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Yang M, Tang Y, Zhu P, Lu H, Wan X, Guo Q, Xiao L, Liu C, Guo L, Liu W, Yang Y. The advances of E2A-PBX1 fusion in B-cell acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Ann Hematol 2024; 103:3385-3398. [PMID: 38148344 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-023-05595-7] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
The E2A-PBX1 gene fusion is a common translocation in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Patients harbouring the E2A-PBX1 fusion gene typically exhibit an intermediate prognosis. Furthermore, minimal residual disease has unsatisfactory prognostic value in E2A-PBX1 B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. However, the mechanism of E2A-PBX1 in the occurrence and progression of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is not well understood. Here, we mainly review the roles of E2A and PBX1 in the differentiation and development of B lymphocytes, the mechanism of E2A-PBX1 gene fusion in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and the potential therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Yang
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanhui Tang
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Peng Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiquan Lu
- The Second Hospital, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Advanced Medical Research Institute, Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaohong Wan
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Qulian Guo
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyan Liu
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Ling Guo
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenjun Liu
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
| | - You Yang
- Department of Paediatrics (Children Haematological Oncology), Birth Defects and Childhood Haematological Oncology Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Centre for Birth Defects, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
- Department of Paediatrics, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
- The Second Hospital, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Advanced Medical Research Institute, Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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2
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Smith JT, Chai RC. Bone niches in the regulation of tumour cell dormancy. J Bone Oncol 2024; 47:100621. [PMID: 39157742 PMCID: PMC11326946 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbo.2024.100621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Secondary metastases, accounting for 90 % of cancer-related deaths, pose a formidable challenge in cancer treatment, with bone being a prevalent site. Importantly, tumours may relapse, often in the skeleton even after successful eradication of the primary tumour, indicating that tumour cells may lay dormant within bone for extended periods of time. This review summarises recent findings in the mechanisms underlying tumour cell dormancy and the role of bone cells in this process. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niches in bone provide a model for understanding regulatory microenvironments. Dormant tumour cells have been shown to exploit similar niches, with evidence suggesting interactions with osteoblast-lineage cells and other stromal cells via CXCL12-CXCR4, integrins, and TAM receptor signalling, especially through GAS6-AXL, led to dormancy, with exit of dormancy potentially regulated by osteoclastic bone resorption and neuronal signalling. A comprehensive understanding of dormant tumour cell niches and their regulatory mechanisms is essential for developing targeted therapies, a critical step towards eradicating metastatic tumours and stopping disease relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T. Smith
- Bone Biology Lab, Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Ryan C. Chai
- Bone Biology Lab, Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Australia
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3
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Liu M, Xing Y, Tan J, Chen X, Xue Y, Qu L, Ma J, Jin X. Comprehensive summary: the role of PBX1 in development and cancers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1442052. [PMID: 39129784 PMCID: PMC11310070 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1442052] [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: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
PBX1 is a transcription factor that can promote the occurrence of various tumors and play a reg-ulatory role in tumor growth, metastasis, invasion, and drug resistance. Furthermore, a variant generated by fusion of E2A and PBX1, E2A-PBX1, has been found in 25% of patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Thus, PBX1 is a potential therapeutic target for many cancers. Here, we describe the structure of PBX1 and E2A-PBX1 as well as the molecular mecha-nisms whereby these proteins promote tumorigenesis to provide future research directions for developing new treatments. We show that PBX1 and E2A-PBX1 induce the development of highly malignant and difficult-to-treat solid and blood tumors. The development of specific drugs against their targets may be a good therapeutic strategy for PBX1-related cancers. Furthermore, we strongly recommend E2A-PBX1 as one of the genes for prenatal screening to reduce the incidence of childhood hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingsheng Liu
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Yan Xing
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Jiufeng Tan
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoliang Chen
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Yaming Xue
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Licheng Qu
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Jianchao Ma
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
| | - Xuefei Jin
- 2nd Inpatient Area of Urology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
- Jinlin Provincial Key Laboratory of Urological Tumors, Changchun, China
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Tanim K, Holtzhausen A, Thapa A, Huelse JM, Graham DK, Earp HS. MERTK Inhibition as a Targeted Novel Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7660. [PMID: 39062902 PMCID: PMC11277220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this issue honoring the contributions of Greg Lemke, the Earp and Graham lab teams discuss several threads in the discovery, action, signaling, and translational/clinical potential of MERTK, originally called c-mer, a member of the TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK (TAM) family of receptor tyrosine kinases. The 30-year history of the TAM RTK family began slowly as all three members were orphan RTKs without known ligands and/or functions when discovered by three distinct alternate molecular cloning strategies in the pre-genome sequencing era. The pace of understanding their physiologic and pathophysiologic roles has accelerated over the last decade. The activation of ligands bridging externalized phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) has placed these RTKs in a myriad of processes including neurodevelopment, cancer, and autoimmunity. The field is ripe for further advancement and this article hopefully sets the stage for further understanding and therapeutic intervention. Our review will focus on progress made through the collaborations of the Earp and Graham labs over the past 30 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.M. Tanim
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alisha Holtzhausen
- Lineburger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Aashis Thapa
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Justus M. Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- Lineburger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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5
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Longjohn MN, Hudson JABJ, Peña-Castillo L, Cormier RPJ, Hannay B, Chacko S, Lewis SM, Moorehead PC, Christian SL. Extracellular vesicle small RNA cargo discriminates non-cancer donors from pediatric B-lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1272883. [PMID: 38023151 PMCID: PMC10679349 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1272883] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a disease of abnormally growing B lymphoblasts. Here we hypothesized that extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are nanosized particles released by all cells (including cancer cells), could be used to monitor B-ALL severity and progression by sampling plasma instead of bone marrow. EVs are especially attractive as they are present throughout the circulation regardless of the location of the originating cell. First, we used nanoparticle tracking analysis to compare EVs between non-cancer donor (NCD) and B-ALL blood plasma; we found that B-ALL plasma contains more EVs than NCD plasma. We then isolated EVs from NCD and pediatric B-ALL peripheral blood plasma using a synthetic peptide-based isolation technique (Vn96), which is clinically amenable and isolates a broad spectrum of EVs. RNA-seq analysis of small RNAs contained within the isolated EVs revealed a signature of differentially packaged and exclusively packaged RNAs that distinguish NCD from B-ALL. The plasma EVs contain a heterogenous mixture of miRNAs and fragments of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). Transcripts packaged in B-ALL EVs include those involved in negative cell cycle regulation, potentially suggesting that B-ALL cells may use EVs to discard gene sequences that control growth. In contrast, NCD EVs carry sequences representative of multiple organs, including brain, muscle, and epithelial cells. This signature could potentially be used to monitor B-ALL disease burden in pediatric B-ALL patients via blood draws instead of invasive bone marrow aspirates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Modeline N. Longjohn
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jo-Anna B. J. Hudson
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Lourdes Peña-Castillo
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
- Department of Computer Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | | | | | - Simi Chacko
- Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | - Stephen M. Lewis
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Moncton, NB, Canada
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | - Paul C. Moorehead
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Sherri L. Christian
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Li D, Xiao CS, Chen L, Wu Y, Jiang W, Jiang SL. SERPINE1 Gene Is a Reliable Molecular Marker for the Early Diagnosis of Aortic Dissection. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2022; 2022:5433868. [PMID: 35836829 PMCID: PMC9276487 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5433868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
With the acceleration of population aging, the detection rate of aortic dissection has increased. The incidence rate of aortic dissection has increased year by year and has become a serious threat to human health. However, the current clinical treatment of aortic dissection is mainly limited to surgery (including intracavity), but the complexity of the disease and the high risk of surgery seriously affect the overall treatment effect of the disease. Therefore, an in-depth study of the pathogenesis of aortic dissection and the development of early diagnosis methods is not only expected to control the development of aortic dissection but also to improve the existing clinical treatment effect. Based on the bioinformatics analysis of the related mRNA sequence data of aortic dissection in GEO database, the gene expression regulatory network of aortic dissection was constructed. Through the screening of key node genes, the key factors (molecular markers) that may affect the occurrence of aortic dissection were obtained, and their functions were tested in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HAoSMC). Finally, it was concluded that SERPINE1 gene is a reliable molecular marker for the early diagnosis of aortic dissection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Cang-Song Xiao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yang Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Sheng-Li Jiang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
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Two-Front War on Cancer-Targeting TAM Receptors in Solid Tumour Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102488. [PMID: 35626092 PMCID: PMC9140196 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In recent years, many studies have shown the importance of TAM kinases in both normal and neoplastic cells. In this review, we present and discuss the role of the TAM family (AXL, MERTK, TYRO3) of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) as a dual target in cancer, due to their intrinsic roles in tumour cell survival, migration, chemoresistance, and their immunosuppressive roles in the tumour microenvironment. This review presents the potential of TAMs as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer treatment, focusing on the distinct structures of TAM receptor tyrosine kinases. We analyse and compare different strategies of TAM inhibition, for a full perspective of current and future battlefields in the war with cancer. Abstract Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are transmembrane receptors that bind growth factors and cytokines and contain a regulated kinase activity within their cytoplasmic domain. RTKs play an important role in signal transduction in both normal and malignant cells, and their encoding genes belong to the most frequently affected genes in cancer cells. The TAM family proteins (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) are involved in diverse biological processes: immune regulation, clearance of apoptotic cells, platelet aggregation, cell proliferation, survival, and migration. Recent studies show that TAMs share overlapping functions in tumorigenesis and suppression of antitumour immunity. MERTK and AXL operate in innate immune cells to suppress inflammatory responses and promote an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment, while AXL expression correlates with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and motility in tumours. Therefore, TAM RTKs represent a dual target in cancer due to their intrinsic roles in tumour cell survival, migration, chemoresistance, and their immunosuppressive roles in the tumour microenvironment (TME). In this review, we discuss the potential of TAMs as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. We critically assess and compare current approaches to target TAM RTKs in solid tumours and the development of new inhibitors for both extra- and intracellular domains of TAM receptor kinases.
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Hughes AM, Kuek V, Kotecha RS, Cheung LC. The Bone Marrow Microenvironment in B-Cell Development and Malignancy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2089. [PMID: 35565219 PMCID: PMC9102980 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
B lymphopoiesis is characterized by progressive loss of multipotent potential in hematopoietic stem cells, followed by commitment to differentiate into B cells, which mediate the humoral response of the adaptive immune system. This process is tightly regulated by spatially distinct bone marrow niches where cells, including mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells, endothelial cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and adipocytes, interact with B-cell progenitors to direct their proliferation and differentiation. Recently, the B-cell niche has been implicated in initiating and facilitating B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemic cells are also capable of remodeling the B-cell niche to promote their growth and survival and evade treatment. Here, we discuss the major cellular components of bone marrow niches for B lymphopoiesis and the role of the malignant B-cell niche in disease development, treatment resistance and relapse. Further understanding of the crosstalk between leukemic cells and bone marrow niche cells will enable development of additional therapeutic strategies that target the niches in order to hinder leukemia progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia M. Hughes
- Leukaemia Translational Research Laboratory, Telethon Kids Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (A.M.H.); (V.K.); (R.S.K.)
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Vincent Kuek
- Leukaemia Translational Research Laboratory, Telethon Kids Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (A.M.H.); (V.K.); (R.S.K.)
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Rishi S. Kotecha
- Leukaemia Translational Research Laboratory, Telethon Kids Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (A.M.H.); (V.K.); (R.S.K.)
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Laurence C. Cheung
- Leukaemia Translational Research Laboratory, Telethon Kids Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (A.M.H.); (V.K.); (R.S.K.)
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
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Abstract
Extensive interest in cancer immunotherapy is reported according to the clinical importance of CTLA-4 and (PD-1/PD-L1) [programmed death (PD) and programmed death-ligand (PD-L1)] in immune checkpoint therapies. AXL is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in different types of cancer and in relation to resistance against various anticancer therapeutics due to poor clinical prognosis. AXL and its ligand, i.e., growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) proteins, are expressed on many cancer cells, and the GAS6/AXL pathway is reported to promote cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. AXL is an attractive and novel therapeutic target for impairing tumor progression from immune cell contracts in the tumor microenvironment. The GAS6/AXL pathway is also of interest immunologically because it targets fewer antitumor immune responses. In effect, several targeted therapies are selective and nonselective for AXL, which are in preclinical and clinical development in multiple cancer types. Therefore, this review focuses on the role of the GAS6/AXL signaling pathway in triggering the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment as immune evasion. This includes regulating its composition and activating T-cell exclusion with the immune-suppressive activity of regulatory T cells, which is related to one of the hallmarks of cancer survival. Finally, this article discusses the GAS6/AXL signaling pathway in the context of several immune responses such as NK cell activation, apoptosis, and tumor-specific immunity, especially PD-1/PDL-1 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Youn Son
- Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Center for Medical Innovation, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hwan-Kyu Jeong
- School of Biosystems and Biomedical Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
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Therapeutic Targeting of the Gas6/Axl Signaling Pathway in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189953. [PMID: 34576116 PMCID: PMC8469858 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many signaling pathways are dysregulated in cancer cells and the host tumor microenvironment. Aberrant receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathways promote cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Hence, numerous therapeutic interventions targeting RTKs have been actively pursued. Axl is an RTK that belongs to the Tyro3, Axl, MerTK (TAM) subfamily. Axl binds to a high affinity ligand growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) that belongs to the vitamin K-dependent family of proteins. The Gas6/Axl signaling pathway has been implicated to promote progression, metastasis, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance in many cancer types. Therapeutic agents targeting Gas6 and Axl have been developed, and promising results have been observed in both preclinical and clinical settings when such agents are used alone or in combination therapy. This review examines the current state of therapeutics targeting the Gas6/Axl pathway in cancer and discusses Gas6- and Axl-targeting agents that have been evaluated preclinically and clinically.
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Akkoc Y, Peker N, Akcay A, Gozuacik D. Autophagy and Cancer Dormancy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:627023. [PMID: 33816262 PMCID: PMC8017298 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.627023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis and relapse account for the great majority of cancer-related deaths. Most metastatic lesions are micro metastases that have the capacity to remain in a non-dividing state called “dormancy” for months or even years. Commonly used anticancer drugs generally target actively dividing cancer cells. Therefore, cancer cells that remain in a dormant state evade conventional therapies and contribute to cancer recurrence. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of cancer dormancy are not fully understood. Recent studies indicate that a major cellular stress response mechanism, autophagy, plays an important role in the adaptation, survival and reactivation of dormant cells. In this review article, we will summarize accumulating knowledge about cellular and molecular mechanisms of cancer dormancy, and discuss the role and importance of autophagy in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunus Akkoc
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nesibe Peker
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Arzu Akcay
- Yeni Yüzyıl University, School of Medicine, Private Gaziosmanpaşa Hospital, Department of Pathology, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Devrim Gozuacik
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Turkey.,Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.,Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul, Turkey
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12
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Farweez BAT, Kassim NA, Abdelfataah MF, Hassan NM, Hassnien DEA, El-Sakhawy YN. Clinical impact of early minimal residual disease detection at day 15 in precursor B-childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: an Egyptian experience. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-020-00065-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Chromosomal abnormalities in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are well-established prognostic markers and useful tools for minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment. This study aimed to stratify high-risk precursor B-childhood ALL (pre-B-ALL) patients according to standard prognostic factors (age and total leucocytic count), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for these cytogenetic abnormalities [t (9;22) BCR/ABL, t(1;19)TCF3/PBX1, and 11q23 MLL gene rearrangement], and MRD status at day 15. Besides, we aimed to demonstrate the relation of these prognostic factors (standard and cytogenetic risk groups) to patients’ outcome at day 15 of induction therapy as well as exploring the impact of early MRD assessment during remission induction compared to other prognostic factors together with the ability to tailor investigations as needed especially in places with limited health resources without compromising the outcome. Seventy-two newly-diagnosed Egyptian children with pre-B-ALL, aged 6 months to 15.5 years, registered from February 2016 to February 2018 were included. They were treated according to the modified Children’s Oncology Group (COG) protocol. Patients were classified into (a) standard and high-risk groups according to standard prognostic factors. (b) Patients with the studied cytogenetic abnormalities and patients without the studied cytogenetic abnormalities. (c) Good outcome (negative MRD) and bad outcome (positive MRD) groups according to day 15 MRD status.
Results
The studied cytogenetic abnormalities were identified in 22.2% of patients, all of them were in the high-risk group, and 75% of them had a bad outcome (positive MRD) at day 15 of induction therapy.
Conclusion
Patients with favorable presenting features (standard risk) and undetectable MRD after 2 weeks remission induction therapy would not be in need to advanced molecular studies, while these studies should be considered for patients with high-risk presenting features and high levels of MRD after 2 weeks remission induction therapy. Therefore, this could provide a cost-effective guideline in countries suffering from financial challenges without affecting the outcome
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13
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Ombrato L, Montagner M. Technical Advancements for Studying Immune Regulation of Disseminated Dormant Cancer Cells. Front Oncol 2020; 10:594514. [PMID: 33251149 PMCID: PMC7672194 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.594514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastases are a major cause of cancer-related death and despite the fact that they have been focus of intense research over the last two decades, effective therapies for patients with distant secondary lesions are still very limited. In addition, in some tumor types metastases can grow years after the patients have been declared clinically cured, indicating that disseminated cancer cells (DCCs) persist undetected for years, even decades in a quiescent state. Clinical and experimental data highlight the importance of the immune system in shaping the fitness and behaviour of DCCs. Here, we review mechanisms of survival, quiescence and outgrowth of DCCs with a special focus on immune-regulation and we highlight the latest cutting-edge techniques for modelling the biology of DCCs in vitro and for studying the metastatic niche in vivo. We believe that a wide dissemination of those techniques will boost scientific findings towards new therapies to defeat metastatic relapses in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Ombrato
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Montagner
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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14
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Huelse J, Fridlyand D, Earp S, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. MERTK in cancer therapy: Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase in tumor cells and the immune system. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 213:107577. [PMID: 32417270 PMCID: PMC9847360 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK is aberrantly expressed in numerous human malignancies, and is a novel target in cancer therapeutics. Physiologic roles of MERTK include regulation of tissue homeostasis and repair, innate immune control, and platelet aggregation. However, aberrant expression in a wide range of liquid and solid malignancies promotes neoplasia via growth factor independence, cell cycle progression, proliferation and tumor growth, resistance to apoptosis, and promotion of tumor metastases. Additionally, MERTK signaling contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via induction of an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile and regulation of the PD-1 axis, as well as regulation of macrophage, myeloid-derived suppressor cell, natural killer cell and T cell functions. Various MERTK-directed therapies are in preclinical development, and clinical trials are underway. In this review we discuss MERTK inhibition as an emerging strategy for cancer therapy, focusing on MERTK expression and function in neoplasia and its role in mediating resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies as well as in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, we review preclinical and clinical pharmacological strategies to target MERTK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Diana Fridlyand
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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15
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Huelse JM, Fridlyand DM, Earp S, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. MERTK in cancer therapy: Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase in tumor cells and the immune system. Pharmacol Ther 2020. [PMID: 32417270 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107577107577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK is aberrantly expressed in numerous human malignancies, and is a novel target in cancer therapeutics. Physiologic roles of MERTK include regulation of tissue homeostasis and repair, innate immune control, and platelet aggregation. However, aberrant expression in a wide range of liquid and solid malignancies promotes neoplasia via growth factor independence, cell cycle progression, proliferation and tumor growth, resistance to apoptosis, and promotion of tumor metastases. Additionally, MERTK signaling contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via induction of an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile and regulation of the PD-1 axis, as well as regulation of macrophage, myeloid-derived suppressor cell, natural killer cell and T cell functions. Various MERTK-directed therapies are in preclinical development, and clinical trials are underway. In this review we discuss MERTK inhibition as an emerging strategy for cancer therapy, focusing on MERTK expression and function in neoplasia and its role in mediating resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies as well as in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, we review preclinical and clinical pharmacological strategies to target MERTK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Diana M Fridlyand
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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16
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Farnworth-McHugh S, Barth N, Melville L, Paterson M, Lynch C, Holland P, Dransfield I, Gregory C. Potential Oncogenic Effect of the MERTK-Dependent Apoptotic-Cell Clearance Pathway in Starry-Sky B-Cell Lymphoma. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1759. [PMID: 32973744 PMCID: PMC7468413 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The histological architecture of certain aggressive B-cell lymphomas (prototypically Burkitt's lymphoma, BL) is characterized by a “starry-sky” (SS) appearance. This is caused by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which appear in standard histological preparations as “stars” in a darkly stained “sky” of lymphoma cells. SS-TAMs accumulate in response to constitutive apoptosis in these tumors and are activated by the apoptotic tumor cells to a pro-oncogenic phenotype. The extent to which SS-TAMs contribute to lymphoma growth through responses generated by interactions with apoptotic tumor cells is unknown. Here, we demonstrate a role for the receptor tyrosine kinase, MERTK, in the oncogenic activity of SS-TAMs. We show that MERTK expression is largely restricted to the macrophages of human BL and of murine models of SS B-cell lymphoma and that it is upregulated in SS-TAMs as compared to the germinal center or paracortical macrophages of normal lymph nodes. Our results further demonstrate that MERTK is active in the phagocytosis of apoptotic lymphoma cells by macrophages and, most significantly, that SS lymphoma growth is markedly inhibited in Mertk−/− mice. These results point toward the MERTK apoptotic-cell clearance/response pathway playing a key role in growth of aggressive B-cell lymphoma and identifies MERTK as a novel potential antilymphoma target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Barth
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lynsey Melville
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Margaret Paterson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Lynch
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela Holland
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Dransfield
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Gregory
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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17
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Gas6/Axl Signaling Pathway in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071850. [PMID: 32660000 PMCID: PMC7408754 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinases have been shown to dysregulate a number of pathways associated with tumor development, progression, and metastasis. Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in many cancer types and has been associated with therapy resistance and poor clinical prognosis and outcomes. In addition, Axl and its ligand growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) protein are expressed by a number of host cells. The Gas6/Axl signaling pathway has been implicated in the promotion of tumor cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. As a result, Axl is an attractive, novel therapeutic target to impair multiple stages of tumor progression from both neoplastic and host cell axes. This review focuses on the role of the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway in promoting the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, as immune evasion is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. The review discusses the structure and activation of the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway, GAS6 and AXL expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment, mechanisms of Axl-mediated tumor immune response, and the role of Gas6/Axl signaling in immune cell recruitment.
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18
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Summers MA, McDonald MM, Croucher PI. Cancer Cell Dormancy in Metastasis. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2020; 10:cshperspect.a037556. [PMID: 31548220 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recurrent metastasis following extended periods of disease-free survival remains a common cause of morbidity and mortality for many cancer patients. Recurrence is thought to be mediated by tumor cells that escaped the primary site early in the disease course and colonize distant organs. In these locations, cells adapt to the local environment, entering a state of long-term dormancy in which they can resist therapy. Then, through mechanisms that are poorly understood, a proportion of these cells are reactivated and become proliferative, forming lethal metastases. Here, we discuss disseminated tumor cell dormancy in recurrent metastasis. We discuss mechanisms known to control entrance of cells into dormancy, highlighting the relevant microenvironments or "niches" in which these cells reside and mechanisms known to be involved in dormant cell reactivation. Finally, we consider emerging therapeutic approaches aimed at eradicating residual disease and preventing metastatic relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Summers
- Bone Biology, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney 2010 NSW, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, Sydney 2052 NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle M McDonald
- Bone Biology, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney 2010 NSW, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, Sydney 2052 NSW, Australia
| | - Peter I Croucher
- Bone Biology, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney 2010 NSW, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, Sydney 2052 NSW, Australia
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19
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Park SY, Nam JS. The force awakens: metastatic dormant cancer cells. Exp Mol Med 2020; 52:569-581. [PMID: 32300189 PMCID: PMC7210927 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-020-0423-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent cancer that spreads to distant sites is the leading cause of disease-related death among cancer patients. Cancer cells are likely to disseminate during cancer progression, and some may enter dormancy, remaining viable but not increasing. These dormant cancer cells (DCCs) are rarely detectable with current diagnostic systems. Moreover, they can interpret homoeostatic signals from the microenvironment, thereby evading immune surveillance and chemotherapy. Eventually, DCCs can reawaken in response to signals, which are not yet fully understood, resulting in recurrence and metastasis. Therefore, understanding the biology of DCC reawakening is key to preventing metastasis. Over the last decade, a growing body of literature has revealed the mechanisms involved in cancer dormancy and reawakening. The cytotoxic activity of immune cells can cause cancer cells to enter a dormant state, and chronic inflammation can reactivate cancer proliferation at distant sites. Upon the binding of circulating DCCs to extracellular molecules, various signaling cascades are activated and reinitiate cell proliferation. In the present review, we attempt to consolidate the existing literature to provide a framework for the understanding of this crucial step in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Yeon Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
- Cell Logistics Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Seok Nam
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
- Cell Logistics Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
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20
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Ashokachakkaravarthy K, Pottakkat B. Mitotic quiescence in hepatic cancer stem cells: An incognito mode. Oncol Rev 2020; 14:452. [PMID: 32153726 PMCID: PMC7036709 DOI: 10.4081/oncol.2020.452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma represents one of the most aggressive cancers with high recurrence rates. The high recurrence is a major problem in the management of this disease. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are often regarded as the basis of cancer recurrence. The anti-proliferative therapy kills the proliferating cells but induces mitotic quiescence in CSCs which remain as residual dormant CSCs. Later on, withdrawal of treatment reactivates the residual CSCs from dormancy to produce new cancer cells. The proliferation of these newly formed cancer cells initiates new tumor formation in the liver leading to tumor recurrence. HCC cells evade the immune surveillance via modulating the key immune cells by alpha feto-protein (AFP) secreted from CSCs or hepatic progenitor cells. This AFP mediated immune evasion assists in establishing new tumors by cancer cells in the liver. In this review, we will summarise the CSC mechanisms of recurrence, mitotic quiescence, dormancy and reactivation of CSCs, metastasis and immune evasion of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandasamy Ashokachakkaravarthy
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | - Biju Pottakkat
- Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
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21
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Najberg M, Haji Mansor M, Boury F, Alvarez-Lorenzo C, Garcion E. Reversing the Tumor Target: Establishment of a Tumor Trap. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:887. [PMID: 31456685 PMCID: PMC6699082 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the tremendous progress made in the field of cancer therapy in recent years, certain solid tumors still cannot be successfully treated. Alongside classical treatments in the form of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, targeted treatments such as immunotherapy that cause fewer side effects emerge as new options in the clinics. However, these alternative treatments may not be useful for treating all types of cancers, especially for killing infiltrative and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Recent advances pursue the trapping of these cancer cells within a confined area to facilitate their removal for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. A good understanding of the mechanisms behind tumor cell migration may drive the design of traps that mimic natural tumor niches and guide the movement of the cancer cells. To bring this trapping idea into reality, strong efforts are being made to create structured materials that imitate myelinated fibers, blood vessels, or pre-metastatic niches and incorporate chemical cues such as chemoattractants or adhesive proteins. In this review, the different strategies used (or could be used) to trap tumor cells are described, and relevant examples of their performance are analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathie Najberg
- CRCINA, INSERM, Université de Nantes, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, R + D Pharma Group (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Muhammad Haji Mansor
- CRCINA, INSERM, Université de Nantes, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
- Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM), Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Frank Boury
- CRCINA, INSERM, Université de Nantes, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, R + D Pharma Group (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Garcion
- CRCINA, INSERM, Université de Nantes, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
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22
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Voices from the dead: The complex vocabulary and intricate grammar of dead cells. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2019; 116:1-90. [PMID: 31036289 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Of the roughly one million cells per second dying throughout the body, the vast majority dies by apoptosis, the predominant form of regulated cell death in higher organisms. Long regarded as mere waste, apoptotic cells are now recognized as playing a prominent and active role in homeostatic maintenance, especially resolution of inflammation, and in the sculpting of tissues during development. The activities associated with apoptotic cells are continually expanding, with more recent studies demonstrating their ability to modulate such vital functions as proliferation, survival, differentiation, metabolism, migration, and angiogenesis. In each case, the role of apoptotic cells is active, exerting their effects via new activities acquired during the apoptotic program. Moreover, the capacity to recognize and respond to apoptotic cells is not limited to professional phagocytes. Most, if not all, cells receive and integrate an array of signals from cells dying in their vicinity. These signals comprise a form of biochemical communication. As reviewed in this chapter, this communication is remarkably sophisticated; each of its three critical steps-encoding, transmission, and decoding of the apoptotic cell's "message"-is endowed with exquisite robustness. Together, the abundance and intricacy of the variables at each step comprise the vocabulary and grammar of the language by which dead cells achieve their post-mortem voice. The combinatorial complexity of the resulting communication network permits dying cells, through the signals they emit and the responses those signals elicit, to partake of an expanded role in homeostasis, acting as both sentinels of environmental change and agents of adaptation.
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Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2016, 8.9 million people are estimated to have died from various forms of cancer. The current treatments, including surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, are not effective enough to provide full protection from cancer, which highlights the need for developing novel therapy strategies. In this review, we summarize the molecular biology of a unique member of a subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinase, TYRO3 and discuss the new insights in TYRO3-targeted treatment for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Ling Hsu
- 1 Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Jonathan Jou
- 2 College of Medicine, University of Illinois, IL 60612, USA
| | - Shaw-Jenq Tsai
- 1 Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
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24
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Byrne NM, Summers MA, McDonald MM. Tumor Cell Dormancy and Reactivation in Bone: Skeletal Biology and Therapeutic Opportunities. JBMR Plus 2019; 3:e10125. [PMID: 30918917 PMCID: PMC6419605 DOI: 10.1002/jbm4.10125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the advanced stages of many cancers, tumor cells disseminate from the primary site and colonize distant locations such as the skeleton. These disseminated tumor cells colonizing bone can evade treatments and survive for prolonged periods in a dormant state before becoming reactivated to form overt metastases. The precise interactions between tumor cells and the bone microenvironment that promote survival, dormancy, and reactivation are currently unknown; as a result, bone metastases remain incurable. In this review we discuss the unique cellular and microenvironmental features of endosteal bone that tumor cells engage with to persist and survive, and ultimately reactivate and proliferate. Specifically, we provide a detailed summary of current perspectives on the processes of tumor cell colonization of the skeleton, and the endosteal bone cells as critical controllers of the dormant cancer cell phenotype, as well as relevant microenvironmental effects such as hypoxia. Evidence for the role of the osteoclast in controlling dormant cancer cell reactivation in bone is highlighted, preceding a discussion of therapeutics targeting the bone microenvironment, including anti‐RANK ligand and bisphosphonate therapies and their potential utility in preventing tumor cell reactivation in addition to protecting bone from tumor‐induced destruction. © 2018 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niall M Byrne
- Bone Biology Division The Garvan Institute of Medical Research Darlinghurst NSW Sydney Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney Darlinghurst NSW Australia
| | - Matthew A Summers
- Bone Biology Division The Garvan Institute of Medical Research Darlinghurst NSW Sydney Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney Darlinghurst NSW Australia
| | - Michelle M McDonald
- Bone Biology Division The Garvan Institute of Medical Research Darlinghurst NSW Sydney Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney Darlinghurst NSW Australia
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25
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Smart SK, Vasileiadi E, Wang X, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. The Emerging Role of TYRO3 as a Therapeutic Target in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10120474. [PMID: 30501104 PMCID: PMC6316664 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10120474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The TAM family (TYRO3, AXL, MERTK) tyrosine kinases play roles in diverse biological processes including immune regulation, clearance of apoptotic cells, platelet aggregation, and cell proliferation, survival, and migration. While AXL and MERTK have been extensively studied, less is known about TYRO3. Recent studies revealed roles for TYRO3 in cancer and suggest TYRO3 as a therapeutic target in this context. TYRO3 is overexpressed in many types of cancer and functions to promote tumor cell survival and/or proliferation, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. In addition, higher levels of TYRO3 expression have been associated with decreased overall survival in patients with colorectal, hepatocellular, and breast cancers. Here we review the physiological roles for TYRO3 and its expression and functions in cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, with emphasis on the signaling pathways that are regulated downstream of TYRO3 and emerging roles for TYRO3 in the immune system. Translational agents that target TYRO3 are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherri K Smart
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Eleana Vasileiadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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26
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Weidenfeld K, Barkan D. EMT and Stemness in Tumor Dormancy and Outgrowth: Are They Intertwined Processes? Front Oncol 2018; 8:381. [PMID: 30258818 PMCID: PMC6145010 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastases are the major cause of cancer patients' mortality and can occur years and even decades following apparently successful treatment of the primary tumor. Early dissemination of cancer cells, followed by a protracted period of dormancy at distant sites, has been recently recognized as the clinical explanation for this very-long latency. The mechanisms that govern tumor dormancy at distant sites and their reactivation to proliferating metastases are just beginning to be unraveled. Tumor cells, that survive the immune surveillance and hemodynamic forces along their journey in the circulation and successfully colonize and adopt to the new and "hostile" microenvironment and survive in a quiescent dormant state for years before emerging to proliferative state, must display high plasticity. Here we will discuss whether the plasticity of dormant tumor cells is required for their long-term survival and outgrowth. Specifically, we will focus on whether epithelial mesenchymal transition and acquisition of stem-like properties can dictate their quiescent and or their proliferative fate. Deeper understanding of these intertwining processes may facilitate in the future the development of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Weidenfeld
- Department of Human Biology and Medical Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Dalit Barkan
- Department of Human Biology and Medical Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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27
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Graham N, Qian BZ. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Emerging Roles in Bone Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1121. [PMID: 29642534 PMCID: PMC5979535 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19041121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone metastasis is the most advanced stage of many cancers and indicates a poor prognosis for patients due to resistance to anti-tumor therapies. The establishment of metastasis within the bone is a multistep process. To ensure survival within the bone marrow, tumor cells must initially colonize a niche in which they can enter dormancy. Subsequently, reactivation permits the proliferation and growth of the tumor cells, giving rise to a macro-metastasis displayed clinically as a bone metastatic lesion. Here, we review the evidences that suggest mesenchymal stromal cells play an important role in each of these steps throughout the development of bone metastasis. Similarities between the molecular mechanisms implicated in these processes and those involved in the homeostasis of the bone indicate that the metastatic cells may exploit the homeostatic processes to their own advantage. Identifying the molecular interactions between the mesenchymal stromal cells and tumor cells that promote tumor development may offer insight into potential therapeutic targets that could be utilized to treat bone metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Graham
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Bin-Zhi Qian
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK.
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DeRyckere D, Lee-Sherick AB, Huey MG, Hill AA, Tyner JW, Jacobsen KM, Page LS, Kirkpatrick GG, Eryildiz F, Montgomery SA, Zhang W, Wang X, Frye SV, Earp HS, Graham DK. UNC2025, a MERTK Small-Molecule Inhibitor, Is Therapeutically Effective Alone and in Combination with Methotrexate in Leukemia Models. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:1481-1492. [PMID: 27649555 PMCID: PMC5354980 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-1330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: MERTK tyrosine kinase is ectopically expressed in 30% to 50% of acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) and more than 80% of acute myeloid leukemias (AML) and is a potential therapeutic target. Here, we evaluated the utility of UNC2025, a MERTK tyrosine kinase inhibitor, for treatment of acute leukemia.Experimental Design: Preclinical in vitro and in vivo assays using cell lines and primary leukemia patient samples were used to evaluate antileukemic effects of UNC2025.Results: UNC2025 potently inhibited prosurvival signaling, induced apoptosis, and reduced proliferation and colony formation in MERTK-expressing ALL and AML cell lines and patient samples. Approximately 30% of primary leukemia patient samples (78 of 261 total) were sensitive to UNC2025. Sensitive samples were most prevalent in the AML, T-ALL, and minimally differentiated (M0) AML subsets. UNC2025 inhibited MERTK in bone marrow leukemia cells and had significant therapeutic effects in xenograft models, with dose-dependent decreases in tumor burden and consistent two-fold increases in median survival, irrespective of starting disease burden. In a patient-derived AML xenograft model, treatment with UNC2025 induced disease regression. In addition, UNC2025 increased sensitivity to methotrexate in vivo, suggesting that addition of MERTK-targeted therapy to current cytotoxic regimens may be particularly effective and/or allow for chemotherapy dose reduction.Conclusions: The broad-spectrum activity mediated by UNC2025 in leukemia patient samples and xenograft models, alone or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy, supports continued development of MERTK inhibitors for treatment of leukemia. Clin Cancer Res; 23(6); 1481-92. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Alisa B Lee-Sherick
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Madeline G Huey
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amanda A Hill
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jeffrey W Tyner
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, Oregon
| | - Kristen M Jacobsen
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Lauren S Page
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Gregory G Kirkpatrick
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Fatma Eryildiz
- Institute of Environmental Health and Division of Environmental and Biomolecular Systems, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Stephanie A Montgomery
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Weihe Zhang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Stephen V Frye
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia.
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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29
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Furukawa M, Ohkawara H, Ogawa K, Ikeda K, Ueda K, Shichishima-Nakamura A, Ito E, Imai JI, Yanagisawa Y, Honma R, Watanabe S, Waguri S, Ikezoe T, Takeishi Y. Autocrine and Paracrine Interactions between Multiple Myeloma Cells and Bone Marrow Stromal Cells by Growth Arrest-specific Gene 6 Cross-talk with Interleukin-6. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:4280-4292. [PMID: 28154173 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.733030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM) has not yet been fully elucidated. Our microarray analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed significant up-regulation of growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6), a vitamin K-dependent protein with a structural homology with protein S, in bone marrow (BM) cells of MM patients. ELISA showed that the serum levels of soluble Gas6 were significantly increased in the MM patients when compared with healthy controls. Gas6 was overexpressed in the human CD138-positive MM cell line RPMI-8226. Exogenous Gas6 suppressed apoptosis induced by serum deprivation and enhanced cell proliferation of the MM cells. The conditional medium from the human BM stromal cell line HS-5 induced cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis of the MM cells with extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Akt, and nuclear factor-κB phosphorylation, which were reversed by the neutralizing antibody to Gas6 or IL-6. The TAM family receptor Mer, which has been identified as a Gas6 receptor, was overexpressed in BM cells of MM patients. The knockdown of Mer by siRNA inhibited cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and up-regulation of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in MM cells stimulated by an HS-5 cell-conditioned medium. Furthermore, the Gas6-neutralizing antibody reduced the up-regulation of IL-6 and ICAM-1 induced by a HS-5 cell-conditioned medium in MM cells. The present study provides new evidence that autocrine and paracrine stimulation of Gas6 in concert with IL-6 contributes to the pathogenesis of MM, suggesting that Gas6-Mer-related signaling pathways may be a promising novel target for treating MM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kazuhiko Ikeda
- From the Departments of Hematology.,Blood Transfusion and Transplantation Immunology, and
| | | | | | - Emi Ito
- the Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295 and
| | - Jun-Ichi Imai
- the Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295 and
| | - Yuka Yanagisawa
- the Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295 and
| | | | - Shinya Watanabe
- the Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295 and
| | - Satoshi Waguri
- the Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295 and
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30
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Targeting the TAM Receptors in Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8110101. [PMID: 27834816 PMCID: PMC5126761 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8110101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted inhibition of members of the TAM (TYRO-3, AXL, MERTK) family of receptor tyrosine kinases has recently been investigated as a novel strategy for treatment of hematologic malignancies. The physiologic functions of the TAM receptors in innate immune control, natural killer (NK) cell differentiation, efferocytosis, clearance of apoptotic debris, and hemostasis have previously been described and more recent data implicate TAM kinases as important regulators of erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. The TAM receptors are aberrantly or ectopically expressed in many hematologic malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia, B- and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and multiple myeloma. TAM receptors contribute to leukemic phenotypes through activation of pro-survival signaling pathways and interplay with other oncogenic proteins such as FLT3, LYN, and FGFR3. The TAM receptors also contribute to resistance to both cytotoxic chemotherapeutics and targeted agents, making them attractive therapeutic targets. A number of translational strategies for TAM inhibition are in development, including small molecule inhibitors, ligand traps, and monoclonal antibodies. Emerging areas of research include modulation of TAM receptors to enhance anti-tumor immunity, potential roles for TYRO-3 in leukemogenesis, and the function of the bone marrow microenvironment in mediating resistance to TAM inhibition.
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31
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Krause DS, Scadden DT. A hostel for the hostile: the bone marrow niche in hematologic neoplasms. Haematologica 2016; 100:1376-87. [PMID: 26521296 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2014.113852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the biology of the normal hematopoietic stem cell niche has increased steadily due to improved murine models and sophisticated imaging tools. Less well understood, but of growing interest, is the interaction between cells in the bone marrow during the initiation, maintenance and treatment of hematologic neoplasms. This review summarizes the emerging concepts of the normal and leukemic hematopoietic bone marrow niche. Furthermore, it reviews current models of how the microenvironment of the bone marrow may contribute to or be modified by leukemogenesis. Finally, it provides the rationale for a "two-pronged" approach, directly targeting cancer cells themselves while also targeting the bone microenvironment to make it inhospitable to malignant cells and, ultimately, eradicating cancer stem-like cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela S Krause
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - David T Scadden
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
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32
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Moses BS, Evans R, Slone WL, Piktel D, Martinez I, Craig MD, Gibson LF. Bone Marrow Microenvironment Niche Regulates miR-221/222 in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Mol Cancer Res 2016; 14:909-919. [PMID: 27358112 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-15-0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has many features in common with normal B-cell progenitors, including their ability to respond to diverse signals from the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) resulting in regulation of cell-cycle progression and survival. Bone marrow-derived cues influence many elements of both steady state hematopoiesis and hematopoietic tumor cell phenotypes through modulation of gene expression. miRNAs are one regulatory class of small noncoding RNAs that have been shown to be increasingly important in diverse settings of malignancy. In the current study, miRNA profiles were globally altered in ALL cells following exposure to primary human bone marrow niche cells, including bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and primary human osteoblasts (HOB). Specifically, mature miR-221 and miR-222 transcripts were decreased in ALL cells cocultured with BMSC or HOB, coincident with increased p27 (CDKN1B), a previously validated target. Increased p27 protein in ALL cells exposed to BMSC or HOB is consistent with accumulation of tumor cells in the G0 phase of the cell cycle and resistance to chemotherapy-induced death. Overexpression of miR-221 in ALL cells during BMSC or HOB coculture prompted cell-cycle progression and sensitization of ALL cells to cytotoxic agents, blunting the protective influence of the BMM. These novel observations indicate that BMM regulation of miR-221/222 contributes to marrow niche-supported tumor cell quiescence and survival of residual cells. IMPLICATIONS Niche-influenced miR-221/222 may define a novel therapeutic target in ALL to be combined with existing cytotoxic agents to more effectively eradicate refractory disease that contributes to relapse. Mol Cancer Res; 14(10); 909-19. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake S Moses
- Alexander B. Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Rebecca Evans
- Alexander B. Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - William L Slone
- Alexander B. Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Debbie Piktel
- Alexander B. Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Ivan Martinez
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Michael D Craig
- Alexander B. Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Laura F Gibson
- Alexander B. Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation Program of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia.
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33
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Minson KA, Smith CC, DeRyckere D, Libbrecht C, Lee-Sherick AB, Huey MG, Lasater EA, Kirkpatrick GD, Stashko MA, Zhang W, Jordan CT, Kireev D, Wang X, Frye SV, Earp HS, Shah NP, Graham DK. The MERTK/FLT3 inhibitor MRX-2843 overcomes resistance-conferring FLT3 mutations in acute myeloid leukemia. JCI Insight 2016; 1:e85630. [PMID: 27158668 PMCID: PMC4855528 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.85630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-targeted (FLT3-targeted) therapies have shown initial promise for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) expressing FLT3-activating mutations; however, resistance emerges rapidly. Furthermore, limited options exist for the treatment of FLT3-independent AML, demonstrating the need for novel therapies that reduce toxicity and improve survival. MERTK receptor tyrosine kinase is overexpressed in 80% to 90% of AMLs and contributes to leukemogenesis. Here, we describe MRX-2843, a type 1 small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that abrogates activation of both MERTK and FLT3 and their downstream effectors. MRX-2843 treatment induces apoptosis and inhibits colony formation in AML cell lines and primary patient samples expressing MERTK and/or FLT3-ITD, with a wide therapeutic window compared with that of normal human cord blood cells. In murine orthotopic xenograft models, once-daily oral therapy prolonged survival 2- to 3-fold over that of vehicle-treated controls. Additionally, MRX-2843 retained activity against quizartinib-resistant FLT3-ITD-mutant proteins with clinically relevant alterations at the D835 or F691 loci and prolonged survival in xenograft models of quizartinib-resistant AML. Together, these observations validate MRX-2843 as a translational agent and support its clinical development for the treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Minson
- Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Clara Libbrecht
- University of Colorado, Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Madeline G. Huey
- Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | - Michael A. Stashko
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Weihe Zhang
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Craig T. Jordan
- University of Colorado, Department of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Dmitri Kireev
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephen V. Frye
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Neil P. Shah
- UCSF, Department of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Goto H. Childhood relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Biology and recent treatment progress. Pediatr Int 2015; 57:1059-66. [PMID: 26455582 DOI: 10.1111/ped.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent cancer in children. Despite remarkable improvement in the prognosis of childhood ALL over the past few decades, the treatment of relapsed ALL is still challenging. The prognosis of first ALL relapse is associated with time of relapse after initial therapy, sites of relapse, and immunophenotype. More recently, response to treatment, which is evaluated by assessment of minimal residual disease (MRD), has been found to be clinically significant in relapsed ALL as well as in the initially diagnosed disease. Utilizing these factors, risk-oriented treatment stratification for first ALL relapse has been established. In the standard-risk group for first ALL relapse, intensification of conventional ALL-type therapy can provide a cure in approximately 70% of patients. It is important to assess MRD after reinduction therapy to determine the indications for stem cell transplantation in the standard-risk group. In contrast, no standardized therapy has been established for the high-risk group, which accounts for more than half of relapsed ALL patients. Recent studies have shed light on the clonal origin of relapsed ALL, which usually exists as a minor subclone at the time of initial diagnosis. Clonal selection and evolution take place during chemotherapy, resulting in distinct genetic and epigenetic characteristics of relapsed ALL, some of which are linked to drug resistance, a common and problematic feature of ALL after relapse. To overcome resistance to standard ALL-type therapy, and considering the heterogeneous biological background of high-risk relapsed ALL, innovative therapies using new agents are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Goto
- Division of Hemato-Oncology and Regenerative Medicine, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
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35
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Senft D, Ronai ZA. Immunogenic, cellular, and angiogenic drivers of tumor dormancy--a melanoma view. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2015; 29:27-42. [PMID: 26514653 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In tumor cells, the ability to maintain viability over long time periods without proliferation is referred to as a state of dormancy. Maintenance of dormancy is controlled by numerous cellular and environmental factors, from immune surveillance and tumor-stroma interaction to intracellular signaling. Interference of dormancy (to an 'awaken' state) is associated with reduced response to therapy, resulting in relapse or in metastatic burst. Thus, maintaining a dormant state should prolong therapeutic responses and delay metastasis. Technical obstacles in studying tumor dormancy have limited our understanding of underlying mechanisms and hampered our ability to target dormant cells. In this review, we summarize the progress of research in the field of immunogenic, angiogenic, and cellular dormancy in diverse malignancies with particular attention to our current understanding in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Senft
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ze'ev A Ronai
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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36
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Chong Seow Khoon M. Experimental models of bone metastasis: Opportunities for the study of cancer dormancy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2015; 94:141-50. [PMID: 25572003 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2014.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Skeletal metastasis is prevalent in many cancers, and has been the subject of intense research, yielding innovative models to study the multiple stages of metastasis. It is now evident that, in the early stages of metastatic spread, disseminated tumour cells in the bone undergo an extended period of growth arrest in response to the microenvironment, a phenomenon known as "dormancy". Dormancy has been implicated with drug resistance, while enforced dormancy has also been seen as a radical method to control cancer, and engineering of dormant states has emerged as a novel clinical strategy. Understanding of the subject, however, is limited by the availability of models to describe early stages of metastatic spread. This mini-review provides a summary of experimental models currently being used in the study of bone metastasis and the applications of these models in the study of dormancy. Current research in developing improved models is described, leading to a discussion of challenges involved in future developments.
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37
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New therapeutic targets for cancer bone metastasis. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2015; 36:360-73. [PMID: 25962679 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bone metastases are dejected consequences of many types of tumors including breast, prostate, lung, kidney, and thyroid cancers. This complicated process begins with the successful tumor cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition, escape from the original site, and penetration into the circulation. The homing of tumor cells to the bone depends on both tumor-intrinsic traits and various molecules supplied by the bone metastatic niche. The colonization and growth of cancer cells in the osseous environment, which awaken their dormancy to form micro- and macro-metastasis, involve an intricate interaction between the circulating tumor cells and local bone cells including osteoclasts, osteoblasts, adipocytes, and macrophages. We discuss the most recent advances in the identification of new molecules and novel mechanisms during each step of bone metastasis that may serve as promising therapeutic targets.
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38
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Abstract
Cancer metastasis is highly inefficient and complex. Common features of metastatic cancer cells have been observed using cancer cell lines and genetically reconstituted mouse and human tumor xenograft models. These include cancer cell interaction with the tumor microenvironment and the ability of cancer cells to sense extracellular stimuli and adapt to adverse growth conditions. This review summarizes the coordinated response of cancer cells to soluble growth factors, such as RANKL, by a unique feed forward mechanism employing coordinated upregulation of RANKL and c-Met with downregulation of androgen receptor. The RANK-mediated signal network was found to drive epithelial to mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer cells, promote osteomimicry and the ability of prostate cancer cells to assume stem cell and neuroendocrine phenotypes, and confer the ability of prostate cancer cells to home to bone. Prostate cancer cells with activated RANK-mediated signal network were observed to recruit and even transform the non-tumorigenic prostate cancer cells to participate in bone and soft tissue colonization. The coordinated regulation of cancer cell invasion and metastasis by the feed forward mechanism involving RANKL, c-Met, transcription factors, and VEGF-neuropilin could offer new therapeutic opportunities to target prostate cancer bone and soft tissue metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Chia-Yi Chu
- Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Samuel Orchin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA,
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39
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Graham DK, DeRyckere D, Davies KD, Earp HS. The TAM family: phosphatidylserine sensing receptor tyrosine kinases gone awry in cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2014; 14:769-85. [PMID: 25568918 DOI: 10.1038/nrc3847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 516] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The TYRO3, AXL (also known as UFO) and MERTK (TAM) family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are aberrantly expressed in multiple haematological and epithelial malignancies. Rather than functioning as oncogenic drivers, their induction in tumour cells predominately promotes survival, chemoresistance and motility. The unique mode of maximal activation of this RTK family requires an extracellular lipid–protein complex. For example, the protein ligand, growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS6), binds to phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) that is externalized on apoptotic cell membranes, which activates MERTK on macrophages. This triggers engulfment of apoptotic material and subsequent anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization. In tumours, autocrine and paracrine ligands and apoptotic cells are abundant, which provide a survival signal to the tumour cell and favour an anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive microenvironment. Thus, TAM kinase inhibition could stimulate antitumour immunity, reduce tumour cell survival, enhance chemosensitivity and diminish metastatic potential.
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40
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Levovitz C, Chen D, Ivansson E, Gyllensten U, Finnigan JP, Alshawish S, Zhang W, Schadt EE, Posner MR, Genden EM, Boffetta P, Sikora AG. TGFβ receptor 1: an immune susceptibility gene in HPV-associated cancer. Cancer Res 2014; 74:6833-44. [PMID: 25273091 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-0602-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Only a minority of those exposed to human papillomavirus (HPV) develop HPV-related cervical and oropharyngeal cancer. Because host immunity affects infection and progression to cancer, we tested the hypothesis that genetic variation in immune-related genes is a determinant of susceptibility to oropharyngeal cancer and other HPV-associated cancers by performing a multitier integrative computational analysis with oropharyngeal cancer data from a head and neck cancer genome-wide association study (GWAS). Independent analyses, including single-gene, gene-interconnectivity, protein-protein interaction, gene expression, and pathway analysis, identified immune genes and pathways significantly associated with oropharyngeal cancer. TGFβR1, which intersected all tiers of analysis and thus selected for validation, replicated significantly in the head and neck cancer GWAS limited to HPV-seropositive cases and an independent cervical cancer GWAS. The TGFβR1 containing p38-MAPK pathway was significantly associated with oropharyngeal cancer and cervical cancer, and TGFβR1 was overexpressed in oropharyngeal cancer, cervical cancer, and HPV(+) head and neck cancer tumors. These concordant analyses implicate TGFβR1 signaling as a process dysregulated across HPV-related cancers. This study demonstrates that genetic variation in immune-related genes is associated with susceptibility to oropharyngeal cancer and implicates TGFβR1/TGFβ signaling in the development of both oropharyngeal cancer and cervical cancer. Better understanding of the immunogenetic basis of susceptibility to HPV-associated cancers may provide insight into host/virus interactions and immune processes dysregulated in the minority of HPV-exposed individuals who progress to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaya Levovitz
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Dan Chen
- SciLifeLab Uppsala, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emma Ivansson
- SciLifeLab Uppsala, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulf Gyllensten
- SciLifeLab Uppsala, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John P Finnigan
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Sara Alshawish
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Weijia Zhang
- Mount Sinai Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Eric E Schadt
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Mount Sinai Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, New York, New York
| | - Marshal R Posner
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Eric M Genden
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - Paolo Boffetta
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - Andrew G Sikora
- The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York.
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41
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Yumoto K, Eber MR, Berry JE, Taichman RS, Shiozawa Y. Molecular pathways: niches in metastatic dormancy. Clin Cancer Res 2014; 20:3384-9. [PMID: 24756372 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-0897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite the best available treatments for primary tumors, cancer can return, even after a long disease-free interval. During this period, cancer cells are believed to lie dormant in either primary sites, metastatic sites, or independent sites like bone marrow, effectively escaping adjuvant cytotoxic treatments. To date, little is known about how these cells transition to dormancy, or how they are reactivated if cancer recurs. Recent studies have revealed the effects of tumor microenvironment or niche on the regulation of tumor dormancy via the signaling pathways of growth arrest-specific 6, bone morphogenetic protein 7, and TGFβ1, and that the balance between activation of p38 MAPK and ERK MAPK plays a pivotal role in tumor dormancy. In this review, we discuss tumor dormancy from the perspective of the niche and consider potential therapeutic targets. Greater understanding of the mechanisms involved will help guide innovation in the care of patients with advanced cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Yumoto
- Authors' Affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Matthew R Eber
- Authors' Affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Janice E Berry
- Authors' Affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Russell S Taichman
- Authors' Affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Yusuke Shiozawa
- Authors' Affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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42
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Phagocyte dysfunction, tissue aging and degeneration. Ageing Res Rev 2013; 12:1005-12. [PMID: 23748186 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2013.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Immunologically-silent phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is critical to maintaining tissue homeostasis and innate immune balance. Aged phagocytes reduce their functional activity, leading to accumulation of unphagocytosed debris, chronic sterile inflammation and exacerbation of tissue aging and damage. Macrophage dysfunction plays an important role in immunosenescence. Microglial dysfunction has been linked to age-dependent neurodegenerations. Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Despite several reports on the characterization of aged phagocytes, the role of phagocyte dysfunction in tissue aging and degeneration is yet to be fully appreciated. Lack of knowledge of molecular mechanisms by which aging reduces phagocyte function has hindered our capability to exploit the therapeutic potentials of phagocytosis for prevention or delay of tissue degeneration. This review summarizes our current knowledge of phagocyte dysfunction in aged tissues and discusses possible links to age-related diseases. We highlight the challenges to decipher the molecular mechanisms, present new research approaches and envisage future strategies to prevent phagocyte dysfunction, tissue aging and degeneration.
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43
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Yu C, Shiozawa Y, Taichman RS, McCauley LK, Pienta K, Keller E. Prostate cancer and parasitism of the bone hematopoietic stem cell niche. Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr 2012; 22:131-48. [PMID: 22856431 DOI: 10.1615/critreveukargeneexpr.v22.i2.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A subpopulation of men that appear cured of prostate cancer (PCa) develop bone metastases many years after prostatectomy. This observation indicates that PCa cells were present outside of the prostate at the time of prostatectomy and remained dormant. Several lines of evidence indicate that there are disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow at the time of prostatectomy. DTCs parasitize the bone microenvironment, where they derive support and impact the microenvironment itself. These DTCs appear to be a heterogeneous population of PCa cells; however, some of them appear to have some aspects of a cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype as they can develop into clinically detectable metastases. The concept of CSC is controversial; however, several markers of CSC have been identified for PCa, which may represent cells of either basal or luminal origin. These DTCs have now been shown to compete for the hematopoietic stem cell niche in bone, where they may be placed in a dormant state. Interaction with a variety of host factors, including cytokine and cells, may impact the metastatic development and progression, including the dormant state. For example, myeloid cells have been shown to impact both the premetastatic niche and established tumors. Understanding the concepts of how PCa successfully parasitizes the bone microenvironment is paramount toward identifying therapeutic candidates to prevent or diminish PCa bone metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Yu
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0940, USA
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Schmidt T, Ben-Batalla I, Schultze A, Loges S. Macrophage-tumor crosstalk: role of TAMR tyrosine kinase receptors and of their ligands. Cell Mol Life Sci 2012; 69:1391-414. [PMID: 22076650 PMCID: PMC11115155 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0863-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2011] [Revised: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 10/14/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ample clinical and preclinical evidence indicates that macrophages interact with tumor cells as well as with virtually all populations of host cells present in the tumor microenvironment. This crosstalk can strongly promote malignancy, but also has in principle the potential to inhibit tumor growth. Thus, it is of the utmost importance to improve our understanding of the mechanisms driving the pro- and antimalignant behavior of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in order to develop better anticancer therapies. In this review, we discuss the biological consequences of reciprocal interactions between TAMs, cancer cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and other leukocyte subfractions within tumors. It was recently elucidated that tumors specifically educate macrophages to secrete growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6), the common ligand of the Tyro3, Axl, Mer receptor (TAMR) family. In turn, Gas6 fosters tumor growth by promoting cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, the Gas6-TAMR axis might represent a novel target for disrupting tumor-macrophage crosstalk. We summarize here what is known about TAMR and their ligands in (human) cancer biology. In order to shed more light on the role of macrophages in human cancer, we additionally provide an overview of what is currently known about the prognostic impact of TAMs in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Schmidt
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabel Ben-Batalla
- Department of Hematology and Oncology with Sections BMT and Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Schultze
- Department of Hematology and Oncology with Sections BMT and Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sonja Loges
- Department of Hematology and Oncology with Sections BMT and Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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45
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Mishra A, Wang J, Shiozawa Y, McGee S, Kim J, Jung Y, Joseph J, Berry JE, Havens A, Pienta KJ, Taichman RS. Hypoxia stabilizes GAS6/Axl signaling in metastatic prostate cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2012; 10:703-12. [PMID: 22516347 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-11-0569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and is known to play a role in proliferation and invasion. Previous data from our laboratory indicate that Axl and its ligand growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) may play a role in establishing metastatic dormancy in the bone marrow microenvironment. In the current study, we found that Axl is highly expressed in metastatic prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and DU145 and has negligible levels of expression in a nonmetastatic cancer cell line LNCaP. Knockdown of Axl in PC3 and DU145 cells resulted in decreased expression of several mesenchymal markers including Snail, Slug, and N-cadherin, and enhanced expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, suggesting that Axl is involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer cells. The Axl-knockdown PC3 and DU145 cells also displayed decreased in vitro migration and invasion. Interestingly, when PC3 and DU145 cells were treated with GAS6, Axl protein levels were downregulated. Moreover, CoCl(2), a hypoxia mimicking agent, prevented GAS6-mediated downregulation of Axl in these cell lines. Immunochemical staining of human prostate cancer tissue microarrays showed that Axl, GAS6, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (Hif-1α; indicator of hypoxia) were all coexpressed in prostate cancer and in bone metastases compared with normal tissues. Together, our studies indicate that Axl plays a crucial role in prostate cancer metastasis and that GAS6 regulates the expression of Axl. Importantly, in a hypoxic tumor microenvironment Axl expression is maintained leading to enhanced signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Mishra
- Department of Periodontics & Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 North University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Prolonged exposure to a Mer ligand in leukemia: Gas6 favors expression of a partial Mer glycoform and reveals a novel role for Mer in the nucleus. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31635. [PMID: 22363695 PMCID: PMC3282750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Accepted: 01/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mer tyrosine kinase is ectopically expressed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and associated with enhanced chemoresistance and disease progression. While such effects are generally ascribed to increased engagement of oncogenic pathways downstream of Mer stimulation by its ligand, Gas6, Mer has not been characterized beyond the scope of its signaling activity. The present study explores Mer behavior following prolonged exposure to Gas6, a context similar to the Gas6-enriched microenvironment of the bone marrow, where a steady supply of ligand facilitates continuous engagement of Mer and likely sustains the presence of leukemic cells. Long-term Gas6 exposure induced production of a partially N-glycosylated form of Mer from newly synthesized stores of protein. Preferential expression of the partial Mer glycoform was associated with diminished levels of Mer on the cell surface and altered Mer localization within the nuclear-soluble and chromatin-bound fractions. The presence of Mer in the nucleus is a novel finding for this receptor, and the glycoform-specific preferences observed in each nuclear compartment suggest that glycosylation may influence Mer function within particular subcellular locales. Previous studies have established Mer as an attractive cancer biologic target, and understanding the complexity of its activity has important implications for potential strategies of Mer inhibition in leukemia therapy. Our results identify several novel features of Mer that expand the breadth of its functions and impact the development of therapeutic modalities designed to target Mer.
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47
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Pedersen EA, Shiozawa Y, Mishra A, Taichman RS. Structure and function of the solid tumor niche. Front Biosci (Schol Ed) 2012; 4:1-15. [PMID: 22202039 PMCID: PMC3594847 DOI: 10.2741/s247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Although the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche has been an active area of study, the concept of the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) harboring a niche for solid metastatic tumor cells has only recently been considered. The HSC niche and microenvironment that is thought to constitute the solid tumor niche share many of the same structural and functional components, suggesting the possibility that the HSC and tumor niche are one in the same. The osteoblast is a critical component for each of these niches, and is important for regulating cellular processes such homing and migration, growth and survival, and quiescence and dormancy. Current understanding of the HSC niche may provide more insight to better defining the solid tumor niche. As role of the niche in regulating these processes is better understood, new insights to the role of the BMM in metastatic disease may be gained, and provide more potential targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth A. Pedersen
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yusuke Shiozawa
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Anjali Mishra
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Russell S. Taichman
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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48
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Homing of cancer cells to the bone. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT 2011; 4:221-35. [PMID: 21826451 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-011-0083-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2011] [Accepted: 07/27/2011] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A variety of tumor cells preferentially home to the bone. The homing of cancer cells to the bone represents a multi-step process that involves malignant progression of the tumor, invasion of the tumor through the extracellular matrix and the blood vessels and settling of the tumor cells in the bone. Gaining a greater understanding as to the mechanisms used by cancer cells in these processes will facilitate the design of drugs which could specifically target the homing process. In this review we will discuss the properties of tumor cells and the bone microenvironment which promote homing of a cancer cell to the bone. We will highlight the different steps and the molecular pathways involved when a cancer cell metastasize to the bone. Since bone is the major home for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), we will also highlight the similarities between the homing of cancer and HSC to the bone. Finally we will conclude with therapeutic and early detection strategies which can prevent homing of a cancer cell to the bone.
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49
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GAS6/AXL axis regulates prostate cancer invasion, proliferation, and survival in the bone marrow niche. Neoplasia 2010; 12:116-27. [PMID: 20126470 DOI: 10.1593/neo.91384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2009] [Revised: 11/05/2009] [Accepted: 11/11/2009] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Our recent studies have shown that annexin II, expressed on the cell surface of osteoblasts, plays an important role in the adhesion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to the endosteal niche. Similarly, prostate cancer (PCa) cells express the annexin II receptor and seem to use the stem cell niche for homing to the bone marrow. The role of the niche is thought to be the induction and sustenance of HSC dormancy. If metastatic PCa cells occupy a similar or the same ecological niche as HSCs, then it is likely that the initial role of the HSC niche will be to induce dormancy in metastatic cells. In this study, we demonstrate that the binding of PCa to annexin II induces the expression of the growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) receptors AXL, Sky, and Mer, which, in the hematopoietic system, induce dormancy. In addition, GAS6 produced by osteoblasts prevents PCa proliferation and protects PCa from chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Our results suggest that the activation of GAS6 receptors on PCa in the bone marrow environment may play a critical role as a molecular switch, establishing metastatic tumor cell dormancy.
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