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Witherspoon JG, Hall JR, Jima D, Atkins HM, Wamsley NT, Major MB, Weissman BE, Smart RC. Mutant Nrf2 E79Q enhances the promotion and progression of a subset of oncogenic Ras keratinocytes and skin tumors. Redox Biol 2024; 75:103261. [PMID: 38963974 PMCID: PMC11269801 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103261] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), including lung, head & neck, bladder, and skin SCCs often display constitutive activation of the KEAP1-NRF2 pathway. Constitutive activation is achieved through multiple mechanisms, including activating mutations in NFE2L2 (NRF2). To determine the functional consequences of Nrf2 activation on skin SCC development, we assessed the effects of mutant Nrf2E79Q expression, one of the most common activating mutations in human SCCs, on tumor promotion and progression in the mouse skin multistage carcinogenesis model using a DMBA-initiation/TPA-promotion protocol where the Hras A->T mutation (Q61L) is the canonical driver mutation. Nrf2E79Q expression was temporally and conditionally activated in the epidermis at two stages of tumor development: 1) after DMBA initiation in the epidermis but before cutaneous tumor development and 2) in pre-existing DMBA-initiated/TPA-promoted squamous papillomas. Expression of Nrf2E79Q in the epidermis after DMBA initiation but before tumor occurrence inhibited the development/promotion of 70% of squamous papillomas. However, the remaining papillomas often displayed non-canonical Hras and Kras mutations and enhanced progression to SCCs compared to control mice expressing wildtype Nrf2. Nrf2E79Q expression in pre-existing tumors caused rapid regression of 60% of papillomas. The remaining papillomas displayed the expected canonical Hras A->T mutation (Q61L) and enhanced progression to SCCs. These results demonstrate that mutant Nrf2E79Q enhances the promotion and progression of a subset of skin tumors and alters the frequency and diversity of oncogenic Ras mutations when expressed early after initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan R Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, USA; Toxicology Graduate Program, North Carolina State University, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA
| | - Dereje Jima
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA
| | - Hannah M Atkins
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, USA
| | - Nathan T Wamsley
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University at St Louis, USA
| | - Michael B Major
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University at St Louis, USA
| | - Bernard E Weissman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Robert C Smart
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, USA; Toxicology Graduate Program, North Carolina State University, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA.
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Vairaktari G, Schramm A, Vairaktari E, Derka S, Sakkas A, Lefantzis N, Diamantopoulou S, Vylliotis A, Lazaris A, Ebeling M, Vassiliou S. FGFR2 and NOTCH1 Expression Inversely Correlated in Progressive Cutaneous Carcinogenesis in an Experimental Mouse Model. J Pers Med 2024; 14:729. [PMID: 39063983 PMCID: PMC11277703 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14070729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common and increasingly prevalent form of skin cancer, posing significant health challenges. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in cSCC progression is crucial for developing effective treatments. The primary aim of this research was to evaluate the activation of NOTCH1 and FGFR2 oncogenes in inducing skin cancer in FVB/N mice through a stepwise chemical process. Forty female FVB/N mice, aged four weeks, were randomly divided into a control group (n = 8) and two experimental groups (group A: n = 16, group B: n = 16). This study involved subjecting the groups to a two-stage carcinogenesis procedure. This included an initial application of 97.4 nmol DMBA on shaved skin on their backs, followed by applications of 32.4 nmol TPA after thirteen weeks for group A and after twenty weeks for group B. The control group did not receive any treatment. Their skin conditions were monitored weekly to detect tumor development. After the experiment, the animals were euthanized for further tissue sampling. The examination of skin lesions in the experimental groups showed a correlation with tumor progression, ranging from dysplasia to carcinoma. Tumor samples were assessed both histologically and immunohistochemically. Notably, FGFR2 expression was higher in benign, precancerous, and malignant tumors compared to normal tissue. NOTCH1 expression was only elevated in benign tumors compared to normal tissue. This study demonstrates a clear correlation of FGFR2 expression and the progression of cutaneous neoplasms, while NOTCH 1 expression is inversely correlated in FVB/N mice. This suggests an early involvement of these oncogenes in the development of skin tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Vairaktari
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Alexander Schramm
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 10, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Department of Oral and Plastic Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Hospital Ulm, Academic Hospital of the University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 40, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Efstathia Vairaktari
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Spyridoula Derka
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Sakkas
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 10, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Department of Oral and Plastic Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Hospital Ulm, Academic Hospital of the University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 40, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Lefantzis
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Stavroula Diamantopoulou
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Evaggelismos General Hospital of Athens, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Antonis Vylliotis
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Diagnostic and Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, BiocLab, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Lazaris
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Marcel Ebeling
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 10, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Department of Oral and Plastic Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Hospital Ulm, Academic Hospital of the University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 40, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Stavros Vassiliou
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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3
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Diamantopoulou S, Yapijakis C, Papakosta V, Ebeling M, Lazaris AC, Derka S, Vylliotis A, Diamantopoulos P, Vairaktari G, Vassiliou S. EGFR and HER-2 oncogenes expression in an experimental model of two-stage chemically induced carcinogenesis in mouse skin. J Craniomaxillofac Surg 2024; 52:413-419. [PMID: 38443188 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcms.2024.01.003] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of EGFR and HER-2 oncogenes using an experimental two stage chemically induced carcinogenesis protocol on the dorsal skin in FVB/N mice. Forty female FVB/N mice 4 weeks old, were grouped into one control (n = 8) and two experimental groups (Group A: n = 16, Group B: n = 16) following a randomization process. Two-stage carcinogenesis protocol, was implicated, including an initial treatment with 97.4 nmol DMBA on their shaved dorsal skin and subsequent treatments of 32.4 nmol TPA applications after 13 weeks for Group A and after 20 weeks for Group B. The control group C, received no treatment. Skin was examined weekly for tumor development. Post-experiment, animals were euthanized for tissue analysis. The histological status of the skin lesions in the experimental groups corresponded well with tumour advancement (from dysplasia to poorly-differentiated carcinoma). Tumour sections were evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically. EGFR expression was found significantly higher in precancerous and malignant tumours (p = 042 and p = 008 respectively), while tended to be higher in benign tumours (p = 079), compared to normal histology. Moreover, mean percentage of EGFR positive expression in malignant tumours was significantly higher than in benign tumours (p < 001). HER-2 expression was found significantly higher in precancerous and malignant tumours (p = 042 and p = 015 respectively), while tended to be higher in benign tumours (p = 085), compared to normal histology. Furthermore, mean percentage of HER-2 positive expression in malignant tumours was significantly higher than in benign tumours (p = 005). The study demonstrated that in FVB/N mice subjected to a two-stage chemically induced carcinogenesis protocol, there was a significant increase in the expression of EGFR and HER-2 oncogenes in precancerous and malignant skin lesions compared to normal tissue. This suggests a potentially early role of these oncogenes in the progression of skin tumours in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavroula Diamantopoulou
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Evaggelismos General Hospital of Athens, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
| | - Christos Yapijakis
- Unit of Orofacial Genetics, University Research Institute for the Study of Genetic and Malignant Disorders in Childhood, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Veronica Papakosta
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Marcel Ebeling
- Department of Oral and Plastic Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Hospital Ulm, Academic Hospital of the University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 40, 89081, Ulm, Germany; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 10, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas C Lazaris
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Spyridoula Derka
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonis Vylliotis
- Unit of Orofacial Genetics, University Research Institute for the Study of Genetic and Malignant Disorders in Childhood, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Diagnostic and Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, BiocLab, Athens, Greece
| | - Pantelis Diamantopoulos
- Department of Plastic Surgery, St. Savvas Anticancer- Oncologic Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Vairaktari
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stavros Vassiliou
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital Attikon, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Devi P, Dwivedi R, Sankar R, Jain A, Gupta S, Gupta S. Unraveling the Genetic Web: H-Ras Expression and Mutation in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-A Systematic Review. Head Neck Pathol 2024; 18:21. [PMID: 38502412 PMCID: PMC10951159 DOI: 10.1007/s12105-024-01623-8] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a commonly occurring malignancy with complex genetic alterations contributing to its development. The H-Ras, a proto-oncogene, becomes an oncogene when mutated and has been implicated in various cancers. This systematic review aims to research to what extent H-Ras expression and mutation contribute to the development and progression of OSCC, and how does this molecular alteration impacts the clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with OSCC. METHODS A thorough electronic scientific literature search was carried out in PUBMED, SCOPUS, and GOOGLE SCHOLAR databases from 2007 to 2021. The search strategy yielded 120 articles. Following aggregation and filtering all results through our inclusion and exclusion criteria total 9 articles were included in our literature review. It has also been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023485202). RESULTS It was found that mutations in the Ras gene commonly reported in hotspots at codons 12, 13, and 61 resulting in the activation of downstream signaling pathways causing abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth. This systematic review has shown an increased prevalence of H-Ras mutation in well-differentiated OSCC and also the prevalence of H-Ras mutation in individuals engaging in multiple risk behaviors, particularly chewing tobacco, demonstrated a significant association with a higher prevalence of H-Ras positivity. CONCLUSION This review sheds light on the prevalence of H-Ras mutations, their association with clinical characteristics, and their potential implications for OSCC prognosis. It also enhances our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms that underlie OSCC and paves the way for further research into targeted treatments based on H-Ras alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Devi
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ruby Dwivedi
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Roshna Sankar
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ayushi Jain
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sameer Gupta
- Department of Surgical Oncology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shalini Gupta
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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5
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Reeves MQ, Balmain A. Mutations, Bottlenecks, and Clonal Sweeps: How Environmental Carcinogens and Genomic Changes Shape Clonal Evolution during Tumor Progression. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041388. [PMID: 38052482 PMCID: PMC10910358 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
The transition from a single, initiated cell to a full-blown malignant tumor involves significant genomic evolution. Exposure to carcinogens-whether directly mutagenic or not-can drive progression toward malignancy, as can stochastic acquisition of cancer-promoting genetic events. Mouse models using both carcinogens and germline genetic manipulations have enabled precise inquiry into the evolutionary dynamics that take place as a tumor progresses from benign to malignant to metastatic stages. Tumor progression is characterized by changes in somatic point mutations and copy-number alterations, even though any single tumor can itself have a high or low burden of genomic alterations. Further, lineage-tracing, single-cell analyses and CRISPR barcoding have revealed the distinct clonal dynamics within benign and malignant tumors. Application of these tools in a range of mouse models can shed unique light on the patterns of clonal evolution that take place in both mouse and human tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Q Reeves
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Allan Balmain
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
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Balmain A. Peto's paradox revisited: black box vs mechanistic approaches to understanding the roles of mutations and promoting factors in cancer. Eur J Epidemiol 2023; 38:1251-1258. [PMID: 36512199 PMCID: PMC10757908 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-022-00933-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allan Balmain
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA, 1450 3rd Street94143, USA.
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7
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Tang H, Seykora JT, Ko CJ. Squamous carcinogenesis: potential truncal mutations. Hum Pathol 2023; 140:32-38. [PMID: 37001739 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2023.03.016] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Squamous carcinogenesis is incompletely understood, but more recent genetic studies support that the order of acquired mutations is important. This paper will review more recent genetic studies with an emphasis on the potential truncal mutations, mutations critical to the trunk of the cancer evolutionary tree, in actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma in situ, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, keratoacanthoma, and keratoacanthoma-like squamous proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiming Tang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - John T Seykora
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christine J Ko
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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8
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Gallini S, Annusver K, Rahman NT, Gonzalez DG, Yun S, Matte-Martone C, Xin T, Lathrop E, Suozzi KC, Kasper M, Greco V. Injury prevents Ras mutant cell expansion in mosaic skin. Nature 2023; 619:167-175. [PMID: 37344586 PMCID: PMC10322723 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06198-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Healthy skin is a mosaic of wild-type and mutant clones1,2. Although injury can cooperate with mutated Ras family proteins to promote tumorigenesis3-12, the consequences in genetically mosaic skin are unknown. Here we show that after injury, wild-type cells suppress aberrant growth induced by oncogenic Ras. HrasG12V/+ and KrasG12D/+ cells outcompete wild-type cells in uninjured, mosaic tissue but their expansion is prevented after injury owing to an increase in the fraction of proliferating wild-type cells. Mechanistically, we show that, unlike HrasG12V/+ cells, wild-type cells respond to autocrine and paracrine secretion of EGFR ligands, and this differential activation of the EGFR pathway explains the competitive switch during injury repair. Inhibition of EGFR signalling via drug or genetic approaches diminishes the proportion of dividing wild-type cells after injury, leading to the expansion of HrasG12V/+ cells. Increased proliferation of wild-type cells via constitutive loss of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 counteracts the expansion of HrasG12V/+ cells even in the absence of injury. Thus, injury has a role in switching the competitive balance between oncogenic and wild-type cells in genetically mosaic skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gallini
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Karl Annusver
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nur-Taz Rahman
- Bioinformatics Support Program, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David G Gonzalez
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sangwon Yun
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Tianchi Xin
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Maria Kasper
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Departments of Cell Biology and Dermatology, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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9
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Winge MCG, Kellman LN, Guo K, Tang JY, Swetter SM, Aasi SZ, Sarin KY, Chang ALS, Khavari PA. Advances in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Rev Cancer 2023:10.1038/s41568-023-00583-5. [PMID: 37286893 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00583-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Human malignancies arise predominantly in tissues of epithelial origin, where the stepwise transformation from healthy epithelium to premalignant dysplasia to invasive neoplasia involves sequential dysregulation of biological networks that govern essential functions of epithelial homeostasis. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a prototype epithelial malignancy, often with a high tumour mutational burden. A plethora of risk genes, dominated by UV-induced sun damage, drive disease progression in conjunction with stromal interactions and local immunomodulation, enabling continuous tumour growth. Recent studies have identified subpopulations of SCC cells that specifically interact with the tumour microenvironment. These advances, along with increased knowledge of the impact of germline genetics and somatic mutations on cSCC development, have led to a greater appreciation of the complexity of skin cancer pathogenesis and have enabled progress in neoadjuvant immunotherapy, which has improved pathological complete response rates. Although measures for the prevention and therapeutic management of cSCC are associated with clinical benefit, the prognosis remains poor for advanced disease. Elucidating how the genetic mechanisms that drive cSCC interact with the tumour microenvironment is a current focus in efforts to understand, prevent and treat cSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mårten C G Winge
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Laura N Kellman
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Konnie Guo
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jean Y Tang
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Susan M Swetter
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Sumaira Z Aasi
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Kavita Y Sarin
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Anne Lynn S Chang
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Paul A Khavari
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA.
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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10
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Weeden CE, Hill W, Lim EL, Grönroos E, Swanton C. Impact of risk factors on early cancer evolution. Cell 2023; 186:1541-1563. [PMID: 37059064 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent identification of oncogenic cells within healthy tissues and the prevalence of indolent cancers found incidentally at autopsies reveal a greater complexity in tumor initiation than previously appreciated. The human body contains roughly 40 trillion cells of 200 different types that are organized within a complex three-dimensional matrix, necessitating exquisite mechanisms to restrain aberrant outgrowth of malignant cells that have the capacity to kill the host. Understanding how this defense is overcome to trigger tumorigenesis and why cancer is so extraordinarily rare at the cellular level is vital to future prevention therapies. In this review, we discuss how early initiated cells are protected from further tumorigenesis and the non-mutagenic pathways by which cancer risk factors promote tumor growth. By nature, the absence of permanent genomic alterations potentially renders these tumor-promoting mechanisms clinically targetable. Finally, we consider existing strategies for early cancer interception with perspectives on the next steps for molecular cancer prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare E Weeden
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - William Hill
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Emilia L Lim
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Center of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Eva Grönroos
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Charles Swanton
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Center of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK.
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11
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Balmain A. Air pollution's role in the promotion of lung cancer. Nature 2023; 616:35-36. [PMID: 37020001 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-00929-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
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12
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Cataisson C, Lee AJ, Zhang AM, Mizes A, Korkmaz S, Carofino BL, Meyer TJ, Michalowski AM, Li L, Yuspa SH. RAS oncogene signal strength regulates matrisomal gene expression and tumorigenicity of mouse keratinocytes. Carcinogenesis 2022; 43:1149-1161. [PMID: 36306264 PMCID: PMC10122430 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental and molecular carcinogenesis are linked by the discovery that chemical carcinogen induced-mutations in the Hras or Kras genes drives tumor development in mouse skin. Importantly, enhanced expression or allele amplification of the mutant Ras gene contributes to selection of initiated cells, tumor persistence, and progression. To explore the consequences of Ras oncogene signal strength, primary keratinocytes were isolated and cultured from the LSL-HrasG12D and LSL-KrasG12D C57BL/6J mouse models and the mutant allele was activated by adeno-Cre recombinase. Keratinocytes expressing one (H) or two (HH) mutant alleles of HrasG12D, one KrasG12D allele (K), or one of each (HK) were studied. All combinations of activated Ras alleles stimulated proliferation and drove transformation marker expression, but only HH and HK formed tumors. HH, HK, and K sustained long-term keratinocyte growth in vitro, while H and WT could not. RNA-Seq yielded two distinct gene expression profiles; HH, HK, and K formed one cluster while H clustered with WT. Weak MAPK activation was seen in H keratinocytes but treatment with a BRAF inhibitor enhanced MAPK signaling and facilitated tumor formation. K keratinocytes became tumorigenic when they were isolated from mice where the LSL-KrasG12D allele was backcrossed from the C57BL/6 onto the FVB/N background. All tumorigenic keratinocytes but not the non-tumorigenic precursors shared a common remodeling of matrisomal gene expression that is associated with tumor formation. Thus, RAS oncogene signal strength determines cell-autonomous changes in initiated cells that are critical for their tumor-forming potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Cataisson
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alex J Lee
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ashley M Zhang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alicia Mizes
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Serena Korkmaz
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Brandi L Carofino
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Thomas J Meyer
- CCR Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | | | - Luowei Li
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stuart H Yuspa
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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13
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Yuan S, Stewart KS, Yang Y, Abdusselamoglu MD, Parigi SM, Feinberg TY, Tumaneng K, Yang H, Levorse JM, Polak L, Ng D, Fuchs E. Ras drives malignancy through stem cell crosstalk with the microenvironment. Nature 2022; 612:555-563. [PMID: 36450983 PMCID: PMC9750880 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05475-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas are triggered by marked elevation of RAS-MAPK signalling and progression from benign papilloma to invasive malignancy1-4. At tumour-stromal interfaces, a subset of tumour-initiating progenitors, the cancer stem cells, obtain increased resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy along this pathway5,6. The distribution and changes in cancer stem cells during progression from a benign state to invasive squamous cell carcinoma remain unclear. Here we show in mice that, after oncogenic RAS activation, cancer stem cells rewire their gene expression program and trigger self-propelling, aberrant signalling crosstalk with their tissue microenvironment that drives their malignant progression. The non-genetic, dynamic cascade of intercellular exchanges involves downstream pathways that are often mutated in advanced metastatic squamous cell carcinomas with high mutational burden7. Coupling our clonal skin HRASG12V mouse model with single-cell transcriptomics, chromatin landscaping, lentiviral reporters and lineage tracing, we show that aberrant crosstalk between cancer stem cells and their microenvironment triggers angiogenesis and TGFβ signalling, creating conditions that are conducive for hijacking leptin and leptin receptor signalling, which in turn launches downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT-mTOR signalling during the benign-to-malignant transition. By functionally examining each step in this pathway, we reveal how dynamic temporal crosstalk with the microenvironment orchestrated by the stem cells profoundly fuels this path to malignancy. These insights suggest broad implications for cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaopeng Yuan
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine S Stewart
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yihao Yang
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Merve Deniz Abdusselamoglu
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - S Martina Parigi
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tamar Y Feinberg
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Volastra Therapeutics, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karen Tumaneng
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hanseul Yang
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - John M Levorse
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa Polak
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Ng
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elaine Fuchs
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Barresi C, Rossiter H, Buchberger M, Pammer J, Sukseree S, Sibilia M, Tschachler E, Eckhart L. Inactivation of Autophagy in Keratinocytes Reduces Tumor Growth in Mouse Models of Epithelial Skin Cancer. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223691. [PMID: 36429119 PMCID: PMC9688105 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a ubiquitous degradation mechanism, which plays a critical role in cellular homeostasis. To test whether autophagy suppresses or supports the growth of tumors in the epidermis of the skin, we inactivated the essential autophagy gene Atg7 specifically in the epidermal keratinocytes of mice (Atg7∆ep) and subjected such mutant mice and fully autophagy-competent mice to tumorigenesis. The lack of epithelial Atg7 did not prevent tumor formation in response to 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) as the initiator and 12-O tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as the promoter of tumor growth. However, the number of tumors per mouse was reduced in mice with epithelial Atg7 deficiency. In the K5-SOS EGFRwa2/wa2 mouse model, epithelial tumors were initiated by Son of sevenless (SOS) in response to wounding. Within 12 weeks after tumor initiation, 60% of the autophagy-competent K5-SOS EGFRwa2/wa2 mice had tumors of 1 cm diameter and had to be sacrificed, whereas none of the Atg7∆ep K5-SOS EGFRwa2/wa2 mice formed tumors of this size. In summary, the deletion of Atg7 reduced the growth of epithelial tumors in these two mouse models of skin cancer. Thus, our data show that the inhibition of autophagy limits the growth of epithelial skin tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Barresi
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Heidemarie Rossiter
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Buchberger
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Pammer
- Clinical Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Supawadee Sukseree
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Sibilia
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Erwin Tschachler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence: (E.T.); (L.E.)
| | - Leopold Eckhart
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence: (E.T.); (L.E.)
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15
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Isolation of cancer stem cells from skin squamous cell carcinoma. Methods Cell Biol 2022; 171:63-80. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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16
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Honkala A, Malhotra SV, Kummar S, Junttila MR. Harnessing the predictive power of preclinical models for oncology drug development. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 21:99-114. [PMID: 34702990 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00301-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress in understanding the molecular basis of cellular processes, identification of promising therapeutic targets and evolution of the regulatory landscape makes this an exciting and unprecedented time to be in the field of oncology drug development. However, high costs, long development timelines and steep rates of attrition continue to afflict the drug development process. Lack of predictive preclinical models is considered one of the key reasons for the high rate of attrition in oncology. Generating meaningful and predictive results preclinically requires a firm grasp of the relevant biological questions and alignment of the model systems that mirror the patient context. In doing so, the ability to conduct both forward translation, the process of implementing basic research discoveries into practice, as well as reverse translation, the process of elucidating the mechanistic basis of clinical observations, greatly enhances our ability to develop effective anticancer treatments. In this Review, we outline issues in preclinical-to-clinical translatability of molecularly targeted cancer therapies, present concepts and examples of successful reverse translation, and highlight the need to better align tumour biology in patients with preclinical model systems including tracking of strengths and weaknesses of preclinical models throughout programme development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Honkala
- Department of Cell Development & Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Sanjay V Malhotra
- Department of Cell Development & Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.,Center for Experimental Therapeutics, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Shivaani Kummar
- Center for Experimental Therapeutics, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA. .,Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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17
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Spurgeon ME, Liem A, Buehler D, Cheng J, DeCaprio JA, Lambert PF. The Merkel Cell Polyomavirus T Antigens Function as Tumor Promoters in Murine Skin. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020222. [PMID: 33435392 PMCID: PMC7827793 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Merkel cell polyomavirus, a recently discovered human virus, is linked to the development of a rare form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. The virus does not replicate in cancer cells, yet there is continued expression of viral proteins known as T antigens. The T antigens are believed to contribute to Merkel cell carcinoma development, yet how they do so remains an active area of research. In this study, we used transgenic mice expressing the viral T antigens in their skin to determine at which stage of skin cancer development these viral proteins function. We discovered that the Merkel cell polyomavirus T antigens function as tumor promoters, rather than tumor initiators, in the skin. These findings suggest that other tumor-initiating events may cooperate with the tumor-promoting activities of the viral T antigens, thus providing important insight into how Merkel cell polyomavirus can cause cancer in human skin. Abstract Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) causes the majority of human Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC), a rare but highly aggressive form of skin cancer. We recently reported that constitutive expression of MCC tumor-derived MCPyV tumor (T) antigens in the skin of transgenic mice leads to hyperplasia, increased proliferation, and spontaneous epithelial tumor development. We sought to evaluate how the MCPyV T antigens contribute to tumor formation in vivo using a classical, multi-stage model for squamous cell carcinoma development. In this model, two chemical carcinogens, DMBA and TPA, contribute to two distinct phases of carcinogenesis—initiation and promotion, respectively—that are required for tumors to develop. By treating the MCPyV transgenic mice with each chemical carcinogen, we determined how the viral oncogenes contributed to carcinogenesis. We observed that the MCPyV T antigens synergized with the tumor initiator DMBA, but not with the tumor promoter TPA, cause tumors. Therefore, the MCPyV tumor antigens function primarily as tumor promoters, similar to that seen with human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoproteins. These studies provide insight into the role of MCPyV T antigen expression in tumor formation in vivo and contribute to our understanding of how MCPyV may function as a human DNA tumor virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Spurgeon
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Correspondence: (M.E.S.); (P.F.L.)
| | - Amy Liem
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
| | - Darya Buehler
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
| | - Jingwei Cheng
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA;
| | - James A. DeCaprio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA;
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Paul F. Lambert
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Correspondence: (M.E.S.); (P.F.L.)
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18
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The critical roles of somatic mutations and environmental tumor-promoting agents in cancer risk. Nat Genet 2020; 52:1139-1143. [PMID: 33106632 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-020-00727-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is driven by genomic mutations in 'cancer driver' genes, which have essential roles in tumor development. These mutations may be caused by exposure to mutagens in the environment or by endogenous DNA-replication errors in tissue stem cells. Recent observations of abundant mutations, including cancer driver mutations, in histologically normal human tissues suggest that mutations alone are not sufficient for tumor development, thus prompting the question of how single mutant cells give rise to neoplasia. In a concept supported by decades-old data from mouse tumor models, non-mutagenic tumor-promoting agents have been posited to activate the proliferation of dormant mutated cells, thus generating actively growing lesions, with the promotion stage as the rate-limiting step in tumor formation. Non-mutagenic promoting agents, either endogenous or environmental, may therefore have a more important role in human cancer etiology than previously thought.
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19
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Schoenherr C, Byron A, Griffith B, Loftus A, Wills JC, Munro AF, von Kriegsheim A, Frame MC. The autophagy protein Ambra1 regulates gene expression by supporting novel transcriptional complexes. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:12045-12057. [PMID: 32616651 PMCID: PMC7443501 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ambra1 is considered an autophagy and trafficking protein with roles in neurogenesis and cancer cell invasion. Here, we report that Ambra1 also localizes to the nucleus of cancer cells, where it has a novel nuclear scaffolding function that controls gene expression. Using biochemical fractionation and proteomics, we found that Ambra1 binds to multiple classes of proteins in the nucleus, including nuclear pore proteins, adaptor proteins such as FAK and Akap8, chromatin-modifying proteins, and transcriptional regulators like Brg1 and Atf2. We identified biologically important genes, such as Angpt1, Tgfb2, Tgfb3, Itga8, and Itgb7, whose transcription is regulated by Ambra1-scaffolded complexes, likely by altering histone modifications and Atf2 activity. Therefore, in addition to its recognized roles in autophagy and trafficking, Ambra1 scaffolds protein complexes at chromatin, regulating transcriptional signaling in the nucleus. This novel function for Ambra1, and the specific genes impacted, may help to explain the wider role of Ambra1 in cancer cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Schoenherr
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Byron
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Billie Griffith
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Loftus
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jimi C Wills
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alison F Munro
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Margaret C Frame
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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20
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Abstract
One of the mechanisms potentially explaining the discrepancy between the number of human genes and the functional complexity of organisms is generating alternative splice variants, an attribute of the vast majority of multi-exon genes. Members of the RAS family, such as NRAS, KRAS and HRAS, all of which are of significant importance in cancer biology, are no exception. The structural and functional differences of these splice variants, particularly if they contain the canonical (and therefore routinely targeted for diagnostic purposes) hot spot mutations, pose a significant challenge for targeted therapies. We must therefore consider whether these alternative splice variants constitute a minor component as originally thought and how therapies targeting the canonical isoforms affect these alternative splice variants and their overall functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erzsébet Rásó
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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21
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Anthocyanin-fucoidan nanocomplex for preventing carcinogen induced cancer: Enhanced absorption and stability. Int J Pharm 2020; 586:119597. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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22
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Sheng SG, Wang YN, Wang SR, Zhao K, Wang YY, Xu XN, Wang QM, Tong L, Chen ZG. [Effects of farnesyltransferase silencing on the migration and invasion of tongue squamous cell carcinoma]. HUA XI KOU QIANG YI XUE ZA ZHI = HUAXI KOUQIANG YIXUE ZAZHI = WEST CHINA JOURNAL OF STOMATOLOGY 2020; 38:177-184. [PMID: 32314892 DOI: 10.7518/hxkq.2020.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the effects of silencing farnesyltransferase (FTase) on the migration and invasion of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) through RNA interference. METHODS TSCC cells (CAL27 and SCC-4) were cultured in vitro and then transfected with siRNA to silence FTase expression. The tested cells were categorized as follows: experimental group (three RNA interference groups), negative control group, and blank control group. mRNA expression of FTase and HRAS in each group was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. On the basis of FTase mRNA expression, the optimum interference group (highest silencing efficiency) was selected as the experimental group for further study. The protein expression of FTase, HRAS, p65, p-p65(S536), matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was analyzed by Western blot. The invasion and migration abilities of TSCC cells were determined by Transwell invasion assay and cell wound healing assay. RESULTS The mRNA and protein expression of FTase in the experimental group decreased compared with that in the negative control and blank control groups (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression of HRAS was not significantly different among the groups (P>0.05). In the experimental group, the protein expression of p-p65(S536), MMP-9, HIF-1α, and VEGF decreased (P<0.05), whereas that of p65 had no significant change (P>0.05). The migration and invasion abilities of the experimental group were inhibited significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Silencing FTase in vitro could effectively downregulate its expression in TSCC cell lines and reduce the migration and invasion abilities to a certain extent. FTase could be a new gene therapy target of TSCC, and this research provided a new idea for the clinical treatment of TSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Gui Sheng
- School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Ya-Nan Wang
- Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Qingdao Stomatological Hospital, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Shao-Ru Wang
- Medical Center of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266071, China;Stomatology College, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yun-Ying Wang
- Central Laboratory of Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Xiao-Na Xu
- Central Laboratory of Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Qi-Min Wang
- Medical Center of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Lei Tong
- Medical Center of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Zheng-Gang Chen
- Medical Center of Stomatology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266071, China
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23
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Nappi A, Di Cicco E, Miro C, Cicatiello AG, Sagliocchi S, Mancino G, Ambrosio R, Luongo C, Di Girolamo D, De Stefano MA, Porcelli T, Stornaiuolo M, Dentice M. The NANOG Transcription Factor Induces Type 2 Deiodinase Expression and Regulates the Intracellular Activation of Thyroid Hormone in Keratinocyte Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12030715. [PMID: 32197405 PMCID: PMC7140064 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12030715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 deiodinase (D2), the principal activator of thyroid hormone (TH) signaling in target tissues, is expressed in cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) during late tumorigenesis, and its repression attenuates the invasiveness and metastatic spread of SCC. Although D2 plays multiple roles in cancer progression, nothing is known about the mechanisms regulating D2 in cancer. To address this issue, we investigated putative upstream regulators of D2 in keratinocyte carcinomas. We found that the expression of D2 in SCC cells is positively regulated by the NANOG transcription factor, whose expression, besides being causally linked to embryonic stemness, is associated with many human cancers. We also found that NANOG binds to the D2 promoter and enhances D2 transcription. Notably, blockage of D2 activity reduced NANOG-induced cell migration as well as the expression of key genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in SCC cells. In conclusion, our study reveals a link among endogenous endocrine regulators of cancer, thyroid hormone and its activating enzyme, and the NANOG regulator of cancer biology. These findings could provide the basis for the development of TH inhibitors as context-dependent anti-tumor agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annarita Nappi
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | - Emery Di Cicco
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | - Caterina Miro
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | - Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | - Serena Sagliocchi
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | - Giuseppina Mancino
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | | | - Cristina Luongo
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (C.L.); (D.D.G.); (T.P.)
| | - Daniela Di Girolamo
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (C.L.); (D.D.G.); (T.P.)
| | - Maria Angela De Stefano
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
| | - Tommaso Porcelli
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (C.L.); (D.D.G.); (T.P.)
| | - Mariano Stornaiuolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II. Via Montesano 49, 80149 Naples, Italy;
| | - Monica Dentice
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (A.N.); (E.D.C.); (C.M.); (A.G.C.); (S.S.); (G.M.); (M.A.D.S.)
- CEINGE–Biotecnologie Avanzate Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
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24
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Lange S, Engleitner T, Mueller S, Maresch R, Zwiebel M, González-Silva L, Schneider G, Banerjee R, Yang F, Vassiliou GS, Friedrich MJ, Saur D, Varela I, Rad R. Analysis pipelines for cancer genome sequencing in mice. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:266-315. [PMID: 31907453 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0234-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mouse models of human cancer have transformed our ability to link genetics, molecular mechanisms and phenotypes. Both reverse and forward genetics in mice are currently gaining momentum through advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS). Methodologies to analyze sequencing data were, however, developed for humans and hence do not account for species-specific differences in genome structures and experimental setups. Here, we describe standardized computational pipelines specifically tailored to the analysis of mouse genomic data. We present novel tools and workflows for the detection of different alteration types, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions and deletions (indels), copy-number variations (CNVs), loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and complex rearrangements, such as in chromothripsis. Workflows have been extensively validated and cross-compared using multiple methodologies. We also give step-by-step guidance on the execution of individual analysis types, provide advice on data interpretation and make the complete code available online. The protocol takes 2-7 d, depending on the desired analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Lange
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Engleitner
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Mueller
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Roman Maresch
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Zwiebel
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura González-Silva
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Günter Schneider
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - George S Vassiliou
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Stem Cell Institute, Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Haematology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cam bridge, UK
| | - Mathias J Friedrich
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Dieter Saur
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ignacio Varela
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Guan Y, Wang G, Fails D, Nagarajan P, Ge Y. Unraveling cancer lineage drivers in squamous cell carcinomas. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 206:107448. [PMID: 31836455 PMCID: PMC6995404 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.107448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer hijacks embryonic development and adult wound repair mechanisms to fuel malignancy. Cancer frequently originates from de-regulated adult stem cells or progenitors, which are otherwise essential units for postnatal tissue remodeling and repair. Cancer genomics studies have revealed convergence of multiple cancers across organ sites, including squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), a common group of cancers arising from the head and neck, esophagus, lung, cervix and skin. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the molecular drivers of SCCs, including these five major organ sites. We especially focus our discussion on lineage dependent driver genes and pathways, in the context of squamous development and stratification. We then use skin as a model to discuss the notion of field cancerization during SCC carcinogenesis, and cancer as a wound that never heals. Finally, we turn to the idea of context dependency widely observed in cancer driver genes, and outline literature support and possible explanations for their lineage specific functions. Through these discussions, we aim to provide an up-to-date summary of molecular mechanisms driving tumor plasticity in squamous cancers. Such basic knowledge will be helpful to inform the clinics for better stratifying cancer patients, revealing novel drug targets and providing effective treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinglu Guan
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Guan Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Danielle Fails
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Priyadharsini Nagarajan
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Yejing Ge
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
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26
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Sasaki E, Masago K, Fujita S, Hanai N, Yatabe Y. Frequent KRAS and HRAS mutations in squamous cell papillomas of the head and neck. JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY CLINICAL RESEARCH 2020; 6:154-159. [PMID: 31960612 PMCID: PMC7164371 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Squamous cell papilloma (SCP) is a benign neoplasm of the head and neck. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been reported to be a tumourigenic factor for SCP. However, not all SCPs are positive for HPV, suggesting that other possible mechanisms are involved in their development. In this study, we examined the mutational status of 51 SCPs using targeted panel sequencing in addition to HPV status using GP5+/GP6+ PCR. HPV DNA was detected in 6 (12%) SCPs, while KRAS and HRAS mutations were detected in 18 (35%) and 17 (33%) SCPs, respectively. Notably, KRAS mutations, HRAS mutations and HPV infection were mutually exclusive. The larynx and trachea (4/7, 57%) were more preferentially infected by HPV than the other sites (2/44, 5%, p = 0.0019) and HPV was associated with multifocal development (4/5, 80%). In contrast, KRAS and HRAS mutations in SCPs were evenly distributed across the anatomical sites and found only in single SCPs. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that HPV was not frequently involved in SCPs and that RAS mutations were more common alterations. In contrast to inverted sinonasal papillomas and oncocytic sinonasal papillomas, SCP may not be a precursor lesion of carcinoma, because these aetiological events in SCP are distinct from squamous cell carcinoma in the same sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Sasaki
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Masago
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shiro Fujita
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Hanai
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yasushi Yatabe
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
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27
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28
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Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng chemoprevents both initiation and promotion of cutaneous carcinoma by enhancing cell-mediated immunity and maintaining redox homeostasis. J Ginseng Res 2019; 44:580-592. [PMID: 32617038 PMCID: PMC7322735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng (thereafter called ginseng) has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years to maintain people's physical vitality and is also a non–organ-specific cancer preventive and therapeutic traditional medicine in several epidemiologic and preclinical studies. Owing to few toxic side effects and strong enhancement on body immunity, ginseng has admirable application potential and value in cancer chemoprevention. The study aims at investigating the chemopreventive effects of ginseng on cutaneous carcinoma and the underlying mechanisms. Methods The mouse skin cancer model was induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry was used for identifying various ginsenosides, the main active ingredients of ginseng. Comprehensive approaches (including network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental verification) were used to explore the potential targets of ginseng. Results Ginseng treatment inhibited cutaneous carcinoma in terms of initiation and promotion. The content of Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd ginsenosides was the highest in both mouse blood and skin tissues. Ginseng and its active components well maintained the redox homeostasis and modulated the immune response in the model. Specifically, ginseng treatment inhibited the initiation of skin cancer by enhancing T-cell–mediated immune response through upregulating HSP27 expression and inhibited the promotion of skin cancer by maintaining cellular redox homeostasis through promoting nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Conclusion According to the study results, ginseng can be potentially used for cutaneous carcinoma as a chemopreventive agent by enhancing cell-mediated immunity and maintaining redox homeostasis with multiple components, targets, and links.
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Abstract
Originally thought of as a stress response end point, the view of cellular senescence has since evolved into one encompassing a wide range of physiological and pathological functions, including both protumorignic and antitumorigenic features. It has also become evident that senescence is a highly dynamic and heterogenous process. Efforts to reconcile the beneficial and detrimental features of senescence suggest that physiological functions require the transient presence of senescent cells in the tissue microenvironment. Here, we propose the concept of a physiological "senescence life cycle," which has pathological consequences if not executed in its entirety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelyne Sue Li Chan
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, United Kingdom
| | - Masashi Narita
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, United Kingdom
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30
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Abstract
The three RAS genes - HRAS, NRAS and KRAS - are collectively mutated in one-third of human cancers, where they act as prototypic oncogenes. Interestingly, there are rather distinct patterns to RAS mutations; the isoform mutated as well as the position and type of substitution vary between different cancers. As RAS genes are among the earliest, if not the first, genes mutated in a variety of cancers, understanding how these mutation patterns arise could inform on not only how cancer begins but also the factors influencing this event, which has implications for cancer prevention. To this end, we suggest that there is a narrow window or 'sweet spot' by which oncogenic RAS signalling can promote tumour initiation in normal cells. As a consequence, RAS mutation patterns in each normal cell are a product of the specific RAS isoform mutated, as well as the position of the mutation and type of substitution to achieve an ideal level of signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Allan Balmain
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christopher M Counter
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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31
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Messenger ZJ, Hall JR, Jima DD, House JS, Tam HW, Tokarz DA, Smart RC. C/EBPβ deletion in oncogenic Ras skin tumors is a synthetic lethal event. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:1054. [PMID: 30323292 PMCID: PMC6189130 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-1103-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic targeting of specific genetic changes in cancer has proven to be an effective therapy and the concept of synthetic lethality has emerged. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-β (C/EBPβ), a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, has important roles in cellular processes including differentiation, inflammation, survival, and energy metabolism. Using a genetically engineered mouse model, we report that the deletion C/EBPβ in pre-existing oncogenic Ha-Ras mouse skin tumors in vivo resulted in rapid tumor regression. Regressing tumors exhibited elevated levels of apoptosis and p53 protein/activity, while adjacent C/EBPβ-deleted skin did not. These results indicate that the deletion of C/EBPβ de-represses p53 in oncogenic Ras tumors but not in normal wild-type Ras keratinocytes, and that C/EBPβ is essential for survival of oncogenic Ras tumors. Co-deletion of C/EBPβ and p53 in oncogenic Ras tumors showed p53 is required for tumor regression and elevated apoptosis. In tumors, loss of a pathway that confers adaptability to a stress phenotype of cancer/tumorigenesis, such as DNA damage, could result in selective tumor cell killing. Our results show that oncogenic Ras tumors display a significant DNA damage/replicative stress phenotype and these tumors have acquired a dependence on C/EBPβ for their survival. RNAseq data analysis of regressing tumors deleted of C/EBPβ indicates a novel interface between p53, type-1 interferon response, and death receptor pathways, which function in concert to produce activation of extrinsic apoptosis pathways. In summary, the deletion of C/EBPβ in oncogenic Ras skin tumors is a synthetic lethal event, making it a promising target for future potential anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan R Hall
- Toxicology Program, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Center of Human Health and the Environment, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Dereje D Jima
- Center of Human Health and the Environment, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Bioinformatics Research Center, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - John S House
- Center of Human Health and the Environment, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Bioinformatics Research Center, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | - Debra A Tokarz
- Center of Human Health and the Environment, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Robert C Smart
- Toxicology Program, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Center of Human Health and the Environment, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are among the most prevalent human cancers. SCC comprises a wide range of tumours originated from diverse anatomical locations that share common genetic mutations and expression of squamous differentiation markers. SCCs arise from squamous and non-squamous epithelial tissues. Here, we discuss the different studies in which the cell of origin of SCCs has been uncovered by expressing oncogenes and/or deleting tumour suppressor genes in the different cell lineages that compose these epithelia. We present evidence showing that the squamous differentiation phenotype of the tumour depends on the type of mutated oncogene and the cell of origin, which dictate the competence of the cells to initiate SCC formation, as well as on the aggressiveness and invasive properties of these tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Sánchez-Danés
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cédric Blanpain
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Brussels, Belgium.
- WELBIO, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
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Khoury N, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Sofopoulos M, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. KLK6 protease accelerates skin tumor formation and progression. Carcinogenesis 2018; 39:1529-1536. [DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Khoury
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| | | | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
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Reeves MQ, Kandyba E, Harris S, Del Rosario R, Balmain A. Multicolour lineage tracing reveals clonal dynamics of squamous carcinoma evolution from initiation to metastasis. Nat Cell Biol 2018; 20:699-709. [PMID: 29802408 PMCID: PMC6400587 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-018-0109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tumor cells are subjected to evolutionary selection pressures during progression from initiation to metastasis. We analyzed the clonal evolution of squamous skin carcinomas induced by DMBA/TPA treatment using the K5CreER-Confetti mouse and stage-specific lineage tracing. We show that benign tumors are polyclonal, but only one population contains the Hras driver mutation. Benign papillomas are therefore monoclonal in origin, but recruit neighboring epithelial cells during growth. Papillomas that never progress to malignancy retain several distinct clones, whereas progression to carcinoma is associated with a clonal sweep. Newly generated clones within carcinomas demonstrate intratumoral invasion and clonal intermixing, often giving rise to metastases containing two or more distinct clones derived from the matched primary tumor. These data demonstrate that late stage tumor progression and dissemination are governed by evolutionary selection pressures that operate at a multicellular level, and thus differ from the clonal events that drive initiation and the benign-malignant transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Q Reeves
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Eve Kandyba
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sophie Harris
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Reyno Del Rosario
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Allan Balmain
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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35
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Vorhagen S, Kleefisch D, Persa OD, Graband A, Schwickert A, Saynisch M, Leitges M, Niessen CM, Iden S. Shared and independent functions of aPKCλ and Par3 in skin tumorigenesis. Oncogene 2018; 37:5136-5146. [PMID: 29789715 PMCID: PMC6137026 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0313-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The polarity proteins Par3 and aPKC are key regulators of processes altered in cancer. Par3/aPKC are thought to dynamically interact with Par6 but increasing evidence suggests that aPKC and Par3 also exert complex-independent functions. Whereas aPKCλ serves as tumor promotor, Par3 can either promote or suppress tumorigenesis. Here we asked whether and how Par3 and aPKCλ genetically interact to control two-stage skin carcinogenesis. Epidermal loss of Par3, aPKCλ, or both, strongly reduced tumor multiplicity and increased latency but inhibited invasion to similar extents, indicating that Par3 and aPKCλ function as a complex to promote tumorigenesis. Molecularly, Par3/aPKCλ cooperate to promote Akt, ERK and NF-κB signaling during tumor initiation to sustain growth, whereas aPKCλ dominates in promoting survival. In the inflammatory tumorigenesis phase Par3/aPKCλ cooperate to drive Stat3 activation and hyperproliferation. Unexpectedly, the reduced inflammatory signaling did not alter carcinogen-induced immune cell numbers but reduced IL-4 Receptor-positive stromal macrophage numbers in all mutant mice, suggesting that epidermal aPKCλ and Par3 promote a tumor-permissive environment. Importantly, aPKCλ also serves a distinct, carcinogen-independent role in controlling skin immune cell homeostasis. Collectively, our data demonstrates that Par3 and aPKCλ cooperate to promote skin tumor initiation and progression, likely through sustaining growth, survival, and inflammatory signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Vorhagen
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Dominik Kleefisch
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Oana-Diana Persa
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany
| | - Annika Graband
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Alexandra Schwickert
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Michael Saynisch
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Michael Leitges
- Biotechnology Centre of Oslo, University of Oslo, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Carien M Niessen
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany. .,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany. .,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.
| | - Sandra Iden
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Köln, Germany. .,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.
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Abstract
The analysis of the molecular mechanisms governing multistep carcinogenesis became experimentally approachable since the identification and characterization in tumor cells of altered or activated versions of cellular genes (oncogenes) that normally control cell growth and differentiation. The activating mutations confer new properties to the oncogene products and should therefore be considered as gain of function mutations. In addition, the oncogenes appear to act as dominant genetic traits since they act also in the presence of the homologous wild-type allele. However, the concept of a dominance of the transformed phenotype has been challenged by early experiments with somatic cell hybrids which showed that the fusion of normal and malignant cells may suppress the tumorigenic phenotype. The suppression or reversion of the malignant phenotype by the introduction of a normal chromosome into a tumor cell line has lent support to the idea that a family of cellular genes are coding for factors capable to interact with the cell-growth control machinery. These genes seem to reconstitute the normal control of cell growth even in the presence of an activated oncogene. In addition, a two-mutation model has been proposed to explain the epidemiological and clinical features of childhood cancers. According to the model, the development of these malignancies can be caused by the loss or inactivation of both alleles of cellular genes, as suggested by the somatic cell hybrid experiments where the function of the inactivated genes is restored by the contribution of those derived from the normal parental cells. This family of genes is designated as onco-suppressor genes since their product is necessary for the normal regulated cell growth and is lacking or inactivated in malignant cells. At gene level they should be considered as recessive genetic traits, since the tumor phenotype appears when both alleles of an oncosuppressor gene are inactivated. The mutations affecting their normal functions belong to the type « loss of function ». The molecular analysis of retinoblastoma has led to the cloning and sequencing of the related onco-suppressor gene (RB gene) whose product displays the features of a gene-regulatory protein. In addition, a binding between the RB product and various viral onco-proteins (E1A, large T, E7) has been demonstrated, thus suggesting a mechanism of RB inactivation by which some DNA viruses can transform the host cell. Finally, the increasing availability of DNA markers, defining restriction fragment length polymorphisms, has led to the mapping of the loci of inherited predisposition for familial cancer syndromes such as MEN-1, VHL and NF-2 and to the extension to common cancers of the allele losses analysis that can reveal onco-suppressor gene inactivation. This indirect approach has suggested the occurrence of different onco-suppressor genes for sporadic breast, colonic and lung cancers, bladder carcinoma, germinal tumors of the testis and malignant melanoma. In particular, colonic cancer provides a significant example of a possible multistep scenario for carcinogenesis in humans in which activated oncogenes (e.g. ras) and inactivated putative onco-suppressor genes (on chromosome 17 and 18) coexist in the same cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Della Porta
- Division of Experimental Oncology A, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
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37
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van de Glind GC, Rebel HG, Out-Luiting JJ, Zoutman W, Tensen CP, de Gruijl FR. Lgr6+ stem cells and their progeny in mouse epidermis under regimens of exogenous skin carcinogenesis, and their absence in ensuing skin tumors. Oncotarget 2018; 7:86740-86754. [PMID: 27880932 PMCID: PMC5349950 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Lgr6+ cells have been identified as a novel class of proliferating (Ki67+) stem cells in mouse epidermis. We investigated their response to UV exposure in Lgr6-EGFP-Ires-CreERT2/R26R-LacZ haired and hairless mice and whether they become initiating cells of UV- or chemically induced skin tumors. UV overexposure erased Lgr6+ cells (EGFP+) from the interfollicular epidermis (IFE), but - as after wounding - they apparently repopulated the IFE from the hair follicles. Under sub-sunburn chronic UV exposure, Lgr6+ cells and their progeny (LacZ+ after pulse of tamoxifen) diminished strongly in the IFE. Although the inter-tumoral IFE clearly showed Lgr6 progeny, none of the UV- or chemically induced tumors (n = 22 and 41, respectively) appeared to be clonal expansions of Lgr6+ stem cells; i.e. no Lgr6+ cells or progeny in the proliferating tumor bulk. In checking for promoter methylation we found it to occur stochastically for the EGFP-Cre cassette. Lgr6 mRNA measured by qPCR was found to be diminished in skin tumors (also in UV tumors from wt type mice). The ratio of Lgr6/Ki67 was significantly reduced, pointing at a loss of Lgr6+ cells from the proliferative pool. Our data show that Lgr6+ cells are not major tumor-initiating cells in skin carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Wim Zoutman
- Department of Dermatology, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands
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38
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van de Glind GC, Out-Luiting JJ, Rebel HG, Tensen CP, de Gruijl FR. Lgr5+ stem cells and their progeny in mouse epidermis under regimens of exogenous skin carcinogenesis, and their absence in ensuing skin tumors. Oncotarget 2018; 7:52085-52094. [PMID: 27409834 PMCID: PMC5239536 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Actively proliferating Lgr5+ skin stem cells are found deep in the hair follicle (HF). These cells renew the HF and drive its expansion in anagen phase. Their long residence and continuous mitotic activity make them prime candidates to transform into skin tumor-initiating cells. This was investigated by subjecting Lgr5-EGFP-Ires-CreERT2/R26R-LacZ mice (haired and hairless) to chemical and UV carcinogenic regimens. In the course of these regimens Lgr5+ cells (EGFP+) remained exclusively located in HFs, and in deep-seated cysts of hairless skin. In haired mice, progeny of Lgr5+ stem cells (LacZ+ after a pulse of tamoxifen) appeared in the interfollicular epidermis upon UV-induced sunburn and in TPA-induced hyperplasia. In hairless mice the progeny remained located in deep-seated cysts and in HF remnants. Progeny in hairless skin was only detected interfollicularly at a late stage, in between outgrowing tumors. Lgr5+ stem cells were absent in the ultimate tumor masses, and no tumor appeared to be a (clonal) expansion of Lgr5+ cells (52 tumors with tamoxifen at the start of carcinogenesis, 42 tumors with tamoxifen late during tumor outgrowth). In contrast to CD34/K15+ quiescent bulge stem cells, actively proliferating Lgr5+ stem cells do therefore not appear to be tumor drivers in experimental skin carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Heggert G Rebel
- Department of Dermatology, LUMC, Leiden, 2333RC, The Netherlands
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Cimas FJ, Callejas-Valera JL, García-Olmo DC, Hernández-Losa J, Melgar-Rojas P, Ruiz-Hidalgo MJ, Pascual-Serra R, Ortega-Muelas M, Roche O, Marcos P, Garcia-Gil E, Fernandez-Aroca DM, Ramón y Cajal S, Gutkind JS, Sanchez-Prieto R. E1a is an exogenous in vivo tumour suppressor. Cancer Lett 2017; 399:74-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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40
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Youssef M, Cuddihy A, Darido C. Long-Lived Epidermal Cancer-Initiating Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E1369. [PMID: 28654000 PMCID: PMC5535862 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-melanomatous skin cancers (NMSCs), which include basal and squamous cell carcinoma (BCC and SCC respectively), represent a significant burden on the population, as well as an economic load to the health care system; yet treatments of these preventable cancers remain ineffective. Studies estimate that there has been a 2-fold increase in the incidence of NMSCs between the 1960s and 1980s. The increase in cases of NMSCs, as well as the lack of effective treatments, makes the need for novel therapeutic approaches all the more necessary. To rationally develop more targeted treatments for NMSCs, a better understanding of the cell of origin, in addition to the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that govern the development of these cancers, is urgently required. Research over the past few years has provided data supporting both a "bottom up" and "top down" mechanism of tumourigenesis. The "bottom up" concept involves a cancer stem cell originating in the basal compartment of the skin, which ordinarily houses the progenitor cells that contribute towards wound healing and normal cell turnover of overlying epidermal skin layers. The "top down" concept involves a more differentiated cell undergoing genetic modifications leading to dedifferentiation, giving rise to cancer initiating cells (CICs). This review explores both concepts, to paint a picture of the skin SCC cell of origin, the underlying biology, and also how this knowledge might be exploited to develop novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Youssef
- Department of Medicine, Monash University Central Clinical School, Prahran, VIC 3004, Australia.
| | - Andrew Cuddihy
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
| | - Charbel Darido
- Department of Medicine, Monash University Central Clinical School, Prahran, VIC 3004, Australia.
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia.
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41
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Ge Y, Gomez NC, Adam RC, Nikolova M, Yang H, Verma A, Lu CPJ, Polak L, Yuan S, Elemento O, Fuchs E. Stem Cell Lineage Infidelity Drives Wound Repair and Cancer. Cell 2017; 169:636-650.e14. [PMID: 28434617 PMCID: PMC5510746 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Tissue stem cells contribute to tissue regeneration and wound repair through cellular programs that can be hijacked by cancer cells. Here, we investigate such a phenomenon in skin, where during homeostasis, stem cells of the epidermis and hair follicle fuel their respective tissues. We find that breakdown of stem cell lineage confinement-granting privileges associated with both fates-is not only hallmark but also functional in cancer development. We show that lineage plasticity is critical in wound repair, where it operates transiently to redirect fates. Investigating mechanism, we discover that irrespective of cellular origin, lineage infidelity occurs in wounding when stress-responsive enhancers become activated and override homeostatic enhancers that govern lineage specificity. In cancer, stress-responsive transcription factor levels rise, causing lineage commanders to reach excess. When lineage and stress factors collaborate, they activate oncogenic enhancers that distinguish cancers from wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yejing Ge
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nicholas C Gomez
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rene C Adam
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Maria Nikolova
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Hanseul Yang
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Akanksha Verma
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Catherine Pei-Ju Lu
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lisa Polak
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shaopeng Yuan
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Elaine Fuchs
- Robin Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Development and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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42
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Ku AT, Shaver TM, Rao AS, Howard JM, Rodriguez CN, Miao Q, Garcia G, Le D, Yang D, Borowiak M, Cohen DN, Chitsazzadeh V, Diwan AH, Tsai KY, Nguyen H. TCF7L1 promotes skin tumorigenesis independently of β-catenin through induction of LCN2. eLife 2017; 6:e23242. [PMID: 28467300 PMCID: PMC5438253 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor TCF7L1 is an embryonic stem cell signature gene that is upregulated in multiple aggressive cancer types, but its role in skin tumorigenesis has not yet been defined. Here we document TCF7L1 upregulation in skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and demonstrate that TCF7L1 overexpression increases tumor incidence, tumor multiplicity, and malignant progression in the chemically induced mouse model of skin SCC. Additionally, we show that downregulation of TCF7L1 and its paralogue TCF7L2 reduces tumor growth in a xenograft model of human skin SCC. Using separation-of-function mutants, we show that TCF7L1 promotes tumor growth, enhances cell migration, and overrides oncogenic RAS-induced senescence independently of its interaction with β-catenin. Through transcriptome profiling and combined gain- and loss-of-function studies, we identified LCN2 as a major downstream effector of TCF7L1 that drives tumor growth. Our findings establish a tumor-promoting role for TCF7L1 in skin and elucidate the mechanisms underlying its tumorigenic capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy T Ku
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Timothy M Shaver
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Ajay S Rao
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Howard
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Christine N Rodriguez
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Qi Miao
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Gloria Garcia
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Diep Le
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Diane Yang
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Malgorzata Borowiak
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- McNair Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Daniel N Cohen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Vida Chitsazzadeh
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States
| | - Abdul H Diwan
- Department of Dermatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Kenneth Y Tsai
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, United States
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, United States
| | - Hoang Nguyen
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Department of Dermatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
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Schoenherr C, Byron A, Sandilands E, Paliashvili K, Baillie GS, Garcia-Munoz A, Valacca C, Cecconi F, Serrels B, Frame MC. Ambra1 spatially regulates Src activity and Src/FAK-mediated cancer cell invasion via trafficking networks. eLife 2017; 6:e23172. [PMID: 28362576 PMCID: PMC5376188 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, using mouse squamous cell carcinoma cells, we report a completely new function for the autophagy protein Ambra1 as the first described 'spatial rheostat' controlling the Src/FAK pathway. Ambra1 regulates the targeting of active phospho-Src away from focal adhesions into autophagic structures that cancer cells use to survive adhesion stress. Ambra1 binds to both FAK and Src in cancer cells. When FAK is present, Ambra1 is recruited to focal adhesions, promoting FAK-regulated cancer cell direction-sensing and invasion. However, when Ambra1 cannot bind to FAK, abnormally high levels of phospho-Src and phospho-FAK accumulate at focal adhesions, positively regulating adhesion and invasive migration. Spatial control of active Src requires the trafficking proteins Dynactin one and IFITM3, which we identified as Ambra1 binding partners by interaction proteomics. We conclude that Ambra1 is a core component of an intracellular trafficking network linked to tight spatial control of active Src and FAK levels, and so crucially regulates their cancer-associated biological outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Schoenherr
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Byron
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Sandilands
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ketevan Paliashvili
- Centre for Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - George S Baillie
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Cristina Valacca
- Department of Biology, University of Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, Rome, Italy
- Cell Stress and Survival Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Francesco Cecconi
- Department of Biology, University of Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, Rome, Italy
- Cell Stress and Survival Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, IRCSS Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Bryan Serrels
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Margaret C Frame
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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44
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McCreery MQ, Balmain A. Chemical Carcinogenesis Models of Cancer: Back to the Future. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY-SERIES 2017. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-050216-122002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Over a century has elapsed since the first demonstration that exposure to chemicals in coal tar can cause cancer in animals. These observations provided an essential causal mechanistic link between environmental chemicals and increased risk of cancer in human populations. Mouse models of chemical carcinogenesis have since led to the concept of multistage tumor development through distinct stages of initiation, promotion, and progression and identified many of the genetic and biological events involved in these processes. Recent breakthroughs in DNA sequencing have now given us tools to dissect complete tumor genome architectures and revealed that chemically induced cancers in the mouse carry a high point mutation load and mutation signatures that reflect the causative agent used for tumor induction. Chemical carcinogenesis models may therefore provide a route to identify the causes of mutation signatures found in human cancers and further inform studies of therapeutic drug resistance and responses to immunotherapy, which are dependent on mutation load and genetic heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Q. McCreery
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, California 94115;,
| | - Allan Balmain
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, California 94115;,
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45
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Slaga
- AMC Cancer Research Center, 1600 Pierce Street, Lakewood,
CO 80214, USA
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46
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Quigley DA, Kandyba E, Huang P, Halliwill KD, Sjölund J, Pelorosso F, Wong CE, Hirst GL, Wu D, Delrosario R, Kumar A, Balmain A. Gene Expression Architecture of Mouse Dorsal and Tail Skin Reveals Functional Differences in Inflammation and Cancer. Cell Rep 2016; 16:1153-1165. [PMID: 27425619 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.06.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited germline polymorphisms can cause gene expression levels in normal tissues to differ substantially between individuals. We present an analysis of the genetic architecture of normal adult skin from 470 genetically unique mice, demonstrating the effect of germline variants, skin tissue location, and perturbation by exogenous inflammation or tumorigenesis on gene signaling pathways. Gene networks related to specific cell types and signaling pathways, including sonic hedgehog (Shh), Wnt, Lgr family stem cell markers, and keratins, differed at these tissue sites, suggesting mechanisms for the differential susceptibility of dorsal and tail skin to development of skin diseases and tumorigenesis. The Pten tumor suppressor gene network is rewired in premalignant tumors compared to normal tissue, but this response to perturbation is lost during malignant progression. We present a software package for expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) network analysis and demonstrate how network analysis of whole tissues provides insights into interactions between cell compartments and signaling molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Quigley
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo 0310, Norway; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Breast Cancer Research, Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo 0313, Norway; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Eve Kandyba
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Phillips Huang
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, #02-01 Genome Building, Singapore 138672, Singapore
| | - Kyle D Halliwill
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jonas Sjölund
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22381 Lund, Sweden
| | - Facundo Pelorosso
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Instituto de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, 9(th) Floor, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina
| | - Christine E Wong
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gillian L Hirst
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Reyno Delrosario
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Atul Kumar
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Allan Balmain
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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47
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Hernández-Sánchez M, Poch E, Guasch RM, Ortega J, López-Almela I, Palmero I, Pérez-Roger I. RhoE is required for contact inhibition and negatively regulates tumor initiation and progression. Oncotarget 2016; 6:17479-90. [PMID: 26036260 PMCID: PMC4627322 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
RhoE is a small GTPase involved in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics, cell cycle and apoptosis. The role of RhoE in cancer is currently controversial, with reports of both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions for RhoE. Using RhoE-deficient mice, we show here that the absence of RhoE blunts contact-inhibition of growth by inhibiting p27Kip1 nuclear translocation and cooperates in oncogenic transformation of mouse primary fibroblasts. Heterozygous RhoE+/gt mice are more susceptible to chemically induced skin tumors and RhoE knock-down results in increased metastatic potential of cancer cells. These results indicate that RhoE plays a role in suppressing tumor initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Hernández-Sánchez
- Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Dep. Ciencias Biomédicas, Moncada, Spain.,Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain
| | - Enric Poch
- Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Dep. Ciencias Biomédicas, Moncada, Spain
| | - Rosa M Guasch
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Rho Signaling in Neuropathologies, Valencia, Spain
| | - Joaquín Ortega
- Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, Facultad de Veterinaria, Dep. PASACTA, Moncada, Spain
| | - Inmaculada López-Almela
- Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Dep. Ciencias Biomédicas, Moncada, Spain
| | - Ignacio Palmero
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Pérez-Roger
- Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Dep. Ciencias Biomédicas, Moncada, Spain
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48
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Nonaka T, Toda Y, Hiai H, Uemura M, Nakamura M, Yamamoto N, Asato R, Hattori Y, Bessho K, Minato N, Kinoshita K. Involvement of activation-induced cytidine deaminase in skin cancer development. J Clin Invest 2016; 126:1367-82. [PMID: 26974156 DOI: 10.1172/jci81522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Most skin cancers develop as the result of UV light-induced DNA damage; however, a substantial number of cases appear to occur independently of UV damage. A causal link between UV-independent skin cancers and chronic inflammation has been suspected, although the precise mechanism underlying this association is unclear. Here, we have proposed that activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID, encoded by AICDA) links chronic inflammation and skin cancer. We demonstrated that Tg mice expressing AID in the skin spontaneously developed skin squamous cell carcinoma with Hras and Trp53 mutations. Furthermore, genetic deletion of Aicda reduced tumor incidence in a murine model of chemical-induced skin carcinogenesis. AID was expressed in human primary keratinocytes in an inflammatory stimulus-dependent manner and was detectable in human skin cancers. Together, the results of this study indicate that inflammation-induced AID expression promotes skin cancer development independently of UV damage and suggest AID as a potential target for skin cancer therapeutics.
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49
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da Silva-Diz V, Simón-Extremera P, Bernat-Peguera A, de Sostoa J, Urpí M, Penín RM, Sidelnikova DP, Bermejo O, Viñals JM, Rodolosse A, González-Suárez E, Moruno AG, Pujana MÁ, Esteller M, Villanueva A, Viñals F, Muñoz P. Cancer Stem-like Cells Act via Distinct Signaling Pathways in Promoting Late Stages of Malignant Progression. Cancer Res 2015; 76:1245-59. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-1631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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50
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McCreery MQ, Halliwill KD, Chin D, Delrosario R, Hirst G, Vuong P, Jen KY, Hewinson J, Adams DJ, Balmain A. Evolution of metastasis revealed by mutational landscapes of chemically induced skin cancers. Nat Med 2015; 21:1514-20. [PMID: 26523969 PMCID: PMC5094808 DOI: 10.1038/nm.3979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Human tumors show a high level of genetic heterogeneity, but the processes that influence the timing and route of metastatic dissemination of the subclones are unknown. Here we have used whole-exome sequencing of 103 matched benign, malignant and metastatic skin tumors from genetically heterogeneous mice to demonstrate that most metastases disseminate synchronously from the primary tumor, supporting parallel rather than linear evolution as the predominant model of metastasis. Shared mutations between primary carcinomas and their matched metastases have the distinct A-to-T signature of the initiating carcinogen dimethylbenzanthracene, but non-shared mutations are primarily G-to-T, a signature associated with oxidative stress. The existence of carcinomas that either did or did not metastasize in the same host animal suggests that there are tumor-intrinsic factors that influence metastatic seeding. We also demonstrate the importance of germline polymorphisms in determining allele-specific mutations, and we identify somatic genetic alterations that are specifically related to initiation of carcinogenesis by Hras or Kras mutations. Mouse tumors that mimic the genetic heterogeneity of human cancers can aid our understanding of the clonal evolution of metastasis and provide a realistic model for the testing of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Q McCreery
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kyle D Halliwill
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Douglas Chin
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Reyno Delrosario
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gillian Hirst
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Peter Vuong
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kuang-Yu Jen
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James Hewinson
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - David J Adams
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Allan Balmain
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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