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Gomez RL, Ibragimova S, Ramachandran R, Philpott A, Ali FR. Tumoral heterogeneity in neuroblastoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188805. [PMID: 36162542 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188805] [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: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a solid, neuroendocrine tumor with divergent clinical behavior ranging from asymptomatic to fatal. The diverse clinical presentations of neuroblastoma are directly linked to the high intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity it presents. This heterogeneity is strongly associated with therapeutic resistance and continuous relapses, often leading to fatal outcomes. The development of successful risk assessment and tailored treatment strategies lies in evaluating the extent of heterogeneity via the accurate genetic and epigenetic profiling of distinct cell subpopulations present in the tumor. Recent studies have focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive tumoral heterogeneity in pursuing better therapeutic and diagnostic approaches. This review describes the cellular, genetic, and epigenetic aspects of neuroblastoma heterogeneity. In addition, we summarize the recent findings on three crucial factors that can lead to heterogeneity in solid tumors: the inherent diversity of the progenitor cells, the presence of cancer stem cells, and the influence of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshna Lawrence Gomez
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shakhzada Ibragimova
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Revathy Ramachandran
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anna Philpott
- Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Center, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fahad R Ali
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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Fernández-Tabanera E, Melero-Fernández de Mera RM, Alonso J. CD44 In Sarcomas: A Comprehensive Review and Future Perspectives. Front Oncol 2022; 12:909450. [PMID: 35785191 PMCID: PMC9247467 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.909450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that the tumor microenvironment, particularly the extracellular matrix, plays an essential role in the development of tumors through the interaction with specific protein-membrane receptors. One of the most relevant proteins in this context is the transmembrane protein CD44. The role of CD44 in tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis has been well established in many cancers, although a comprehensive review concerning its role in sarcomas has not been published. CD44 is overexpressed in most sarcomas and several in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown a direct effect on tumor progression, dissemination, and drug resistance. Moreover, CD44 has been revealed as a useful marker for prognostic and diagnostic (CD44v6 isoform) in osteosarcoma. Besides, some innovative treatments such as HA-functionalized liposomes therapy have become an excellent CD44-mediated intracellular delivery system for osteosarcoma. Unfortunately, the reduced number of studies deciphering the prognostic/diagnostic value of CD44 in other sarcoma subgroups, neither than osteosarcoma, in addition to the low number of patients involved in those studies, have produced inconclusive results. In this review, we have gone through the information available on the role of CD44 in the development, maintenance, and progression of sarcomas, analyzing their implications at the prognostic, therapeutic, and mechanistic levels. Moreover, we illustrate how research involving the specific role of CD44 in the different sarcoma subgroups could suppose a chance to advance towards a more innovative perspective for novel therapies and future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Fernández-Tabanera
- Unidad de Tumores Sólidos Infantiles, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras (IIER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (U758; CB06/07/1009; CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel M. Melero-Fernández de Mera
- Unidad de Tumores Sólidos Infantiles, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras (IIER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (U758; CB06/07/1009; CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Alonso
- Unidad de Tumores Sólidos Infantiles, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras (IIER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (U758; CB06/07/1009; CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Javier Alonso,
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Yang P, Hu Y, Zhou Q. The CXCL12-CXCR4 Signaling Axis Plays a Key Role in Cancer Metastasis and is a Potential Target for Developing Novel Therapeutics against Metastatic Cancer. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:5543-5561. [PMID: 31724498 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666191113113110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is the main cause of death in cancer patients; there is currently no effective treatment for cancer metastasis. This is primarily due to our insufficient understanding of the metastatic mechanisms in cancer. An increasing number of studies have shown that the C-X-C motif chemokine Ligand 12 (CXCL12) is overexpressed in various tissues and organs. It is a key niche factor that nurtures the pre-metastatic niches (tumorigenic soil) and recruits tumor cells (oncogenic "seeds") to these niches, thereby fostering cancer cell aggression and metastatic capabilities. However, the C-X-C motif chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4) is aberrantly overexpressed in various cancer stem/progenitor cells and functions as a CXCL12 receptor. CXCL12 activates CXCR4 as well as multiple downstream multiple tumorigenic signaling pathways, promoting the expression of various oncogenes. Activation of the CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling axis promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and mobilization of cancer stem/progenitor cells to pre-metastatic niches. It also nurtures cancer cells with high motility, invasion, and dissemination phenotypes, thereby escalating multiple proximal or distal cancer metastasis; this results in poor patient prognosis. Based on this evidence, recent studies have explored either CXCL12- or CXCR4-targeted anti-cancer therapeutics and have achieved promising results in the preclinical trials. Further exploration of this new strategy and its potent therapeutics effect against metastatic cancer through the targeting of the CXCL12- CXCR4 signaling axis may lead to a novel therapy that can clean up the tumor microenvironment ("soil") and kill the cancer cells, particularly the cancer stem/progenitor cells ("seeds"), in cancer patients. Ultimately, this approach has the potential to effectively treat metastatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine (School of Nursing), Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, China
| | - Yae Hu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine (School of Nursing), Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, China
| | - Quansheng Zhou
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Soochow University; Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
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Scriba LD, Bornstein SR, Santambrogio A, Mueller G, Huebner A, Hauer J, Schedl A, Wielockx B, Eisenhofer G, Andoniadou CL, Steenblock C. Cancer Stem Cells in Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:79. [PMID: 32158431 PMCID: PMC7051940 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheochromocytoma (PCC) and paraganglioma (PGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and variable risk of malignancy. The current therapy of choice is surgical resection. Nevertheless, PCCs/PGLs are associated with a lifelong risk of tumor persistence or recurrence. A high rate of germline or somatic mutations in numerous genes has been found in these tumors. For some, the tumorigenic processes are initiated during embryogenesis. Such tumors carry gene mutations leading to pseudohypoxic phenotypes and show more immature characteristics than other chromaffin cell tumors; they are also often multifocal or metastatic and occur at an early age, often during childhood. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are cells with an inherent ability of self-renewal, de-differentiation, and capacity to initiate and maintain malignant tumor growth. Targeting CSCs to inhibit cancer progression has become an attractive anti-cancer therapeutic strategy. Despite progress for this strategy for solid tumors such as neuroblastoma, brain, breast, and colon cancers, no substantial advance has been made employing similar strategies in PCCs/PGLs. In the current review, we discuss findings related to the identification of normal chromaffin stem cells and CSCs, pathways involved in regulating the development of CSCs, and the importance of the stem cell niche in development and maintenance of CSCs in PCCs/PGLs. Additionally, we examine the development and feasibility of novel CSC-targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at eradicating especially recurrent and metastatic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D. Scriba
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan R. Bornstein
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alice Santambrogio
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gregor Mueller
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Angela Huebner
- Children's Hospital, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julia Hauer
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Ben Wielockx
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Graeme Eisenhofer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Cynthia L. Andoniadou
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Steenblock
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Vega FM, Colmenero-Repiso A, Gómez-Muñoz MA, Rodríguez-Prieto I, Aguilar-Morante D, Ramírez G, Márquez C, Cabello R, Pardal R. CD44-high neural crest stem-like cells are associated with tumour aggressiveness and poor survival in neuroblastoma tumours. EBioMedicine 2019; 49:82-95. [PMID: 31685444 PMCID: PMC6945283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroblastoma is a paediatric tumour originated from sympathoadrenal precursors and characterized by its heterogeneity and poor outcome in advanced stages. Intra-tumoral cellular heterogeneity has emerged as an important feature in neuroblastoma, with a potential major impact on tumour aggressiveness and response to therapy. CD44 is an adhesion protein involved in tumour progression, metastasis and stemness in different cancers; however, there has been controversies about the significance of CD44 expression in neuroblastoma and its relationship with tumour progression. Methods We have performed transcriptomic analysis on patient tumour samples studying the outcome of patients with high CD44 expression. Adhesion, invasion and proliferation assays were performed in sorted CD44high neuroblastoma cells. Tumoursphere cultures have been used to enrich in undifferentiated stem-like cells and to asses self-renewal and differentiation potential. We have finally performed in vivo tumorigenic assays on cell line-derived or Patient-derived xenografts. Findings We show that high CD44 expression is associated with low survival in high-grade human neuroblastoma, independently of MYCN amplification. CD44 is expressed in a cell population with neural crest stem-like features, and with the capacity to generate multipotent, undifferentiated tumourspheres in culture. These cells are more invasive and proliferative in vitro. CD44 positive cells obtained from tumours are more tumorigenic and metastatic, giving rise to aggressive neuroblastic tumours at high frequency upon transplantation. Interpretation We describe an unexpected intra-tumoural heterogeneity within cellular entities expressing CD44 in neuroblastoma, and propose that CD44 has a role in neural crest stem-like undifferentiated cells, which can contribute to tumorigenesis and malignancy in this type of cancer. Funding Research supported by grants from the “Asociación Española contra el Cáncer” (AECC), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation SAF program (SAF2016-80412-P), and the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant to RP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco M Vega
- Dpto. de Biología Celular, Universidad de Sevilla and Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Ana Colmenero-Repiso
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Dpto. de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Universidad de Sevilla 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - María A Gómez-Muñoz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Dpto. de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Universidad de Sevilla 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Ismael Rodríguez-Prieto
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Dpto. de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Universidad de Sevilla 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Diana Aguilar-Morante
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Dpto. de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Universidad de Sevilla 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Gema Ramírez
- Unidad de Oncología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Spain
| | - Catalina Márquez
- Unidad de Oncología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Spain
| | - Rosa Cabello
- Unidad de Cirugía Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pardal
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Dpto. de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Universidad de Sevilla 41013 Seville, Spain.
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Bahmad HF, Chamaa F, Assi S, Chalhoub RM, Abou-Antoun T, Abou-Kheir W. Cancer Stem Cells in Neuroblastoma: Expanding the Therapeutic Frontier. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:131. [PMID: 31191243 PMCID: PMC6546065 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor often diagnosed in childhood. Despite intense efforts to develop a successful treatment, current available therapies are still challenged by high rates of resistance, recurrence and progression, most notably in advanced cases and highly malignant tumors. Emerging evidence proposes that this might be due to a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells (TICs) found in the bulk of the tumor. Therefore, the development of more targeted therapy is highly dependent on the identification of the molecular signatures and genetic aberrations characteristic to this subpopulation of cells. This review aims at providing an overview of the key molecular players involved in NB CSCs and focuses on the experimental evidence from NB cell lines, patient-derived xenografts and primary tumors. It also provides some novel approaches of targeting multiple drivers governing the stemness of CSCs to achieve better anti-tumor effects than the currently used therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham F Bahmad
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Farah Chamaa
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Assi
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Reda M Chalhoub
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Tamara Abou-Antoun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Wassim Abou-Kheir
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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Klein S, Abraham M, Bulvik B, Dery E, Weiss ID, Barashi N, Abramovitch R, Wald H, Harel Y, Olam D, Weiss L, Beider K, Eizenberg O, Wald O, Galun E, Pereg Y, Peled A. CXCR4 Promotes Neuroblastoma Growth and Therapeutic Resistance through miR-15a/16-1-Mediated ERK and BCL2/Cyclin D1 Pathways. Cancer Res 2017; 78:1471-1483. [PMID: 29259008 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-0454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
CXCR4 expression in neuroblastoma tumors correlates with disease severity. In this study, we describe mechanisms by which CXCR4 signaling controls neuroblastoma tumor growth and response to therapy. We found that overexpression of CXCR4 or stimulation with CXCL12 supports neuroblastoma tumorigenesis. Moreover, CXCR4 inhibition with the high-affinity CXCR4 antagonist BL-8040 prevented tumor growth and reduced survival of tumor cells. These effects were mediated by the upregulation of miR-15a/16-1, which resulted in downregulation of their target genes BCL-2 and cyclin D1, as well as inhibition of ERK. Overexpression of miR-15a/16-1 in cells increased cell death, whereas antagomirs to miR-15a/16-1 abolished the proapoptotic effects of BL-8040. CXCR4 overexpression also increased miR-15a/16-1, shifting their oncogenic dependency from the BCL-2 to the ERK signaling pathway. Overall, our results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CXCR4 inhibition in neuroblastoma treatment and provide a rationale to test combination therapies employing CXCR4 and BCL-2 inhibitors to increase the efficacy of these agents.Significance: These results provide a mechanistic rationale for combination therapy of CXCR4 and BCL-2 inhibitors to treat a common and commonly aggressive pediatric cancer.Cancer Res; 78(6); 1471-83. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiri Klein
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | | | - Elia Dery
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ido D Weiss
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Neta Barashi
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rinat Abramovitch
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hanna Wald
- Biokine Therapeutics Ltd., Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Yaniv Harel
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Devorah Olam
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Lola Weiss
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Katia Beider
- Hematology Division, Chaim Sheba Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | | | - Ori Wald
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eithan Galun
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Amnon Peled
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. .,Biokine Therapeutics Ltd., Ness Ziona, Israel
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Ravi M, Ramesh A, Pattabhi A. Contributions of 3D Cell Cultures for Cancer Research. J Cell Physiol 2017; 232:2679-2697. [PMID: 27791270 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cell lines have contributed immensely in understanding the complex physiology of cancers. They are excellent material for studies as they offer homogenous samples without individual variations and can be utilised with ease and flexibility. Also, the number of assays and end-points one can study is almost limitless; with the advantage of improvising, modifying or altering several variables and methods. Literally, a new dimension to cancer research has been achieved by the advent of 3Dimensional (3D) cell culture techniques. This approach increased many folds the ways in which cancer cell lines can be utilised for understanding complex cancer biology. 3D cell culture techniques are now the preferred way of using cancer cell lines to bridge the gap between the 'absolute in vitro' and 'true in vivo'. The aspects of cancer biology that 3D cell culture systems have contributed include morphology, microenvironment, gene and protein expression, invasion/migration/metastasis, angiogenesis, tumour metabolism and drug discovery, testing chemotherapeutic agents, adaptive responses and cancer stem cells. We present here, a comprehensive review on the applications of 3D cell culture systems for these aspects of cancers. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2679-2697, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddaly Ravi
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai, India
| | - Aarthi Ramesh
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai, India
| | - Aishwarya Pattabhi
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai, India
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Steenblock C, Rubin de Celis MF, Androutsellis-Theotokis A, Sue M, Delgadillo Silva LF, Eisenhofer G, Andoniadou CL, Bornstein SR. Adrenal cortical and chromaffin stem cells: Is there a common progeny related to stress adaptation? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 441:156-163. [PMID: 27637345 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2016.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The adrenal gland is a highly plastic organ with the capacity to adapt the body homeostasis to different physiological needs. The existence of stem-like cells in the adrenal cortex has been revealed in many studies. Recently, we identified and characterized in mice a pool of glia-like multipotent Nestin-expressing progenitor cells, which contributes to the plasticity of the adrenal medulla. In addition, we found that these Nestin progenitors are actively involved in the stress response by giving rise to chromaffin cells. Interestingly, we also observed a Nestin-GFP-positive cell population located under the adrenal capsule and scattered through the cortex. In this article, we discuss the possibility of a common progenitor giving rise to subpopulations of cells both in the adrenal cortex and medulla, the isolation and characterization of this progenitor as well as its clinical potential in transplantation therapies and in pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Steenblock
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | | | - Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering and Modelling (STEM), Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Mariko Sue
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Graeme Eisenhofer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Cynthia L Andoniadou
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stefan R Bornstein
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, King's College London, London, UK
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