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Dai S, Liu Y, Liu Z, Li R, Luo F, Li Y, Dai L, Peng X. Cancer-associated fibroblasts mediate resistance to anti-EGFR therapies in cancer. Pharmacol Res 2024; 206:107304. [PMID: 39002870 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Over the last decade, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have transformed the treatment landscape for patients with advanced solid tumors. Despite these advances, resistance to anti-EGFR therapies is still a significant clinical challenge. While cell-autonomous mechanisms of resistance are well-documented, they do not fully elucidate the complexity of drug resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), key mediators within the tumor microenvironment (TME), have emerged as pivotal players in cancer progression and chemoresistance. Recent evidence implicates CAFs in resistance to anti-EGFR therapies, suggesting they may undermine treatment efficacy. This review synthesizes current data, highlighting the critical role of CAFs in resistance pathogenesis and summarizing recent therapeutic strategies targeting CAFs. We underscore the challenges and advocate for the exploration of CAFs as a potential dual-targeted approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Dai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yingtong Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Zheran Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan, China
| | - Ruidan Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan, China
| | - Feng Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Lei Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xingchen Peng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan, China.
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Zheng S, Hu C, Lin Q, Li T, Li G, Tian Q, Zhang X, Huang T, Ye Y, He R, Chen C, Zhou Y, Chen R. Extracellular vesicle-packaged PIAT from cancer-associated fibroblasts drives neural remodeling by mediating m5C modification in pancreatic cancer mouse models. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadi0178. [PMID: 39018369 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi0178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Perineural invasion (PNI) is a biological characteristic commonly observed in pancreatic cancer. Although PNI plays a key role in pancreatic cancer metastasis, recurrence, and poor postoperative survival, its mechanism is largely unclarified. Clinical sample analysis and endoscopic ultrasonographic elasticity scoring indicated that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were closely related to the occurrence of PNI. Furthermore, CAF-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) were involved in PNI in dorsal root ganglion coculture and mouse sciatic nerve models. Next, we demonstrated that CAFs promoted PNI through extracellular vesicle transmission of PNI-associated transcript (PIAT). Mechanistically, PIAT specifically bound to YBX1 and blocked the YBX1-Nedd4l interaction to inhibit YBX1 ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, PIAT enhanced the binding of YBX1 and PNI-associated mRNAs in a 5-methylcytosine (m5C)-dependent manner. Mutation of m5C recognition motifs in YBX1 or m5C sites in downstream target genes reversed PIAT-mediated PNI. Consistent with these findings, analyses using a KPC mouse model demonstrated that the PIAT/YBX1 axis enhanced PNI through m5C modification. Clinical data suggested that the PIAT expression in the serum EVs of patients with pancreatic cancer was associated with the degree of neural invasion and prognosis. Our study revealed the important role of the PIAT/YBX1 signaling axis in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in promoting tumor cell PNI and provided a new target for precise interference with CAFs and RNA methylation in the TME to suppress PNI in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangyou Zheng
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Chonghui Hu
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Lin
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Li
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Guolin Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Tian
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianhao Huang
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuancheng Ye
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, People's Republic of China
| | - Rihua He
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, People's Republic of China
| | - Changhao Chen
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Rufu Chen
- Department of Pancreas Center, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
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Pereira BA, Ritchie S, Chambers CR, Gordon KA, Magenau A, Murphy KJ, Nobis M, Tyma VM, Liew YF, Lucas MC, Naeini MM, Barkauskas DS, Chacon-Fajardo D, Howell AE, Parker AL, Warren SC, Reed DA, Lee V, Metcalf XL, Lee YK, O’Regan LP, Zhu J, Trpceski M, Fontaine ARM, Stoehr J, Rouet R, Lin X, Chitty JL, Porazinski S, Wu SZ, Filipe EC, Cadell AL, Holliday H, Yang J, Papanicolaou M, Lyons RJ, Zaratzian A, Tayao M, Da Silva A, Vennin C, Yin J, Dew AB, McMillan PJ, Goldstein LD, Deveson IW, Croucher DR, Samuel MS, Sim HW, Batten M, Chantrill L, Grimmond SM, Gill AJ, Samra J, Jeffry Evans TR, Sasaki T, Phan TG, Swarbrick A, Sansom OJ, Morton JP, Pajic M, Parker BL, Herrmann D, Cox TR, Timpson P. Temporally resolved proteomics identifies nidogen-2 as a cotarget in pancreatic cancer that modulates fibrosis and therapy response. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl1197. [PMID: 38959305 PMCID: PMC11221519 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl1197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by increasing fibrosis, which can enhance tumor progression and spread. Here, we undertook an unbiased temporal assessment of the matrisome of the highly metastatic KPC (Pdx1-Cre, LSL-KrasG12D/+, LSL-Trp53R172H/+) and poorly metastatic KPflC (Pdx1-Cre, LSL-KrasG12D/+, Trp53fl/+) genetically engineered mouse models of pancreatic cancer using mass spectrometry proteomics. Our assessment at early-, mid-, and late-stage disease reveals an increased abundance of nidogen-2 (NID2) in the KPC model compared to KPflC, with further validation showing that NID2 is primarily expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Using biomechanical assessments, second harmonic generation imaging, and birefringence analysis, we show that NID2 reduction by CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) in CAFs reduces stiffness and matrix remodeling in three-dimensional models, leading to impaired cancer cell invasion. Intravital imaging revealed improved vascular patency in live NID2-depleted tumors, with enhanced response to gemcitabine/Abraxane. In orthotopic models, NID2 CRISPRi tumors had less liver metastasis and increased survival, highlighting NID2 as a potential PDAC cotarget.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A. Pereira
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shona Ritchie
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cecilia R. Chambers
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katie A. Gordon
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Astrid Magenau
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kendelle J. Murphy
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Max Nobis
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Intravital Imaging Expertise Center, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Victoria M. Tyma
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ying Fei Liew
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Morghan C. Lucas
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marjan M. Naeini
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Genomics and Inherited Disease Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Deborah S. Barkauskas
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- ACRF INCITe Intravital Imaging Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Diego Chacon-Fajardo
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Oncology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anna E. Howell
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Amelia L. Parker
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sean C. Warren
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Daniel A. Reed
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Victoria Lee
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Xanthe L. Metcalf
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Young Kyung Lee
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luke P. O’Regan
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessie Zhu
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Trpceski
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela R. M. Fontaine
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- ACRF INCITe Intravital Imaging Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Janett Stoehr
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Romain Rouet
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Immune Biotherapies Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Xufeng Lin
- Data Science Platform, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessica L. Chitty
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sean Porazinski
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Oncology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sunny Z. Wu
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elysse C. Filipe
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Antonia L. Cadell
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Oncology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Holly Holliday
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Children’s Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessica Yang
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Papanicolaou
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ruth J. Lyons
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anaiis Zaratzian
- Histopathology Platform, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Tayao
- Histopathology Platform, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew Da Silva
- Histopathology Platform, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Claire Vennin
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Julia Yin
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Oncology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alysha B. Dew
- Centre for Advanced Histology & Microscopy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul J. McMillan
- Centre for Advanced Histology & Microscopy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Biological Optical Microscopy Platform, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leonard D. Goldstein
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Data Science Platform, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ira W. Deveson
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Genomics and Inherited Disease Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David R. Croucher
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Oncology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael S. Samuel
- Centre for Cancer Biology, An Alliance of SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville South, South Australia, Australia
| | - Hao-Wen Sim
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marcel Batten
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lorraine Chantrill
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sean M. Grimmond
- Centre for Cancer Research and Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Gill
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- NSW Health Pathology, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jaswinder Samra
- Department of Surgery, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thomas R. Jeffry Evans
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Takako Sasaki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan
| | - Tri G. Phan
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Precision Immunology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alexander Swarbrick
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Owen J. Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jennifer P. Morton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | - Marina Pajic
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Oncology Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Benjamin L. Parker
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Herrmann
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thomas R. Cox
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul Timpson
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
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4
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McAndrews KM, Mahadevan KK, Kalluri R. Mouse Models to Evaluate the Functional Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression and Therapy Responses. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041411. [PMID: 38191175 PMCID: PMC11216184 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex ecosystem of both cellular and noncellular components that functions to impact the evolution of cancer. Various aspects of the TME have been targeted for the control of cancer; however, TME composition is dynamic, with the overall abundance of immune cells, endothelial cells (ECs), fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as subsets of TME components changing at different stages of progression and in response to therapy. To effectively treat cancer, an understanding of the functional role of the TME is needed. Genetically engineered mouse models have enabled comprehensive insight into the complex interactions within the TME ecosystem that regulate disease progression. Here, we review recent advances in mouse models that have been employed to understand how the TME regulates cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M McAndrews
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
| | - Krishnan K Mahadevan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
| | - Raghu Kalluri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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5
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Qin Q, Yu R, Eriksson JE, Tsai HI, Zhu H. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma therapy: Challenges and opportunities. Cancer Lett 2024; 591:216859. [PMID: 38615928 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a solid organ malignancy with a high mortality rate. Statistics indicate that its incidence has been increasing as well as the associated deaths. Most patients with PDAC show poor response to therapies making the clinical management of this cancer difficult. Stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to the development of resistance to therapy in PDAC cancer cells. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the most prevalent stromal cells in the TME, promote a desmoplastic response, produce extracellular matrix proteins and cytokines, and directly influence the biological behavior of cancer cells. These multifaceted effects make it difficult to eradicate tumor cells from the body. As a result, CAF-targeting synergistic therapeutic strategies have gained increasing attention in recent years. However, due to the substantial heterogeneity in CAF origin, definition, and function, as well as high plasticity, majority of the available CAF-targeting therapeutic approaches are not effective, and in some cases, they exacerbate disease progression. This review primarily elucidates on the effect of CAFs on therapeutic efficiency of various treatment modalities, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Strategies for CAF targeting therapies are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Qin
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China
| | - Rong Yu
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China
| | - John E Eriksson
- Cell Biology, Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, FI-20520 Finland
| | - Hsiang-I Tsai
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China; Department of Medical Imaging, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China.
| | - Haitao Zhu
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China; Department of Medical Imaging, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, China.
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6
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Vendramini-Costa DB, Francescone R, Franco-Barraza J, Luong T, Graves M, de Aquino AM, Steele N, Gardiner JC, Dos Santos SAA, Ogier C, Malloy E, Borghaei L, Martinez E, Zhigarev DI, Tan Y, Lee H, Zhou Y, Cai KQ, Klein-Szanto AJ, Wang H, Andrake M, Dunbrack RL, Campbell K, Cukierman E. Netrin G1 Ligand is a new stromal immunomodulator that promotes pancreatic cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.15.594354. [PMID: 38798370 PMCID: PMC11118300 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.15.594354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Understanding pancreatic cancer biology is fundamental for identifying new targets and for developing more effective therapies. In particular, the contribution of the stromal microenvironment to pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis requires further exploration. Here, we report the stromal roles of the synaptic protein Netrin G1 Ligand (NGL-1) in pancreatic cancer, uncovering its pro-tumor functions in cancer-associated fibroblasts and in immune cells. We observed that the stromal expression of NGL-1 inversely correlated with patients' overall survival. Moreover, germline knockout (KO) mice for NGL-1 presented decreased tumor burden, with a microenvironment that is less supportive of tumor growth. Of note, tumors from NGL-1 KO mice produced less immunosuppressive cytokines and displayed an increased percentage of CD8 + T cells than those from control mice, while preserving the physical structure of the tumor microenvironment. These effects were shown to be mediated by NGL-1 in both immune cells and in the local stroma, in a TGF-β-dependent manner. While myeloid cells lacking NGL-1 decreased the production of immunosuppressive cytokines, NGL-1 KO T cells showed increased proliferation rates and overall polyfunctionality compared to control T cells. CAFs lacking NGL-1 were less immunosuppressive than controls, with overall decreased production of pro-tumor cytokines and compromised ability to inhibit CD8 + T cells activation. Mechanistically, these CAFs downregulated components of the TGF-β pathway, AP-1 and NFAT transcription factor families, resulting in a less tumor-supportive phenotype. Finally, targeting NGL-1 genetically or using a functionally antagonistic small peptide phenocopied the effects of chemotherapy, while modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), rather than eliminating it. We propose NGL-1 as a new local stroma and immunomodulatory molecule, with pro-tumor roles in pancreatic cancer. Statement of Significance Here we uncovered the pro-tumor roles of the synaptic protein NGL-1 in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer, defining a new target that simultaneously modulates tumor cell, fibroblast, and immune cell functions. This study reports a new pathway where NGL-1 controls TGF-β, AP-1 transcription factor members and NFAT1, modulating the immunosuppressive microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. Our findings highlight NGL-1 as a new stromal immunomodulator in pancreatic cancer.
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7
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Musiu C, Lupo F, Agostini A, Lionetto G, Bevere M, Paiella S, Carbone C, Corbo V, Ugel S, De Sanctis F. Cellular collusion: cracking the code of immunosuppression and chemo resistance in PDAC. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1341079. [PMID: 38817612 PMCID: PMC11137177 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1341079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the efforts, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still highly lethal. Therapeutic challenges reside in late diagnosis and establishment of peculiar tumor microenvironment (TME) supporting tumor outgrowth. This stromal landscape is highly heterogeneous between patients and even in the same patient. The organization of functional sub-TME with different cellular compositions provides evolutive advantages and sustains therapeutic resistance. Tumor progressively establishes a TME that can suit its own needs, including proliferation, stemness and invasion. Cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells, the main non-neoplastic cellular TME components, follow soluble factors-mediated neoplastic instructions and synergize to promote chemoresistance and immune surveillance destruction. Unveiling heterotypic stromal-neoplastic interactions is thus pivotal to breaking this synergism and promoting the reprogramming of the TME toward an anti-tumor milieu, improving thus the efficacy of conventional and immune-based therapies. We underscore recent advances in the characterization of immune and fibroblast stromal components supporting or dampening pancreatic cancer progression, as well as novel multi-omic technologies improving the current knowledge of PDAC biology. Finally, we put into context how the clinic will translate the acquired knowledge to design new-generation clinical trials with the final aim of improving the outcome of PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Musiu
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesca Lupo
- Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Agostini
- Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriella Lionetto
- General and Pancreatic Surgery Unit, Pancreas Institute, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Michele Bevere
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Salvatore Paiella
- General and Pancreatic Surgery Unit, Pancreas Institute, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Carmine Carbone
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Corbo
- Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Ugel
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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8
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Kou Z, Liu C, Zhang W, Sun C, Liu L, Zhang Q. Heterogeneity of primary and metastatic CAFs: From differential treatment outcomes to treatment opportunities (Review). Int J Oncol 2024; 64:54. [PMID: 38577950 PMCID: PMC11015919 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2024.5642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared with primary tumor sites, metastatic sites appear more resistant to treatments and respond differently to the treatment regimen. It may be due to the heterogeneity in the microenvironment between metastatic sites and primary tumors. Cancer‑associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are widely present in the tumor stroma as key components of the tumor microenvironment. Primary tumor CAFs (pCAFs) and metastatic CAFs (mCAFs) are heterogeneous in terms of source, activation mode, markers and functional phenotypes. They can shape the tumor microenvironment according to organ, showing heterogeneity between primary tumors and metastases, which may affect the sensitivity of these sites to treatment. It was hypothesized that understanding the heterogeneity between pCAFs and mCAFs can provide a glimpse into the difference in treatment outcomes, providing new ideas for improving the rate of metastasis control in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixing Kou
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa Island 999078, Macau SAR, P.R. China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Qiming Zhang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
- Department of Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100007, P.R. China
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9
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Salas-Escabillas DJ, Hoffman MT, Moore JS, Brender SM, Wen HJ, Benitz S, Davis ET, Long D, Wombwell AM, Steele NG, Sears RC, Matsumoto I, DelGiorno KE, Crawford HC. Tuft cells transdifferentiate to neural-like progenitor cells in the progression of pancreatic cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.579982. [PMID: 38405804 PMCID: PMC10888969 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.579982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is partly initiated through the transdifferentiation of acinar cells to metaplastic ducts that act as precursors of neoplasia and cancer. Tuft cells are solitary chemosensory cells not found in the normal pancreas but arise in metaplasia and neoplasia, diminishing as neoplastic lesions progress to carcinoma. Metaplastic tuft cells (mTCs) function to suppress tumor progression through communication with the tumor microenvironment, but their fate during progression is unknown. To determine the fate of mTCs during PDA progression, we have created a lineage tracing model that uses a tamoxifen-inducible tuft-cell specific Pou2f3CreERT/+ driver to induce transgene expression, including the lineage tracer tdTomato or the oncogene Myc. mTC lineage trace models of pancreatic neoplasia and carcinoma were used to follow mTC fate. We found that mTCs, in the carcinoma model, transdifferentiate into neural-like progenitor cells (NRPs), a cell type associated with poor survival in PDA patients. Using conditional knock-out and overexpression systems, we found that Myc activity in mTCs is necessary and sufficient to induce this Tuft-to-Neuroendocrine-Transition (TNT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Salas-Escabillas
- Cancer Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI
| | - Megan T. Hoffman
- Department of Immunology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Hui-Ju Wen
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI
| | - Simone Benitz
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI
| | | | - Dan Long
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI
| | | | | | - Rosalie C. Sears
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | | | - Kathleen E. DelGiorno
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Howard C. Crawford
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI
- Cancer Biology Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
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10
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Wellik DM. Hox genes and patterning the vertebrate body. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 159:1-27. [PMID: 38729674 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.02.011] [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] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The diversity of vertebrate body plans is dizzying, yet stunning for the many things they have in common. Vertebrates have inhabited virtually every part of the earth from its coldest to warmest climates. They locomote by swimming, flying, walking, slithering, or climbing, or combinations of these behaviors. And they exist in many different sizes, from the smallest of frogs, fish and lizards to giraffes, elephants, and blue whales. Despite these differences, vertebrates follow a remarkably similar blueprint for the establishment of their body plan. Within the relatively small amount of time required to complete gastrulation, the process through which the three germ layers, ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm are created, the embryo also generates its body axis and is simultaneously patterned. For the length of this axis, the genes that distinguish the neck from the rib cage or the trunk from the sacrum are the Hox genes. In vertebrates, there was evolutionary pressure to maintain this set of genes in the organism. Over the past decades, much has been learned regarding the regulatory mechanisms that ensure the appropriate expression of these genes along the main body axes. Genetic functions continue to be explored though much has been learned. Much less has been discerned on the identity of co-factors used by Hox proteins for the specificity of transcriptional regulation or what downstream targets and pathways are critical for patterning events, though there are notable exceptions. Current work in the field is demonstrating that Hox genes continue to function in many organs long after directing early patterning events. It is hopeful continued research will shed light on remaining questions regarding mechanisms used by this important and conserved set of transcriptional regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deneen M Wellik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
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11
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Lloyd EG, Henríquez JA, Biffi G. Modelling the micro- and macro- environment of pancreatic cancer: from patients to pre-clinical models and back. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050624. [PMID: 38639944 PMCID: PMC11051978 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050624] [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] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy with very low survival rates. Over the past 50 years, improvements in PDAC survival have significantly lagged behind the progress made in other cancers. PDAC's dismal prognosis is due to typical late-stage diagnosis combined with lack of effective treatments and complex mechanisms of disease. We propose that improvements in survival are partly hindered by the current focus on largely modelling and targeting PDAC as one disease, despite it being heterogeneous. Implementing new disease-representative pre-clinical mouse models that capture this complexity could enable the development of transformative therapies. Specifically, these models should recapitulate human PDAC late-stage biology, heterogeneous genetics, extensive non-malignant stroma, and associated risk factors and comorbidities. In this Perspective, we focus on how pre-clinical mouse models could be improved to exemplify key features of PDAC micro- and macro- environments, which would drive clinically relevant patient stratification, tailored treatments and improved survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise G. Lloyd
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Joaquín Araos Henríquez
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Giulia Biffi
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
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12
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Sun L, Zheng M, Gao Y, Brigstock DR, Gao R. Retinoic acid signaling pathway in pancreatic stellate cells: Insight into the anti-fibrotic effect and mechanism. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 967:176374. [PMID: 38309676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are activated following loss of cytoplasmic vitamin A (retinol)-containing lipid droplets, which is a key event in the process of fibrogenesis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDCA). PSCs are the major source of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that produce stroma to induce PDAC cancer cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. As an active metabolite of retinol, retinoic acid (RA) can regulate target gene expression in PSCs through its nuclear receptor complex (RAR/RXR or RXR/RXR) or transcriptional intermediary factor. Additionally, RA also has extranuclear and non-transcriptional effects. In vitro studies have shown that RA induces PSC deactivation which reduces extracellular matrix production through multiple modes of action, such as inhibiting TβRⅡ, PDGFRβ, β-catenin and Wnt production, downregulating ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation and suppressing active TGF-β1 release. RA alone or in combination with other reagents have been demonstrated to have an effective anti-fibrotic effect on cerulein-induced mouse CP models in vivo studies. Clinical trial data have shown that repurposing all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) as a stromal-targeting agent for human pancreatic cancer is safe and tolerable, suggesting the possibility of using RA for the treatment of CP and PDCA in humans. This review focuses on RA signaling pathways in PSCs and the effects and mechanisms of RA in PSC-mediated fibrogenesis as well as the anti-fibrotic and anti-tumor effects of RA targeting PSCs or CAFs in vitro and in vivo, highlighting the potential therapies of RA against CP and PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Pathology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Meifang Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanhang Gao
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
| | - David R Brigstock
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Runping Gao
- Department of Hepatic Biliary Pancreatic Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
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13
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Zhang G, Shu Z, Yu J, Li J, Yi P, Wu B, Deng D, Yan S, Li Y, Ren D, Hou Y, Lan C. High ANO1 expression is a prognostic factor and correlated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1341209. [PMID: 38352864 PMCID: PMC10861777 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1341209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Aminooctylamine (ANO1) plays an oncogenic role in various cancers. However. its role in pancreatic cancer (PC) has rarely been studied. This study investigated the prognostic value of ANO1 and its correlation with the tumor microenvironment (TME) in PC. Methods Consecutive patients with PC (n = 119) were enrolled. The expression of ANO1 in cancer cells, the expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and alpha smooth muscle actin in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and the numbers of CD8- and FOXP3-positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The prognostic value of ANO1 and its correlation with CAF subgroups and TILs were analyzed. The possible mechanism of ANO1 in the TME of PC was predicted using the the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Results The expression of AN01 was correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. Multi-factor analysis showed that high ANO1 expression was an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio, 4.137; P = 0.001). ANO1 expression was positively correlated with the expression of FAP in CAFs (P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with the number of CD8-positive TILs (P = 0.005), which was also validated by bioinformatics analysis in the TCGA dataset. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis of the TCGA dataset revealed that ANO1 may induce an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer in a paracrine manner. Conclusion ANO1 is a prognostic factor in patients with PC after radical resection. ANO1 may induce an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in PC in a paracrine manner, suggesting that ANO1 may be a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangnian Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Zhihui Shu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Jianshui Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Pengsheng Yi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Dawei Deng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Shu Yan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Dongmei Ren
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Yifu Hou
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Clinical Immunology Translational Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Organ Transplantation Center, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Lan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
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14
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Arebro J, Lee CM, Bennewith KL, Garnis C. Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Heterogeneity in Malignancy with Focus on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1300. [PMID: 38279300 PMCID: PMC10816981 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains an understudied and significant global cancer killer and dismal survival rates have not changed in decades. A better understanding of the molecular basis of OSCC progression and metastasis is needed to develop new approaches for treating this disease. The supportive network surrounding cancer tumor cells known as the tumor microenvironment (TME) has gained increasing interest lately since it performs essential protumorigenic functions. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the main cell types in the TME and are known to play a key role in influencing the biological behavior of tumors. CAFs present a heterogeneity both in phenotype as well as functions, leading to the suggestion of different CAF subtypes in several cancer forms. The task to subtype CAFs in OSCC has, however, just begun, and there is today no united way of subtyping CAFs in this disease. This review aims to define the features of CAFs and to summarize CAF subtype research in malignancy with focus on OSCC including aspects as disease prognosis and therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Arebro
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (C.G.)
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of ENT Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Che-Min Lee
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (C.G.)
- Interdisciplinary Oncology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Kevin L. Bennewith
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (C.G.)
- Interdisciplinary Oncology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z7, Canada
| | - Cathie Garnis
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (C.G.)
- Interdisciplinary Oncology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
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15
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Yan W, Menjivar RE, Bonilla ME, Steele NG, Kemp SB, Du W, Donahue KL, Brown K, Carpenter ES, Avritt FR, Irizarry-Negron VM, Yang S, Burns WR, Zhang Y, di Magliano MP, Bednar F. Notch Signaling Regulates Immunosuppressive Tumor-Associated Macrophage Function in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2024; 12:91-106. [PMID: 37931247 PMCID: PMC10842043 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) continues to have a dismal prognosis. The poor survival of patients with PDA has been attributed to a high rate of early metastasis and low efficacy of current therapies, which partly result from its complex immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Previous studies from our group and others have shown that tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are instrumental in maintaining immunosuppression in PDA. Here, we explored the role of Notch signaling, a key regulator of immune response, within the PDA microenvironment. We identified Notch pathway components in multiple immune cell types within human and mouse pancreatic cancer. TAMs, the most abundant immune cell population in the tumor microenvironment, expressed high levels of Notch receptors, with cognate ligands such as JAG1 expressed on tumor epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. TAMs with activated Notch signaling expressed higher levels of immunosuppressive mediators, suggesting that Notch signaling plays a role in macrophage polarization within the PDA microenvironment. Genetic inhibition of Notch in myeloid cells led to reduced tumor size and decreased macrophage infiltration in an orthotopic PDA model. Combination of pharmacologic Notch inhibition with PD-1 blockade resulted in increased cytotoxic T-cell infiltration, tumor cell apoptosis, and smaller tumor size. Our work implicates macrophage Notch signaling in the establishment of immunosuppression and indicates that targeting the Notch pathway may improve the efficacy of immune-based therapies in patients with PDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Rosa E. Menjivar
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Monica E. Bonilla
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nina G. Steele
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Samantha B. Kemp
- Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Wenting Du
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Katelyn L. Donahue
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kristee Brown
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eileen S. Carpenter
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI 48109, USA
| | - Faith R. Avritt
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Sion Yang
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - William R. Burns
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Filip Bednar
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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16
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Ando R, Shiraki Y, Miyai Y, Shimizu H, Furuhashi K, Minatoguchi S, Kato K, Kato A, Iida T, Mizutani Y, Ito K, Asai N, Mii S, Esaki N, Takahashi M, Enomoto A. Meflin is a marker of pancreatic stellate cells involved in fibrosis and epithelial regeneration in the pancreas. J Pathol 2024; 262:61-75. [PMID: 37796386 DOI: 10.1002/path.6211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are stromal cells in the pancreas that play an important role in pancreatic pathology. In chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), PSCs are known to get activated to form myofibroblasts or cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that promote stromal fibroinflammatory reactions. However, previous studies on PSCs were mainly based on the findings obtained using ex vivo expanded PSCs, with few studies that addressed the significance of in situ tissue-resident PSCs using animal models. Their contributions to fibrotic reactions in CP and PDAC are also lesser-known. These limitations in our understanding of PSC biology have been attributed to the lack of specific molecular markers of PSCs. Herein, we established Meflin (Islr), a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane protein, as a PSC-specific marker in both mouse and human by using human pancreatic tissue samples and Meflin reporter mice. Meflin-positive (Meflin+ ) cells contain lipid droplets and express the conventional PSC marker Desmin in normal mouse pancreas, with some cells also positive for Gli1, the marker of pancreatic tissue-resident fibroblasts. Three-dimensional analysis of the cleared pancreas of Meflin reporter mice showed that Meflin+ PSCs have long and thin cytoplasmic protrusions, and are localised on the abluminal side of vessels in the normal pancreas. Lineage tracing experiments revealed that Meflin+ PSCs constitute one of the origins of fibroblasts and CAFs in CP and PDAC, respectively. In these diseases, Meflin+ PSC-derived fibroblasts showed a distinctive morphology and distribution from Meflin+ PSCs in the normal pancreas. Furthermore, we showed that the genetic depletion of Meflin+ PSCs accelerated fibrosis and attenuated epithelial regeneration and stromal R-spondin 3 expression, thereby implying that Meflin+ PSCs and their lineage cells may support tissue recovery and Wnt/R-spondin signalling after pancreatic injury and PDAC development. Together, these data indicate that Meflin may be a marker specific to tissue-resident PSCs and useful for studying their biology in both health and disease. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Ando
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Shiraki
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yuki Miyai
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hiroki Shimizu
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Furuhashi
- Department of Nephrology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shun Minatoguchi
- Department of Nephrology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Kato
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akira Kato
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tadashi Iida
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Mizutani
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kisuke Ito
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Naoya Asai
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Shinji Mii
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Nobutoshi Esaki
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahide Takahashi
- Division of International Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Atsushi Enomoto
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu, Japan
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17
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Tung LW, Groppa E, Soliman H, Lin B, Chang C, Cheung CW, Ritso M, Guo D, Rempel L, Sinha S, Eisner C, Brassard J, McNagny K, Biernaskie J, Rossi F. Spatiotemporal signaling underlies progressive vascular rarefaction in myocardial infarction. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8498. [PMID: 38129410 PMCID: PMC10739910 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44227-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic angiogenesis represents a promising avenue to revascularize the ischemic heart. Its limited success is partly due to our poor understanding of the cardiac stroma, specifically mural cells, and their response to ischemic injury. Here, we combine single-cell and positional transcriptomics to assess the behavior of mural cells within the healing heart. In response to myocardial infarction, mural cells adopt an altered state closely associated with the infarct and retain a distinct lineage from fibroblasts. This response is concurrent with vascular rarefaction and reduced vascular coverage by mural cells. Positional transcriptomics reveals that the infarcted heart is governed by regional-dependent and temporally regulated programs. While the remote zone acts as an important source of pro-angiogenic signals, the infarct zone is accentuated by chronic activation of anti-angiogenic, pro-fibrotic, and inflammatory cues. Together, our work unveils the spatiotemporal programs underlying cardiac repair and establishes an association between vascular deterioration and mural cell dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wei Tung
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Elena Groppa
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Borea Therapeutics, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Via Bonomea, 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Hesham Soliman
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Aspect Biosystems, 1781 W 75th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6P 6P2, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Bruce Lin
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Chihkai Chang
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Chun Wai Cheung
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Morten Ritso
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - David Guo
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lucas Rempel
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Sarthak Sinha
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Christine Eisner
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Julyanne Brassard
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Kelly McNagny
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jeff Biernaskie
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Fabio Rossi
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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18
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Melchionna R, Trono P, Di Carlo A, Di Modugno F, Nisticò P. Transcription factors in fibroblast plasticity and CAF heterogeneity. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:347. [PMID: 38124183 PMCID: PMC10731891 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02934-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, research focused on the multifaceted landscape and functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) aimed to reveal their heterogeneity and identify commonalities across diverse tumors for more effective therapeutic targeting of pro-tumoral stromal microenvironment. However, a unified functional categorization of CAF subsets remains elusive, posing challenges for the development of targeted CAF therapies in clinical settings.The CAF phenotype arises from a complex interplay of signals within the tumor microenvironment, where transcription factors serve as central mediators of various cellular pathways. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing technology have emphasized the role of transcription factors in the conversion of normal fibroblasts to distinct CAF subtypes across various cancer types.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the specific roles of transcription factor networks in shaping CAF heterogeneity, plasticity, and functionality. Beginning with their influence on fibroblast homeostasis and reprogramming during wound healing and fibrosis, it delves into the emerging insights into transcription factor regulatory networks. Understanding these mechanisms not only enables a more precise characterization of CAF subsets but also sheds light on the early regulatory processes governing CAF heterogeneity and functionality. Ultimately, this knowledge may unveil novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment, addressing the existing challenges of stromal-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Melchionna
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Trono
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Di Carlo
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Modugno
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Nisticò
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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19
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Avşar G, Pir P. An integrated study to decipher immunosuppressive cellular communication in the PDAC environment. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:56. [PMID: 37945567 PMCID: PMC10636193 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00320-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one the most aggressive cancers and characterized by a highly rigid and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The extensive cellular interactions are known to play key roles in the immune evasion, chemoresistance, and poor prognosis. Here, we used the spatial transcriptomics, scRNA-seq, and bulk RNA-seq datasets to enhance the insights obtained from each to decipher the cellular communication in the TME. The complex crosstalk in PDAC samples was revealed by the single-cell and spatial transcriptomics profiles of the samples. We show that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the central cell types in the regulation of microenvironment in PDAC. They colocalize with the cancer cells and tumor-suppressor immune cells and take roles to provide an immunosuppressive environment. LGALS9 gene which is upregulated in PDAC tumor samples in comparison to healthy samples was also found to be upregulated in TAMs compared to tumor-suppressor immune cells in cancer samples. Additionally, LGALS9 was found to be the primary component in the crosstalk between TAMs and the other cells. The widespread expression of P4HB gene and its interaction with LGALS9 was also notable. Our findings point to a profound role of TAMs via LGALS9 and its interaction with P4HB that should be considered for further elucidation as target in the combinatory immunotherapies for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gülben Avşar
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Turkey.
- Turkish Academy of Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Pınar Pir
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Turkey
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20
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Xiao Z, Todd L, Huang L, Noguera-Ortega E, Lu Z, Huang L, Kopp M, Li Y, Pattada N, Zhong W, Guo W, Scholler J, Liousia M, Assenmacher CA, June CH, Albelda SM, Puré E. Desmoplastic stroma restricts T cell extravasation and mediates immune exclusion and immunosuppression in solid tumors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5110. [PMID: 37607999 PMCID: PMC10444764 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40850-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The desmoplastic stroma in solid tumors presents a formidable challenge to immunotherapies that rely on endogenous or adoptively transferred T cells, however, the mechanisms are poorly understood. To define mechanisms involved, here we treat established desmoplastic pancreatic tumors with CAR T cells directed to fibroblast activation protein (FAP), an enzyme highly overexpressed on a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Depletion of FAP+ CAFs results in loss of the structural integrity of desmoplastic matrix. This renders these highly treatment-resistant cancers susceptible to subsequent treatment with a tumor antigen (mesothelin)-targeted CAR T cells and to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. Mechanisms include overcoming stroma-dependent restriction of T cell extravasation and/or perivascular invasion, reversing immune exclusion, relieving T cell suppression, and altering the immune landscape by reducing myeloid cell accumulation and increasing endogenous CD8+ T cell and NK cell infiltration. These data provide strong rationale for combining tumor stroma- and malignant cell-targeted therapies to be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Leslie Todd
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Estela Noguera-Ortega
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhen Lu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lili Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Meghan Kopp
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nimisha Pattada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Wenqun Zhong
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John Scholler
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Maria Liousia
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Charles-Antoine Assenmacher
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Steven M Albelda
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ellen Puré
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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21
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Xiao Z, Todd L, Huang L, Noguera-Ortega E, Lu Z, Huang L, Kopp M, Li Y, Pattada N, Zhong W, Guo W, Scholler J, Liousia M, Assenmacher CA, June CH, Albelda SM, Puré E. Desmoplastic stroma restricts T cell extravasation and mediates immune exclusion and immunosuppression in solid tumors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.13.536777. [PMID: 37090547 PMCID: PMC10120701 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.13.536777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
The desmoplastic stroma in solid tumors presents a formidable challenge to immunotherapies that rely on endogenous or adoptively transferred T cells, however, the mechanisms are poorly understood. To define mechanisms involved, we treat established desmoplastic pancreatic tumors with CAR T cells directed to fibroblast activation protein (FAP), an enzyme highly overexpressed on a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Depletion of FAP+CAFs results in loss of the structural integrity of desmoplastic matrix. This renders these highly treatment-resistant cancers susceptible to subsequent treatment with a tumor antigen (mesothelin)-targeted CAR and to anti-PD1 antibody therapy. Mechanisms include overcoming stroma-dependent restriction of T cell extravasation and/or perivascular invasion, reversing immune exclusion, relieving T cell suppression, and altering the immune landscape by reducing myeloid cell accumulation and increasing endogenous CD8+ T cell and NK cell infiltration. These data provide strong rationale for combining tumor stroma- and malignant cell-targeted therapies to be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Leslie Todd
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Estela Noguera-Ortega
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhen Lu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lili Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Meghan Kopp
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nimisha Pattada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wenqun Zhong
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John Scholler
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maria Liousia
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Charles-Antoine Assenmacher
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H. June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Steven M. Albelda
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ellen Puré
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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22
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Giustarini G, Teng G, Pavesi A, Adriani G. Characterization of 3D heterocellular spheroids of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma for the study of cell interactions in the tumor immune microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1156769. [PMID: 37519820 PMCID: PMC10375712 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1156769] [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: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignancies nowadays. The available chemo- and immunotherapies are often ineffective in treating PDAC due to its immunosuppressive and highly desmoplastic tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), which is hardly reproduced in the existing preclinical models. The PDAC TIME results from a peculiar spatial organization between different cell types. For this reason, developing new human models recapitulating the tissue organization and cell heterogeneity of PDAC is highly desirable. We developed human 3D heterocellular tumor spheroids of PDAC formed by cancer cells, endothelial cells, pancreatic stellate cells (PSC), and monocytes. As a control, we formed spheroids using immortalized epithelial pancreatic ductal cells (non-cancerous spheroids) with cellular heterogeneity similar to the tumor spheroids. Normal spheroids containing endothelial cells formed a complex 3D endothelial network significantly compromised in tumor spheroids. Monocyte/macrophages within the 4-culture tumor spheroids were characterized by a higher expression of CD163, CD206, PD-L1, and CD40 than those in the non-cancerous spheroids suggesting their differentiation towards an immunosuppressive phenotype. The heterocellular tumor spheroids presented a hypoxic core populated with PSC and monocytes/macrophages. The 4-culture tumor spheroids were characterized by spatial proximity of PSC and monocytes to the endothelial cells and a cytokine signature with increased concentrations of CXCL10, CCL2, and IL-6, which have been observed in PDAC patients and associated with poor survival. Further, 4-culture tumor spheroids decreased the concentrations of T-cell chemoattracting cytokines, i.e., CCL4, CCL5, and CXCL9, when compared with the non-cancerous spheroids, revealing a critical immunosuppressive feature of the different types of cells forming the tumor spheroids. Our results showed that the 4-culture tumor spheroids better resembled some critical features of patients' PDAC TIME than monoculture tumor spheroids. Using the proposed human 3D spheroid model for therapy testing at the preclinical stage may reveal pitfalls of chemo- and immuno-therapies to help the development of better anti-tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Giustarini
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Germaine Teng
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrea Pavesi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giulia Adriani
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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23
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Yang D, Liu J, Qian H, Zhuang Q. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: from basic science to anticancer therapy. Exp Mol Med 2023:10.1038/s12276-023-01013-0. [PMID: 37394578 PMCID: PMC10394065 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01013-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as a central component of the tumor microenvironment in primary and metastatic tumors, profoundly influence the behavior of cancer cells and are involved in cancer progression through extensive interactions with cancer cells and other stromal cells. Furthermore, the innate versatility and plasticity of CAFs allow their education by cancer cells, resulting in dynamic alterations in stromal fibroblast populations in a context-dependent manner, which highlights the importance of precise assessment of CAF phenotypical and functional heterogeneity. In this review, we summarize the proposed origins and heterogeneity of CAFs as well as the molecular mechanisms regulating the diversity of CAF subpopulations. We also discuss current strategies to selectively target tumor-promoting CAFs, providing insights and perspectives for future research and clinical studies involving stromal targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakai Yang
- Department of General Practice, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing Liu
- Microbiology and Immunity Department, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicines, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Qian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qin Zhuang
- Department of General Practice, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, People's Republic of China.
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24
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Brichkina A, Polo P, Sharma SD, Visestamkul N, Lauth M. A Quick Guide to CAF Subtypes in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092614. [PMID: 37174079 PMCID: PMC10177377 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer represents one of the most desmoplastic malignancies and is characterized by an extensive deposition of extracellular matrix. The latter is provided by activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are abundant cells in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Many recent studies have made it clear that CAFs are not a singular cellular entity but represent a multitude of potentially dynamic subgroups that affect tumor biology at several levels. As mentioned before, CAFs significantly contribute to the fibrotic reaction and the biomechanical properties of the tumor, but they can also modulate the local immune environment and the response to targeted, chemo or radiotherapy. As the number of known and emerging CAF subgroups is steadily increasing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with these developments and to clearly discriminate the cellular subsets identified so far. This review aims to provide a helpful overview that enables readers to quickly familiarize themselves with field of CAF heterogeneity and to grasp the phenotypic, functional and therapeutic distinctions of the various stromal subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Brichkina
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Pierfrancesco Polo
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Shrey Dharamvir Sharma
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nico Visestamkul
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Lauth
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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25
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Halbrook CJ, Lyssiotis CA, Pasca di Magliano M, Maitra A. Pancreatic cancer: Advances and challenges. Cell 2023; 186:1729-1754. [PMID: 37059070 PMCID: PMC10182830 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 248.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest cancers. Significant efforts have largely defined major genetic factors driving PDAC pathogenesis and progression. Pancreatic tumors are characterized by a complex microenvironment that orchestrates metabolic alterations and supports a milieu of interactions among various cell types within this niche. In this review, we highlight the foundational studies that have driven our understanding of these processes. We further discuss the recent technological advances that continue to expand our understanding of PDAC complexity. We posit that the clinical translation of these research endeavors will enhance the currently dismal survival rate of this recalcitrant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Halbrook
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Caligiuri G, Tuveson DA. Activated fibroblasts in cancer: Perspectives and challenges. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:434-449. [PMID: 36917949 PMCID: PMC11022589 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Activated fibroblasts in tumors, or cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), have become a popular research area over the past decade. As important players in many aspects of tumor biology, with functions ranging from collagen deposition to immunosuppression, CAFs have been the target of clinical and pre-clinical studies that have revealed their potential pro- and anti-tumorigenic dichotomy. In this review, we describe the important role of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment and the technological advances that made these discoveries possible, and we detail the models that are currently available for CAF investigation. Additionally, we present evidence to support the value of encompassing CAF investigation as a future therapeutic avenue alongside immune and cancer cells while highlighting the challenges that must be addressed for successful clinical translation of new findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Caligiuri
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA; Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - David A Tuveson
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA; Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
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27
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GLI1 interaction with p300 modulates SDF1 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts to promote pancreatic cancer cells migration. Biochem J 2023; 480:225-241. [PMID: 36734208 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in the progression of multiple malignancies. Secretion of cytokines and growth factors underlies the pro-tumoral effect of CAFs. Although this paracrine function has been extensively documented, the molecular mechanisms controlling the expression of these factors remain elusive. In this study, we provide evidence of a novel CAF transcriptional axis regulating the expression of SDF1, a major driver of cancer cell migration, involving the transcription factor GLI1 and histone acetyltransferase p300. We demonstrate that conditioned media from CAFs overexpressing GLI1 induce the migration of pancreatic cancer cells, and this effect is impaired by an SDF1-neutralizing antibody. Using a combination of co-immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we further demonstrate that GLI1 and p300 physically interact in CAFs to co-occupy and drive SDF1 promoter activity. Mapping experiments highlight the requirement of GLI1 N-terminal for the interaction with p300. Importantly, knockdowns of both GLI1 and p300 reduce SDF1 expression. Further analysis shows that knockdown of GLI1 decreases SDF1 promoter activity, p300 recruitment, and levels of its associated histone marks (H4ac, H3K27ac, and H3K14ac). Finally, we show that the integrity of two GLI binding sites in the SDF1 promoter is required for p300 recruitment. Our findings define a new role for the p300-GLI1 complex in the regulation of SDF1, providing new mechanistic insight into the molecular events controlling pancreatic cancer cells migration.
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28
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Menjivar RE, Nwosu ZC, Du W, Donahue KL, Hong HS, Espinoza C, Brown K, Velez-Delgado A, Yan W, Lima F, Bischoff A, Kadiyala P, Salas-Escabillas D, Crawford HC, Bednar F, Carpenter E, Zhang Y, Halbrook CJ, Lyssiotis CA, Pasca di Magliano M. Arginase 1 is a key driver of immune suppression in pancreatic cancer. eLife 2023; 12:e80721. [PMID: 36727849 PMCID: PMC10260021 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
An extensive fibroinflammatory stroma rich in macrophages is a hallmark of pancreatic cancer. In this disease, it is well appreciated that macrophages are immunosuppressive and contribute to the poor response to immunotherapy; however, the mechanisms of immune suppression are complex and not fully understood. Immunosuppressive macrophages are classically defined by the expression of the enzyme Arginase 1 (ARG1), which we demonstrated is potently expressed in pancreatic tumor-associated macrophages from both human patients and mouse models. While routinely used as a polarization marker, ARG1 also catabolizes arginine, an amino acid required for T cell activation and proliferation. To investigate this metabolic function, we used a genetic and a pharmacologic approach to target Arg1 in pancreatic cancer. Genetic inactivation of Arg1 in macrophages, using a dual recombinase genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic cancer, delayed formation of invasive disease, while increasing CD8+ T cell infiltration. Additionally, Arg1 deletion induced compensatory mechanisms, including Arg1 overexpression in epithelial cells, namely Tuft cells, and Arg2 overexpression in a subset of macrophages. To overcome these compensatory mechanisms, we used a pharmacological approach to inhibit arginase. Treatment of established tumors with the arginase inhibitor CB-1158 exhibited further increased CD8+ T cell infiltration, beyond that seen with the macrophage-specific knockout, and sensitized the tumors to anti-PD1 immune checkpoint blockade. Our data demonstrate that Arg1 drives immune suppression in pancreatic cancer by depleting arginine and inhibiting T cell activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa E Menjivar
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Zeribe C Nwosu
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Wenting Du
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Katelyn L Donahue
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Hanna S Hong
- Department of Immunology, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Carlos Espinoza
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Kristee Brown
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Ashley Velez-Delgado
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Wei Yan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Fatima Lima
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Allison Bischoff
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Padma Kadiyala
- Department of Immunology, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | | | | | - Filip Bednar
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Rogel Cancer CenterAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Eileen Carpenter
- Rogel Cancer CenterAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterolog, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Rogel Cancer CenterAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Christopher J Halbrook
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Rogel Cancer CenterAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterolog, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer CenterDetroitUnited States
- Rogel Cancer CenterAnn ArborUnited States
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29
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Barrera LN, Ridley PM, Bermejo-Rodriguez C, Costello E, Perez-Mancera PA. The role of microRNAs in the modulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts activity during pancreatic cancer pathogenesis. J Physiol Biochem 2023; 79:193-204. [PMID: 35767180 PMCID: PMC9905185 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-022-00899-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the deadliest of the common cancers. A major hallmark of PDAC is an abundant and dense fibrotic stroma, the result of a disproportionate deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the main mediators of PDAC desmoplasia. CAFs represent a heterogenous group of activated fibroblasts with different origins and activation mechanisms. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with critical activity during tumour development and resistance to chemotherapy. Increasing evidence has revealed that miRNAs play a relevant role in the differentiation of normal fibroblasts into CAFs in PDAC. In this review, we discuss recent findings on the role of miRNAs in the activation of CAFs during the progression of PDAC and its response to therapy, as well as the potential role that PDAC-derived exosomal miRNAs may play in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and formation of liver metastasis. Since targeting of CAF activation may be a viable strategy for PDAC therapy, and miRNAs have emerged as potential therapeutic targets, understanding the biology underpinning miRNA-mediated tumour cell-CAF interactions is an important component in guiding rational approaches to treating this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence N Barrera
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 1JQ, UK
| | - P Matthew Ridley
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Eithne Costello
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Pedro A Perez-Mancera
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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30
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Sherman MH, Beatty GL. Tumor Microenvironment in Pancreatic Cancer Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Resistance. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 18:123-148. [PMID: 36130070 PMCID: PMC9877114 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-031621-024600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) features a prominent stromal microenvironment with remarkable cellular and spatial heterogeneity that meaningfully impacts disease biology and treatment resistance. Recent advances in tissue imaging capabilities, single-cell analytics, and disease modeling have shed light on organizing principles that shape the stromal complexity of PDAC tumors. These insights into the functional and spatial dependencies that coordinate cancer cell biology and the relationships that exist between cells and extracellular matrix components present in tumors are expected to unveil therapeutic vulnerabilities. We review recent advances in the field and discuss current understandings of mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironment shapes PDAC pathogenesis and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara H Sherman
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology; and Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA;
| | - Gregory L Beatty
- Abramson Cancer Center; and Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;
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31
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Yan W, Steele NG, Kemp SB, Menjivar RE, Du W, Carpenter ES, Donahue KL, Brown KL, Irizarry-Negron V, Yang S, Burns WR, Zhang Y, di Magliano MP, Bednar F. Notch signaling regulates immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophage function in pancreatic cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.11.523584. [PMID: 36711890 PMCID: PMC9882066 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) continues to have a dismal prognosis. The poor survival of patients with PDA has been attributed to a high rate of early metastasis and low efficacy of current therapies, which partly result from its complex immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Previous studies from our group and others have shown that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are instrumental in maintaining immunosuppression in PDA. Here, we explored the role of Notch signaling, a key regulator of immune response, within the PDA microenvironment. We identified Notch pathway components in multiple immune cell types within human and mouse pancreatic cancer. TAMs, the most abundant immune cell population in the tumor microenvironment, express high levels of Notch receptors with cognate ligands such as JAG1 expressed on tumor epithelial cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts. TAMs with activated Notch signaling expressed higher levels of immunosuppressive mediators including arginase 1 (Arg1) suggesting that Notch signaling plays a role in macrophage polarization within the PDA microenvironment. Combination of Notch inhibition with PD-1 blockade resulted in increased cytotoxic T cell infiltration, tumor cell apoptosis, and smaller tumor size. Our work implicates macrophage Notch signaling in the establishment of immunosuppression and indicates that targeting the Notch pathway may improve the efficacy of immune-based therapies in PDA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nina G. Steele
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Samantha B. Kemp
- Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Rosa E. Menjivar
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Wenting Du
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eileen S. Carpenter
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Ml 48109, USA
| | - Katelyn L. Donahue
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kristee L. Brown
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Sion Yang
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - William R. Burns
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Filip Bednar
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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32
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Han L, Wu Y, Fang K, Sweeney S, Roesner UK, Parrish M, Patel K, Walter T, Piermattei J, Trimboli A, Lefler J, Timmers CD, Yu XZ, Jin VX, Zimmermann MT, Mathison AJ, Urrutia R, Ostrowski MC, Leone G. The splanchnic mesenchyme is the tissue of origin for pancreatic fibroblasts during homeostasis and tumorigenesis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1. [PMID: 36596776 PMCID: PMC9810714 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34464-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is characterized by abundant desmoplasia, a dense stroma composed of extra-cellular and cellular components, with cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) being the major cellular component. However, the tissue(s) of origin for CAFs remains controversial. Here we determine the tissue origin of pancreatic CAFs through comprehensive lineage tracing studies in mice. We find that the splanchnic mesenchyme, the fetal cell layer surrounding the endoderm from which the pancreatic epithelium originates, gives rise to the majority of resident fibroblasts in the normal pancreas. In a genetic mouse model of pancreatic cancer, resident fibroblasts expand and constitute the bulk of CAFs. Single cell RNA profiling identifies gene expression signatures that are shared among the fetal splanchnic mesenchyme, adult fibroblasts and CAFs, suggesting a persistent transcriptional program underlies splanchnic lineage differentiation. Together, this study defines the phylogeny of the mesenchymal component of the pancreas and provides insights into pancreatic morphogenesis and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Yongxia Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Kun Fang
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Sean Sweeney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Ulyss K Roesner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Melodie Parrish
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Khushbu Patel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Tom Walter
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Julia Piermattei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Anthony Trimboli
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Julia Lefler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Cynthia D Timmers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Xue-Zhong Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Victor X Jin
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Michael T Zimmermann
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Angela J Mathison
- Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Raul Urrutia
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
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Abstract
Hox genes encode evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that are essential for the proper development of bilaterian organisms. Hox genes are unique because they are spatially and temporally regulated during development in a manner that is dictated by their tightly linked genomic organization. Although their genetic function during embryonic development has been interrogated, less is known about how these transcription factors regulate downstream genes to direct morphogenetic events. Moreover, the continued expression and function of Hox genes at postnatal and adult stages highlights crucial roles for these genes throughout the life of an organism. Here, we provide an overview of Hox genes, highlighting their evolutionary history, their unique genomic organization and how this impacts the regulation of their expression, what is known about their protein structure, and their deployment in development and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine A. Hubert
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Deneen M. Wellik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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34
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Diversity Shapes Tumor Metabolism in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010061. [PMID: 36612058 PMCID: PMC9817728 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research, the 5-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer (PDAC) patients remains at only 9%. Patients often show poor treatment response, due partly to a highly complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) heterogeneity is characteristic of the pancreatic TME, where several CAF subpopulations have been identified, such as myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs), inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs), and antigen presenting CAFs (apCAFs). In PDAC, cancer cells continuously adapt their metabolism (metabolic switch) to environmental changes in pH, oxygenation, and nutrient availability. Recent advances show that these environmental alterations are all heavily driven by stromal CAFs. CAFs and cancer cells exchange cytokines and metabolites, engaging in a tight bidirectional crosstalk, which promotes tumor aggressiveness and allows constant adaptation to external stress, such as chemotherapy. In this review, we summarize CAF diversity and CAF-mediated metabolic rewiring, in a PDAC-specific context. First, we recapitulate the most recently identified CAF subtypes, focusing on the cell of origin, activation mechanism, species-dependent markers, and functions. Next, we describe in detail the metabolic crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells. Additionally, we elucidate how CAF-driven paracrine signaling, desmoplasia, and acidosis orchestrate cancer cell metabolism. Finally, we highlight how the CAF/cancer cell crosstalk could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies.
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35
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Gu L, Liao P, Liu H. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in acute leukemia. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1022979. [PMID: 36601484 PMCID: PMC9806275 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1022979] [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: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the prognosis for acute leukemia has greatly improved, treatment of relapsed/refractory acute leukemia (R/R AL) remains challenging. Recently, increasing evidence indicates that the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) plays a crucial role in leukemogenesis and therapeutic resistance; therefore, BMM-targeted strategies should be a potent protocol for treating R/R AL. The targeting of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in solid tumors has received much attention and has achieved some progress, as CAFs might act as an organizer in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, over the last 10 years, attention has been drawn to the role of CAFs in the BMM. In spite of certain successes in preclinical and clinical studies, the heterogeneity and plasticity of CAFs mean targeting them is a big challenge. Herein, we review the heterogeneity and roles of CAFs in the BMM and highlight the challenges and opportunities associated with acute leukemia therapies that involve the targeting of CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Gu
- Department of Pediatrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,The Joint Laboratory for Lung Development and Related Diseases of West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University and School of Life Sciences of Fudan University, West China Institute of Women and Children’s Health, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Ling Gu, ; Ping Liao, ; Hanmin Liu,
| | - Ping Liao
- Calcium Signalling Laboratory, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore,Academic & Clinical Development, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore,Health and Social Sciences, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore, Singapore,*Correspondence: Ling Gu, ; Ping Liao, ; Hanmin Liu,
| | - Hanmin Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,The Joint Laboratory for Lung Development and Related Diseases of West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University and School of Life Sciences of Fudan University, West China Institute of Women and Children’s Health, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Sichuan Birth Defects Clinical Research Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Ling Gu, ; Ping Liao, ; Hanmin Liu,
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36
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Luong T, Golivi Y, Nagaraju GP, El-Rayes BF. Fibroblast heterogeneity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Perspectives in immunotherapy. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2022; 68:107-115. [PMID: 36096869 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the key component in pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME), originate from many sources and are naturally heterogeneous in phenotype and function. Numerous studies have identified their crucial role in promoting tumorigenesis through many routes including fostering cancer proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Conversely, research also indicates that subsets of CAFs express anti-tumor activity. These dual effects reflect the complexity of CAF heterogeneity and their interactions with other cells and factors in pancreatic TME. A critical component in this environment is infiltrated immune cells and immune mediators, which can communicate with CAFs. The crosstalk occurs via the production of various cytokines, chemokines, and other mediators and shapes the immunological state in TME. Comprehensive studies of the crosstalk between CAFs and tumor immune environment, particularly internal mechanisms interlinking CAFs and immune effectors, may provide new approaches for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treatments. In this review, we explore the characteristics of CAFs, describe the interplay among CAFs, infiltrated immune cells, other mediators, and provide an overview of recent CAF-target therapies, their limitations, and potential research directions in CAF in the context of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tha Luong
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA
| | - Yuvasri Golivi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA
| | - Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA.
| | - Bassel F El-Rayes
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA.
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37
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Jia D, Zhou Z, Kwon OJ, Zhang L, Wei X, Zhang Y, Yi M, Roudier MP, Regier MC, Dumpit R, Nelson PS, Headley M, True L, Lin DW, Morrissey C, Creighton CJ, Xin L. Stromal FOXF2 suppresses prostate cancer progression and metastasis by enhancing antitumor immunity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6828. [PMID: 36369237 PMCID: PMC9652358 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34665-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) mediate an immunosuppressive effect, but the underlying mechanism remains incompletely defined. Here we show that increasing prostatic stromal Foxf2 suppresses the growth and progression of both syngeneic and autochthonous mouse prostate cancer models in an immunocompetent context. Mechanistically, Foxf2 moderately attenuates the CAF phenotype and transcriptionally downregulates Cxcl5, which diminish the immunosuppressive myeloid cells and enhance T cell cytotoxicity. Increasing prostatic stromal Foxf2 sensitizes prostate cancer to the immune checkpoint blockade therapies. Augmenting lung stromal Foxf2 also mediates an immunosuppressive milieu and inhibits lung colonization of prostate cancer. FOXF2 is expressed higher in the stroma of human transition zone (TZ) than peripheral zone (PZ) prostate. The stromal FOXF2 expression level in primary prostate cancers inversely correlates with the Gleason grade. Our study establishes Foxf2 as a stromal transcription factor modulating the tumor immune microenvironment and potentially explains why cancers are relatively rare and indolent in the TZ prostate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyong Jia
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zhicheng Zhou
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Oh-Joon Kwon
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Xing Wei
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yiqun Zhang
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mingyang Yi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Mary C Regier
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ruth Dumpit
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter S Nelson
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mark Headley
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lawrence True
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel W Lin
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Colm Morrissey
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Chad J Creighton
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Li Xin
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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38
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Mello AM, Ngodup T, Lee Y, Donahue KL, Li J, Rao A, Carpenter ES, Crawford HC, Pasca di Magliano M, Lee KE. Hypoxia promotes an inflammatory phenotype of fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer. Oncogenesis 2022; 11:56. [PMID: 36109493 PMCID: PMC9478137 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-022-00434-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an extensive fibroinflammatory stroma and often experiences conditions of insufficient oxygen availability or hypoxia. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are a predominant and heterogeneous population of stromal cells within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Here, we uncover a previously unrecognized role for hypoxia in driving an inflammatory phenotype in PDAC CAFs. We identify hypoxia as a strong inducer of tumor IL1ɑ expression, which is required for inflammatory CAF (iCAF) formation. Notably, iCAFs preferentially reside in hypoxic regions of PDAC. Our data implicate hypoxia as a critical regulator of CAF heterogeneity in PDAC.
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39
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Masugi Y. The Desmoplastic Stroma of Pancreatic Cancer: Multilayered Levels of Heterogeneity, Clinical Significance, and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133293. [PMID: 35805064 PMCID: PMC9265767 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant disease with treatment resistance to standardized chemotherapies. In addition, only a small fraction of patients with pancreatic cancer has, to date, actionable genetic aberrations, leading to a narrow therapeutic window for molecularly targeted therapies or immunotherapies. A lot of preclinical and translational studies are ongoing to discover potential vulnerabilities to treat pancreatic cancer. Histologically, human pancreatic cancer is characterized by abundant cancer-associated fibrotic stroma, called “desmoplastic stroma”. Recent technological advances have revealed that desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer is much more complicated than previously thought, playing pleiotropic roles in manipulating tumor cell fate and anti-tumor immunity. Moreover, real-world specimen-based analyses of pancreatic cancer stroma have also uncovered spatial heterogeneity and an intertumoral variety associated with molecular alterations, clinicopathological factors, and patient outcomes. This review describes an overview of the current efforts in the field of pancreatic cancer stromal biology and discusses treatment opportunities of stroma-modifying therapies against this hard-to-treat cancer. Abstract Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies and is becoming a dramatically increasing cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Abundant desmoplastic stroma is a histological hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Emerging evidence suggests a promising therapeutic effect of several stroma-modifying therapies that target desmoplastic stromal elements in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. The evidence also unveils multifaceted roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in manipulating pancreatic cancer progression, immunity, and chemotherapeutic response. Current state-of-the-art technologies, including single-cell transcriptomics and multiplexed tissue imaging techniques, have provided a more profound knowledge of CAF heterogeneity in real-world specimens from pancreatic cancer patients, as well as in genetically engineered mouse models. In this review, we describe recent advances in the understanding of the molecular pathology bases of pancreatic cancer desmoplastic stroma at multilayered levels of heterogeneity, namely, (1) variations in cellular and non-cellular members, including CAF subtypes and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins; (2) geographical heterogeneity in relation to cell–cell interactions and signaling pathways at niche levels and spatial heterogeneity at locoregional levels or organ levels; and (3) intertumoral stromal heterogeneity at individual levels. This review further discusses the clinicopathological significance of desmoplastic stroma and the potential opportunities for stroma-targeted therapies against this lethal malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Masugi
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1608582, Japan; ; Tel.: +81-3-5363-3764; Fax: +81-3-3353-3290
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1608582, Japan
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40
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Scales MK, Velez-Delgado A, Steele NG, Schrader HE, Stabnick AM, Yan W, Mercado Soto NM, Nwosu ZC, Johnson C, Zhang Y, Salas-Escabillas DJ, Menjivar RE, Maurer HC, Crawford HC, Bednar F, Olive KP, Pasca di Magliano M, Allen BL. Combinatorial Gli activity directs immune infiltration and tumor growth in pancreatic cancer. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010315. [PMID: 35867772 PMCID: PMC9348714 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper Hedgehog (HH) signaling is essential for embryonic development, while aberrant HH signaling drives pediatric and adult cancers. HH signaling is frequently dysregulated in pancreatic cancer, yet its role remains controversial, with both tumor-promoting and tumor-restraining functions reported. Notably, the GLI family of HH transcription factors (GLI1, GLI2, GLI3), remain largely unexplored in pancreatic cancer. We therefore investigated the individual and combined contributions of GLI1-3 to pancreatic cancer progression. At pre-cancerous stages, fibroblast-specific Gli2/Gli3 deletion decreases immunosuppressive macrophage infiltration and promotes T cell infiltration. Strikingly, combined loss of Gli1/Gli2/Gli3 promotes macrophage infiltration, indicating that subtle changes in Gli expression differentially regulate immune infiltration. In invasive tumors, Gli2/Gli3 KO fibroblasts exclude immunosuppressive myeloid cells and suppress tumor growth by recruiting natural killer cells. Finally, we demonstrate that fibroblasts directly regulate macrophage and T cell migration through the expression of Gli-dependent cytokines. Thus, the coordinated activity of GLI1-3 directs the fibroinflammatory response throughout pancreatic cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K. Scales
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ashley Velez-Delgado
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Nina G. Steele
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Hannah E. Schrader
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Anna M. Stabnick
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Wei Yan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Nayanna M. Mercado Soto
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Zeribe C. Nwosu
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Craig Johnson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | | | - Rosa E. Menjivar
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - H. Carlo Maurer
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York city, New York, United States of America
- Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Howard C. Crawford
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Filip Bednar
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Kenneth P. Olive
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York city, New York, United States of America
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York city, New York, United States of America
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Benjamin L. Allen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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41
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Menezes S, Okail MH, Jalil SMA, Kocher HM, Cameron AJM. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer: new subtypes, new markers, new targets. J Pathol 2022; 257:526-544. [PMID: 35533046 PMCID: PMC9327514 DOI: 10.1002/path.5926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have conflicting roles in the suppression and promotion of cancer. Current research focuses on targeting the undesirable properties of CAFs, while attempting to maintain tumour-suppressive roles. CAFs have been widely associated with primary or secondary therapeutic resistance, and strategies to modify CAF function have therefore largely focussed on their combination with existing therapies. Despite significant progress in preclinical studies, clinical translation of CAF targeted therapies has achieved limited success. Here we will review our emerging understanding of heterogeneous CAF populations in tumour biology and use examples from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma to explore why successful clinical targeting of protumourigenic CAF functions remains elusive. Single-cell technologies have allowed the identification of CAF subtypes with a differential impact on prognosis and response to therapy, but currently without clear consensus. Identification and pharmacological targeting of CAF subtypes associated with immunotherapy response offers new hope to expand clinical options for pancreatic cancer. Various CAF subtype markers may represent biomarkers for patient stratification, to obtain enhanced response with existing and emerging combinatorial therapeutic strategies. Thus, CAF subtyping is the next frontier in understanding and exploiting the tumour microenvironment for therapeutic benefit. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinelle Menezes
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science CentreLondonUK
| | - Mohamed Hazem Okail
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science CentreLondonUK
| | - Siti Munira Abd Jalil
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science CentreLondonUK
| | - Hemant M Kocher
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science CentreLondonUK
- Barts and the London HPB Centre, The Royal London HospitalBarts Health NHS TrustLondonUK
| | - Angus J M Cameron
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science CentreLondonUK
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42
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Araos Henríquez J, Biffi G. Tracing back to one of the origins of immune evasion in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Cell 2022; 40:595-597. [PMID: 35623340 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Cancer Cell, Huang et al. identify the origin and function of a subset of pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts. This work further highlights the power of lineage-tracing models for dissecting the tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer and provides new knowledge toward the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giulia Biffi
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK.
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43
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Ganguly K, Cox JL, Ghersi D, Grandgenett PM, Hollingsworth MA, Jain M, Kumar S, Batra SK. Mucin 5AC-Mediated CD44/ITGB1 Clustering Mobilizes Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Modulate Pancreatic Cancer Stromal Heterogeneity. Gastroenterology 2022; 162:2032-2046.e12. [PMID: 35219699 PMCID: PMC9117481 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Secreted mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) promotes pancreatic cancer (PC) progression and chemoresistance, suggesting its clinical association with poor prognosis. RNA sequencing analysis from the autochthonous pancreatic tumors showed a significant stromal alteration on genetic ablation of Muc5ac. Previously, depletion or targeting the stromal fibroblasts showed an ambiguous effect on PC pathogenesis. Hence, identifying the molecular players and mechanisms driving fibroblast heterogeneity is critical for improved clinical outcomes. METHODS Autochthonous murine models of PC (KrasG12D, Pdx1-Cre [KC] and KrasG12D, Pdx1-Cre, Muc5ac-/- [KCM]) and co-implanted allografts of murine PC cell lines (Muc5ac wild-type and CRISPR/Cas knockout) with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) were used to assess the role of Muc5ac in stromal heterogeneity. Proliferation, migration, and surface expression of cell-adhesion markers on AD-MSCs were measured using live-cell imaging and flow cytometry. MUC5AC-interactome was investigated using mass-spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS The KCM tumors showed a significant decrease in the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and fibronectin compared with histology-matched KC tumors. Our study showed that MUC5AC, carrying tumor secretome, gets enriched in the adipose tissues of tumor-bearing mice and patients with PC, promoting CD44/CD29 (integrin-β1) clustering that leads to Rac1 activation and migration of AD-MSCs. Furthermore, treatment with KC-derived serum enhanced proliferation and migration of AD-MSCs, which was abolished on Muc5ac-depletion or pharmacologic inhibition of CXCR2 and Rac1, respectively. The AD-MSCs significantly contribute toward α-smooth muscle actin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts population in Muc5ac-dependent manner, as suggested by autochthonous tumors, co-implantation xenografts, and patient tumors. CONCLUSION MUC5AC, secreted during PC progression, enriches in adipose and enhances the mobilization of AD-MSCs. On recruitment to pancreatic tumors, AD-MSCs proliferate and contribute towards stromal heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koelina Ganguly
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jesse L. Cox
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Dario Ghersi
- School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE
| | - Paul M. Grandgenett
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Michael A Hollingsworth
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA,Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Surinder K Batra and Sushil Kumar, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, 68198-5870, USA, Tel: 402-559-3138, 402-559-4417, Fax: 402-559-6650. ;
| | - Surinder K. Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA,Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Surinder K Batra and Sushil Kumar, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, 68198-5870, USA, Tel: 402-559-3138, 402-559-4417, Fax: 402-559-6650. ;
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44
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Han L, Seward C, Leone G, Ostrowski MC. Origin, activation and heterogeneity of fibroblasts associated with pancreas and breast cancers. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 154:169-201. [PMID: 35459469 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Pancreas and breast cancers both contain abundant stromal components within the tumor tissues. A prominent cell type within the stroma is cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs play critical and complex roles establishing the tumor microenvironment to either promote or prevent tumor progression. Recently, complex genetic models and single cell-based techniques have provided emerging insights on the precise functions and cellular heterogeneity of CAFs. The transformation of normal fibroblasts into CAFs is a key event during tumor initiation and progression. Such coordination between tumor cells and fibroblasts plays an important role in cancer development. Reprograming fibroblasts is currently being explored for therapeutic benefits. In this review, we will discuss recent literature shedding light on the tissues of origin, activation mechanisms, and heterogeneity of CAFs comparing pancreas and breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
| | - Cara Seward
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical college of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
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45
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De Marco M, Gauttier V, Pengam S, Mary C, Ranieri B, Basile A, Festa M, Falco A, Reppucci F, Cammarota AL, Acernese F, De Laurenzi V, Sala G, Brongo S, Miyasaka M, Shalapour S, Vanhove B, Poirier N, Iaccarino R, Karin M, Turco MC, Rosati A, Marzullo L. Concerted BAG3 and SIRPα blockade impairs pancreatic tumor growth. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:94. [PMID: 35241649 PMCID: PMC8894496 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-00817-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The BAG3- and SIRPα- mediated pathways trigger distinct cellular targets and signaling mechanisms in pancreatic cancer microenvironment. To explore their functional connection, we investigated the effects of their combined blockade on cancer growth in orthotopic allografts of pancreatic cancer mt4–2D cells in immunocompetent mice. The anti-BAG3 + anti-SIRPα mAbs treatment inhibited (p = 0.007) tumor growth by about the 70%; also the number of metastatic lesions was decreased, mostly by the effect of the anti-BAG3 mAb. Fibrosis and the expression of the CAF activation marker α-SMA were reduced by about the 30% in animals treated with anti-BAG3 mAb compared to untreated animals, and appeared unaffected by treatment with the anti-SIRPα mAb alone; however, the addition of anti-SIRPα to anti-BAG3 mAb in the combined treatment resulted in a > 60% (p < 0.0001) reduction of the fibrotic area and a 70% (p < 0.0001) inhibition of CAF α-SMA positivity. Dendritic cells (DCs) and CD8+ lymphocytes, hardly detectable in the tumors of untreated animals, were modestly increased by single treatments, while were much more clearly observable (p < 0.0001) in the tumors of the animals subjected to the combined treatment. The effects of BAG3 and SIRPα blockade do not simply reflect the sum of the effects of the single blockades, indicating that the two pathways are connected by regulatory interactions and suggesting, as a proof of principle, the potential therapeutic efficacy of a combined BAG3 and SIRPα blockade in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot De Marco
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Bianca Ranieri
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Anna Basile
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Michela Festa
- BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, 84084, Italy
| | - Antonia Falco
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Francesca Reppucci
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Anna Lisa Cammarota
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Fausto Acernese
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, 84084, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Laurenzi
- BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sala
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Sergio Brongo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Masayuki Miyasaka
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Yamada-oka, Suita, Japan
| | - Shabnam Shalapour
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | | | | | - Roberta Iaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Michael Karin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maria Caterina Turco
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy. .,BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Rosati
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
| | - Liberato Marzullo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy.,BIOUNIVERSA s.r.l., R&D Division, Baronissi, SA, 84081, Italy
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Kobayashi H, Gieniec KA, Lannagan TRM, Wang T, Asai N, Mizutani Y, Iida T, Ando R, Thomas EM, Sakai A, Suzuki N, Ichinose M, Wright JA, Vrbanac L, Ng JQ, Goyne J, Radford G, Lawrence MJ, Sammour T, Hayakawa Y, Klebe S, Shin AE, Asfaha S, Bettington ML, Rieder F, Arpaia N, Danino T, Butler LM, Burt AD, Leedham SJ, Rustgi AK, Mukherjee S, Takahashi M, Wang TC, Enomoto A, Woods SL, Worthley DL. The Origin and Contribution of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Colorectal Carcinogenesis. Gastroenterology 2022; 162:890-906. [PMID: 34883119 PMCID: PMC8881386 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and predict poor prognosis in CRC patients. However, the cellular origins of CAFs remain unknown, making it challenging to therapeutically target these cells. Here, we aimed to identify the origins and contribution of colorectal CAFs associated with poor prognosis. METHODS To elucidate CAF origins, we used a colitis-associated CRC mouse model in 5 different fate-mapping mouse lines with 5-bromodeoxyuridine dosing. RNA sequencing of fluorescence-activated cell sorting-purified CRC CAFs was performed to identify a potential therapeutic target in CAFs. To examine the prognostic significance of the stromal target, CRC patient RNA sequencing data and tissue microarray were used. CRC organoids were injected into the colons of knockout mice to assess the mechanism by which the stromal gene contributes to colorectal tumorigenesis. RESULTS Our lineage-tracing studies revealed that in CRC, many ACTA2+ CAFs emerge through proliferation from intestinal pericryptal leptin receptor (Lepr)+ cells. These Lepr-lineage CAFs, in turn, express melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM), a CRC stroma-specific marker that we identified with the use of RNA sequencing. High MCAM expression induced by transforming growth factor β was inversely associated with patient survival in human CRC. In mice, stromal Mcam knockout attenuated orthotopically injected colorectal tumoroid growth and improved survival through decreased tumor-associated macrophage recruitment. Mechanistically, fibroblast MCAM interacted with interleukin-1 receptor 1 to augment nuclear factor κB-IL34/CCL8 signaling that promotes macrophage chemotaxis. CONCLUSIONS In colorectal carcinogenesis, pericryptal Lepr-lineage cells proliferate to generate MCAM+ CAFs that shape the tumor-promoting immune microenvironment. Preventing the expansion/differentiation of Lepr-lineage CAFs or inhibiting MCAM activity could be effective therapeutic approaches for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Kobayashi
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Division of Molecular Pathology, Center for Neurological Disease and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Krystyna A Gieniec
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tamsin R M Lannagan
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tongtong Wang
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Naoya Asai
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Mizutani
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tadashi Iida
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Ryota Ando
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Elaine M Thomas
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Akihiro Sakai
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Nobumi Suzuki
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mari Ichinose
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Josephine A Wright
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laura Vrbanac
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jia Q Ng
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jarrad Goyne
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Georgette Radford
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew J Lawrence
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tarik Sammour
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Yoku Hayakawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sonja Klebe
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alice E Shin
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samuel Asfaha
- Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark L Bettington
- Envoi Specialist Pathologists, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Florian Rieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Digestive Diseases and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Nicholas Arpaia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tal Danino
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lisa M Butler
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alastair D Burt
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J Leedham
- Intestinal Stem Cell Biology Lab, Wellcome Trust Centre Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anil K Rustgi
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Department of Medicine and Irving Cancer Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Masahide Takahashi
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Division of Molecular Pathology, Center for Neurological Disease and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; International Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Timothy C Wang
- Department of Medicine and Irving Cancer Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Atsushi Enomoto
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
| | - Susan L Woods
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Daniel L Worthley
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; GastroIntestinal Endoscopy, Lutwyche, Queensland, Australia.
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47
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Velez-Delgado A, Donahue KL, Brown KL, Du W, Irizarry-Negron V, Menjivar RE, Lasse Opsahl EL, Steele NG, The S, Lazarus J, Sirihorachai VR, Yan W, Kemp SB, Kerk SA, Bollampally M, Yang S, Scales MK, Avritt FR, Lima F, Lyssiotis CA, Rao A, Crawford HC, Bednar F, Frankel TL, Allen BL, Zhang Y, Pasca di Magliano M. Extrinsic KRAS Signaling Shapes the Pancreatic Microenvironment Through Fibroblast Reprogramming. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 13:1673-1699. [PMID: 35245687 PMCID: PMC9046274 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Oncogenic Kirsten Rat Sarcoma virus (KRAS) is the hallmark mutation of human pancreatic cancer and a driver of tumorigenesis in genetically engineered mouse models of the disease. Although the tumor cell-intrinsic effects of oncogenic Kras expression have been widely studied, its role in regulating the extensive pancreatic tumor microenvironment is less understood. METHODS Using a genetically engineered mouse model of inducible and reversible oncogenic Kras expression and a combination of approaches that include mass cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing we studied the effect of oncogenic KRAS in the tumor microenvironment. RESULTS We have discovered that non-cell autonomous (ie, extrinsic) oncogenic KRAS signaling reprograms pancreatic fibroblasts, activating an inflammatory gene expression program. As a result, fibroblasts become a hub of extracellular signaling, and the main source of cytokines mediating the polarization of protumorigenic macrophages while also preventing tissue repair. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides fundamental knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the formation of the fibroinflammatory stroma in pancreatic cancer and highlights stromal pathways with the potential to be exploited therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Wenting Du
- Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | | | - Nina G Steele
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Stephanie The
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - Wei Yan
- Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Samantha B Kemp
- Molecular and Cellular Pathology Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - Sion Yang
- Life Sciences and Arts College, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Michael K Scales
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Cancer Biology Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Arvind Rao
- Cancer Biology Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan Institute of Data Science, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Howard C Crawford
- Cancer Biology Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Filip Bednar
- Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Timothy L Frankel
- Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Benjamin L Allen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Cancer Biology Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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48
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Vaish U, Jain T, Are AC, Dudeja V. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: An Update on Heterogeneity and Therapeutic Targeting. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13408. [PMID: 34948209 PMCID: PMC8706283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in the western world, with limited therapeutic strategies and dismal long-term survival. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key components of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, maintaining the extracellular matrix, while also being involved in intricate crosstalk with cancer cells and infiltrating immunocytes. Therefore, they are potential targets for developing therapeutic strategies against PDAC. However, recent studies have demonstrated significant heterogeneity in CAFs with respect to their origins, spatial distribution, and functional phenotypes within the PDAC tumor microenvironment. Therefore, it is imperative to understand and delineate this heterogeneity prior to targeting CAFs for PDAC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vikas Dudeja
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (U.V.); (T.J.); (A.C.A.)
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49
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Opitz FV, Haeberle L, Daum A, Esposito I. Tumor Microenvironment in Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13246188. [PMID: 34944807 PMCID: PMC8699458 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13246188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very aggressive neoplasm with a poor survival rate. This is mainly due to late detection, which substantially limits therapy options. A better understanding of the early phases of pancreatic carcinogenesis is fundamental for improving patient prognosis in the future. In this article, we focused on the tumor microenvironment (TME), which provides the biological niche for the development of PDAC from its most common precursor lesions, PanIN (pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias). Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive tumors with a poor prognosis. A characteristic of PDAC is the formation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that facilitates bypassing of the immune surveillance. The TME consists of a desmoplastic stroma, largely composed of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), immunosuppressive immune cells, immunoregulatory soluble factors, neural network cells, and endothelial cells with complex interactions. PDAC develops from various precursor lesions such as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN), and possibly, atypical flat lesions (AFL). In this review, we focus on the composition of the TME in PanINs to reveal detailed insights into the complex restructuring of the TME at early time points in PDAC progression and to explore ways of modifying the TME to slow or even halt tumor progression.
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50
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Chen Y, McAndrews KM, Kalluri R. Clinical and therapeutic relevance of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2021; 18:792-804. [PMID: 34489603 PMCID: PMC8791784 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-021-00546-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 477] [Impact Index Per Article: 159.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) found in primary and metastatic tumours are highly versatile, plastic and resilient cells that are actively involved in cancer progression through complex interactions with other cell types in the tumour microenvironment. As well as generating extracellular matrix components that contribute to the structure and function of the tumour stroma, CAFs undergo epigenetic changes to produce secreted factors, exosomes and metabolites that influence tumour angiogenesis, immunology and metabolism. Because of their putative pro-oncogenic functions, CAFs have long been considered an attractive therapeutic target; however, clinical trials of treatment strategies targeting CAFs have mostly ended in failure and, in some cases, accelerated cancer progression and resulted in inferior survival outcomes. Importantly, CAFs are heterogeneous cells and their characteristics and interactions with other cell types might change dynamically as cancers evolve. Studies involving single-cell RNA sequencing and novel mouse models have increased our understanding of CAF diversity, although the context-dependent roles of different CAF populations and their interchangeable plasticity remain largely unknown. Comprehensive characterization of the tumour-promoting and tumour-restraining activities of CAF subtypes, including how these complex bimodal functions evolve and are subjugated by neoplastic cells during cancer progression, might facilitate the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this Review, the clinical relevance of CAFs is summarized with an emphasis on their value as prognosis factors and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Chen
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kathleen M McAndrews
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Raghu Kalluri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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