication during early embryo development. Commun Biol 2023; 6:901. [PMID: 37660148 PMCID: PMC10475079 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05283-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Early embryonic development is a dynamic process that relies on proper cell-cell communication to form a correctly patterned embryo. Early embryo development-related ligand-receptor pairs (eLRs) have been shown to guide cell fate decisions and morphogenesis. However, the scope of eLRs and their influence on early embryo development remain elusive. Here, we developed a computational framework named TimeTalk from integrated public time-course mouse scRNA-seq datasets to decipher the secret of eLRs. Extensive validations and analyses were performed to ensure the involvement of identified eLRs in early embryo development. Process analysis identified that eLRs could be divided into six temporal windows corresponding to sequential events in the early embryo development process. With the interpolation strategy, TimeTalk is powerful in revealing paracrine settings and studying cell-cell communication during early embryo development. Furthermore, by using TimeTalk in the blastocyst and blastoid models, we found that the blastoid models share the core communication pathways with the epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages in the blastocysts. This result suggests that TimeTalk has transferability to other bio-dynamic processes. We also curated eLRs recognized by TimeTalk, which may provide valuable clues for understanding early embryo development and relevant disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longteng Wang
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Statistical Science, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yang Zheng
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Shulin Mao
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Statistical Science, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Yuanpei College, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hao Li
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xiaochen Bo
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Statistical Science, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Statistical Science, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Hebing Chen
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
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Corujo D, Buschbeck M. Epigenetic control of cancer inflammation. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1245-1246. [PMID: 37605007 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01183-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David Corujo
- Cancer and Leukaemia Epigenetics and Biology Program, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Marcus Buschbeck
- Cancer and Leukaemia Epigenetics and Biology Program, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain.
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Filipescu D, Carcamo S, Agarwal A, Tung N, Humblin É, Goldberg MS, Vyas NS, Beaumont KG, Demircioglu D, Sridhar S, Ghiraldini FG, Capparelli C, Aplin AE, Salmon H, Sebra R, Kamphorst AO, Merad M, Hasson D, Bernstein E. MacroH2A restricts inflammatory gene expression in melanoma cancer-associated fibroblasts by coordinating chromatin looping. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1332-1345. [PMID: 37605008 PMCID: PMC10495263 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01208-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
MacroH2A has established tumour suppressive functions in melanoma and other cancers, but an unappreciated role in the tumour microenvironment. Using an autochthonous, immunocompetent mouse model of melanoma, we demonstrate that mice devoid of macroH2A variants exhibit increased tumour burden compared with wild-type counterparts. MacroH2A-deficient tumours accumulate immunosuppressive monocytes and are depleted of functional cytotoxic T cells, characteristics consistent with a compromised anti-tumour response. Single cell and spatial transcriptomics identify increased dedifferentiation along the neural crest lineage of the tumour compartment and increased frequency and activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts following macroH2A loss. Mechanistically, macroH2A-deficient cancer-associated fibroblasts display increased myeloid chemoattractant activity as a consequence of hyperinducible expression of inflammatory genes, which is enforced by increased chromatin looping of their promoters to enhancers that gain H3K27ac. In summary, we reveal a tumour suppressive role for macroH2A variants through the regulation of chromatin architecture in the tumour stroma with potential implications for human melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Filipescu
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Saul Carcamo
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Bioinformatics for Next Generation Sequencing Facility, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aman Agarwal
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Bioinformatics for Next Generation Sequencing Facility, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Navpreet Tung
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Étienne Humblin
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew S Goldberg
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nikki S Vyas
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristin G Beaumont
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deniz Demircioglu
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Bioinformatics for Next Generation Sequencing Facility, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Subhasree Sridhar
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Flavia G Ghiraldini
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claudia Capparelli
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hélène Salmon
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Institut Curie, INSERM, U932, and PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Robert Sebra
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alice O Kamphorst
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miriam Merad
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dan Hasson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Bioinformatics for Next Generation Sequencing Facility, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emily Bernstein
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Arumi-Planas M, Rodriguez-Baena FJ, Cabello-Torres F, Gracia F, Lopez-Blau C, Nieto MA, Sanchez-Laorden B. Microenvironmental Snail1-induced immunosuppression promotes melanoma growth. Oncogene 2023; 42:2659-2672. [PMID: 37516803 PMCID: PMC10473961 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02793-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer due to its high metastatic abilities and resistance to therapies. Melanoma cells reside in a heterogeneous tumour microenvironment that acts as a crucial regulator of its progression. Snail1 is an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition transcription factor expressed during development and reactivated in pathological situations including fibrosis and cancer. In this work, we show that Snail1 is activated in the melanoma microenvironment, particularly in fibroblasts. Analysis of mouse models that allow stromal Snail1 depletion and therapeutic Snail1 blockade indicate that targeting Snail1 in the tumour microenvironment decreases melanoma growth and lung metastatic burden, extending mice survival. Transcriptomic analysis of melanoma-associated fibroblasts and analysis of the tumours indicate that stromal Snail1 induces melanoma growth by promoting an immunosuppressive microenvironment and a decrease in anti-tumour immunity. This study unveils a novel role of Snail1 in melanoma biology and supports its potential as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Francisco Gracia
- Instituto de Neurociencias (CSIC-UMH), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | | | - M Angela Nieto
- Instituto de Neurociencias (CSIC-UMH), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
- CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
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Slama Y, Ah-Pine F, Khettab M, Arcambal A, Begue M, Dutheil F, Gasque P. The Dual Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Pathophysiology: Pro-Tumorigenic Effects versus Therapeutic Potential. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13511. [PMID: 37686315 PMCID: PMC10488262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713511] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells involved in numerous physiological events, including organogenesis, the maintenance of tissue homeostasis, regeneration, or tissue repair. MSCs are increasingly recognized as playing a major, dual, and complex role in cancer pathophysiology through their ability to limit or promote tumor progression. Indeed, these cells are known to interact with the tumor microenvironment, modulate the behavior of tumor cells, influence their functions, and promote distant metastasis formation through the secretion of mediators, the regulation of cell-cell interactions, and the modulation of the immune response. This dynamic network can lead to the establishment of immunoprivileged tissue niches or the formation of new tumors through the proliferation/differentiation of MSCs into cancer-associated fibroblasts as well as cancer stem cells. However, MSCs exhibit also therapeutic effects including anti-tumor, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, or anti-oxidative effects. The therapeutic interest in MSCs is currently growing, mainly due to their ability to selectively migrate and penetrate tumor sites, which would make them relevant as vectors for advanced therapies. Therefore, this review aims to provide an overview of the double-edged sword implications of MSCs in tumor processes. The therapeutic potential of MSCs will be reviewed in melanoma and lung cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssef Slama
- Unité de Recherche Études Pharmaco-Immunologiques (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU de La Réunion, Allée des Topazes, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (F.A.-P.); (M.K.); (P.G.)
- Service de Radiothérapie, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, Groupe Clinifutur, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (M.B.); (F.D.)
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Santé (LIRS), RunResearch, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France;
| | - Franck Ah-Pine
- Unité de Recherche Études Pharmaco-Immunologiques (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU de La Réunion, Allée des Topazes, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (F.A.-P.); (M.K.); (P.G.)
- Service d’Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, CHU de La Réunion sites SUD—Saint-Pierre, Avenue François Mitterrand, 97448 Saint-Pierre Cedex, La Réunion, France
| | - Mohamed Khettab
- Unité de Recherche Études Pharmaco-Immunologiques (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU de La Réunion, Allée des Topazes, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (F.A.-P.); (M.K.); (P.G.)
- Service d’Oncologie Médicale, CHU de La Réunion sites SUD—Saint-Pierre, Avenue François Mitterrand, 97448 Saint-Pierre Cedex, La Réunion, France
| | - Angelique Arcambal
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Santé (LIRS), RunResearch, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France;
| | - Mickael Begue
- Service de Radiothérapie, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, Groupe Clinifutur, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (M.B.); (F.D.)
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Santé (LIRS), RunResearch, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France;
| | - Fabien Dutheil
- Service de Radiothérapie, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, Groupe Clinifutur, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (M.B.); (F.D.)
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Santé (LIRS), RunResearch, Clinique Sainte-Clotilde, 127 Route de Bois de Nèfles, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France;
| | - Philippe Gasque
- Unité de Recherche Études Pharmaco-Immunologiques (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU de La Réunion, Allée des Topazes, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; (F.A.-P.); (M.K.); (P.G.)
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Sun R, Zhao H, Gao DS, Ni A, Li H, Chen L, Lu X, Chen K, Lu B. Amphiregulin couples IL1RL1 + regulatory T cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts to impede antitumor immunity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd7399. [PMID: 37611111 PMCID: PMC10446484 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add7399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) jointly promote tumor immune tolerance and tumorigenesis. The molecular apparatus that drives Treg cell and CAF coordination in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains elusive. Interleukin 33 (IL-33) has been shown to enhance fibrosis and IL1RL1+ Treg cell accumulation during tumorigenesis and tissue repair. We demonstrated that IL1RL1 signaling in Treg cells greatly dampened the antitumor activity of both IL-33 and PD-1 blockade. Whole tumor single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis and blockade experiments revealed that the amphiregulin (AREG)-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) axis mediated cross-talk between IL1RL1+ Treg cells and CAFs. We further demonstrated that the AREG/EGFR axis enables Treg cells to promote a profibrotic and immunosuppressive functional state of CAFs. Moreover, AREG mAbs and IL-33 concertedly inhibited tumor growth. Our study reveals a previously unidentified AREG/EGFR-mediated Treg/CAF coupling that controls the bifurcation of fibroblast functional states and is a critical barrier for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runzi Sun
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - David Shihong Gao
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Andrew Ni
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Haochen Li
- Department of Biomedical informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lujia Chen
- Department of Biomedical informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xinghua Lu
- Department of Biomedical informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kong Chen
- Department of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Binfeng Lu
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, USA
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Kim H, Wisniewska K, Regner MJ, Thennavan A, Spanheimer PM, Franco HL. Single-Cell Transcriptional and Epigenetic Profiles of Male Breast Cancer Nominate Salient Cancer-Specific Enhancers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13053. [PMID: 37685859 PMCID: PMC10487538 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713053] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Male breast cancer represents about 1% of all breast cancer diagnoses and, although there are some similarities between male and female breast cancer, the paucity of data available on male breast cancer makes it difficult to establish targeted therapies. To date, most male breast cancers (MBCs) are treated according to protocols established for female breast cancer (FBC). Thus, defining the transcriptional and epigenetic landscape of MBC with improved resolution is critical for developing better avenues for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we present matched transcriptional (scRNA-seq) and epigenetic (scATAC-seq) profiles at single-cell resolution of two treatment naïve MBC tumors processed immediately after surgical resection. These data enable the detection of differentially expressed genes between male and female breast tumors across immune, stromal, and malignant cell types, to highlight several genes that may have therapeutic implications. Notably, MYC target genes and mTORC1 signaling genes were significantly upregulated in the malignant cells of MBC compared to the female counterparts. To understand how the regulatory landscape of MBC gives rise to these male-specific gene expression patterns, we leveraged the scATAC-seq data to systematically link changes in chromatin accessibility to changes in gene expression within each cell type. We observed cancer-specific rewiring of several salient enhancers and posit that these enhancers have a higher regulatory load than lineage-specific enhancers. We highlight two examples of previously unannotated cancer-cell-specific enhancers of ANXA2 and PRDX4 gene expression and show evidence for super-enhancer regulation of LAMB3 and CD47 in male breast cancer cells. Overall, this dataset annotates clinically relevant regulatory networks in male breast tumors, providing a useful resource that expands our current understanding of the gene expression programs that underlie the biology of MBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsoo Kim
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kamila Wisniewska
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Matthew J. Regner
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Aatish Thennavan
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Oral and Craniofacial Biomedicine Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Philip M. Spanheimer
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hector L. Franco
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Su MC, Nethi SK, Dhanyamraju PK, Prabha S. Nanomedicine Strategies for Targeting Tumor Stroma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4145. [PMID: 37627173 PMCID: PMC10452920 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164145] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor stroma, or the microenvironment surrounding solid tumors, can significantly impact the effectiveness of cancer therapies. The tumor microenvironment is characterized by high interstitial pressure, a consequence of leaky vasculature, and dense stroma created by excessive deposition of various macromolecules such as collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid (HA). In addition, non-cancerous cells such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) itself can promote tumor growth. In recent years, there has been increased interest in combining standard cancer treatments with stromal-targeting strategies or stromal modulators to improve therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, the use of nanomedicine, which can improve the delivery and retention of drugs in the tumor, has been proposed to target the stroma. This review focuses on how different stromal components contribute to tumor progression and impede chemotherapeutic delivery. Additionally, this review highlights recent advancements in nanomedicine-based stromal modulation and discusses potential future directions for developing more effective stroma-targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Chi Su
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Susheel Kumar Nethi
- Nanovaccine Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA;
| | - Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju
- Fels Cancer Institute of Personalized Medicine, Lewis-Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA;
| | - Swayam Prabha
- Fels Cancer Institute of Personalized Medicine, Lewis-Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA;
- Department of Cancer and Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
- Cancer Signaling and Microenvironment Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
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Wang R, Song S, Qin J, Yoshimura K, Peng F, Chu Y, Li Y, Fan Y, Jin J, Dang M, Dai E, Pei G, Han G, Hao D, Li Y, Chatterjee D, Harada K, Pizzi MP, Scott AW, Tatlonghari G, Yan X, Xu Z, Hu C, Mo S, Shanbhag N, Lu Y, Sewastjanow-Silva M, Fouad Abdelhakeem AA, Peng G, Hanash SM, Calin GA, Yee C, Mazur P, Marsden AN, Futreal A, Wang Z, Cheng X, Ajani JA, Wang L. Evolution of immune and stromal cell states and ecotypes during gastric adenocarcinoma progression. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:1407-1426.e9. [PMID: 37419119 PMCID: PMC10528152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding tumor microenvironment (TME) reprogramming in gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) progression may uncover novel therapeutic targets. Here, we performed single-cell profiling of precancerous lesions, localized and metastatic GACs, identifying alterations in TME cell states and compositions as GAC progresses. Abundant IgA+ plasma cells exist in the premalignant microenvironment, whereas immunosuppressive myeloid and stromal subsets dominate late-stage GACs. We identified six TME ecotypes (EC1-6). EC1 is exclusive to blood, while EC4, EC5, and EC2 are highly enriched in uninvolved tissues, premalignant lesions, and metastases, respectively. EC3 and EC6, two distinct ecotypes in primary GACs, associate with histopathological and genomic characteristics, and survival outcomes. Extensive stromal remodeling occurs in GAC progression. High SDC2 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is linked to aggressive phenotypes and poor survival, and SDC2 overexpression in CAFs contributes to tumor growth. Our study provides a high-resolution GAC TME atlas and underscores potential targets for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiping Wang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shumei Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jiangjiang Qin
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China; Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Katsuhiro Yoshimura
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fuduan Peng
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yanshuo Chu
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Yibo Fan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jiankang Jin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Minghao Dang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Enyu Dai
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Guangsheng Pei
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Guangchun Han
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dapeng Hao
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yating Li
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Deyali Chatterjee
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kazuto Harada
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Melissa Pool Pizzi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ailing W Scott
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ghia Tatlonghari
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xinmiao Yan
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Can Hu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Shaowei Mo
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Namita Shanbhag
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yang Lu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Matheus Sewastjanow-Silva
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ahmed Adel Fouad Abdelhakeem
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Guang Peng
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Samir M Hanash
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - George A Calin
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cassian Yee
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pawel Mazur
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Autumn N Marsden
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andrew Futreal
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhenning Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Xiangdong Cheng
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China; Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Jaffer A Ajani
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Linghua Wang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Nasiraee MR, Shahrivari S, Sayad S, Mahdavi H, Saraygord‐Afshari N, Bagheri Z. An agarose-alginate microfluidic device for the study of spheroid invasion, ATRA inhibits CAFs-mediated matrix remodeling. Cytotechnology 2023; 75:309-323. [PMID: 37389131 PMCID: PMC10299977 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-023-00578-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence demonstrates that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are responsible for tumor genesis, growth, metastasis, and treatment response. Therefore, targeting these cells may contribute to tumor control. It has been proposed that targeting key molecules and pathways of proliferative functions can be more effective than killing CAFs. In this regard, multicellular aggregates, like spheroids, can be used as human tumor models. Spheroids closely resemble human tumors and mimic many of their features. Microfluidic systems are ideal for cultivation and study of spheroids. These systems can be designed with different biological and synthetic matrices in order to have a more realistic simulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we investigated the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on 3D spheroid invasion of MDA-MB cells exposed to hydrogel matrix derived from CAFs. The number of invasive cells significantly decreased in CAF-ECM hydrogel treated with ATRA (p < 0.05), which indicates that ATRA could be effective for CAFs normalization. This experiment was done using an agarose-alginate microfluidic chip. As compared with common methods, such hydrogel casting is an easier method for chip fabrication and can even reduce costs. Graphical abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10616-023-00578-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Nasiraee
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Shabnam Shahrivari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Soheila Sayad
- Department of Surgery, Firoozgar Clinical Research Development Center (FCRDC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hoda Mahdavi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Neda Saraygord‐Afshari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Zeinab Bagheri
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University G.C, Tehran, 19839-69411 Iran
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50
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O’Connor RA, Martinez BR, Koppensteiner L, Mathieson L, Akram AR. Cancer-associated fibroblasts drive CXCL13 production in activated T cells via TGF-beta. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1221532. [PMID: 37520560 PMCID: PMC10373066 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1221532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tumour-reactive T cells producing the B-cell attractant chemokine CXCL13, in solid tumours, promote development of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) and are associated with improved prognosis and responsiveness to checkpoint immunotherapy. Cancer associated fibroblasts are the dominant stromal cell type in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) where they co-localise with T cells and can influence T cell activation and exhaustion. We questioned whether CAF directly promote CXCL13-production during T cell activation. Methods We characterised surface markers, cytokine production and transcription factor expression in CXCL13-producing T cells in NSCLC tumours and paired non-cancerous lung samples using flow cytometry. We then assessed the influence of human NSCLC-derived primary CAF lines on T cells from healthy donors and NSCLC patients during activation in vitro measuring CXCL13 production and expression of cell-surface markers and transcription factors by flow cytometry. Results CAFs significantly increased the production of CXCL13 by both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CAF-induced CXCL13-producing cells lacked expression of CXCR5 and BCL6 and displayed a T peripheral helper cell phenotype. Furthermore, we demonstrate CXCL13 production by T cells is induced by TGF-β and limited by IL-2. CAF provide TGF-β during T cell activation and reduce availability of IL-2 both directly (by reducing the capacity for IL-2 production) and indirectly, by expanding a population of activated Treg. Inhibition of TGF-β signalling prevented both CAF-driven upregulation of CXCL13 and Treg expansion. Discussion Promoting CXCL13 production represents a newly described immune-regulatory function of CAF with the potential to shape the immune infiltrate of the tumour microenvironment both by altering the effector-function of tumour infiltrating T-cells and their capacity to attract B cells and promote TLS formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. O’Connor
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Begoña Roman Martinez
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lilian Koppensteiner
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Layla Mathieson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ahsan R. Akram
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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