1
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Liu Y, Chen W, Liu M, Yeh H, Chen W, Jiang K, Li H, Chen Z, Wang W, Abou‐Kheir W, Wen Y. Immunosuppressive role of BDNF in therapy-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:1665-1686. [PMID: 38381121 PMCID: PMC11161734 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Prostate stromal cells play a crucial role in the promotion of tumor growth and immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment (TME) through intricate molecular alterations in their interaction with prostate cancer (PCa) cells. While the impact of these cells on establishing an immunosuppressive response and influencing PCa aggressiveness remains incompletely understood. Our study shows that the activation of the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/LIF receptor (LIFR) pathway in both prostate tumor and stromal cells, following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), leads to the development of an immunosuppressive TME. Activation of LIF/LIFR signaling in PCa cells induces neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) and upregulates immune checkpoint expression. Inhibition of LIF/LIFR attenuates these effects, underscoring the crucial role of LIF/LIFR in linking NED to immunosuppression. Prostate stromal cells expressing LIFR contribute to NED and immunosuppressive marker abundance in PCa cells, while LIFR knockdown in prostate stromal cells reverses these effects. ADT-driven LIF/LIFR signaling induces brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, which, in turn, promotes NED, aggressiveness, and immune evasion in PCa cells. Clinical analyses demonstrate elevated BDNF levels in metastatic castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) and a positive correlation with programmed death-ligand 1 (PDL1) and immunosuppressive signatures. This study shows that the crosstalk between PCa cells and prostate stromal cells enhances LIF/LIFR signaling, contributing to an immunosuppressive TME and NED in PCa cells through the upregulation of BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen‐Nien Liu
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and TechnologyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Wei‐Yu Chen
- Department of Pathology, Wan Fang HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Ming‐Kun Liu
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and TechnologyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Hsiu‐Lien Yeh
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and TechnologyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Wei‐Hao Chen
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and TechnologyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Kuo‐Ching Jiang
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and TechnologyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Han‐Ru Li
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and TechnologyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Zi‐Qing Chen
- Division of Clinical Pharmacy, School of PharmacyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Wan‐Hsin Wang
- Division of Clinical Pharmacy, School of PharmacyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
| | - Wassim Abou‐Kheir
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences Faculty of MedicineAmerican University of BeirutLebanon
| | - Yu‐Ching Wen
- Department of Urology, Wan Fang HospitalTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of MedicineTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
- TMU Research Center of Urology and KidneyTaipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
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2
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Zhang X, Li H, Wang Y, Zhao H, Wang Z, Chan FL. Nuclear receptor NURR1 functions to promote stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer via its targeting of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:234. [PMID: 38531859 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06621-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Dysregulated activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a frequent or common event during advanced progression of multiple cancers. With this signaling activation, it enhances their tumorigenic growth and facilitates metastasis and therapy resistance. Advances show that this signaling pathway can play dual regulatory roles in the control of cellular processes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness in cancer progression. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is shown to be common in prostate cancer and also castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, the transcriptional regulators of this pathway in prostate cancer are still not well characterized. NURR1 (NR4A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor and plays an important role in the development of dopaminergic neurons. Previously, we have shown that NURR1 exhibits an upregulation in isolated prostate cancer stem-like cells (PCSCs) and a xenograft model of CRPC. In this study, we further confirmed that NURR1 exhibited an upregulation in prostate cancer and also enhanced expression in prostate cancer cell lines. Functional and molecular analyses showed that NURR1 could act to promote both in vitro (cancer stemness and EMT) and also in vivo oncogenic growth of prostate cancer cells (metastasis and castration resistance) via its direct transactivation of CTNNB1 (β-catenin) and activation of β-catenin to mediate the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, we also demonstrated that NURR1 activity in prostate cancer cells could be modulated by small molecules, implicating that NURR1 could be a potential therapeutic target for advanced prostate cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haolong Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Urology, The People's Hospital of Longhua, Shenzhen, 518109, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuliang Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhu Wang
- Department of Urology, The People's Hospital of Longhua, Shenzhen, 518109, Guangdong, China.
| | - Franky Leung Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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3
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Kouroukli O, Bravou V, Giannitsas K, Tzelepi V. Tissue-Based Diagnostic Biomarkers of Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancer: A Narrative Review. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:805. [PMID: 38398199 PMCID: PMC10887410 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040805] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) is a common malignancy among elderly men, characterized by great heterogeneity in its clinical course, ranging from an indolent to a highly aggressive disease. The aggressive variant of prostate cancer (AVPC) clinically shows an atypical pattern of disease progression, similar to that of small cell PC (SCPC), and also shares the chemo-responsiveness of SCPC. The term AVPC does not describe a specific histologic subtype of PC but rather the group of tumors that, irrespective of morphology, show an aggressive clinical course, dictated by androgen receptor (AR) indifference. AR indifference represents an adaptive response to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), driven by epithelial plasticity, an inherent ability of tumor cells to adapt to their environment by changing their phenotypic characteristics in a bi-directional way. The molecular profile of AVPC entails combined alterations in the tumor suppressor genes retinoblastoma protein 1 (RB1), tumor protein 53 (TP53), and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). The understanding of the biologic heterogeneity of castration-resistant PC (CRPC) and the need to identify the subset of patients that would potentially benefit from specific therapies necessitate the development of prognostic and predictive biomarkers. This review aims to discuss the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms of AVPC development and the potential use of emerging tissue-based biomarkers in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kouroukli
- Department of Pathology, Evaggelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Bravou
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece;
| | | | - Vasiliki Tzelepi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
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4
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Wang W, Kong P, Feng K, Liu C, Gong X, Sun T, Duan X, Sang Y, Jiang Y, Li X, Zhang L, Tao Z, Liu W. Exosomal miR-222-3p contributes to castration-resistant prostate cancer by activating mTOR signaling. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:4252-4269. [PMID: 37671589 PMCID: PMC10637070 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the clinical benefits of androgen deprivation therapy, most patients with advanced androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC) eventually relapse and progress to lethal androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), also termed castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). MiRNAs can be packaged into exosomes (Exos) and shuttled between cells. However, the roles and mechanisms of exosomal miRNAs involved in CRPC progression have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we find that miR-222-3p is elevated in AIPC cells, which results in remarkable enhancement of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion ability. Furthermore, Exos released by AIPC cells can be uptaken by ADPC cells, thus acclimating ADPC cells to progressing to more aggressive cell types in vitro and in vivo through exosomal transfer of miR-222-3p. Mechanistically, Exos-miR-222-3p promoted ADPC cells transformed to AIPC-like cells, at least in part, by activating mTOR signaling through targeting MIDN. Our results show that AIPC cells secrete Exos containing miRNA cargo. These cargos can be transferred to ADPC cells through paracrine mechanisms that have a strong impact on cellular functional remodeling. The current work underscores the great therapeutic potential of targeting Exo miRNAs, either as a single agent or combined with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors for CRPC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixi Wang
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Piaoping Kong
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Kangle Feng
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Chunhua Liu
- Department of Blood TransfusionZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Xubo Gong
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Xiuzhi Duan
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Yiwen Sang
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Yu Jiang
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Laboratory MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical CollegeBengbuChina
| | - Zhihua Tao
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Department of Laboratory MedicineZhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated HospitalHangzhouChina
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5
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Li JJ, Vasciaveo A, Karagiannis D, Sun Z, Chen X, Socciarelli F, Frankenstein Z, Zou M, Pannellini T, Chen Y, Gardner K, Robinson BD, de Bono J, Abate-Shen C, Rubin MA, Loda M, Sawyers CL, Califano A, Lu C, Shen MM. NSD2 maintains lineage plasticity and castration-resistance in neuroendocrine prostate cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.18.549585. [PMID: 37502956 PMCID: PMC10370123 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The clinical use of potent androgen receptor (AR) inhibitors has promoted the emergence of novel subtypes of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), including neuroendocrine prostate cancer (CRPC-NE), which is highly aggressive and lethal 1 . These mCRPC subtypes display increased lineage plasticity and often lack AR expression 2-5 . Here we show that neuroendocrine differentiation and castration-resistance in CRPC-NE are maintained by the activity of Nuclear Receptor Binding SET Domain Protein 2 (NSD2) 6 , which catalyzes histone H3 lysine 36 dimethylation (H3K36me2). We find that organoid lines established from genetically-engineered mice 7 recapitulate key features of human CRPC-NE, and can display transdifferentiation to neuroendocrine states in culture. CRPC-NE organoids express elevated levels of NSD2 and H3K36me2 marks, but relatively low levels of H3K27me3, consistent with antagonism of EZH2 activity by H3K36me2. Human CRPC-NE but not primary NEPC tumors expresses high levels of NSD2, consistent with a key role for NSD2 in lineage plasticity, and high NSD2 expression in mCRPC correlates with poor survival outcomes. Notably, CRISPR/Cas9 targeting of NSD2 or expression of a dominant-negative oncohistone H3.3K36M mutant results in loss of neuroendocrine phenotypes and restores responsiveness to the AR inhibitor enzalutamide in mouse and human CRPC-NE organoids and grafts. Our findings indicate that NSD2 inhibition can reverse lineage plasticity and castration-resistance, and provide a potential new therapeutic target for CRPC-NE.
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6
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Zhao S, Liao J, Zhang S, Shen M, Li X, Zhou L. The positive relationship between androgen receptor splice variant-7 expression and the risk of castration-resistant prostate cancer: A cumulative analysis. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1053111. [PMID: 36865799 PMCID: PMC9972874 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1053111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background At present, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is still the standard regimen for patients with metastatic and locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa). The level of androgen receptor splice variant-7 (AR-V7) in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has been reported to be elevated compared with that in patients diagnosed with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC). Aim Herein, we performed a systematic review and cumulative analysis to evaluate whether the expression of AR-V7 was significantly higher in patients with CRPC than in HSPC patients. Methods The commonly used databases were searched to identify the potential studies reporting the level of AR-V7 in CRPC and HSPC patients. The association between CRPC and the positive expression of AR-V7 was pooled by using the relative risk (RR) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) under a random-effects model. For detecting the potential bias and the heterogeneity of the included studies, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were performed. Publication bias was assessed Egger's and Begg's tests. This study was registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022297014). Results This cumulative analysis included 672 participants from seven clinical trials. The study group contained 354 CRPC patients, while the other group contained 318 HSPC patients. Pooled results from the seven eligible studies showed that the expression of positive AR-V7 was significantly higher in men with CRPC compared to those with HSPC (RR = 7.55, 95% CI: 4.61-12.35, p < 0.001). In the sensitivity analysis, the combined RRs did not change substantially, ranging from 6.85 (95% CI: 4.16-11.27, p < 0.001) to 9.84 (95% CI: 5.13-18.87, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, a stronger association was detected in RNA in situ hybridization (RISH) measurement in American patients, and those studies were published before 2011 (all p < 0.001). There was no significant publication bias identified in our study. Conclusion Evidence from the seven eligible studies demonstrated that patients with CRPC had a significantly elevated positive expression of AR-V7. More investigations are still warranted to clarify the association between CRPC and AR-V7 testing. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022297014.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shankun Zhao
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jian Liao
- Department of Nephrology, Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shilong Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Maolei Shen
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Libo Zhou
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,*Correspondence: Libo Zhou,
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7
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Boulton DP, Caino MC. Mitochondria engage the integrated stress response to promote tumor growth. Oncotarget 2023. [DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
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Hassan S, Blick T, Wood J, Thompson EW, Williams ED. Circulating Tumour Cells Indicate the Presence of Residual Disease Post-Castration in Prostate Cancer Patient-Derived Xenograft Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:858013. [PMID: 35493092 PMCID: PMC9043137 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.858013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the lethal form of prostate cancer. Epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) has been associated with disease progression to CRPC, and prostate cancer therapies targeting the androgen signalling axis, including androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), promote EMP. We explored effects of castration on EMP in the tumours and circulating tumour cells (CTCs) of patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-bearing castrated mice using human-specific RT-qPCR assays and immunocytochemistry. Expression of prostate epithelial cell marker KLK3 was below detection in most tumours from castrated mice (62%, 23/37 mice), consistent with its known up-regulation by androgens. Endpoint tumour size after castration varied significantly in a PDX model-specific pattern; while most tumours were castration-sensitive (BM18, LuCaP70), the majority of LuCaP105 tumours continued to grow following castration. By contrast, LuCaP96 PDX showed a mixed response to castration. CTCs were detected in 33% of LuCaP105, 43% of BM18, 47% of LuCaP70, and 54% of LuCaP96 castrated mice using RPL32 mRNA measurement in plasma. When present, CTC numbers estimated using human RPL32 expression ranged from 1 to 458 CTCs per ml blood, similar to our previous observations in non-castrated mice. In contrast to their non-castrated counterparts, there was no relationship between tumour size and CTC burden in castrated mice. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of the gene expression profiles of CTCs collected from castrated and non-castrated mice revealed distinct CTC sub-groups within the pooled population that were classified as having mesenchymal, epithelial, or EMP hybrid gene expression profiles. The epithelial signature was only found in CTCs from non-castrated mice. Hybrid and mesenchymal signatures were detected in CTCs from both castrated and non-castrated mice, with an emphasis towards mesenchymal phenotypes in castrated mice. Post-castration serum PSA levels were either below detection or very low for all the CTC positive samples highlighting the potential usefulness of CTCs for disease monitoring after androgen ablation therapy. In summary, our study of castration effects on prostate cancer PDX CTCs showed that CTCs were often detected in the castrate setting, even in mice with no palpable tumours, and demonstrated the superior ability of CTCs to reveal residual disease over the conventional clinical biomarker serum PSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hassan
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences at Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Tony Blick
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences at Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jack Wood
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences at Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Queensland (APCRC-Q) and Queensland Bladder Cancer Initiative (QBCI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Erik W. Thompson
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences at Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Elizabeth D. Williams
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences at Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Queensland (APCRC-Q) and Queensland Bladder Cancer Initiative (QBCI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- *Correspondence: Elizabeth D. Williams,
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9
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Flores M, Goodrich DW. Retinoblastoma Protein Paralogs and Tumor Suppression. Front Genet 2022; 13:818719. [PMID: 35368709 PMCID: PMC8971665 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.818719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (RB1) is the first tumor suppressor gene discovered and a prototype for understanding regulatory networks that function in opposition to oncogenic stimuli. More than 3 decades of research has firmly established a widespread and prominent role for RB1 in human cancer. Yet, this gene encodes but one of three structurally and functionally related proteins that comprise the pocket protein family. A central question in the field is whether the additional genes in this family, RBL1 and RBL2, are important tumor suppressor genes. If so, how does their tumor suppressor activity overlap or differ from RB1. Here we revisit these questions by reviewing relevant data from human cancer genome sequencing studies that have been rapidly accumulating in recent years as well as pertinent functional studies in genetically engineered mice. We conclude that RBL1 and RBL2 do have important tumor suppressor activity in some contexts, but RB1 remains the dominant tumor suppressor in the family. Given their similarities, we speculate on why RB1 tumor suppressor activity is unique.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David W. Goodrich
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Buffalo, NY, United States
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Zhang Y, Zhu S, Du Y, Xu F, Sun W, Xu Z, Wang X, Qian P, Zhang Q, Feng J, Xu Y. RelB upregulates PD-L1 and exacerbates prostate cancer immune evasion. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:66. [PMID: 35177112 PMCID: PMC8851785 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02243-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
The interaction between programmed death receptor (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) is essential for suppressing activated T-lymphocytes. However, the precise mechanisms underlying PD-L1 overexpression in tumours have yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we describe that RelB participates in the immune evasion of prostate cancer (PCa) via cis/trans transcriptional upregulation of PD-L1.
Methods
Based on transcriptome results, RelB was manipulated in multiple human and murine PCa cell lines. Activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were cocultured with PCa cells with different levels of RelB to examine the effect of tumourous RelB on T cell immunity. Male mice were injected with murine PCa cells to validate the effect of RelB on the PD-1/PD-L1-mediated immune checkpoint using both tumour growth and metastatic experimental models.
Results
PD-L1 is uniquely expressed at a high level in PCa with high constitutive RelB and correlates with the patients’ Gleason scores. Indeed, a high level of PD-L1 is associated with RelB nuclear translocation in AR-negative aggressive PCa cells. Conversely, the silencing of RelB in advanced PCa cells resulted in reduced PD-L1 expression and enhanced susceptibility of PCa cells to the T cell immune response in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, a proximal NF-κB enhancer element was identified in the core promoter region of the human CD274 gene, which is responsible for RelB-mediated PD-L1 transcriptional activation. This finding provides an informative insight into immune checkpoint blockade by administering RelB within the tumour microenvironment.
Conclusion
This study deciphers the molecular mechanism by which tumourous RelB contributes to immune evasion by inhibiting T cell immunity via the amplification of the PD-L1/PD-1-mediated immune checkpoint. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02243-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shuyi Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yuanyuan Du
- Department of Medical Oncology, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Fan Xu
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wenbo Sun
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhi Xu
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xiumei Wang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Peipei Qian
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Jifeng Feng
- Department of Medical Oncology, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Yong Xu
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China. .,Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
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11
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Furnish M, Boulton DP, Genther V, Grofova D, Ellinwood ML, Romero L, Lucia MS, Cramer SD, Caino MC. MIRO2 regulates prostate cancer cell growth via GCN1-dependent stress signaling. Mol Cancer Res 2022; 20:607-621. [PMID: 34992146 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is a continued need to identify novel therapeutic targets to prevent the mortality associated with prostate cancer. In this context, Mitochondrial Rho GTPase 2 (MIRO2) mRNA was upregulated in metastatic prostate cancer compared to localized tumors, and higher MIRO2 levels were correlated with poor patient survival. Using human cell lines that represent androgen-independent or -sensitive prostate cancer, we showed that MIRO2 depletion impaired cell growth, colony formation and tumor growth in mice. Network analysis of MIRO2's binding partners identified metabolism and cellular responses to extracellular stimuli as top over-represented pathways. The top hit on our screen, General Control Non-derepressible 1 (GCN1), was overexpressed in prostate cancer, and interacted with MIRO2 in prostate cancer cell lines and in primary prostate cancer cells. Functional analysis of MIRO2 mutations present in prostate cancer patients led to the identification of MIRO2 159L, which increased GCN1 binding. Importantly, MIRO2 was necessary for efficient GCN1-mediated GCN2 kinase signaling and induction of the transcription factor ATF4 levels. Further, MIRO2's effect on regulating prostate cancer cell growth was mediated by ATF4. Finally, levels of activated GCN2 and ATF4 were correlated with MIRO2 expression in prostate cancer xenografts. Both MIRO2 and activated GCN2 levels were higher in hypoxic areas of prostate cancer xenografts. Overall, we propose that targeting the MIRO2-GCN1 axis may be a valuable strategy to halt prostate cancer growth. Implications: MIRO2/GCN1/GCN2 constitute a novel mitochondrial signaling pathway that controls androgen-independent and androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Furnish
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Pharmacology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dillon P Boulton
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Pharmacology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Victoria Genther
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Denisa Grofova
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Mitchell Lee Ellinwood
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Lina Romero
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - M Scott Lucia
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Scott D Cramer
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - M Cecilia Caino
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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12
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Zhang W, Wang T, Wang Y, Zhu F, Shi H, Zhang J, Wang Z, Qu M, Zhang H, Wang T, Qian Y, Yang J, Gao X, Li J. Intratumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution revealed in castration-resistant prostate cancer by longitudinal genomic analysis. Transl Oncol 2021; 16:101311. [PMID: 34902740 PMCID: PMC8681025 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Intratumor heterogeneity is a key driver for local relapse and treatment failure. Thus, using multifocal prostate cancer as a model to investigate tumor inter-clonal relationships and tumor evolution could aid in our understanding of drug resistance. Previous studies discovered genomic alterations by comparing hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in large cohorts. However, most studies did not sequentially sample tumors from the same patient. In our study, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 14 specimens from five locally relapsed patients before and after androgen-deprivation therapy. We described the landscape of genomic alterations before and after treatment and identified critical driver events that could have contributed to the evolution of CRPC. In addition to confirming known cancer genes such as TP53 and CDK12, we also identified new candidate genes that may play a role in the progression of prostate cancer, including MYO15A, CHD6 and LZTR1. At copy number alteration (CNA) level, gain of 8q24.13-8q24.3 was observed in 60% of patients and was the most commonly altered locus in both HSPC and CRPC tumors. Finally, utilizing phylogenetic reconstruction, we explored the clonal progression pattern from HSPC to CRPC in each patient. Our findings highlight the complex and heterogeneous mechanisms underlying the development of drug resistance, and underscore the potential value of monitoring tumor clonal architectures during disease progression in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zhang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Feng Zhu
- Department of Urology, Tianyou Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200333, China
| | - Haoqing Shi
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jili Zhang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ziwei Wang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Min Qu
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Huaru Zhang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Tianyi Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yuping Qian
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jinjian Yang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China.
| | - Xu Gao
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Bioinformatics, Center for Translational Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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13
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Bolis M, Bossi D, Vallerga A, Ceserani V, Cavalli M, Impellizzieri D, Di Rito L, Zoni E, Mosole S, Elia AR, Rinaldi A, Pereira Mestre R, D’Antonio E, Ferrari M, Stoffel F, Jermini F, Gillessen S, Bubendorf L, Schraml P, Calcinotto A, Corey E, Moch H, Spahn M, Thalmann G, Kruithof-de Julio M, Rubin MA, Theurillat JPP. Dynamic prostate cancer transcriptome analysis delineates the trajectory to disease progression. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7033. [PMID: 34857732 PMCID: PMC8640014 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive genomic studies have delineated key driver mutations linked to disease progression for most cancers. However, corresponding transcriptional changes remain largely elusive because of the bias associated with cross-study analysis. Here, we overcome these hurdles and generate a comprehensive prostate cancer transcriptome atlas that describes the roadmap to tumor progression in a qualitative and quantitative manner. Most cancers follow a uniform trajectory characterized by upregulation of polycomb-repressive-complex-2, G2-M checkpoints, and M2 macrophage polarization. Using patient-derived xenograft models, we functionally validate our observations and add single-cell resolution. Thereby, we show that tumor progression occurs through transcriptional adaption rather than a selection of pre-existing cancer cell clusters. Moreover, we determine at the single-cell level how inhibition of EZH2 - the top upregulated gene along the trajectory - reverts tumor progression and macrophage polarization. Finally, a user-friendly web-resource is provided enabling the investigation of dynamic transcriptional perturbations linked to disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bolis
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI, 6500, Switzerland. .,Computational Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Richerche Farmacologiche 'Mario Negri' IRCCS, 20156, Milano, Italy. .,Bioinformatics Core Unit, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, TI, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
| | - Daniela Bossi
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Arianna Vallerga
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland ,grid.419765.80000 0001 2223 3006Bioinformatics Core Unit, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, TI 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Ceserani
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Manuela Cavalli
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Daniela Impellizzieri
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Laura Di Rito
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Computational Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Richerche Farmacologiche ‘Mario Negri’ IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy
| | - Eugenio Zoni
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simone Mosole
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Angela Rita Elia
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Andrea Rinaldi
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Ricardo Pereira Mestre
- grid.419922.5Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Eugenia D’Antonio
- grid.419922.5Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Matteo Ferrari
- grid.469433.f0000 0004 0514 7845Urology Department, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, TI Switzerland
| | - Flavio Stoffel
- grid.469433.f0000 0004 0514 7845Urology Department, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, TI Switzerland
| | - Fernando Jermini
- grid.469433.f0000 0004 0514 7845Urology Department, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, TI Switzerland
| | - Silke Gillessen
- grid.419922.5Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland ,grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Southern Switzerland (USI), TI 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Bubendorf
- grid.410567.1Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Schraml
- grid.412004.30000 0004 0478 9977Department of Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Arianna Calcinotto
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
| | - Eva Corey
- grid.34477.330000000122986657Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Holger Moch
- grid.412004.30000 0004 0478 9977Department of Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Spahn
- grid.415941.c0000 0004 0509 4333Lindenhofspital Bern, Prostate Center Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - George Thalmann
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland ,grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Department of Urology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marianna Kruithof-de Julio
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland ,grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Department of Urology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mark A. Rubin
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland ,grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Bern Center for Precision Medicine, University of Bern and Inselspital, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Philippe P. Theurillat
- grid.29078.340000 0001 2203 2861Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Oncology Research, USI, Bellinzona, TI 6500 Switzerland
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14
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J. Key promoters of tumor hallmarks. Int J Clin Oncol 2021; 27:45-58. [PMID: 34773527 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-021-02074-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of tumor hallmarks is a result of accommodation of tumor cells with their nearby milieu called tumor microenvironment (TME). Accommodation or adaptive responses is highly important for a cell to survive, without which no cell is allowed to take any further steps in tumorigenesis. Metabolism of cancer cells is largely depended on stroma. Composition and plasticity of cells within the stroma is highly affected from inflammatory setting of TME. Hypoxia which is a common event in many solid cancers, is known as one of the key hallmarks of chronic inflammation and the master regulator of metastasis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is produced in the chronic inflammatory and chronic hypoxic settings, and it is considered as a cardinal factor for induction of all tumor hallmarks. Aging, obesity and smoking are the main predisposing factors of cancer, acting mainly through modulation of TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Disease Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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15
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Luo Y, Vlaeminck-Guillem V, Baron S, Dallel S, Zhang CX, Le Romancer M. MEN1 silencing aggravates tumorigenic potential of AR-independent prostate cancer cells through nuclear translocation and activation of JunD and β-catenin. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:270. [PMID: 34446068 PMCID: PMC8393735 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02058-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Recent studies highlighted the increased frequency of AR-low or -negative prostate cancers (PCas) and the importance of AR-independent mechanisms in driving metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) development and progression. Several previous studies have highlighted the involvement of the MEN1 gene in PCa. In the current study, we focused on its role specifically in AR-independent PCa cells. Methods Cell tumorigenic features were evaluated by proliferation assay, foci formation, colony formation in soft agar, wound healing assay and xenograft experiments in mice. Quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot and immunostaining were performed to determine the expression of different factors in human PCa lines. Different ChIP-qPCR-based assays were carried out to dissect the action of JunD and β-catenin. Results We found that MEN1 silencing in AR-independent cell lines, DU145 and PC3, resulted in an increase in anchorage independence and cell migration, accompanied by sustained MYC expression. By searching for factors known to positively regulate MYC expression and play a relevant role in PCa development and progression, we uncovered that MEN1-KD triggered the nuclear translocation of JunD and β-catenin. ChIP and 3C analyses further demonstrated that MEN1-KD led to, on the one hand, augmented binding of JunD to the MYC 5′ enhancer and increased formation of loop structure, and on the other hand, increased binding of β-catenin to the MYC promoter. Moreover, the expression of several molecular markers of EMT, including E-cadherin, BMI1, Twist1 and HIF-1α, was altered in MEN1-KD DU145 and PC3 cells. In addition, analyses using cultured cells and PC3-GFP xenografts in mice demonstrated that JunD and β-catenin are necessary for the altered tumorigenic potential triggered by MEN1 inactivation in AR-independent PCa cells. Finally, we observed a significant negative clinical correlation between MEN1 and CTNNB1 mRNA expression in primary PCa and mCRPC datasets. Conclusions Our current work highlights an unrecognized oncosuppressive role for menin specifically in AR-independent PCa cells, through the activation of JunD and β-catenin pathways. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02058-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakun Luo
- Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Virginie Vlaeminck-Guillem
- Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France.,Centre de biologie Sud, Hôpital Lyon Sud, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Silvère Baron
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sarah Dallel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Chang Xian Zhang
- Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France.
| | - Muriel Le Romancer
- Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
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16
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Li W, Shen MM. Prostate cancer cell heterogeneity and plasticity: Insights from studies of genetically-engineered mouse models. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 82:60-67. [PMID: 34147640 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although prostate adenocarcinoma lacks distinguishable histopathological subtypes, prostate cancer displays significant inter- and intratumor heterogeneity at the molecular level and with respect to disease prognosis and treatment response. In principle, understanding the basis for prostate cancer heterogeneity can help distinguish aggressive from indolent disease, and help overcome castration-resistance in advanced prostate cancer. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in understanding the cell types of origin, putative cancer stem cells, and tumor plasticity in prostate cancer, focusing on insights from studies of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). We will also outline future directions for investigating tumor heterogeneity using mouse models of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Li
- Departments of Medicine, Genetics and Development, Urology, and Systems Biology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Michael M Shen
- Departments of Medicine, Genetics and Development, Urology, and Systems Biology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032 USA.
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17
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Wei W, Li QG, Long X, Hu GH, He HJ, Huang YB, Yi XL. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the prostate with bladder invasion shortly after androgen deprivation: Two case reports. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9:1668-1675. [PMID: 33728311 PMCID: PMC7942028 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i7.1668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To summarize the imaging, morphological and biological characteristics of sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) of the prostate with bladder invasion not long after castration.
CASE SUMMARY Our two cases were initially diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the prostate due to dysuria. However, prostate SC was diagnosed after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and castration after only 5 and 10 mo, respectively. Distinctive liver-like tissues appeared in the second TURP procedure in case 1, while a white, fish flesh-like, narrow pedicled soft globe protruded from the prostate to the bladder in case 2.
CONCLUSION The sarcomatoid component of SC may arise from one of the specific groups of cancer cells that are resistant to hormonal therapy. Morphological characteristics of SCs can present as “red hepatization” and “fish flesh”. SCs grow rapidly and have a poor prognosis, and thus, extensive TURP plus radiation may be the treatment of choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Department of Radiology, Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University & Guangxi Cancer Research Institute, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Qi-Guang Li
- Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University & Guangxi Cancer Research Institute, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xian Long
- Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University & Guangxi Cancer Research Institute, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Gao-Hua Hu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Qichun People’s Hospital, Qichun 435300, Hubei Province, China
| | - Hua-Jie He
- Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University & Guangxi Cancer Research Institute, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Yuan-Bi Huang
- Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University & Guangxi Cancer Research Institute, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xian-Lin Yi
- Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University & Guangxi Cancer Research Institute, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
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18
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Singh D, Bocci F, Kulkarni P, Jolly MK. Coupled Feedback Loops Involving PAGE4, EMT and Notch Signaling Can Give Rise to Non-genetic Heterogeneity in Prostate Cancer Cells. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 23:288. [PMID: 33652914 PMCID: PMC7996788 DOI: 10.3390/e23030288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Non-genetic heterogeneity is emerging as a crucial factor underlying therapy resistance in multiple cancers. However, the design principles of regulatory networks underlying non-genetic heterogeneity in cancer remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the coupled dynamics of feedback loops involving (a) oscillations in androgen receptor (AR) signaling mediated through an intrinsically disordered protein PAGE4, (b) multistability in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and c) Notch-Delta-Jagged signaling mediated cell-cell communication, each of which can generate non-genetic heterogeneity through multistability and/or oscillations. Our results show how different coupling strengths between AR and EMT signaling can lead to monostability, bistability, or oscillations in the levels of AR, as well as propagation of oscillations to EMT dynamics. These results reveal the emergent dynamics of coupled oscillatory and multi-stable systems and unravel mechanisms by which non-genetic heterogeneity in AR levels can be generated, which can act as a barrier to most existing therapies for prostate cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyoj Singh
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
- Undergraduate Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Federico Bocci
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA;
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
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19
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Abstract
Metastasis is the most complex and deadly event. Tumor-stromal interface is a place where invasion of tumor cells in the form of single-cell or collective migration occurs, with the latter being less common but more efficient. Initiation of metastasis relies on the tumor cell cross-talking with stromal cells and taking an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in single cells, and a hybrid EMT in collective migratory cells. Stromal cross-talking along with an abnormal leaky vasculature facilitate intravasation of tumor cells, here the cells are called circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Tumor cells isolated from the primary tumor exploit several mechanisms to maintain their survival including rewiring metabolic demands to use sources available within the new environments, avoiding anoikis cell death when cells are detached from extracellular matrix (ECM), adopting flow mechanic by acquiring platelet shielding and immunosuppression by negating the activity of suppressor immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) cells. CTCs will adhere to the interstituim of the secondary organ/s, within which the newly arrived disseminative tumor cells (DTCs) undergo either dormancy or proliferation. Metastatic outgrowth is under the influence of several factors, such as the activity of macrophages, impaired autophagy and secondary site inflammatory events. Metastasis can be targeted by multiple ways, such as repressing the promoters of pre-metastatic niche (PMN) formation, suppressing environmental contributors, such as hypoxia, oxidative and metabolic stressors, and targeting signaling and cell types that take major contribution to the whole process. These strategies can be used in adjuvant with other therapeutics, such as immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Keywan Mortezaee
- Cancer and Immunology Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
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20
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The Intimate Relationship Among EMT, MET and TME: A T(ransdifferentiation) E(nhancing) M(ix) to Be Exploited for Therapeutic Purposes. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123674. [PMID: 33297508 PMCID: PMC7762343 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Intratumoral heterogeneity is considered the major cause of drug resistance and hence treatment failure in cancer patients. Tumor cells are known for their phenotypic plasticity that is the ability of a cell to reprogram and change its identity to eventually adopt multiple phenotypes. Tumor cell plasticity involves the reactivation of developmental programs, the acquisition of cancer stem cell properties and an enhanced potential for retro- or transdifferentiation. A well-known transdifferentiation mechanism is the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Current evidence suggests a complex interplay between EMT, genetic and epigenetic alterations, and various signals from the tumor microenvironment (TME) in shaping a tumor cell’s plasticity. The vulnerabilities exposed by cancer cells when residing in a plastic or stem-like state have the potential to be exploited therapeutically, i.e., by converting highly metastatic cells into less aggressive or even harmless postmitotic ones. Abstract Intratumoral heterogeneity is considered the major cause of drug unresponsiveness in cancer and accumulating evidence implicates non-mutational resistance mechanisms rather than genetic mutations in its development. These non-mutational processes are largely driven by phenotypic plasticity, which is defined as the ability of a cell to reprogram and change its identity (phenotype switching). Tumor cell plasticity is characterized by the reactivation of developmental programs that are closely correlated with the acquisition of cancer stem cell properties and an enhanced potential for retrodifferentiation or transdifferentiation. A well-studied mechanism of phenotypic plasticity is the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Current evidence suggests a complex interplay between EMT, genetic and epigenetic alterations, and clues from the tumor microenvironment in cell reprogramming. A deeper understanding of the connections between stem cell, epithelial–mesenchymal, and tumor-associated reprogramming events is crucial to develop novel therapies that mitigate cell plasticity and minimize the evolution of tumor heterogeneity, and hence drug resistance. Alternatively, vulnerabilities exposed by tumor cells when residing in a plastic or stem-like state may be exploited therapeutically, i.e., by converting them into less aggressive or even postmitotic cells. Tumor cell plasticity thus presents a new paradigm for understanding a cancer’s resistance to therapy and deciphering its underlying mechanisms.
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21
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Wang Y, Gao W, Li Y, Chow ST, Xie W, Zhang X, Zhou J, Chan FL. Interplay between orphan nuclear receptors and androgen receptor-dependent or-independent growth signalings in prostate cancer. Mol Aspects Med 2020; 78:100921. [PMID: 33121737 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2020.100921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It is well-established that both the initial and advanced growth of prostate cancer depends critically on androgens and thus on the activated androgen receptor (AR) -mediated signaling pathway. The unique hormone-dependent feature of prostate cancer forms the biological basis of hormone or androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) that aims to suppress the AR signaling by androgen depletion or AR antagonists. ADT still remains the mainstay treatment option for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer. However, most patients upon ADT will inevitably develop therapy-resistance and progress to relapse in the form of castration-resistant disease (castration-resistant prostate cancer or CRPC) or even a more aggressive androgen-independent subtype (therapy-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer or NEPC). Recent advances show that besides AR, some ligand-independent members of nuclear receptor superfamily-designated as orphan nuclear receptors (ONRs), as their endogenous physiological ligands are either absent or not yet identified to date, also play significant roles in the growth regulation of prostate cancer via multiple AR-dependent or -independent (AR-bypass) pathways or mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the newly elucidated roles of ONRs in prostate cancer, with a focus on their interplay in the AR-dependent pathways (intratumoral androgen biosynthesis and suppression of AR signaling) and AR-independent pathways or cellular processes (hypoxia, oncogene- or tumor suppressor-induced senescence, apoptosis and regulation of prostate cancer stem cells). These ONRs with their newly characterized roles not only can serve as novel biomarkers but also as potential therapeutic targets for management of advanced prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Weijie Gao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Youjia Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sin Ting Chow
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenjuan Xie
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xingxing Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianfu Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510370, China
| | - Franky Leung Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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22
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Federer-Gsponer JR, Müller DC, Zellweger T, Eggimann M, Marston K, Ruiz C, Seifert HH, Rentsch CA, Bubendorf L, Le Magnen C. Patterns of stemness-associated markers in the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Prostate 2020; 80:1108-1117. [PMID: 32628318 DOI: 10.1002/pros.24039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Putative castration-resistant (CR) stem-like cells (CRSC) have been identified based on their ability to initiate and drive prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence following castration in vivo. Yet the relevance of these CRSC in the course of the human disease and particularly for the transition from hormone-naive (HN) to castration-resistance is unclear. In this study, we aimed at deciphering the significance of CRSC markers in PCa progression. METHODS We constructed a tissue microarray comprising 112 matched HN and CR tissue specimens derived from 55 PCa patients. Expression of eight stemness-associated markers (ALDH1A1, ALDH1A3, ALDH3A1, BMI1, NANOG, NKX3.1, OCT4, SOX2) was assessed by immunohistochemistry and scored as a percentage of positive tumor cells. For each marker, the resulting scores were statistically analyzed and compared to pathological and clinical data associated with the samples. Unsupervised clustering analysis was performed to stratify patients according to the expression of the eight CRSC markers. Publicly-available transcriptional datasets comprising HN and CR PCa samples were interrogated to assess the expression of the factors in silico. RESULTS Immunohistochemical assessment of paired samples revealed atypical patterns of expression and intra- and intertumor heterogeneity for a subset of CRSC markers. While the expression of particular CRSC markers was dynamic over time in some patients, none of the markers showed significant changes in expression upon the development of castration resistance (CR vs HN). Using unsupervised clustering approaches, we identified phenotypic subtypes based on the expression of specific stem-associated markers. In particular, we found (a) patterns of mutual exclusivity for ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 expression, which was also observed at the transcriptomic level in publicly-available PCa datasets, and (b) a phenotypic cluster associated with more aggressive features. Finally, by comparing HN and CR matched samples, we identified phenotypic cluster switches (ie, change of phenotypic cluster between the HN and CR state), that may be associated with clinical and predictive relevance. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate stemness-associated patterns that are associated with the development of castration-resistance. These results pave the way toward a deeper understanding of the relevance of CRSC markers in PCa progression and resistance to androgen-deprivation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David C Müller
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Maurice Eggimann
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Marston
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ruiz
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Cyrill A Rentsch
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Bubendorf
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clémentine Le Magnen
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Ripoll GV, Pifano M, Garona J, Alonso DF. Commentary: Arginine vasopressin receptor 1a is a therapeutic target for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 9:1490. [PMID: 31998646 PMCID: PMC6970191 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giselle V Ripoll
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.,Scientific Investigator Career of National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina Pifano
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina
| | - Juan Garona
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.,Scientific Investigator Career of National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel F Alonso
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.,Scientific Investigator Career of National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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24
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Civenni G, Carbone GM, Catapano CV. Mitochondrial fission and stemness in prostate cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:8036-8038. [PMID: 31575828 PMCID: PMC6814599 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Civenni
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona 6500, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppina M Carbone
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona 6500, Switzerland
| | - Carlo V Catapano
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona 6500, Switzerland
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