1
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Rauf S, Ullah S, Abid MA, Ullah A, Khan G, Khan AU, Ahmad G, Ijaz M, Ahmad S, Faisal S. A computational study of gene expression patterns in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using TCGA data. Future Sci OA 2024; 10:2380590. [PMID: 39140365 PMCID: PMC11326450 DOI: 10.1080/20565623.2024.2380590] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the second most prevalent cancer in Pakistan. Methods: Gene expression data from TCGA and GETx for normal genes to analyze Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs). Data was further investigated using the Enrichr tool to perform Gene Ontology (GO). Results: Our analysis identified most significantly differentially expressed genes and explored their established cellular functions as well as their potential involvement in tumor development. We found that the highly expressed Keratin family and S100A9 genes. The under-expressed genes KRT4 and KRT13 provide instructions for the production of keratin proteins. Conclusion: Our study suggests that factors such as poor oral hygiene and smokeless tobacco can result in oral stress and cellular damage and cause cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saqib Rauf
- Institute of Integrative Biosciences, CECOS University Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
- Centre for Omics Sciences, Islamia College Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Sami Ullah
- Centre for Omics Sciences, Islamia College Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | | | - Asad Ullah
- Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Gullzar Khan
- Centre for Omics Sciences, Islamia College Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Ainee Urooj Khan
- Institute of Integrative Biosciences, CECOS University Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Gulzar Ahmad
- Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ijaz
- Institute of Integrative Biosciences, CECOS University Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Sidra Ahmad
- Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
| | - Sulaiman Faisal
- Institute of Integrative Biosciences, CECOS University Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan
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2
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Tamiolakis P, Shah A, Dawson R, Ramasamy S, Hutchins GGA. HPV- associated sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma with FGFR3::TACC3 fusion. A rare case report. Oral Oncol 2024; 157:106983. [PMID: 39126751 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106983] [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: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Sinonasal squamous cell carcinomas (SNSCCs) are uncommon and they are associated with adverse prognosis. HPV-associated SNSCCs and fusion-driven SNSCCs are particularly rare. A case of an HPV-associated SNSCC with a FGFR3::TACC3 fusion is thus presented; a brief review of the pertinent literature is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paris Tamiolakis
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
| | - Alina Shah
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
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3
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Nakamori Y, Takasawa A, Takasawa K, Kyuno D, Ono Y, Magara K, Nakahashi N, Sekiguchi S, Tsuchihashi K, Miyazaki A, Osanai M. Vitamin D-metabolizing enzyme CYP24A1 affects oncogenic behaviors of oral squamous cell carcinoma and its prognostic implication. Med Mol Morphol 2024; 57:185-199. [PMID: 38772955 DOI: 10.1007/s00795-024-00387-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Vitamin D is an essential molecule for cellular homeostasis, playing a critical role in cell fate decisions including cell proliferation, differentiation, and viability. Accumulating evidence has revealed that expression of the vitamin D-metabolizing enzyme CYP24A1 is dysregulated in different types of human malignancy. CYP24A1 has been shown to be involved in the oncogenic property of a variety of carcinoma cells. However, the pathological relevance of CYP24A1 expression level in human oral malignancy remains to be clarified. In the present study, suppression of CYP24A1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells increased cell proliferation, invasive activity, colony formation efficacy, and tumor growth in vivo. In addition, knockout of CYP24A1 expression inhibited cell death induced by two different types of anticancer drugs, i.e., fluorouracil and cisplatin. Gene clustering by RNA-sequence analysis revealed that several signaling molecules associated with MYC are involved in CYP24A1-mediated oncogenic behaviors. Furthermore, decreased expression level of CYP24A1 was observed in 124/204 cases (61%) of OSCC and was shown to be associated with short relapse-free and overall survival periods. The results showed that a low expression level of CYP24A1 promotes the oncogenic activity of OSCC and is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuna Nakamori
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Akira Takasawa
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
- Division of Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan
| | - Kumi Takasawa
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kyuno
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Yusuke Ono
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Kazufumi Magara
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Naoya Nakahashi
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Shohei Sekiguchi
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Kei Tsuchihashi
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Akihiro Miyazaki
- Department of Oral Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan
| | - Makoto Osanai
- Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0061, Japan.
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4
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Yang J, Lewis JS, Zi J, Andl T, Lee E, Andl CD, Liu Q, Beauchamp RD, Means AL. Interaction of the tumor suppressor SMAD4 and WNT signaling in progression to oral squamous cell carcinoma. J Pathol 2024; 264:4-16. [PMID: 38922866 PMCID: PMC11300146 DOI: 10.1002/path.6318] [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] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
SMAD4 is a tumor suppressor mutated or silenced in multiple cancers, including oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Human clinical samples and cell lines, mouse models and organoid culture were used to investigate the role that SMAD4 plays in progression from benign disease to invasive OSCC. Human OSCC lost detectable SMAD4 protein within tumor epithelium in 24% of cases, and this loss correlated with worse progression-free survival independent of other major clinical and pathological features. A mouse model engineered for KrasG12D expression in the adult oral epithelium induced benign papillomas, however the combination of KrasG12D with loss of epithelial Smad4 expression resulted in rapid development of invasive carcinoma with features of human OSCC. Examination of regulatory pathways in 3D organoid cultures of SMAD4+ and SMAD4- mouse tumors with Kras mutation found that either loss of SMAD4 or inhibition of TGFβ signaling upregulated the WNT pathway and altered the extracellular matrix. The gene signature of the mouse tumor organoids lacking SMAD4 was highly similar to the gene signature of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In summary, this work has uncovered novel mechanisms by which SMAD4 acts as a tumor suppressor in OSCC. © 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Dept. of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - James S. Lewis
- Dept. of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jinghuan Zi
- Dept. of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Thomas Andl
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
| | - Ethan Lee
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Dept. of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Claudia D. Andl
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
| | - Qi Liu
- Dept. of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Robert D. Beauchamp
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Dept. of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Dept. of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Digestive Disease Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Anna L. Means
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Dept. of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Dept. of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Digestive Disease Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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5
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O'Leary B, Skinner H, Schoenfeld JD, Licitra L, Le Tourneau C, Esdar C, Schroeder A, Salmio S, Psyrri A. Evasion of apoptosis and treatment resistance in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Cancer Treat Rev 2024; 129:102773. [PMID: 38878677 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
Combinations of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can eradicate tumors in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA SCCHN), but a significant proportion of tumors progress, recur, or do not respond to therapy due to treatment resistance. The prognosis for these patients is poor, thus new approaches are needed to improve outcomes. Key resistance mechanisms to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with LA SCCHN are alterations to the pathways that mediate apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death. Targeting dysregulation of apoptotic pathways represents a rational therapeutic strategy in many types of cancer, with a number of proteins, including the pro-survival B-cell lymphoma 2 family and inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), having been identified as druggable targets. This review discusses the mechanisms by which apoptosis occurs under physiological conditions, and how this process is abnormally restrained in LA SCCHN tumor cells, with treatment strategies aimed at re-enabling apoptosis in LA SCCHN also considered. In particular, the development of, and future opportunities for, IAP inhibitors in LA SCCHN are discussed, in light of recent encouraging proof-of-concept clinical trial data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lisa Licitra
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan and University of Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Amanda Psyrri
- Attikon University Hospital, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
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6
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Liu Y, Zhang N, Wen Y, Wen J. Head and neck cancer: pathogenesis and targeted therapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e702. [PMID: 39170944 PMCID: PMC11338281 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.702] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a highly aggressive type of tumor characterized by delayed diagnosis, recurrence, metastasis, relapse, and drug resistance. The occurrence of HNC were associated with smoking, alcohol abuse (or both), human papillomavirus infection, and complex genetic and epigenetic predisposition. Currently, surgery and radiotherapy are the standard treatments for most patients with early-stage HNC. For recurrent or metastatic (R/M) HNC, the first-line treatment is platinum-based chemotherapy combined with the antiepidermal growth factor receptor drug cetuximab, when resurgery and radiation therapy are not an option. However, curing HNC remains challenging, especially in cases with metastasis. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis of HNC, including genetic and epigenetic changes, abnormal signaling pathways, and immune regulation mechanisms, along with all potential therapeutic strategies such as molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, epigenetic modifications, and combination therapies. Recent preclinical and clinical studies that may offer therapeutic strategies for future research on HNC are also discussed. Additionally, new targets and treatment methods, including antibody-drug conjugates, photodynamic therapy, radionuclide therapy, and mRNA vaccines, have shown promising results in clinical trials, offering new prospects for the treatment of HNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Frontiers Medical CenterTianfu Jincheng LaboratoryChengduChina
- National Facility for Translational Medicine (Sichuan)West China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Nannan Zhang
- National Center for Birth Defect MonitoringKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and ChildrenMinistry of EducationWest China Second University HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yi Wen
- State Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Jiaolin Wen
- Frontiers Medical CenterTianfu Jincheng LaboratoryChengduChina
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7
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Witherspoon JG, Hall JR, Jima D, Atkins HM, Wamsley NT, Major MB, Weissman BE, Smart RC. Mutant Nrf2 E79Q enhances the promotion and progression of a subset of oncogenic Ras keratinocytes and skin tumors. Redox Biol 2024; 75:103261. [PMID: 38963974 PMCID: PMC11269801 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), including lung, head & neck, bladder, and skin SCCs often display constitutive activation of the KEAP1-NRF2 pathway. Constitutive activation is achieved through multiple mechanisms, including activating mutations in NFE2L2 (NRF2). To determine the functional consequences of Nrf2 activation on skin SCC development, we assessed the effects of mutant Nrf2E79Q expression, one of the most common activating mutations in human SCCs, on tumor promotion and progression in the mouse skin multistage carcinogenesis model using a DMBA-initiation/TPA-promotion protocol where the Hras A->T mutation (Q61L) is the canonical driver mutation. Nrf2E79Q expression was temporally and conditionally activated in the epidermis at two stages of tumor development: 1) after DMBA initiation in the epidermis but before cutaneous tumor development and 2) in pre-existing DMBA-initiated/TPA-promoted squamous papillomas. Expression of Nrf2E79Q in the epidermis after DMBA initiation but before tumor occurrence inhibited the development/promotion of 70% of squamous papillomas. However, the remaining papillomas often displayed non-canonical Hras and Kras mutations and enhanced progression to SCCs compared to control mice expressing wildtype Nrf2. Nrf2E79Q expression in pre-existing tumors caused rapid regression of 60% of papillomas. The remaining papillomas displayed the expected canonical Hras A->T mutation (Q61L) and enhanced progression to SCCs. These results demonstrate that mutant Nrf2E79Q enhances the promotion and progression of a subset of skin tumors and alters the frequency and diversity of oncogenic Ras mutations when expressed early after initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan R Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, USA; Toxicology Graduate Program, North Carolina State University, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA
| | - Dereje Jima
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA
| | - Hannah M Atkins
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, USA
| | - Nathan T Wamsley
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University at St Louis, USA
| | - Michael B Major
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University at St Louis, USA
| | - Bernard E Weissman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Robert C Smart
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, USA; Toxicology Graduate Program, North Carolina State University, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, USA.
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8
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Cao H, Lan T, Kuang S, Wang L, Li J, Li Q, Li Y, Xu Q, Chen Q, Ren S, Lan C, Ouyang N, Liao J, Huang Y, Li J. FAT1 as a tumor mutation burden specific gene affects the immunotherapy effect in head and neck squamous cell cancer. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 76:101095. [PMID: 38986165 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101095] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Response to immunotherapy is the main challenge of head and neck squamous cancer (HNSCC) treatment. Previous studies have indicated that tumor mutational burden (TMB) is associated with prognosis, but it is not always a precise index. Hence, investigating specific genetic mutations and tumor microenvironment (TME) changes in TMB-high patients is essential for precision therapy of HNSCC. METHODS A total of 33 HNSCC patients were enrolled in this study. We calculated the TMB score based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) sequencing and grouped these patients based on TMB score. Then, we examined the immune microenvironment of HNSCC using assessments of the bulk transcriptome and the single-cell RNA sequence (scRNA-seq) focusing on the molecular nature of TMB and mutations in HNSCC from our cohort. The association of the mutation pattern and TMB was analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and validated by our cohort. RESULTS 33 HNSCC patients were divided into three groups (TMB-low, -medium, and -high) based on TMB score. In the result of 520-gene panel sequencing data, we found that FAT1 and LRP1B mutations were highly prevalent in TMB-high patients. FAT1 mutations are associated with resistance to immunotherapy in HNSCC patients. This involves many metabolism-related pathways like RERE, AIRE, HOMER1, etc. In the scRNA-seq data, regulatory T cells (Tregs), monocytes, and DCs were found mainly enriched in TMB-high samples. CONCLUSION Our analysis unraveled the FAT1 gene as an assistant predictor when we use TMB as a biomarker of drug resistance in HNSCC. Tregs, monocytes, and dendritic cells (DCs) were found mainly enriched in TMB-high samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Cao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China.
| | - Tianjun Lan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Shijia Kuang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Liansheng Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Jintao Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Qunxin Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China
| | - Qiuping Xu
- Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China
| | - Shuwei Ren
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China
| | - Chunhong Lan
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Nengtai Ouyang
- Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Jianwei Liao
- Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
| | - Yongsheng Huang
- Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
| | - Jinsong Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510010, China.
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Adachi M, Taki T, Kojima M, Sakamoto N, Matsuura K, Hayashi R, Tabuchi K, Ishikawa S, Ishii G, Sakashita S. Predicting lymph node recurrence in cT1-2N0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma: collaboration between artificial intelligence and pathologists. J Pathol Clin Res 2024; 10:e12392. [PMID: 39159053 PMCID: PMC11332396 DOI: 10.1002/2056-4538.12392] [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: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Researchers have attempted to identify the factors involved in lymph node recurrence in cT1-2N0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, studies combining histopathological and clinicopathological information in prediction models are limited. We aimed to develop a highly accurate lymph node recurrence prediction model for clinical stage T1-2, N0 (cT1-2N0) tongue SCC by integrating histopathological artificial intelligence (AI) with clinicopathological information. A dataset from 148 patients with cT1-2N0 tongue SCC was divided into training and test sets. The prediction models were constructed using AI-extracted information from whole slide images (WSIs), human-assessed clinicopathological information, and both combined. Weakly supervised learning and machine learning algorithms were used for WSIs and clinicopathological information, respectively. The combination model utilised both algorithms. Highly predictive patches from the model were analysed for histopathological features. In the test set, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the model using WSI, clinicopathological information, and both combined were 0.826, 0.835, and 0.991, respectively. The highest area under the ROC curve was achieved with the model combining WSI and clinicopathological factors. Histopathological feature analysis showed that highly predicted patches extracted from recurrence cases exhibited significantly more tumour cells, inflammatory cells, and muscle content compared with non-recurrence cases. Moreover, patches with mixed inflammatory cells, tumour cells, and muscle were significantly more prevalent in recurrence versus non-recurrence cases. The model integrating AI-extracted histopathological and human-assessed clinicopathological information demonstrated high accuracy in predicting lymph node recurrence in patients with cT1-2N0 tongue SCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Adachi
- Department of Pathology and Clinical LaboratoriesNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Tetsuro Taki
- Department of Pathology and Clinical LaboratoriesNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
| | - Motohiro Kojima
- Department of Pathology and Clinical LaboratoriesNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
- Division of PathologyNational Cancer Center Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial CenterKashiwaJapan
| | - Naoya Sakamoto
- Department of Pathology and Clinical LaboratoriesNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
- Division of PathologyNational Cancer Center Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial CenterKashiwaJapan
| | - Kazuto Matsuura
- Department of Head and Neck SurgeryNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
| | - Ryuichi Hayashi
- Department of Head and Neck SurgeryNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
| | - Keiji Tabuchi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Shumpei Ishikawa
- Division of PathologyNational Cancer Center Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial CenterKashiwaJapan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Genichiro Ishii
- Department of Pathology and Clinical LaboratoriesNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
- Division of Innovative Pathology and Laboratory MedicineNational Cancer Center Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial CenterKashiwaJapan
| | - Shingo Sakashita
- Department of Pathology and Clinical LaboratoriesNational Cancer Center Hospital EastKashiwaJapan
- Division of PathologyNational Cancer Center Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial CenterKashiwaJapan
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10
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Allevato MM, Trinh S, Koshizuka K, Nachmanson D, Nguyen TTC, Yokoyama Y, Wu X, Andres A, Wang Z, Watrous J, Molinolo AA, Mali P, Harismendy O, Jain M, Wild R, Gutkind JS. A genome-wide CRISPR screen reveals that antagonism of glutamine metabolism sensitizes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to ferroptotic cell death. Cancer Lett 2024; 598:217089. [PMID: 38964731 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217089] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid for the growth and survival of rapidly proliferating cancer cells. Many cancers are addicted to glutamine, and as a result, targeting glutamine metabolism has been explored clinically as a therapeutic approach. Glutamine-catalyzing enzymes are highly expressed in primary and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the nature of the glutamine-associated pathways in this aggressive cancer type has not been elucidated. Here, we explored the therapeutic potential of a broad glutamine antagonist, DRP-104 (sirpiglenastat), in HNSCC tumors and aimed at shedding light on glutamine-dependent pathways in this disease. We observed a potent antitumoral effect of sirpiglenastat in HPV- and HPV + HNSCC xenografts. We conducted a whole-genome CRISPR screen and metabolomics analyses to identify mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to glutamine metabolism blockade. These approaches revealed that glutamine metabolism blockade results in the rapid buildup of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) via autophagy nutrient-sensing pathways. Finally, our analysis demonstrated that GPX4 mediates the protection of HNSCC cells from accumulating toxic lipid peroxides; hence, glutamine blockade sensitizes HNSCC cells to ferroptosis cell death upon GPX4 inhibition. These findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of sirpiglenastat in HNSCC and establish a novel link between glutamine metabolism and ferroptosis, which may be uniquely translated into targeted glutamine-ferroptosis combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Allevato
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sally Trinh
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Keiichi Koshizuka
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniela Nachmanson
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thien-Tu C Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yumi Yokoyama
- Dracen Pharmaceuticals Inc., 9276 Scranton Rd. Suite 200, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Xingyu Wu
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Allen Andres
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jeramie Watrous
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alfredo A Molinolo
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Olivier Harismendy
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mohit Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert Wild
- Dracen Pharmaceuticals Inc., 9276 Scranton Rd. Suite 200, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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11
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Nakamura K, Tsukasaki M, Tsunematsu T, Yan M, Ando Y, Huynh NCN, Hashimoto K, Gou Q, Muro R, Itabashi A, Iguchi T, Okamoto K, Nakamura T, Nakano K, Okamura T, Ueno T, Ito K, Ishimaru N, Hoshi K, Takayanagi H. The periosteum provides a stromal defence against cancer invasion into the bone. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07822-1. [PMID: 39169177 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07822-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The periosteum is the layer of cells that covers nearly the entire surface of every bone. Upon infection, injury or malignancy the bone surface undergoes new growth-the periosteal reaction-but the mechanism and physiological role of this process remain unknown1,2. Here we show that the periosteal reaction protects against cancer invasion into the bone. Histological analyses of human lesions of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) show that periosteal thickening occurs in proximity to the tumour. We developed a genetically dissectible mouse model of HNSCC and demonstrate that inducible depletion of periosteal cells accelerates cancerous invasion of the bone. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that expression of the gene encoding the protease inhibitor TIMP1 is markedly increased in the periosteum at the pre-invasive stage. This increase is due to upregulation of HIF1α expression in the tumour microenvironment, and increased TIMP1 inactivates matrix-degrading proteases, promoting periosteal thickening to inhibit cancer invasion. Genetic deletion of Timp1 impairs periosteal expansion, exacerbating bone invasion and decreasing survival in tumour-bearing mice. Together, these data show that the periosteal reaction may act as a functional stromal barrier against tumour progression, representing a unique example of tissue immunity mediated by stromal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazutaka Nakamura
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Sensory and Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Tsukasaki
- Department of Osteoimmunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Takaaki Tsunematsu
- Department of Oral Molecular Pathology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Minglu Yan
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yutaro Ando
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nam Cong-Nhat Huynh
- Laboratory of Oral-Maxillofacial Biology, Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Kyoko Hashimoto
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Qiao Gou
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryunosuke Muro
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ayumi Itabashi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Iguchi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuo Okamoto
- Department of Osteoimmunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Immune Environment Dynamics, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | | | - Kenta Nakano
- Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadashi Okamura
- Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoya Ueno
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kosei Ito
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Naozumi Ishimaru
- Department of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuto Hoshi
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Sensory and Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Takayanagi
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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12
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Liu W, Cao H, Wang J, Elmusrati A, Han B, Chen W, Zhou P, Li X, Keysar S, Jimeno A, Wang CY. Histone-methyltransferase KMT2D deficiency impairs the Fanconi anemia/BRCA pathway upon glycolytic inhibition in squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6755. [PMID: 39117659 PMCID: PMC11310337 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50861-5] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone lysine methyltransferase 2D (KMT2D) is the most frequently mutated epigenetic modifier in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the role of KMT2D in HNSCC tumorigenesis and whether its mutations confer any therapeutic vulnerabilities remain unknown. Here we show that KMT2D deficiency promotes HNSCC growth through increasing glycolysis. Additionally, KMT2D loss decreases the expression of Fanconi Anemia (FA)/BRCA pathway genes under glycolytic inhibition. Mechanistically, glycolytic inhibition facilitates the occupancy of KMT2D to the promoter/enhancer regions of FA genes. KMT2D loss reprograms the epigenomic landscapes of FA genes by transiting their promoter/enhancer states from active to inactive under glycolytic inhibition. Therefore, combining the glycolysis inhibitor 2-DG with DNA crosslinking agents or poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors preferentially inhibits tumor growth of KMT2D-deficient mouse HNSCC and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) harboring KMT2D-inactivating mutations. These findings provide an epigenomic basis for developing targeted therapies for HNSCC patients with KMT2D-inactivating mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hongchao Cao
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Areeg Elmusrati
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bing Han
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ping Zhou
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xiyao Li
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stephen Keysar
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Cun-Yu Wang
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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13
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Mozzarelli AM, Simanshu DK, Castel P. Functional and structural insights into RAS effector proteins. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2807-2821. [PMID: 39025071 PMCID: PMC11316660 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.027] [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] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
RAS proteins are conserved guanosine triphosphate (GTP) hydrolases (GTPases) that act as molecular binary switches and play vital roles in numerous cellular processes. Upon GTP binding, RAS GTPases adopt an active conformation and interact with specific proteins termed RAS effectors that contain a conserved ubiquitin-like domain, thereby facilitating downstream signaling. Over 50 effector proteins have been identified in the human proteome, and many have been studied as potential mediators of RAS-dependent signaling pathways. Biochemical and structural analyses have provided mechanistic insights into these effectors, and studies using model organisms have complemented our understanding of their role in physiology and disease. Yet, many critical aspects regarding the dynamics and biological function of RAS-effector complexes remain to be elucidated. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms and functions of known RAS effector proteins, provide structural perspectives on RAS-effector interactions, evaluate their significance in RAS-mediated signaling, and explore their potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro M Mozzarelli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Laura and Isaac Perlmutter NYU Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dhirendra K Simanshu
- NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Pau Castel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Laura and Isaac Perlmutter NYU Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Yan S, Zhang X, Lin Q, Du M, Li Y, He S, Chen J, Li X, Bei J, Chen S, Song M. Deciphering the interplay of HPV infection, MHC-II expression, and CXCL13 + CD4 + T cell activation in oropharyngeal cancer: implications for immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:206. [PMID: 39105803 PMCID: PMC11303625 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03789-0] [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: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has become an important etiological driver of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), leading to unique tumor characteristics. However, the interplay between HPV-associated tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) remains an enigma. METHODS We performed a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) on HPV-positive (HPV+) and HPV-negative (HPV‒) OPSCC tumors, each for three samples, and one normal tonsil tissue. Ex vivo validation assays including immunofluorescence staining, cell line co-culture, and flow cytometry analysis were used to test specific subtypes of HPV+ tumor cells and their communications with T cells. RESULTS Through a comprehensive single-cell transcriptome analysis, we uncover the distinct transcriptional signatures between HPV+ and HPV‒ OPSCC. Specifically, HPV+ OPSCC tumor cells manifest an enhanced interferon response and elevated expression of the major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II), potentially bolstering tumor recognition and immune response. Furthermore, we identify a CXCL13+CD4+ T cell subset that exhibits dual features of both follicular and pro-inflammatory helper T cells. Noteworthily, HPV+ OPSCC tumor cells embrace extensive intercellular communications with CXCL13+CD4+ T cells. Interaction with HPV+ OPSCC tumor cells amplifies CXCL13 and IFNγ release in CD4+T cells, fostering a pro-inflammatory TME. Additionally, HPV+ tumor cells expressing high MHC-II and CXCL13+CD4+ T cell prevalence are indicative of favorable overall survival rates in OPSCC patients. CONCLUSIONS Together, our study underscores a synergistic inflammatory immune response orchestrated by highly immunogenic tumor cells and CXCL13+CD4+ T cells in HPV+ OPSCC, offering useful insights into strategy development for patient stratification and effective immunotherapy in OPSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shida Yan
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Qiaohong Lin
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Mingyuan Du
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yiqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Shuai He
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Jingtao Chen
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xiyuan Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Jinxin Bei
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Shuwei Chen
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Ming Song
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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15
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Adorno-Farias D, Morales-Pisón S, Gischkow-Rucatti G, Margarit S, Fernández-Ramires R. Genetic and epigenetic landscape of early-onset oral squamous cell carcinoma: Insights of genomic underserved and underrepresented populations. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 47Suppl 1:e20240036. [PMID: 39116405 PMCID: PMC11309523 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2024-0036] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has a poor prognosis and the treatment employed generates significant physical deformity in patients. In recent years, an increase in the incidence of cases of OSCC has been observed in adult patients up to 45 years old in several genetic underrepresented and underserved countries. The increase in OSCC cases in young people is very relevant because it shows that OSCC does not make exceptions and hereditarily must play an important role. This fact has not been associated with an evident biological basis, and a large majority of these patients do not present the classic principal risk factors association. OSCC is the result of accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations and this information is still fragmented in the literature, mainly in the young group. Conducting studies with a comprehensive analysis of genetic and epigenetic data is crucial, to provide greater understanding of the underlying biology of OSCC, because this information can be decisive to determine targets for therapeutic treatment. We review the main germline and somatic aspects of genetic and genomic variation in OSCC considering the absence of genomic data from developing countries such as Chile and the rest of Hispano-America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Adorno-Farias
- Chilean Hereditary Cancer Group (GCCH), Santiago, Chile
- University of Chile, School of Dentistry, Oral Medicine and
Pathology Department, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Morales-Pisón
- Chilean Hereditary Cancer Group (GCCH), Santiago, Chile
- Mayor University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Santiago,
Chile
| | - Guilherme Gischkow-Rucatti
- Chilean Hereditary Cancer Group (GCCH), Santiago, Chile
- Mayor University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Santiago,
Chile
| | - Sonia Margarit
- Chilean Hereditary Cancer Group (GCCH), Santiago, Chile
- Desarrollo University, ICIM, School of Medicine, Santiago,
Chile
| | - Ricardo Fernández-Ramires
- Chilean Hereditary Cancer Group (GCCH), Santiago, Chile
- Mayor University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Santiago,
Chile
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16
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Sad K, Jones CY, Fawwal DV, Hill EJ, Skinner K, Lustenberger S, Lee RS, Elayavalli SR, Farhi J, Lemon LD, Fasken MB, Hong AL, Sloan SA, Corbett AH, Spangle JM. Histone H3 E50K mutation confers oncogenic activity and supports an EMT phenotype. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.11.561775. [PMID: 37873162 PMCID: PMC10592736 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.11.561775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Sequencing of human patient tumors has identified recurrent missense mutations in genes encoding core histones. We report that mutations that convert histone H3 amino acid 50 from a glutamate to a lysine (H3E50K) support an oncogenic phenotype in human cells. Expression of H3E50K is sufficient to transform human cells as evidenced by a dramatic increase in cell migration and invasion, and a statistically significant increase in proliferation and clonogenicity. H3E50K also increases the invasive phenotype in the context of co-occurring BRAF mutations, which are present in patient tumors characterized by H3E50K. H3E50 lies on the globular domain surface in a region that contacts H4 within the nucleosome. We find that H3E50K perturbs proximal H3 post-translational modifications globally and dysregulates gene expression, activating the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Functional studies using S. cerevisiae reveal that, while yeast cells that express H3E50K as the sole copy of histone H3 show sensitivity to cellular stressors, including caffeine, H3E50K cells display some genetic interactions that are distinct from the characterized H3K36M oncohistone yeast model. Taken together, these data suggest that additional histone H3 mutations have the potential to be oncogenic drivers and function through distinct mechanisms that dysregulate gene expression.
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17
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Jang JY, Lee B, Huang M, Seo C, Choi J, Shin YS, Woo HG, Kim C. Immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy is sufficient to promote microenvironmental normalization via the type I interferon pathway in PD-L1-expressing head and neck cancer. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:1923-1939. [PMID: 38511232 PMCID: PMC11306519 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13633] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) have been proven to be an effective first-line therapy against programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1; also known as CD274 molecule)-expressing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in recent KEYNOTE-048 trial. However, associated changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Oral tumors in C57/BL6 mice were induced by administering 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene into the buccal mucosa. Single-cell suspension was isolated from tumor tissue; proliferating cells were injected subcutaneously into the left flank of mice to establish Ajou oral cancer (AOC) cell lines. Subsequently, a syngeneic PD-L1-expressing HNSCC model was developed by injecting AOC cells into the buccal or tongue area. The model recapitulated human HNSCC molecular features and showed reliable in vivo tumorigenicity with significant PD-L1 expression. ICB monotherapy induced global changes in the TME, including vascular normalization. Furthermore, the antitumor effect of ICB monotherapy was superior to those of other therapeutic agents, including cisplatin and inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). The ICB-induced antitumorigenicity and TME normalization were alleviated by blocking the type I interferon pathway. In summary, ICB monotherapy is sufficient to induce TME normalization in the syngeneic model; the type I interferon pathway is indispensable in realizing the effects of ICBs. Furthermore, these results explain the underlying mechanism of the efficacy of ICB monotherapy against PD-L1-expressing HNSCC in the KEYNOTE-048 trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeon Yeob Jang
- Department of OtolaryngologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
- Department of Biomedical SciencesAjou University Graduate School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Bok‐Soon Lee
- Department of OtolaryngologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Mei Huang
- Department of OtolaryngologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Chorong Seo
- Department of OtolaryngologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Ji‐Hye Choi
- Department of PhysiologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Yoo Seob Shin
- Department of OtolaryngologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Hyun Goo Woo
- Department of PhysiologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
| | - Chul‐Ho Kim
- Department of OtolaryngologyAjou University School of MedicineSuwonKorea
- Deparment of Molecular Science and TechnologyAjou UniversitySuwonKorea
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18
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Cai XJ, Peng CR, Zhang JY, Li XF, Wang X, Han Y, Zhang HY, Peng X, Li TJ. Mast Cell Infiltration and Subtype Promote Malignant Transformation of Oral Precancer and Progression of Oral Cancer. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:2203-2214. [PMID: 39087378 PMCID: PMC11339667 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-24-0169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
The role of mast cell (MC), a common myeloid-derived immune cell, in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate MC infiltration in oral precancer and oral cancer. The evaluation of immune cell infiltration and its association with prognosis in OSCC used RNA sequencing and multiple public datasets. Multiplex immunofluorescence was used to explore the infiltration of MC in the microenvironment of OSCC and oral precancer and the interaction with CD8+ cells. The role of MC in OSCC progression was verified by in vivo experiments. The resting MC infiltration was mainly present in oral precancer, whereas activated MC infiltration was significantly higher in OSCC. Activated MC was associated with malignant transformation of oral precancer and poor prognosis of OSCC. In vivo studies showed that MC promoted the growth of OSCC. The infiltration of activated MC was negatively correlated with the infiltration of CD8+ T cells. The subtype of MC containing tryptase without chymase (MCT) was significantly higher in OSCC compared with oral precancer and was associated with poor survival. Furthermore, spatial distance analysis revealed a greater distance between MCT and CD8+ cells, which was also linked to poor prognosis in OSCC. Cox regression analysis showed that MCT could be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. This study provides new insights into the role of MC in the immune microenvironment of OSCC. It might enhance the immunotherapeutic efficacy of OSCC by developing targeted therapies against MC. SIGNIFICANCE In this study, we investigated the role of mast cells (MC) in oral precancer and oral cancer and demonstrated that MCs are involved in oral cancer progression and may serve as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker. It might improve the immunotherapeutic efficacy through developing targeted therapies against MCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Jia Cai
- Central Laboratory, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
| | - Chao-Ran Peng
- Department of Oral Pathology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
- Research Unit of Precision Pathologic Diagnosis in Tumors of the Oral and Maxillofacial Regions, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU034), Beijing, China.
| | - Jian-Yun Zhang
- Department of Oral Pathology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
- Research Unit of Precision Pathologic Diagnosis in Tumors of the Oral and Maxillofacial Regions, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU034), Beijing, China.
| | - Xue-Fen Li
- Central Laboratory, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
| | - He-Yu Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
| | - Xin Peng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
| | - Tie-Jun Li
- Department of Oral Pathology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, China.
- Research Unit of Precision Pathologic Diagnosis in Tumors of the Oral and Maxillofacial Regions, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU034), Beijing, China.
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19
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Wu C, Kuzmin P, Julian R. De-Escalation Strategies in HPV-Associated Oropharynx Cancer: A Historical Perspective with Future Direction. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2733. [PMID: 39123461 PMCID: PMC11311653 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16152733] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers has increased in recent decades. While cure rates exceed those of HPV-negative head and neck cancers, both acute and long-term sequelae of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery have led to clinical investigation into de-escalation of treatment. De-escalation trials have sought to reduce long-term treatment-related morbidity by altering or omitting chemotherapy, reducing radiation, or incorporating less invasive surgical resection through transoral surgery. More recent approaches include the use of novel agents such as immunotherapy in place of cisplatin. With the advent of tumor-tissue-modified HPV DNA detection and monitoring in blood, new strategies incorporating this biomarker are being developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton Wu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Paulina Kuzmin
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Ricklie Julian
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
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20
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Qi Y, Shao W, Gao J, Ni N, Xue F, Wang T, Wang Y, Fan Y, Yuan H. Monoamine oxidase B inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and trigger apoptosis via targeting ERK1/2 signaling pathway in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck 2024; 46:2031-2041. [PMID: 38379404 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27697] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), a flavin monoamine oxidase, regulates biogenic and xenobiotic amine oxidative deaminization. We demonstrate MAOB expression in head and neck epithelium and its biological importance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development. METHODS First, we found a possible MAOB downregulation in HNSCC using bioinformatic analysis. Second, we validated MAOB expression changes in vitro and assessed its tumorigenicity in HNSCC. Finally, preclinical xenograft models further confirmed our findings. RESULTS Results proved that MAOB was significantly reduced in HNSCC tissues and cell lines. By comparing MAOB localization in patient specimens, we found that epithelial basal cells express MAOB and that it changes throughout HNSCC development. We observed that MAOB overexpression inhibited HNSCC cell malignancy via lentiviral transfection. We additionally discovered that selegiline partly counter-regulated MAOB overexpression-induced phenotypes in HNSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS We found that MAOB is a potent biomarker and a unique and essential indication of HNSCC carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Qi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuroprotective Drug Discovery Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weihua Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuroprotective Drug Discovery Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuroprotective Drug Discovery Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Ni
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feifei Xue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianxiao Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuli Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuroprotective Drug Discovery Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hua Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
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21
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Joshi A, Ghosh A, Ramachandran V, Kuriakose M, Prabhash K, Kumar P. Precision Medicine and Clinical Trials in Advanced and Metastatic Oral Cancer. J Maxillofac Oral Surg 2024; 23:772-782. [PMID: 39118916 PMCID: PMC11303629 DOI: 10.1007/s12663-024-02254-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Oral cancer is a significant global health concern, with high morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in regions with prevalent tobacco usage such as Asia. Majority of oral cancers are detected at an advanced stage resulting in poor survival outcomes. Moreover, the treatment modalities of oral cancers have remained constant with surgery and concurrent chemoradiotherapy being mainstays of the treatment. This review provides a significant progress made in understanding the molecular landscape of oral cancers and the evolution of therapeutic strategies toward precision medicine. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted to gather recent studies on the molecular landscape of oral cancers, genomic insights, and clinical trials. Results Firstly, genomic insights into oral cancers, including key driver mutations and copy number alterations, are discussed in the context of personalized medicine approaches. Subsequently, advancements in therapeutic strategies, particularly focusing on clinical trials investigating immunotherapy and targeted agents, are highlighted. Conclusion Despite promising results, challenges persist in identifying reliable biomarkers for treatment response and resistance. Continued research efforts are warranted to validate biomarkers and optimize therapeutic interventions, with the goal of enhancing patient outcomes and reducing the global burden of oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim Joshi
- Karkinos Healthcare Pvt Ltd, 21st Floor, Rupa Renaissance, D33, Turbhe MIDC Road, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400705 India
- Karkinos Foundation, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400086 India
| | - Abantika Ghosh
- Karkinos Healthcare Pvt Ltd, 21st Floor, Rupa Renaissance, D33, Turbhe MIDC Road, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400705 India
| | - Venkataramanan Ramachandran
- Karkinos Healthcare Pvt Ltd, 21st Floor, Rupa Renaissance, D33, Turbhe MIDC Road, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400705 India
- Karkinos Foundation, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400086 India
- Center of Excellence for Cancer – Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016 India
| | - Moni Kuriakose
- Karkinos Healthcare Pvt Ltd, 21st Floor, Rupa Renaissance, D33, Turbhe MIDC Road, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400705 India
| | - Kumar Prabhash
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400012 India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400094 India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Karkinos Healthcare Pvt Ltd, 21st Floor, Rupa Renaissance, D33, Turbhe MIDC Road, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400705 India
- Karkinos Foundation, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400086 India
- Center of Excellence for Cancer – Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016 India
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22
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Masago K, Kuroda H, Sasaki E, Fujita Y, Fujita S, Horio Y, Endo M, Ishihara H, Hanai N, Matsushita H. Novel gene fusions in human oropharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer Genet 2024; 286-287:29-34. [PMID: 38971117 DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2024.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Few reports have analyzed the fusion genes involved in carcinogenesis in the oropharynx, where the incidence of human papillomavirus-associated tumors is relatively low. The aim of this study was to identify novel driver fusion genes in patients with oropharyngeal cancer. The study enrolled fifty-seven patients who were diagnosed with oropharyngeal carcinoma. RNA sequencing data from fresh-frozen specimens were used to identify candidate fusion genes via the JAFFA, arriba, and STAR-Fusion pipelines. Candidate fusion genes were confirmed by direct sequencing. The expression level of a candidate fusion gene was compared to that of tumors without fusion genes. Finally, filtering was performed for driver genes using the annoFuse pipeline. In addition, the VIRTUS pipeline was used to analyze the presence of human papillomavirus in the tumors. We identified 5 (8.8 %) novel potential driver in-frame fusion genes, MKNK2::MOB3A, ICMT::RPS6KA3, ATP1B3::GRK7, CSNK2A1::KIF16B, and FGFR3::MAEA, and 1 (1.8 %) known in-frame fusion gene, FGFR3::TACC3, in 57 patients with pharyngeal carcinoma. Our results suggest that sporadic fusion genes may contribute to tumorigenesis in oropharyngeal carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhiro Masago
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan; Division of Translational Oncoimmunology, Aichi Cancer Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Hiroaki Kuroda
- Department of Respiratory Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan; Division of Translational Oncoimmunology, Aichi Cancer Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Teikyo University Mizonokuchi Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Eiichi Sasaki
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yasuko Fujita
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shiro Fujita
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kobe Central Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Horio
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan; Division of Translational Oncoimmunology, Aichi Cancer Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Motoyoshi Endo
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Ishihara
- Division of Translational Oncoimmunology, Aichi Cancer Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Hanai
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Matsushita
- Division of Translational Oncoimmunology, Aichi Cancer Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan
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23
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Huang YC, Sung MY, Lin TK, Kuo CY, Hsu YC. Chinese herbal medicine compound of flavonoids adjunctive treatment for oral cancer. J Formos Med Assoc 2024; 123:830-836. [PMID: 37919197 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.10.009] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral cancer is a prevalent global issue, with oral squamous cell carcinoma constituting the majority of cases. Standard treatments like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are available but may have adverse effects. Molecular gene therapy, focusing on genetic mutations linked to oral cancer, presents a promising alternative.In this study, we evaluated 27 chemotherapeutic drugs and 63 Chinese herbal medicines for their effectiveness, categorized them by their cellular mechanisms, and identified potential adjuvant therapy candidates for oral cancer. Our findings highlight the impact of natural flavonoids on oral cancer cells, inducing apoptosis, and confirming their potential in molecular genetic analysis. In conclusion, the natural compounds present in Chinese herbal medicine, particularly flavonoids, offer a promising avenue to target specific genetic mutations in oral cancer cells. This approach may reduce the risks associated with oral cancer treatment and pave the way for innovative adjuvant therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chao Huang
- Health Services Training Center HSTC, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Min-Yi Sung
- Department of Dentistry, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Kun Lin
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Pharmaceutical Management Division, Medical Affairs Bureau, Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan
| | - Chan-Yen Kuo
- Department of Research, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chiung Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Center for Astronautical Physics and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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24
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Renz PF, Ghoshdastider U, Baghai Sain S, Valdivia-Francia F, Khandekar A, Ormiston M, Bernasconi M, Duré C, Kretz JA, Lee M, Hyams K, Forny M, Pohly M, Ficht X, Ellis SJ, Moor AE, Sendoel A. In vivo single-cell CRISPR uncovers distinct TNF programmes in tumour evolution. Nature 2024; 632:419-428. [PMID: 39020166 PMCID: PMC11306103 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07663-y] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
The tumour evolution model posits that malignant transformation is preceded by randomly distributed driver mutations in cancer genes, which cause clonal expansions in phenotypically normal tissues. Although clonal expansions can remodel entire tissues1-3, the mechanisms that result in only a small number of clones transforming into malignant tumours remain unknown. Here we develop an in vivo single-cell CRISPR strategy to systematically investigate tissue-wide clonal dynamics of the 150 most frequently mutated squamous cell carcinoma genes. We couple ultrasound-guided in utero lentiviral microinjections, single-cell RNA sequencing and guide capture to longitudinally monitor clonal expansions and document their underlying gene programmes at single-cell transcriptomic resolution. We uncover a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) signalling module, which is dependent on TNF receptor 1 and involving macrophages, that acts as a generalizable driver of clonal expansions in epithelial tissues. Conversely, during tumorigenesis, the TNF signalling module is downregulated. Instead, we identify a subpopulation of invasive cancer cells that switch to an autocrine TNF gene programme associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Finally, we provide in vivo evidence that the autocrine TNF gene programme is sufficient to mediate invasive properties and show that the TNF signature correlates with shorter overall survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Collectively, our study demonstrates the power of applying in vivo single-cell CRISPR screening to mammalian tissues, unveils distinct TNF programmes in tumour evolution and highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between clonal expansions in epithelia and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter F Renz
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Umesh Ghoshdastider
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simona Baghai Sain
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabiola Valdivia-Francia
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
- Life Science Zurich Graduate School, Molecular Life Science Program, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ameya Khandekar
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna BioCenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Ormiston
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martino Bernasconi
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Clara Duré
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
- Life Science Zurich Graduate School, Molecular Life Science Program, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonas A Kretz
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Minkyoung Lee
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katie Hyams
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Merima Forny
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Pohly
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xenia Ficht
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie J Ellis
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna BioCenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas E Moor
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Ataman Sendoel
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland.
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25
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Ordi O, Saco A, Peñuelas N, Blanco-Irazuegui O, Pino MD, Carreras-Dieguez N, Marimon L, Rodrigo-Calvo MT, Morató A, Sisuashvili L, Bustamante M, Cruells A, Darecka K, Vega N, Alós S, Trias I, Fusté P, Parra G, Gut M, Munmany M, Torné A, Jares P, Rakislova N. Whole-Exome Sequencing of Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinomas Reveals an Impaired Prognosis in Patients With TP53 Mutations and Concurrent CCND1 Gains. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100574. [PMID: 39089654 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100574] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Very little information is available on the mutational landscape of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC), a disease that mainly affects older women. Studies focusing on the mutational patterns of the currently recognized etiopathogenic types of this tumor (human papillomavirus [HPV]-associated [HPV-A], HPV-independent [HPV-I] with TP53 mutation [HPV-I/TP53mut], and HPV-I with wild-type TP53 [HPV-I/TP53wt]) are particularly rare, and there is almost no information on the prognostic implications of these abnormalities.Whole-exome DNA sequencing of 60 VSCC and matched normal tissues from each patient was performed. HPV detection, immunohistochemistry (IHC) for p16, p53, and mismatch repair proteins were also performed. Ten tumors (16.7%) were classified as HPV-A, 37 (61.7%) as HPV-I/TP53mut, and 13 (21.6%) as HPV-I/TP53wt. TP53 was the most frequently mutated gene (66.7%), followed by FAT1 (28.3%), CDKN2A (25.0%), RNF213 (23.3%), NFE2L2 (20%) and PIK3CA (20%). All the 60 tumors (100%) were DNA mismatch repair proficient. Seventeen tumors (28.3%) showed CCND1 gain. Bivariate analysis, adjusted for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, revealed that TP53 mutation, CCND1 gain, and the combination of the 2 alterations were strongly associated with impaired recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 4.4; P < .001) and disease-specific survival (hazard ratio, 6.1; P = .002). Similar results were obtained when p53 IHC status was used instead of TP53 status and when considering only HPV-I VSCC. However, in the latter category, p53 IHC maintained its prognostic impact only in combination with CCND1 gains. All tumors carried at least one potentially actionable genomic alteration. In conclusion, VSCCs with CCND1 gain represent a prognostically adverse category among HPV-I/TP53mut tumors. All patients with VSCCs are potential candidates for targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriol Ordi
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal)-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adela Saco
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal)-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Peñuelas
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal)-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Odei Blanco-Irazuegui
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Del Pino
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal)-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Carreras-Dieguez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Marimon
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alba Morató
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal)-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lia Sisuashvili
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrià Cruells
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Katarzyna Darecka
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Naiara Vega
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Alós
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Trias
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pere Fusté
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Genis Parra
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Barcelona, Spain; Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Barcelona, Spain; Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Meritxell Munmany
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aureli Torné
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Jares
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Rakislova
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Department de Fonaments Clinics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal)-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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26
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Khattri A, Sheikh N, Agrawal N, Kaushik S, Kochanny S, Ginat D, Lingen MW, Blair E, Seiwert TY. Switching anti-EGFR antibody re-sensitizes head and neck cancer patient following acquired resistance to cetuximab. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00812-5. [PMID: 39085630 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00812-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Cetuximab induces responses in about 13% of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). We describe the molecular mechanism of acquired resistance to cetuximab, which could be overcome by switching to a different anti-EGFR antibody. Biopsies were collected at three different time points: before the start of cetuximab (PRE-cetux), at acquired resistance to cetuximab (AR-cetux), and at acquired resistance to duligotuzumab (AR-duligo). Biopsies were analyzed using tumor and normal whole-exome sequencing, RNASeq, and targeted panel sequencing with ultra-deep coverage to generate differential mutation and expression profiles. WES and targeted sequencing analysis identified an EGFR p.G465R extracellular domain mutation in AR-cetux biopsy. Furthermore, RNASeq confirmed the expression of this mutation in the tumor tissue. This mutation prevented the binding of cetuximab to EGFR and was not present in PRE-cetux and AR-duligo biopsies, suggesting a potential mechanism of acquired resistance to cetuximab. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed that duligotuzumab effectively binds EGFR with a p.G465R mutation. Interestingly, the p.G465R mutation improved the stability of the duligotuzumab-EGFR complex as compared to the wild-type EGFR. This is the first report of an EGFR ECD mutation associated with acquired resistance to cetuximab, posing a need for further validation. We suggest appropriate serial mutational profiling to identify ECD mutations should be considered for select patients with initial cetuximab benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Khattri
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, India.
| | - Nizamuddin Sheikh
- Department of Urology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nikhil Agrawal
- College of Health Sciences, Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, Durban, South Africa
| | - Sandeep Kaushik
- Formerly at 3Bs Research Group, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Guimaraes, Portugal
| | - Sara Kochanny
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Ginat
- Department of Radiology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mark W Lingen
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth Blair
- Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tanguy Y Seiwert
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Johns Hopkins University, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Chen J, Zhang X, Yan S, Li X, Li M, Zhang Y, Zhang S, Li F, Song M. Transoral Robotic Surgery and Human Papillomavirus Infection: Impact on Oropharyngeal Cancer Prognosis. J Clin Med 2024; 13:4455. [PMID: 39124727 PMCID: PMC11313069 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13154455] [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: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective: The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) remains significant, with a rising prevalence of HPV-positive (HPV+) cases, underscoring the growing importance of appropriate treatment approaches for this condition. While HPV+ OPC typically exhibits a more favorable prognosis than HPV-negative (HPV-) OPC, certain HPV+ OPC patients still face adverse outcomes. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of TORS versus traditional surgery in treating OPC patients and investigate the prognostic implications of specific variants in the HPV genome. Methods: The clinical information, including pathological features, treatments, and outcomes (death), of 135 OPC patients treated with traditional surgery from 2008 to 2018 (the non-TORS group) and 130 OPC patients treated with TORS from 2017 to 2021 (the TORS group) were obtained from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC). A comparative analysis of 3-year overall survival (OS) was performed between these two groups. Furthermore, we conducted next-generation sequencing for the HPV16 genome of the 68 HPV+ OPC cases to characterize single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) in the HPV16 genome and evaluate its association with HPV+ OPC patient survival. Results: The comparative analysis of 3-year OS between the two groups (TORS vs. non-TORS) revealed a significant prognostic improvement in the TORS group for OPC patients with a T1-T2 classification (89.3% vs. 72.0%; p = 1.1 × 10-2), stages I-II (92.1% vs. 82.2%; p = 4.6 × 10-2), and stages III-IV (82.8% vs. 62.2%; p = 5.7 × 10-2) and for HPV- patients (85.5% vs. 33.3%; p < 1.0 × 10-6). Furthermore, three SNVs (SNV1339A>G, SNV1950A>C, and SNV4298A>G) in the HPV16 genome were identified as being associated with worse survival. These SNVs could alter protein interactions and weaken the binding affinity for MHC-II, promoting viral amplification and immune evasion. Conclusions: TORS exhibited a superior prognosis to traditional surgery in OPC patients. Additionally, identifying specific SNVs within the HPV16 genome provided potential prognostic markers for HPV+ OPC. These significant findings hold clinical relevance for treatment decision-making and prognostic assessment in patients with OPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtao Chen
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Shida Yan
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Xiyuan Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Menghua Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Shiting Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Fengjiao Li
- Department of Surgical Anesthesiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Ming Song
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.C.); (X.Z.); (S.Y.); (X.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Z.); (S.Z.)
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Starska-Kowarska K. Role of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Tumorigenic and Immune Activity, Chemotherapy Resistance, and Therapeutic Benefits of Stromal Cell-Based Pharmacological Strategies. Cells 2024; 13:1270. [PMID: 39120301 PMCID: PMC11311692 DOI: 10.3390/cells13151270] [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: 06/08/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) entails a heterogenous neoplastic disease that arises from the mucosal epithelium of the upper respiratory system and the gastrointestinal tract. It is characterized by high morbidity and mortality, being the eighth most common cancer worldwide. It is believed that the mesenchymal/stem stromal cells (MSCs) present in the tumour milieu play a key role in the modulation of tumour initiation, development and patient outcomes; they also influence the resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, the gold standard for advanced HNC. MSCs are multipotent, heterogeneous and mobile cells. Although no MSC-specific markers exist, they can be recognized based on several others, such as CD73, CD90 and CD105, while lacking the presence of CD45, CD34, CD14 or CD11b, CD79α, or CD19 and HLA-DR antigens; they share phenotypic similarity with stromal cells and their capacity to differentiate into other cell types. In the tumour niche, MSC populations are characterized by cell quiescence, self-renewal capacity, low reactive oxygen species production and the acquisition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition properties. They may play a key role in the process of acquiring drug resistance and thus in treatment failure. The present narrative review examines the links between MSCs and HNC, as well as the different mechanisms involved in the development of resistance to current chemo-radiotherapies in HNC. It also examines the possibilities of pharmacological targeting of stemness-related chemoresistance in HNSCC. It describes promising new strategies to optimize chemoradiotherapy, with the potential to personalize patient treatment approaches, and highlights future therapeutic perspectives in HNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Starska-Kowarska
- Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical Physiology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752 Lodz, Poland; ; Tel.: +48-42-2725237
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, EnelMed Center Expert, Lodz, Drewnowska 58, 91-001 Lodz, Poland
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Jiang Q, Xiao J, Hsieh YC, Kumar NL, Han L, Zou Y, Li H. The Role of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Axis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1610. [PMID: 39062182 PMCID: PMC11274428 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071610] [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: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignancies globally, representing a significant public health problem with a poor prognosis. The development of efficient therapeutic strategies for HNSCC prevention and treatment is urgently needed. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR (PAM) signaling pathway is a highly conserved transduction network in eukaryotic cells that promotes cell survival, growth, and cycle progression. Dysfunction in components of this pathway, such as hyperactivity of PI3K, loss of PTEN function, and gain-of-function mutations in AKT, are well-known drivers of treatment resistance and disease progression in cancer. In this review, we discuss the major mutations and dysregulations in the PAM signaling pathway in HNSCC. We highlight the results of clinical trials involving inhibitors targeting the PAM signaling pathway as a strategy for treating HNSCC. Additionally, we examine the primary mechanisms of resistance to drugs targeting the PAM pathway and potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Jiang
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (Q.J.)
- International Dentist Pathway, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jingyi Xiao
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (Q.J.)
| | - Yao-Ching Hsieh
- International Dentist Pathway, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Neha Love Kumar
- International Dentist Pathway, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lei Han
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (Q.J.)
| | - Yuntao Zou
- Division of Hospital Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Huang Li
- Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (Q.J.)
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Restaino AC, Walz A, Barclay SM, Fettig RR, Vermeer PD. Tumor-associated genetic amplifications impact extracellular vesicle miRNA cargo and their recruitment of nerves in head and neck cancer. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23803. [PMID: 38963404 PMCID: PMC11262563 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400625rr] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Cancer neuroscience is an emerging field of cancer biology focused on defining the interactions and relationships between the nervous system, developing malignancies, and their environments. Our previous work demonstrates that small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) released by head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) recruit loco-regional nerves to the tumor. sEVs contain a diverse collection of biological cargo, including microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we asked whether two genes commonly amplified in HNSCC, CCND1, and PIK3CA, impact the sEV miRNA cargo and, subsequently, sEV-mediated tumor innervation. To test this, we individually overexpressed these genes in a syngeneic murine HNSCC cell line, purified their sEVs, and tested their neurite outgrowth activity on dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons in vitro. sEVs purified from Ccnd1-overexpressing cells significantly increased neurite outgrowth of DRG compared to sEVs from parental or Pik3ca over-expressing cells. When implanted into C57BL/6 mice, Ccnd1 over-expressing tumor cells promoted significantly more tumor innervation in vivo. qPCR analysis of sEVs shows that increased expression of Ccnd1 altered the packaging of miRNAs (miR-15-5p, miR-17-5p, and miR-21-5p), many of which target transcripts important in regulating axonogenesis. These data indicate that genetic amplifications harbored by malignancies impose changes in sEV miRNA cargo, which can influence tumorc innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C. Restaino
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, 2301 East 60 Street north, Sioux Falls, SD, USA 57104
| | - Austin Walz
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, 2301 East 60 Street north, Sioux Falls, SD, USA 57104
| | - Sarah M. Barclay
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, 2301 East 60 Street north, Sioux Falls, SD, USA 57104
| | - Robin R. Fettig
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, 2301 East 60 Street north, Sioux Falls, SD, USA 57104
| | - Paola D. Vermeer
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, 2301 East 60 Street north, Sioux Falls, SD, USA 57104
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Qi K, Li G, Jiang Y, Tan X, Qiao Q. Stromal cell-expressed malignant gene patterns contribute to the progression of squamous cell carcinomas across different sites. Front Genet 2024; 15:1342306. [PMID: 39071777 PMCID: PMC11272565 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1342306] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) across different anatomical locations possess common molecular features. Recent studies showed that stromal cells may contribute to tumor progression and metastasis of SCCs. Limited by current sequencing technology and analysis methods, it has been difficult to combine stroma expression profiles with a large number of clinical information. Methods With the help of transfer learning on the cell line, single-cell, and bulk tumor sequencing data, we identified and validated 2 malignant gene patterns (V1 and V5) expressed by stromal cells of SCCs from head and neck (HNSCC), lung (LUSC), cervix (CESC), esophagus, and breast. Results Pattern V5 reflected a novel malignant feature that explained the mixed signals of HNSCC molecular subtypes. Higher expression of pattern V5 was related to shorter PFI with gender and cancer-type specificity. The other stromal gene pattern V1 was associated with poor PFI in patients after surgery in all the three squamous cancer types (HNSCC p = 0.0055, LUSC p = 0.0292, CESC p = 0.0451). Cancer-associated fibroblasts could induce HNSCC cancer cells to express pattern V1. Adjuvant radiotherapy may weaken the effect of high V1 on recurrence and metastasis, depending on the tumor radiosensitivity. Conclusion Considering the prognostic value of stromal gene patterns and its universality, we suggest that the genetic subtype classification of SCCs may be improved to a new system that integrates both malignant and non-malignant components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyan Qi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Guangqi Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuanjun Jiang
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xuexin Tan
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiao Qiao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Mazul AL, Barrett TF, Colditz G, Parikh AS, Ramadan S, Zevallos JP, Rich JT, Harbison RA, Jackson RS, Pipkorn P, Zolkind P, Tirosh I, Puram SV. A hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal state in head and neck cancer: A biomarker for survival with differential prognosis by self-reported race. MED 2024; 5:826-831.e3. [PMID: 38901426 PMCID: PMC11246817 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.05.014] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 6th leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with racial disparities amplifying the challenges in treatment. Although the relationship between hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) states and tumor progression is of interest, no studies have characterized the clinical relevance of hybrid E/M states in head and neck cancer outcomes among self-reported racial cohorts. METHODS Given the overlap in gene expression between hybrid E/M malignant cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts, we utilized deconvolution of bulk RNA sequencing data from oral cavity and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We utilized our previously collected single-cell profiles to generate inferred malignant profiles and then scored these for hybrid E/M. We then conducted a survival analysis on overall and disease-free survival among self-reported Black and White Americans. FINDINGS The hybrid E/M state was differentially associated with head and neck cancer survival by self-reported race and ethnicity, with a stronger association in non-Hispanic Black patients. Black patients with a high hybrid E/M score had a higher risk of death or recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.18 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.06, 8.49]) than White patients with a high hybrid E/M score (HR: 1.58 [95% CI: 1.11, 2.26]). CONCLUSION Our results suggest a complex interplay of social structure, racism, and genetic diversity. We implore researchers to consider the social and biological context contributing to disparities. FUNDING A.L.M. received support from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (K01MD013897 [principal investigator (PI), A.L.M.]). S.V.P. received support from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01DE032865 [PI, S.V.P.] and R01DE032371 [PI, S.V.P.]).
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela L Mazul
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Division of Public Health Science, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Thomas F Barrett
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Graham Colditz
- Division of Public Health Science, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Anuraag S Parikh
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Salma Ramadan
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jose P Zevallos
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jason T Rich
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Rob Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - R Alex Harbison
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Rob Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ryan S Jackson
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Rob Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Patrik Pipkorn
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Rob Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Paul Zolkind
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Rob Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Itay Tirosh
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761001, Israel
| | - Sidharth V Puram
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Rob Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Shivarudrappa AH, John J, Vashisht M, Ge H, Liu S, Chen J, Siddoway K, Dong R, Chen Z, Wang JH. Differential tumor immune microenvironment coupled with tumor progression or tumor eradication in HPV-antigen expressing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) models. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1405318. [PMID: 39055715 PMCID: PMC11269233 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1405318] [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: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is an etiological factor of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). To investigate the role of HPV antigen in anti-tumor immunity, we established mouse models by expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 in a SCC tumor cell line. We obtained two HPV antigen-expressing clones (C-225 and C-100) transplantable into C57BL/6 recipients. We found that C-225 elicited complete eradication in C57BL/6 mice (eradicated), whereas C-100 grew progressively (growing). We examined immune tumor microenvironment (TME) using flow cytometry and found that eradicated or growing tumors exhibited differential immune profiles that may influence the outcome of anti-tumor immunity. Surprisingly, the percentage of CD8 and CD4 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was much higher in growing (C-100) than eradicated (C-225) tumor. However, the TILs upregulated PD-1 and LAG-3 more potently and exhibited impaired effector functions in growing tumor compared to their counterparts in eradicated tumor. C-225 TME is highly enriched with myeloid cells, especially polymorphonuclear (PMN) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), whereas the percentage of M-MDSC and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) was much higher in C-100 TME, especially M2-TAMs (CD206+). The complete eradication of C-225 depended on CD8 T cells and elicited anti-tumor memory responses upon secondary tumor challenge. We employed DNA sequencing to identify differences in the T cell receptor of peripheral blood lymphocytes pre- and post-secondary tumor challenge. Lastly, C-225 and C-100 tumor lines harbored different somatic mutations. Overall, we uncovered differential immune TME that may underlie the divergent outcomes of anti-tumor immunity by establishing two SCC tumor lines, both of which express HPV16 E6 and E7 antigens. Our experimental models may provide a platform for pinpointing tumor-intrinsic versus host-intrinsic differences in orchestrating an immunosuppressive TME in HNSCCs and for identifying new targets that render tumor cells vulnerable to immune attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpitha H. Shivarudrappa
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jessy John
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Silvia Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jingxin Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Karen Siddoway
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rui Dong
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Um JH, Zheng Y, Mao Q, Nam C, Zhao H, Koh YW, Shin SJ, Park YM, Lin DC. Genomic and single-cell characterization of patient-derived tumor organoid models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.28.601068. [PMID: 39005427 PMCID: PMC11244938 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.28.601068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a significant health burden due to tumor heterogeneity and treatment resistance, emphasizing the need for improved biological understanding and tailored therapies. This study enrolled 31 HNSCC patients for the establishment of patient-derived tumor organoids (PDOs), which faithfully maintained genomic features and histopathological traits of primary tumors. Long-term culture preserved key characteristics, affirming PDOs as robust representative models. PDOs demonstrated predictive capability for cisplatin treatment responses, correlating ex vivo drug sensitivity with patient outcomes. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing unveiled molecular subtypes and intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) in PDOs, paralleling patient tumors. Notably, a hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal transition (hEMT)-like ITH program is associated with cisplatin resistance and poor patient survival. Functional analyses identified amphiregulin (AREG) as a potential regulator of the hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal state. Moreover, AREG contributes to cisplatin resistance via EGFR pathway activation, corroborated by clinical samples. In summary, HNSCC PDOs serve as reliable and versatile models, offer predictive insights into ITH programs and treatment responses, and uncover potential therapeutic targets for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Hyun Um
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yueyuan Zheng
- Clinical Big Data Research Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P.R. China
| | - Qiong Mao
- Clinical Big Data Research Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P.R. China
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, P.R. China
| | - Chehyun Nam
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Hua Zhao
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Yoon Woo Koh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su-Jin Shin
- Department of Pathology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Min Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - De-Chen Lin
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
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Ambatipudi S, Inchanalkar M, Mahimkar MB. Role of DNA methylation-based mitotic ageing indices in oral cancer development and recurrence. Oral Dis 2024; 30:2929-2939. [PMID: 37846052 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14764] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE DNA methylation data can be used to derive mitotic indices from complex tissues. Here, we assessed if the DNA methylation-derived mitotic ageing indices are associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development and recurrence-free survival (RFS). METHODS DNA methylation-based mitotic indices (MitoticAge, TNSC and hypoSC) were derived using algorithms "MitoticAge" and "epiTOC2" for the discovery [non-malignant (n = 22), premalignant (n = 22) and OSCC (n = 68) tissues] and validation datasets (GSE87053, GSE136704 and TCGA-HNSCC). Differences in mitotic indices between non-malignant, premalignant and OSCC tissues were assessed. Finally, the association between estimated mitotic indices and RFS was evaluated in OSCCs. RESULTS In the discovery and validation datasets, increased mitotic ageing was observed in OSCC compared to non-malignant and premalignant oral tissues. HPV-positive HNSCCs had higher mitotic index TNSC. Mitotic age index hypoSC was associated with RFS in OSCC (p = 0.011, HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.24-5.48). CONCLUSIONS DNA methylation-derived mitotic indices are associated with OSCC development and RFS. Thus, DNA methylation-derived mitotic indices may be a valuable research tool to reliably estimate the cumulative number of stem cell divisions in malignant and non-malignant oral tissues. Future research utilizing mitotic indices for predicting clinical outcomes in OSCC is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srikant Ambatipudi
- Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Govt. Medical College Campus, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Mayuri Inchanalkar
- Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Manoj B Mahimkar
- Mahimkar Lab, Cancer Research Institute, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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Tabatabaeian H, Bai Y, Huang R, Chaurasia A, Darido C. Navigating therapeutic strategies: HPV classification in head and neck cancer. Br J Cancer 2024; 131:220-230. [PMID: 38643337 PMCID: PMC11263586 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02655-1] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organisation recognised human papillomavirus (HPV) as the cause of multiple cancers, including head and neck cancers. HPV is a double-stranded DNA virus, and its viral gene expression can be controlled after infection by cellular and viral promoters. In cancer cells, the HPV genome is detected as either integrated into the host genome, episomal (extrachromosomal), or a mixture of integrated and episomal. Viral integration requires the breakage of both viral and host DNA, and the integration rate correlates with the level of DNA damage. Interestingly, patients with HPV-positive head and neck cancers generally have a good prognosis except for a group of patients with fully integrated HPV who show worst clinical outcomes. Those patients present with lowered expression of viral genes and limited infiltration of cytotoxic T cells. An impediment to effective therapy applications in the clinic is the sole testing for HPV positivity without considering the HPV integration status. This review will discuss HPV integration as a potential determinant of response to therapies in head and neck cancers and highlight to the field a novel therapeutic avenue that would reduce the cancer burden and improve patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuchen Bai
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ruihong Huang
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Akhilanand Chaurasia
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Faculty of Dental Sciences King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Charbel Darido
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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Goto Y, Koshizuka K, Ando T, Izumi H, Wu X, Sato K, Ishikawa T, Ford K, Feng X, Wang Z, Arang N, Allevato MM, Kishore A, Mali P, Gutkind JS. A Kinome-Wide Synthetic Lethal CRISPR/Cas9 Screen Reveals That mTOR Inhibition Prevents Adaptive Resistance to CDK4/CDK6 Blockade in HNSCC. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1850-1862. [PMID: 38954773 PMCID: PMC11284272 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-24-0247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The comprehensive genomic analysis of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) oncogenome revealed the frequent loss of p16INK4A (CDKN2A) and amplification of cyclin D1 genes in most human papillomavirus-negative HNSCC lesions. However, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have shown modest effects in the clinic. The aberrant activation of the PI3K/mTOR pathway is highly prevalent in HNSCC, and recent clinical trials have shown promising clinical efficacy of mTOR inhibitors (mTORi) in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings but not in patients with advanced HNSCC. By implementing a kinome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen, we identified cell-cycle inhibition as a synthetic lethal target for mTORis. A combination of mTORi and palbociclib, a CDK4/6-specific inhibitor, showed strong synergism in HNSCC-derived cells in vitro and in vivo. Remarkably, we found that an adaptive increase in cyclin E1 (CCNE1) expression upon palbociclib treatment underlies the rapid acquired resistance to this CDK4/6 inhibitor. Mechanistically, mTORi inhibits the formation of eIF4G-CCNE1 mRNA complexes, with the consequent reduction in mRNA translation and CCNE1 protein expression. Our findings suggest that mTORi reverts the adaptive resistance to palbociclib. This provides a multimodal therapeutic option for HNSCC by cotargeting mTOR and CDK4/6, which in turn may halt the emergence of palbociclib resistance. SIGNIFICANCE A kinome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen identified cell-cycle inhibition as a synthetic lethal target of mTORis. A combination of mTORi and palbociclib, a CDK4/6-specific inhibitor, showed strong synergistic effects in HNSCC. Mechanistically, mTORis inhibited palbociclib-induced increase in CCNE1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Goto
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Keiichi Koshizuka
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Toshinori Ando
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Izumi
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Xingyu Wu
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Kuniaki Sato
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Tomohiko Ishikawa
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Kyle Ford
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California.
| | - Xiaodong Feng
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Nadia Arang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Michael M. Allevato
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Ayush Kishore
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California.
| | - J. Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
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Zhang P, Zhang X, Lang J, Wu S, Sun Y, Wang P, Qiu S, Huang X, Ren G, Liu K, Du X, Xiao S, Wang Z, Weng Y, Zhang Y, Zhou H, Tu W, Zhang C, Yi J. Epidermal growth factor receptor‑targeted antibody nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy improves survival in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score matching real-world study. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e608. [PMID: 38962426 PMCID: PMC11220178 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.608] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) have poor survival outcomes. The real-world efficacy of nimotuzumab plus intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)-based chemoradiotherapy in patients with LA-HNSCC remains unclear. A total of 25,442 HNSCC patients were screened, and 612 patients were matched by propensity score matching (PSM) (1:1). PSM was utilized to balance known confounding factors. Patients who completed at least five doses of nimotuzumab were identified as study group. The primary end point was 3-year overall survival (OS) rate. Log-rank test examined the difference between two survival curves and Cloglog transformation test was performed to compare survival at a fixed time point. The median follow-up time was 54.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52.7-55.9) months. The study group was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57-0.99, p = 0.038) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.58-0.96, p = 0.021). Subgroup analysis revealed that aged 50-60 year, IV, N2, radiotherapy dose ≥ 60 Gy, without previous surgery, and neoadjuvant therapy have a trend of survival benefit with nimotuzumab. Nimotuzumab showed favorable safety, only 0.2% had nimotuzumab-related severe adverse events. Our study indicated the nimotuzumab plus chemoradiotherapy provides survival benefits and safety for LA-HNSCC patients in an IMRT era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for CancerSichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- Senior Department of Otolaryngology‐Head & Neck Surgerythe Sixth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Otolaryngologic DiseasesBeijingChina
| | - Jinyi Lang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for CancerSichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Shaoxiong Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Radiation OncologyBeijing Cancer HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Peiguo Wang
- Department of Radiation OncologyTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Sufang Qiu
- Department of Radiation Head and Neck OncologyFujian Cancer HospitalFuzhouChina
| | - Xiaodong Huang
- Department of Radiation OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Guoxin Ren
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Tumor SurgeryShanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Kun Liu
- Senior Department of Otolaryngology‐Head & Neck Surgerythe Sixth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Otolaryngologic DiseasesBeijingChina
| | - Xiaojing Du
- Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Shaowen Xiao
- Department of Radiation OncologyBeijing Cancer HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Zhongqiu Wang
- Department of Radiation OncologyTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Youliang Weng
- Department of Radiation Head and Neck OncologyFujian Cancer HospitalFuzhouChina
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Radiation OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Hang Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for CancerSichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Wenyong Tu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Tumor SurgeryShanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Chenping Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Tumor SurgeryShanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Junlin Yi
- Department of Radiation OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
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Pan B, Yan S, Yuan L, Xiang H, Ju M, Xu S, Jia W, Li J, Zhao Q, Zheng M. Multiomics sequencing and immune microenvironment characteristics define three subtypes of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. J Pathol 2024; 263:372-385. [PMID: 38721894 DOI: 10.1002/path.6290] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Small cell cervical carcinoma (SCCC) is the most common neuroendocrine tumor in the female genital tract, with an unfavorable prognosis and lacking an evidence-based therapeutic approach. Until now, the distinct subtypes and immune characteristics of SCCC combined with genome and transcriptome have not been described. We performed genomic (n = 18), HPV integration (n = 18), and transcriptomic sequencing (n = 19) of SCCC samples. We assessed differences in immune characteristics between SCCC and conventional cervical cancer, and other small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas, through bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical assays. We stratified SCCC patients through non-negative matrix factorization and described the characteristics of these distinct types. We further validated it using multiplex immunofluorescence (n = 77) and investigated its clinical prognostic effect. We confirmed a high frequency of PIK3CA and TP53 alterations and HPV18 integrations in SCCC. SCCC and other small cell carcinoma had similar expression signatures and immune cell infiltration patterns. Comparing patients with SCCC to those with conventional cervical cancer, the former presented immune excluded or 'desert' infiltration. The number of CD8+ cells in the invasion margin of SCCC patients predicted favorable clinical outcomes. We identified three transcriptome subtypes: an inflamed phenotype with high-level expression of genes related to the MHC-II complex (CD74) and IFN-α/β (SCCC-I), and two neuroendocrine subtypes with high-level expression of ASCL1 or NEUROD1, respectively. Combined with multiple technologies, we found that the neuroendocrine groups had more TP53 mutations and SCCC-I had more PIK3CA mutations. Multiplex immunofluorescence validated these subtypes and SCCC-I was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival. These results provide insights into SCCC tumor heterogeneity and potential therapies. © 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoyue Pan
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Shumei Yan
- Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Linjing Yuan
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Huiling Xiang
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Mingxiu Ju
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Shijie Xu
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Weihua Jia
- Biobank of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jundong Li
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Experimental Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Min Zheng
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China
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Bauer AH, Alkhateeb KJ, Agoston AT, Odze RD, Joshi MG, Huffman BM, Enzinger P, Perez K, Deshpande V, Cleary JM, Wee JO, Dong F, Zhao L. Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus Infection in a Minority of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinomas in North America. Am J Surg Pathol 2024; 48:883-889. [PMID: 38726899 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000002235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The role of Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a topic of ongoing debate. This study used two screening approaches to look for evidence of HPV infection in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We initially checked for HPV infection in a randomly selected group of 53 ESCC cases. We did not detect any tumors positive for high-risk HPV. However, during clinical practice, we identified an HPV-positive ESCC in the distal esophagus, which tested positive for HPV16. This index case was TP53 wild-type, as determined by next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS). Since TP53 mutations are rare in other HPV-driven cancers, we improved our screening method by limiting our screen to a subset of ESCC cases without TP53 mutations. A second screen of 95 ESCCs (from 93 patients) sequenced by NGS revealed an additional 7 ESCCs with TP53 wild-type status (7.3% of the total). Of the 7 cases, 2 cases were found to be high-risk HPV positive. Both patients also tested positive for circulating cell-free HPV DNA and had a complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation. The index patient had microscopic residual tumor following neoadjuvant therapy. The patient underwent adjuvant immunotherapy and remained disease free after 22 months of surveillance. This study affirms the transcriptionally active status of high-risk HPV in a minority of ESCC patients in North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Bauer
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital
| | | | - Agoston T Agoston
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Megha G Joshi
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston
| | - Brandon M Huffman
- Beth-Israel Lahey Health, Winchester Hospital, Winchester, MA
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
| | - Peter Enzinger
- Beth-Israel Lahey Health, Winchester Hospital, Winchester, MA
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
| | - Kimberly Perez
- Beth-Israel Lahey Health, Winchester Hospital, Winchester, MA
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - James M Cleary
- Beth-Israel Lahey Health, Winchester Hospital, Winchester, MA
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
| | - Jon O Wee
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
- Department of Pathology, Stanford Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Fei Dong
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
| | - Lei Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
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Desilets A, Pfister DG, Stein S, Wong W, Sherman EJ, Fetten J, Hung TKW, Kriplani A, Dunn LA, Ho AL, Michel LS. A phase 1 study of concurrent cabozantinib and cetuximab in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer. Oral Oncol 2024; 154:106861. [PMID: 38795600 PMCID: PMC11235871 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106861] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition with cetuximab is a standard treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Activation of the receptor tyrosine kinases AXL, MET and VEGFR can mediate resistance to cetuximab. Cabozantinib, a multikinase inhibitor (MKI) targeting AXL/MET/VEGFR, has demonstrated antitumor activity in preclinical models of HNSCC. This investigator- initiated phase I trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of cetuximab plus cabozantinib in patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) HNSCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients received cetuximab concurrently with cabozantinib daily on a 28-day cycle. Using a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design, the primary endpoint was to determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of cabozantinib. Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) RESULTS: Among the 20 patients enrolled, most had prior disease progression on immune checkpoint inhibitors (95 %), platinum-based chemotherapy (95 %), and cetuximab (80 %). No dose-limiting toxicities were recorded and the MTD for cabozantinib was established to be 60 mg. Grade ≥ 3 adverse events occurred in 65 % of patients (n = 13). ORR was 20 %, with 4 partial responses (PRs). Two PRs were observed in cetuximab-naïve patients (n = 4), with an ORR of 50 % in this subgroup. In the overall population, DCR was 75 %, median PFS was 3.4 months and median OS was 8.1 months. CONCLUSION Cetuximab plus cabozantinib demonstrated a manageable toxicity profile and preliminary efficacy in patients with heavily treated R/M HNSCC. The combination of cetuximab with MKIs targeting the AXL/MET/VEGFR axis warrants further investigation, including in cetuximab-naïve patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Desilets
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States.
| | - David G Pfister
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Sarah Stein
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Winston Wong
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Eric J Sherman
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - James Fetten
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Tony K W Hung
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Anuja Kriplani
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Lara A Dunn
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Alan L Ho
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Loren S Michel
- Head and Neck Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
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42
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Hasegawa M, Amano Y, Kihara A, Matsubara D, Fukushima N, Takahashi H, Chikamatsu K, Nishino H, Mori Y, Yoshida N, Niki T. Guanylate binding protein 5 is an immune-related biomarker of oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective prognostic study with bioinformatic analysis. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7431. [PMID: 38978333 PMCID: PMC11231040 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7431] [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: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer utilizes immunosuppressive mechanisms to create a tumor microenvironment favorable for its progression. The purpose of this study is to histologically characterize the immunological properties of the tumor microenvironment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and identify key molecules involved in the immunological microenvironment and patient prognosis. METHODS First, overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from OSCC transcriptome data in public databases. Correlation analysis of DEGs with known immune-related genes identified genes involved in the immune microenvironment of OSCC. Next, stromal patterns of tumor were classified and immunohistochemical staining was performed for immune cell markers (CD3, CD4, Foxp3, CD8, CD20, CD68, and CD163), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and guanylate binding protein 5 (GBP5) in resected specimens obtained from 110 patients with OSCC who underwent resection. Correlations between each factor and their prognostic impact were analyzed. RESULTS Among the novel OSCC-specific immune-related genes screened (including ADAMDEC1, CXCL9, CXCL13, DPT, GBP5, IDO1, and PLA2G7), GBP5 was selected as the target gene. Histopathologic analysis showed that multiple T-cell subsets and CD20-positive cells were less common in the advanced stages, whereas CD163-positive cells were more common in advanced stages. The immature type in the stromal pattern category was associated with less immune cell infiltration, lower expression of PD-L1 in immune cells, lower expression of GBP5 in the stroma, and shorter overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Expression of GBP5 in the tumor and stroma correlated with immune cell infiltration of tumors and PD-L1 expression in tumor and immune cells. Patients with low tumor GBP5 expression and high stromal expression had significantly longer overall survival and recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS The stromal pattern category may reflect both invasive and immunomodulatory potentials of cancer-associated fibroblasts in OSCC. GBP5 has been suggested as a potential biomarker to predict the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism
- B7-H1 Antigen/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/immunology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism
- Computational Biology/methods
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- GTP-Binding Proteins/genetics
- GTP-Binding Proteins/immunology
- GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Mouth Neoplasms/immunology
- Mouth Neoplasms/pathology
- Mouth Neoplasms/genetics
- Mouth Neoplasms/mortality
- Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
- Mouth Neoplasms/surgery
- Prognosis
- Retrospective Studies
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayo Hasegawa
- Department of Integrative PathologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryJichi Medical University Saitama Medical CenterSaitamaJapan
| | - Yusuke Amano
- Department of Integrative PathologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
| | - Atsushi Kihara
- Department of Integrative PathologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
| | - Daisuke Matsubara
- Department of Integrative PathologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of medicineUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Noriyoshi Fukushima
- Department of Integrative PathologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
| | - Hideyuki Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryGunma University Graduate School of MedicineMaebashiGunmaJapan
| | - Kazuaki Chikamatsu
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryGunma University Graduate School of MedicineMaebashiGunmaJapan
| | - Hiroshi Nishino
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
| | - Yoshiyuki Mori
- Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryJichi Medical University Saitama Medical CenterSaitamaJapan
| | - Naohiro Yoshida
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryJichi Medical University Saitama Medical CenterSaitamaJapan
| | - Toshiro Niki
- Department of Integrative PathologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeTochigiJapan
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43
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Nauta IH, Peferoen LAN, Brakenhoff RH, Leemans CR, Bloemena E. Architectural dysplasia in surgical margins and the risk of local relapse in oral cancer. J Oral Pathol Med 2024. [PMID: 38945694 DOI: 10.1111/jop.13570] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A major challenge in the clinical management of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma is local relapse. Even when surgical margins are tumor-free, local relapses occur frequently, and relapse prediction by histology remains suboptimal. In leukoplakia, an oral potentially malignant disorder, the presence of architectural dysplasia is a critical risk factor for malignant transformation. This study aimed to investigate whether the presence of architectural dysplasia in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma surgical margins is a risk factor for local relapse. METHODS Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of resection margins from a consecutive cohort of surgically treated patients diagnosed with stage I-IV oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma between 2008 and 2014 were assessed for the presence of architectural dysplasia (N = 311). Five-year local relapse-free survival rates of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with architectural dysplasia were compared to those of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma without architectural dysplasia. RESULTS In total, 92 of 311 (29.6%) of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma displayed architectural dysplasia in the margins. The presence of architectural dysplasia was associated with higher patient age, female sex, less pack years, lower cT-stage, and a cohesive tumor growth pattern. In oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas with architectural dysplasia, postoperative (chemo)radiotherapy was less often indicated compared with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma without architectural dysplasia (19.5% vs. 36.1%, p = 0.009). Five-year local relapse-free survival was significantly lower in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with architectural dysplasia than in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma without architectural dysplasia (83.1% vs. 94.9%, p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma arising in the background of architectural dysplasia displays relatively favorable clinical and histopathological characteristics. Nonetheless, the presence of architectural dysplasia in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma surgical margins is associated with a higher risk of local relapse, indicating its clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene H Nauta
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura A N Peferoen
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Pathology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud H Brakenhoff
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C René Leemans
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth Bloemena
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Pathology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, Academic Medical Centre for Dentistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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44
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Gill JS, Bansal B, Poojary R, Singh H, Huang F, Weis J, Herman K, Schultz B, Coban E, Guo K, Mathur R. Immunological Signatures for Early Detection of Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through RNA Transcriptome Analysis of Blood Platelets. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2399. [PMID: 39001461 PMCID: PMC11240534 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16132399] [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: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Although there has been a reduction in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma occurrence, it continues to be a serious global health concern. The lack of precise early diagnostic biomarkers and postponed diagnosis in the later stages are notable constraints that contribute to poor survival rates and emphasize the need for innovative diagnostic methods. In this study, we employed machine learning alongside weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and network biology to investigate the gene expression patterns of blood platelets, identifying transcriptomic markers for HNSCC diagnosis. Our comprehensive examination of publicly available gene expression datasets revealed nine genes with significantly elevated expression in samples from individuals diagnosed with HNSCC. These potential diagnostic markers were further assessed using TCGA and GTEx datasets, demonstrating high accuracy in distinguishing between HNSCC and non-cancerous samples. The findings indicate that these gene signatures could revolutionize early HNSCC identification. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), which carry RNA signatures indicative of tumor-derived material, offering a non-invasive source for early-detection biomarkers. Despite using platelet and tumor samples from different individuals, our results suggest that TEPs reflect the transcriptomic and epigenetic landscape of tumors. Future research should aim to directly correlate tumor and platelet samples from the same patients to further elucidate this relationship. This study underscores the potential of these biomarkers in transforming early diagnosis and personalized treatment strategies for HNSCC, advocating for further research to validate their predictive and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jappreet Singh Gill
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
| | - Benu Bansal
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
| | - Rayansh Poojary
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
| | - Harpreet Singh
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
| | - Jett Weis
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
| | - Kristian Herman
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
| | - Brock Schultz
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
| | - Emre Coban
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
| | - Kai Guo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ramkumar Mathur
- Department of Geriatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; (B.B.)
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45
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Li X, González-Maroto C, Tavassoli M. Crosstalk between CAFs and tumour cells in head and neck cancer. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:303. [PMID: 38926351 PMCID: PMC11208506 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02053-9] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are amongst the most aggressive, complex, and heterogeneous malignancies. The standard of care treatments for HNC patients include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or their combination. However, around 50% do not benefit while suffering severe toxic side effects, costing the individuals and society. Decades have been spent to improve HNSCC treatment outcomes with only limited success. Much of the research in HNSCC treatment has focused on understanding the genetics of the HNSCC malignant cells, but it has become clear that tumour microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the progression as well as treatment response in HNSCC. Understanding the crosstalk between cancer cells and TME is crucial for inhibiting progression and treatment resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the predominant component of stroma in HNSCC, serve as the primary source of extra-cellular matrix (ECM) and various pro-tumoral composites in TME. The activation of CAFs in HNSCC is primarily driven by cancer cell-secreted molecules, which in turn induce phenotypic changes, elevated secretive status, and altered ECM production profile. Concurrently, CAFs play a pivotal role in modulating the cell cycle, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to targeted and chemoradiotherapy in HNSCC cells. This modulation occurs through interactions with secreted molecules or direct contact with the ECM or CAF. Co-culture and 3D models of tumour cells and other TME cell types allows to mimic the HNSCC tumour milieu and enable modulating tumour hypoxia and reprograming cancer stem cells (CSC). This review aims to provide an update on the development of HNSCC tumour models comprising CAFs to obtain better understanding of the interaction between CAFs and tumour cells, and for providing preclinical testing platforms of current and combination with emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Celia González-Maroto
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mahvash Tavassoli
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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46
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Morgan EL. mSphere of Influence: Retreading old ground-the beauty in multi-omic data sets. mSphere 2024; 9:e0013124. [PMID: 38747609 PMCID: PMC11332327 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00131-24] [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] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Ethan L. Morgan works on human papillomaviruses (HPVs), with a specific interest in identifying how HPV induces tumor formation. In this mSphere of Influence article, he reflects on how three papers influenced him. "Comprehensive genomic characterization of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas" (The Cancer Genome Atlas Network, Nature 517:576-582, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14129) and "Integrated genomic and molecular characterization of cervical cancer" (The Cancer Genome Atlas Network, Nature 543: 378-384, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21386) showed him the power behind comprehensive multi-omic analyses to understand disease biology, while "Human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein targets RNF168 to hijack the host DNA damage response" (J. Sitz et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116:19552-19562, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1906102116) reinforced how this can be used to undercover potential new drug targets in HPV-associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan L. Morgan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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47
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Nam C, Li LY, Yang Q, Ziman B, Zhao H, Hu B, Collet C, Jing P, Lei Q, Xu LY, Li EM, Koeffler HP, Sinha UK, Lin DC. A druggable cascade links methionine metabolism to epigenomic reprogramming in squamous cell carcinoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320835121. [PMID: 38900797 PMCID: PMC11214090 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320835121] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Upper aerodigestive squamous cell carcinoma (UASCC) is a common and aggressive malignancy with few effective therapeutic options. Here, we investigate amino acid metabolism in this cancer, surprisingly noting that UASCC exhibits the highest methionine level across all human cancers, driven by its transporter LAT1. We show that LAT1 is also expressed at the highest level in UASCC, transcriptionally activated by UASCC-specific promoter and enhancers, which are directly coregulated by SCC master regulators TP63/KLF5/SREBF1. Unexpectedly, unbiased bioinformatic screen identifies EZH2 as the most significant target downstream of the LAT1-methionine pathway, directly linking methionine metabolism to epigenomic reprogramming. Importantly, this cascade is indispensable for the survival and proliferation of UASCC patient-derived tumor organoids. In addition, LAT1 expression is closely associated with cellular sensitivity to inhibition of the LAT1-methionine-EZH2 axis. Notably, this unique LAT1-methionine-EZH2 cascade can be targeted effectively by either pharmacological approaches or dietary intervention in vivo. In summary, this work maps a unique mechanistic cross talk between epigenomic reprogramming with methionine metabolism, establishes its biological significance in the biology of UASCC, and identifies a unique tumor-specific vulnerability which can be exploited both pharmacologically and dietarily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chehyun Nam
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Li-Yan Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou515041, Guangdong, China
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA90048
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA90048
| | - Benjamin Ziman
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Hua Zhao
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Boyan Hu
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Casey Collet
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Pei Jing
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Qifang Lei
- Department of Urology, South China Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong518116, China
| | - Li-Yan Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou515041, Guangdong, China
| | - En-Min Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou515041, Guangdong, China
| | | | - Uttam K. Sinha
- Department of Otolaryngology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - De-Chen Lin
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA90048
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48
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Zamuner FT, Gunti S, Starrett GJ, Faraji F, Toni T, Saraswathula A, Vu K, Gupta A, Zhang Y, Faden DL, Bryan ME, Guo T, Rowan NR, Ramanathan M, Lane AP, Fakhry C, Gallia GL, Allen CT, Rooper LM, London NR. Molecular patterns and mechanisms of tumorigenesis in HPV-associated and HPV-independent sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.598514. [PMID: 38979305 PMCID: PMC11230460 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.598514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Mechanisms of tumorigenesis in sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) remain poorly described due to its rare nature. A subset of SNSCC are associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV); however, it is unknown whether HPV is a driver of HPV-associated SNSCC tumorigenesis or merely a neutral bystander. We hypothesized that performing the first large high-throughput sequencing study of SNSCC would reveal molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis driving HPV-associated and HPV-independent SNSCC and identify targetable pathways. High-throughput sequencing was performed on 64 patients with HPV-associated and HPV-independent sinonasal carcinomas. Mutation annotation, viral integration, copy number, and pathway-based analyses were performed. Analysis of HPV-associated SNSCC revealed similar mutational patterns observed in HPV-associated cervical and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, including lack of TP53 mutations and the presence of known hotspot mutations in PI3K and FGFR3. Further similarities included enrichment of APOBEC mutational signature, viral integration at known hotspot locations, and frequent mutations in epigenetic regulators. HPV-associated SNSCC-specific recurrent mutations were also identified including KMT2C , UBXN11 , AP3S1 , MT-ND4 , and MT-ND5 . Mutations in KMT2D and FGFR3 were associated with decreased overall survival. We developed the first known HPV-associated SNSCC cell line and combinatorial small molecule inhibition of YAP/TAZ and PI3K pathways synergistically inhibited tumor cell clonogenicity. In conclusion, HPV-associated SNSCC and HPV-independent SNSCC are driven by molecularly distinct mechanisms of tumorigenesis. Combinatorial blockade of YAP/TAZ and vertical inhibition of the PI3K pathway may be useful in targeting HPV-associated SNSCC whereas targeting MYC and horizontal inhibition of RAS/PI3K pathways for HPV-independent SNSCC. One Sentence Summary This study solidifies HPV as a driver of HPV-associated SNSCC tumorigenesis, identifies molecular mechanisms distinguishing HPV-associated and HPV-independent SNSCC, and elucidates YAP/TAZ and PI3K blockade as key targets for HPV-associated SNSCC.
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49
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Liu P, Page D, Ahlquist P, Ong IM, Gitter A. MPAC: a computational framework for inferring cancer pathway activities from multi-omic data. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.15.599113. [PMID: 38948762 PMCID: PMC11212914 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.15.599113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Fully capturing cellular state requires examining genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and other assays for a biological sample and comprehensive computational modeling to reason with the complex and sometimes conflicting measurements. Modeling these so-called multi-omic data is especially beneficial in disease analysis, where observations across omic data types may reveal unexpected patient groupings and inform clinical outcomes and treatments. We present Multi-omic Pathway Analysis of Cancer (MPAC), a computational framework that interprets multi-omic data through prior knowledge from biological pathways. MPAC uses network relationships encoded in pathways using a factor graph to infer consensus activity levels for proteins and associated pathway entities from multi-omic data, runs permutation testing to eliminate spurious activity predictions, and groups biological samples by pathway activities to prioritize proteins with potential clinical relevance. Using DNA copy number alteration and RNA-seq data from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas as an example, we demonstrate that MPAC predicts a patient subgroup related to immune responses not identified by analysis with either input omic data type alone. Key proteins identified via this subgroup have pathway activities related to clinical outcome as well as immune cell compositions. Our MPAC R package, available at https://bioconductor.org/packages/MPAC, enables similar multi-omic analyses on new datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - David Page
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Paul Ahlquist
- John and Jeanne Rowe Center for Research in Virology, Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Irene M Ong
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Anthony Gitter
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- John and Jeanne Rowe Center for Research in Virology, Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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50
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Constantin M, Chifiriuc MC, Bleotu C, Vrancianu CO, Cristian RE, Bertesteanu SV, Grigore R, Bertesteanu G. Molecular pathways and targeted therapies in head and neck cancers pathogenesis. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1373821. [PMID: 38952548 PMCID: PMC11215092 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1373821] [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: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The substantial heterogeneity exhibited by head and neck cancer (HNC), encompassing diverse cellular origins, anatomical locations, and etiological contributors, combined with the prevalent late-stage diagnosis, poses significant challenges for clinical management. Genomic sequencing endeavors have revealed extensive alterations in key signaling pathways that regulate cellular proliferation and survival. Initiatives to engineer therapies targeting these dysregulated pathways are underway, with several candidate molecules progressing to clinical evaluation phases, including FDA approval for agents like the EGFR-targeting monoclonal antibody cetuximab for K-RAS wild-type, EGFR-mutant HNSCC treatment. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), owing to their enhanced stability in biological fluids and their important roles in intracellular and intercellular signaling within HNC contexts, are now recognized as potent biomarkers for disease management, catalyzing further refined diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, edging closer to the personalized medicine desideratum. Enhanced comprehension of the genomic and immunological landscapes characteristic of HNC is anticipated to facilitate a more rigorous assessment of targeted therapies benefits and limitations, optimize their clinical deployment, and foster innovative advancements in treatment approaches. This review presents an update on the molecular mechanisms and mutational spectrum of HNC driving the oncogenesis of head and neck malignancies and explores their implications for advancing diagnostic methodologies and precision therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Constantin
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology of Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Coralia Bleotu
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Department, Ştefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- DANUBIUS Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Roxana-Elena Cristian
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- DANUBIUS Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Serban Vifor Bertesteanu
- ENT, Head& Neck Surgery Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Coltea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Raluca Grigore
- ENT, Head& Neck Surgery Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Coltea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Gloria Bertesteanu
- ENT, Head& Neck Surgery Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Coltea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
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