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Andriani L, Ling YX, Yang SY, Zhao Q, Ma XY, Huang MY, Zhang YL, Zhang FL, Li DQ, Shao ZM. Sideroflexin-1 promotes progression and sensitivity to lapatinib in triple-negative breast cancer by inhibiting TOLLIP-mediated autophagic degradation of CIP2A. Cancer Lett 2024; 597:217008. [PMID: 38849012 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217008] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer and it lacks specific therapeutic targets and effective treatment protocols. By analyzing a proteomic TNBC dataset, we found significant upregulation of sideroflexin 1 (SFXN1) in tumor tissues. However, the precise function of SFXN1 in TNBC remains unclear. Immunoblotting was performed to determine SFXN1 expression levels. Label-free quantitative proteomics and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to identify the downstream targets of SFXN1. Mechanistic studies of SFXN1 and cellular inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A) were performed using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence staining, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Functional experiments were used to investigate the role of SFXN1 in TNBC cells. SFXN1 was significantly overexpressed in TNBC tumor tissues and was associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with TNBC. Functional experiments demonstrated that SFXN1 promoted TNBC growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that SFXN1 promoted TNBC progression by inhibiting the autophagy receptor TOLLIP (toll interacting protein)-mediated autophagic degradation of CIP2A. The pro-tumorigenic effect of SFXN1 overexpression was partially prevented by lapatinib-mediated inhibition of the CIP2A/PP2A/p-AKT pathway. These findings may provide a new targeted therapy for patients with TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Andriani
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yun-Xiao Ling
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shao-Ying Yang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Min-Ying Huang
- Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yin-Ling Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Fang-Lin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Da-Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zhi-Ming Shao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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2
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Rajaram S, Synnott NC, Crown J, Madden SF, Duffy MJ. Targeting mutant p53 with arsenic trioxide: A preclinical study focusing on triple negative breast cancer. Transl Oncol 2024; 46:102025. [PMID: 38870678 PMCID: PMC11225897 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102025] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
New treatments are urgently required for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). As TP53 is mutated in approximately 80% of TNBC, it is theoretically an attractive target for new drugs for this disease. Arsenic trioxide (ATO), which is used to treat promyelocytic leukaemia, was recently shown to reactivate mutant p53 and restore wild-type functionality. The aim of this study was to evaluate ATO as a potential new treatment for TNBC. Using a panel of 20 cell lines, we found that TNBC cell lines were more sensitive to ATO than non-TNBC cell lines (P = 0.045). Consistent with its ability to reactivate mutant p53, ATO was a more potent inhibitor of proliferation in cell lines with mutant TP53 than the wildtype TP53 (P = 0.027). Direct evidence of mutant p53 reactivation was the induction of multiple wild-type p53 canonical target genes such as CDKN1A, SLC7A11, BBC3, PMAIP1, SESN2, SRXN1 and TXNRD1. Our findings support the activation of mutant p53 by ATO and, furthermore, the possible repurposing of ATO to treat TP53-mutated TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhasree Rajaram
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Naoise C Synnott
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - John Crown
- Department of Medical Oncology, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin D04 T6F4, Ireland
| | - Stephen F Madden
- Data Science Centre, School of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Michael J Duffy
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin D04 V1W8, Ireland; UCD Clinical Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin D04 T6F4, Ireland.
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3
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Kabeer F, Tran H, Andronescu M, Singh G, Lee H, Salehi S, Wang B, Biele J, Brimhall J, Gee D, Cerda V, O'Flanagan C, Algara T, Kono T, Beatty S, Zaikova E, Lai D, Lee E, Moore R, Mungall AJ, Williams MJ, Roth A, Campbell KR, Shah SP, Aparicio S. Single-cell decoding of drug induced transcriptomic reprogramming in triple negative breast cancers. Genome Biol 2024; 25:191. [PMID: 39026273 PMCID: PMC11256464 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03318-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The encoding of cell intrinsic drug resistance states in breast cancer reflects the contributions of genomic and non-genomic variations and requires accurate estimation of clonal fitness from co-measurement of transcriptomic and genomic data. Somatic copy number (CN) variation is the dominant mutational mechanism leading to transcriptional variation and notably contributes to platinum chemotherapy resistance cell states. Here, we deploy time series measurements of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) single-cell transcriptomes, along with co-measured single-cell CN fitness, identifying genomic and transcriptomic mechanisms in drug-associated transcriptional cell states. RESULTS We present scRNA-seq data (53,641 filtered cells) from serial passaging TNBC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) experiments spanning 2.5 years, matched with genomic single-cell CN data from the same samples. Our findings reveal distinct clonal responses within TNBC tumors exposed to platinum. Clones with high drug fitness undergo clonal sweeps and show subtle transcriptional reversion, while those with weak fitness exhibit dynamic transcription upon drug withdrawal. Pathway analysis highlights convergence on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cytokine signaling, associated with resistance. Furthermore, pseudotime analysis demonstrates hysteresis in transcriptional reversion, indicating generation of new intermediate transcriptional states upon platinum exposure. CONCLUSIONS Within a polyclonal tumor, clones with strong genotype-associated fitness under platinum remained fixed, minimizing transcriptional reversion upon drug withdrawal. Conversely, clones with weaker fitness display non-genomic transcriptional plasticity. This suggests CN-associated and CN-independent transcriptional states could both contribute to platinum resistance. The dominance of genomic or non-genomic mechanisms within polyclonal tumors has implications for drug sensitivity, restoration, and re-treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhia Kabeer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hoa Tran
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mirela Andronescu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Gurdeep Singh
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hakwoo Lee
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sohrab Salehi
- Computational Oncology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Beixi Wang
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Justina Biele
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jazmine Brimhall
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - David Gee
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Viviana Cerda
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ciara O'Flanagan
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Teresa Algara
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Takako Kono
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sean Beatty
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elena Zaikova
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Daniel Lai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Eric Lee
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Richard Moore
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Andrew J Mungall
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marc J Williams
- Computational Oncology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew Roth
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kieran R Campbell
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sohrab P Shah
- Computational Oncology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel Aparicio
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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4
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Elia A, Pataccini G, Saldain L, Ambrosio L, Lanari C, Rojas P. Antiprogestins for breast cancer treatment: We are almost ready. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 241:106515. [PMID: 38554981 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2024.106515] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The development of antiprogestins was initially a gynecological purpose. However, since mifepristone was developed, its application for breast cancer treatment was immediately proposed. Later, new compounds with lower antiglucocorticoid and antiandrogenic effects were developed to be applied to different pathologies, including breast cancer. We describe herein the studies performed in the breast cancer field with special focus on those reported in recent years, ranging from preclinical biological models to those carried out in patients. We highlight the potential use of antiprogestins in breast cancer prevention in women with BRCA1 mutations, and their use for breast cancer treatment, emphasizing the need to elucidate which patients will respond. In this sense, the PR isoform ratio has emerged as a possible tool to predict antiprogestin responsiveness. The effects of combined treatments of antiprogestins together with other drugs currently used in the clinic, such as tamoxifen, CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors or pembrolizumab in preclinical models is discussed since it is in this scenario that antiprogestins will be probably introduced. Finally, we explain how transcriptomic or proteomic studies, that were carried out in different luminal breast cancer models and in breast cancer samples that responded or were predicted to respond to the antiprogestin therapy, show a decrease in proliferative pathways. Deregulated pathways intrinsic of each model are discussed, as well as how these analyses may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Elia
- Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Pataccini
- Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leo Saldain
- Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luisa Ambrosio
- Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Lanari
- Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paola Rojas
- Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Yu S, Cao Z, Cai F, Yao Y, Chang X, Wang X, Zhuang H, Hua ZC. ADT-OH exhibits anti-metastatic activity on triple-negative breast cancer by combinatorial targeting of autophagy and mitochondrial fission. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:463. [PMID: 38942765 PMCID: PMC11213877 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06829-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
High basal autophagy and enhanced mitochondrial fission in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells support cell migration and promote plasticity of cancer cell metabolism. Here, we suggest a novel combination therapy approach for the treatment of TNBC that targets Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission and autophagy pathways. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mediates a myriad of biological processes, including autophagy and mitochondrial function. In this study, we demonstrated that 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (ADT-OH), one of the most widely utilized sustained-release H2S donors, effectively suppresses metastasis of TNBC cells in the absence of proliferation inhibition in vitro and in vivo. ADT-OH treatment ameliorated autophagy flux by suppressing autophagosome formation and induced mitochondrial elongation through decreasing expression of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and increasing expression of mitochondrial fusion protein (Mfn2). At the same time, ADT-OH downregulated mitophagy flux and inhibited mitochondrial function, eventually leading to the inhibition of migration and invasion in TNBC cells. In vivo, intraperitoneal administration of ADT-OH revealed a potent anti-metastatic activity in three different animal models, the MDA-MB-231 orthotopic xenograft model, the 4T1-Luci orthotopic model and the 4T1-Luci tail vein metastasis model. However, ADT-OH has an extremely low water solubility, which is a significant barrier to its effectiveness. Thus, we demonstrated that the solubility of ADT-OH in water can be improved significantly by absorption with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (CD). Remarkably, the obtained CD-ADT-OH demonstrated superior anti-cancer effect to ADT-OH in vivo. Altogether, this study describes a novel regulator of mammalian mitochondrial fission and autophagy, with potential utility as an experimental therapeutic agent for metastatic TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihui Yu
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Zhiting Cao
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Fangfang Cai
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yingying Yao
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyao Chang
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Hongqin Zhuang
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China.
| | - Zi-Chun Hua
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China.
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
- Changzhou High-Tech Research Institute of Nanjing University and Jiangsu TargetPharma Laboratories Inc., Changzhou, 213164, P. R. China.
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Baciu-Drăgan MA, Beerenwinkel N. Oncotree2vec - a method for embedding and clustering of tumor mutation trees. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:i180-i188. [PMID: 38940124 PMCID: PMC11211817 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae214] [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] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Understanding the genomic heterogeneity of tumors is an important task in computational oncology, especially in the context of finding personalized treatments based on the genetic profile of each patient's tumor. Tumor clustering that takes into account the temporal order of genetic events, as represented by tumor mutation trees, is a powerful approach for grouping together patients with genetically and evolutionarily similar tumors and can provide insights into discovering tumor subtypes, for more accurate clinical diagnosis and prognosis. RESULTS Here, we propose oncotree2vec, a method for clustering tumor mutation trees by learning vector representations of mutation trees that capture the different relationships between subclones in an unsupervised manner. Learning low-dimensional tree embeddings facilitates the visualization of relations between trees in large cohorts and can be used for downstream analyses, such as deep learning approaches for single-cell multi-omics data integration. We assessed the performance and the usefulness of our method in three simulation studies and on two real datasets: a cohort of 43 trees from six cancer types with different branching patterns corresponding to different modes of spatial tumor evolution and a cohort of 123 AML mutation trees. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION https://github.com/cbg-ethz/oncotree2vec.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica-Andreea Baciu-Drăgan
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Schanzenstrasse 44, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Schanzenstrasse 44, Basel 4056, Switzerland
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Schanzenstrasse 44, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Schanzenstrasse 44, Basel 4056, Switzerland
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7
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Regner MJ, Garcia-Recio S, Thennavan A, Wisniewska K, Mendez-Giraldez R, Felsheim B, Spanheimer PM, Parker JS, Perou CM, Franco HL. Defining the Regulatory Logic of Breast Cancer Using Single-Cell Epigenetic and Transcriptome Profiling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.13.598858. [PMID: 38948758 PMCID: PMC11212881 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.13.598858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Annotation of the cis-regulatory elements that drive transcriptional dysregulation in cancer cells is critical to improving our understanding of tumor biology. Herein, we present a compendium of matched chromatin accessibility (scATAC-seq) and transcriptome (scRNA-seq) profiles at single-cell resolution from human breast tumors and healthy mammary tissues processed immediately following surgical resection. We identify the most likely cell-of-origin for luminal breast tumors and basal breast tumors and then introduce a novel methodology that implements linear mixed-effects models to systematically quantify associations between regions of chromatin accessibility (i.e. regulatory elements) and gene expression in malignant cells versus normal mammary epithelial cells. These data unveil regulatory elements with that switch from silencers of gene expression in normal cells to enhancers of gene expression in cancer cells, leading to the upregulation of clinically relevant oncogenes. To translate the utility of this dataset into tractable models, we generated matched scATAC-seq and scRNA-seq profiles for breast cancer cell lines, revealing, for each subtype, a conserved oncogenic gene expression program between in vitro and in vivo cells. Together, this work highlights the importance of non-coding regulatory mechanisms that underlie oncogenic processes and the ability of single-cell multi-omics to define the regulatory logic of BC cells at single-cell resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Regner
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Susana Garcia-Recio
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Aatish Thennavan
- Department of Systems Biology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA, 77030
| | - Kamila Wisniewska
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Raul Mendez-Giraldez
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Brooke Felsheim
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Philip M. Spanheimer
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Joel S. Parker
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Charles M. Perou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Hector L. Franco
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Division of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Juan, PR 00935
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8
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Cavalcante BRR, Freitas RD, Siquara da Rocha LO, Santos RSB, Souza BSDF, Ramos PIP, Rocha GV, Gurgel Rocha CA. In silico approaches for drug repurposing in oncology: a scoping review. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1400029. [PMID: 38919258 PMCID: PMC11196849 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1400029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cancer refers to a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. Due to its complexity, it has been hard to find an ideal medicine to treat all cancer types, although there is an urgent need for it. However, the cost of developing a new drug is high and time-consuming. In this sense, drug repurposing (DR) can hasten drug discovery by giving existing drugs new disease indications. Many computational methods have been applied to achieve DR, but just a few have succeeded. Therefore, this review aims to show in silico DR approaches and the gap between these strategies and their ultimate application in oncology. Methods: The scoping review was conducted according to the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations. Relevant studies were identified through electronic searching of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, as well as the grey literature. We included peer-reviewed research articles involving in silico strategies applied to drug repurposing in oncology, published between 1 January 2003, and 31 December 2021. Results: We identified 238 studies for inclusion in the review. Most studies revealed that the United States, India, China, South Korea, and Italy are top publishers. Regarding cancer types, breast cancer, lymphomas and leukemias, lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer are the top investigated. Additionally, most studies solely used computational methods, and just a few assessed more complex scientific models. Lastly, molecular modeling, which includes molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, was the most frequently used method, followed by signature-, Machine Learning-, and network-based strategies. Discussion: DR is a trending opportunity but still demands extensive testing to ensure its safety and efficacy for the new indications. Finally, implementing DR can be challenging due to various factors, including lack of quality data, patient populations, cost, intellectual property issues, market considerations, and regulatory requirements. Despite all the hurdles, DR remains an exciting strategy for identifying new treatments for numerous diseases, including cancer types, and giving patients faster access to new medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Raphael Ribeiro Cavalcante
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Raíza Dias Freitas
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Social and Pediatric Dentistry of the School of Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Leonardo de Oliveira Siquara da Rocha
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | - Bruno Solano de Freitas Souza
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Pablo Ivan Pereira Ramos
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- Center of Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Gisele Vieira Rocha
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Clarissa Araújo Gurgel Rocha
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Propaedeutics, School of Dentistry of the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
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9
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Poulet S, Dai M, Wang N, Yan G, Boudreault J, Daliah G, Guillevin A, Nguyen H, Galal S, Ali S, Lebrun JJ. Genome-wide in vivo CRISPR screen identifies TGFβ3 as actionable biomarker of palbociclib resistance in triple negative breast cancer. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:118. [PMID: 38831405 PMCID: PMC11145857 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02029-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains exceptionally challenging to treat. While CDK4/6 inhibitors have revolutionized HR + breast cancer therapy, there is limited understanding of their efficacy in TNBC and meaningful predictors of response and resistance to these drugs remain scarce. We conducted an in vivo genome-wide CRISPR screen using palbociclib as a selection pressure in TNBC. Hits were prioritized using microarray data from a large panel of breast cancer cell lines to identify top palbociclib sensitizers. Our study defines TGFβ3 as an actionable determinant of palbociclib sensitivity that potentiates its anti-tumor effects. Mechanistically, we show that chronic palbociclib exposure depletes p21 levels, contributing to acquired resistance, and that TGFβ3 treatment can overcome this. This study defines TGFβ3 as an actionable biomarker that can be used to improve patient stratification for palbociclib treatment and exploits the synergistic interaction between CDK4/6 and TGFβ3 to propose a new combinatorial treatment for TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Poulet
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Meiou Dai
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ni Wang
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gang Yan
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Julien Boudreault
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Girija Daliah
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alan Guillevin
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Huong Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Soaad Galal
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Suhad Ali
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Jacques Lebrun
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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10
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Lee SM, Oh H. RAS/RAF mutations and microsatellite instability status in primary colorectal cancers according to HER2 amplification. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11432. [PMID: 38763942 PMCID: PMC11102903 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62096-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
HER2 amplification-associated molecular alterations and clinicopathologic features in colorectal cancers (CRCs) have not been well established. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of HER2 amplification and microsatellite instability (MSI) status of 992 patients with primary CRC. In addition, molecular alterations of HER2 amplified and unamplified CRCs were examined and compared by next-generation sequencing. HER2 amplifications were found in 41 (4.1%) of 992 primary CRCs. HER2 amplification was identified in 1.0% of the right colonic tumors, 5.1% of the left colonic tumors, and 4.8% of the rectal tumors. Approximately 95% of HER2 amplification was observed in the left colon and rectum. Seven (87.5%) of eight metastatic tumors showed HER2 amplification. Most clinicopathologic features were unrelated to HER2 amplification except tumor size and MSI status. All 41 HER2 amplified CRCs were microsatellite stable. In a molecular analysis of frequently identified somatic mutations in CRCs, HER2 amplified CRCs showed a lower rate of KRAS mutations (24.4%) but a higher rate of TP53 mutations (83%) than unamplified CRCs. No BRAF and NRAS mutations were identified in HER2 amplified CRCs. Our study suggests that HER2 amplified CRCs are mutually exclusive of MSI and harbor less frequent KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutations but frequent T53 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Mi Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 350 W. 11th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju-si, South Korea.
| | - Hyunjoo Oh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju-si, South Korea
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11
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Ali HR, West RB. Spatial Biology of Breast Cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041335. [PMID: 38110242 PMCID: PMC11065165 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041335] [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] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Spatial findings have shaped on our understanding of breast cancer. In this review, we discuss how spatial methods, including spatial transcriptomics and proteomics and the resultant understanding of spatial relationships, have contributed to concepts regarding cancer progression and treatment. In addition to discussing traditional approaches, we examine how emerging multiplex imaging technologies have contributed to the field and how they might influence future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Raza Ali
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge CB2 0RE, United Kingdom
| | - Robert B West
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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12
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Zhong J, Tang Y. Research progress on the role of reactive oxygen species in the initiation, development and treatment of breast cancer. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 188:1-18. [PMID: 38387519 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2024.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
According to international cancer data, breast cancer (BC) is the leading type of cancer in women. Although significant progress has been made in treating BC, metastasis and drug resistance continue to be the primary causes of mortality for many patients. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a dual role in vivo: normal levels can maintain the body's normal physiological function; however, high levels of ROS below the toxicity threshold can lead to mtDNA damage, activation of proto-oncogenes, and inhibition of tumor suppressor genes, which are important causes of BC. Differences in the production and regulation of ROS in different BC subtypes have important implications for the development and treatment of BC. ROS can also serve as an important intracellular signal transduction factor by affecting the antioxidant system, activating MAPK and PI3K/AKT, and other signal pathways to regulate cell cycle and change the relationship between cells and the activity of metalloproteinases, which significantly impacts the metastasis of BC. Hypoxia in the BC microenvironment increases ROS production levels, thereby inducing the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and forming "ROS- HIF-1α-ROS" cycle that exacerbates BC development. Many anti-BC therapies generate sufficient toxic ROS to promote cancer cell apoptosis, but because the basal level of ROS in BC cells exceeds that of normal cells, this leads to up-regulation of the antioxidant system, drug efflux, and apoptosis inhibition, rendering BC cells resistant to the drug. ROS crosstalks with tumor vessels and stromal cells in the microenvironment, increasing invasiveness and drug resistance in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhong
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, No.1, Section 1, Xianglin Road, Longmatan District, Luzhou City, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yan Tang
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, No.1, Section 1, Xianglin Road, Longmatan District, Luzhou City, Sichuan Province, China.
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13
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Bertucci F, Lerebours F, Ceccarelli M, Guille A, Syed N, Finetti P, Adélaïde J, Van Laere S, Goncalves A, Viens P, Birnbaum D, Mamessier E, Callens C, Bedognetti D. Mutational landscape of inflammatory breast cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:374. [PMID: 38637846 PMCID: PMC11025259 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05198-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most pro-metastatic form of BC. Better understanding of its enigmatic pathophysiology is crucial. We report here the largest whole-exome sequencing (WES) study of clinical IBC samples. METHODS We retrospectively applied WES to 54 untreated IBC primary tumor samples and matched normal DNA. The comparator samples were 102 stage-matched non-IBC samples from TCGA. We compared the somatic mutational profiles, spectra and signatures, copy number alterations (CNAs), HRD and heterogeneity scores, and frequencies of actionable genomic alterations (AGAs) between IBCs and non-IBCs. The comparisons were adjusted for the molecular subtypes. RESULTS The number of somatic mutations, TMB, and mutational spectra were not different between IBCs and non-IBCs, and no gene was differentially mutated or showed differential frequency of CNAs. Among the COSMIC signatures, only the age-related signature was more frequent in non-IBCs than in IBCs. We also identified in IBCs two new mutational signatures not associated with any environmental exposure, one of them having been previously related to HIF pathway activation. Overall, the HRD score was not different between both groups, but was higher in TN IBCs than TN non-IBCs. IBCs were less frequently classified as heterogeneous according to heterogeneity H-index than non-IBCs (21% vs 33%), and clonal mutations were more frequent and subclonal mutations less frequent in IBCs. More than 50% of patients with IBC harbored at least one high-level of evidence (LOE) AGA (OncoKB LOE 1-2, ESCAT LOE I-II), similarly to patients with non-IBC. CONCLUSIONS We provide the largest mutational landscape of IBC. Only a few subtle differences were identified with non-IBCs. The most clinically relevant one was the higher HRD score in TN IBCs than in TN non-IBCs, whereas the most intriguing one was the smaller intratumor heterogeneity of IBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Bertucci
- Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Predictive Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068, CNRS UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, 232, Boulevard de Sainte-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
| | - Florence Lerebours
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie Saint-Cloud, Paris, France
| | - Michele Ceccarelli
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, USA
| | - Arnaud Guille
- Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Predictive Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068, CNRS UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, 232, Boulevard de Sainte-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Najeeb Syed
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Pascal Finetti
- Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Predictive Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068, CNRS UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, 232, Boulevard de Sainte-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - José Adélaïde
- Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Predictive Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068, CNRS UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, 232, Boulevard de Sainte-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Steven Van Laere
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Anthony Goncalves
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Patrice Viens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Daniel Birnbaum
- Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Predictive Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068, CNRS UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, 232, Boulevard de Sainte-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Emilie Mamessier
- Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Predictive Oncology Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068, CNRS UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université, 232, Boulevard de Sainte-Marguerite, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Céline Callens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie Saint-Cloud, Paris, France
| | - Davide Bedognetti
- Tumor Biology and Immunology Laboratory, Research Branch, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
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14
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Pellecchia S, Franchini M, Viscido G, Arnese R, Gambardella G. Single cell lineage tracing reveals clonal dynamics of anti-EGFR therapy resistance in triple negative breast cancer. Genome Med 2024; 16:55. [PMID: 38605363 PMCID: PMC11008053 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-024-01327-2] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most primary Triple Negative Breast Cancers (TNBCs) show amplification of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene, leading to increased protein expression. However, unlike other EGFR-driven cancers, targeting this receptor in TNBC yields inconsistent therapeutic responses. METHODS To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this variability, we employ cellular barcoding and single-cell transcriptomics to reconstruct the subclonal dynamics of EGFR-amplified TNBC cells in response to afatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that irreversibly inhibits EGFR. RESULTS Integrated lineage tracing analysis revealed a rare pre-existing subpopulation of cells with distinct biological signature, including elevated expression levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 (IGFBP2). We show that IGFBP2 overexpression is sufficient to render TNBC cells tolerant to afatinib treatment by activating the compensatory insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF1-R) signalling pathway. Finally, based on reconstructed mechanisms of resistance, we employ deep learning techniques to predict the afatinib sensitivity of TNBC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our strategy proved effective in reconstructing the complex signalling network driving EGFR-targeted therapy resistance, offering new insights for the development of individualized treatment strategies in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Pellecchia
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale, Genomics and Experimental Medicine Program, Naples, Italy
| | - Melania Franchini
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Viscido
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Engineering , University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Riccardo Arnese
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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15
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Murthy D, Dutta D, Attri KS, Samanta T, Yang S, Jung KH, Latario SG, Putluri V, Huang S, Putluri N, Park JH, Kaipparettu BA. CD24 negativity reprograms mitochondrial metabolism to PPARα and NF-κB-driven fatty acid β-oxidation in triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216724. [PMID: 38373689 PMCID: PMC11068061 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
CD24 is a well-characterized breast cancer (BC) stem cell (BCSC) marker. Primary breast tumor cells having CD24-negativity together with CD44-positivity is known to maintain high metastatic potential. However, the functional role of CD24 gene in triple-negative BC (TNBC), an aggressive subtype of BC, is not well understood. While the significance of CD24 in regulating immune pathways is well recognized in previous studies, the significance of CD24 low expression in onco-signaling and metabolic rewiring is largely unknown. Using CD24 knock-down and over-expression TNBC models, our in vitro and in vivo analysis suggest that CD24 is a tumor suppressor in metastatic TNBC. Comprehensive in silico gene expression analysis of breast tumors followed by lipidomic and metabolomic analyses of CD24-modulated cells revealed that CD24 negativity induces mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and reprograms TNBC metabolism toward the fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) pathway. CD24 silencing activates PPARα-mediated regulation of FAO in TNBC cells. Further analysis using reverse-phase protein array and its validation using CD24-modulated TNBC cells and xenograft models nominated CD24-NF-κB-CPT1A signaling pathway as the central regulatory mechanism of CD24-mediated FAO activity. Overall, our study proposes a novel role of CD24 in metabolic reprogramming that can open new avenues for the treatment strategies for patients with metastatic TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Murthy
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Debasmita Dutta
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kuldeep S Attri
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tagari Samanta
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sukjin Yang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kwang Hwa Jung
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah G Latario
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vasanta Putluri
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shixia Huang
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Education, Innovation, and Technology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nagireddy Putluri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jun Hyoung Park
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Benny Abraham Kaipparettu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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16
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Dong J, Kong L, Wang S, Xia M, Zhang Y, Wu J, Yang F, Zuo S, Wei J. Oncolytic adenovirus encoding apolipoprotein A1 suppresses metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer in mice. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:102. [PMID: 38566092 PMCID: PMC10988920 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03011-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism is associated with the metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) is widely recognized for its pivotal role in regulating cholesterol efflux and maintaining cellular cholesterol homeostasis. However, further exploration is needed to determine whether it inhibits TNBC metastasis by affecting cholesterol metabolism. Additionally, it is necessary to investigate whether ApoA1-based oncolytic virus therapy can be used to treat TNBC. METHODS In vitro experiments and mouse breast cancer models were utilized to evaluate the molecular mechanism of ApoA1 in regulating cholesterol efflux and inhibiting breast cancer progression and metastasis. The gene encoding ApoA1 was inserted into the adenovirus genome to construct a recombinant adenovirus (ADV-ApoA1). Subsequently, the efficacy of ADV-ApoA1 in inhibiting the growth and metastasis of TNBC was evaluated in several mouse models, including orthotopic breast cancer, spontaneous breast cancer, and human xenografts. In addition, a comprehensive safety assessment of Syrian hamsters and rhesus monkeys injected with oncolytic adenovirus was conducted. RESULTS This study found that dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis is critical for the progression and metastasis of TNBC. In a mouse orthotopic model of TNBC, a high-cholesterol diet promoted lung and liver metastasis, which was associated with keratin 14 (KRT14), a protein responsible for TNBC metastasis. Furthermore, studies have shown that ApoA1, a cholesterol reverse transporter, inhibits TNBC metastasis by regulating the cholesterol/IKBKB/FOXO3a/KRT14 axis. Moreover, ADV-ApoA1 was found to promote cholesterol efflux, inhibit tumor growth, reduce lung metastasis, and prolonged the survival of mice with TNBC. Importantly, high doses of ADV-ApoA1 administered intravenously and subcutaneously were well tolerated in rhesus monkeys and Syrian hamsters. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a promising oncolytic virus treatment strategy for TNBC based on targeting dysregulated cholesterol metabolism. It also establishes a basis for subsequent clinical trials of ADV-ApoA1 in the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China
| | - Lingkai Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China
| | - Shiqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mao Xia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Yenan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China
| | - Jingyi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China
| | - Fuming Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China.
| | - Shuguang Zuo
- Liuzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis and Application, Affiliated Liutie Central Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China.
| | - Jiwu Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, P.R. China.
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17
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Cobleigh MA, Layng KV, Mauer E, Mahon B, Hockenberry AJ, Abukhdeir AM. Comparative genomic analysis of PIK3R1-mutated and wild-type breast cancers. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 204:407-414. [PMID: 38153569 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07196-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The PIK3R1 gene encodes the regulatory subunit-p85a-of the PI3K signaling complex. Prior studies have found that pathogenic somatic alterations in PIK3R1 are enriched in human breast cancers but the genomic landscape of breast cancer patients harboring PIK3R1 mutations has not been extensively characterized. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 6,009 patient records that underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) using the Tempus xT solid tumor assay. All patients had breast cancer with known HER2 (+/-) and hormone receptor (HR; +/-) status and were classified according to the presence of PIK3R1 mutations including short variants and copy number alterations. RESULTS The frequency of PIK3R1 mutations varied according to subtype: 6% in triple negative (TNBC, 89/1,475), 2% in HER2-/HR+ (80/3,893) and 2.3% in HER2+ (15/641) (p < 0.001). Co-mutations in PTEN, TP53 and NF1 were significantly enriched, co-mutations in PIK3CA were significantly less prevalent, and tumor mutational burden was significantly higher in PIK3R1-mutated HER2- samples relative to PIK3R1 wild-type. At the transcriptional-level, PIK3R1 RNA expression in HER2- disease was significantly higher in PIK3R1-mutated (excluding copy number loss) samples, regardless of subtype. CONCLUSION This is the largest investigation of the PIK3R1 mutational landscape in breast cancer patients (n = 6,009). PIK3R1 mutations were more common in triple-negative breast cancer (~ 6%) than in HER2 + or HER2-/HR + disease (approximately 2%). While alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway are often actionable in HER2-/HR + breast cancer, our study suggests that PIK3R1 could be an important target in TNBC as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody A Cobleigh
- Rush University Medical Center, 1620 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | | | | | - Brett Mahon
- Tempus Labs Inc, 600 W Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60654, USA
| | | | - Abde M Abukhdeir
- Rush University Medical Center, 1620 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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18
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Athwal H, Kochiyanil A, Bhat V, Allan AL, Parsyan A. Centrosomes and associated proteins in pathogenesis and treatment of breast cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1370565. [PMID: 38606093 PMCID: PMC11007099 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1370565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide. Despite significant advances in treatment, it remains one of the leading causes of female mortality. The inability to effectively treat advanced and/or treatment-resistant breast cancer demonstrates the need to develop novel treatment strategies and targeted therapies. Centrosomes and their associated proteins have been shown to play key roles in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and thus represent promising targets for drug and biomarker development. Centrosomes are fundamental cellular structures in the mammalian cell that are responsible for error-free execution of cell division. Centrosome amplification and aberrant expression of its associated proteins such as Polo-like kinases (PLKs), Aurora kinases (AURKs) and Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been observed in various cancers, including breast cancer. These aberrations in breast cancer are thought to cause improper chromosomal segregation during mitosis, leading to chromosomal instability and uncontrolled cell division, allowing cancer cells to acquire new genetic changes that result in evasion of cell death and the promotion of tumor formation. Various chemical compounds developed against PLKs and AURKs have shown meaningful antitumorigenic effects in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of action of these inhibitors is likely related to exacerbation of numerical genomic instability, such as aneuploidy or polyploidy. Furthermore, growing evidence demonstrates enhanced antitumorigenic effects when inhibitors specific to centrosome-associated proteins are used in combination with either radiation or chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer. This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the roles of centrosome and centrosome-associated proteins in breast cancer pathogenesis and their utility as novel targets for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harjot Athwal
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Arpitha Kochiyanil
- Faculty of Science, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Vasudeva Bhat
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alison L. Allan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Armen Parsyan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery, St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
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19
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Lusby R, Zhang Z, Mahesh A, Tiwari VK. Decoding gene regulatory circuitry underlying TNBC chemoresistance reveals biomarkers for therapy response and therapeutic targets. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:64. [PMID: 38472332 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00529-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype characterised by extensive intratumoral heterogeneity, high rates of metastasis and chemoresistance, leading to poor clinical outcomes. Despite progress, the mechanistic basis of chemotherapy resistance in TNBC patients remains poorly understood. Here, leveraging single-cell transcriptome datasets of matched longitudinal TNBC chemoresponsive and chemoresistant patient cohorts, we unravel distinct cell subpopulations intricately associated with chemoresistance and the signature genes defining these populations. Notably, using genome-wide mapping of the H3K27ac mark, we show that the expression of these chemoresistance genes is driven via a set of TNBC super-enhancers and associated transcription factor networks across TNBC subtypes. Furthermore, genetic screens reveal that a subset of these transcription factors is essential for the survival of TNBC cells, and their loss increases sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. Overall, our study has revealed epigenetic and transcription factor networks underlying chemoresistance and suggests novel avenues to stratify and improve the treatment of patients with a high risk of developing resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Lusby
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ziyi Zhang
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Arun Mahesh
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Vijay K Tiwari
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK.
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS), Odense M, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark.
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20
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Ebrahim T, Ebrahim AS, Kandouz M. Diversity of Intercellular Communication Modes: A Cancer Biology Perspective. Cells 2024; 13:495. [PMID: 38534339 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060495] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
From the moment a cell is on the path to malignant transformation, its interaction with other cells from the microenvironment becomes altered. The flow of molecular information is at the heart of the cellular and systemic fate in tumors, and various processes participate in conveying key molecular information from or to certain cancer cells. For instance, the loss of tight junction molecules is part of the signal sent to cancer cells so that they are no longer bound to the primary tumors and are thus free to travel and metastasize. Upon the targeting of a single cell by a therapeutic drug, gap junctions are able to communicate death information to by-standing cells. The discovery of the importance of novel modes of cell-cell communication such as different types of extracellular vesicles or tunneling nanotubes is changing the way scientists look at these processes. However, are they all actively involved in different contexts at the same time or are they recruited to fulfill specific tasks? What does the multiplicity of modes mean for the overall progression of the disease? Here, we extend an open invitation to think about the overall significance of these questions, rather than engage in an elusive attempt at a systematic repertory of the mechanisms at play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanzeela Ebrahim
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Abdul Shukkur Ebrahim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Mustapha Kandouz
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
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21
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Ou Y, Wang M, Xu Q, Sun B, Jia Y. Small molecule agents for triple negative breast cancer: Current status and future prospects. Transl Oncol 2024; 41:101893. [PMID: 38290250 PMCID: PMC10840364 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101893] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with poor prognosis. The number of cases increased by 2.26 million in 2020, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer type in the world. TNBCs lack hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), which limits treatment options. Currently, paclitaxel-based drugs combined with other chemotherapeutics remain the main treatment for TNBC. There is currently no consensus on the best therapeutic regimen for TNBC. However, there have been successful clinical trials exploring large-molecule monoclonal antibodies, small-molecule targeted drugs, and novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). Although monoclonal antibodies have produced clinical success, their large molecular weight can limit therapeutic benefits. It is worth noting that in the past 30 years, the FDA has approved small molecule drugs for HER2-positive breast cancers. The lack of effective targets and the occurrence of drug resistance pose significant challenges in the treatment of TNBC. To improve the prognosis of TNBC, it is crucial to search for effective targets and to overcome drug resistance. This review examines the clinical efficacy, adverse effects, resistance mechanisms, and potential solutions of targeted small molecule drugs in both monotherapies and combination therapies. New therapeutic targets, including nuclear export protein 1 (XPO1) and hedgehog (Hh), are emerging as potential options for researchers and become integrated into clinical trials for TNBC. Additionally, there is growing interest in the potential of targeted protein degradation chimeras (PROTACs), degraders of rogue proteins, as a future therapy direction. This review provides potentially valuable insights with clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ou
- The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengchao Wang
- The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Qian Xu
- The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Binxu Sun
- The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Yingjie Jia
- The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China.
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22
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Singh A, Georgy JT, Dhananjayan S, Sigamani E, John AO, Joel A, Chandramohan J, Abarna R, Rebekah G, Backianathan S, Abraham DT, Paul MJ, Chacko RT, Manipadam MT, Pai R. Comparative analysis of mutational patterns in triple negative breast cancer before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with residual disease. Gene 2024; 895:147980. [PMID: 37951371 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147980] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease with poor survival compared to other subtypes. Patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) face an increased risk of relapse and death. We aimed to characterize the mutational landscape of this subset to offer insights into relapse pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets. We retrospectively analyzed archived paired (pre- and post-NAC) tumor samples from 25 patients with TNBC with residual disease using a targeted 72-gene next-generation sequencing panel. Our findings revealed a stable mutational burden in both pre- and post-NAC samples, with a median count of 12 variants (IQR 7-17.25) per sample. TP53, PMS2, PTEN, ERBB2, and NOTCH1 variants were observed in pre-NAC samples predominantly. Notably, post-NAC samples exhibited a significant increase in AR gene mutations, suggesting potential prognostic and predictive implications. No difference in mutational burden was found between patients who did and did not receive platinum (p = 0.94), or between those with and without recurrence (p = 0.49). We employed K-means clustering to categorize the patients based on their variant profiles, aiding in the prediction of possible patterns associated with recurrence. Our study was limited by its small sample size and retrospective design, suggesting the need for further validation in larger prospective cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Josh Thomas Georgy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Sakthi Dhananjayan
- Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Elanthenral Sigamani
- Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Ajoy Oommen John
- Department of Medical Oncology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Anjana Joel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Jagan Chandramohan
- Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Rajadurai Abarna
- Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Grace Rebekah
- Department of Biostatistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Selvamani Backianathan
- Department of Radiotherapy, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | - Deepak Thomas Abraham
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | | | - Raju Titus Chacko
- Department of Medical Oncology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India
| | | | - Rekha Pai
- Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632004, India.
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23
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Gardi N, Chaubal R, Parab P, Pachakar S, Kulkarni S, Shet T, Joshi S, Kembhavi Y, Chandrani P, Quist J, Kowtal P, Grigoriadis A, Sarin R, Govindarajan R, Gupta S. Natural History of Germline BRCA1 Mutated and BRCA Wild-type Triple-negative Breast Cancer. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:404-417. [PMID: 38315150 PMCID: PMC10865976 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
We report a deep next-generation sequencing analysis of 13 sequentially obtained tumor samples, eight sequentially obtained circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) samples and three germline DNA samples over the life history of 3 patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), 2 of whom had germline pathogenic BRCA1 mutation, to unravel tumor evolution. Tumor tissue from all timepoints and germline DNA was subjected to whole-exome sequencing (WES), custom amplicon deep sequencing (30,000X) of a WES-derived somatic mutation panel, and SNP arrays for copy-number variation (CNV), while whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed only on somatic tumor.There was enrichment of homologous recombination deficiency signature in all tumors and widespread CNV, which remained largely stable over time. Somatic tumor mutation numbers varied between patients and within each patient (range: 70-216, one outlier). There was minimal mutational overlap between patients with TP53 being the sole commonly mutated gene, but there was substantial overlap in sequential samples in each patient. Each patient's tumor contained a founding ("stem") clone at diagnosis, which persisted over time, from which all other clones ("subclone") were derived ("branching evolution"), which contained mutations in well-characterized cancer-related genes like PDGFRB, ARID2, TP53 (Patient_02), TP53, BRAF, BRIP1, CSF3R (Patient_04), and TP53, APC, EZH2 (Patient_07). Including stem and subclones, tumors from all patients were polyclonal at diagnosis and during disease progression. ctDNA recapitulated most tissue-derived stem clonal and subclonal mutations while detecting some additional subclonal mutations. RNA-seq revealed a stable basal-like pattern, with most highly expressed variants belonging to stem clone. SIGNIFICANCE In germline BRCA1 mutated and BRCA wild-type patients, TNBC shows a branching evolutionary pattern of mutations with a single founding clone, are polyclonal throughout their disease course, and have widespread copy-number aberrations. This evolutionary pattern may be associated with treatment resistance or sensitivity and could be therapeutically exploited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilesh Gardi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
- Clinician Scientist Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
| | - Rohan Chaubal
- Clinician Scientist Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
| | - Pallavi Parab
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
| | - Sunil Pachakar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
- Clinician Scientist Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
| | - Suyash Kulkarni
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
| | - Tanuja Shet
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
- Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
| | - Shalaka Joshi
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
| | - Yogesh Kembhavi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
| | - Pratik Chandrani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
| | - Jelmar Quist
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pradnya Kowtal
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
- DNA sequencing Facility, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai
| | - Anita Grigoriadis
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Breast Cancer Now Unit, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rajiv Sarin
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
| | | | - Sudeep Gupta
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
- Clinician Scientist Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
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24
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Jacobo Jacobo M, Donnella HJ, Sobti S, Kaushik S, Goga A, Bandyopadhyay S. An inflamed tumor cell subpopulation promotes chemotherapy resistance in triple negative breast cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3694. [PMID: 38355954 PMCID: PMC10866903 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53999-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Individual cancers are composed of heterogeneous tumor cells with distinct phenotypes and genotypes, with triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) demonstrating the most heterogeneity among breast cancer types. Variability in transcriptional phenotypes could meaningfully limit the efficacy of monotherapies and fuel drug resistance, although to an unknown extent. To determine if transcriptional differences between tumor cells lead to differential drug responses we performed single cell RNA-seq on cell line and PDX models of breast cancer revealing cell subpopulations in states associated with resistance to standard-of-care therapies. We found that TNBC models contained a subpopulation in an inflamed cellular state, often also present in human breast cancer samples. Inflamed cells display evidence of heightened cGAS/STING signaling which we demonstrate is sufficient to cause tumor cell resistance to chemotherapy. Accordingly, inflamed cells were enriched in human tumors taken after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and associated with early recurrence, highlighting the potential for diverse tumor cell states to promote drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Jacobo Jacobo
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Hayley J Donnella
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sushil Sobti
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Swati Kaushik
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Andrei Goga
- Department of Cell & Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sourav Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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25
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Wang Y, Wang DY, Bu KN, Gao JD, Zhang BL. Prognosis prediction and risk stratification of breast cancer patients based on a mitochondria-related gene signature. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2859. [PMID: 38310106 PMCID: PMC10838276 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52981-w] [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: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
As the malignancy with the highest global incidence, breast cancer represents a significant threat to women's health. Recent advances have shed light on the importance of mitochondrial function in cancer, particularly in metabolic reprogramming within tumors. Recognizing this, we developed a novel risk signature based on mitochondrial-related genes to improve prognosis prediction and risk stratification in breast cancer patients. In this study, transcriptome data and clinical features of breast cancer samples were extracted from two sources: the TCGA, serving as the training set, and the METABRIC, used as the independent validation set. We developed the signature using LASSO-Cox regression and assessed its prognostic efficacy via ROC curves. Furthermore, the signature was integrated with clinical features to create a Nomogram model, whose accuracy was validated through clinical calibration curves and decision curve analysis. To further elucidate prognostic variations between high and low-risk groups, we conducted functional enrichment and immune infiltration analyses. Additionally, the study encompassed a comparison of mutation landscapes and drug sensitivity, providing a comprehensive understanding of the differing characteristics in these groups. Conclusively, we established a risk signature comprising 8 mitochondrial-related genes-ACSL1, ALDH2, MTHFD2, MRPL13, TP53AIP1, SLC1A1, ME3, and BCL2A1. This signature was identified as an independent risk predictor for breast cancer patient survival, exhibiting a significant high hazard ratio (HR = 3.028, 95%CI 2.038-4.499, P < 0.001). Patients in the low-risk group showed a more favorable prognosis, with enhanced immune infiltration, distinct mutation landscapes, and greater sensitivity to anti-tumor drugs. In contrast, the high-risk group exhibited an adverse trend in these aspects. This risk signature represents a novel and effective prognostic indicator, suggesting valuable insights for patient stratification in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Ding-Yuan Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Ke-Na Bu
- Xingyuan Hospital of Yulin City, Yulin City, 719051, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Ji-Dong Gao
- Department of Breast Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Department of Breast Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union College, Shenzhen, 518116, China.
| | - Bai-Lin Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
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26
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Göransson S, Strömblad S. Regulation of protein synthesis and stability by mechanical cues and its implications in cancer. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 86:102304. [PMID: 38113713 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Elevated tissue stiffness is a common feature of many solid tumors and the downstream mechanical signaling affects many cellular processes and contributes to cancer progression. Significant progress has been made in understanding how the mechanical properties of the matrix affect cancer cell behavior as well as transcription. However, how the same mechanical cues impact protein synthesis and stability and how this may contribute to disease is less well understood. Here, we present emerging evidence that cancer progression is frequently supported by gene regulation acting beyond the mRNA level and highlight some of the known crosstalk between this type of regulation and mechanotransduction in cancer as well as in other contexts. We suggest that future systematic approaches to define mechanosensitive translatomes and proteomes and how these are controlled may provide novel targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Göransson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Staffan Strömblad
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
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27
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Lehmann BD, Abramson VG, Dees EC, Shah PD, Ballinger TJ, Isaacs C, Santa-Maria CA, An H, Gonzalez-Ericsson PI, Sanders ME, Newsom KC, Abramson RG, Sheng Q, Hsu CY, Shyr Y, Wolff AC, Pietenpol JA. Atezolizumab in Combination With Carboplatin and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: The TBCRC 043 Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol 2024; 10:193-201. [PMID: 38095878 PMCID: PMC10722391 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.5424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Importance Agents targeting programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have demonstrated efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) when combined with chemotherapy and are now the standard of care in patients with PD-L1-positive metastatic disease. In contrast to microtubule-targeting agents, the effect of combining platinum compounds with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 immunotherapy has not been extensively determined. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of atezolizumab with carboplatin in patients with metastatic TNBC. Design, Setting, and Participants This phase 2 randomized clinical trial was conducted in 6 centers from August 2017 to June 2021. Interventions Patients with metastatic TNBC were randomized to receive carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 6 alone or with atezolizumab, 1200 mg, every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects with a 3-year duration of follow-up. Main Outcome and Measures The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary end points included overall response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate (CBR), and overall survival (OS). Other objectives included correlation of response with tumor PD-L1 levels, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor DNA- and RNA-sequenced biomarkers, TNBC subtyping, and multiplex analyses of immune markers. Results All 106 patients with metastatic TNBC who were enrolled were female with a mean (range) age of 55 (27-79) years, of which 12 (19%) identified as African American/Black, 1 (1%) as Asian, 73 (69%) as White, and 11 (10%) as unknown. Patients were randomized and received either carboplatin (n = 50) or carboplatin and atezolizumab (n = 56). The combination improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-1.01; P = .05) from a median of 2.2 to 4.1 months, increased ORR from 8.0% (95% CI, 3.2%-18.8%) to 30.4% (95% CI, 19.9%-43.3%), increased CBR at 6 months from 18.0% (95% CI, 9.8%-30.1%) to 37.5% (95% CI, 26.0%-50.6%), and improved OS (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.37-0.96; P = .03) from a median of 8.6 to 12.6 months. Subgroup analysis showed PD-L1-positive tumors did not benefit more from adding atezolizumab (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.23-1.65; P = .35). Patients with high TILs (HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.30-0.50), high mutation burden (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.23-1.06), and prior chemotherapy (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36-0.95) received greater benefit on the combination. Patients with obesity and patients with more than 125 mg/dL on-treatment blood glucose levels were associated with better PFS (HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.10-1.80) on the combination. TNBC subtypes benefited from adding atezolizumab, except the luminal androgen receptor subtype. Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, the addition of atezolizumab to carboplatin significantly improved survival of patients with metastatic TNBC regardless of PD-L1 status. Further, lower risk of disease progression was associated with increased TILs, higher mutation burden, obesity, and uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03206203.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Lehmann
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee
| | - Vandana G Abramson
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee
| | - E Claire Dees
- Department of Medicine and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Payal D Shah
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | | | - Claudine Isaacs
- Department of Medical Oncology, Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Cesar A Santa-Maria
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hanbing An
- Department of Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Paula I Gonzalez-Ericsson
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee
- Breast Cancer Research Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Melinda E Sanders
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kimberly C Newsom
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee
| | - Richard G Abramson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Quanhu Sheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Chih-Yuan Hsu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Yu Shyr
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Antonio C Wolff
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jennifer A Pietenpol
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
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Wang X, Bai H, Zhang J, Wang Z, Duan J, Cai H, Cao Z, Lin Q, Ding X, Sun Y, Zhang W, Xu X, Chen H, Zhang D, Feng X, Wan J, Zhang J, He J, Wang J. Genetic Intratumor Heterogeneity Remodels the Immune Microenvironment and Induces Immune Evasion in Brain Metastasis of Lung Cancer. J Thorac Oncol 2024; 19:252-272. [PMID: 37717855 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2023.09.276] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Brain metastasis, with the highest incidence in patients with lung cancer, significantly worsens prognosis and poses challenges to clinical management. To date, how brain metastasis evades immune elimination remains unknown. METHODS Whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing were performed on 30 matched brain metastasis, primary lung adenocarcinoma, and normal tissues. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas primary lung adenocarcinoma cohort, including multiplex immunofluorescence, were used to support the findings of bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS Our study highlights the key role of intratumor heterogeneity of genomic alterations in the metastasis process, mainly caused by homologous recombination deficiency or other somatic copy number alteration-associated mutation mechanisms, leading to increased genomic instability and genomic complexity. We further proposed a selection model of brain metastatic evolution in which intratumor heterogeneity drives immune remodeling, leading to immune escape through different mechanisms under local immune pressure. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide novel insights into the metastatic process and immune escape mechanisms of brain metastasis and pave the way for precise immunotherapeutic strategies for patients with lung cancer with brain metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiyang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianchun Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hongqing Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Cao
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qingtang Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosheng Ding
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiting Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Translational Medicine, 3D Medicines Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoya Xu
- Department of Translational Medicine, 3D Medicines Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Translational Medicine, 3D Medicines Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Dadong Zhang
- Department of Translational Medicine, 3D Medicines Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoli Feng
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jinghai Wan
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jie He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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29
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Duan H, Zhang Y, Qiu H, Fu X, Liu C, Zang X, Xu A, Wu Z, Li X, Zhang Q, Zhang Z, Cui F. Machine learning-based prediction model for distant metastasis of breast cancer. Comput Biol Med 2024; 169:107943. [PMID: 38211382 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.107943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in women. Advanced breast cancer can develop distant metastases, posing a severe threat to the life of patients. Because the clinical warning signs of distant metastasis are manifested in the late stage of the disease, there is a need for better methods of predicting metastasis. METHODS First, we screened breast cancer distant metastasis target genes by performing difference analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on the selected datasets, and performed analyses such as GO enrichment analysis on these target genes. Secondly, we screened breast cancer distant metastasis target genes by LASSO regression analysis and performed correlation analysis and other analyses on these biomarkers. Finally, we constructed several breast cancer distant metastasis prediction models based on Logistic Regression (LR) model, Random Forest (RF) model, Support Vector Machine (SVM) model, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) model and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model, and selected the optimal model from them. RESULTS Several 21-gene breast cancer distant metastasis prediction models were constructed, with the best performance of the model constructed based on the random forest model. This model accurately predicted the emergence of distant metastases from breast cancer, with an accuracy of 93.6 %, an F1-score of 88.9 % and an AUC value of 91.3 % on the validation set. CONCLUSION Our findings have the potential to be translated into a point-of-care prognostic analysis to reduce breast cancer mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Duan
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Beidahuang Industry Group General Hospital, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Haoye Qiu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Xiuhao Fu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Chunling Liu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Anqi Xu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Ziyue Wu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Xingfeng Li
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Qingchen Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Zilong Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
| | - Feifei Cui
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
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Ali U, Vungarala S, Tiriveedhi V. Genomic Features of Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Breast Cancer: Impact on Testing and Immunotherapy. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:162. [PMID: 38397152 PMCID: PMC10887603 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability is one of the well-established hallmarks of cancer. The homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway plays a critical role in correcting the double-stranded breaks (DSB) due to DNA damage in human cells. Traditionally, the BRCA1/2 genes in the HRR pathway have been tested for their association with breast cancer. However, defects in the HRR pathway (HRD, also termed 'BRCAness'), which has up to 50 genes, have been shown to be involved in tumorigenesis and treatment susceptibility to poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPis), platinum-based chemotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). A reliable consensus on HRD scores is yet to be established. Emerging evidence suggests that only a subset of breast cancer patients benefit from ICI-based immunotherapy. Currently, albeit with limitations, the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PDL1) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) are utilized as biomarkers to predict the favorable outcomes of ICI therapy in breast cancer patients. Preclinical studies demonstrate an interplay between the HRR pathway and PDL1 expression. In this review, we outline the current understanding of the role of HRD in genomic instability leading to breast tumorigenesis and delineate outcomes from various clinical trials. Furthermore, we discuss potential strategies for combining HRD-targeted therapy with immunotherapy to achieve the best healthcare outcomes in breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umer Ali
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA;
| | - Sunitha Vungarala
- Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37209, USA;
| | - Venkataswarup Tiriveedhi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
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31
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Zhang HQ, Sun C, Xu N, Liu W. The current landscape of the antimicrobial peptide melittin and its therapeutic potential. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1326033. [PMID: 38318188 PMCID: PMC10838977 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1326033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Melittin, a main component of bee venom, is a cationic amphiphilic peptide with a linear α-helix structure. It has been reported that melittin can exert pharmacological effects, such as antitumor, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. In particular, melittin may be beneficial for the treatment of diseases for which no specific clinical therapeutic agents exist. Melittin can effectively enhance the therapeutic properties of some first-line drugs. Elucidating the mechanism underlying melittin-mediated biological function can provide valuable insights for the application of melittin in disease intervention. However, in melittin, the positively charged amino acids enables it to directly punching holes in cell membranes. The hemolysis in red cells and the cytotoxicity triggered by melittin limit its applications. Melittin-based nanomodification, immuno-conjugation, structural regulation and gene technology strategies have been demonstrated to enhance the specificity, reduce the cytotoxicity and limit the off-target cytolysis of melittin, which suggests the potential of melittin to be used clinically. This article summarizes research progress on antiviral, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties of melittin, and discusses the strategies of melittin-modification for its future potential clinical applications in preventing drug resistance, enhancing the selectivity to target cells and alleviating cytotoxic effects to normal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Qian Zhang
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Chengbiao Sun
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Na Xu
- Academic Affairs Office, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Wensen Liu
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Changchun, Jilin, China
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32
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Zaikova E, Cheng BYC, Cerda V, Kong E, Lai D, Lum A, Bates C, den Brok W, Kono T, Bourque S, Chan A, Feng X, Fenton D, Gurjal A, Levasseur N, Lohrisch C, Roberts S, Shenkier T, Simmons C, Taylor S, Villa D, Miller R, Aguirre-Hernandez R, Aparicio S, Gelmon K. Circulating tumour mutation detection in triple-negative breast cancer as an adjunct to tissue response assessment. NPJ Breast Cancer 2024; 10:3. [PMID: 38182588 PMCID: PMC10770342 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-023-00607-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) detection via liquid biopsy is an emerging alternative to tissue biopsy, but its potential in treatment response monitoring and prognosis in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is not yet well understood. Here we determined the prevalence of actionable mutations detectable in ctDNA using a clinically validated cancer gene panel assay in patients with TNBC, without recurrence at the time of study entry. Sequencing of plasma DNA and validation of variants from 130 TNBC patients collected within 7 months of primary treatment completion revealed that 7.7% had detectable residual disease with a hotspot panel. Among neoadjuvant treated patients, we observed a trend where patients with incomplete pathologic response and positive ctDNA within 7 months of treatment completion were at much higher risk of reduced progression free survival. We propose that a high risk subset of early TNBC patients treated in neoadjuvant therapy protocols may be identifiable by combining tissue response and sensitive ctDNA detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Zaikova
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Brian Y C Cheng
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Viviana Cerda
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Esther Kong
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Daniel Lai
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Amy Lum
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Cherie Bates
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Wendie den Brok
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 600 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Takako Kono
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sylvie Bourque
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 13750 96 Ave, Surrey, Canada
| | - Angela Chan
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 13750 96 Ave, Surrey, Canada
| | - Xioalan Feng
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 2410 Lee Ave, Victoria, Canada
| | - David Fenton
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 2410 Lee Ave, Victoria, Canada
| | - Anagha Gurjal
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 32900 Marshall Rd, Abbotsford, Canada
| | | | | | - Sarah Roberts
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 1215 Lethbridge St, Prince George, Canada
| | - Tamara Shenkier
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 600 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Sara Taylor
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 399 Royal Ave, Kelowna, Canada
| | - Diego Villa
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 600 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ruth Miller
- Imagia Canexia Health, 204-2389 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Samuel Aparicio
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, 675 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Karen Gelmon
- Medical Oncology, BC Cancer, 600 W10th Avenue, Vancouver, Canada.
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Yu X, Qian F, Zhang X, Zhu Y, He G, Yang J, Wu X, Zhou Y, Shen L, Shi X, Zhang H, Liu X. Promotion effect of FOXCUT as a microRNA sponge for miR-24-3p on progression in triple-negative breast cancer through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:105-114. [PMID: 38178324 PMCID: PMC10766298 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a type of highly invasive breast cancer with a poor prognosis. According to new research, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in the progression of cancer. Although the role of lncRNAs in breast cancer has been well reported, few studies have focused on TNBC. This study aimed to explore the biological function and clinical significance of forkhead box C1 promoter upstream transcript (FOXCUT) in triple-negative breast cancer. METHODS Based on a bioinformatic analysis of the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database, we detected that the lncRNA FOXCUT was overexpressed in TNBC tissues, which was further validated in an external cohort of tissues from the General Surgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. The functions of FOXCUT in proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected in vitro or in vivo. Luciferase assays and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were performed to reveal that FOXCUT acted as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for the microRNA miR-24-3p and consequently inhibited the degradation of p38. RESULTS lncRNA FOXCUT was markedly highly expressed in breast cancer, which was associated with poor prognosis in some cases. Knockdown of FOXCUT significantly inhibited cancer growth and metastasis in vitro or in vivo. Mechanistically, FOXCUT competitively bounded to miR-24-3p to prevent the degradation of p38, which might act as an oncogene in breast cancer. CONCLUSION Collectively, this research revealed a novel FOXCUT/miR-24-3p/p38 axis that affected breast cancer progression and suggested that the lncRNA FOXCUT could be a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiao'an Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
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Shimizu T, Oba T, Oshi M, Ito KI. Eribulin promotes proliferation of CD8 + T cells and potentiates T cell-mediated anti-tumor activity against triple-negative breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 203:57-71. [PMID: 37733186 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07111-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Chemotherapeutic agents exert immunomodulatory effects on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and immune cells. Eribulin favorably affects the immunological status of patients with breast cancer. However, the effects of eribulin on the immune cells remain unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eribulin on immune cells. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and mouse splenocytes were stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. The effects of eribulin and paclitaxel on cell proliferation and differentiation status were analyzed using flow cytometry. RNA sequencing was performed to assess alterations in gene expression in CD8+ T cells following eribulin and paclitaxel treatment. Using TNBC cell lines (MDA-MB-231, Hs578T, and MDA-MB-157), the anti-tumor activity of CD3/CD28-stimulated T cells combined with eribulin or paclitaxel was evaluated. RESULTS Eribulin did not affect CD3/CD28-stimulated PBMCs proliferation. However, eribulin significantly decreased the CD4/CD8 ratio in T cells, indicating that eribulin facilitates CD8+ T cell proliferation. Furthermore, eribulin significantly increased the frequency of less differentiated CD45RA+, CCR7+, and TCF1+ subsets of CD8+ T cells. RNA sequencing revealed that eribulin enhanced the expression of gene sets related to cell proliferation and immune responses. Moreover, eribulin augmented the anti-tumor effects of CD3/CD28-stimulated T cells against TNBC cells. These results were not observed in experiments using paclitaxel. CONCLUSIONS Eribulin promoted CD8+ T cell proliferation, repressed effector T cell differentiation, and harnessed T cell-mediated anti-tumor effects. These mechanisms may be one of the cues that eribulin can improve the immunological status of tumor-bearing hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadafumi Shimizu
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-861, Japan
| | - Takaaki Oba
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-861, Japan.
| | - Masanori Oshi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Ito
- Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-861, Japan
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Ge LP, Jin X, Ma D, Wang ZY, Liu CL, Zhou CZ, Zhao S, Yu TJ, Liu XY, Di GH, Shao ZM, Jiang YZ. ZNF689 deficiency promotes intratumor heterogeneity and immunotherapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer. Cell Res 2024; 34:58-75. [PMID: 38168642 PMCID: PMC10770380 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00909-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease characterized by remarkable intratumor heterogeneity (ITH), which poses therapeutic challenges. However, the clinical relevance and key determinant of ITH in TNBC are poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively characterized ITH levels using multi-omics data across our center's cohort (n = 260), The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort (n = 134), and four immunotherapy-treated cohorts (n = 109). Our results revealed that high ITH was associated with poor patient survival and immunotherapy resistance. Importantly, we identified zinc finger protein 689 (ZNF689) deficiency as a crucial determinant of ITH formation. Mechanistically, the ZNF689-TRIM28 complex was found to directly bind to the promoter of long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1), inducing H3K9me3-mediated transcriptional silencing. ZNF689 deficiency reactivated LINE-1 retrotransposition to exacerbate genomic instability, which fostered ITH. Single-cell RNA sequencing, spatially resolved transcriptomics and flow cytometry analysis confirmed that ZNF689 deficiency-induced ITH inhibited antigen presentation and T-cell activation, conferring immunotherapy resistance. Pharmacological inhibition of LINE-1 significantly reduced ITH, enhanced antitumor immunity, and eventually sensitized ZNF689-deficient tumors to immunotherapy in vivo. Consistently, ZNF689 expression positively correlated with favorable prognosis and immunotherapy response in clinical samples. Altogether, our study uncovers a previously unrecognized mechanism underlying ZNF689 deficiency-induced ITH and suggests LINE-1 inhibition combined with immunotherapy as a novel treatment strategy for TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ping Ge
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Jin
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zi-Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng-Lin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao-Zheng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shen Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian-Jian Yu
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi-Yu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gen-Hong Di
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhi-Ming Shao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yi-Zhou Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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36
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Grote I, Poppe A, Lehmann U, Christgen M, Kreipe H, Bartels S. Frequency of genetic alterations differs in advanced breast cancer between metastatic sites. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2024; 63:e23199. [PMID: 37672607 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
About 20%-30% of breast cancer (BC) patients will develop distant metastases, preferentially in bones, liver, lung, and brain. BCs with different intrinsic subtypes prefer different sites for metastasis. These subtypes vary in the abundance of genetic alterations which may influence the localization of metastases. Currently, information about the relation between metastatic site and mutational profile of BC is limited. In this study, n = 521 BC metastases of the most frequently affected sites (bone, brain, liver, and lung) were investigated for the frequency of AKT1, ERBB2, ESR1, PIK3CA, and TP53 mutations via NGS and pyrosequencing. Somatic mutations were present in 64% cases. PIK3CA and TP53 were the most frequently mutated genes under study. We provide an analysis of the mutational profile of BCs and the affected metastatic site. Genetic alterations differed significantly depending on the organ site affected by metastases. TP53 mutations were mostly observed in brain metastases (51.0%), metastases outside of the brain revealed a much lower proportion of TP53 mutated samples. PIK3CA mutations are frequent in liver (40.6%), lung (36.8%), and bone metastases (35.7%), whereas less common in brain metastases (18.4%). The highest percentage of ESR1 mutations was observed in liver and lung metastases (about 30% each), whereas metastatic lesions in the brain showed significantly less ESR1 mutations, only in 2.0% of the cases. In summary, we found significant differences of mutational status in mBC depending on the affected organ and intrinsic subtype. Organotropism of metastatic cancer spread may be influenced by the mutational profile of individual BCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Grote
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexandra Poppe
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrich Lehmann
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Hans Kreipe
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephan Bartels
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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37
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Akula S, Gonzalez CG, Kermet S, Burleson M. Natural compounds solasonine and alisol B23-acetate target GLI3 signaling to block oncogenesis in MED12-altered breast cancer. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 13:127-135. [PMID: 38915457 PMCID: PMC11194031 DOI: 10.22099/mbrc.2024.49044.1915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer remains to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide thereby highlighting the critical need to find superior treatment strategies for this disease. In the current era of cancer treatment, personalized medicine is garnering much attention as this type of treatment is more selective thereby minimizing harmful side effects. Personalized medicine is dependent upon knowing the underlying genetic landscape of the initial tumor. In our study, we focused our efforts on a specific subset of breast cancer that harbors genetic alterations in the Mediator subunit 12 (MED12). Our results show that loss of MED12 leads to enhanced cellular proliferation and colony formation of breast cancer cells through a mechanism that involves activation of GLI3-dependent SHH signaling, a pathway that is central to breast development and homeostasis. To find a personalized treatment option for this subset of breast cancer, we employed a natural compound screening strategy which uncovered a total of ten compounds that selectively target MED12 knockdown breast cancer cells. Our results show that two of these ten compounds, solasonine and alisol B23-acetate, block GLI3-dependent SHH signaling which leads to a reversal of enhanced cellular proliferation and colony formation ability. Thus, our findings provide promising insight into a novel personalized treatment strategy for patients suffering from MED12-altered breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Akula
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Cristian G. Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Sophia Kermet
- Department of Biology, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Marieke Burleson
- Department of Biology, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA
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38
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Keskinkılıc M, Gökmen-Polar Y, Badve SS. Triple Negative Breast Cancers: An Obsolete Entity? Clin Breast Cancer 2024; 24:1-6. [PMID: 38016912 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2023.10.006] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer is defined on the basis of what it is not. It has served as a useful umbrella entity for management of patients with breast cancer for the last couple of decades. However, during this period a number of novel therapies have become available. These therapies have been documented to be useful in subsets of TNBCs that can be identified on the basis of distinct biologic alterations. Herein we revisit the categorization and usage of the TNBC as an entity to assess its utility in view of the currently available therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Keskinkılıc
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yesim Gökmen-Polar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Sunil S Badve
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
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39
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Zhao D, Li W, Wang Y, Zhang G, Bai X, Yu H. HTRA1 expression is associated with immune-cell infiltration and survival in breast cancer. Transl Cancer Res 2023; 12:3503-3521. [PMID: 38197075 PMCID: PMC10774071 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Background High temperature requirement A1 (HTRA1), a member of the HTRA family, is a serine peptidase involved in many crucial bioprocesses such as proliferation, mitochondrial homeostasis, apoptosis, and protein quality control. It also plays an important role in the development of various tumors. However, the potential role and mechanisms of action of HTRA1 in breast cancer (BRCA) remain unclear. We conducted a bioinformatics-based study to investigate HTRA1 expression in BRCA alongside its associations with immune-cell infiltrates and survival outcomes. Methods The expression of HTRA1 in BRCA samples was analyzed using RNAseq datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus. R software was employed to assess the relationship between HTRA1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and immunity-associated biomarkers in BRCA. MethSurv and cBioPortal database were utilized to evaluate DNA methylation and genovariation within the HTRA1 DNA. Receiver operating characteristic curves, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox regression were performed to estimate the impact of HTRA1 on diagnosis, prognosis, and response to chemotherapy in BRCA. Results HTRA1 expression was significantly downregulated in BRCA tissues compared to adjacent normal breast tissue controls. Differentially expressed genes associated with HTRA1 expression primarily enriched in cell proliferation pathways. Furthermore, altered HTRA1 expression significantly correlated with patient age, tumor histological type, T stage, progesterone receptor/estrogen receptor status, and PAM50 subtype of BRCA. Both positive and negative associations were observed between HTRA1 levels and the abundance of different types of immune cells, as well as immune biomarkers, including resting mast cells, follicular helper T cells, PD-L1, p53, and Ki67. Low HTRA1 expression was related with pathological complete response in luminal B BRCA patients undergoing chemotherapy. Additionally, lower HTRA1 expression in BRCA was associated with inferior overall survival and relapse-free survival. Conclusions HTRA1 expression is associated with immune-cell infiltration, response to chemotherapy, and survival outcomes in BRCA. HTRA1 has the potential to serve as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Zhao
- Department of Breast Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Wanfeng Li
- Department of Breast Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Breast Cancer, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Gengyue Zhang
- Jilin Province Institute of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Xinhua Bai
- Department of Pathology, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Jilin Province Institute of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun, China
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40
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Hu P, Zhou P, Sun T, Liu D, Yin J, Liu L. Therapeutic protein PAK restrains the progression of triple negative breast cancer through degrading SREBP-1 mRNA. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:151. [PMID: 38082285 PMCID: PMC10714641 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01749-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents the most challenging subtype of breast cancer. Studies have implicated an upregulation of lipid synthesis pathways in the initiation and progression of TNBC. Targeting lipid synthesis pathways may be a promising therapeutic strategy for TNBC. Our previous study developed a therapeutic protein PAK with passive targeting and inhibiting tumor proliferation. In this study, we further substantiate the efficacy of PAK in TNBC. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed PAK-mediated downregulation of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis, including key genes like SREBP-1, FASN, and SCD1. RNA immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated a significant binding affinity of PAK to SREBP-1 mRNA, facilitating its degradation process. Both in vitro and in vivo models, PAK hampered TNBC progression by downregulating lipid synthesis pathways. In conclusion, this study emphasizes that PAK inhibits the progression of TNBC by binding to and degrading SREBP-1 mRNA, revealing a new strategy for regulating lipid synthesis in the intervention of TNBC and its therapeutic significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.120 Longshan Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Peiyi Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.120 Longshan Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Tieyun Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.120 Longshan Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Dingkang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Lubin Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.120 Longshan Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, 401147, China.
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41
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Mai N, Abuhadra N, Jhaveri K. Molecularly Targeted Therapies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer: History, Advances, and Future Directions. Clin Breast Cancer 2023; 23:784-799. [PMID: 37336650 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the subtype with poorest prognosis. Despite the subtype's heterogeneity, there is still a paucity in effective targeted therapeutics that offer both good efficacy and tolerability, and chemotherapy remains the backbone of modern TNBC therapy. In the past few years, immunotherapy as well as novel therapeutic modalities like antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have shown clinical benefit and have been FDA approved in various clinical stages of unselected TNBC. However, there has not been similar advancement in molecularly targeted therapies, especially when compared to advancements seen in hormone receptor (HR)-positive or HER2-positive breast cancer. PARP inhibitors have been approved for BRCA-mutated TNBC, but responses are short-lived, and resistance remains a barrier for current treatment. PI3K pathway inhibitors approved in HR+ breast cancer has not worked for TNBC and continue to have significant dose-limiting adverse effects. EGFR inhibition has been thoroughly explored in TNBC, but all trials so far have shown minimal efficacy. Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, current research in targeted therapy for TNBC holds great promise in overcoming the barriers of the past and developing novel therapeutic approaches for the future. In this review, we describe molecular targets both identified and validated in the treatment of TNBC, discuss the historical efforts towards development of targeted agents and current areas of improvement, and address promising advances that have the potential to improve outcomes in this heterogenous and aggressive breast cancer subtype. Immunotherapy, ADCs, and AR targeting will be discussed in separate reviews of this edition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Mai
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Nour Abuhadra
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Komal Jhaveri
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
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42
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Mukhopadhyay D, Goel HL, Xiong C, Goel S, Kumar A, Li R, Zhu LJ, Clark JL, Brehm MA, Mercurio AM. The calcium channel TRPC6 promotes chemotherapy-induced persistence by regulating integrin α6 mRNA splicing. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113347. [PMID: 37910503 PMCID: PMC10872598 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the cell biological mechanisms that enable tumor cells to persist after therapy is necessary to improve the treatment of recurrent disease. Here, we demonstrate that transient receptor potential channel 6 (TRPC6), a channel that mediates calcium entry, contributes to the properties of breast cancer stem cells, including resistance to chemotherapy, and that tumor cells that persist after therapy are dependent on TRPC6. The mechanism involves the ability of TRPC6 to regulate integrin α6 mRNA splicing. Specifically, TRPC6-mediated calcium entry represses the epithelial splicing factor ESRP1 (epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1), which enables expression of the integrin α6B splice variant. TRPC6 and α6B function in tandem to facilitate stemness and persistence by activating TAZ and, consequently, repressing Myc. Therapeutic inhibition of TRPC6 sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and tumors to chemotherapy by targeting the splicing of α6 integrin mRNA and inducing Myc. These data reveal a Ca2+-dependent mechanism of chemotherapy-induced persistence, which is amenable to therapy, that involves integrin mRNA splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimpi Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Hira Lal Goel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Choua Xiong
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Shivam Goel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ayush Kumar
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Lihua Julie Zhu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jennifer L Clark
- Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Michael A Brehm
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Arthur M Mercurio
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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43
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Srikanthan A, Awan AA, McGee S, Rushton M. Young Women with Breast Cancer: The Current Role of Precision Oncology. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1620. [PMID: 38003935 PMCID: PMC10672565 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13111620] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Young adults aged 40 years and younger with breast cancer represent less than 5% of all breast cancer cases, yet it is the leading cause of death among young women with cancer worldwide. Breast cancer that develops at a young age is more aggressive and has biological features that carry an increased risk of relapse and death. Young adults are more likely to have a genetic predisposition and key biomarkers, including endocrine receptors, the HER2 receptor, and proliferation biomarkers, that appear different compared to older adults. Despite being more aggressive, management strategies are largely the same irrespective of age. Given the higher rates of genetic predisposition, fast access to genetic counselling and testing is a necessity. In this review, the biological differences in young adult breast cancer and the current role precision medicine holds in the treatment of young adults with breast cancer are explored. Given the relatively high risk of relapse, developing novel genomic tools to refine the treatment options beyond the current standard is critical. Existing predictive genomic tests require careful interpretation with consideration of the patient's clinical and pathological features in the young patient cohort. Careful evaluation is also required when considering extended endocrine therapy options. Improved characterization of mutations occurring in tumors using next-generation sequencing could identify important driver mutations that arise in young women. Applying the advances of precision medicine equitably to patients in resource-rich and low- and middle-income countries will be critical to impacting the survival of young adults with breast cancer worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirrtha Srikanthan
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (A.A.A.); (S.M.); (M.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Arif Ali Awan
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (A.A.A.); (S.M.); (M.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Sharon McGee
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (A.A.A.); (S.M.); (M.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Moira Rushton
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (A.A.A.); (S.M.); (M.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
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44
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Han Y, Wang J, Sun T, Ouyang Q, Li J, Yuan J, Xu B. Predictive biomarkers of response and survival following immunotherapy with a PD-L1 inhibitor benmelstobart (TQB2450) and antiangiogenic therapy with a VEGFR inhibitor anlotinib for pretreated advanced triple negative breast cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:429. [PMID: 37973901 PMCID: PMC10654734 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01672-5] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In our phase Ib trial (ClinialTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03855358), benmelstobart (TQB2450), a novel humanized IgG1 antibody against PD-L1, plus antiangiogenic multikinase inhibitor, anlotinib, demonstrated promising antitumor activities in pretreated triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. We conducted explorative analyses of genomic biomarkers to explore the associations with treatment response and survival outcomes. Targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) was undertaken toward circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) collected from peripheral blood samples prior to the start of treatment and after disease progression. A total of 31 patients received targeted NGS and functional driver mutations in 29 patients were analyzed. The most frequent mutations were TP53 (72%), MLL3 (28%), and PIK3CA (17%). At a blood-based tumor mutational burden (bTMB) cutoff of 6.7 mutations per megabase, patients with low bTMB showed better response to anlotinib plus TQB2450 (50% vs. 7%, P = 0.015) and gained greater PFS benefits (7.3 vs. 4.1 months, P = 0.012) than those with high bTMB. At a maximum somatic allele frequency (MSAF) cutoff of 10%, a low MSAF indicated a better objective response (43% vs. 20%) as well as a significantly longer median PFS (7.9 vs. 2.7 months, P < 0.001). Patients with both low MSAF and low bTMB showed a notably better objective response to anlotinib plus TQB2450 (70% vs. 11%, P < 0.001) and a significantly longer median PFS (11.0 vs. 2.9 months, P < 0.001) than patients with other scenarios. Our findings support future studes and validation of MSAF and the combined bTMB-MSAF classification as predictive biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitor-based regimens in advanced TNBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Han
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Jiayu Wang
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Tao Sun
- Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110042, China
| | | | - Jianwen Li
- Geneplus-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518118, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- Geneplus-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518118, China
| | - Binghe Xu
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
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45
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Morales-Pison S, Tapia JC, Morales-González S, Maldonado E, Acuña M, Calaf GM, Jara L. Association of Germline Variation in Driver Genes with Breast Cancer Risk in Chilean Population. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16076. [PMID: 38003265 PMCID: PMC10671568 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a genomic disease, with driver mutations contributing to tumorigenesis. These potentially heritable variants influence risk and underlie familial breast cancer (BC). This study evaluated associations between BC risk and 13 SNPs in driver genes MAP3K1, SF3B1, SMAD4, ARID2, ATR, KMT2C, MAP3K13, NCOR1, and TBX3, in BRCA1/2-negative Chilean families. SNPs were genotyped using TaqMan Assay in 492 cases and 1285 controls. There were no associations between rs75704921:C>T (ARID2); rs2229032:A>C (ATR); rs3735156:C>G (KMT2C); rs2276738:G>C, rs2293906:C>T, rs4075943T:>A, rs13091808:C>T (MAP3K13); rs178831:G>A (NCOR1); or rs3759173:C>A (TBX3) and risk. The MAP3K1 rs832583 A allele (C/A+A/A) showed a protective effect in families with moderate BC history (OR = 0.7 [95% CI 0.5-0.9] p = 0.01). SF3B1 rs16865677-T (G/T+T/T) increased risk in sporadic early-onset BC (OR = 1.4 [95% CI 1.0-2.0] p = 0.01). SMAD4 rs3819122-C (A/C+C/C) increased risk in cases with moderate family history (OR = 2.0 [95% CI 1.3-2.9] p ≤ 0.0001) and sporadic cases diagnosed ≤50 years (OR = 1.6 [95% CI 1.1-2.2] p = 0.006). SMAD4 rs12456284:A>G increased BC risk in G-allele carriers (A/G + G/G) in cases with ≥2 BC/OC cases and early-onset cases (OR = 1.2 [95% CI 1.0-1.6] p = 0.04 and OR = 1.4 [95% CI 1.0-1.9] p = 0.03, respectively). Our study suggests that specific germline variants in driver genes MAP3K1, SF3B1, and SMAD4 contribute to BC risk in Chilean population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Morales-Pison
- Centro de Oncología de Precisión (COP), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Mayor, Las Condes, Santiago 7560908, Chile;
| | - Julio C. Tapia
- Laboratorio de Transformación Celular, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 783090, Chile;
| | - Sarai Morales-González
- Laboratorio de Genética Humana, Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 783090, Chile; (S.M.-G.); (M.A.)
| | - Edio Maldonado
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 783090, Chile;
| | - Mónica Acuña
- Laboratorio de Genética Humana, Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 783090, Chile; (S.M.-G.); (M.A.)
| | - Gloria M. Calaf
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1010069, Chile;
| | - Lilian Jara
- Laboratorio de Genética Humana, Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 783090, Chile; (S.M.-G.); (M.A.)
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Yan G, Dai M, Poulet S, Wang N, Boudreault J, Daliah G, Ali S, Lebrun JJ. Combined in vitro/in vivo genome-wide CRISPR screens in triple negative breast cancer identify cancer stemness regulators in paclitaxel resistance. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:51. [PMID: 37932309 PMCID: PMC10628277 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00497-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined as lacking the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TNBC patients exhibit relatively poor clinical outcomes due to lack of molecular markers for targeted therapies. As such chemotherapy often remains the only systemic treatment option for these patients. While chemotherapy can initially help shrink TNBC tumor size, patients eventually develop resistance to drug, leading to tumor recurrence. We report a combined in vitro/in vivo genome-wide CRISPR synthetic lethality screening approach in a relevant TNBC cell line model to identify several targets responsible for the chemotherapy drug, paclitaxel resistance. Computational analysis integrating in vitro and in vivo data identified a set of genes, for which specific loss-of-function deletion enhanced paclitaxel resistance in TNBC. We found that several of these genes (ATP8B3, FOXR2, FRG2, HIST1H4A) act as cancer stemness negative regulators. Finally, using in vivo orthotopic transplantation TNBC models we showed that FRG2 gene deletion reduced paclitaxel efficacy and promoted tumor metastasis, while increasing FRG2 expression by means of CRISPR activation efficiently sensitized TNBC tumors to paclitaxel treatment and inhibited their metastatic abilities. In summary, the combined in vitro/in vivo genome-wide CRISPR screening approach proved effective as a tool to identify novel regulators of paclitaxel resistance/sensitivity and highlight the FRG2 gene as a potential therapeutical target overcoming paclitaxel resistance in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Yan
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Meiou Dai
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Sophie Poulet
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Ni Wang
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Julien Boudreault
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Girija Daliah
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Suhad Ali
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Jean-Jacques Lebrun
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada.
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Castellano G, Giugliano F, Curigliano G, Marra A. Clinical utility of genomic signatures for the management of early and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Curr Opin Oncol 2023; 35:479-490. [PMID: 37621170 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This comprehensive review aims to provide timely and relevant insights into the current therapeutic landscape for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and the molecular features underlying this subtype. It emphasizes the need for more reliable biomarkers to refine prognostication and optimize therapy, considering the aggressive nature of TNBC and its limited targeted treatment options. RECENT FINDINGS The review explores the multidisciplinary management of early TNBC, which typically involves systemic chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. It highlights the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) as promising therapeutic strategies for TNBC. Recent clinical trials investigating the use of ICIs in combination with chemotherapy and the approval of pembrolizumab and atezolizumab for PD-L1-positive metastatic TNBC are discussed. The efficacy of PARP inhibitors and ADCs in treating TNBC patients with specific genetic alterations is also highlighted. SUMMARY The findings discussed in this review have significant implications for clinical practice and research in TNBC. The identification of distinct molecular subtypes through gene expression profiling has enabled a better understanding of TNBC heterogeneity and its clinical implications. This knowledge has the potential to guide treatment decisions, as different subtypes display varying responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the importance of developing reliable genomic and transcriptomic signatures as biomarkers to refine patient prognostication and optimize therapy selection in TNBC. Integrating these signatures into clinical practice may lead to more personalized treatment approaches, improving outcomes for TNBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazia Castellano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Giugliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Marra
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS
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48
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Mansur MB, deSouza NM, Natrajan R, Abegglen LM, Schiffman JD, Greaves M. Evolutionary determinants of curability in cancer. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1761-1770. [PMID: 37620552 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02159-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistant cells, most of which have a mutated TP53 gene, prevents curative treatment in most advanced and common metastatic cancers of adults. Yet, a few, rarer malignancies, all of which are TP53 wild type, have high cure rates. In this Perspective, we discuss how common features of curable cancers offer insights into the evolutionary and developmental determinants of drug resistance. Acquired loss of TP53 protein function is the most common genetic change in cancer. This probably reflects positive selection in the context of strong ecosystem pressures including microenvironmental hypoxia. Loss of TP53's functions results in multiple fitness benefits and enhanced evolvability of cancer cells. TP53-null cells survive apoptosis, and tolerate potent oncogenic signalling, DNA damage and genetic instability. In addition, critically, they provide an expanded pool of self-renewing, or stem, cells, the primary units of evolutionary selection in cancer, making subsequent adaptation to therapeutic challenge by drug resistance highly probable. The exceptional malignancies that are curable, including the common genetic subtype of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and testicular seminoma, differ from the common adult cancers in originating prenatally from embryonic or fetal cells that are developmentally primed for TP53-dependent apoptosis. Plus, they have other genetic and phenotypic features that enable dissemination without exposure to selective pressures for TP53 loss, retaining their intrinsic drug hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nandita M deSouza
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Department of Imaging, The Royal Marsden National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Rachael Natrajan
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, Division of Breast Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Lisa M Abegglen
- Department of Pediatrics and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Joshua D Schiffman
- Department of Pediatrics and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Peel Therapeutics, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Mel Greaves
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
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Zhang H, Ouyang C. BTB protein family and human breast cancer: signaling pathways and clinical progress. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:16213-16229. [PMID: 37682360 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05314-9] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is considered the number one killer of women both in China and abroad, and the leading cause of cancer death. It severely affects female health-related quality of life. Broad-complex, tramtrack, bric à brac (BTB) protein family was first discovered in drosophila as early as in 1993 by Godt D and peers, since then, more family members and their critical biological functions were uncovered. Moreover, researchers around the world have recently demonstrated that numerous signaling pathways connect BTB family members and human breast cancer. PURPOSE In this review, we critically discuss these findings regarding the essential mechanisms and functions of the BTB protein family in mediating the organic processes of human breast cancer. Meanwhile, we summarize the signaling pathways the BTB protein family participates in. And we address that BTB proteins regulate the growth, apoptosis, and other behaviors of breast cancer cells. We also point out the future directions for further studies in this field. METHODS The relevant online literatures have been reviewed for this article. CONCLUSION This review could offer an update on novel molecular targets for treating human breast cancer and new insights into BTB protein family research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haorui Zhang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Xi Cheng District, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Chenxi Ouyang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Xi Cheng District, Beijing, 100037, China.
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50
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Maura F, Adams RM, Aoki T. Scientific techniques in adolescent and young adult classic Hodgkin lymphoma. EJHAEM 2023; 4:902-907. [PMID: 38024640 PMCID: PMC10660113 DOI: 10.1002/jha2.786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the tumor microenvironment and genomic landscape is crucial for better prediction of treatment outcomes and developing novel therapies in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Recent advancements in genomics have enabled researchers to gain deeper insights into the genomic characteristics of HL at both single-cell resolution and the whole genome level. The use of noninvasive methods such as liquid biopsies and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded-based imaging techniques has expanded the possibilities of applying cutting-edge analyses to routine clinically available samples. Collaborative efforts between adult and pediatric group are imperative to translate novel findings into routine patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Maura
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of MiamiMiamiFloridaUSA
| | - Ragini M. Adams
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, OncologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Tomohiro Aoki
- Princess Margaret Cancer CentreUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
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