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Zhu Z, Ding D, Hu H, He T. Pen2/ErbB4 signaling regulates stemness of pancreatic ductal carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167316. [PMID: 38901650 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167316] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are critical for progression, invasion, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Presenilin enhancer 2 (Pen2), a vital component of the gamma-secretase complex, is overexpressed in various cancers and plays a significant role in carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated the association between Pen2 expression and the stem-like properties of PDAC cells. We analyzed Pen2 and its downstream target, Erb-B2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 4 (ErbB4), using public databases. The expression of Pen2 in CSC populations, marked by CD133+, CD44+, or epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)+, was evaluated. Pen2-positive cells were sorted from Pen2-negative ones in PDAC cells transduced with a vector designed to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the Pen2 promoter. Stemness was examined in vitro and in vivo in Pen2-positive versus Pen2-negative cells. Our results showed that Pen2 was significantly upregulated, while ErbB4 was significantly downregulated in PDAC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumorous tissues, with an inverse relationship between Pen2 and Erbb4 levels. PDACs with high Pen2 expression are associated with considerably poorer patient survival. The CSC populations identified by CD133+, CD44+, and EpCAM+ markers displayed significantly higher Pen2 and lower EpCAM levels. Compared to Pen2-negative PDAC cells, Pen2-positive cells formed more tumor spheres, were more invasive and migratory, and showed significantly increased resistance to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Altering Pen2 levels reversed these oncogenic effects. In vivo, Pen2-positive cells formed larger tumors in immunodeficient mice. Overall, our findings suggest that Pen2 is highly expressed in CSCs within PDAC cells, being a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongfei Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Dan Ding
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Tianlin He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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2
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Almalki WH, Almujri SS. Circular RNAs and the JAK/STAT pathway: New frontiers in cancer therapeutics. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 260:155408. [PMID: 38909403 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Circular RNAs, known as circRNAs, have drawn more attention to cancer biology in the last few years. Novel functions of circRNAs in cancer therapy open promising prospects for personalized medicine. This review focuses on the molecular properties and potential of circRNAs as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. Unique properties of circular RNAs associated with a circular form provide stability and resilience to RNA exonuclease degradation. Circular RNAs' most important characteristic is that they are involved in the JAK/STAT pathway associated with oncogenesis. Notably, their deregulation has been reported in multiple carcinomas due to involvement in JAK/STAT signaling cascade modulation. Increased knowledge about circRNAs' interaction with the JAK/STAT pathway leads to the emergence of new possibilities for targeted cancer therapy. In addition, since circRNAs demonstrate tissue-relatedness of expression, they may be a reliable biomarker for predicting and diagnosing cancer. With the development of new technologies for targeting circRNAs, novel therapeutics can be produced that offer more personalized cancer treatment options based on the nature of the patient. The present review explores the exciting prospects of circRNAs for transforming cancer treatment into personalized medicine. It describes the current understanding of circRNA biology, its relationship to tumorigenesis, and possible targeting methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed Hassan Almalki
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Salem Salman Almujri
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Aseer 61421, Saudi Arabia
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3
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Zhu SL, Qi M, Chen MT, Lin JP, Huang HF, Deng LJ, Zhou XW. A novel DDIT3 activator dehydroevodiamine effectively inhibits tumor growth and tumor cell stemness in pancreatic cancer. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 128:155377. [PMID: 38503154 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The existence of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) results in limited survival benefits from current treatment options. There is a scarcity of effective agents for treating pancreatic cancer patients. Dehydroevodiamine (DeHE), a quinazoline alkaloid isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Evodiae fructus, exhibited potent inhibition of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell proliferation and tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS The cytotoxic effect of DeHE on PDAC cells was assessed using CCK-8 and colony formation assays. The antitumor efficacy of DeHE were appraised in human PANC-1 xenograft mouse model. Sphere formation assay and flow cytometry were employed to quantify the tumor stemness. RNA-Seq analysis, drug affinity responsive target stability assay (DARTS), and RNA interference transfection were conducted to elucidate potential signaling pathways. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were utilized to assess protein expression levels. RESULTS DeHE effectively inhibited PDAC cell proliferation and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, and exhibited a better safety profile compared to the clinical drug gemcitabine (GEM). DeHE inhibited PCSCs, as evidenced by its suppression of self-renewal capabilities of PCSCs, reduced the proportion of ALDH+ cells and downregulated stemness-associated proteins (Nanog, Sox-2, and Oct-4) both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, there is potential involvement of DDIT3 and its downstream DDIT3/TRIB3/AKT/mTOR pathway in the suppression of stemness characteristics within DeHE-treated PDAC cells. Additionally, results from the DARTS assay indicated that DeHE interacts with DDIT3, safeguarding it against degradation mediated by pronase. Notably, the inhibitory capabilities of DeHE on PDAC cell proliferation and tumor stemness were partially restored by siDDIT3 or the AKT activator SC-79. CONCLUSION In summary, our study has identified DeHE, a novel antitumor natural product, as an activator of DDIT3 with the ability to suppress the AKT/mTOR pathway. This pathway is intricately linked to tumor cell proliferation and stemness characteristics in PDAC. These findings suggest that DeHE holds potential as a promising candidate for the development of innovative anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Li Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, PR China
| | - Ming Qi
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China
| | - Mei-Ting Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Jia-Peng Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China
| | - Hai-Fu Huang
- Internal Medicine-Oncology, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, PR China
| | - Li-Juan Deng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Formula-pattern Research Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China.
| | - Xing-Wang Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, PR China.
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Chang CH, Liu F, Militi S, Hester S, Nibhani R, Deng S, Dunford J, Rendek A, Soonawalla Z, Fischer R, Oppermann U, Pauklin S. The pRb/RBL2-E2F1/4-GCN5 axis regulates cancer stem cell formation and G0 phase entry/exit by paracrine mechanisms. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3580. [PMID: 38678032 PMCID: PMC11055877 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47680-z] [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: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The lethality, chemoresistance and metastatic characteristics of cancers are associated with phenotypically plastic cancer stem cells (CSCs). How the non-cell autonomous signalling pathways and cell-autonomous transcriptional machinery orchestrate the stem cell-like characteristics of CSCs is still poorly understood. Here we use a quantitative proteomic approach for identifying secreted proteins of CSCs in pancreatic cancer. We uncover that the cell-autonomous E2F1/4-pRb/RBL2 axis balances non-cell-autonomous signalling in healthy ductal cells but becomes deregulated upon KRAS mutation. E2F1 and E2F4 induce whereas pRb/RBL2 reduce WNT ligand expression (e.g. WNT7A, WNT7B, WNT10A, WNT4) thereby regulating self-renewal, chemoresistance and invasiveness of CSCs in both PDAC and breast cancer, and fibroblast proliferation. Screening for epigenetic enzymes identifies GCN5 as a regulator of CSCs that deposits H3K9ac onto WNT promoters and enhancers. Collectively, paracrine signalling pathways are controlled by the E2F-GCN5-RB axis in diverse cancers and this could be a therapeutic target for eliminating CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Hui Chang
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Feng Liu
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Stefania Militi
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Svenja Hester
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Reshma Nibhani
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Siwei Deng
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - James Dunford
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Aniko Rendek
- Department of Histopathology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Zahir Soonawalla
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS, Oxford, UK
| | - Roman Fischer
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Udo Oppermann
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK.
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5
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Feng Y, Cai L, Pook M, Liu F, Chang CH, Mouti MA, Nibhani R, Militi S, Dunford J, Philpott M, Fan Y, Fan GC, Liu Q, Qi J, Wang C, Hong W, Morgan H, Wang M, Sadayappan S, Jegga AG, Oppermann U, Wang Y, Huang W, Jiang L, Pauklin S. BRD9-SMAD2/3 Orchestrates Stemness and Tumorigenesis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Gastroenterology 2024; 166:139-154. [PMID: 37739089 PMCID: PMC11304550 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The dismal prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is linked to the presence of pancreatic cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) that respond poorly to current chemotherapy regimens. The epigenetic mechanisms regulating CSCs are currently insufficiently understood, which hampers the development of novel strategies for eliminating CSCs. METHODS By small molecule compound screening targeting 142 epigenetic enzymes, we identified that bromodomain-containing protein BRD9, a component of the BAF histone remodeling complex, is a key chromatin regulator to orchestrate the stemness of pancreatic CSCs via cooperating with the TGFβ/Activin-SMAD2/3 signaling pathway. RESULTS Inhibition and genetic ablation of BRD9 block the self-renewal, cell cycle entry into G0 phase and invasiveness of CSCs, and improve the sensitivity of CSCs to gemcitabine treatment. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of BRD9 significantly reduced the tumorigenesis in patient-derived xenografts mouse models and eliminated CSCs in tumors from pancreatic cancer patients. Mechanistically, inhibition of BRD9 disrupts enhancer-promoter looping and transcription of stemness genes in CSCs. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the data suggest BRD9 as a novel therapeutic target for PDAC treatment via modulation of CSC stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Feng
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Liuyang Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Guangdong, China
| | - Martin Pook
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Feng Liu
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Chao-Hui Chang
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Mai Abdel Mouti
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Reshma Nibhani
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stefania Militi
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - James Dunford
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Philpott
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yanbo Fan
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Guo-Chang Fan
- Departments of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jun Qi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Cheng Wang
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Wanzi Hong
- Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China
| | - Hannah Morgan
- Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Mingyang Wang
- College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Sakthivel Sadayappan
- Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio; Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Udo Oppermann
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Translational Myeloma Centre, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yigang Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
| | - Wei Huang
- Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China.
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Tavares-Valente D, Cannone S, Greco MR, Carvalho TMA, Baltazar F, Queirós O, Agrimi G, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. Extracellular Matrix Collagen I Differentially Regulates the Metabolic Plasticity of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Parenchymal Cell and Cancer Stem Cell. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3868. [PMID: 37568684 PMCID: PMC10417137 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153868] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a 5-year survival rate of less than 10 percent largely due to the intense fibrotic desmoplastic reaction, characterized by high levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen I that constitutes a niche for a subset of cancer cells, the cancer stem cells (CSCs). Cancer cells undergo a complex metabolic adaptation characterized by changes in metabolic pathways and biosynthetic processes. The use of the 3D organotypic model in this study allowed us to manipulate the ECM constituents and mimic the progression of PDAC from an early tumor to an ever more advanced tumor stage. To understand the role of desmoplasia on the metabolism of PDAC parenchymal (CPC) and CSC populations, we studied their basic metabolic parameters in organotypic cultures of increasing collagen content to mimic in vivo conditions. We further measured the ability of the bioenergetic modulators (BMs), 2-deoxyglucose, dichloroacetate and phenformin, to modify their metabolic dependence and the therapeutic activity of paclitaxel albumin nanoparticles (NAB-PTX). While all the BMs decreased cell viability and increased cell death in all ECM types, a distinct, collagen I-dependent profile was observed in CSCs. As ECM collagen I content increased (e.g., more aggressive conditions), the CSCs switched from glucose to mostly glutamine metabolism. All three BMs synergistically potentiated the cytotoxicity of NAB-PTX in both cell lines, which, in CSCs, was collagen I-dependent and the strongest when treated with phenformin + NAB-PTX. Metabolic disruption in PDAC can be useful both as monotherapy or combined with conventional drugs to more efficiently block tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Tavares-Valente
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Portugal
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal;
| | - Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Tiago Miguel Amaral Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Fátima Baltazar
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Portugal
| | - Odília Queirós
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal;
| | - Gennaro Agrimi
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Stephan J. Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
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Di Molfetta D, Cannone S, Greco MR, Caroppo R, Piccapane F, Carvalho TMA, Altamura C, Saltarella I, Tavares Valente D, Desaphy JF, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. ECM Composition Differentially Regulates Intracellular and Extracellular pH in Normal and Cancer Pancreatic Duct Epithelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10632. [PMID: 37445810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310632] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation is a challenge for the exocrine pancreas, where the luminal secretion of bicarbonate-rich fluid is accompanied by interstitial flows of acid. This acid-base transport requires a plethora of ion transporters, including bicarbonate transporters and the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1), which are dysregulated in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC progression is favored by a Collagen-I rich extracellular matrix (ECM) which exacerbates the physiological interstitial acidosis. In organotypic cultures of normal human pancreatic cells (HPDE), parenchymal cancer cells (CPCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) growing on matrices reproducing ECM changes during progression, we studied resting pHi, the pHi response to fluxes of NaHCO3 and acidosis and the role of NHE1 in pHi regulation. Our findings show that: (i) on the physiological ECM, HPDE cells have the most alkaline pHi, followed by CSCs and CPCs, while a Collagen I-rich ECM reverses the acid-base balance in cancer cells compared to normal cells; (ii) both resting pHi and pHi recovery from an acid load are reduced by extracellular NaHCO3, especially in HPDE cells on a normal ECM; (iii) cancer cell NHE1 activity is less affected by NaHCO3. We conclude that ECM composition and the fluctuations of pHe cooperate to predispose pHi homeostasis towards the presence of NaHCO3 gradients similar to that expected in the tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Di Molfetta
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Caroppo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Piccapane
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | | | - Concetta Altamura
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Ilaria Saltarella
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Diana Tavares Valente
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Jean Francois Desaphy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Stephan J Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
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8
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Feng Y, Cai L, Pook M, Liu F, Chang CH, Mouti MA, Nibhani R, Wu S, Deng S, Militi S, Dunford J, Philpott M, Fan Y, Fan GC, Liu Q, Qi J, Sadayappan S, Jegga AG, Oppermann U, Wang Y, Huang W, Jiang L, Pauklin S. BRD9-SMAD2/3 orchestrates stemness and tumorigenesis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.02.530770. [PMID: 36909530 PMCID: PMC10002796 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.02.530770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The dismal prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is linked to the presence of pancreatic cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) that respond poorly to current chemotherapy regimens. By small molecule compound screening targeting 142 epigenetic enzymes, we identified that bromodomain-containing protein BRD9, a component of the BAF histone remodelling complex, is a key chromatin regulator to orchestrate the stemness of pancreatic CSCs via cooperating with the TGFβ/Activin-SMAD2/3 signalling pathway. Inhibition and genetic ablation of BDR9 block the self-renewal, cell cycle entry into G0 phase and invasiveness of CSCs, and improve the sensitivity of CSCs to gemcitabine treatment. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of BRD9 significantly reduced the tumorigenesis in patient-derived xenografts mouse models and eliminated CSCs in tumours from pancreatic cancer patients. Mechanistically, inhibition of BRD9 disrupts enhancer-promoter looping and transcription of stemness genes in CSCs. Collectively, the data suggest BRD9 as a novel therapeutic target for PDAC treatment via modulation of CSC stemness.
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9
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Huang XZ, Pang MJ, Li JY, Chen HY, Sun JX, Song YX, Ni HJ, Ye SY, Bai S, Li TH, Wang XY, Lu JY, Yang JJ, Sun X, Mills JC, Miao ZF, Wang ZN. Single-cell sequencing of ascites fluid illustrates heterogeneity and therapy-induced evolution during gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:822. [PMID: 36788228 PMCID: PMC9929081 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36310-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Peritoneal metastasis is the leading cause of death for gastrointestinal cancers. The native and therapy-induced ascites ecosystems are not fully understood. Here, we characterize single-cell transcriptomes of 191,987 ascites cancer/immune cells from 35 patients with/without gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM). During GCPM progression, an increase is seen of monocyte-like dendritic cells (DCs) that are pro-angiogenic with reduced antigen-presenting capacity and correlate with poor gastric cancer (GC) prognosis. We also describe the evolution of monocyte-like DCs and regulatory and proliferative T cells following therapy. Moreover, we track GC evolution, identifying high-plasticity GC clusters that exhibit a propensity to shift to a high-proliferative phenotype. Transitions occur via the recently described, autophagy-dependent plasticity program, paligenosis. Two autophagy-related genes (MARCKS and TXNIP) mark high-plasticity GC with poorer prognosis, and autophagy inhibitors induce apoptosis in patient-derived organoids. Our findings provide insights into the developmental trajectories of cancer/immune cells underlying GCPM progression and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan-Zhang Huang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Min-Jiao Pang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jia-Yi Li
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Han-Yu Chen
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jing-Xu Sun
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yong-Xi Song
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Hong-Jie Ni
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Shi-Yu Ye
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Shi Bai
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Teng-Hui Li
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xin-Yu Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jing-Yuan Lu
- Eight-year system, Institute of innovation, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning province, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jin-Jia Yang
- Eight-year system, Institute of innovation, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning province, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xun Sun
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jason C Mills
- Section of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 535E Anderson-Jones Building, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, 535E Anderson-Jones Building, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 535E Anderson-Jones Building, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Zhi-Feng Miao
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. .,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. .,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
| | - Zhen-Ning Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 N, Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. .,Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. .,Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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10
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Yang XY, Lu YF, Xu JX, Du YZ, Yu RS. Recent Advances in Well-Designed Therapeutic Nanosystems for the Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Treatment Dilemma. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031506. [PMID: 36771172 PMCID: PMC9920782 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis and low survival rate. Due to its inconspicuous symptoms, PDAC is difficult to diagnose early. Most patients are diagnosed in the middle and late stages, losing the opportunity for surgery. Chemotherapy is the main treatment in clinical practice and improves the survival of patients to some extent. However, the improved prognosis is associated with higher side effects, and the overall prognosis is far from satisfactory. In addition to resistance to chemotherapy, PDAC is significantly resistant to targeted therapy and immunotherapy. The failure of multiple treatment modalities indicates great dilemmas in treating PDAC, including high molecular heterogeneity, high drug resistance, an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and a dense matrix. Nanomedicine shows great potential to overcome the therapeutic barriers of PDAC. Through the careful design and rational modification of nanomaterials, multifunctional intelligent nanosystems can be obtained. These nanosystems can adapt to the environment's needs and compensate for conventional treatments' shortcomings. This review is focused on recent advances in the use of well-designed nanosystems in different therapeutic modalities to overcome the PDAC treatment dilemma, including a variety of novel therapeutic modalities. Finally, these nanosystems' bottlenecks in treating PDAC and the prospect of future clinical translation are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Yuan-Fei Lu
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Jian-Xia Xu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 318 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310005, China
| | - Yong-Zhong Du
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Correspondence: (Y.-Z.D.); (R.-S.Y.); Tel.: +86-571-88208435 (Y.-Z.D.); +86-571-87783925 (R.-S.Y.)
| | - Ri-Sheng Yu
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
- Correspondence: (Y.-Z.D.); (R.-S.Y.); Tel.: +86-571-88208435 (Y.-Z.D.); +86-571-87783925 (R.-S.Y.)
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11
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Tian X, Zheng J, Mou W, Lu G, Chen S, Du J, Zheng Y, Chen S, Shen B, Li J, Wang N. Development and validation of a hypoxia-stemness-based prognostic signature in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:939542. [PMID: 35935823 PMCID: PMC9350896 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.939542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is one of the most aggressive and fatal gastrointestinal malignancies with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Accumulating evidence has revealed the clinical significance of the interaction between the hypoxic microenvironment and cancer stemness in pancreatic cancer progression and therapies. This study aims to identify a hypoxia-stemness index-related gene signature for risk stratification and prognosis prediction in PAAD.Methods: The mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) data of PAAD samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were calculated based on the one-class logistic regression (OCLR) machine learning algorithm. Univariate Cox regression and LASSO regression analyses were then performed to establish a hypoxia-mRNAsi-related gene signature, and its prognostic performance was verified in both the TCGA-PAAD and GSE62452 corhorts by Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Additionally, we further validated the expression levels of signature genes using the TCGA, GTEx and HPA databases as well as qPCR experiments. Moreover, we constructed a prognostic nomogram incorporating the eight-gene signature and traditional clinical factors and analyzed the correlations of the risk score with immune infiltrates and immune checkpoint genes.Results: The mRNAsi values of PAAD samples were significantly higher than those of normal samples (p < 0.001), and PAAD patients with high mRNAsi values exhibited worse overall survival (OS). A novel prognostic risk model was successfully constructed based on the eight-gene signature comprising JMJD6, NDST1, ENO3, LDHA, TES, ANKZF1, CITED, and SIAH2, which could accurately predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of PAAD patients in both the training and external validation datasets. Additionally, the eight-gene signature could distinguish PAAD samples from normal samples and stratify PAAD patients into low- and high-risk groups with distinct OS. The risk score was closely correlated with immune cell infiltration patterns and immune checkpoint molecules. Moreover, calibration analysis showed the excellent predictive ability of the nomogram incorporating the eight-gene signature and traditional clinical factors.Conclusion: We developed a hypoxia-stemness-related prognostic signature that reliably predicts the OS of PAAD. Our findings may aid in the risk stratification and individual treatment of PAAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Tian
- Department of Public Research Platform, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Wanlan Mou
- Department of Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Guoguang Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Shuaishuai Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Juping Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Yufen Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Shiyong Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Bo Shen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Li, ; Na Wang,
| | - Na Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Li, ; Na Wang,
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12
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Mitochondrial Elongation and OPA1 Play Crucial Roles during the Stemness Acquisition Process in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143432. [PMID: 35884493 PMCID: PMC9322438 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal neoplasia and the currently used treatments are not effective in a wide range of patients. Presently, the evidence points out that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are key players during tumor development, metastasis, chemoresistance, and tumor relapse. The study of the metabolism of CSCs, specifically the mitochondrial alterations, could pave the way to the discovery of new therapeutical targets. In this study, we show that during progressive de-differentiation, pancreatic CSCs undergo changes in mitochondrial mass, dynamics, and function. Interestingly, the silencing of OPA1, a protein involved in mitochondrial fusion, significantly inhibits the formation of CSCs. These results reveal new insight into mitochondria and stemness acquisition that could be useful for the design of novel potential therapies in PDAC. Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 9%. The high aggressiveness of PDAC is linked to the presence of a subpopulation of cancer cells with a greater tumorigenic capacity, generically called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs present a heterogeneous metabolic profile that might be supported by an adaptation of mitochondrial function; however, the role of this organelle in the development and maintenance of CSCs remains controversial. To determine the role of mitochondria in CSCs over longer periods, which may reflect more accurately their quiescent state, we studied the mitochondrial physiology in CSCs at short-, medium-, and long-term culture periods. We found that CSCs show a significant increase in mitochondrial mass, more mitochondrial fusion, and higher mRNA expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis than parental cells. These changes are accompanied by a regulation of the activities of OXPHOS complexes II and IV. Furthermore, the protein OPA1, which is involved in mitochondrial dynamics, is overexpressed in CSCs and modulates the tumorsphere formation. Our findings indicate that CSCs undergo mitochondrial remodeling during the stemness acquisition process, which could be exploited as a promising therapeutic target against pancreatic CSCs.
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13
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Agostini A, Orlacchio A, Carbone C, Guerriero I. Understanding Tricky Cellular and Molecular Interactions in Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment: New Food for Thought. Front Immunol 2022; 13:876291. [PMID: 35711414 PMCID: PMC9193393 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.876291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents 90% of all pancreatic cancer cases and shows a high mortality rate among all solid tumors. PDAC is often associated with poor prognosis, due to the late diagnosis that leads to metastasis development, and limited efficacy of available treatments. The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents a reliable source of novel targets for therapy, and even if many of the biological interactions among stromal, immune, and cancer cells that populate the TME have been studied, much more needs to be clarified. The great limitation in the efficacy of current standard chemoterapy is due to both the dense fibrotic inaccessible TME barrier surrounding cancer cells and the immunological evolution from a tumor-suppressor to an immunosuppressive environment. Nevertheless, combinatorial therapies may prove more effective at overcoming resistance mechanisms and achieving tumor cell killing. To achieve this result, a deeper understanding of the pathological mechanisms driving tumor progression and immune escape is required in order to design rationale-based therapeutic strategies. This review aims to summarize the present knowledge about cellular interactions in the TME, with much attention on immunosuppressive functioning and a specific focus on extracellular matrix (ECM) contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Agostini
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Arturo Orlacchio
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carmine Carbone
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Guerriero
- Biogem, Biology and Molecular Genetics Institute, Ariano Irpino, Italy
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14
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Sun HY, Du ST, Li YY, Deng GT, Zeng FR. Bromodomain and extra-terminal inhibitors emerge as potential therapeutic avenues for gastrointestinal cancers. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2022; 14:75-89. [PMID: 35116104 PMCID: PMC8790409 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v14.i1.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer and gastric cancer, are severe social burdens due to high incidence and mortality rates. Bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins are epigenetic readers consisting of four conserved members (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRDT). BET family perform pivotal roles in tumorigenesis through transcriptional regulation, thereby emerging as potential therapeutic targets. BET inhibitors, disrupting the interaction between BET proteins and acetylated lysines, have been reported to suppress tumor initiation and progression in most of GI cancers. In this review, we will demonstrate how BET proteins participate in the GI cancers progression and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting BET proteins for GI cancers treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yan Sun
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Song-Tao Du
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Department of Colorectal Surgical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Ya-Yun Li
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Guang-Tong Deng
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
| | - Fu-Rong Zeng
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
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15
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Implication of Ceramide Kinase/C1P in Cancer Development and Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14010227. [PMID: 35008391 PMCID: PMC8750078 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells rewire their metabolic programs to favor biological processes that promote cell survival, proliferation, and dissemination. Among this relevant reprogramming, sphingolipid metabolism provides metabolites that can favor or oppose these hallmarks of cancer. The sphingolipid ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) and the enzyme responsible for its biosynthesis, ceramide kinase (CERK), are well established regulators of cell growth and survival in normal, as well as malignant cells through stress-regulated signaling pathways. This metabolite also promotes cell survival, which has been associated with the feedback regulation of other antitumoral sphingolipids or second messengers. C1P also regulates cancer cell invasion and migration of different types of cancer, including lung, breast, pancreas, prostate, or leukemia cells. More recently, CERK and C1P have been implicated in the control of inflammatory responses. The present review provides an updated view on the important role of CERK/C1P in the regulation of cancer cell growth, survival, and dissemination.
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16
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Xiong G, Pan S, Jin J, Wang X, He R, Peng F, Li X, Wang M, Zheng J, Zhu F, Qin R. Long Noncoding Competing Endogenous RNA Networks in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:765216. [PMID: 34760707 PMCID: PMC8573238 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.765216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant disease characterized by insidious onset, rapid progress, and poor therapeutic effects. The molecular mechanisms associated with PC initiation and progression are largely insufficient, hampering the exploitation of novel diagnostic biomarkers and development of efficient therapeutic strategies. Emerging evidence recently reveals that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), extensively participate in PC pathogenesis. Specifically, lncRNAs can function as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), competitively sequestering miRNAs, therefore modulating the expression levels of their downstream target genes. Such complex lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA networks, namely, ceRNA networks, play crucial roles in the biological processes of PC by regulating cell growth and survival, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis, cancer stem cell maintenance, metabolism, autophagy, chemoresistance, and angiogenesis. In this review, the emerging knowledge on the lncRNA-associated ceRNA networks involved in PC initiation and progression will be summarized, and the potentials of the competitive crosstalk as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets will be comprehensively discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangbing Xiong
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shutao Pan
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jikuan Jin
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Wang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruizhi He
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Peng
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xu Li
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianwei Zheng
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Zhu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Renyi Qin
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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17
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Safe S, Shrestha R, Mohankumar K, Howard M, Hedrick E, Abdelrahim M. Transcription factors specificity protein and nuclear receptor 4A1 in pancreatic cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:6387-6398. [PMID: 34720529 PMCID: PMC8517783 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i38.6387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors (TFs) Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4, and the orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1) are highly expressed in pancreatic tumors and Sp1 is a negative prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer patient survival. Results of knockdown and overexpression of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in pancreatic and other cancer lines show that these TFs are individually pro-oncogenic factors and loss of one Sp TF is not compensated by other members. NR4A1 is also a pro-oncogenic factor and both NR4A1 and Sp TFs exhibit similar functions in pancreatic cancer cells and regulate cell growth, survival, migration and invasion. There is also evidence that Sp TFs and NR4A1 regulate some of the same genes including survivin, epidermal growth factor receptor, PAX3-FOXO1, α5- and α6-integrins, β1-, β3- and β4-integrins; this is due to NR4A1 acting as a cofactor and mediating NR4A1/Sp1/4-regulated gene expression through GC-rich gene promoter sites. Several studies show that drugs targeting Sp downregulation or NR4A1 antagonists are highly effective inhibitors of Sp/NR4A1-regulated pathways and genes in pancreatic and other cancer cells, and the triterpenoid celastrol is a novel dual-acting agent that targets both Sp TFs and NR4A1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States
| | - Rupesh Shrestha
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States
| | - Marcell Howard
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States
| | - Erik Hedrick
- Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
| | - Maen Abdelrahim
- Department of Medical Oncology, Houston Methodist Hospital Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States
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18
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Pook H, Pauklin S. Mechanisms of Cancer Cell Death: Therapeutic Implications for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4834. [PMID: 34638318 PMCID: PMC8508208 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a type of cancer that is strongly associated with poor prognosis and short median survival times. In stark contrast to the progress seen in other cancer types in recent decades, discoveries of new treatments in PDAC have been few and far between and there has been little improvement in overall survival (OS). The difficulty in treating this disease is multifactorial, contributed to by late presentation, difficult access to primary tumour sites, an 'immunologically cold' phenotype, and a strong tendency of recurrence likely driven by cancer stem cell (CSC) populations. Furthermore, apparently contrasting roles of tumour components (such as fibrotic stroma) and intracellular pathways (such as autophagy and TGFβ) have made it difficult to distinguish beneficial from detrimental drug targets. Despite this, progress has been made in the field, including the determination of mFOLFIRINOX as the standard-of-care adjuvant therapy and the discovery of KRASG12C mutant inhibitors. Moreover, new research, as outlined in this review, has highlighted promising new approaches including the targeting of the tumour microenvironment, enhancement of immunotherapies, epigenetic modulation, and destruction of CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK;
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Cyclin Dependent Kinase-1 (CDK-1) Inhibition as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy against Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174389. [PMID: 34503199 PMCID: PMC8430873 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of CDK1 in PDAC onset and development is two-fold. Firstly, since CDK1 activity regulates the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint, overexpression of CDK1 can lead to progression into mitosis even in cells with DNA damage, a potentially tumorigenic process. Secondly, CDK1 overexpression leads to the stimulation of a range of proteins that induce stem cell properties, which can contribute to the development of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs promote tumor-initiation and metastasis and play a crucial role in the development of PDAC. Targeting CDK1 showed promising results for PDAC treatment in different preclinical models, where CDK1 inhibition induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and led to induction of apoptosis. Next to this, PDAC CSCs are uniquely sensitive to CDK1 inhibition. In addition, targeting of CDK1 has shown potential for combination therapy with both ionizing radiation treatment and conventional chemotherapy, through sensitizing tumor cells and reducing resistance to these treatments. To conclude, CDK1 inhibition induces G2/M cell cycle arrest, stimulates apoptosis, and specifically targets CSCs, which makes it a promising treatment for PDAC. Screening of patients for CDK1 overexpression and further research into combination treatments is essential for optimizing this novel targeted therapy.
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Chen S, Chen C, Hu Y, Song G, Shen X. The diverse roles of circular RNAs in pancreatic cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 226:107869. [PMID: 33895187 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the malignant tumors with poor prognosis. The molecular mechanisms of pancreatic oncogenesis and malignant progression are not fully elucidated. Several key signaling pathways, such as Notch, Wnt and hedgehog pathways, are important to drive pancreatic carcinogenesis. Recently, noncoding RNAs, especially circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been characterized to participate into pancreatic cancer development. Therefore, in this review article, we describe the association between circRNAs and pancreatic cancer prognosis. Moreover, we discuss how circRNAs are involved in regulation of cellular processes in pancreatic cancer, including proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration, invasion, EMT, metastasis, angiogenesis, drug resistance and immune escape. Furthermore, we mention that several compounds could regulate the expression of circRNAs, indicating that targeting circRNAs by compounds might be helpful for treating pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sian Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Chenbin Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Yuanbo Hu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Gendi Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Xian Shen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
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