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Rattanasinchai C, Navasumrit P, Chornkrathok C, Ruchirawat M. Kinase library screening identifies IGF-1R as an oncogenic vulnerability in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma stem-like cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1871:167521. [PMID: 39369614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly aggressive cancer of the peripheral bile ducts and is recognized by the abundance of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) within the tumor mass. While CSC markers in iCCA are well-defined, the molecular vulnerabilities of this subpopulation remain elusive. METHODS The 96-well, three dimensional (3D) tumorsphere culture was adapted from a well-established CSC model, validated for CSC markers through gene expression analysis. Kinase library screening was then conducted to reveal potential oncogenic vulnerable pathways. RNA interference was utilized to stably silence the candidate gene in three iCCA cell lines and its impact on iCCA cell proliferation and tumorsphere formation efficiency (TFE) was evaluated. RESULTS Kinase inhibitor library screening identified the top 50 kinase inhibitors crucial for tumorsphere viability, with 11 inhibitors targeting the IGF-1R/PI3K/AKT axis. Further dose-dependent analysis of the top 'hit' inhibitors confirmed IGF-1R as the candidate molecule. Upon stably silencing of IGF-1R, all three iCCA cell lines exhibited decreased AKT activation, impeded proliferation and reduced TFE, indicating a decline in CSC subpopulations. CONCLUSIONS IGF-1R plays a critical role in maintaining iCCA-stem like cell populations. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Our data highlight the potential utility of IGF-1R as a prognostic marker of iCCA and a therapeutic target for eliminating its CSC subpopulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chotirat Rattanasinchai
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, CHE, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
| | - Panida Navasumrit
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, CHE, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
| | - Chidchanok Chornkrathok
- Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
| | - Mathuros Ruchirawat
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, CHE, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
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Lozzi I, Arnold A, Barone M, Johnson JC, Sinn BV, Eschrich J, Gebert P, Wang R, Hu M, Feldbrügge L, Schirmeier A, Reutzel-Selke A, Malinka T, Krenzien F, Schöning W, Modest DP, Pratschke J, Sauer IM, Felsenstein M. Clinical prognosticators and targets in the immune microenvironment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2406052. [PMID: 39359389 PMCID: PMC11445892 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2406052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a disease with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. We investigated the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) to identify predictors of disease outcome and to explore targets for therapeutic modulation. Methods Liver tissue samples were collected during 2008-2019 from patients (n = 139) diagnosed with ICC who underwent curative intent surgery without neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Samples from the discovery cohort (n = 86) were immunohistochemically analyzed on tissue microarrays (TMAs) for the expression of CD68, CD3, CD4, CD8, Foxp3, PD-L1, STAT1, and p-STAT1 in tumor core and stroma areas. Results were digitally analyzed using QuPath software and correlated with clinicopathological characteristics. For validation of TIME-related biomarkers, we performed multiplex imaging mass cytometry (IMC) in a validation cohort (n = 53). Results CD68+ cells were the predominant immune cell type in the TIME of ICC. CD4+high T cell density correlated with better overall survival (OS). Prediction modeling together with validation cohort confirmed relevance of CD4+ cells, PD-L1 expression by immune cells in the stroma and N-stage on overall disease outcome. In turn, IMC analyses revealed that silent CD3+CD4+ clusters inversely impacted survival. Among annotated immune cell clusters, PD-L1 was most relevantly expressed by CD4+FoxP3+ cells. A subset of tumors with high density of immune cells ("hot" cluster) correlated with PD-L1 expression and could identify a group of candidates for immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI). Ultimately, higher levels of STAT1 expression were associated with higher lymphocyte infiltration and PD-L1 expression. Conclusions These results highlight the importance of CD4+ T cells in immune response against ICC. Secondly, a subset of tumors with "hot" TIME represents potential candidates for ICI, while stimulation of STAT1 pathway could be a potential target to turn "cold" into "hot" TIME in ICC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Lozzi
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Arnold
- Department of Pathology, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Barone
- Translational Immunology, Berlin Institute of Health & Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliette Claire Johnson
- Translational Immunology, Berlin Institute of Health & Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bruno V Sinn
- Department of Pathology, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Eschrich
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Pimrapat Gebert
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruonan Wang
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mengwen Hu
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Linda Feldbrügge
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Schirmeier
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Reutzel-Selke
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Malinka
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Krenzien
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Wenzel Schöning
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik P Modest
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- DKFZ, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johann Pratschke
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Igor M Sauer
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthäus Felsenstein
- Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, CCM, CVK, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), Berlin, Germany
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Guo Y, Li Q, Ye Q, Jin Y, Yu Y, Zhang X, Xi L, Wang Y, Wu D, Pan Y, Wei S, Li Q, Wang H, Li J. Construction and drug screening of Co-culture system using extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma organoids and tumor-associated macrophages. Heliyon 2024; 10:e36377. [PMID: 39263166 PMCID: PMC11388766 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have been proposed as a novel in vitro tumor model that can be applied to tumor research and drug screening. However, current tumor organoid models lack components of the tumor microenvironment, particularly tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs).We collected peripheral blood and tumor samples from 6 patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(eCCA). Monocytes were induced into TAMs by cytokine and conditioned medium, and then co-cultured with tumor organoids. Our comprehensive analysis and comparison of histopathology and genomics results confirmed that this co-culture model can better capture intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity retain the specific mutations of the original tumor. Drug sensitivity data in vitro revealed that gemcitabine and cisplatin are effective drugs for cholangiocarcinoma, but TAMs in the tumor microenvironment promote organoids growth and chemotherapy resistance. In conclusion, our organoid model of cholangiocarcinoma co-cultured with TAMs can not only shorten the model construction cycle, but also preserve the heterogeneity of original tumors to improve the accuracy of drug screening, and can also be applied to the researches of TAMs and tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghao Guo
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qinghuang Ye
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yun Jin
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuanquan Yu
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhang
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Longfu Xi
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yihang Wang
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yanzhi Pan
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shumei Wei
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qingyong Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huiquan Wang
- Micro-Satellite Research Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiangtao Li
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
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Chen F, Sheng J, Li X, Gao Z, Hu L, Chen M, Fei J, Song Z. Tumor-associated macrophages: orchestrators of cholangiocarcinoma progression. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1451474. [PMID: 39290697 PMCID: PMC11405194 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1451474] [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: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare but highly invasive cancer, with its incidence rising in recent years. Currently, surgery remains the most definitive therapeutic option for CCA. However, similar to other malignancies, most CCA patients are not eligible for surgical intervention at the time of diagnosis. The chemotherapeutic regimen of gemcitabine combined with cisplatin is the standard treatment for advanced CCA, but its effectiveness is often hampered by therapeutic resistance. Recent research highlights the remarkable plasticity of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the tumor microenvironment (TME). TAMs play a crucial dual role in either promoting or suppressing tumor development, depending on the factors that polarize them toward pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic phenotypes, as well as their interactions with cancer cells and other stromal components. In this review, we critically examine recent studies on TAMs in CCA, detailing the expression patterns and prognostic significance of different TAM subtypes in CCA, the mechanisms by which TAMs influence CCA progression and immune evasion, and the potential for reprogramming TAMs to enhance anticancer therapies. This review aims to provide a framework for deeper future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Chen
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Jian Sheng
- Department of Research and Teaching, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Xiaoping Li
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Zhaofeng Gao
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Lingyu Hu
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Minjie Chen
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Jianguo Fei
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Zhengwei Song
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
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Zahran AM, Rayan A, Saad K, Rezk K, Soliman A, Rizk MA, Mahros AM, Mahran EEM, Bashir MA, Elmasry HM, Zahran ZAM, Ibrahim AK, Fageeh MM, Gamal DA. A Complex Interplay of Tumor Microenvironment Could Enhance Cholangiocarcinoma Progression Even After Surgery: A Prospective Study. J Clin Med Res 2024; 16:363-374. [PMID: 39206103 PMCID: PMC11349130 DOI: 10.14740/jocmr5201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The current study was conducted to explore the impact of macrophages and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expression on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) on treatment outcomes and to define the interaction between these factors and the clinicopathologic features of advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients. Methods Twenty-five patients with metastatic CCA were recruited for the current study from El-Rajhi Hospital and the Clinical Oncology Department of Assiut University. Additionally, 19 healthy controls were included. Before the flow cytometric detection of immune cells, the diagnosis and staging of CCA were performed based on surgical intervention, imaging, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) determinations. This was followed by flow cytometric detection of CD4+, CD8+, CD4+PD-1+, CD8+PD-1+, and CD11b+CD68+ macrophages in the peripheral blood of both patients and controls. Results The current results revealed higher levels of CD4+, CD8+, and CD11b+CD68+ macrophages in controls compared to patients. At the same time, PD-1 expression was significantly higher in patients compared to controls. CD4+ was correlated with improved progression-free survival (PFS), while CD8+PD-1 was associated with shorter PFS. In general, CD4+ and CD8+ levels progressively increased with improved response to treatments, differentiation, single organ site metastasis, and surgical interventions. On the contrary, PD-1 expression and macrophages progressively increased with worsening response, dedifferentiation, multiple organ sites, and surgical interventions. The median PFS was 12 months, and the mean ± standard error (SE) was 13.1 ± 1.3. Conclusions CCA has a desmoplastic microenvironment with complex immunologic topography and tumor-reactive stroma. The immune landscape of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in CCA patients before treatment could reflect the state of systemic immune function and response to treatments. Our results revealed that T-lymphocytes correlated with better prognosis while macrophages and PD-1+ expression were associated with poor outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa M. Zahran
- Clinical Pathology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Amal Rayan
- Clinical Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Khaled Saad
- Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, 71516 Assiut, Egypt
| | - Khalid Rezk
- Surgical Oncology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Soliman
- General Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Ahmed Rizk
- General Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Aya Mohammed Mahros
- Department of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Infectious Diseases, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
| | - Essam-Eldeen M.O. Mahran
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, New Valley University, New Valley, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Ahmed Bashir
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Heba M. Elmasry
- Clinical Pathology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | | | | | - Mohsen M. Fageeh
- Director of forensic toxicology services, FMSC, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Doaa A. Gamal
- Clinical Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
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6
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Cagnin S, Pontisso P, Martini A. SerpinB3: A Multifaceted Player in Health and Disease-Review and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2579. [PMID: 39061218 PMCID: PMC11274807 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16142579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
SerpinB3, a member of the serine-protease inhibitor family, has emerged as a crucial player in various physiological and pathological processes. Initially identified as an oncogenic factor in squamous cell carcinomas, SerpinB3's intricate involvement extends from fibrosis progression and cancer to cell protection in acute oxidative stress conditions. This review explores the multifaceted roles of SerpinB3, focusing on its implications in fibrosis, metabolic syndrome, carcinogenesis and immune system impairment. Furthermore, its involvement in tissue protection from oxidative stress and wound healing underscores its potential as diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Recent studies have described the therapeutic potential of targeting SerpinB3 through its upstream regulators, offering novel strategies for cancer treatment development. Overall, this review underscores the importance of further research to fully elucidate the mechanisms of action of SerpinB3 and to exploit its therapeutic potential across various medical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrizia Pontisso
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, 35123 Padova, Italy; (S.C.); (A.M.)
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7
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Chen C, Huang R, Wang N, Zheng Y, Zhou J, Yang B, Wang X, Zhang J, Pan B, Chen Z, Wang S, Wang Z, Xiang S. Fu-Zheng-Yi-Liu Formula inhibits the stem cells and metastasis of prostate cancer via tumor-associated macrophages/C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 pathway in tumor microenvironment. Chin J Nat Med 2024; 22:501-514. [PMID: 38906598 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(24)60653-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common malignancy among men globally. The Fu-Zheng-Yi-Liu (FZYL) Formula has been widely utilized in the treatment of PCa. This study investigates whether the FZYL Formula can inhibit PCa by targeting the TAMs/CCL5 pathway. We conducted in vitro co-cultures and in vivo co-injections of PCa cells and TAMs to mimic their interaction. Results showed that the FZYL Formula significantly reduced the proliferation, colony formation, subpopulations of PCSCs, and sphere-formation efficacy of PCa cells, even in the presence of TAM co-culture. Additionally, the Formula markedly decreased the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PCa cells induced by TAMs. The FZYL Formula also reversed M2 phenotype polarization in TAMs and dose-dependently reduced their CCL5 expression and secretion, with minimal cytotoxicity observed. Mechanistic studies confirmed that the TAMs/CCL5 axis is a critical target of the FZYL Formula, as the addition of exogenous CCL5 partially reversed the formula's inhibitory effects on PCSCs self-renewal in the co-culture system. Importantly, the Formula also significantly inhibited the growth of PCa xenografts, bone metastasis, and PCSCs activity in vivo by targeting the TAMs/CCL5 pathway. Overall, this study not only elucidates the immunomodulatory mechanism of the FZYL Formula in PCa therapy but also highlights the TAMs/CCL5 axis as a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiwei Chen
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; The First Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Renlun Huang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Neng Wang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Yifeng Zheng
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Jianfu Zhou
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Bowen Yang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Juping Zhang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Bo Pan
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Shengqi Wang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China.
| | - Zhiyu Wang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; The Research Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China.
| | - Songtao Xiang
- The Research Center of Integrative Cancer Medicine, Discipline of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, the Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510000, China.
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Wu J, Li W, Su J, Zheng J, Liang Y, Lin J, Xu B, Liu Y. Integration of single-cell sequencing and bulk RNA-seq to identify and develop a prognostic signature related to colorectal cancer stem cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12270. [PMID: 38806611 PMCID: PMC11133358 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62913-3] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The prognosis for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) remains worse than expected due to metastasis, recurrence, and resistance to chemotherapy. Colorectal cancer stem cells (CRCSCs) play a vital role in tumor metastasis, recurrence, and chemotherapy resistance. However, there are currently no prognostic markers based on CRCSCs-related genes available for clinical use. In this study, single-cell transcriptome sequencing was employed to distinguish cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the CRC microenvironment and analyze their properties at the single-cell level. Subsequently, data from TCGA and GEO databases were utilized to develop a prognostic risk model for CRCSCs-related genes and validate its diagnostic performance. Additionally, functional enrichment, immune response, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity of the relevant genes in the risk model were investigated. Lastly, the key gene RPS17 in the risk model was identified as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for further comprehensive studies. Our findings provide new insights into the prognostic treatment of CRC and offer novel perspectives for a systematic and comprehensive understanding of CRC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Wanyu Li
- Well Lead Medical Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, 511434, Guangdong, China
| | - Junyu Su
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiamin Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanwen Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiansuo Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, Guangdong, China
| | - Bilian Xu
- School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yi Liu
- School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China.
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9
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Guo Q, Zhou Y, Xie T, Yuan Y, Li H, Shi W, Zheng L, Li X, Zhang W. Tumor microenvironment of cancer stem cells: Perspectives on cancer stem cell targeting. Genes Dis 2024; 11:101043. [PMID: 38292177 PMCID: PMC10825311 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
There are few tumor cell subpopulations with stem cell characteristics in tumor tissue, defined as cancer stem cells (CSCs) or cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs), which can reconstruct neoplasms with malignant biological behaviors such as invasiveness via self-renewal and unlimited generation. The microenvironment that CSCs depend on consists of various cellular components and corresponding medium components. Among these factors existing at a variety of levels and forms, cytokine networks and numerous signal pathways play an important role in signaling transduction. These factors promote or maintain cancer cell stemness, and participate in cancer recurrence, metastasis, and resistance. This review aims to summarize the recent molecular data concerning the multilayered relationship between CSCs and CSC-favorable microenvironments. We also discuss the therapeutic implications of targeting this synergistic interplay, hoping to give an insight into targeting cancer cell stemness for tumor therapy and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Tianyuan Xie
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Yin Yuan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Huilong Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Wanjin Shi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Lufeng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Xiaoman Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Wenzhou Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China
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10
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Ma Y, Chen H, Li H, Zheng M, Zuo X, Wang W, Wang S, Lu Y, Wang J, Li Y, Wang J, Qiu M. Intratumor microbiome-derived butyrate promotes lung cancer metastasis. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101488. [PMID: 38565146 PMCID: PMC11031379 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Most recurrences of lung cancer (LC) occur within 3 years after surgery, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we collect LC tissues with shorter (<3 years, recurrence group) and longer (>3 years, non-recurrence group) recurrence-free survival. By using 16S sequencing, we find that intratumor microbiome diversity is lower in the recurrence group and butyrate-producing bacteria are enriched in the recurrence group. The intratumor microbiome signature and circulating microbiome DNA can accurately predict LC recurrence. We prove that intratumor injection of butyrate-producing bacteria Roseburia can promote subcutaneous tumor growth. Mechanistically, bacteria-derived butyrate promotes LC metastasis by increasing expression of H19 in tumor cells through inhibiting HDAC2 and increasing H3K27 acetylation at the H19 promoter and inducing M2 macrophage polarization. Depletion of macrophages partially abolishes the metastasis-promoting effect of butyrate. Our results provide evidence for the cross-talk between the intratumor microbiome and LC metastasis and suggest the potential prognostic and therapeutic value of the intratumor microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Haiming Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Haoran Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Meiling Zheng
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100010, China; Department of Chinese Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Xianglin Zuo
- Department of Science & Technology, Biobank of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Wenxiang Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Shaodong Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yiming Lu
- Department of Genetics & Integrative Omics, State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Science & Technology, Biobank of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Mantang Qiu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
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11
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Cantallops Vilà P, Ravichandra A, Agirre Lizaso A, Perugorria MJ, Affò S. Heterogeneity, crosstalk, and targeting of cancer-associated fibroblasts in cholangiocarcinoma. Hepatology 2024; 79:941-958. [PMID: 37018128 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000206] [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] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) comprises diverse tumors of the biliary tree and is characterized by late diagnosis, short-term survival, and chemoresistance. CCAs are mainly classified according to their anatomical location and include diverse molecular subclasses harboring inter-tumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity. Besides the tumor cell component, CCA is also characterized by a complex and dynamic tumor microenvironment where tumor cells and stromal cells crosstalk in an intricate network of interactions. Cancer-associated fibroblasts, one of the most abundant cell types in the tumor stroma of CCA, are actively involved in cholangiocarcinogenesis by participating in multiple aspects of the disease including extracellular matrix remodeling, immunomodulation, neo-angiogenesis, and metastasis. Despite their overall tumor-promoting role, recent evidence indicates the presence of transcriptional and functional heterogeneous CAF subtypes with tumor-promoting and tumor-restricting properties. To elucidate the complexity and potentials of cancer-associated fibroblasts as therapeutic targets in CCA, this review will discuss the origin of cancer-associated fibroblasts, their heterogeneity, crosstalk, and role during tumorigenesis, providing an overall picture of the present and future perspectives toward cancer-associated fibroblasts targeting CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aashreya Ravichandra
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Aloña Agirre Lizaso
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Maria J Perugorria
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERehd, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Silvia Affò
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Takam Kamga P, Mayenga M, Sebane L, Costantini A, Julie C, Capron C, Parent F, Seferian A, Guettier C, Emile JF, Giroux Leprieur E. Colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) signalling is predictive of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2024; 188:107447. [PMID: 38176297 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2023.107447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The identification of biomarkers related to treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a significant challenge. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of macrophage-related markers assessed in plasma and tissue samples of patients with NSCLC undergoing ICI treatment. This bicentric study included a prospective cohort of 88 patients with advanced NSCLC who received first-line therapy with ICI (either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy) or chemotherapy alone (CT). Samples were collected from the patients at baseline and during follow-up. Plasma levels of CSF-1 and IL-34 were measured using ELISA, while expression levels of the macrophage receptors CD163 and CSF-1-R were evaluated using immunohistochemistry on lung biopsies. At baseline, the median plasma CSF-1 expression was higher in patients who did not respond to immunotherapy compared to those who responded (8898 pg/mL vs. 14031 pg/mL, p = 0.0005). Importantly, high CSF-1 levels at the initial assessment were associated with disease progression regardless of the treatment received. Furthermore, high CSF-1 levels were associated with shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients receiving ICI therapy, but not in those treated with chemotherapy. There was no correlation between IL-34, CSF-1R, CD163 and therapeutic response. We observed in vitro that the activation of lymphocytes mediated by pembrolizumab was hindered by the treatment of PBMC with recombinant CSF-1, suggesting that CSF-1 creates a systemic immunosuppressive state that interferes with ICI treatment. In conclusion, baseline CSF-1 levels represent a potential predictive marker to ICI treatment in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Takam Kamga
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Marie Mayenga
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Louise Sebane
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Adrien Costantini
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; APHP - Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Department of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Oncology, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Catherine Julie
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; APHP - Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Department of Pathology, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Claude Capron
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; APHP - Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Department of Hematology Immunology, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Florence Parent
- APHP - Hôpital Bicêtre, Department of Pulmonology, Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Andrei Seferian
- APHP - Hôpital Bicêtre, Department of Pulmonology, Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Catherine Guettier
- APHP - Hôpital Bicêtre, Department of Pathology, Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Jean-François Emile
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; APHP - Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Department of Pathology, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Etienne Giroux Leprieur
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, EA4340 BECCOH, Boulogne-Billancourt, France; APHP - Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Department of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Oncology, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
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13
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Zhang N, Shu L, Liu Z, Shi A, Zhao L, Huang S, Sheng G, Yan Z, Song Y, Huang F, Tang Y, Zhang Z. The role of extracellular vesicles in cholangiocarcinoma tumor microenvironment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1336685. [PMID: 38269274 PMCID: PMC10805838 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1336685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor that originates from the biliary system. With restricted treatment options at hand, the challenging aspect of early CCA diagnosis leads to a bleak prognosis. Besides the intrinsic characteristics of tumor cells, the generation and progression of CCA are profoundly influenced by the tumor microenvironment, which engages in intricate interactions with cholangiocarcinoma cells. Of notable significance is the role of extracellular vesicles as key carriers in enabling communication between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current research examining the interplay between extracellular vesicles and the tumor microenvironment in the context of CCA. Specifically, we will emphasize the significant contributions of extracellular vesicles in molding the CCA microenvironment and explore their potential applications in the diagnosis, prognosis assessment, and therapeutic strategies for this aggressive malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuoqi Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Lizhuang Shu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zengli Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Anda Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Liming Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shaohui Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Guoli Sheng
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhangdi Yan
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yan Song
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Fan Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yongchang Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zongli Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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14
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Lin Q, Tang Z, Qin Y, Deng X, Wei C, Liu F, Pan X, Liu D, Zhan T, Fang M. Clonorchis sinensis infection amplifies hepatocellular carcinoma stemness, predicting unfavorable prognosis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011906. [PMID: 38285640 PMCID: PMC10824460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extensive evidence links Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) to cholangiocarcinoma; however, its association with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is less acknowledged, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the association between C. sinensis infection and HCC and reveal the relationship between C. sinensis infection and cancer stemness. METHODS A comprehensive analysis of 839 HCC patients categorized into C. sinensis (-) HCC and C. sinensis (+) HCC groups was conducted. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess the association between C. sinensis infection and clinical factors. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate survival outcomes. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine CK19 and EpCAM expression in HCC specimens. RESULTS Compared to C. sinensis (-) HCC patients, C. sinensis (+) HCC patients exhibited advanced Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, higher male prevalence and more liver cirrhosis as well as elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), eosinophil, complement 3 (C3), and complement 4 (C4) values. C. sinensis infection correlated with shorter overall survival (OS) (p < 0.05) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Cox multivariate analysis revealed that C. sinensis infection was an independent prognostic factor for OS in HCC patients. Importantly, C. sinensis infection upregulated the expression of HCC cancer stem cell markers CK19 and EpCAM. CONCLUSION HCC patients with C. sinensis infection exhibit a poor prognosis following hepatectomy. Moreover, C. sinensis infection promotes the acquisition of cancer stem cell-like characteristics, consequently accelerating the malignant progression of HCC. AUTHOR SUMMARY Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) is a prominent food-borne parasite prevalent in regions such as China, particularly in Guangxi. C. sinensis has been associated with various hepatobiliary system injuries, encompassing inflammation, periductal fibrosis, cholangiocarcinoma and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A substantial body of evidence links C. sinensis to cholangiocarcinoma, However, the connection between C. sinensis and HCC and the intricate mechanisms underlying its contribution to HCC development remain incompletely elucidated. Our study demonstrates clear clinicopathological associations between C. sinensis and HCC, such as gender, BCLC stage, liver cirrhosis, MVI, AFP, CA19-9, circulating eosinophils and complements. Furthermore, we found that the co-occurrence of C. sinensis exhibited a significant association with shorter OS and RFS in patients diagnosed with HCC. A major finding was that C. sinensis infection promotes the acquisition of cancer stem cell-like characteristics, consequently accelerating the malignant progression of HCC. Our results provide a more comprehensive comprehension of the interplay between C. sinensis and HCC, shedding fresh light on the carcinogenic potential of C. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiumei Lin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zeli Tang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuling Qin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xueling Deng
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Caibiao Wei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengfei Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaolan Pan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dengyu Liu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tingzheng Zhan
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Fang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center for Tissue & Organ Injury and Repair Medicine, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
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15
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Golino JL, Bian J, Wang X, Fu J, Zhu XB, Yeo J, Kelly M, Escorcia FE, Cam M, Xie C. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals cancer stem-like cells and dynamics in tumor microenvironment during cholangiocarcinoma progression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1250215. [PMID: 38020927 PMCID: PMC10667919 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1250215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignancy of the bile ducts that is driven by activities of cancer stem-like cells and characterized by a heterogeneous tumor microenvironment. To better understand the transcriptional profiles of cancer stem-like cells and dynamics in the tumor microenvironment during the progression of cholangiocarcinoma, we performed single-cell RNA analysis on cells collected from three different timepoints of tumorigenesis in a YAP/AKT mouse model. Bulk RNA sequencing data from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas program) and ICGC cohorts were used to verify and support the finding. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to assess the stemness of cancer stem-like cells. We identified Tm4sf1high malignant cells as cancer stem-like cells. Across timepoints of cholangiocarcinoma formation in YAP/AKT mice, we found dynamic change in cancer stem-like cell/stromal/immune cell composition. Nevertheless, the dynamic interaction among cancer stem-like cells, immune cells, and stromal cells at different timepoints was elaborated. Collectively, these data serve as a useful resource for better understanding cancer stem-like cell and malignant cell heterogeneity, stromal cell remodeling, and immune cell reprogramming. It also sheds new light on transcriptomic dynamics during cholangiocarcinoma progression at single-cell resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye L. Golino
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jing Bian
- CCR Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Xin Wang
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jianyang Fu
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Xiao Bin Zhu
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Julie Yeo
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Michael Kelly
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Freddy E. Escorcia
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- NCI CCR Liver Cancer Program, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Maggie Cam
- CCR Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Changqing Xie
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- NCI CCR Liver Cancer Program, Bethesda, MD, United States
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16
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Lin Y, Qi Y, Jiang M, Huang W, Li B. Lactic acid-induced M2-like macrophages facilitate tumor cell migration and invasion via the GPNMB/CD44 axis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 124:110972. [PMID: 37806107 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110972] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent form of oral and maxillofacial malignancies, characterized by a low five-year survival rate primarily caused by invasion and metastasis. The progression of OSCC is influenced by macrophage-mediated immunosuppression, which contributes to both local invasion and distant metastasis. Herein, it is of great necessity to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between OSCC cells and macrophages, as it remains unclear. In the present study, we found that lactic acid orchestrated intracellular communication in the tumor microenvironment. Glycoprotein non-metastatic protein B (GPNMB), a remarkable molecule preferentially expressed by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), was significantly highly expressed in the OSCC tissue. The results showed that lactic acid induced macrophage polarization towards an M2-like phenotype and orchestrated GPNMB secretion from macrophages. Furthermore, paracrine GPNMB played a critical role in triggering tumor-promoting activities such as facilitating tumor cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In terms of molecular mechanism, GPNMB functionally interacted with the CD44 receptor, and then partially activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade. Silencing of CD44 could attenuate the tumor-promoting effects of GPNMB in OSCC cells. Collectively, our findings decipher a positive feedback loop in which tumor cells metabolically interact with macrophages in the OSCC microenvironment, highlighting the potential for therapeutic targeting of the GPNMB/CD44 axis as a promising strategy for treating OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Lin
- Experimental Teaching Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Ying Qi
- Experimental Teaching Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Mingjing Jiang
- Experimental Teaching Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Experimental Teaching Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Bo Li
- Experimental Teaching Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang 110001, China; Department of Oral Anatomy and Physiology, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
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17
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Marzban H, Pedram N, Amini P, Gholampour Y, Saranjam N, Moradi S, Rahvarian J. Immunobiology of cancer stem cells and their immunoevasion mechanisms. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:9559-9573. [PMID: 37776412 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08768-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) defined as a small fraction of cells within malignancies have been isolated from tumors with different histological origins with stem related characteristics such as self-replicating potential, tumorigenesis, and therapy resistance. The dynamic communication between CSCs and tumor microenvironment particularly immune cells orchestrates their fate and plasticity as well as the patient outcome. According to recent evidence, it has been reported that they harness different immunological pathways to escape immunosurveillance and express aberrantly immunomodulatory agents or decreased levels of factors forming antigen presenting machinery (APM), subsequently followed by impaired antigen presentation and suppressed immune detection. As effective therapies are expected to be able to eradicate CSCs, mechanistic understanding of such interactions can provide insights into causes of therapy failure particularly in immunotherapy. Also, it can contribute to enhance the practical interventions against CSCs and their immunomodulatory features resulting in CSCs eradication and improving patient clinical outcome. The aim of this review is to explain the present knowledge regarding the immunobiology of CSCs and the immunoevasion mechanisms they use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Havva Marzban
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, US.
| | - Nastaran Pedram
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Parnian Amini
- Department of Veterinary Laboratory Science, Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Rasht, Iran
| | - Yasaman Gholampour
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | | | - Samira Moradi
- Faculty of Medical Science, Department of Medicine, Hormozgan University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Jeiran Rahvarian
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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18
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Yang L, Zhu Z, Zheng Y, Yang J, Liu Y, Shen T, Li M, He H, Huang H, Dai W. RAB6A functions as a critical modulator of the stem-like subsets in cholangiocarcinoma. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:1460-1473. [PMID: 37278569 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
RAB6A is a member of RAB GTPase family and plays an important role in the targeted transport of neurotrophic receptors and inflammatory cytokines. RAB6A-mediated secretory pathway is involved in many physiological and pathological processes. Defects in RAB6A-mediated secretory pathway may lead to the development of many diseases, including cancer. However, its role in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has not yet been revealed. We explored the regulatory role of RAB6A in the stem-like subsets of CCA. We showed that RAB6A knockdown (KD) impedes cancer stem cells (CSCs) properties and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro and that suppression of RAB6A inhibits tumor growth in vivo. We screened target cargos of RAB6A in CCA cells and identified a extracellular matrix component as the target cargo. RAB6A binds directly to OPN, and RAB6A KD suppressed OPN secretion and inhibited the interaction between OPN and αV integrin receptor. Moreover, RAB6A KD inhibited the AKT signaling pathway, which is a downstream effector of the integrin receptor signaling. In addition, shRNA targeting OPN blocked endogenous expression of OPN and consequently weakened CSCs properties in RAB6A-formed spheres. Similarly, inhibitor of AKT signaling, MK2206 also impedes oncogenic function of RAB6A in the stem-like subsets of CCA cells. In conclusion, our findings showed that RAB6A sustains CSCs phenotype maintenance by modulating the secretion of OPN and consequentially activating the downstream AKT signaling pathway. Targeting the RAB6A/OPN axis may be an effective strategy for CCA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangfang Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zhiwen Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yang Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jiaqi Yang
- Institution of Plastic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Tingyun Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Mingyi Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Huijuan He
- Clinical Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Haili Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- Institution of Plastic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
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19
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Gao Q, Zhan Y, Sun L, Zhu W. Cancer Stem Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment in Tumor Drug Resistance. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:2141-2154. [PMID: 37477773 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10593-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Although there has been some progress in the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs, drug resistance remains challenging. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are self-renewing and differentiate into cancer tissues with tumor heterogeneity. CSCs are associated with the progression of breast, colon, and lung cancers. Hence, recent studies have focused on the role of CSCs in resistance to anti-cancer drugs. Increasing evidence suggests that CSCs interact with components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as vascular and immune cells, as well as various cytokines, and are regulated by multiple signaling pathways, thereby promoting drug resistance in various cancers. Therefore, it is important to clarify the mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between CSCs and the TME for the development of targeted anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuzhi Gao
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China
| | - Yixiang Zhan
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215300, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China.
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20
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Wang X, Golino JL, Hawk NV, Xie C. Reciprocal Interaction of Cancer Stem Cells of Cholangiocarcinoma with Macrophage. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:2013-2023. [PMID: 37249733 PMCID: PMC10390592 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10557-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma is an aggressive type of liver cancer with few effective treatment options. Therefore, there is great need to better understand the biology of this malignancy to further development of novel treatment options. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to the underlying reason for cancer initiation, metastasis, and relapse. However, due to their elusive character and differences in identification among different types of cancer, it remains a challenge to study such cells. Additionally, characterization of the tumor microenvironment such as interactions with immune cells remain largely unknown. Here, we employ a fluorescent reporter system to track and isolate stem-like cancer cells of cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Following verification of a stem-like signature (upregulated expression of stemness markers, resistance to chemotherapy, increased spheroid formation, and tumorigenesis capabilities despite inoculation of a small number of cells), we analyzed the interaction of these cells with macrophages via direct and indirect coculture assays. We noted direct coculturing increased stemness among CSC populations and induced both M1 (CD80 and HLA-DR) and M2 (CD163) tumor associated macrophage polarization. These studies suggest that there is a bi-directional crosstalk between macrophages and CSCs that promotes stemness renewal and tumor associated macrophage polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Jihye L Golino
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Nga Voong Hawk
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Changqing Xie
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
- NCI CCR Liver Cancer Program, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10 3B43, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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21
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Lu X, Green BL, Xie C, Liu C, Chen X. Preclinical and clinical studies of immunotherapy for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100723. [PMID: 37229173 PMCID: PMC10205436 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare primary liver cancer associated with high mortality and few systemic treatment options. The behaviour of the immune system has come into focus as a potential treatment modality for many cancer types, but immunotherapy has yet to dramatically alter the treatment paradigm for CCA as it has for other diseases. Herein, we review recent studies describing the relevance of the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) in CCA. Various non-parenchymal cell types are critically important in controlling CCA progression, prognosis, and response to systemic therapy. Knowledge of the behaviour of these leukocytes could help generate hypotheses to guide the development of potential immune-directed therapies. Recently, an immunotherapy-containing combination was approved for the treatment of advanced-stage CCA. However, despite level 1 evidence demonstrating the improved efficacy of this therapy, survival remained suboptimal. In the current manuscript, we provide a comprehensive review of the TIME in CCA, preclinical studies of immunotherapies against CCA, as well as ongoing clinical trials applying immunotherapies for the treatment of CCA. Particular emphasis is placed on microsatellite unstable tumours, a rare CCA subtype that demonstrates heightened sensitivity to approved immune checkpoint inhibitors. We also discuss the challenges involved in applying immunotherapies to the treatment of CCA and the importance of understanding the TIME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjun Lu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Benjamin L. Green
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Changqing Xie
- Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA
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22
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Vita F, Olaizola I, Amato F, Rae C, Marco S, Banales JM, Braconi C. Heterogeneity of Cholangiocarcinoma Immune Biology. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060846. [PMID: 36980187 PMCID: PMC10047186 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are aggressive tumors arising along the biliary tract epithelium, whose incidence and mortality are increasing. CCAs are highly desmoplastic cancers characterized by a dense tumor microenvironment (TME), in which each single component plays a fundamental role in shaping CCA initiation, progression and resistance to therapies. The crosstalk between cancer cells and TME can affect the recruitment, infiltration and differentiation of immune cells. According to the stage of the disease and to intra- and inter-patient heterogeneity, TME may contribute to either protumoral or antitumoral activities. Therefore, a better understanding of the effect of each immune cell subtype may open the path to new personalized immune therapeutic strategies for the management of CCA. In this review, we describe the role of immune cells in CCA initiation and progression, and their crosstalk with both cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the cancer-stem-cell-like (CSC) niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Vita
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy
| | - Irene Olaizola
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute–Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; (I.O.); (J.M.B.)
| | - Francesco Amato
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Colin Rae
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Sergi Marco
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Jesus M. Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute–Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20014 San Sebastian, Spain; (I.O.); (J.M.B.)
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, “Instituto de Salud Carlos III”), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Sciences, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Chiara Braconi
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (F.V.); (F.A.); (C.R.); (S.M.)
- Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK
- Correspondence:
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23
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Anichini G, Raggi C, Pastore M, Carrassa L, Maresca L, Crivaro E, Lottini T, Duwe L, Andersen JB, Tofani L, Di Tommaso L, Banales JM, Arcangeli A, Marra F, Stecca B. Combined Inhibition of Smoothened and the DNA Damage Checkpoint WEE1 Exerts Antitumor Activity in Cholangiocarcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:343-356. [PMID: 36807728 PMCID: PMC9978885 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-22-0379] [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: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is characterized by resistance to chemotherapy and a poor prognosis. Therefore, treatments that can effectively suppress tumor growth are urgently needed. Aberrant activation of hedgehog (HH) signaling has been implicated in several cancers, including those of the hepatobiliary tract. However, the role of HH signaling in intrahepatic CCA (iCCA) has not been completely elucidated. In this study, we addressed the function of the main transducer Smoothened (SMO) and the transcription factors (TFs) GLI1 and GLI2 in iCCA. In addition, we evaluated the potential benefits of the combined inhibition of SMO and the DNA damage kinase WEE1. Transcriptomic analysis of 152 human iCCA samples showed increased expression of GLI1, GLI2, and Patched 1 (PTCH1) in tumor tissues compared with nontumor tissues. Genetic silencing of SMO, GLI1, and GLI2 inhibited the growth, survival, invasiveness, and self-renewal of iCCA cells. Pharmacologic inhibition of SMO reduced iCCA growth and viability in vitro, by inducing double-strand break DNA damage, leading to mitotic arrest and apoptotic cell death. Importantly, SMO inhibition resulted in the activation of the G2-M checkpoint and DNA damage kinase WEE1, increasing the vulnerability to WEE1 inhibition. Hence, the combination of MRT-92 with the WEE1 inhibitor AZD-1775 showed increased antitumor activity in vitro and in iCCA xenografts compared with single treatments. These data indicate that combined inhibition of SMO and WEE1 reduces tumor burden and may represent a strategy for the clinical development of novel therapeutic approaches in iCCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Anichini
- Core Research Laboratory - Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Chiara Raggi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Mirella Pastore
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Laura Carrassa
- Core Research Laboratory - Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Luisa Maresca
- Core Research Laboratory - Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Enrica Crivaro
- Core Research Laboratory - Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Tiziano Lottini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lea Duwe
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Dept. of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper B Andersen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Dept. of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lorenzo Tofani
- Department of Statistics, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Luca Di Tommaso
- Pathology Department, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Jesus M Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute - Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain.,National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, "Instituto de Salud Carlos III"), Madrid, Spain.,Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Sciences, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Annarosa Arcangeli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Fabio Marra
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Core Research Laboratory - Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
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24
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Calvisi DF, Boulter L, Vaquero J, Saborowski A, Fabris L, Rodrigues PM, Coulouarn C, Castro RE, Segatto O, Raggi C, van der Laan LJW, Carpino G, Goeppert B, Roessler S, Kendall TJ, Evert M, Gonzalez-Sanchez E, Valle JW, Vogel A, Bridgewater J, Borad MJ, Gores GJ, Roberts LR, Marin JJG, Andersen JB, Alvaro D, Forner A, Banales JM, Cardinale V, Macias RIR, Vicent S, Chen X, Braconi C, Verstegen MMA, Fouassier L. Criteria for preclinical models of cholangiocarcinoma: scientific and medical relevance. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023:10.1038/s41575-022-00739-y. [PMID: 36755084 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00739-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare malignancy that develops at any point along the biliary tree. CCA has a poor prognosis, its clinical management remains challenging, and effective treatments are lacking. Therefore, preclinical research is of pivotal importance and necessary to acquire a deeper understanding of CCA and improve therapeutic outcomes. Preclinical research involves developing and managing complementary experimental models, from in vitro assays using primary cells or cell lines cultured in 2D or 3D to in vivo models with engrafted material, chemically induced CCA or genetically engineered models. All are valuable tools with well-defined advantages and limitations. The choice of a preclinical model is guided by the question(s) to be addressed; ideally, results should be recapitulated in independent approaches. In this Consensus Statement, a task force of 45 experts in CCA molecular and cellular biology and clinicians, including pathologists, from ten countries provides recommendations on the minimal criteria for preclinical models to provide a uniform approach. These recommendations are based on two rounds of questionnaires completed by 35 (first round) and 45 (second round) experts to reach a consensus with 13 statements. An agreement was defined when at least 90% of the participants voting anonymously agreed with a statement. The ultimate goal was to transfer basic laboratory research to the clinics through increased disease understanding and to develop clinical biomarkers and innovative therapies for patients with CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Luke Boulter
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Cancer Research UK Scottish Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Javier Vaquero
- TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.,National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Saborowski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Luca Fabris
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua School of Medicine, Padua, Italy.,Digestive Disease Section, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pedro M Rodrigues
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute - Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Cédric Coulouarn
- Inserm, Univ Rennes 1, OSS (Oncogenesis Stress Signalling), UMR_S 1242, Centre de Lutte contre le Cancer Eugène Marquis, Rennes, France
| | - Rui E Castro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Oreste Segatto
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Raggi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Luc J W van der Laan
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplantation Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Guido Carpino
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Benjamin Goeppert
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Ludwigsburg, Germany.,Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie Roessler
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Timothy J Kendall
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Matthias Evert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ester Gonzalez-Sanchez
- TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.,National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan W Valle
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.,Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Arndt Vogel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - John Bridgewater
- Department of Medical Oncology, UCL Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Mitesh J Borad
- Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Gregory J Gores
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Lewis R Roberts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jose J G Marin
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), IBSAL, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jesper B Andersen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Domenico Alvaro
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alejandro Forner
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Liver Unit, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesus M Banales
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute - Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Sciences, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Vincenzo Cardinale
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rocio I R Macias
- National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM), IBSAL, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Silve Vicent
- University of Navarra, Centre for Applied Medical Research, Program in Solid Tumours, Pamplona, Spain.,IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Madrid, Spain
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chiara Braconi
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Monique M A Verstegen
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplantation Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laura Fouassier
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
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25
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Wang F, Niu Y, Chen K, Yuan X, Qin Y, Zheng F, Cui Z, Lu W, Wu Y, Xia D. Extracellular Vesicle-Packaged circATP2B4 Mediates M2 Macrophage Polarization via miR-532-3p/SREBF1 Axis to Promote Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Metastasis. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:199-216. [PMID: 36512324 PMCID: PMC9896028 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies with a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and poor prognosis. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of noncoding RNA with high stability, which has been shown to play an important role in biological processes and TME reprogramming in a variety of tumors. The biological function of a novel circRNA, circATP2B4, in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) was detected and evaluated. Transmission electron microscopy, differential ultracentrifugation and qRT-PCR were used to verify the existence of extracellular vesicles (EV)-packaged circATP2B4. Macrophage uptake of circATP2B4 was determined by EVs tracing. Dual luciferase reporter, FISH, Western blotting, and flow cytometry assays were used to investigate the interactions between circATP2B4 and miR-532-3p as well as sterol regulatory element-binding factor 1 (SREBF1) expression in macrophages. CircATP2B4 was upregulated in EOC tissues and positively correlated with ovarian cancer progression. Functionally, circATP2B4 promoted carcinogenic progression and metastasis of EOC both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, EV-packaged circATP2B4 in EOC could be transmitted to infiltrated macrophages and acted as competing endogenous RNA of miR-532-3p to relieve the repressive effect of miR-532-3p on its target SREBF1. Furthermore, circATP2B4 induced macrophage M2 polarization by regulating the miR-532-3p/SREBF1/PI3Kα/AKT axis, thereby leading to immunosuppression and ovarian cancer metastasis. Collectively, these data indicate that circATP2B4-containing EVs generated by EOC cells promoted M2 macrophages polarization and malignant behaviors of EOC cells. Thus, targeting EVs-packaged circATP2B4 may provide a potential diagnosis and treatment strategy for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuequn Niu
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kelie Chen
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Yuan
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuheng Qin
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fang Zheng
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhenyan Cui
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weiguo Lu
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yihua Wu
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dajing Xia
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health and Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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26
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Monteleone G, Franzè E, Maresca C, Colella M, Pacifico T, Stolfi C. Targeted Therapy of Interleukin-34 as a Promising Approach to Overcome Cancer Therapy Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030971. [PMID: 36765929 PMCID: PMC9913481 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy have markedly improved the management of several malignancies. However, not all cancer patients respond primarily to such therapies, and others can become resistant during treatment. Thus, identification of the factors/mechanisms underlying cancer resistance to such treatments could help develop novel effective therapeutic compounds. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are major components of the suppressive tumor microenvironment and are critical drivers of immunosuppression, creating a tumor-promoting and drug-resistant niche. In this regard, therapeutic strategies to tackle immunosuppressive cells are an interesting option to increase anti-tumor immune responses and overcome the occurrence of drug resistance. Accumulating evidence indicates that interleukin-34 (IL-34), a cytokine produced by cancer cells, and/or TAMs act as a linker between induction of a tumor-associated immunosuppressive microenvironment and drug resistance. In this article, we review the current data supporting the role of IL-34 in the differentiation/function of immune suppressive cells and, hence, in the mechanisms leading to therapeutic resistance in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Monteleone
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Gastroenterology Unit, Policlinico Universitario Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-20903702; Fax: +39-06-72596158
| | - Eleonora Franzè
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Maresca
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Colella
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Pacifico
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Carmine Stolfi
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
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27
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Alshaebi F, Safi M, Algabri YA, Al-Azab M, Aldanakh A, Alradhi M, Reem A, Zhang C. Interleukin-34 and immune checkpoint inhibitors: Unified weapons against cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1099696. [PMID: 36798830 PMCID: PMC9927403 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1099696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-34 (IL-34) is a cytokine that is involved in the regulation of immune cells, including macrophages, in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Macrophages are a type of immune cell that can be found in large numbers within the TME and have been shown to have a role in the suppression of immune responses in cancer. This mmune suppression can contribute to cancer development and tumors' ability to evade the immune system. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a type of cancer treatment that target proteins on immune cells that act as "checkpoints," regulating the activity of the immune system. Examples of these proteins include programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). ICIs work by blocking the activity of these proteins, allowing the immune system to mount a stronger response against cancer cells. The combination of IL-34 inhibition with ICIs has been proposed as a potential treatment option for cancer due to the role of IL-34 in the TME and its potential involvement in resistance to ICIs. Inhibiting the activity of IL-34 or targeting its signaling pathways may help to overcome resistance to ICIs and improve the effectiveness of these therapies. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge concerning the involvement of IL-34-mediated regulation of TME and the promotion of ICI resistance. Besides, this work may shed light on whether targeting IL-34 might be exploited as a potential treatment option for cancer patients in the future. However, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the role of IL-34 in TME and to determine the safety and efficacy of this approach in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadhl Alshaebi
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Mohammed Safi
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Mohammed Safi, ; Caiqing Zhang,
| | - Yousif A. Algabri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Mahmoud Al-Azab
- Department of Immunology, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Abdullah Aldanakh
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Mohammed Alradhi
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Binhai University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Alariqi Reem
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Amran University, Amran, Yemen
| | - Caiqing Zhang
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Mohammed Safi, ; Caiqing Zhang,
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28
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Circular RNAs in cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Lett 2023; 553:215980. [PMID: 36336149 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most common primary biliary malignancy with an adverse prognosis. Although its incidence is relatively low, early diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of specific symptoms. Current treatment options for CCA are limited, resulting in a low curative rate. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have become a new research hotspot in recent years, and they are frequently dysregulated in CCA and may become therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers of CCA. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that numerous dysregulated circRNAs are vital players in the etiopathogenesis of CCA. Aberrant expression of specific circRNAs was correlated with unfavourable clinical characteristics in CCA. Many studies have found that circRNAs are involved in the progression and development of CCA through various mechanisms, including competitive inhibition of miRNAs via the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network, interaction with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), activation of cancer-related signalling pathways, and regulation of proteins and peptides. Additionally, some circRNAs are involved in the inflammatory microenvironment of CCA and play a crucial role in chemotherapy drug resistance. Thus, they are essential for the early diagnosis and prediction of CCA, and more attention should be given to the roles and mechanisms of circRNAs in CCA. In this review, we summarize the abnormal expression of circRNAs in CCA and the specific inflammatory microenvironment involved, as well as the roles and mechanisms of circRNAs in the occurrence and development of CCA. We also review the latest knowle dge on circRNAs in CCA and discuss the challenges associated with the introduction of circRNAs into clinical practice and their potential clinical value.
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29
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Yu X, Zhu L, Wang T, Chen J. Immune microenvironment of cholangiocarcinoma: Biological concepts and treatment strategies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1037945. [PMID: 37138880 PMCID: PMC10150070 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1037945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma is characterized by a poor prognosis with limited treatment and management options. Chemotherapy using gemcitabine with cisplatin is the only available first-line therapy for patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma, although it offers only palliation and yields a median survival of < 1 year. Recently there has been a resurgence of immunotherapy studies focusing on the ability of immunotherapy to inhibit cancer growth by impacting the tumor microenvironment. Based on the TOPAZ-1 trial, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the combination of durvalumab and gemcitabine with cisplatin as the first-line treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. However, immunotherapy, like immune checkpoint blockade, is less effective in cholangiocarcinoma than in other types of cancer. Although several factors such as the exuberant desmoplastic reaction are responsible for cholangiocarcinoma treatment resistance, existing literature on cholangiocarcinoma cites the inflammatory and immunosuppressive environment as the most common factor. However, mechanisms activating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment contributing to cholangiocarcinoma drug resistance are complicated. Therefore, gaining insight into the interplay between immune cells and cholangiocarcinoma cells, as well as the natural development and evolution of the immune tumor microenvironment, would provide targets for therapeutic intervention and improve therapeutic efficacy by developing multimodal and multiagent immunotherapeutic approaches of cholangiocarcinoma to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In this review, we discuss the role of the inflammatory microenvironment-cholangiocarcinoma crosstalk and reinforce the importance of inflammatory cells in the tumor microenvironment, thereby highlighting the explanatory and therapeutic shortcomings of immunotherapy monotherapy and proposing potentially promising combinational immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhe Yu
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingling Zhu
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- *Correspondence: Jiang Chen,
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30
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Boruah P, Deka N. Interleukin 34 in Disease Progressions: A Comprehensive Review. Crit Rev Immunol 2023; 43:25-43. [PMID: 37943151 DOI: 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2023050326] [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: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
IL-34, a cytokine, discovered a decade before and is known to be a colony stimulating factor CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1R) ligand. Along with CSF-1R, it also interacts with syndecan-1 receptors and protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP-ζ). Hence, IL-34 takes part in a number of biological activities owing to its involvement in different signaling pathways. This review was done to analyze the recent studies on the functions of IL-34 in progression of diseases. The role of IL-34 under the physiological and pathological settings is studied by reviewing current data. In the last ten years, studies suggested that the IL-34 was involved in the regulation of morbid states such as inflammatory diseases, infections, transplant rejection, autoimmune diseases, neurologic diseases, and cancer. In general, the involvement of IL-34 is observed in many serious health ailments like metabolic diseases, heart diseases, infections and even cancer. As such, IL-34 can be regarded as a therapeutic target, potential biomarker or as a therapeutic tool, which ought to be assessed in future research activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerona Boruah
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Shanghai, China; School of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, D.Y. Patil Deemed to be University, Navi Mumbai, India
| | - Nikhita Deka
- Department of Life Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India
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31
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The Emerging Role of Tumor Microenvironmental Stimuli in Regulating Metabolic Rewiring of Liver Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010005. [PMID: 36612000 PMCID: PMC9817521 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most devastating cancers worldwide. Extensive phenotypical and functional heterogeneity is a cardinal hallmark of cancer, including PLC, and is related to the cancer stem cell (CSC) concept. CSCs are responsible for tumor growth, progression, relapse and resistance to conventional therapies. Metabolic reprogramming represents an emerging hallmark of cancer. Cancer cells, including CSCs, are very plastic and possess the dynamic ability to constantly shift between different metabolic states depending on various intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, therefore amplifying the complexity of understanding tumor heterogeneity. Besides the well-known Warburg effect, several other metabolic pathways including lipids and iron metabolism are altered in PLC. An increasing number of studies supports the role of the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME) in the metabolic control of liver CSCs. In this review, we discuss the complex metabolic rewiring affecting liver cancer cells and, in particular, liver CSCs. Moreover, we highlight the role of TME cellular and noncellular components in regulating liver CSC metabolic plasticity. Deciphering the specific mechanisms regulating liver CSC-TME metabolic interplay could be very helpful with respect to the development of more effective and innovative combinatorial therapies for PLC treatment.
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32
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Manni W, Min W. Signaling pathways in the regulation of cancer stem cells and associated targeted therapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e176. [PMID: 36226253 PMCID: PMC9534377 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are defined as a subpopulation of malignant tumor cells with selective capacities for tumor initiation, self-renewal, metastasis, and unlimited growth into bulks, which are believed as a major cause of progressive tumor phenotypes, including recurrence, metastasis, and treatment failure. A number of signaling pathways are involved in the maintenance of stem cell properties and survival of CSCs, including well-established intrinsic pathways, such as the Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog signaling, and extrinsic pathways, such as the vascular microenvironment and tumor-associated immune cells. There is also intricate crosstalk between these signal cascades and other oncogenic pathways. Thus, targeting pathway molecules that regulate CSCs provides a new option for the treatment of therapy-resistant or -refractory tumors. These treatments include small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies that target key signaling in CSCs, as well as CSC-directed immunotherapies that harness the immune systems to target CSCs. This review aims to provide an overview of the regulating networks and their immune interactions involved in CSC development. We also address the update on the development of CSC-directed therapeutics, with a special focus on those with application approval or under clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Manni
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduP. R. China
| | - Wu Min
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of North DakotaGrand ForksNorth DakotaUSA
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33
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Fu J, McGrath NA, Lee J, Wang X, Brar G, Xie C. Verteporfin synergizes the efficacy of anti-PD-1 in cholangiocarcinoma. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2022; 21:485-492. [PMID: 35307294 PMCID: PMC9463402 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2022.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the primary hepatobiliary malignant neoplasms with only 10% of 5-year survival rate. Promising immunotherapy with the blockade of immune checkpoints has no clear benefit in CCA. The inhibition of YAP1 signaling by verteporfin has shown encouraging results by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. This study aimed to evaluate the potential benefit of the combination of verteporfin and anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) in CCA mouse model. METHODS We assessed the cytotoxicity of verteporfin in human CCA cell lines in vitro, including both intrahepatic CCA and extrahepatic CCA cells. We examined the in vitro effect of verteporfin on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and stemness. We evaluated the in vivo efficacy of verteporfin, anti-PD-1, and a combination of both in subcutaneous CCA mouse model. RESULTS Our study showed that verteporfin reduced tumor cell growth and enhanced apoptosis of human CCA tumor cells in vitro in a dose-dependent fashion. Nevertheless, verteporfin impaired stemness evidenced by reduced spheroid formation and colony formation, decreased numbers of cells with aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and positive cancer stem cell markers (all P < 0.05). The combination of verteporfin and anti-PD-1 reduced tumor burden in CCA subcutaneous SB1 tumor model compared to either agent alone. CONCLUSIONS Verteporfin exhibits antitumor effects in both intrahepatic and extrahepatic CCA cell lines and the combination with anti-PD-1 inhibited tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyang Fu
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nicole A McGrath
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jihye Lee
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gagandeep Brar
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Changqing Xie
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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34
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Cheng K, Cai N, Zhu J, Yang X, Liang H, Zhang W. Tumor-associated macrophages in liver cancer: From mechanisms to therapy. CANCER COMMUNICATIONS (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 42:1112-1140. [PMID: 36069342 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Multidimensional analyses have demonstrated the presence of a unique tumor microenvironment (TME) in liver cancer. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are among the most abundant immune cells infiltrating the TME and are present at all stages of liver cancer progression, and targeting TAMs has become one of the most favored immunotherapy strategies. In addition, macrophages and liver cancer cells have distinct origins. At the early stage of liver cancer, macrophages can provide a niche for the maintenance of liver cancer stem cells. In contrast, cancer stem cells (CSCs) or poorly differentiated tumor cells are key factors modulating macrophage activation. In the present review, we first propose the origin connection between precursor macrophages and liver cancer cells. Macrophages undergo dynamic phenotypic transition during carcinogenesis. In this course of such transition, it is critical to determine the appropriate timing for therapy and block specific markers to suppress pro-tumoral TAMs. The present review provides a more detailed discussion of transition trends of such surface markers than previous reviews. Complex crosstalk occurs between TAMs and liver cancer cells. TAMs play indispensable roles in tumor progression, angiogenesis, and autophagy due to their heterogeneity and robust plasticity. In addition, macrophages in the TME interact with other immune cells by directing cell-to-cell contact or secreting various effector molecules. Similarly, tumor cells combined with other immune cells can drive macrophage recruitment and polarization. Despite the latest achievements and the advancements in treatment strategies following TAMs studies, comprehensive discussions on the communication between macrophages and cancer cells or immune cells in liver cancer are currently lacking. In this review, we discussed the interactions between TAMs and liver cancer cells (from cell origin to maturation), the latest therapeutic strategies (including chimeric antigen receptor macrophages), and critical clinical trials for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) to provide a rationale for further clinical investigation of TAMs as a potential target for treating patients with liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Cheng
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Ning Cai
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Jinghan Zhu
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Xing Yang
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Huifang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Wanguang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
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35
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Raggi C, Taddei ML, Rae C, Braconi C, Marra F. Metabolic reprogramming in cholangiocarcinoma. J Hepatol 2022; 77:849-864. [PMID: 35594992 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer and allows tumour cells to meet the increased energy demands required for rapid proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Indeed, many tumour cells acquire distinctive metabolic and bioenergetic features that enable them to survive in resource-limited conditions, mainly by harnessing alternative nutrients. Several recent studies have explored the metabolic plasticity of cancer cells with the aim of identifying new druggable targets, while therapeutic strategies to limit the access to nutrients have been successfully applied to the treatment of some tumours. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a highly heterogeneous tumour, is the second most common form of primary liver cancer. It is characterised by resistance to chemotherapy and poor prognosis, with 5-year survival rates of below 20%. Deregulation of metabolic pathways have been described during the onset and progression of CCA. Increased aerobic glycolysis and glutamine anaplerosis provide CCA cells with the ability to generate biosynthetic intermediates. Other metabolic alterations involving carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids have been shown to sustain cancer cell growth and dissemination. In this review, we discuss the complex metabolic rewiring that occurs during CCA development and leads to unique nutrient addiction. The possible role of therapeutic interventions based on metabolic changes is also thoroughly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Raggi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
| | - Maria Letizia Taddei
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Colin Rae
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Chiara Braconi
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Marra
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
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36
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Carloni R, Rizzo A, Ricci AD, Federico AD, De Luca R, Guven DC, Yalcin S, Brandi G. Targeting tumor microenvironment for cholangiocarcinoma: Opportunities for precision medicine. Transl Oncol 2022; 25:101514. [PMID: 35977458 PMCID: PMC9396390 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
CCA has a dismal prognosis, and it is usually diagnosed in advanced stage for which available treatments have limited efficacy. CCA TME presents an abundant desmoplastic stroma and exhibits a high heterogeneity. TME plays a central role in cancer development and in the resistance to treatments. Treatments targeting the TME in association with cytotoxic agents could represent a promising therapeutic strategy.
Systemic treatments (e.g., chemotherapy and targeted therapies) have limited efficacy for patients with locally advanced – unresectable – and metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), with an overall survival of less than a year. Tumor microenvironment (TME) represents the ecosystem surrounding the tumor which comprises immune cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and a wide range of soluble factors. CCA TME is characterized by an abundant desmoplastic stroma, exhibits a high heterogeneity and it plays a central role in cancer onset and progression. There is growing evidence suggesting that it is possible to target TME in association with other treatment modalities, such as cytotoxic chemotherapy or targeted therapies, paving the way to possible combination strategies with a synergistic effect. Herein, we describe the components of CCA TME – such as cancer-associated fibroblasts and other cells of pivotal importance - with their most relevant interactions, focusing on the preclinical rationale for the development of effective anticancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Carloni
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, Bologna 40138, Italy; Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rizzo
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico "Don Tonino Bello", I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", Viale Orazio Flacco 65, Bari 70124, Italy.
| | - Angela Dalia Ricci
- Medical Oncology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology, "Saverio de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Italy
| | - Alessandro Di Federico
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, Bologna 40138, Italy; Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Raffaele De Luca
- Department of Surgical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Tumori " Giovanni Paolo ", Bari, Italy
| | - Deniz Can Guven
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Suayib Yalcin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Giovanni Brandi
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, Bologna 40138, Italy; Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, Bologna 40138, Italy
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Aramini B, Masciale V, Samarelli AV, Dubini A, Gaudio M, Stella F, Morandi U, Dominici M, De Biasi S, Gibellini L, Cossarizza A. Phenotypic, functional, and metabolic heterogeneity of immune cells infiltrating non–small cell lung cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:959114. [PMID: 36032082 PMCID: PMC9399732 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.959114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cancer in the world, accounting for 1.2 million of new cases annually, being responsible for 17.8% of all cancer deaths. In particular, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is involved in approximately 85% of all lung cancers with a high lethality probably due to the asymptomatic evolution, leading patients to be diagnosed when the tumor has already spread to other organs. Despite the introduction of new therapies, which have improved the long-term survival of these patients, this disease is still not well cured and under controlled. Over the past two decades, single-cell technologies allowed to deeply profile both the phenotypic and metabolic aspects of the immune cells infiltrating the TME, thus fostering the identification of predictive biomarkers of prognosis and supporting the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss phenotypic and functional characteristics of the main subsets of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells (TIMs) that contribute to promote or suppress NSCLC development and progression. We also address two emerging aspects of TIL and TIM biology, i.e., their metabolism, which affects their effector functions, proliferation, and differentiation, and their capacity to interact with cancer stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Aramini
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine—DIMES of the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, G.B. Morgagni—L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
| | - Valentina Masciale
- Division of Oncology and Laboratory of Cellular Therapies, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Anna Valeria Samarelli
- Division of Oncology and Laboratory of Cellular Therapies, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dubini
- Division of Pathology, G.B. Morgagni—L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
| | - Michele Gaudio
- Division of Pathology, G.B. Morgagni—L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
| | - Franco Stella
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine—DIMES of the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, G.B. Morgagni—L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
| | - Uliano Morandi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Massimo Dominici
- Division of Oncology and Laboratory of Cellular Therapies, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Sara De Biasi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Lara Gibellini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Andrea Cossarizza
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- National Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Bologna, Italy
- *Correspondence: Andrea Cossarizza,
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Tumor-Associated Inflammation: The Tumor-Promoting Immunity in the Early Stages of Tumorigenesis. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:3128933. [PMID: 35733919 PMCID: PMC9208911 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3128933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumorigenesis is a multistage progressive oncogenic process caused by alterations in the structure and expression level of multiple genes. Normal cells are continuously endowed with new capabilities in this evolution, leading to subsequent tumor formation. Immune cells are the most important components of inflammation, which is closely associated with tumorigenesis. There is a broad consensus in cancer research that inflammation and immune response facilitate tumor progression, infiltration, and metastasis via different mechanisms; however, their protumor effects are equally important in tumorigenesis at earlier stages. Previous studies have demonstrated that during the early stages of tumorigenesis, certain immune cells can promote the formation and proliferation of premalignant cells by inducing DNA damage and repair inhibition, releasing trophic/supporting signals, promoting immune escape, and activating inflammasomes, as well as enhance the characteristics of cancer stem cells. In this review, we focus on the potential mechanisms by which immune cells can promote tumor initiation and promotion in the early stages of tumorigenesis; furthermore, we discuss the interaction of the inflammatory environment and protumor immune cells with premalignant cells and cancer stem cells, as well as the possibility of early intervention in tumor formation by targeting these cellular mechanisms.
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Macrophages Are a Double-Edged Sword: Molecular Crosstalk between Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Cancer Stem Cells. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12060850. [PMID: 35740975 PMCID: PMC9221070 DOI: 10.3390/biom12060850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subset of highly tumorigenic cells in tumors. They have enhanced self-renewal properties, are usually chemo-radioresistant, and can promote tumor recurrence and metastasis. They can recruit macrophages into the tumor microenvironment and differentiate them into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). TAMs maintain CSC stemness and construct niches that are favorable for CSC survival. However, how CSCs and TAMs interact is not completely understood. An understanding on these mechanisms can provide additional targeting strategies for eliminating CSCs. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the reported mechanisms of crosstalk between CSCs and TAMs and update the related signaling pathways involved in tumor progression. In addition, we discuss potential therapies targeting CSC–TAM interaction, including targeting macrophage recruitment and polarization by CSCs and inhibiting the TAM-induced promotion of CSC stemness. This review also provides the perspective on the major challenge for developing potential therapeutic strategies to overcome CSC-TAM crosstalk.
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Characterization of Immunogenicity of Malignant Cells with Stemness in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing. Stem Cells Int 2022; 2022:3558200. [PMID: 35530414 PMCID: PMC9076354 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3558200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for long-term maintenance of tumors and thought to play a role in treatment resistance. The interaction between stemness and immunogenicity of CSCs in the intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is largely unknown. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomic data to study immunogenicity of malignant cells in human iCCA. Using an established computerized method CytoTRACE, we found significant heterogeneity in stemness/differentiation states among malignant cells. We demonstrated that the high stemness malignant cells express much lower levels of major histocompatibility complex II molecules when compared to low stemness malignant cells, suggesting a role of immune evasion in high stemness malignant cells. In addition, high stemness malignant iCCA cells exhibited significant expression of certain cytokine members, including CCL2, CCL20, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL6, CXCL8, TNFRSF12A, and IL6ST, indicating communication with surrounding immune cells. These results indicate that high stemness malignant cells retain their intrinsic immunological feature that facilitate the escape of immune surveillance.
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Mechanism of cancer stemness maintenance in human liver cancer. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:394. [PMID: 35449193 PMCID: PMC9023565 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04848-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Primary liver cancer mainly includes the following four types: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), hepatoblastoma (HB), and combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA). Recent studies have indicated that there are differences in cancer stem cell (CSC) properties among different types of liver cancer. Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), also called liver tumor-initiating cells, have been viewed as drivers of tumor initiation and metastasis. Many mechanisms and factors, such as mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, epigenetic modifications, the tumor microenvironment, and tumor plasticity, are involved in the regulation of cancer stemness in liver cancer. In this review, we analyze cancer stemness in different liver cancer types. Moreover, we further evaluate the mechanism of cancer stemness maintenance of LCSCs and discuss promising treatments for eradicating LCSCs.
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Zheng Q, Zhang B, Li C, Zhang X. Overcome Drug Resistance in Cholangiocarcinoma: New Insight Into Mechanisms and Refining the Preclinical Experiment Models. Front Oncol 2022; 12:850732. [PMID: 35372014 PMCID: PMC8970309 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.850732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive tumor characterized by a poor prognosis. Therapeutic options are limited in patients with advanced stage of CCA, as a result of the intrinsic or acquired resistance to currently available chemotherapeutic agents, and the lack of new drugs entering into clinical application. The challenge in translating basic research to the clinical setting, caused by preclinical models not being able to recapitulate the tumor characteristics of the patient, seems to be an important reason for the lack of effective and specific therapies for CCA. So, there seems to be two ways to improve patient outcomes. The first one is developing the combination therapies based on a better understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the resistance to currently available chemotherapeutic agents. The second one is developing novel preclinical experimental models that better recapitulate the genetic and histopathological features of the primary tumor, facilitating the screening of new drugs for CCA patients. In this review, we discussed the evidence implicating the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance to currently investigated drugs, and the development of preclinical experiment models for CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingfan Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Endoscopy Center, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Changfeng Li
- Department of Endoscopy Center, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuewen Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Cadamuro M, Strazzabosco M. Inflammatory pathways and cholangiocarcinoma risk mechanisms and prevention. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 156:39-73. [PMID: 35961707 PMCID: PMC10916841 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.02.001] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a neoplasm burdened by a poor prognosis and currently lacking adequate therapeutic treatments, can originate at different levels of the biliary tree, in the intrahepatic, hilar, or extrahepatic area. The main risk factors for the development of CCA are the presence of chronic cholangiopathies of various etiology. To date, the most studied prodromal diseases of CCA are primary sclerosing cholangitis, Caroli's disease and fluke infestations, but other conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity, are emerging as associated with an increased risk of CCA development. In this review, we focused on the analysis of the pro-inflammatory mechanisms that induce the development of CCA and on the role of cells of the immune response in cholangiocarcinogenesis. In very recent times, these cellular mechanisms have been the subject of emerging studies aimed at verifying how the modulation of the inflammatory and immunological responses can have a therapeutic significance and how these can be used as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario Strazzabosco
- Liver Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.
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Prognostic value of Dickkopf-1 and ß-catenin expression according to the antitumor immunity of CD8-positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in biliary tract cancer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1931. [PMID: 35121803 PMCID: PMC8816896 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05914-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of β-catenin and Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is dependent on the specific immunobiology of T cell inflammation in biliary tract cancer (BTC). We aimed to analyze the role of DKK1 or β-catenin as a prognostic factor in BTC, and determine the clinical associations of ß-catenin and DKK1 with CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). We used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network and the clinicopathological data of 145 patients with BTC who had undergone primary radical resection between 2006 and 2016. CD8+ TIL expression was a significant predictor of favorable overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (median OS, 34.9 months in high-TIL, 16.7 months in low-TIL, P < 0.0001 respectively; median RFS, 27.1 months in high-TIL, 10.0 months in low-TIL, P < 0.0001 respectively). In the high-CD8+ TIL BTC group, the tumor expression of β-catenin and DKK1 had a significant negative impact on either OS or RFS. In the low-TIL BTC group, there were no differences according to ß-catenin and DKK1 expression. Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that CD8+ TIL and β-catenin retained significant association with OS. Among patients with resected BTC, the β-catenin and DKK1 protein and high CD8+ TIL levels were associated with poor and good clinical outcomes, respectively.
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Ravichandra A, Bhattacharjee S, Affò S. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression and therapeutic resistance. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 156:201-226. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Correnti M, Cappon A, Pastore M, Piombanti B, Lori G, Oliveira DVPN, Munoz‐Garrido P, Lewinska M, Andersen JB, Coulouarn C, Sulpice L, Peraldo Neia C, Cavalloni G, Quarta S, Biasiolo A, Fassan M, Ramazzotti M, Parri M, Recalcati S, di Tommaso L, Campani C, Invernizzi P, Torzilli G, Marra F, Pontisso P, Raggi C. The protease-inhibitor SerpinB3 as a critical modulator of the stem-like subset in human cholangiocarcinoma. Liver Int 2022; 42:233-248. [PMID: 34478594 PMCID: PMC9290104 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a form of primary liver cancer with limited therapeutic options. Recently, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been proposed as a driving force of tumour initiation and dissemination, thus representing a crucial therapeutic target. The protease inhibitor SerpinB3 (SB3) has been identified in several malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma. SB3 has been involved in the early events of hepatocarcinogenesis and is highly expressed in hepatic progenitor cells and in a mouse model of liver progenitor cell activation. However, only limited information on the possible role of SB3 in CCA stem-like compartment is available. METHODS Enrichment of CCA stem-like subset was performed by sphere culture (SPH) in CCA cell lines (CCLP1, HUCCT1, MTCHC01 and SG231). Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect SB3 in both SPH and parental monolayer (MON) cells. Acquired CSC-like features were analysed using an endogenous and a paracrine in vitro model, with transfection of SB3 gene or addition of recombinant SB3 to cell medium respectively. SB3 tumorigenic role was explored in an in vivo mouse model of CCA by subcutaneous injection of SB3-transfected MON (MONSB3+ ) cells in immune-deficient NOD-SCID/IL2Rgnull (NSG) mice. SB3 expression in human CCA sections was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR) analyses were carried out from a transcriptome database of 104 CCA patients. RESULTS SB3, barely detected in parental MON cells, was overexpressed in the same CCA cells grown as 3D SPH. Notably, MONSB3+ showed significant overexpression of genes associated with stemness (CD24, CD44, CD133), pluripotency (c-MYC, NOTCH1, STAT3, YAP, NANOG, BMI1, KLF4, OCT4, SOX2), epithelial mesenchymal transition (β-catenin, SLUG) and extracellular matrix remodelling (MMP1, MMP7, MMP9, ADAM9, ADAM10, ADAM17, ITGB3). SB3-overexpressing cells showed superior spherogenic capacity and invasion ability compared to control. Importantly, MONSB3+ exhibited activation of MAP kinases (ERK1/2, p38, JNK) as well as phosphorylation of NFκB (p65) in addition to up-regulation of the proto-oncogene β-catenin. All these effects were reversed after transient silencing of SB3. According to the in vitro finding, MONSB3+ cells retained high tumorigenic potential in NSG mice. SB3 overexpression was observed in human CCA tissues and analysis of OS as well as TTR indicated a worse prognosis in SB3+ CCA patients. CONCLUSION These findings indicate a SB3 role in mediating malignant phenotype of CCA and identify a new therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Correnti
- Center for Autoimmune Liver DiseasesHumanitas Clinical and Research CenterRozzanoItaly,Department of Biomedical Sciences for HealthUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Andrea Cappon
- Animal Care‐Polo Vallisneri University of PaduaPaduaItaly
| | - Mirella Pastore
- Department of Experimental and Clinical MedicineUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Benedetta Piombanti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical MedicineUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Giulia Lori
- Department of Experimental and Clinical MedicineUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | | | | | - Monika Lewinska
- Biotech Research and Innovation CentreUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jesper B. Andersen
- Biotech Research and Innovation CentreUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Cédric Coulouarn
- CHU RennesService de Chirurgie Hépatobiliaire et DigestiveInsermUniv RennesCOSS (Chemistry, Oncogenesis Stress Signaling)UMR_S 1242Centre de Lutte contre le Cancer Eugène MarquisRennesFrance
| | - Laurent Sulpice
- CHU RennesService de Chirurgie Hépatobiliaire et DigestiveINSERM 1241Université de RennesRennesFrance
| | | | - Giuliana Cavalloni
- Division of Medical OncologyCandiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSCandiolo, TorinoItaly
| | - Santina Quarta
- Department of Medicine‐DIMEDUniversity of PaduaPaduaItaly
| | | | - Matteo Fassan
- Department of Medicine‐DIMEDUniversity of PaduaPaduaItaly
| | - Matteo Ramazzotti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical SciencesUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Matteo Parri
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical SciencesUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Stefania Recalcati
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for HealthUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Luca di Tommaso
- Department of PathologyHumanitas Clinical and Research CenterRozzanoItaly,Department of Biomedical SciencesHumanitas UniversityRozzanoItaly
| | - Claudia Campani
- Department of Experimental and Clinical MedicineUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Pietro Invernizzi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver DiseasesDepartment of Medicine and SurgeryUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMonzaItaly,European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE‐LIVER)San Gerardo HospitalMonzaItaly
| | - Guido Torzilli
- Department of Hepatobiliary and General SurgeryHumanitas UniversityHumanitas Clinical and Research CenterIRCCS, RozzanoMilanItaly
| | - Fabio Marra
- Department of Experimental and Clinical MedicineUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | | | - Chiara Raggi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical MedicineUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
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Mechanism of cholangiocellular damage and repair during cholestasis. Ann Hepatol 2021; 26:100530. [PMID: 34509686 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2021.100530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism of damage of the biliary epithelium remains partially unexplored. However, recently many works have offered new evidence regarding the cholangiocytes' damage process, which is the main target in a broad spectrum of pathologies ranging from acute cholestasis, cholangiopathies to cholangiocarcinoma. This is encouraging since some works addressed this epithelium's relevance in health and disease until a few years ago. The biliary tree in the liver, comprised of cholangiocytes, is a pipeline for bile flow and regulates key hepatic processes such as proliferation, regeneration, immune response, and signaling. This review aimed to compile the most recent advances on the mechanisms of cholangiocellular damage during cholestasis, which, although it is present in many cholangiopathies, is not necessarily a common or conserved process in all of them, having a relevant role cAMP and PKA during obstructive cholestasis, as well as Ca2+-dependent PKC in functional cholestasis. Cholangiocellular damage could vary according to the type of cholestasis, the aggressor, or the bile ducts' location where it develops and what kind of damage can favor cholangiocellular carcinoma development.
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Otsuka R, Wada H, Seino KI. IL-34, the rationale of its expression in physiological and pathological condition. Semin Immunol 2021; 54:101517. [PMID: 34774392 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2021.101517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
IL-34 is a cytokine that shares one of its receptors with CSF-1. It has long been thought that CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1R) receives signals only from CSF-1, but the identification of IL-34 reversed this stereotype. Regardless of low structural homology, IL-34 and CSF-1 emanate similar downstream signaling through binding to CSF-1R and provoke similar but different physiological events afterward. In addition to CSF-1R, protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-ζ and Syndecan-1 were also identified as IL-34 receptors and shown to be at play. Although IL-34 expression is limited to particular tissues in physiological conditions, previous studies have revealed that it is upregulated in several diseases. In cancer, IL-34 is produced by several types of tumor cells and contributes to therapy resistance and disease progression. A recent study has demonstrated that tumor cell-derived IL-34 abrogates immunotherapy efficacy through myeloid cell remodeling. On the other hand, IL-34 expression is downregulated in some brain and dermal disorders. Despite accumulating insights, our understanding of IL-34 may not be even close to its nature. This review aims to comprehensively describe the physiological and pathological roles of IL-34 based on its similarity and differences to CSF-1 and discuss the rationale for its disease-dependent expression pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Otsuka
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0815, Japan
| | - Haruka Wada
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0815, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichiro Seino
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0815, Japan.
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Jiang X, Liang L, Chen G, Liu C. Modulation of Immune Components on Stem Cell and Dormancy in Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:2826. [PMID: 34831048 PMCID: PMC8616319 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) refer to a certain subpopulation within the tumor entity that is characterized by restricted cellular proliferation and multipotent differentiation potency. The existence of CSCs has been proven to contribute to the heterogeneity of malignancies, accounting for intensified tumorigenesis, treatment resistance, and metastatic spread. Dormancy was proposed as a reversible state of cancer cells that are temporarily arrested in the cell cycle, possessing several hallmarks that facilitate their survival within a devastating niche. This transient period is evoked to enter an actively proliferating state by multiple regulatory alterations, and one of the most significant and complex factors comes from local and systemic inflammatory reactions and immune components. Although CSCs and dormant cancer cells share several similarities, the clear relationship between these two concepts remains unclear. Thus, the detailed mechanism of immune cells interacting with CSCs and dormant cancer cells also warrants elucidation for prevention of cancer relapse and metastasis. In this review, we summarize recent findings and prospective studies on CSCs and cancer dormancy to conclude the relationship between these two concepts. Furthermore, we aim to outline the mechanism of immune components in interfering with CSCs and dormant cancer cells to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of relapse and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Caigang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China; (X.J.); (L.L.); (G.C.)
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50
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Allavena P, Digifico E, Belgiovine C. Macrophages and cancer stem cells: a malevolent alliance. Mol Med 2021; 27:121. [PMID: 34583655 PMCID: PMC8480058 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-021-00383-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells infiltrating tumors are gaining ever growing attention in the last years because their pro-tumor and immunosuppressive functions are relevant for disease progression and therapeutic responses. The functional ambiguity of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), mostly promoting tumor evolution, is a challenging hurdle. This is even more evident in the case of cancer stem cells (CSCs); as active participants in the specialized environment of the cancer stem cell niche, TAMs initiate a reciprocal conversation with CSCs. TAMs contribute to protect CSCs from the hostile environment (exogenous insults, toxic compounds, attacks from the immune cells), and produce several biologically active mediators that modulate crucial developmental pathways that sustain cancer cell stemness. In this review, we have focused our attention on the interaction between TAMs and CSCs; we describe how TAMs impact on CSC biology and, in turn, how CSCs exploit the tissue trophic activity of macrophages to survive and progress. Since CSCs are responsible for therapy resistance and tumor recurrence, they are important therapeutic targets. In view of the recent success in oncology obtained by stimulating the immune system, we discuss some macrophage-targeted therapeutic strategies that may also affect the CSCs and interrupt their malevolent alliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Allavena
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center -IRCCS, via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, MI, Italy.
| | - Elisabeth Digifico
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center -IRCCS, via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Cristina Belgiovine
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center -IRCCS, via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, MI, Italy
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