Serum CD10 is associated with liver metastasis in colorectal cancer

Exploring cell-derived extracellular vesicles in peripheral blood and bone marrow of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia pediatric patients: proof-of-concept study

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are heterogeneous, phospholipid membrane enclosed particles that are secreted by healthy and cancerous cells. EVs are present in diverse biological fluids and have been associated with the severity of diseases, which indicates their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and as therapeutic targets. This study investigated the phenotypic characteristics of EVs derived from peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) in pediatric patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) during different treatment stages. PB and BM plasma were collected from 20 B-ALL patients at three time points during induction therapy, referred to as: diagnosis baseline (D0), day 15 of induction therapy (D15) and the end of the induction therapy (D35). In addition, PB samples were collected from 10 healthy children at a single time point. The EVs were measured using CytoFLEX S flow cytometer. Calibration beads were employed to ensure accurate size analysis. The following, fluorescent-labeled specific cellular markers were used to label the EVs: Annexin V (phosphatidylserine), CD235a (erythrocyte), CD41a (platelet), CD51 (endothelial cell), CD45 (leukocyte), CD66b (neutrophil), CD14 (monocyte), CD3 (T lymphocyte), CD19, CD34 and CD10 (B lymphoblast/leukemic blast). Our results demonstrate that B-ALL patients had a marked production of EV-CD51/61+, EV-CD10+, EV-CD19+ and EV-CD10+CD19+ (double-positive) with a decrease in EV-CD41a+ on D0. However, the kinetics and signature of production during induction therapy revealed a clear decline in EV-CD10+ and EV-CD19+, with an increase of EV-CD41a+ on D35. Furthermore, B-ALL patients showed a complex biological network, exhibiting distinct profiles on D0 and D35. Interestingly, fold change and ROC curve analysis demonstrated that EV-CD10+CD19+ were associated with B-ALL patients, exhibited excellent clinical performance and standing out as a potential diagnostic biomarker. In conclusion, our data indicate that EVs represent a promising field of investigation in B-ALL, offering the possibility of identifying potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Proteomic profiling of tumour tissue-derived extracellular vesicles in colon cancer

Colon cancer is one of the most commonly occurring tumours among both women and men, and over the past decades the incidence has been on the rise. As such, the need for biomarker identification as well as an understanding of the underlying disease mechanism has never been greater. Extracellular vesicles are integral mediators of cell-to-cell communication and offer a unique opportunity to study the machinery that drives disease progression, and they also function as vectors for potential biomarkers. Tumour tissue and healthy mucosal tissue from the colons of ten patients were used to isolate tissue-resident EVs that were subsequently subjected to global quantitative proteomic analysis through LC-MS/MS. In total, more than 2000 proteins were identified, with most of the common EV markers being among them. Bioinformatics revealed a clear underrepresentation of proteins involved in energy production and cellular adhesion in tumour EVs, while proteins involved in protein biosynthesis were overrepresented. Additionally, 53 membrane proteins were found to be significantly upregulated in tumour EVs. Among them were several proteins with enzymatic functions that degrade the extracellular matrix, and three of these, Fibroblast activating factor (FAP), Cell surface hyaluronidase (CEMIP2), as well as Ephrin receptor B3 (EPHB3), were validated and found to be consistent with the global quantitative results. These stark differences in the proteomes between healthy and cancerous tissue emphasise the importance of the interstitial vesicle secretome as a major player of disease development.

A zebrafish embryo screen utilizing gastrulation identifies the HTR2C inhibitor pizotifen as a suppressor of EMT-mediated metastasis

Metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of cancer-associated mortality but few models exist that allow for rapid and effective screening of anti-metastasis drugs. Current mouse models of metastasis are too expensive and time consuming to use for rapid and high-throughput screening. Therefore, we created a unique screening concept utilizing conserved mechanisms between zebrafish gastrulation and cancer metastasis for identification of potential anti-metastatic drugs. We hypothesized that small chemicals that interrupt zebrafish gastrulation might also suppress metastatic progression of cancer cells and developed a phenotype-based chemical screen to test the hypothesis. The screen used epiboly, the first morphogenetic movement in gastrulation, as a marker and enabled 100 chemicals to be tested in 5 hr. The screen tested 1280 FDA-approved drugs and identified pizotifen, an antagonist for serotonin receptor 2C (HTR2C) as an epiboly-interrupting drug. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HTR2C suppressed metastatic progression in a mouse model. Blocking HTR2C with pizotifen restored epithelial properties to metastatic cells through inhibition of Wnt signaling. In contrast, HTR2C induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through activation of Wnt signaling and promoted metastatic dissemination of human cancer cells in a zebrafish xenotransplantation model. Taken together, our concept offers a novel platform for discovery of anti-metastasis drugs.

High level of CD10 expression is associated with poor overall survival in patients with head and neck cancer

CD10 is a common zinc-dependent metalloid protease that is expressed in numerous tissues, including malignant cells. Genomic alterations of CD10 are frequently observed in haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic tumours. In the present study, we analysed the CD10 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and its association with tumour prognosis using bioinformatic analysis and explored the potential of a CD10-driven signalling pathway in a tumour-immune microenvironment. Briefly, data mining analysis showed strengthened CD10 expression in HNSCC patients. High CD10 expression was associated with unfavourable overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). In addition, the correlation between CD10 expression and interleukin (IL)-6/IL-8-mediated M1 macrophage activity could potentially explain the poor prognosis of HNSCC. Among 692 genes co-expressed with CD10 in HNSCC, Rap1 signalling pathway, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, protein digestion and absorption, proteoglycans in cancer, PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, focal adhesion and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction were the candidate signalling pathways driven by the CD10 gene. Further investigation of immune-associated signalling pathways regulated by CD10 may be beneficial to improve the prognosis of HNSCC patients by immunotherapy.

Bone Marrow-Derived Myofibroblasts Promote Gastric Cancer Metastasis by Activating TGF-β1 and IL-6/STAT3 Signalling Loop

Background

Murine bone marrow-derived myofibroblasts (BMFs) have previously been shown to promote gastric cancer growth. However, whether BMFs promote gastric cancer cell metastasis remains largely unknown.

Methods

Wound healing assay, Transwell invasion and migration assay and 3D organotypic co-culture systems were conducted to study the effects of BMFs on invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells and the invasion and migration ability of gastric cancer stem cell-like cells (CSC-LCs) induced by BMFs. We employed two animal model to study the role of BMFs on the in vivo metastasis of gastric cancer cells and the metastatic ability of gastric BMF-induced CSC-LCs. A human gastric cancer tissue microarray and TCGA gastric cancer database were analysed to study the relationship between the expression of IL-6 and TGF-β1 and clinicopathological characteristics and survival in gastric cancer.

Results

We found that BMFs promoted the in vitro migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells. BMFs promoted liver, lung, subcutaneous, and splenic metastases of MKN28 cells in the spleen injection liver metastasis model and co-injection of caudal vein (IOCV) mouse model. BMFs reprogrammed non-gastric cancer stem cell (CSC) to CSC-LCs and enhanced CSC-LC migration and metastasis. BMF-derived IL-6 and gastric cancer cell-secreted TGF-β1 mediated the interaction between BMFs and gastric cancer cells, promoting tumour metastasis. BMFs enhanced the expressions of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in co-cultured gastric cancer cells. A combination of Napabucasin and Galunisertib exhibited the strongest inhibition of cell migration compared to when administered alone. Gastric cancer tissue array and TCGA database indicated that the overexpression of IL-6 and TGF-β1 was associated with gastric cancer metastasis.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that BMFs promote gastric cancer metastasis through the activation of the TGF-β1 and IL-6/STAT3 signalling pathways. Targeting the inhibition of these interactions may be a potent therapeutic strategy for addressing gastric cancer metastasis.

Expression and activity of angiotensin-regulating enzymes is associated with prognostic outcome in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients

The discovery of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (iRAS), which regulates angiogenesis, cell differentiation and proliferation, has opened new perspectives in the knowledge of kidney carcinogenesis. In this study we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression and fluorimetric activity of four key peptidases of iRAS in tumor tissue (n = 144) and serum samples (n = 128) from patients with renal neoplasms. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP/CD10), Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), and aminopeptidase A (APA) were expressed in tumor cells whilst Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was expressed in the endothelial cells of intratumor blood vessels. The expression of ACE, ACE2 and NEP/CD10 was highest in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) and papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). The expression of these enzymes correlated with CCRCC aggressiveness. In addition, NEP/CD10 correlated with 15-year overall survival. On the other hand, APA expression was decreased in CCRCC with higher grade and stage. The loss of expression of APA independently correlated with a worse 15-year overall survival. Serum activity of ACE2, NEP/CD10 and APA was significantly higher in renal tumor patients than in healthy subjects. Serum ACE activity was lower in high grade and metastatic CCRCC patients, and NEP/CD10 activity was negatively correlated with UISS (UCLA Integrated Staging System) and SSIGN (Mayo Clinic stage, size, grade and necrosis model) scores and with overall survival of CCRCC patients. These results suggest a metabolic imbalance of iRAS in renal tumors. This finding should be taken into account in the search of new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools for this disease.

Role of B Cell Development Marker CD10 in Cancer Progression and Prognosis

The human CD10 antigen is a single pass, type II transmembrane, 100 kD cell surface glycoprotein belonging to peptidase M13 family. Identified in common acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a cancer specific antigen, CD10 is a cell surface ectoenzyme widely expressed on different types of cells. Earlier, it was used only as a cell surface marker to identify and differentiate between haematological malignancies. Later, reported to be present in various malignancies, it is thought to play significant role in cancer development and progression. Regulated expression of CD10 is necessary for angiogenesis and so forth. However its expression level is found to be deregulated in different cancers. In some cancers, it acts as tumor suppressor and inhibits tumor progression whereas in others it has tumor promoting tendency. However, its role in tumorigenesis remains unclear. This review summarises structural features, functions, and probable role of CD10 in cancer development.

Epigenetic suppression of neprilysin regulates breast cancer invasion

In women, invasive breast cancer is the second most common cancer and the second cause of cancer-related death. Therefore, identifying novel regulators of breast cancer invasion could lead to additional biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Neprilysin, a cell-surface enzyme that cleaves and inactivates a number of substrates including endothelin-1 (ET1), has been implicated in breast cancer, but whether neprilysin promotes or inhibits breast cancer cell progression and metastasis is unclear. Here, we asked whether neprilysin expression predicts and functionally regulates breast cancer cell invasion. RT–PCR and flow cytometry analysis of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines revealed decreased neprilysin expression compared with normal epithelial cells. Expression was also suppressed in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) compared with normal tissue. In addition, in vtro invasion assays demonstrated that neprilysin overexpression decreased breast cancer cell invasion, whereas neprilysin suppression augmented invasion. Furthermore, inhibiting neprilysin in MCF-7 breast cancer cells increased ET1 levels significantly, whereas overexpressing neprilysin decreased extracellular-signal related kinase (ERK) activation, indicating that neprilysin negatively regulates ET1-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. To determine whether neprilysin was epigenetically suppressed in breast cancer, we performed bisulfite conversion analysis of breast cancer cells and clinical tumor samples. We found that the neprilysin promoter was hypermethylated in breast cancer; chemical reversal of methylation in MDA-MB-231 cells reactivated neprilysin expression and inhibited cancer cell invasion. Analysis of cancer databases revealed that neprilysin methylation significantly associates with survival in stage I IDC and estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer subtypes. These results demonstrate that neprilysin negatively regulates the ET axis in breast cancer, and epigenetic suppression of neprilysin in invasive breast cancer cells enables invasion. Together, this implicates neprilysin as an important regulator of breast cancer invasion and clarifies its utility as a potential biomarker for invasive breast cancer.

From mice to men: Murine models of colorectal cancer for use in translational research

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common carcinoma worldwide and despite advances in treatment, survival for patients with metastatic disease remains poor. With nearly 50% of patients developing metastases, in vivo investigation is essential to improve outcomes for these patients and numerous murine models of CRC have been developed to allow the study of chemoprevention and chemotherapy, in addition to improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of CRC. Selecting the most appropriate murine model for a specific application will maximize the conversion of potential therapies from the laboratory to clinical practice and requires an understanding of the various models available. This review will provide an overview of the murine models currently used in CRC research, discussing the limitations and merits of each and their most relevant application. It is aimed at the developing researcher, acting as a guide to prompt further reading in planning a specific study.