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Plaugher D, Murrugarra D. Cancer mutationscape: revealing the link between modular restructuring and intervention efficacy among mutations. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:74. [PMID: 39003264 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00398-6] [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: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that biological systems are modular in both structure and function. Complex biological signaling networks such as gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are proving to be composed of subcategories that are interconnected and hierarchically ranked. These networks contain highly dynamic processes that ultimately dictate cellular function over time, as well as influence phenotypic fate transitions. In this work, we use a stochastic multicellular signaling network of pancreatic cancer (PC) to show that the variance in topological rankings of the most phenotypically influential modules implies a strong relationship between structure and function. We further show that induction of mutations alters the modular structure, which analogously influences the aggression and controllability of the disease in silico. We finally present evidence that the impact and location of mutations with respect to PC modular structure directly corresponds to the efficacy of single agent treatments in silico, because topologically deep mutations require deep targets for control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Plaugher
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - David Murrugarra
- Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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2
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Song W, Hu H, Yuan Z, Yao H. A prognostic model for anoikis-related genes in pancreatic cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15200. [PMID: 38956290 PMCID: PMC11220081 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65981-7] [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: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Anoikis, a distinct form of programmed cell death, is crucial for both organismal development and maintaining tissue equilibrium. Its role extends to the proliferation and progression of cancer cells. This study aimed to establish an anoikis-related prognostic model to predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients. Gene expression data and patient clinical profiles were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-PAAD: Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC-PACA: Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma). Non-cancerous pancreatic tissue gene expression data were obtained from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. The R package was used to construct anoikis-related PC prognostic models, which were later validated with the ICGC-PACA database. Survival analyses demonstrated a poorer prognosis for patients in the high-risk group, consistent across both TCGA-PAAD and ICGC-PACA datasets. A nomogram was designed as a predictive tool to estimate patient mortality. The study also analyzed tumor mutations and immune infiltration across various risk groups, uncovering notable differences in tumor mutation patterns and immune landscapes between high- and low-risk groups. In conclusion, this research successfully developed a prognostic model centered on anoikis-related genes, offering a novel tool for predicting the clinical trajectory of PC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Song
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Precise Vascular Reconstruction and Organ Function Repair, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyang Hu
- Department of Cardiac Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, 272007, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengbo Yuan
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No.4221 Xiangan South Road, Xiangan District, Xiamen, 361102, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No.55 Zhenghai load, Siming District, Xiamen, 361001, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hao Yao
- Department of Hepatological Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, No.23 Pingjiang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China.
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Plaugher D, Murrugarra D. Pancreatic cancer mutationscape: revealing the link between modular restructuring and intervention efficacy amidst common mutations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.27.577546. [PMID: 38352601 PMCID: PMC10862704 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.27.577546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2024]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that biological systems are modular in both structure and function. Complex biological signaling networks such as gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are proving to be composed of subcategories that are interconnected and hierarchically ranked. These networks contain highly dynamic processes that ultimately dictate cellular function over time, as well as influence phenotypic fate transitions. In this work, we use a stochastic multicellular signaling network of pancreatic cancer (PC) to show that the variance in topological rankings of the most phenotypically influential modules implies a strong relationship between structure and function. We further show that induction of mutations alters the modular structure, which analogously influences the aggression and controllability of the disease in silico. We finally present evidence that the impact and location of mutations with respect to PC modular structure directly corresponds to the efficacy of single agent treatments in silico, because topologically deep mutations require deep targets for control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Plaugher
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky
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Carvalho TMA, Audero MM, Greco MR, Ardone M, Maggi T, Mallamaci R, Rolando B, Arpicco S, Ruffinatti FA, Pla AF, Prevarskaya N, Koltai T, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. Tumor Microenvironment Modulates Invadopodia Activity of Non-Selected and Acid-Selected Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Its Sensitivity to Gemcitabine and C18-Gemcitabine. Cells 2024; 13:730. [PMID: 38727266 PMCID: PMC11083398 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly disease with high mortality due to early metastatic dissemination and high chemoresistance. All these factors are favored by its extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich microenvironment, which is also highly hypoxic and acidic. Gemcitabine (GEM) is still the first-line therapy in PDAC. However, it is quickly deaminated to its inactive metabolite. Several GEM prodrugs have emerged to improve its cytotoxicity. Here, we analyzed how the acidic/hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) affects the response of PDAC cell death and invadopodia-mediated ECM proteolysis to both GEM and its C18 prodrug. METHODS For this, two PDAC cell lines, PANC-1 and Mia PaCa-2 were adapted to pHe 6.6 or not for 1 month, grown as 3D organotypic cultures and exposed to either GEM or C18 in the presence and absence of acidosis and the hypoxia inducer, deferoxamine. RESULTS We found that C18 has higher cytotoxic and anti-invadopodia activity than GEM in all culture conditions and especially in acid and hypoxic environments. CONCLUSIONS We propose C18 as a more effective approach to conventional GEM in developing new therapeutic strategies overcoming PDAC chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago M. A. Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
| | - Madelaine Magalì Audero
- U1003 PHYCEL Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (M.M.A.); (A.F.P.); (N.P.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
| | - Marilena Ardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
| | - Teresa Maggi
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
| | - Rosanna Mallamaci
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
| | - Barbara Rolando
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy; (B.R.); (S.A.)
| | - Silvia Arpicco
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy; (B.R.); (S.A.)
| | - Federico Alessandro Ruffinatti
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Fiorio Pla
- U1003 PHYCEL Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (M.M.A.); (A.F.P.); (N.P.)
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Angiogenesis, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy;
| | - Natalia Prevarskaya
- U1003 PHYCEL Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, Inserm, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (M.M.A.); (A.F.P.); (N.P.)
| | - Tomas Koltai
- Hospital del Centro Gallego de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 2199, Argentina;
| | - Stephan J. Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (M.R.G.); (M.A.); (T.M.); (R.M.); (S.J.R.)
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Giri SS, Tripathi AS, Erkekoğlu P, Zaki MEA. Molecular pathway of pancreatic cancer-associated neuropathic pain. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23638. [PMID: 38613466 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23638] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
The pancreas is a heterocrine gland that has both exocrine and endocrine parts. Most pancreatic cancer begins in the cells that line the ducts of the pancreas and is called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC is the most encountered pancreatic cancer type. One of the most important characteristic features of PDAC is neuropathy which is primarily due to perineural invasion (PNI). PNI develops tumor microenvironment which includes overexpression of fibroblasts cells, macrophages, as well as angiogenesis which can be responsible for neuropathy pain. In tumor microenvironment inactive fibroblasts are converted into an active form that is cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Neurotrophins they also increase the level of Substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide which is also involved in pain. Matrix metalloproteases are the zinc-associated proteases enzymes which activates proinflammatory interleukin-1β into its activated form and are responsible for release and activation of Substance P which is responsible for neuropathic pain by transmitting pain signal via dorsal root ganglion. All the molecules and their role in being responsible for neuropathic pain are described below.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alok Shiomurti Tripathi
- Department of Pharmacology, Era College of Pharmacy, Era University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pınar Erkekoğlu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad lbn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Kaçaroğlu D, Yaylacı S, Gurbuz N. Anti-tumorigenic effects of naive and TLR4-primed adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e6964. [PMID: 38379331 PMCID: PMC10831913 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the main reasons for the unsuccessful treatment of pancreatic cancer is the intense desmoplastic pancreatic microenvironment. In the literature, the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their inflammatory phenotypes on cancer cells have been a subject of controversy. Therefore, it is crucial to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this interaction, especially in the context of pancreatic cancer. We aimed to investigate the effects of naive, TLR4-activated, and TLR4-inhibited phenotypes of adipose-derived MSCs (ADMSC) on pancreatic ductal cell line (Panc-1). METHODS AND MATERIALS Adipose-derived MSCs were induced into a proinflammatory phenotype using a 0.5 μg/mL dose of TLR4 agonist, while an anti-inflammatory phenotype was generated in ADMSCs using a 25 μg/mL dose of TLR4 antagonist. We observed that the proliferation of Panc-1 cells was inhibited when naive ADMSCs:Panc-1(10:1) and proinflammatory ADMSCs:Panc-1(10:1) were directly cocultured. RESULTS In indirect coculture, both naive and proinflammatory ADMSCs exhibited a significant 10-fold increase in their inhibitory effect on the proliferation and colony forming capacity of Panc-1 cells, with the added benefit of inducing apoptosis. In our study, both naive and proinflammatory ADMSCs were found to regulate the expression of genes associated with metastasis (MMP2, KDR, MMP9, TIMP1, IGF2R, and COL1A1) and EMT (CDH1, VIM, ZEB1, and CLDN1) in Panc-1 cells. Remarkably, both naive and proinflammatory ADMSCs demonstrated antitumor effects on Panc-1 cells. However, it was observed that anti-inflammatory ADMSCs showed tumor-promoting effects instead. Furthermore, we observed a reciprocal influence between ADMSCs and Panc-1 cells on each other's proinflammatory cytokine expressions, suggesting a dynamic interplay within the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the significance of both the naive state and different inflammatory phenotypes of MSCs in the microenvironment and represent a pivotal step toward the development of novel therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer. Understanding the intricate interactions between MSCs and cancer cells may open new avenues for targeted interventions in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demet Kaçaroğlu
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of MedicineSuleyman Demirel UniversityIspartaTurkey
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of MedicineLokman Hekim UniversityAnkaraTurkey
| | - Seher Yaylacı
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of MedicineLokman Hekim UniversityAnkaraTurkey
| | - Nilgun Gurbuz
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of MedicineSuleyman Demirel UniversityIspartaTurkey
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Nie Y, Xu L, Bai Z, Liu Y, Wang S, Zeng Q, Gao X, Xia X, Chang D. Prognostic utility of TME-associated genes in pancreatic cancer. Front Genet 2023; 14:1218774. [PMID: 37727377 PMCID: PMC10505756 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1218774] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a deadly disease. The tumor microenvironment (TME) participates in PC oncogenesis. This study focuses on the assessment of the prognostic and treatment utility of TME-associated genes in PC. Methods: After obtaining the differentially expressed TME-related genes, univariate and multivariate Cox analyses and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were performed to identify genes related to prognosis, and a risk model was established to evaluate risk scores, based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set, and it was validated by external data sets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC). Multiomics analyses were adopted to explore the potential mechanisms, discover novel treatment targets, and assess the sensitivities of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Results: Five TME-associated genes, namely, FERMT1, CARD9, IL20RB, MET, and MMP3, were identified and a risk score formula constructed. Next, their mRNA expressions were verified in cancer and normal pancreatic cells. Multiple algorithms confirmed that the risk model displayed a reliable ability of prognosis prediction and was an independent prognostic factor, indicating that high-risk patients had poor outcomes. Immunocyte infiltration, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and single-cell analysis all showed a strong relationship between immune mechanism and low-risk samples. The risk score could predict the sensitivity of immunotherapy and some chemotherapy regimens, which included oxaliplatin and irinotecan. Various latent treatment targets (LAG3, TIGIT, and ARID1A) were addressed by mutation landscape based on the risk model. Conclusion: The risk model based on TME-related genes can reflect the prognosis of PC patients and functions as a novel set of biomarkers for PC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhua Nie
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Longwen Xu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zilong Bai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yaoyao Liu
- Geneplus-Beijing, Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Shilong Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qingnuo Zeng
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- GenePlus- Shenzhen Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Dongmin Chang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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Plaugher D, Murrugarra D. Phenotype Control techniques for Boolean gene regulatory networks. Bull Math Biol 2023; 85:89. [PMID: 37646851 PMCID: PMC10542862 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-023-01197-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Modeling cell signal transduction pathways via Boolean networks (BNs) has become an established method for analyzing intracellular communications over the last few decades. What's more, BNs provide a course-grained approach, not only to understanding molecular communications, but also for targeting pathway components that alter the long-term outcomes of the system. This has come to be known as phenotype control theory. In this review we study the interplay of various approaches for controlling gene regulatory networks such as: algebraic methods, control kernel, feedback vertex set, and stable motifs. The study will also include comparative discussion between the methods, using an established cancer model of T-Cell Large Granular Lymphocyte Leukemia. Further, we explore possible options for making the control search more efficient using reduction and modularity. Finally, we will include challenges presented such as the complexity and the availability of software for implementing each of these control techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Plaugher
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - David Murrugarra
- Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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Laface C, Memeo R, Maselli FM, Santoro AN, Iaia ML, Ambrogio F, Laterza M, Cazzato G, Guarini C, De Santis P, Perrone M, Fedele P. Immunotherapy and Pancreatic Cancer: A Lost Challenge? Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1482. [PMID: 37511856 PMCID: PMC10381818 DOI: 10.3390/life13071482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Although immunotherapy has proved to be a very efficient therapeutic strategy for many types of tumors, the results for pancreatic cancer (PC) have been very poor. Indeed, chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for this tumor in the advanced stage. Clinical data showed that only a small portion of PC patients with high microsatellite instability/mismatch repair deficiency benefit from immunotherapy. However, the low prevalence of these alterations was not sufficient to lead to a practice change in the treatment strategy of this tumor. The main reasons for the poor efficacy of immunotherapy probably lie in the peculiar features of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment in comparison with other malignancies. In addition, the biomarkers usually evaluated to define immunotherapy efficacy in other cancers appear to be useless in PC. This review aims to describe the main features of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment from an immunological point of view and to summarize the current data on immunotherapy efficacy and immune biomarkers in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmelo Laface
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, Italy
| | - Riccardo Memeo
- Unit of Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery, "F. Miulli" General Regional Hospital, 70021 Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria Laura Iaia
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, Italy
| | - Francesca Ambrogio
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Marigia Laterza
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Gerardo Cazzato
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Pathology Section, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Chiara Guarini
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, Italy
| | - Pierluigi De Santis
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, Italy
| | - Martina Perrone
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, Italy
| | - Palma Fedele
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, Italy
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García-Moreno JF, Lacerda R, da Costa PJ, Pereira M, Gama-Carvalho M, Matos P, Romão L. DIS3L2 knockdown impairs key oncogenic properties of colorectal cancer cells via the mTOR signaling pathway. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:185. [PMID: 37340282 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04833-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
DIS3L2 degrades different types of RNAs in an exosome-independent manner including mRNAs and several types of non-coding RNAs. DIS3L2-mediated degradation is preceded by the addition of nontemplated uridines at the 3'end of its targets by the terminal uridylyl transferases 4 and 7. Most of the literature that concerns DIS3L2 characterizes its involvement in several RNA degradation pathways, however, there is some evidence that its dysregulated activity may contribute to cancer development. In the present study, we characterize the role of DIS3L2 in human colorectal cancer (CRC). Using the public RNA datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found higher DIS3L2 mRNA levels in CRC tissues versus normal colonic samples as well as worse prognosis in patients with high DIS3L2 expression. In addition, our RNA deep-sequencing data revealed that knockdown (KD) of DIS3L2 induces a strong transcriptomic disturbance in SW480 CRC cells. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) analysis of significant upregulated transcripts displays enrichment in mRNAs encoding proteins involved in cell cycle regulation and cancer-related pathways, which guided us to evaluate which specific hallmarks of cancer are differentially regulated by DIS3L2. To do so, we employed four CRC cell lines (HCT116, SW480, Caco-2 and HT-29) differing in their mutational background and oncogenicity. We demonstrate that depletion of DIS3L2 results in reduced cell viability of highly oncogenic SW480 and HCT116 CRC cells, but had little or no impact in the more differentiated Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. Remarkably, the mTOR signaling pathway, crucial for cell survival and growth, is downregulated after DIS3L2 KD, whereas AZGP1, an mTOR pathway inhibitor, is upregulated. Furthermore, our results indicate that depletion of DIS3L2 disturbs metastasis-associated properties, such as cell migration and invasion, only in highly oncogenic CRC cells. Our work reveals for the first time a role for DIS3L2 in sustaining CRC cell proliferation and provides evidence that this ribonuclease is required to support the viability and invasive behavior of dedifferentiated CRC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F García-Moreno
- Departamento de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rafaela Lacerda
- Departamento de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo J da Costa
- Departamento de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marcelo Pereira
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida Gama-Carvalho
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo Matos
- Departamento de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luísa Romão
- Departamento de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI - Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
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11
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Plaugher D, Murrugarra D. Phenotype control techniques for Boolean gene regulatory networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.17.537158. [PMID: 37131770 PMCID: PMC10153207 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.17.537158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Modeling cell signal transduction pathways via Boolean networks (BNs) has become an established method for analyzing intracellular communications over the last few decades. What’s more, BNs provide a course-grained approach, not only to understanding molecular communications, but also for targeting pathway components that alter the long-term outcomes of the system. This has come to be known as phenotype control theory . In this review we study the interplay of various approaches for controlling gene regulatory networks such as: algebraic methods, control kernel, feedback vertex set, and stable motifs. The study will also include comparative discussion between the methods, using an established cancer model of T-Cell Large Granular Lymphocyte (T-LGL) Leukemia. Further, we explore possible options for making the control search more efficient using reduction and modularity. Finally, we will include challenges presented such as the complexity and the availability of software for implementing each of these control techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Plaugher
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky
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Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system for pancreatic cancer. Eur Polym J 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.111993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
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Walcheck MT, Schwartz PB, Carrillo ND, Matkowsky KA, Nukaya M, Bradfield CA, Ronnekleiv-Kelly SM. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor knockout accelerates PanIN formation and fibro-inflammation in a mutant Kras-driven pancreatic cancer model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.01.526625. [PMID: 36778364 PMCID: PMC9915668 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.01.526625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Objectives The pathogenesis of pancreas cancer (PDAC) remains poorly understood, hindering efforts to develop a more effective therapy for PDAC. Recent discoveries show the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of several cancers, and can be targeted for therapeutic effect. However, its involvement in PDAC remains unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the role of AHR in the development of PDAC in vivo. Methods We created a global AHR-null, mutant Kras-driven PDAC mouse model (A-/-KC) and evaluated the changes in PDAC precursor lesion formation (Pan-IN 1, 2, and 3) and associated fibro-inflammation between KC and A-/-KC at 5 months of age. We then examined the changes in the immune microenvironment followed by single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis to evaluate concomitant transcriptomic changes. Results We found a significant increase in PanIN-1 lesion formation and PanIN-1 associated fibro-inflammatory infiltrate in A-/-KC vs KC mice. This was associated with significant changes in the adaptive immune system, particularly a decrease in the CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio, as well as a decrease in the T-regulatory/Th17 T-cell ratio suggesting unregulated inflammation. Conclusion These findings show the loss of AHR results in heightened Kras-induced PanIN formation, through modulation of immune cells within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan T Walcheck
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, K4/747 CSC, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792
| | - Patrick B Schwartz
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, K4/747 CSC, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792
| | - Noah D Carrillo
- University of Wisconsin, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, 1400 University Avenue, McArdle Research Building, Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Kristina A Matkowsky
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, L5/183 CSC, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705
| | - Manabu Nukaya
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, K4/747 CSC, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792
- University of Wisconsin, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, 1400 University Avenue, McArdle Research Building, Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Christopher A Bradfield
- University of Wisconsin, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, 1400 University Avenue, McArdle Research Building, Madison, WI, 53706
| | - Sean M Ronnekleiv-Kelly
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, K4/747 CSC, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792
- University of Wisconsin, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, 1400 University Avenue, McArdle Research Building, Madison, WI, 53706
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Targeting Periostin Expression Makes Pancreatic Cancer Spheroids More Vulnerable to Natural Killer Cells. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020270. [PMID: 36830807 PMCID: PMC9952976 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) characteristically has a dense tumor microenvironment, which results in poor patient prognosis. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are the most abundant cells in the PaCa microenvironment and the principal source of collagen. Periostin, a matricellular protein, is produced specifically by PSCs and promotes the aggressiveness of PaCa cells by facilitating extracellular collagen assembly. Here, we aimed to decrease extracellular collagen assembly by suppressing periostin, thereby increasing the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells. Periostin expression was suppressed in PSCs (called PSC-P) using CRISPR-Cas9. PaCa cells (BxPC-3) were co-cultured with PSC and PSC-P cells in a 3D environment to form tumor spheroids mimicking the tumor microenvironment. The extracellular collagen production of spheroids was evaluated by Masson's trichrome staining. The cytotoxic activity of NK-92 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy via CD107a staining. Cell death in BxPC-3 cells was evaluated by measuring Annexin-V and PI positivity using flow cytometry. As a result, periostin suppression decreased extracellular collagen and increased the infiltration of NK-92 cells into spheroids, and induced cell death in PaCa cells. In conclusion, we suggest that periostin might be a therapeutic target for PaCa and further analysis is warranted using in vivo models for proof-of-concept.
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Zhao G, Wang C, Jiao J, Zhang W, Yang H. The novel subclusters based on cancer-associated fibroblast for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1045477. [PMID: 36544710 PMCID: PMC9762551 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1045477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a fatal disease characterized by promoting connective tissue proliferation in the stroma. Activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a key role in fibrogenesis in PAAD. CAF-based tumor typing of PAAD has not been explored. Methods We extracted single-cell sequence transcriptomic data from GSE154778 and CRA001160 datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus or Tumor Immune Single-cell Hub to collect CAFs in PAAD. On the basis of Seurat packages and new algorithms in machine learning, CAF-related subtypes and their top genes for PAAD were analyzed and visualized. We used CellChat package to perform cell-cell communication analysis. In addition, we carried out functional enrichment analysis based on clusterProfiler package. Finally, we explored the prognostic and immunotherapeutic value of these CAF-related subtypes for PAAD. Results CAFs were divided into five new subclusters (CAF-C0, CAF-C1, CAF-C2, CAF-C3, and CAF-C4) based on their marker genes. The five CAF subclusters exhibited distinct signaling patterns, immune status, metabolism features, and enrichment pathways and validated in the pan-cancer datasets. In addition, we found that both CAF-C2 and CAF-C4 subgroups were negatively correlated with prognosis. With their top genes of each subclusters, the sub-CAF2 had significantly relations to immunotherapy response in the patients with pan-cancer and immunotherapy. Discussion We explored the heterogeneity of five subclusters based on CAF in signaling patterns, immune status, metabolism features, enrichment pathways, and prognosis for PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojie Zhao
- The Seventh Department of General Surgery, HanDan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei, China
| | - Changjing Wang
- The Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jian Jiao
- The Seventh Department of General Surgery, HanDan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- The Seventh Department of General Surgery, HanDan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei, China
| | - Hongwei Yang
- The First Department of Oncology, HanDan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei, China,*Correspondence: Hongwei Yang,
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Plaugher D, Aguilar B, Murrugarra D. Uncovering potential interventions for pancreatic cancer patients via mathematical modeling. J Theor Biol 2022; 548:111197. [PMID: 35752283 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is widely known for its poor prognosis because it is often diagnosed when the cancer is in a later stage. We built a Boolean model to analyze the microenvironment of pancreatic cancer in order to better understand the interplay between pancreatic cancer, stellate cells, and their signaling cytokines. Specifically, we have used our model to study the impact of inducing four common mutations: KRAS, TP53, SMAD4, and CDKN2A. After implementing the various mutation combinations, we used our stochastic simulator to derive aggressiveness scores based on simulated attractor probabilities and long-term trajectory approximations. These aggression scores were then corroborated with clinical data. Moreover, we found sets of control targets that are effective among common mutations. These control sets contain nodes within both the pancreatic cancer cell and the pancreatic stellate cell, including PIP3, RAF, PIK3 and BAX in pancreatic cancer cell as well as ERK and PIK3 in the pancreatic stellate cell. Many of these nodes were found to be differentially expressed among pancreatic cancer patients in the TCGA database. Furthermore, literature suggests that many of these nodes can be targeted by drugs currently in circulation. The results herein help provide a proof of concept in the path towards personalized medicine through a means of mathematical systems biology. All data and code used for running simulations, statistical analysis, and plotting is available on a GitHub repository athttps://github.com/drplaugher/PCC_Mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Plaugher
- Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | | | - David Murrugarra
- Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Gillson J, Abd El-Aziz YS, Leck LYW, Jansson PJ, Pavlakis N, Samra JS, Mittal A, Sahni S. Autophagy: A Key Player in Pancreatic Cancer Progression and a Potential Drug Target. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143528. [PMID: 35884592 PMCID: PMC9315706 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143528] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary With the mortality rate of pancreatic cancer predicted to rise over the coming years, it is essential that effective treatment strategies are developed as soon as possible. Pancreatic cancer has always proven very difficult to treat due to its fast growing and aggressive nature. Chemotherapeutic treatment has struggled to increase the survival rate of pancreatic cancer patients due to effective chemo-resistant properties that derive from the supporting tumor microenvironment and autophagy, a vital survival pathway. This review will explore how the autophagy pathway and tumor microenvironment help to sustain tumor survival under stress and expand into a metastatic state. Due to the comprehensive understanding of the autophagy pathway, we will highlight the potential chinks in the pancreatic tumor’s armor and identify potential targets to overcome chemo-resistance in pancreatic cancer. We will also present novel autophagy inhibitors that could reduce tumor survival and how they could be most effectively conceived. Abstract Pancreatic cancer is known to have the lowest survival outcomes among all major cancers, and unfortunately, this has only been marginally improved over last four decades. The innate characteristics of pancreatic cancer include an aggressive and fast-growing nature from powerful driver mutations, a highly defensive tumor microenvironment and the upregulation of advantageous survival pathways such as autophagy. Autophagy involves targeted degradation of proteins and organelles to provide a secondary source of cellular supplies to maintain cell growth. Elevated autophagic activity in pancreatic cancer is recognized as a major survival pathway as it provides a plethora of support for tumors by supplying vital resources, maintaining tumour survival under the stressful microenvironment and promoting other pathways involved in tumour progression and metastasis. The combination of these features is unique to pancreatic cancer and present significant resistance to chemotherapeutic strategies, thus, indicating a need for further investigation into therapies targeting this crucial pathway. This review will outline the autophagy pathway and its regulation, in addition to the genetic landscape and tumor microenvironment that contribute to pancreatic cancer severity. Moreover, this review will also discuss the mechanisms of novel therapeutic strategies that inhibit autophagy and how they could be used to suppress tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Gillson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Yomna S. Abd El-Aziz
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Oral Pathology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | - Lionel Y. W. Leck
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Cancer Drug Resistance and Stem Cell Program, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Patric J. Jansson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Cancer Drug Resistance and Stem Cell Program, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Nick Pavlakis
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Jaswinder S. Samra
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Upper GI Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital and North Shore Private Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Anubhav Mittal
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Upper GI Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital and North Shore Private Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sumit Sahni
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (J.G.); (Y.S.A.E.-A.); (L.Y.W.L.); (P.J.J.); (N.P.); (J.S.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-9926-7829
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Chen G, Cai Y, Li B, Lin M, Wang X, Wang Z, Shuai X. Theranostic nanosystem mediating cascade catalytic reactions for effective immunotherapy of highly immunosuppressive and poorly penetrable pancreatic tumor. Sci China Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11426-022-1262-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Di Federico A, Mosca M, Pagani R, Carloni R, Frega G, De Giglio A, Rizzo A, Ricci D, Tavolari S, Di Marco M, Palloni A, Brandi G. Immunotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer: Why Do We Keep Failing? A Focus on Tumor Immune Microenvironment, Predictive Biomarkers and Treatment Outcomes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102429. [PMID: 35626033 PMCID: PMC9139656 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In pancreatic cancer, immunotherapy and targeted therapies have not brought about the therapeutic revolution that has been observed in other malignancies. Among the reasons to explain this difference is the possibly crucial role played by the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which has unique features and is different from that of other neoplasms. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the distinctive tumor immune microenvironment of pancreatic cancer and to summarize existing data about the use of immunotherapy and immune biomarkers in this cancer. Abstract The advent of immunotherapy and targeted therapies has dramatically changed the outcomes of patients affected by many malignancies. Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one the few tumors that is not treated with new generation therapies, as chemotherapy still represents the only effective therapeutic strategy in advanced-stage disease. Agents aiming to reactivate the host immune system against cancer cells, such as those targeting immune checkpoints, failed to demonstrate significant activity, despite the success of these treatments in other tumors. In many cases, the proportion of patients who derived benefits in early-phase trials was too small and unpredictable to justify larger studies. The population of PC patients with high microsatellite instability/mismatch repair deficiency is currently the only population that may benefit from immunotherapy; nevertheless, the prevalence of these alterations is too low to determine a real change in the treatment scenario of this tumor. The reasons for the unsuccess of immunotherapy may lie in the extremely peculiar tumor microenvironment, including distinctive immune composition and cross talk between different cells. These unique features may also explain why the biomarkers commonly used to predict immunotherapy efficacy in other tumors seem to be useless in PC. In the current paper, we provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review of immunotherapy in PC, from the analysis of the tumor immune microenvironment to immune biomarkers and treatment outcomes, with the aim to highlight that simply transferring the knowledge acquired on immunotherapy in other tumors might not be a successful strategy in patients affected by PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Di Federico
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Mirta Mosca
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Rachele Pagani
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Carloni
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Frega
- Osteoncology, Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas, and Innovative Therapies, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Andrea De Giglio
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, 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, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | - Dalia Ricci
- Departmental Unit of Medical Oncology, ASL BA, 20142 Milan, Italy;
| | - Simona Tavolari
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Mariacristina Di Marco
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Andrea Palloni
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Brandi
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.M.); (R.P.); (R.C.); (A.D.G.); (M.D.M.); (A.P.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
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Nallasamy P, Nimmakayala RK, Karmakar S, Leon F, Seshacharyulu P, Lakshmanan I, Rachagani S, Mallya K, Zhang C, Ly QP, Myers MS, Josh L, Grabow CE, Gautam SK, Kumar S, Lele SM, Jain M, Batra SK, Ponnusamy MP. Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment Factor Promotes Cancer Stemness via SPP1-CD44 Axis. Gastroenterology 2021; 161:1998-2013.e7. [PMID: 34418441 PMCID: PMC10069715 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Tumor-microenvironment factors and cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a critical role in the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer (PC). However, the degree to which tumor-microenvironment factors promote stemness remains unexplored. Here, we examined whether cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote CSC features in PC. METHODS PC cells were treated long-term (30, 60, and 90 days) with conditioned media (CM)-derived from normal human fibroblasts (NFs) and CAFs. The stemness features of tumorsphere formation and stemness populations, along with CSCs markers, were analyzed using 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional sodium alginate bead-based co-culture models. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining were performed for CSCs and fibroblast markers in autochthonous KrasG12D/+; Trp53R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre mice and human pancreatic tumors. Polymerase chain reaction array and gene knockdown were performed to identify the mechanism of stemness enrichment. RESULTS Long-term treatment of PC cells with CAF-CM enriched stemness, as indicated by significantly higher CD44+, ALDH+, and AF+ populations in PC cells. Increased tumorsphere formation and elevated CSC, self-renewal, and drug-resistance markers in CAF-CM-treated PC cells were observed. In addition, CAFs co-cultured with PC cells in the 3-dimensional model showed a substantial increase in stemness features. CD44 and α-smooth muscle actin were positively correlated and their expressions progressively increased from the early to late stages of KrasG12D/+; Trp53R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre mouse and human pancreatic tumors. Osteopontin/secreted phosphoprotein 1 was identified as the top differentially overexpressed gene in CAF-CM-treated PC cells and knockdown of osteopontin/secreted phosphoprotein 1 significantly reduced stemness characteristics in CAF-CM-treated PC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data uncovered novel insight into the interplay between CAF and enrichment of stemness population through the osteopontin/secreted phosphoprotein 1-CD44 axis in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palanisamy Nallasamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Rama Krishna Nimmakayala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Saswati Karmakar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Frank Leon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Parthasarathy Seshacharyulu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Imayavaramban Lakshmanan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Satyanarayana Rachagani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Kavita Mallya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Chunmeng Zhang
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Quan P Ly
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Molly S Myers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Lindenberger Josh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Corinn E Grabow
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Shailendra K Gautam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Subodh M Lele
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska; Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska; Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
| | - Moorthy P Ponnusamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska; Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
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The Evolution and Future of Targeted Cancer Therapy: From Nanoparticles, Oncolytic Viruses, and Oncolytic Bacteria to the Treatment of Solid Tumors. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11113018. [PMID: 34835785 PMCID: PMC8623458 DOI: 10.3390/nano11113018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
While many classes of chemotherapeutic agents exist to treat solid tumors, few can generate a lasting response without substantial off-target toxicity despite significant scientific advancements and investments. In this review, the paths of development for nanoparticles, oncolytic viruses, and oncolytic bacteria over the last 20 years of research towards clinical translation and acceptance as novel cancer therapeutics are compared. Novel nanoparticle, oncolytic virus, and oncolytic bacteria therapies all start with a common goal of accomplishing therapeutic drug activity or delivery to a specific site while avoiding off-target effects, with overlapping methodology between all three modalities. Indeed, the degree of overlap is substantial enough that breakthroughs in one therapeutic could have considerable implications on the progression of the other two. Each oncotherapeutic modality has accomplished clinical translation, successfully overcoming the potential pitfalls promising therapeutics face. However, once studies enter clinical trials, the data all but disappears, leaving pre-clinical researchers largely in the dark. Overall, the creativity, flexibility, and innovation of these modalities for solid tumor treatments are greatly encouraging, and usher in a new age of pharmaceutical development.
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Modeling the Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment in Search of Control Targets. Bull Math Biol 2021; 83:115. [PMID: 34633559 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-021-00937-w] [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: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally due to its extreme difficulty to detect and treat. Recently, research focus has shifted to analyzing the microenvironment of pancreatic cancer to better understand its key molecular mechanisms. This microenvironment can be represented with a multi-scale model consisting of pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), as well as cytokines and growth factors which are responsible for intercellular communication between the PCCs and PSCs. We have built a stochastic Boolean network (BN) model, validated by literature and clinical data, in which we probed for intervention strategies that force this gene regulatory network (GRN) from a diseased state to a healthy state. To do so, we implemented methods from phenotype control theory to determine a procedure for regulating specific genes within the microenvironment. We identified target genes and molecules, such that the application of their control drives the GRN to the desired state by suppression (or expression) and disruption of specific signaling pathways that may eventually lead to the eradication of the cancer cells. After applying well-studied control methods such as stable motifs, feedback vertex sets, and computational algebra, we discovered that each produces a different set of control targets that are not necessarily minimal nor unique. Yet, we were able to gain more insight about the performance of each process and the overlap of targets discovered. Nearly every control set contains cytokines, KRas, and HER2/neu, which suggests they are key players in the system's dynamics. To that end, this model can be used to produce further insight into the complex biological system of pancreatic cancer with hopes of finding new potential targets.
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Malchiodi ZX, Cao H, Gay MD, Safronenka A, Bansal S, Tucker RD, Weinberg BA, Cheema A, Shivapurkar N, Smith JP. Cholecystokinin Receptor Antagonist Improves Efficacy of Chemotherapy in Murine Models of Pancreatic Cancer by Altering the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4949. [PMID: 34638432 PMCID: PMC8508339 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is resistant to chemotherapy in part due to the dense desmoplastic fibrosis surrounding the tumor, the immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and the early rate of metastases. In this study, we examined the effects of a CCK receptor antagonist, proglumide, alone and in combination with gemcitabine in murine models of pancreatic cancer. Tumor growth rate, metastases, and survival were assessed in mice bearing syngeneic murine or human pancreatic tumors treated with PBS (control), gemcitabine, proglumide, or the combination of gemcitabine and proglumide. Excised tumors were evaluated histologically for fibrosis, immune cells, molecular markers, and uptake of chemotherapy by mass spectroscopy. Peripheral blood was analyzed with a microRNAs biomarker panel associated with fibrosis and oncogenesis. Differentially expressed genes between tumors of mice treated with gemcitabine monotherapy and combination therapy were compared by RNAseq. When given in combination the two compounds exhibited inhibitory effects by decreasing tumor growth rate by 70%, metastases, and prolonging survival. Proglumide monotherapy altered the TME by decreasing fibrosis, increasing intratumoral CD8+ T-cells, and decreasing arginase-positive cells, thus rendering the tumor sensitive to chemotherapy. Proglumide altered the expression of genes involved in fibrosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and invasion. CCK-receptor antagonism with proglumide renders pancreatic cancer susceptible to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe X. Malchiodi
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (Z.X.M.); (S.B.); (A.C.)
| | - Hong Cao
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (H.C.); (M.D.G.); (A.S.); (B.A.W.)
| | - Martha D. Gay
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (H.C.); (M.D.G.); (A.S.); (B.A.W.)
| | - Anita Safronenka
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (H.C.); (M.D.G.); (A.S.); (B.A.W.)
| | - Sunil Bansal
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (Z.X.M.); (S.B.); (A.C.)
| | - Robin D. Tucker
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
| | - Benjamin A. Weinberg
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (H.C.); (M.D.G.); (A.S.); (B.A.W.)
| | - Amrita Cheema
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (Z.X.M.); (S.B.); (A.C.)
| | - Narayan Shivapurkar
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (H.C.); (M.D.G.); (A.S.); (B.A.W.)
| | - Jill P. Smith
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (Z.X.M.); (S.B.); (A.C.)
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (H.C.); (M.D.G.); (A.S.); (B.A.W.)
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Di Federico A, Tateo V, Parisi C, Formica F, Carloni R, Frega G, Rizzo A, Ricci D, Di Marco M, Palloni A, Brandi G. Hacking Pancreatic Cancer: Present and Future of Personalized Medicine. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:677. [PMID: 34358103 PMCID: PMC8308563 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a recalcitrant disease characterized by high incidence and poor prognosis. The extremely complex genomic landscape of PC has a deep influence on cultivating a tumor microenvironment, resulting in the promotion of tumor growth, drug resistance, and immune escape mechanisms. Despite outstanding progress in personalized medicine achieved for many types of cancer, chemotherapy still represents the mainstay of treatment for PC. Olaparib was the first agent to demonstrate a significant benefit in a biomarker-selected population, opening the doors for a personalized approach. Despite the failure of a large number of studies testing targeted agents or immunotherapy to demonstrate benefits over standard chemotherapy regimens, some interesting agents, alone or in combination with other drugs, have achieved promising results. A wide spectrum of therapeutic strategies, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors tyrosine kinase inhibitors and agents targeting metabolic pathways or the tumor microenvironment, is currently under investigation. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and future directions of personalized medicine for patients affected by PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Di Federico
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Tateo
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudia Parisi
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Formica
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Riccardo Carloni
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Frega
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rizzo
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Dalia Ricci
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Mariacristina Di Marco
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Palloni
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Brandi
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (V.T.); (C.P.); (F.F.); (R.C.); (G.F.); (A.R.); (D.R.); (M.D.M.); (G.B.)
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
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Shi J, Song X, Traub B, Luxenhofer M, Kornmann M. Involvement of IL-4, IL-13 and Their Receptors in Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062998. [PMID: 33804263 PMCID: PMC8000536 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 are known as pleiotropic Th2 cytokines with a wide range of biological properties and functions especially in immune responses. In addition, increasing activities have also been determined in oncogenesis and tumor progression of several malignancies. It is now generally accepted that IL-4 and IL-13 can exert effects on epithelial tumor cells through corresponding receptors. Type II IL-4 receptor (IL-4Rα/IL-13Rα1), predominantly expressed in non-hematopoietic cells, is identified to be the main target for both IL-4 and IL-13 in tumors. Moreover, IL-13 can also signal by binding to the IL-13Rα2 receptor. Structural similarity due to the use of the same receptor complex generated in response to IL-4/IL-13 results in overlapping but also distinct signaling pathways and functions. The aim of this review was to summarize knowledge about IL-4 and IL-13 and their receptors in pancreatic cancer in order understand the implication of IL-4 and IL-13 and their receptors for pancreatic tumorigenesis and progression and for developing possible new diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
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Tan X, Sivakumar S, Bednarsch J, Wiltberger G, Kather JN, Niehues J, de Vos-Geelen J, Valkenburg-van Iersel L, Kintsler S, Roeth A, Hao G, Lang S, Coolsen ME, den Dulk M, Aberle MR, Koolen J, Gaisa NT, Olde Damink SWM, Neumann UP, Heij LR. Nerve fibers in the tumor microenvironment in neurotropic cancer-pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. Oncogene 2021; 40:899-908. [PMID: 33288884 PMCID: PMC7862068 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01578-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are both deadly cancers and they share many biological features besides their close anatomical location. One of the main histological features is neurotropism, which results in frequent perineural invasion. The underlying mechanism of cancer cells favoring growth by and through the nerve fibers is not fully understood. In this review, we provide knowledge of these cancers with frequent perineural invasion. We discuss nerve fiber crosstalk with the main different components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), the immune cells, and the fibroblasts. Also, we discuss the crosstalk between the nerve fibers and the cancer. We highlight the shared signaling pathways of the mechanisms behind perineural invasion in PDAC and CCA. Hereby we have focussed on signaling neurotransmitters and neuropeptides which may be a target for future therapies. Furthermore, we have summarized retrospective results of the previous literature about nerve fibers in PDAC and CCA patients. We provide our point of view in the potential for nerve fibers to be used as powerful biomarker for prognosis, as a tool to stratify patients for therapy or as a target in a (combination) therapy. Taking the presence of nerves into account can potentially change the field of personalized care in these neurotropic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxiang Tan
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Shivan Sivakumar
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jan Bednarsch
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Georg Wiltberger
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Jan Niehues
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Judith de Vos-Geelen
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, GROW School for Oncology and Development Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Liselot Valkenburg-van Iersel
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, GROW School for Oncology and Development Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Svetlana Kintsler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anjali Roeth
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Guangshan Hao
- Translational Neurosurgery and Neurobiology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sven Lang
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mariëlle E Coolsen
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel den Dulk
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Merel R Aberle
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jarne Koolen
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nadine T Gaisa
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Steven W M Olde Damink
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulf P Neumann
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lara R Heij
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Department of General, Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
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Emerging roles for the IL-6 family of cytokines in pancreatic cancer. Clin Sci (Lond) 2020; 134:2091-2115. [PMID: 32808663 PMCID: PMC7434989 DOI: 10.1042/cs20191211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest prognoses of all malignancies, with little improvement in clinical outcome over the past 40 years. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is responsible for the vast majority of pancreatic cancer cases, and is characterised by the presence of a dense stroma that impacts therapeutic efficacy and drives pro-tumorigenic programs. More specifically, the inflammatory nature of the tumour microenvironment is thought to underlie the loss of anti-tumour immunity and development of resistance to current treatments. Inflammatory pathways are largely mediated by the expression of, and signalling through, cytokines, chemokines, and other cellular messengers. In recent years, there has been much attention focused on dual targeting of cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment. Here we review our current understanding of the role of IL-6, and the broader IL-6 cytokine family, in pancreatic cancer, including their contribution to pancreatic inflammation and various roles in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis. We also summarise potential opportunities for therapeutic targeting of these pathways as an avenue towards combating poor patient outcomes.
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Important CT and histopathological findings for recurrence and overall survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX. Eur Radiol 2020; 31:3616-3626. [PMID: 33201279 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-07489-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate important factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX using CT and histopathological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty-nine patients with PDA who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX were retrospectively included. All patients underwent baseline and first follow-up CT. Two reviewers assessed the CT findings and resectability based on the NCCN guideline. They graded extrapancreatic perineural invasion (EPNI) using a 3-point scale focused on 5 routes. Clinical and histopathological results, such as T- and N-stage, tumor regression grade (TRG) using the College of American Pathology (CAP) grading system, and resection status, were also investigated. Kaplan-Meier methods were used for RFS and OS. The Cox proportional hazard model and logistic regression model were used to identify significant predictive factors. RESULTS There were 57 patients (82.6%) without residual tumors (R0) and 12 patients (17.4%) with residual tumors (R1 or R2). The median RFS was 13 months (range 0~22 months). For RFS, EPNI on baseline CT (hazard ratio (HR) 2.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.116-5.733, p = 0.026) and TRG (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.000-3.076, p = 0.046) were important predictors of early recurrence. The mean OS was 48 months (range 11~35 months). For OS, TRG (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.251-6.559, p = 0.013) was a significant factor. However, there were no independent predictors for residual tumors according to the CT findings. CONCLUSION EPNI on baseline CT and TRG were important prognostic factors for tumor recurrence. In addition, TRG was also an important prognostic factor for OS. KEY POINTS • CT and histopathological findings are helpful for predicting early recurrence and poor survival. • EPNI on baseline CT (HR 2.53, p = 0.026) is an important predictor of early recurrence. • The TRG is an important prognostic factor for early recurrence (HR 1.76, p = 0.046) and poor survival (HR 1.05, p = 0.013).
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Yan M, Shen M, Xu L, Huang J, He G, An M, Li X, Gao Z, Meng X. Inactivation of Pancreatic Stellate Cells by Exendin-4 Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:9455-9463. [PMID: 33061431 PMCID: PMC7522302 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s259853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are precursor cells of cancer-associated fibroblasts that promote tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects against several tumor cells; however, the function and mechanism underlying the effects of exendin-4 on pancreatic cancer cells remain unclear. Methods Gene expression levels were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assay. Cell viability, migration and invasion were assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing, and transwell assays, respectively. A xenografted tumor model was established in mouse to evaluate the effects of exendin-4 in vivo. Results Exendin-4 treatment led to the inactivation of PSCs and suppressed their proliferation and migration. Moreover, we also found that exendin-4 attenuated NF-κB-dependent SDF-1 secretion. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer cells incubated with conditioned medium obtained from exendin-4-treated PSCs showed a decreased ability to proliferate, migrate, and invade as compared to the control cells, which is similar to the effects induced by the CXCR4 inhibitor, AMD3100. Consistent with in vitro results, we also confirmed that exendin-4 indirectly targeted pancreatic cancer cells in vivo by attenuating the function of PSCs and suppressing the deposition of extracellular matrix. Conclusion These results revealed that exendin-4-treated PSCs could suppress pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion, offering a potential strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meizhu Yan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Manru Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Linfang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiying Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Guijun He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Min An
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaocui Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenjun Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Meng
- Department of Hospital Infection Management, Zhongshan Hospital Qingpu Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, People's Republic of China
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Nezhadi S, Saadat E, Handali S, Dorkoosh F. Nanomedicine and chemotherapeutics drug delivery: challenges and opportunities. J Drug Target 2020; 29:185-198. [PMID: 32772739 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2020.1808000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is considered as one of the biggest threats to humans worldwide. Researchers suggest that tumour is not just a single mass, it comprises cancerous cells surrounded by noncancerous cells such as immune cells, adipocytes and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the extracellular matrix (ECM) containing distinct components such as proteins, glycoproteins and enzymes; thus tumour microenvironment (TME) is partially complex. Multiple interactions happen in the dynamic microenvironment (ME) lead to an acidic, hypoxic and stiff ME that is considered as one of the major contributors to cancer progression and metastasis. Furthermore, TME involves in drug resistance mechanisms and affects enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) in tumours. In such a scenario, the first step to accomplish satisfying results is the identification and recognition of this ME. Then designing proper drug delivery systems can perform selectively towards cancerous cells. In this way, several targeting and stimuli/enzyme responsive drug delivery systems have been designed. More importantly, it is necessary to design a drug delivery system that can penetrate deeper into the tumours, efficiently and selectively. Various drug delivery systems such as exosomes and size-switchable nanocarriers (NCs) could decrease side effects and increase tumour treatment results by selective accumulation in tumours. In this review, TME features, current drug delivery approaches, challenges and promising strategies towards cancer treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Nezhadi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Ir an
| | | | - Somayeh Handali
- Medical Biomaterial Research Center (MBRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farid Dorkoosh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Ir an.,Medical Biomaterial Research Center (MBRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Affram K, Smith T, Helsper S, Rosenberg JT, Han B, Trevino J, Agyare E. Comparative study on contrast enhancement of Magnevist and Magnevist-loaded nanoparticles in pancreatic cancer PDX model monitored by MRI. Cancer Nanotechnol 2020; 11. [PMID: 32714466 PMCID: PMC7380684 DOI: 10.1186/s12645-020-00061-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to compare contrast enhancement of Magnevist® (gadopentate dimeglumine (Mag)) to that of PEGylated Magnevist®-loaded liposomal nanoparticles (Mag-Lnps) in pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Mag-Lnps formulated by thin-film hydration and extrusion was characterized for the particle size and zeta potential. A 21.1 T vertical magnet was used for all MRI. The magnet was equipped with a Bruker Advance console and ParaVision 6.1 acquisitions software. Mag-Lnps phantoms were prepared and imaged with a 10-mm birdcage coil. For in vivo imaging, animals were sedated and injected with a single dose (4 mg/kg) of Mag or Mag-Lnps with Mag equivalent dose. Using a 33-mm inner diameter birdcage coil, T1 maps were acquired, and signal to noise ratio (SNR) measured for 2 h. Results: Mag-Lnps phantoms showed a remarkable augmentation in contrast with Mag increment. However, in in vivo imaging, no significant difference in contrast was observed between Mag and MRI. While Mag-Lnps was observed to have fairly high tumor/muscle (T/M) ratio in the first 30 min, free Mag exhibited higher T/M ratio over the time-period between 30 and 120 min. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference between Mag and Mag-Lnp in rating MR image quality. Low payload of Mag entrapment by Lnps and restricted access of water (protons) to Mag-Lnps may have affected the performance of Mag-Lnps as an effective contrast agent. Conclusion: This study showed no significance difference in MRI contrast between Mag and Mag-Lnp pancreatic cancer PDX mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Affram
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A & M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA.,Present Address: Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Taylor Smith
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A & M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
| | - Shannon Helsper
- The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Jens T Rosenberg
- The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Bo Han
- Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jose Trevino
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Edward Agyare
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A & M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
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Sun J, Russell CC, Scarlett CJ, McCluskey A. Small molecule inhibitors in pancreatic cancer. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:164-183. [PMID: 33479626 PMCID: PMC7433757 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00447e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC), with a 5 year survival of <7%, is one of the most fatal of all human cancers. The highly aggressive and metastatic character of this disease poses a challenge that current therapies are failing, despite significant efforts, to meet. This review examines the current status of the 35 small molecule inhibitors targeting pancreatic cancer in clinical trials and the >50 currently under investigation. These compounds inhibit biological targets spanning protein kinases, STAT3, BET, HDACs and Bcl-2 family proteins. Unsurprisingly, protein kinase inhibitors are overrepresented. Some trials show promise; a phase I combination trial of vorinostat 11 and capecitabine 17 gave a median overall survival (MoS) of 13 months and a phase II study of pazopanib 15 showed a MoS of 25 months. The current standard of care for metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, fluorouracil/folic acid (5-FU, Adrucil®), and gemcitabine (GEMZAR®) afforded a MoS of 23 and 23.6 months (EPAC-3 study), respectively. In patients who can tolerate the FOLFIRINOX regime, this is becoming the standard of treatment with a MoS of 11.1 months. Clinical study progress has been slow with limited improvement in patient survival relative to gemcitabine 1 monotherapy. A major cause of low PC survival is the late stage of diagnosis, occurring in patients who consider typical early stage warning signs of aches and pains normal. The selection of patients with specific disease phenotypes, the use of improved efficient drug combinations, the identification of biomarkers to specific cancer subtypes and more effective designs of investigation have improved outcomes. To move beyond the current dire condition and paucity of PC treatment options, determination of the best regimes and new treatment options is a challenge that must be met. The reasons for poor PC prognosis have remained largely unchanged for 20 years. This is arguably a consequence of significant changes in the drug discovery landscape, and the increasing pressure on academia to deliver short term 'media' friendly short-term news 'bites'. PC research sits at a pivotal point. Perhaps the greatest challenge is enacting a culture change that recognises that major breakthroughs are a result of blue sky, truly innovative and curiosity driven research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jufeng Sun
- Chemistry , School of Environmental & Life Sciences , The University of Newcastle , Newcastle , Callaghan , NSW 2308 , Australia . ; ; Tel: +61 249216486
- Medicinal Chemistry , School of Pharmacy , Binzhou Medical University , Yantai , 264003 , China
| | - Cecilia C Russell
- Chemistry , School of Environmental & Life Sciences , The University of Newcastle , Newcastle , Callaghan , NSW 2308 , Australia . ; ; Tel: +61 249216486
| | - Christopher J Scarlett
- Applied Sciences , School of Environmental & Life Sciences , The University of Newcastle , Ourimbah NSW 2258 , Australia
| | - Adam McCluskey
- Chemistry , School of Environmental & Life Sciences , The University of Newcastle , Newcastle , Callaghan , NSW 2308 , Australia . ; ; Tel: +61 249216486
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Tockary TA, Foo W, Dirisala A, Chen Q, Uchida S, Osawa S, Mochida Y, Liu X, Kinoh H, Cabral H, Osada K, Kataoka K. Single-Stranded DNA-Packaged Polyplex Micelle as Adeno-Associated-Virus-Inspired Compact Vector to Systemically Target Stroma-Rich Pancreatic Cancer. ACS NANO 2019; 13:12732-12742. [PMID: 31647640 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b04676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the rigidity of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), its packaging is used to construct nonviral gene carriers due to its availability and the importance of its double-helix to elicit transcription. However, there is an increasing demand for more compact-sized carriers to facilitate tissue penetration, which may be easily fulfilled by using the more flexible single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as an alternative template. Inspired by the adeno-associated virus (AAV) as a prime example of a transcriptionally active ssDNA system, we considered a methodology that can capture unpaired ssDNA within the polyplex micelle system (PM), an assembly of DNA and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(l-lysine) (PEG-PLys). A micellar assembly retaining unpaired ssDNA was prepared by unpairing linearized pDNA with heat and performing polyion complexation on site with PEG-PLys. The PM thus formed had a compact and spherical shape, which was distinguishable from the rod-shaped PM formed from dsDNA, and still retained its ability to activate gene expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that its capacity to encapsulate DNA was much higher than AAV, thereby potentially allowing the delivery of a larger variety of protein-encoding DNA. These features permit the ssDNA-loaded PM to easily penetrate the size-restricting stromal barrier after systemic application. Further, they can elicit gene expression in tumor cell nests of an intractable pancreatic cancer mouse model to achieve antitumor effects through suicide gene therapy. Thus, single-stranded DNA-packaged PM is appealing as a potential gene vector to tackle intractable diseases, particularly those with target delivery issues due to size-restriction barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theofilus A Tockary
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
| | - Wanling Foo
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering , The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 , Japan
| | - Anjaneyulu Dirisala
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
| | - Qixian Chen
- School of Life Science and Biotechnology , Dalian University of Technology , 2 Linggong Road , Dalian , Liaoning 116023 , China
| | - Satoshi Uchida
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering , The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 , Japan
| | - Shigehito Osawa
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Tokyo University of Science , 1-3 Kagurazaka , Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601 , Japan
| | - Yuki Mochida
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
| | - Xueying Liu
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kinoh
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
| | - Horacio Cabral
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering , The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 , Japan
| | - Kensuke Osada
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering , The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 , Japan
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiology Science and Technology , 4-9-1 Anagawa , Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 , Japan
| | - Kazunori Kataoka
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM) , Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion , Tonomachi 3-25-14 , Kawasaki 210-0821 , Japan
- Institute for Future Initiatives , The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 , Japan
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Upadhrasta S, Zheng L. Strategies in Developing Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer: Recognizing and Correcting Multiple Immune "Defects" in the Tumor Microenvironment. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8091472. [PMID: 31527414 PMCID: PMC6780937 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8091472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of cancer immunotherapies, significant advances have been made in the treatment of many tumor types including melanoma, lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, etc. However, similar success has not been observed with the treatment of pancreatic cancer and all other immunogenic “cold” tumors. This prompts the need for a better understanding of the complexity of the cold tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic cancer and what are truly the “defects” in the TME making the cancer unresponsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here we discuss four major immune defects that can be recognized in pancreatic cancer, including lack of high-quality effector intratumoral T cells, heterogeneous dense stroma as a barrier to effector immune cells infiltrating into the tumor, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and failure of the T cells to accomplish tumor elimination. We also discuss potential strategies for pancreatic cancer treatment that work by correcting these immune defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sireesha Upadhrasta
- The Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21229, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- The Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
- The Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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35
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Das B, Senapati S. Functional and mechanistic studies reveal MAGEA3 as a pro-survival factor in pancreatic cancer cells. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:294. [PMID: 31287009 PMCID: PMC6615156 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background In the era of personalized therapy, functional annotation of less frequent genetic aberrations will be instrumental in adapting effective therapeutic in clinic. Overexpression of Melanoma associated antigen A3 (MAGEA3) is reported in certain pancreatic cancer (PCA) patients. The major objective of the current study was to investigate the functional role of MAGEA3 in pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) growth and survival. Methods Using overexpression (tet-on regulated system and constitutive expression system) and knockdown (by siRNA and shRNA) approach, we dissected the mechanistic role of MAGEA3 in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis. We generated MAGEA3 expressing stable PCA cell lines and mouse primary pancreatic epithelial cells. MAGEA3 was also depleted in certain MAGEA3 positive PCCs by siRNA or shRNA. The stable cells were subjected to in vitro assays like proliferation and survival assays under growth factor deprivation or in the presence of cytotoxic drugs. The MAGEA3 overexpressing or depleted stable PCCs were evaluated in vivo using xenograft model to check the role of MAGEA3 in tumor progression. We also dissected the mechanism behind the MAGEA3 role in tumor progression using western blot analysis and CCL2 neutralization. Results MAGEA3 overexpression in PCA cells did not alter the cell proliferation but protected the cells during growth factor deprivation and also in the presence of cytotoxic drugs. However, depletion of MAGEA3 in MAGEA3 positive cells resulted in reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis upon growth factor deprivation and also in response to cytotoxic drugs. The in vivo xenograft study revealed that overexpression of MAGEA3 promoted tumor growth however depleting the same hindered the tumor progression. Mechanistically, our in vitro and in vivo study revealed that MAGEA3 has tumor-promoting role by reducing macro-autophagy and overexpressing pro-survival molecules like CCL2 and survivin. Conclusion Our data proves tumor-promoting role of MAGEA3 and provides the rationale to target MAGEA3 and/or its functional mediators like CCL2 for PCA, which may have a better impact in PCA therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1272-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Das
- Tumor Microenvironment and Animal Models Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Shantibhusan Senapati
- Tumor Microenvironment and Animal Models Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India.
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Wang J, Zhang Y, Liu L, Cui Z, Liu X, Wang L, Li Y, Li Q. Combined chemo/photothermal therapy based on mesoporous silica-Au core-shell nanoparticles for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2019; 45:1487-1495. [PMID: 31172835 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2019.1629688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chemotherapy has been widely used for treatment to malignant cancer, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Chemotherapeutic effect was not often efficient to achieve totally tumor ablation due to the poor cellular uptake and drug resistance. To address these problems, a novel nanoplatform was constructed based on nontoxic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for a combined chemo/photothermal therapy to enhance tumor cell accumulation and promote toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. Prepared MSNs were consisted of Au nanoshell for photothermal conversion and a first-line anti-HCC drug-sorafenib (SO) for chemotherapy. The SO-Au-MSNs could help SO accumulate more in hepatic cancer cells. Under near infrared irradiation, SO-Au-MSNs exerted a high cell inhibition rate which could be attributed to the enhanced toxicity of SO under hyperthermia and synergistic chemo/photothermal therapy. SO-Au-MSNs showed a good compatibility as well as efficient cell cytotoxicity. Overall, SO-Au-MSNs would be a promising candidate for further enhancing the antitumor effect on HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- a Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery , Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer , Tianjin , PR China.,b Hepatobiliary Surgery Department , Tianjin First Center Hospital, The First Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Yamin Zhang
- c Hepatobiliary Surgery Department , Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Lei Liu
- d Department of Transplantation Center , Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Zilin Cui
- c Hepatobiliary Surgery Department , Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Xiaolong Liu
- c Hepatobiliary Surgery Department , Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Lianjiang Wang
- c Hepatobiliary Surgery Department , Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Yang Li
- c Hepatobiliary Surgery Department , Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health , Tianjin , PR China
| | - Qiang Li
- a Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery , Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer , Tianjin , PR China
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Wang J, Chai J, Liu L, Cui Z, Duan D, Shi R, Zhang Y. Dual-functional melanin-based nanoliposomes for combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy of pancreatic cancer. RSC Adv 2019; 9:3012-3019. [PMID: 35518954 PMCID: PMC9059978 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra09420a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer, one of the most common gastrointestinal tract cancers, leads to a high mortality rate of over 80% among patients. Conventional chemotherapy with gemcitabine (GEM) is undesirable due to the lack of effective tumor accumulation. To improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients and the therapeutic efficiency of chemotherapy, dual-functional melanin-based nanoliposomes loaded with GEM were synthesized in our study, which combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT). Hypothermia caused by melanin under near-infrared (NIR) laser exerted detrimental damage on pancreatic cancer cells after the passive accumulation of nanoliposomes in the tumor sites. Besides, the temperature increase could enhance the release of GEM from the nanoliposomes by changing the structural integrity of the nanoliposomes. Therefore, a synergistic antitumor effect was achieved by loading the chemotherapy agent GEM and the photothermal agent melanin into the nanoliposomes. The findings in this study strongly support that melanin-based nanoliposomes could be a desirable strategy against pancreatic carcinoma. GEM-Mel-Lip converted light to heat based on melanin after entering the tumor cells, and then the phospholipid fluidity was increased under the hyperthermia generated, resulting in the release of GEM.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department
- Tianjin First Center Hospital
- China
- Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation
- China
| | - Jiasui Chai
- First Central Clinic of Tianjin Medical University
- China
| | - Lei Liu
- Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation
- China
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Medicine
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
- China
| | - Zilin Cui
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department
- Tianjin First Center Hospital
- China
- Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation
- China
| | - Dongming Duan
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department
- Tianjin First Center Hospital
- China
- Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation
- China
| | - Rui Shi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department
- Tianjin First Center Hospital
- China
- Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation
- China
| | - Yamin Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department
- Tianjin First Center Hospital
- China
- Tianjin Clinical Research Center for Organ Transplantation
- China
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by abundant stroma with increased expression of tenascin C and fibronectin. Their role and tumor-stroma ratio in PDAC are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate tenascin C and fibronectin expression and tumor-stroma ratio and their prognostic relevance in PDAC. METHODS Ninety-five resected PDACs were immunohistochemically stained for tenascin C and fibronectin, and the expression was separately assessed in tumor bulk and front. Tumor-stroma ratio was determined with sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin. RESULTS Tenascin C and fibronectin were abundantly expressed in the stroma of PDAC, but absent in adjacent normal pancreatic tissue. Fibronectin expression of the bulk was associated with high T class (P = 0.045). In the main analysis, tenascin C and fibronectin expression and tumor-stroma ratio were not associated with patient survival. In a subgroup analysis of early-stage PDAC (T1-T2 tumors), high tenascin C expression in the tumor bulk was associated with poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 8.23; 95% confidence interval, 2.71-24.96). CONCLUSIONS Tenascin C and fibronectin are abundantly expressed in PDAC, but they seem to have no major association with patient survival. However, in early-stage PDAC, tenascin C expression of the tumor bulk may have prognostic impact. Tumor-stroma ratio has no prognostic value in PDAC.
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Lin J, Wu YJ, Liang X, Ji M, Ying HM, Wang XY, Sun X, Shao CH, Zhan LX, Zhang Y. Network-based integration of mRNA and miRNA profiles reveals new target genes involved in pancreatic cancer. Mol Carcinog 2018; 58:206-218. [PMID: 30294829 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is regarded as the most fatal and aggressive malignancy cancer due to its low 5-year survival rate and poor prognosis. The approaches of early diagnosis and treatment are limited, which makes it urgent to identify the complex mechanism of pancreatic oncogenesis. In this study, we used RNA-seq to investigate the transcriptomic (mRNA and miRNA) profiles of pancreatic cancer in paired tumor and normal pancreatic samples from ten patients. More than 1000 differentially expressed genes were identified, nearly half of which were also found to be differentially expressed in the majority of examined patients. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were significantly enriched in multicellular organismal and metabolic process, secretion, mineral transport, and intercellular communication. In addition, only 24 differentially expressed miRNAs were found, all of which have been reported to be associated with pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, an integrated miRNA-mRNA interaction network was generated using multiple resources. Based on the calculation of disease correlation scores developed here, several genes present in the largest connected subnetwork, such as albumin, ATPase H+ /K+ exchanging alpha polypeptide and carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1, were considered as novel genes that play important roles in the development of pancreatic cancer. Overall, our data provide new insights into further understanding of key molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Lin
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Food Safety, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yan-Jun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Food Safety, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xing Liang
- Department of Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Meng Ji
- Department of Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Hui-Min Ying
- Department of Endocrinology, Hangzhou Xixi Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Xin-Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Food Safety, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xia Sun
- Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Food Safety, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Cheng-Hao Shao
- Department of Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Li-Xing Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Food Safety, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, P. R. China
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40
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Cheung PF, Neff F, Neander C, Bazarna A, Savvatakis K, Liffers ST, Althoff K, Lee CL, Moding EJ, Kirsch DG, Saur D, Bazhin AV, Trajkovic-Arsic M, Heikenwalder MF, Siveke JT. Notch-Induced Myeloid Reprogramming in Spontaneous Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Dual Genetic Targeting. Cancer Res 2018; 78:4997-5010. [PMID: 29844119 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite advances in our understanding of the genetics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the efficacy of therapeutic regimens targeting aberrant signaling pathways remains highly limited. Therapeutic strategies are greatly hampered by the extensive desmoplasia that comprises heterogeneous cell populations. Notch signaling is a contentious pathway exerting opposite roles in tumorigenesis depending on cellular context. Advanced model systems are needed to gain more insights into complex signaling in the multilayered tumor microenvironment. In this study, we employed a dual recombinase-based in vivo strategy to modulate Notch signaling specifically in myeloid cells to dissect the tumorigenic role of Notch in PDAC stroma. Pancreas-specific KrasG12D activation and loss of Tp53 was induced using a Pdx1-Flp transgene, whereas Notch signaling was genetically targeted using a myeloid-targeting Lyz2-Cre strain for either activation of Notch2-IC or deletion of Rbpj. Myeloid-specific Notch activation significantly decreased tumor infiltration by protumorigenic M2 macrophages in spontaneous endogenous PDAC, which translated into significant survival benefit. Further characterization revealed upregulated antigen presentation and cytotoxic T effector phenotype upon Notch-induced M2 reduction. This approach is the first proof of concept for genetic targeting and reprogramming of myeloid cells in a complex disease model of PDAC and provides evidence for a regulatory role of Notch signaling in intratumoral immune phenotypes.Significance: This study provides insight into the role of myeloid-dependent NOTCH signaling in PDAC and accentuates the need to dissect differential roles of signaling pathways in different cellular components within the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Res; 78(17); 4997-5010. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyllis F Cheung
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Neff
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Neander
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Bazarna
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Konstantinos Savvatakis
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sven-Thorsten Liffers
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristina Althoff
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Chang-Lung Lee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Everett J Moding
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - David G Kirsch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Dieter Saur
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.,Medical Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandr V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.,German Caner Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Germany
| | - Marija Trajkovic-Arsic
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Jens T Siveke
- Division of Solid Tumor Translational Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, partner site Essen) and German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.,Medical Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
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41
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Tang D, Zhang J, Yuan Z, Zhang H, Chong Y, Huang Y, Wang J, Xiong Q, Wang S, Wu Q, Tian Y, Lu Y, Ge X, Shen W, Wang D. PSC-derived Galectin-1 inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells by activating the NF-κB pathway. Oncotarget 2017; 8:86488-86502. [PMID: 29156810 PMCID: PMC5689700 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectin-1 has previously been shown to be strongly expressed in activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and promote the development and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the molecular mechanisms by which Galectin-1 promotes the malignant behavior of pancreatic cancer cells remain unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of Galectin-1 knockdown or overexpression in PSCs co-cultured with pancreatic cancer (PANC-1) cells. Immunohistochemical analysis showed expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and MMP9 were positively associated with the expression of Galectin-1 in 66 human PDAC tissues. In addition, our in vitro studies showed PSC-derived Galectin-1 promoted the proliferation, invasion, and survival (anti-apoptotic effects) of PANC-1 cells. We also showed PSC-derived Galectin-1 induced EMT of PANC-1 cells and activated the NF-кB pathway in vitro. Our mixed (PSCs and PANC-1 cells) mouse orthotopic xenograft model indicated that overexpression of Galectin-1 in PSCs significantly promoted the proliferation, growth, invasion, and liver metastasis of the transplanted tumor. Moreover, Galectin-1 overexpression in PSCs was strongly associated with increased expression of EMT markers in both the orthotopic xenograft tumor in the pancreas and in metastatic lesions of naked mice. We conclude that PSC-derived Galectin-1 promotes the malignant behavior of PDAC by inducing EMT via activation of the NF-κB pathway. Our results suggest that targeting Galectin-1 in PSCs could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for PDAC progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Tang
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jingqiu Zhang
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhongxu Yuan
- 2 Department of General Surgery, Anhui No. 2 Provincial People’s Hospital, Hefei, Anhui Province, P.R. China
| | - Hongpeng Zhang
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yang Chong
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yuqin Huang
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jie Wang
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Qingquan Xiong
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Sen Wang
- 3 Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Qi Wu
- 4 Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Ying Tian
- 4 Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yongdie Lu
- 4 Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Ge
- 4 Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Wenjing Shen
- 4 Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Daorong Wang
- 1 Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China
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42
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Ansari D, Carvajo M, Bauden M, Andersson R. Pancreatic cancer stroma: controversies and current insights. Scand J Gastroenterol 2017; 52:641-646. [PMID: 28276831 DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2017.1293726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a dense stromal response. The stroma includes a heterogeneous mass of cells, including pancreatic stellate cells, fibroblasts, immune cells and nerve cells, as well as extracellular matrix proteins, cytokines and growth factors, which interact with the tumor cells. Previous research has indicated that stromal elements contribute to tumor growth and aggressiveness. However, recent studies suggest that some elements of the stroma may actually restrain the tumor. This review focuses on the complex interactions between the stromal microenvironment and tumor cells, discussing molecular mechanisms and potential future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches by targeting the stroma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ansari
- a Department of Surgery , Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital , Lund , Sweden
| | - Maria Carvajo
- a Department of Surgery , Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital , Lund , Sweden
| | - Monika Bauden
- a Department of Surgery , Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital , Lund , Sweden
| | - Roland Andersson
- a Department of Surgery , Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital , Lund , Sweden
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43
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Zhao R, Han X, Li Y, Wang H, Ji T, Zhao Y, Nie G. Photothermal Effect Enhanced Cascade-Targeting Strategy for Improved Pancreatic Cancer Therapy by Gold Nanoshell@Mesoporous Silica Nanorod. ACS NANO 2017; 11:8103-8113. [PMID: 28738680 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b02918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality, is characterized by desmoplasia and hypovascular cancerous tissue, with a 5 year survival rate of <8%. To overcome the severe resistance of pancreatic cancer to conventional therapies, we synthesized gold nanoshell-coated rod-like mesoporous silica (GNRS) nanoparticles which integrated cascade tumor targeting (mediated by photothermal effect and molecular receptor binding) and photothermal treatment-enhanced gemcitabine chemotherapy, under mild near-infrared laser irradiation condition. GNRS significantly improved gemcitabine penetration and accumulation in tumor tissues, thus destroying the dense stroma barrier of pancreatic cancer and reinforcing chemosensitivity in mice. Our current findings strongly support the notion that further development of this integrated plasmonic photothermal strategy may represent a promising translational nanoformulation for effective treatment of pancreatic cancer with integral cascade tumor targeting strategy and enhanced drug delivery efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifang Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Xuexiang Han
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yiye Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Hai Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Tianjiao Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School , 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yuliang Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Guangjun Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center of Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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44
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Lin HJ, Lin J. Seed-in-Soil: Pancreatic Cancer Influenced by Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9070093. [PMID: 28753978 PMCID: PMC5532629 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9070093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a fatal malignancy with a five-year survival rate lower than 7%, and most patients dying within six months of diagnosis. The factors that contribute to the aggressiveness of the disease include, but are not limited to: late diagnosis, prompt metastasis to adjacent vital organs, poor response, and resistance to anticancer treatments. This malignancy is uniquely associated with desmoplastic stroma that accounts for 80% of tumor mass. Understanding the biology of stroma can aid the discovery of innovative strategies for eradicating this lethal cancer in the future. This review highlights the critical components in the stroma and how they interact with the cancer cells to convey the devastating tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huey-Jen Lin
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Delaware, Room 305, Willard Hall Education Building, 16 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Jiayuh Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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45
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Medriano CAD, Na J, Lim KM, Chung JH, Park YH. Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolite Pathway Analyses of Myeloma and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients. CELL JOURNAL 2017; 19:44-54. [PMID: 28580307 PMCID: PMC5448325 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2017.4412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Objective This study attempted to identify altered metabolism and pathways related to
non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and myeloma patients.
Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, we collected plasma samples from
11 patients-6 healthy controls with no evidence of any blood cancers and 5 patients with
either multiple myeloma (n=3) or NHL (n=2) during the preliminary study period. Samples
were analyzed using quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
(LC-MS). Significant features generated after statistical analyses were used for metabolomics and pathway analysis. Results Data after false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment at q=0.05 of features showed
136 for positive and 350 significant features for negative ionization mode in NHL patients as
well as 262 for positive and 98 features for negative ionization mode in myeloma patients.
Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis determined that
pathways such as steroid hormone biosynthesis, ABC transporters, and arginine and proline
metabolism were affected in NHL patients. In myeloma patients, pyrimidine metabolism,
carbon metabolism, and bile secretion pathways were potentially affected by the disease. Conclusion The results have shown tremendous differences in the metabolites of healthy
individuals compared to myeloma and lymphoma patients. Validation through quantitative
metabolomics is encouraged, especially for the metabolites with significantly expression
in blood cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jinhyuk Na
- Metabolomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Korea University, Sejong City, Korea
| | - Kyung-Min Lim
- College of Pharmacy, Ewha Woman's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin-Ho Chung
- College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Youngja H Park
- Metabolomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Korea University, Sejong City, Korea
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46
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Zhang L, Yao J, Li W, Zhang C. Micro-RNA-21 Regulates Cancer-Associated Fibroblast-Mediated Drug Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer. Oncol Res 2017; 26:827-835. [PMID: 28477403 PMCID: PMC7844724 DOI: 10.3727/096504017x14934840662335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths due to its highly aggressive biological nature and resistance to chemotherapy. Previous studies indicate that miR-21 is an important regulator in the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). However, whether miR-21 in CAFs would regulate PDAC’s tumor microenvironment and lead to drug resistance remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between CAF activation, miR-21 expression, and drug resistance using tumor samples from PDAC patients. We changed the miR-21 expression level in CAFs and tested its roles in regulating the function of CAFs. In addition, we explored the roles of miR-21 in CAFs in the development of PDAC using an animal model. We found that PDAC patients who were resistant to gemcitabine treatment tended to have higher miR-21 expression and more activated CAFs. An in vitro study showed that CAFs with high miR-21 expression had elevated MMP-3, MMP-9, PDGF, and CCL-7 expression and promoted the invasion of PDAC cell lines. miR-21 overexpression also contributed to the activation of CAFs by regulating the PDCD4 gene. The in vivo study showed that upregulating miR-21 in CAFs promoted PDAC desmoplasia and increased its drug resistance to gemcitabine treatment, but downregulating miR-21 in CAFs suppressed desmoplasia and enhanced the effect of gemcitabine. We concluded that miR-21 promoted the activation of CAFs and contributed to the drug resistance of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Jun Yao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Wenyao Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Ce Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China
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47
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Yang XP, Liu SL, Xu JF, Cao SG, Li Y, Zhou YB. Pancreatic stellate cells increase pancreatic cancer cells invasion through the hepatocyte growth factor /c-Met/survivin regulated by P53/P21. Exp Cell Res 2017; 357:79-87. [PMID: 28461158 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2017.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are a key cellular component of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment and are considered to contribute to tumor invasion and metastasis. Multiple cytokines and growth factors derived from PSCs are involved in malignant cancer progression, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). However, the molecular mechanisms by which HGF regulates cancer invasion and metastasis have not been completely elucidated. Here, we report that two pancreatic cancer (PC) cell lines, Panc-1 and SW1990, displayed different invasive and migratory abilities after treatment with HGF secreted by PSCs. We found that HGF enhanced the invasive and migratory capacity of Panc-1 cells because of P53 deficiency, leading to overexpression of c-Met, which was regulated through P21. Additionally, our data showed that HGF/c-Met-mediated invasion and migration required the upregulation of survivin expression. In conclusion, PSCs promote PC cells invasion and migration via the HGF/c-Met/survivin pathway, which is negatively regulated by P53/P21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Peng Yang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Shang-Long Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiang-Su Street, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jian-Fei Xu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Shou-Gen Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiang-Su Street, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiang-Su Street, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yan-Bing Zhou
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiang-Su Street, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
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48
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Benson AB, Wainberg ZA, Hecht JR, Vyushkov D, Dong H, Bendell J, Kudrik F. A Phase II Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Simtuzumab or Placebo in Combination with Gemcitabine for the First-Line Treatment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Oncologist 2017; 22:241-e15. [PMID: 28246206 PMCID: PMC5344644 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2017-0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
LESSONS LEARNED The safety profile in the gemcitabine/simtuzumab group was similar to that in the gemcitabine/placebo group.The addition of simtuzumab to gemcitabine does not improve clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma ABSTRACT: Background.The humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody simtuzumab inhibits the extracellular matrix-remodeling enzyme lysyl oxidase-like 2 maintaining pathological stroma in tumors. METHODS Adult patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPaCa) were randomly assigned to receive intravenous gemcitabine, 1,000 mg/m2, in combination with 200 or 700 mg simtuzumab or placebo. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety. RESULTS Of 240 patients, 80 were randomly assigned to gemcitabine/simtuzumab 700 mg, 79 to gemcitabine/simtuzumab 200 mg, and 81 to gemcitabine/placebo. After a median follow-up of 3.0, 1.9, and 3.4 months for gemcitabine/simtuzumab 700 mg, gemcitabine/simtuzumab 200 mg, and gemcitabine/placebo, respectively, the median PFS was 3.7 months (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI], p value vs placebo: 1.09 [0.74-1.61]; p = .73), 3.5 months (1.13 [0.76-1.66], p = .61]), and 3.7 months, respectively. Median OS was 7.6 months (0.83 [0.57-1.22]; p = .28), 5.9 months (1.07 [0.73-1.55]; p = .69), and 5.7 months, respectively. ORRs were 13.9%, 14.5%, and 23.5%, respectively. Simtuzumab was well tolerated. CONCLUSION The addition of simtuzumab to gemcitabine did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with mPaCa. The Oncologist 2017;22:241-e7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Al B Benson
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zev A Wainberg
- David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - J Randolph Hecht
- David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Dmitry Vyushkov
- Budgetary Healthcare Institution of Omsk Region, Clinical Oncologic Dispensary, Omsk, Russia
| | - Hua Dong
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | | | - Fred Kudrik
- South Carolina Oncology Associates, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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49
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Zhang J, Xu X, Shi M, Chen Y, Yu D, Zhao C, Gu Y, Yang B, Guo S, Ding G, Jin G, Wu CL, Zhu M. CD13 hi Neutrophil-like myeloid-derived suppressor cells exert immune suppression through Arginase 1 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2017; 6:e1258504. [PMID: 28344866 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2016.1258504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Perineural invasion and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment are the distinct features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Heterogeneous myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are potent suppressors of antitumor immunity, posing obstacles for cancer immunotherapy. Increasing evidences have demonstrated the accumulation of MDSCs in PDAC patients. However, the role of MDSCs in perineural invasion of PDAC and the existence of novel MDSC subsets during PDAC remain unclear. This study found that lymphocytic perineural cuffs were frequently present in chronic pancreatitis (CP) tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic pancreatic tissues (ANPTs), but not in PDAC with perineural invasion. Meanwhile, we found that neutrophil-like MDSCs (nMDSCs), but not monocyte-like MDSCs (mMDSCs), were significantly increased in PBMCs and tumor tissues of PDAC patients. Further observation identified two distinct subsets of nMDSCs, CD13hi and CD13low nMDSCs in PDAC patients, which have not been reported previously. Despite a similar morphology, CD13hi nMDSCs expressed higher levels of CD11b, CD33, CD16 and arginase 1 but lower levels of CD66b than CD13low nMDSCs. Importantly, CD13hi MDSCs, compared with CD13low nMDSCs, more effectively suppressed alloreactive T cell responses via an arginase-1-related mechanism. After tumor resection, the circulating CD13hi nMDSCs were decreased markedly. PDAC patients with more CD13hi nMDSCs had a shorter overall survival than those with less CD13hi nMDSCs. To conclude, we identified two novel MDSC subsets with different characteristics and functions in PDAC, demonstrated the association of the two MDSC subsets with cancer progression, and explored their roles in perineural invasion and immune escape of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Xiongfei Xu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Min Shi
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Danghui Yu
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Chenyan Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Gu
- National Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology & Institute of Immunology, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Biao Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Shiwei Guo
- Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Guiling Ding
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
| | - Chin-Lee Wu
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical University , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Minghua Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, China
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Alterations in Tumor DNA Are Related to Short Postoperative Survival in Patients Resected for Pancreatic Carcinoma Aimed at Cure. Pancreas 2016; 45:900-7. [PMID: 26684859 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000000566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are found in more than 85% of patients with pancreatic cancer and with 5-year survival of less than 10%. Effective treatment may be radical surgery, which is hampered by rapid relapse. Therefore, our aim was to compare DNA sequence alterations in patients with short and long survival to evaluate if confirmed DNA alterations predict short postoperative survival. METHODS DNA was extracted from tumor tissue from 59 PDAC patients, analyzed for KRAS mutations, and hybridized to 180 K CGH + SNP microarrays and 450 K methylation arrays. Analyses were based on postoperative survival where less than 12 months was considered to be short survival and more than 18 months was considered long survival. RESULTS Ninety-three percent of the patients had KRAS mutations in tumor DNA. Great heterogeneity of whole genome DNA sequence alterations were observed among chromosomes within the patient materials. Specific DNA sequence alterations did not directly predict postoperative survival, although short survivors had significantly more and larger DNA amplifications (P < 0.006). Amplifications on chromosome 11 and 21 and deletions on chromosome 2 predicted short postoperative survival (P < 0.03). DNA methylation was not related to survival. CONCLUSIONS Highly variable genetic differences among DNA regions in PDAC tumors were demonstrated. Postoperative short survival was related to tumor sequence DNA alterations on chromosome 2, 11, and 21.
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