1
|
Waldum H, Slupphaug G. Correctly identifying the cells of origin is essential for tailoring treatment and understanding the emergence of cancer stem cells and late metastases. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1369907. [PMID: 38660133 PMCID: PMC11040596 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1369907] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Malignancy manifests itself by deregulated growth and the ability to invade surrounding tissues or metastasize to other organs. These properties are due to genetic and/or epigenetic changes, most often mutations. Many aspects of carcinogenesis are known, but the cell of origin has been insufficiently focused on, which is unfortunate since the regulation of its growth is essential to understand the carcinogenic process and guide treatment. Similarly, the concept of cancer stem cells as cells having the ability to stop proliferation and rest in a state of dormancy and being resistant to cytotoxic drugs before "waking up" and become a highly malignant tumor recurrence, is not fully understood. Some tumors may recur after decades, a phenomenon probably also connected to cancer stem cells. The present review shows that many of these questions are related to the cell of origin as differentiated cells being long-term stimulated to proliferation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helge Waldum
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hadzimustafic N, D’Elia A, Shamoun V, Haykal S. Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1863. [PMID: 38339142 PMCID: PMC10855589 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of plastic and reconstructive surgery is restoring form and function. Historically, tissue procured from healthy portions of a patient's body has been used to fill defects, but this is limited by tissue availability. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are stem cells derived from the de-differentiation of mature somatic cells. hiPSCs are of particular interest in plastic surgery as they have the capacity to be re-differentiated into more mature cells, and cultured to grow tissues. This review aims to evaluate the applications of hiPSCs in the plastic surgery context, with a focus on recent advances and limitations. The use of hiPSCs and non-human iPSCs has been researched in the context of skin, nerve, vasculature, skeletal muscle, cartilage, and bone regeneration. hiPSCs offer a future for regenerated autologous skin grafts, flaps comprised of various tissue types, and whole functional units such as the face and limbs. Also, they can be used to model diseases affecting tissues of interest in plastic surgery, such as skin cancers, epidermolysis bullosa, and scleroderma. Tumorigenicity, immunogenicity and pragmatism still pose significant limitations. Further research is required to identify appropriate somatic origin and induction techniques to harness the epigenetic memory of hiPSCs or identify methods to manipulate epigenetic memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Hadzimustafic
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (N.H.); (A.D.); (V.S.)
| | - Andrew D’Elia
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (N.H.); (A.D.); (V.S.)
| | - Valentina Shamoun
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (N.H.); (A.D.); (V.S.)
| | - Siba Haykal
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chehelgerdi M, Behdarvand Dehkordi F, Chehelgerdi M, Kabiri H, Salehian-Dehkordi H, Abdolvand M, Salmanizadeh S, Rashidi M, Niazmand A, Ahmadi S, Feizbakhshan S, Kabiri S, Vatandoost N, Ranjbarnejad T. Exploring the promising potential of induced pluripotent stem cells in cancer research and therapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:189. [PMID: 38017433 PMCID: PMC10683363 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01873-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of iPSCs has brought about a significant transformation in stem cell research, opening up promising avenues for advancing cancer treatment. The formation of cancer is a multifaceted process influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. iPSCs offer a distinctive platform for investigating the origin of cancer, paving the way for novel approaches to cancer treatment, drug testing, and tailored medical interventions. This review article will provide an overview of the science behind iPSCs, the current limitations and challenges in iPSC-based cancer therapy, the ethical and social implications, and the comparative analysis with other stem cell types for cancer treatment. The article will also discuss the applications of iPSCs in tumorigenesis, the future of iPSCs in tumorigenesis research, and highlight successful case studies utilizing iPSCs in tumorigenesis research. The conclusion will summarize the advancements made in iPSC-based tumorigenesis research and the importance of continued investment in iPSC research to unlock the full potential of these cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matin Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Fereshteh Behdarvand Dehkordi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Mohammad Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran.
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Hamidreza Kabiri
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Abdolvand
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sharareh Salmanizadeh
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Hezar-Jereeb Street, Isfahan, 81746-73441, Iran
| | - Mohsen Rashidi
- Department Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- The Health of Plant and Livestock Products Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Anoosha Niazmand
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Saba Ahmadi
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Sara Feizbakhshan
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Saber Kabiri
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Nasimeh Vatandoost
- Pediatric Inherited Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Tayebeh Ranjbarnejad
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jain P, Pillai M, Duddu AS, Somarelli JA, Goyal Y, Jolly MK. Dynamical hallmarks of cancer: Phenotypic switching in melanoma and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:48-63. [PMID: 37788736 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.09.007] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity was recently incorporated as a hallmark of cancer. This plasticity can manifest along many interconnected axes, such as stemness and differentiation, drug-sensitive and drug-resistant states, and between epithelial and mesenchymal cell-states. Despite growing acceptance for phenotypic plasticity as a hallmark of cancer, the dynamics of this process remains poorly understood. In particular, the knowledge necessary for a predictive understanding of how individual cancer cells and populations of cells dynamically switch their phenotypes in response to the intensity and/or duration of their current and past environmental stimuli remains far from complete. Here, we present recent investigations of phenotypic plasticity from a systems-level perspective using two exemplars: epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in carcinomas and phenotypic switching in melanoma. We highlight how an integrated computational-experimental approach has helped unravel insights into specific dynamical hallmarks of phenotypic plasticity in different cancers to address the following questions: a) how many distinct cell-states or phenotypes exist?; b) how reversible are transitions among these cell-states, and what factors control the extent of reversibility?; and c) how might cell-cell communication be able to alter rates of cell-state switching and enable diverse patterns of phenotypic heterogeneity? Understanding these dynamic features of phenotypic plasticity may be a key component in shifting the paradigm of cancer treatment from reactionary to a more predictive, proactive approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paras Jain
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Maalavika Pillai
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Jason A Somarelli
- Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yogesh Goyal
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Castro-Pérez E, Singh M, Sadangi S, Mela-Sánchez C, Setaluri V. Connecting the dots: Melanoma cell of origin, tumor cell plasticity, trans-differentiation, and drug resistance. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2023; 36:330-347. [PMID: 37132530 PMCID: PMC10524512 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma, a lethal malignancy that arises from melanocytes, exhibits a multiplicity of clinico-pathologically distinct subtypes in sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed areas. Melanocytes are derived from multipotent neural crest cells and are present in diverse anatomical locations, including skin, eyes, and various mucosal membranes. Tissue-resident melanocyte stem cells and melanocyte precursors contribute to melanocyte renewal. Elegant studies using mouse genetic models have shown that melanoma can arise from either melanocyte stem cells or differentiated pigment-producing melanocytes depending on a combination of tissue and anatomical site of origin and activation of oncogenic mutations (or overexpression) and/or the repression in expression or inactivating mutations in tumor suppressors. This variation raises the possibility that different subtypes of human melanomas (even subsets within each subtype) may also be a manifestation of malignancies of distinct cells of origin. Melanoma is known to exhibit phenotypic plasticity and trans-differentiation (defined as a tendency to differentiate into cell lineages other than the original lineage from which the tumor arose) along vascular and neural lineages. Additionally, stem cell-like properties such as pseudo-epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT-like) transition and expression of stem cell-related genes have also been associated with the development of melanoma drug resistance. Recent studies that employed reprogramming melanoma cells to induced pluripotent stem cells have uncovered potential relationships between melanoma plasticity, trans-differentiation, and drug resistance and implications for cell or origin of human cutaneous melanoma. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current state of knowledge on melanoma cell of origin and the relationship between tumor cell plasticity and drug resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edgardo Castro-Pérez
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), City of Knowledge, Panama City, Panama
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
| | - Mithalesh Singh
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, U.S.A
| | - Shreyans Sadangi
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, U.S.A
| | - Carmen Mela-Sánchez
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
| | - Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, U.S.A
- William S. Middleton VA Hospital, Madison, WI, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Singh MK, Altameemi S, Lares M, Newton MA, Setaluri V. Role of dual specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) in melanoma cellular plasticity and drug resistance. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14395. [PMID: 35999349 PMCID: PMC9399232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18578-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma cells exhibit phenotypic plasticity that allows transition from a proliferative and differentiated phenotype to a more invasive and undifferentiated or transdifferentiated phenotype often associated with drug resistance. The mechanisms that control melanoma phenotype plasticity and its role in drug resistance are not fully understood. We previously demonstrated that emergence of MAPK inhibitor (MAPKi)-resistance phenotype is associated with decreased expression of stem cell proliferation genes and increased expression of MAPK inactivation genes, including dual specificity phosphatases (DUSPs). Several members of the DUSP family genes, specifically DUSP1, -3, -8 and -9, are expressed in primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines and pre-and post BRAFi treated melanoma cells. Here, we show that knockdown of DUSP1 or DUSP8 or treatment with BCI, a pharmacological inhibitor of DUSP1/6 decrease the survival of MAPKi-resistant cells and sensitizes them to BRAFi and MEKi. Pharmacological inhibition of DUSP1/6 upregulated nestin, a neural crest stem cell marker, in both MAPKi-sensitive cells and cells with acquired MAPKi-resistance. In contrast, treatment with BCI resulted in upregulation of MAP2, a neuronal differentiation marker, only in MAPKi-sensitive cells but caused downregulation of both MAP2 and GFAP, a glial marker, in all MAPKi-resistant cell lines. These data suggest that DUSP proteins are involved in the regulation of cellular plasticity cells and melanoma drug resistance and are potential targets for treatment of MAPKi-resistant melanoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mithalesh K Singh
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA. .,Department of Dermatology, Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Sarah Altameemi
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Marcos Lares
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Michael A Newton
- Department of Statistics, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA. .,William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA. .,Department of Dermatology, Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sadangi S, Milosavljevic K, Castro-Perez E, Lares M, Singh M, Altameemi S, Beebe DJ, Ayuso JM, Setaluri V. Role of the Skin Microenvironment in Melanomagenesis: Epidermal Keratinocytes and Dermal Fibroblasts Promote BRAF Oncogene-Induced Senescence Escape in Melanocytes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051233. [PMID: 35267541 PMCID: PMC8909265 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Melanoma is a deadly skin cancer caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of melanocytes, a population of specialized cells that produce the skin pigment melanin. An aberrant proliferation of melanocytes is common, manifesting as new moles, and these lesions often remain benign. Only a small fraction of these aberrant melanocytes transition to melanoma (i.e., melanomagenesis). The factors that drive this transition are not fully understood. Recent studies have suggested that other cells—specifically, keratinocytes that make up the upper skin layers and fibroblasts, which are non-specialized cells within the deeper layers of the skin—also contribute to melanomagenesis. Here, employing microscale models that mimicked the skin microenvironment, we investigated the effect of crosstalk between melanocytes as well as keratinocytes and fibroblasts on melanomagenesis. Our findings show that keratinocyte- and fibroblast-derived factors can inhibit the mechanisms that prevent an uncontrolled melanocyte proliferation and contribute to melanomagenesis. Thus, targeting skin microenvironment-derived factors is a potential strategy to prevent melanomagenesis. Abstract BRAFV600E is the most common mutation driver in melanoma. This mutation is known to cause a brief burst of proliferation followed by growth arrest and senescence, which prevent an uncontrolled cell proliferation. This phenomenon is known as oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) and OIS escape is thought to lead to melanomagenesis. Much attention has been focused on the melanocyte-intrinsic mechanisms that contribute to senescence escape. Additional genetic events such as the loss of tumor suppressor PTEN and/or epigenetic changes that contribute to senescence escape have been described. However, the role of the skin microenvironment—specifically, the role of epidermal keratinocytes—on melanomagenesis is not fully understood. In this study, we employ a microfluidic platform to study the interaction between melanocytes expressing the BRAFV600E mutation as well as keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts. We demonstrate that keratinocytes suppress senescence-related genes and promote the proliferation of transformed melanocytes. We also show that a keratinocyte-conditioned medium can alter the secretion of both pro- and anti-tumorigenic factors by transformed melanocytes. In addition, we show that melanocytes and keratinocytes from donors of white European and black African ancestry display different crosstalks; i.e., white keratinocytes appear to promote a more pro-tumorigenic phenotype compared with black keratinocytes. These data suggest that keratinocytes exert their influence on melanomagenesis both by suppressing senescence-related genes in melanocytes and by affecting the balance of the melanocyte-secreted factors that favor tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shreyans Sadangi
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Katarina Milosavljevic
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Edgardo Castro-Perez
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Marcos Lares
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Mithalesh Singh
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Sarah Altameemi
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
| | - David J. Beebe
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jose M. Ayuso
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Correspondence: (J.M.A.); (V.S.)
| | - Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (S.S.); (K.M.); (E.C.-P.); (M.L.); (M.S.); (S.A.)
- Correspondence: (J.M.A.); (V.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cerrizuela S, Vega-Lopez GA, Méndez-Maldonado K, Velasco I, Aybar MJ. The crucial role of model systems in understanding the complexity of cell signaling in human neurocristopathies. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1537. [PMID: 35023327 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1537] [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: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Animal models are useful to study the molecular, cellular, and morphogenetic mechanisms underlying normal and pathological development. Cell-based study models have emerged as an alternative approach to study many aspects of human embryonic development and disease. The neural crest (NC) is a transient, multipotent, and migratory embryonic cell population that generates a diverse group of cell types that arises during vertebrate development. The abnormal formation or development of the NC results in neurocristopathies (NCPs), which are characterized by a broad spectrum of functional and morphological alterations. The impaired molecular mechanisms that give rise to these multiphenotypic diseases are not entirely clear yet. This fact, added to the high incidence of these disorders in the newborn population, has led to the development of systematic approaches for their understanding. In this article, we have systematically reviewed the ways in which experimentation with different animal and cell model systems has improved our knowledge of NCPs, and how these advances might contribute to the development of better diagnostic and therapeutic tools for the treatment of these pathologies. This article is categorized under: Congenital Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Congenital Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Neurological Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Cerrizuela
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Guillermo A Vega-Lopez
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT), Tucumán, Argentina.,Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Karla Méndez-Maldonado
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular - Neurociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico.,Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Iván Velasco
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular - Neurociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico.,Laboratorio de Reprogramación Celular del Instituto de Fisiología Celular, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "Manuel Velasco Suárez", Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Manuel J Aybar
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT), Tucumán, Argentina.,Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Prognostic Biomarkers in Uveal Melanoma: The Status Quo, Recent Advances and Future Directions. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:cancers14010096. [PMID: 35008260 PMCID: PMC8749988 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010096] [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: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Although rare, uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common cancer that develops inside adult eyes. The prognosis is poor, since 50% of patients will develop lethal metastases in the first decade, especially to the liver. Once metastases are detected, life expectancy is limited, given that the available treatments are mostly unsuccessful. Thus, there is a need to find methods that can accurately predict UM prognosis and also effective therapeutic strategies to treat this cancer. In this manuscript, we initially compile the current knowledge on epidemiological, clinical, pathological and molecular features of UM. Then, we cover the most relevant prognostic factors currently used for the evaluation and follow-up of UM patients. Afterwards, we highlight emerging molecular markers in UM published over the last three years. Finally, we discuss the problems preventing meaningful advances in the treatment and prognostication of UM patients, as well as forecast new roadblocks and paths of UM-related research. Abstract Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common malignant intraocular tumour in the adult population. It is a rare cancer with an incidence of nearly five cases per million inhabitants per year, which develops from the uncontrolled proliferation of melanocytes in the choroid (≈90%), ciliary body (≈6%) or iris (≈4%). Patients initially present either with symptoms like blurred vision or photopsia, or without symptoms, with the tumour being detected in routine eye exams. Over the course of the disease, metastases, which are initially dormant, develop in nearly 50% of patients, preferentially in the liver. Despite decades of intensive research, the only approach proven to mildly control disease spread are early treatments directed to ablate liver metastases, such as surgical excision or chemoembolization. However, most patients have a limited life expectancy once metastases are detected, since there are limited therapeutic approaches for the metastatic disease, including immunotherapy, which unlike in cutaneous melanoma, has been mostly ineffective for UM patients. Therefore, in order to offer the best care possible to these patients, there is an urgent need to find robust models that can accurately predict the prognosis of UM, as well as therapeutic strategies that effectively block and/or limit the spread of the metastatic disease. Here, we initially summarized the current knowledge about UM by compiling the most relevant epidemiological, clinical, pathological and molecular data. Then, we revisited the most important prognostic factors currently used for the evaluation and follow-up of primary UM cases. Afterwards, we addressed emerging prognostic biomarkers in UM, by comprehensively reviewing gene signatures, immunohistochemistry-based markers and proteomic markers resulting from research studies conducted over the past three years. Finally, we discussed the current hurdles in the field and anticipated the future challenges and novel avenues of research in UM.
Collapse
|
10
|
Pluripotency Stemness and Cancer: More Questions than Answers. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1376:77-100. [PMID: 34725790 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2021_663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells provided us with fascinating new knowledge in recent years. Mechanistic insight into intricate regulatory circuitry governing pluripotency stemness and disclosing parallels between pluripotency stemness and cancer instigated numerous studies focusing on roles of pluripotency transcription factors, including Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, Nanog, Sall4 and Tfcp2L1, in cancer. Although generally well substantiated as tumour-promoting factors, oncogenic roles of pluripotency transcription factors and their clinical impacts are revealing themselves as increasingly complex. In certain tumours, both Oct4 and Sox2 behave as genuine oncogenes, and reporter genes driven by composite regulatory elements jointly recognized by both the factors can identify stem-like cells in a proportion of tumours. On the other hand, cancer stem cells seem to be biologically very heterogeneous both among different tumour types and among and even within individual tumours. Pluripotency transcription factors are certainly implicated in cancer stemness, but do not seem to encompass its entire spectrum. Certain cancer stem cells maintain their stemness by biological mechanisms completely different from pluripotency stemness, sometimes even by engaging signalling pathways that promote differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. Moreover, while these signalling pathways may well be antithetical to stemness in pluripotent stem cells, they may cooperate with pluripotency factors in cancer stem cells - a paradigmatic example is provided by the MAPK-AP-1 pathway. Unexpectedly, forced expression of pluripotency transcription factors in cancer cells frequently results in loss of their tumour-initiating ability, their phenotypic reversion and partial epigenetic normalization. Besides the very different signalling contexts operating in pluripotent and cancer stem cells, respectively, the pronounced dose dependency of reprogramming pluripotency factors may also contribute to the frequent loss of tumorigenicity observed in induced pluripotent cancer cells. Finally, contradictory cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous effects of various signalling molecules operate during pluripotency (cancer) reprogramming. The effects of pluripotency transcription factors in cancer are thus best explained within the concept of cancer stem cell heterogeneity.
Collapse
|
11
|
Granados K, Poelchen J, Novak D, Utikal J. Cellular Reprogramming-A Model for Melanoma Cellular Plasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8274. [PMID: 33167306 PMCID: PMC7663830 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular plasticity of cancer cells is often associated with phenotypic heterogeneity and drug resistance and thus remains a major challenge for the treatment of melanoma and other types of cancer. Melanoma cells have the capacity to switch their phenotype during tumor progression, from a proliferative and differentiated phenotype to a more invasive and dedifferentiated phenotype. However, the molecular mechanisms driving this phenotype switch are not yet fully understood. Considering that cellular heterogeneity within the tumor contributes to the high plasticity typically observed in melanoma, it is crucial to generate suitable models to investigate this phenomenon in detail. Here, we discuss the use of complete and partial reprogramming into induced pluripotent cancer (iPC) cells as a tool to obtain new insights into melanoma cellular plasticity. We consider this a relevant topic due to the high plasticity of melanoma cells and its association with a strong resistance to standard anticancer treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karol Granados
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.P.); (D.N.)
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, D-68135 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Costa Rica (UCR), Rodrigo Facio Campus, San Pedro Montes Oca, San Jose 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Juliane Poelchen
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.P.); (D.N.)
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, D-68135 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniel Novak
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.P.); (D.N.)
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, D-68135 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.P.); (D.N.)
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, D-68135 Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|