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Yang S, Li D. Role of microRNAs in triple‑negative breast cancer and new therapeutic concepts (Review). Oncol Lett 2024; 28:431. [PMID: 39049985 PMCID: PMC11268089 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most prevalent malignancy affecting women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the type of breast cancer with the worst prognosis. As a heterogeneous disease, TNBC has a pathogenesis that involves multiple oncogenic pathways, including involvement of gene mutations and alterations in signaling pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous, single-stranded non-coding RNAs that bind to the 3' untranslated region of target cell mRNAs to negatively regulate the gene expression of these specific mRNAs. Therefore, miRNAs are involved in cell growth, development, division and differentiation stages. miRNAs are also involved in gene targeting in tumorigenesis, tumor growth and the regulation of metastasis, including in breast cancer. Meanwhile, miRNAs also regulate components of signaling pathways. In this review, the role of miRNAs in the TNBC signaling pathway discovered in recent years is described in detail. The new concept of bi-targeted therapy for breast cancer using miRNA and artificial intelligence is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaofeng Yang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 010050, P.R. China
| | - Donghai Li
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 010050, P.R. China
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Smit DJ, Brauer H, Horn S, Yigit G, Haider MT, Pogenberg V, Schumacher U, Pantel K, Jücker M. Functional characterization of PI3K C2 domain mutations detected in breast cancer circulating tumor cells and metastatic cells. Cell Signal 2024; 121:111270. [PMID: 38909932 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In breast cancer, over one third of all patients harbor a somatic mutation in the PIK3CA gene, encoding the p110α catalytic subunit of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) in their tumor cells. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells shed from the primary tumor into the blood stream. Recently, the long-term stable breast cancer CTC-ITB-01 cell line with tumorigenic and metastatic capacity was established from liquid biopsy derived cells. The oncogenic hotspot PIK3CA mutation H1047R (kinase domain) was detected in the primary tumor, CTCs and metastasis of the same patient. Other PIK3CA mutations located within the C2 domain (E418K and E453K) were detected in the CTCs and the vaginal metastasis but not in the primary tumor. The goal of our study was to functionally characterize the impact of the rare E418K and E453K mutations within the C2 domain that were not detected in the primary tumor. METHODS PIK3CA mutations E418K, E453K, H1047R were generated by site-directed mutagenesis and stably overexpressed in breast cancer cells by lentiviral transduction. Subsequent signaling pathway activation was examined by western blot analysis. The impact of PIK3CA mutations on biological processes was studied by live cell imaging using the Incucyte Zoom system. Structural modeling was conducted in Pymol. The membrane localization of the mutants was evaluated by separating the cytosolic and membrane fraction using ultracentrifugation. Drug susceptibility of CTC-ITB-01 cells was analyzed by live cell imaging. RESULTS Western blot analysis of human MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and T47D breast cancer cells stably overexpressing either the PIK3CA wildtype (WT) or one of the E418K, E453K or H1047R mutants revealed a significant increase in AKT phosphorylation in both C2 mutants (E418K and E453K) and the kinase domain mutant H1047R. Functional analysis showed a significantly increased proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells overexpressing the E453K and H1047R mutants. Migration was increased in all cells overexpressing WT and each of the mutants. Interestingly, invasion and chemotaxis were only enhanced in the MDA-MB-231 cells overexpressing the C2 domain mutants, i.e. E418K and E453K. In addition, membrane localization of the two C2 domain mutants was increased. Structural modeling of the E453K mutation suggests a disruption of the interaction between the negative regulatory domain of the p85α subunit and the p110α catalytic subunit as a potential mechanism leading to the observed activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Dual targeting of AKT/mTOR pathway by MK2206 and RAD001 leads to very strong synergistic effects (IC50 MK2206: 148 nM, IC50 RAD001: 15 nM) with respect to proliferation in the CTC-ITB-01 line through apoptosis induction. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that PIK3CA C2 domain mutations activate PI3K downstream AKT signaling and can increase proliferation, migration and invasion after stable lentiviral transduction. Although both investigated mutations - E418K and E453K - are located within the C2 domain, a different molecular mechanism can be proposed. The PIK3CA mutated CTC-ITB-01 shows a high susceptibility against dual inhibition of AKT/mTOR. Further studies are required to fully elucidate the oncogenic potential of rare PIK3CA mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Smit
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Helena Brauer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Horn
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gökhan Yigit
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Human Genetics, Heinrich-Düker-Weg 12, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Lower Saxony, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marie-Therese Haider
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vivian Pogenberg
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Medical School Berlin, Faculty of Medicine, Mecklenburgische Strasse 57, 14197 Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Pantel
- Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Jücker
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
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Chen LP, Huang HT. AFFECT: an R package for accelerated functional failure time model with error-contaminated survival times and applications to gene expression data. BMC Bioinformatics 2024; 25:265. [PMID: 39138564 PMCID: PMC11323647 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-024-05831-5] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survival analysis has been used to characterize the time-to-event data. In medical studies, a typical application is to analyze the survival time of specific cancers by using high-dimensional gene expressions. The main challenges include the involvement of non-informaive gene expressions and possibly nonlinear relationship between survival time and gene expressions. Moreover, due to possibly imprecise data collection or wrong record, measurement error might be ubiquitous in the survival time and its censoring status. Ignoring measurement error effects may incur biased estimator and wrong conclusion. RESULTS To tackle those challenges and derive a reliable estimation with efficiently computational implementation, we develop the R package AFFECT, which is referred to Accelerated Functional Failure time model with Error-Contaminated survival Times. CONCLUSIONS This package aims to correct for measurement error effects in survival times and implements a boosting algorithm under corrected data to determine informative gene expressions as well as derive the corresponding nonlinear functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Pang Chen
- Department of Statistics, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Hsiao-Ting Huang
- Department of Statistics, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Kumar R, Awasthi S, Pradhan D, Kumar R, Goel H, Singh J, Haider I, Deo SVS, Kumar C, Srivastava A, Bhatnagar A, Kumar R, Lakshmi S, Augustine P, Ranjan A, Chopra A, Gogia A, Batra A, Mathur S, Rath GK, Kaur T, Dhaliwal RS, Mathew A, Agrawal U, Hussain S, Tanwar P. Somatic mutational landscape across Indian breast cancer cases by whole exome sequencing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18679. [PMID: 39134585 PMCID: PMC11319672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65148-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) has emerged as the most common malignancy among females. The genomic profile of BC is diverse in nature and complex due to heterogeneity among various geographically different ethnic groups. The primary objective of this study was to carry out a comprehensive mutational analysis of Indian BC cases by performing whole exome sequencing. The cohort included patients with a median age of 48 years. TTN, TP53, MUC16, SYNE1, and OBSCN were the frequently altered genes found in our cohort. The PIK3CA and KLC3 genes are driver genes implicated in various cellular functions and cargo transportation through microtubules, respectively. Except for CCDC168 and PIK3CA, several gene pairings were found to be significantly linked with co-occurrence. Irrespective of their hormonal receptor status, RTK/RAS was observed with frequently altered signaling pathways. Further analysis of the mutational signature revealed that SBS13, SBS6, and SBS29 were mainly observed in our cohort. This study supplements the discovery of diagnostic biomarkers and provides new therapeutic options for the improved management of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Kumar
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Supriya Awasthi
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Rakesh Kumar
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Harsh Goel
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Jay Singh
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Imran Haider
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - S V S Deo
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Chitresh Kumar
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Anurag Srivastava
- Department of General Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Amar Bhatnagar
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - S Lakshmi
- Division of Cancer Research, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Paul Augustine
- Division of Surgical Services, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Amar Ranjan
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Anita Chopra
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ajay Gogia
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Atul Batra
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sandeep Mathur
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Goura Kishor Rath
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Tanvir Kaur
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - R S Dhaliwal
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Aleyamma Mathew
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Usha Agrawal
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, India
| | - Showket Hussain
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida, India
| | - Pranay Tanwar
- Dr. B. R. A.-Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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Woodcock CL, Alsaleem M, Toss MS, Lothion-Roy J, Harris AE, Jeyapalan JN, Blatt N, Rizvanov AA, Miftakhova RR, Kariri YA, Madhusudan S, Green AR, Rutland CS, Fray RG, Rakha EA, Mongan NP. The role of the ALKBH5 RNA demethylase in invasive breast cancer. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:343. [PMID: 39127986 PMCID: PMC11317455 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01205-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common internal RNA modification and is involved in regulation of RNA and protein expression. AlkB family member 5 (ALKBH5) is a m6A demethylase. Given the important role of m6A in biological mechanisms, m6A and its regulators, have been implicated in many disease processes, including cancer. However, the contribution of ALKBH5 to invasive breast cancer (BC) remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological value of ALKBH5 in BC. METHODS Publicly available data were used to investigate ALKBH5 mRNA alterations, prognostic significance, and association with clinical parameters at the genomic and transcriptomic level. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched pathways with low or high ALKBH5 expression were investigated. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to assess ALKBH5 protein expression in a large well-characterised BC series (n = 1327) to determine the clinical significance and association of ALKBH5 expression. RESULTS Reduced ALKBH5 mRNA expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis and unfavourable clinical parameters. ALKBH5 gene harboured few mutations and/or copy number alternations, but low ALKBH5 mRNA expression was seen. Patients with low ALKBH5 mRNA expression had a number of differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways, including the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway. Low ALKBH5 protein expression was significantly associated with unfavourable clinical parameters associated with tumour progression including larger tumour size and worse Nottingham Prognostic Index group. CONCLUSION This study implicates ALKBH5 in BC and highlights the need for further functional studies to decipher the role of ALKBH5 and RNA m6A methylation in BC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne L Woodcock
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
| | - Mansour Alsaleem
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, School of Medicine, Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Unit of Scientific Research, Applied College, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael S Toss
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, School of Medicine, Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jennifer Lothion-Roy
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Anna E Harris
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jennie N Jeyapalan
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Nataliya Blatt
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Institute for Fundamental Medicine and Science, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Institute for Fundamental Medicine and Science, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Regina R Miftakhova
- Institute for Fundamental Medicine and Science, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Yousif A Kariri
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, School of Medicine, Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Shaqra University 33, 11961, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Srinivasan Madhusudan
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Andrew R Green
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, School of Medicine, Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Catrin S Rutland
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Rupert G Fray
- School of Biosciences, Plant Science Division, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Emad A Rakha
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, School of Medicine, Academic Unit for Translational Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
- Pathology Department, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nigel P Mongan
- University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Choi WS, Liu RZ, Mak C, Maadi H, Godbout R. Overcoming retinoic acid resistance in HER2-enriched breast cancers: role of MYC. FEBS J 2024; 291:3521-3538. [PMID: 38708519 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17151] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
HER2-enriched (HER2+) breast cancers express high levels of the growth-promoting HER2 protein. Although these cancers are treated with the HER2-targeted drug, trastuzumab, resistance to treatment is common. Retinoic acid (RA) is an anti-cancer agent that has been successfully used for the treatment of leukemia and holds promise for the treatment of solid cancers, including breast cancer. The HER2 gene is frequently co-amplified with RARA, a key determinant of RA sensitivity in breast cancers. It seems surprising, therefore, that HER2+ breast cancers are refractory to RA treatment. Here, we show that MYC mediates RA resistance by suppressing the expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2 (CRABP2), resulting in RARα inactivation. CRABP2 is an intracellular RA transporter that delivers RA to the nuclear receptor RARα for its activation. Our results indicate that response to RA is enhanced by MYC depletion in HER2+ breast cancer cells and that RA treatment enhances trastuzumab responsiveness. Our findings support the use of RA and trastuzumab for the treatment of subsets of patients with breast cancers that are HER2-RARα co-amplified and have low levels of MYC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Shik Choi
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Rong-Zong Liu
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Caitlin Mak
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Hamid Maadi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Iran
| | - Roseline Godbout
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Kim S, Yang H, Cho S, Jang Y, Han IO, Oh ES. Correlation of syndecan gene amplification with metastatic potential and clinical outcomes in carcinomas. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 327:C380-C386. [PMID: 38953842 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00270.2024] [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: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Cell surface receptors play crucial roles in cellular responses to extracellular ligands, helping to modulate the functions of a cell based on information coming from outside the cell. Syndecan refers to a family of cell adhesion receptors that regulate both extracellular and cytosolic events. Alteration of syndecan expression disrupts regulatory mechanisms in a cell type-specific fashion, often leading to serious diseases, notably cancer. Given the multifaceted functions and distinct tissue distributions of syndecan, it will be important to unravel the gene-level intricacies of syndecan expression and thereby further understand its involvement in various carcinogenic processes. Although accumulating evidence indicates that the protein expression patterns of syndecan family members are significantly altered in cancer cells, the underlying gene-level mechanisms remain largely unknown. This review endeavors to explore syndecan gene expression levels across different cancer types by scrutinizing extensive cancer genome datasets using tools such as cBioPortal. Our analysis unveils that somatic mutations in SDC genes are rare occurrences, whereas copy number alterations are frequently observed across diverse cancers, particularly in SDC2 and SDC4. Notably, amplifications of SDC2 and SDC4 correlate with heightened metastatic potential and dismal prognosis. This underscores the recurrent nature of SDC2 and SDC4 amplifications during carcinogenesis and sheds light on their role in promoting cancer activity through augmented protein expression. The identification of these amplifications not only enriches our understanding of carcinogenic mechanisms but also hints at the potential therapeutic avenue of targeting SDC2 and SDC4 to curb cancer cell proliferation and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sewoon Kim
- Institute of Sensor Technology, Easytem Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeonju Yang
- Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Subin Cho
- Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunjung Jang
- Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Inn-Oc Han
- Department of Biomedical Science, Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eok-Soo Oh
- Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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8
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Xie L, Chen J, Zheng Y, Sun Y, Zhang X, Chu L, Zhang Y. Somatic and germline aberrations in homologous recombination repair genes among Chinese high-risk breast cancer patients by multi-gene next-generation sequencing. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03599-x. [PMID: 39043977 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03599-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recently, genes involved in homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway have been extensively studied. However, the landscapes of HRR gene mutations remain poorly defined in Chinese high-risk breast cancer (BC) patients. Our study aims to identify the status of germline and somatic HRR gene mutations and their association with clinicopathological features in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 100 high-risk BC patients from our institution who underwent paired peripheral blood germline and BC tissues somatic 26 genes next-generation sequencing (NGS) from January 2018 to July 2023 were enrolled for retrospective analysis. RESULTS Out of 100 high-risk BC patients, 55 (55%) had at least one germline or somatic mutation in HRR genes. Among them, 22% carried germline pathogenic variants (19 BRCA1/2 and 3 non-BRCA genes), 9% harbored somatic pathogenic mutations (3 BRCA1/2 and 6 non-BRCA genes). Among high-risk factors, family history and early onset BC showed a correlation with HRR gene mutations (p < 0.05). BRCA1 germline and HRR gene somatic mutations showed a correlation with TNBC, but BRCA2 germline mutations were associated with Luminal B/HER2-negative BC (p < 0.05). Patients with HRR gene somatic pathogenic variant more likely had a lympho-vascular invasion and distant metastasis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The prevalence of HRR gene germline and somatic mutations were higher in Chinese BC patients with high risk factors. We strongly recommend that these high-risk BC patients receive comprehensive gene mutation testing, especially HRR genes, which are not only related to genetic consultation for BC patients and provide a theoretical basis for necessary prevention and individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xie
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - YanYing Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - LeLe Chu
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - YiFen Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
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Choi S, Bae HG, Jo DG, Kim WY. The Role of IRF9 Upregulation in Modulating Sensitivity to Olaparib and Platinum-Based Chemotherapies in Breast Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:959. [PMID: 39062738 PMCID: PMC11276373 DOI: 10.3390/genes15070959] [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: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are targeted therapies that accumulate DNA damage by interfering with DNA repair mechanisms and are approved for treating several cancers with BRCA1/2 mutations. In this study, we utilized CRISPR-dCas9 interference screening to identify genes regulating sensitivity to PARP inhibitors in breast cancer cell lines. Our findings indicated that the interferon (IFN) signaling gene IRF9 was critically involved in modulating sensitivity to these inhibitors. We revealed that the loss of IRF9 leads to increased resistance to the PARP inhibitor in MDA-MB-468 cells, and a similar desensitization was observed in another breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Further analysis indicated that while the basal expression of IRF9 did not correlate with the response to the PARP inhibitor olaparib, its transcriptional induction was significantly associated with increased sensitivity to the DNA-damaging agent cisplatin in the NCI-60 cell line panel. This finding suggests a mechanistic link between IRF9 induction and cellular responses to DNA damage. Additionally, data from the METABRIC patient tissue study revealed a complex network of IFN-responsive gene expressions postchemotherapy, with seven upregulated genes, including IRF9, and three downregulated genes. These findings underscore the intricate role of IFN signaling in the cellular response to chemotherapy. Collectively, our CRISPR screening data and subsequent bioinformatic analyses suggest that IRF9 is a novel biomarker for sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, such as olaparib and platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents. Our findings for IRF9 not only enhance our understanding of the genetic basis of drug sensitivity, but also elucidate the role of IRF9 as a critical effector within IFN signaling pathways, potentially influencing the association between the host immune system and chemotherapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- SeokGyeong Choi
- College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea;
| | - Han-Gyu Bae
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea; (H.-G.B.); (D.-G.J.)
| | - Dong-Gyu Jo
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea; (H.-G.B.); (D.-G.J.)
| | - Woo-Young Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea;
- Muscle Physiome Research Center, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea
- Drug Information Research Institute, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea
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10
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Pan JW, Tan ZC, Ng PS, Zabidi MMA, Nur Fatin P, Teo JY, Hasan SN, Islam T, Teoh LY, Jamaris S, See MH, Yip CH, Rajadurai P, Looi LM, Taib NAM, Rueda OM, Caldas C, Chin SF, Lim J, Teo SH. Gene expression signature for predicting homologous recombination deficiency in triple-negative breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2024; 10:60. [PMID: 39030225 PMCID: PMC11271517 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-024-00671-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are a subset of breast cancers that have remained difficult to treat. A proportion of TNBCs arising in non-carriers of BRCA pathogenic variants have genomic features that are similar to BRCA carriers and may also benefit from PARP inhibitor treatment. Using genomic data from 129 TNBC samples from the Malaysian Breast Cancer (MyBrCa) cohort, we developed a gene expression-based machine learning classifier for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) in TNBCs. The classifier identified samples with HRD mutational signature at an AUROC of 0.93 in MyBrCa validation datasets and 0.84 in TCGA TNBCs. Additionally, the classifier strongly segregated HRD-associated genomic features in TNBCs from TCGA, METABRIC, and ICGC. Thus, our gene expression classifier may identify triple-negative breast cancer patients with homologous recombination deficiency, suggesting an alternative method to identify individuals who may benefit from treatment with PARP inhibitors or platinum chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Wern Pan
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
| | | | - Pei-Sze Ng
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | | | | | | | | | - Tania Islam
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Li-Ying Teoh
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Suniza Jamaris
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mee-Hoong See
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Pathmanathan Rajadurai
- Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Lai-Meng Looi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Aishah Mohd Taib
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Oscar M Rueda
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute & Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carlos Caldas
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute & Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
- NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Suet-Feung Chin
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute & Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joanna Lim
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Soo-Hwang Teo
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
- University Malaya Cancer Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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11
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Buyrukoğlu G. Survival analysis in breast cancer: evaluating ensemble learning techniques for prediction. PeerJ Comput Sci 2024; 10:e2147. [PMID: 39145224 PMCID: PMC11323082 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.2147] [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: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer is most commonly faced with form of cancer amongst women worldwide. In spite of the fact that the breast cancer research and awareness have gained considerable momentum, there is still no one treatment due to disease heterogeneity. Survival data may be of specific interest in breast cancer studies to understand its dynamic and complex trajectories. This study copes with the most important covariates affecting the disease progression. The study utilizes the German Breast Cancer Study Group 2 (GBSG2) and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium dataset (METABRIC) datasets. In both datasets, interests lie in relapse of the disease and the time when the relapse happens. The three models, namely the Cox proportional hazards (PH) model, random survival forest (RSF) and conditional inference forest (Cforest) were employed to analyse the breast cancer datasets. The goal of this study is to apply these methods in prediction of breast cancer progression and compare their performances based on two different estimation methods: the bootstrap estimation and the bootstrap .632 estimation. The model performance was evaluated in concordance index (C-index) and prediction error curves (pec) for discrimination. The Cox PH model has a lower C-index and bigger prediction error compared to the RSF and the Cforest approach for both datasets. The analysis results of GBSG2 and METABRIC datasets reveal that the RSF and the Cforest algorithms provide non-parametric alternatives to Cox PH model for estimation of the survival probability of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonca Buyrukoğlu
- Department of Statistics/ Faculty of Science, Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı, Turkey
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12
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Tsutsumi E, Macy AM, LoBello J, Hastings KT, Kim S. Tumor immune microenvironment permissive to metastatic progression of ING4-deficient breast cancer. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304194. [PMID: 38968186 PMCID: PMC11226078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Deficiencies in the ING4 tumor suppressor are associated with advanced stage tumors and poor patient survival in cancer. ING4 was shown to inhibit NF-kB in several cancers. As NF-kB is a key mediator of immune response, the ING4/NF-kB axis is likely to manifest in tumor-immune modulation but has not been investigated. To characterize the tumor immune microenvironment associated with ING4-deficient tumors, three approaches were employed in this study: First, tissue microarrays composed of 246 primary breast tumors including 97 ING4-deficient tumors were evaluated for the presence of selective immune markers, CD68, CD4, CD8, and PD-1, using immunohistochemical staining. Second, an immune-competent mouse model of ING4-deficient breast cancer was devised utilizing CRISPR-mediated deletion of Ing4 in a Tp53 deletion-derived mammary tumor cell line; mammary tumors were evaluated for immune markers using flow cytometry. Lastly, the METABRIC gene expression dataset was evaluated for patient survival related to the immune markers associated with Ing4-deleted tumors. The results showed that CD68, CD4, CD8, or PD-1, was not significantly associated with ING4-deficient breast tumors, indicating no enrichment of macrophages, T cells, or exhausted T cell types. In mice, Ing4-deleted mammary tumors had a growth rate comparable to Ing4-intact tumors but showed increased tumor penetrance and metastasis. Immune marker analyses of Ing4-deleted tumors revealed a significant increase in tumor-associated macrophages (Gr-1loCD11b+F4/80+) and a decrease in granzyme B-positive (GzmB+) CD4+ T cells, indicating a suppressive and/or less tumoricidal immune microenvironment. The METABRIC data analyses showed that low expression of GZMB was significantly associated with poor patient survival, as was ING4-low expression, in the basal subtype of breast cancer. Patients with GZMB-low/ING4-low tumors had the worst survival outcomes (HR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.36-5.75, p = 0.0004), supportive of the idea that the GZMB-low immune environment contributes to ING4-deficient tumor progression. Collectively, the study results demonstrate that ING4-deficient tumors harbor a microenvironment that contributes to immune evasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Tsutsumi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, Translational Genomic Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Anne M. Macy
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Janine LoBello
- Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Karen T. Hastings
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Suwon Kim
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, Translational Genomic Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
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13
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Wang Z, Li A, Lu Y, Han M, Ruan M, Wang C, Zhang X, Zhu C, Shen K, Dong L, Chen X. Association of tumor immune infiltration and prognosis with homologous recombination repair genes mutations in early triple-negative breast cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1407837. [PMID: 39026672 PMCID: PMC11254810 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1407837] [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: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the mutation spectrum of homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes and its association with tumor immune infiltration and prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC patients (434 patients from Ruijin cohort) were evaluated with targeted next-generating sequencing for mutations in HRR genes. The frequencies of mutations were compared with public reference cohorts (320 TNBC patients from METABRIC, 105 from TCGA, and 225 from MSKCC 2018). Associations between mutation status and tumor immune infiltration and prognosis were analyzed. HRR genes mutations were seen in 21.89% patients, with BRCA1/2 mutations significantly enriched in tumors with breast/ovarian cancer family history (P = 0.025) and high Ki-67 levels (P = 0.018). HRR genes mutations were not related with recurrence-free survival (RFS) (adjusted P = 0.070) and overall survival (OS) (adjusted P = 0.318) for TNBC patients, regardless of carboplatin treatment (P > 0.05). Moreover, tumor immune infiltration and PD-L1 expression was positively associated with HRR or BRCA1/2 mutation (all P < 0.001). Patients with both HRR mutation and high CD8+ T cell counts had the best RFS and OS, whereas patients with no HRR mutation and low CD8+ T cell counts had the worst outcomes (RFS P < 0.001, OS P = 0.019). High frequency of HRR gene mutations was found in early TNBC, with no prognostic significance. Immune infiltration and PD-L1 expression was positively associated with HRR mutation, and both HRR mutation and high CD8+ T cell infiltration levels were associated with superior disease outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Anqi Li
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengyuan Han
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao Ruan
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaofu Wang
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotian Zhang
- Department of Translational Oncology, Amoy Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Xiamen, China
| | - Changbin Zhu
- Department of Translational Oncology, Amoy Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Xiamen, China
| | - Kunwei Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Dong
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaosong Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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14
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Godina C, Khazaei S, Belting M, Vallon-Christersson J, Nodin B, Jirström K, Isaksson K, Bosch A, Jernström H. High Caveolin-1 mRNA expression in triple-negative breast cancer is associated with an aggressive tumor microenvironment, chemoresistance, and poor clinical outcome. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305222. [PMID: 38959243 PMCID: PMC11221642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305222] [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: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, there are few treatment-predictive and prognostic biomarkers in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is linked to chemoresistance and several important processes involved in tumor progression and metastasis, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Herein, we report that high CAV1 gene expression is an independent factor of poor prognosis in TNBC. METHODS CAV1 gene expression was compared across different molecular features (e.g., PAM50 subtypes). CAV1 expression was assessed in relation to clinical outcomes using Cox regression adjusted for clinicopathological predictors. Differential gene expression and gene set enrichment analyses were applied to compare high- and low-expressing CAV1 tumors. Tumor microenvironment composition of high- and low-expressing CAV1 tumors was estimated using ECOTYPER. Tumor tissue microarrays were used to evaluate CAV1 protein levels in stromal and malignant cells. RESULTS In the SCAN-B (n = 525) and GSE31519 (n = 327) cohorts, patients with CAV1-high tumors had an increased incidence of early recurrence adjusted HR 1.78 (95% CI 1.12-2.81) and 2.20 (95% CI 1.39-3.47), respectively. In further analysis, high CAV1 gene expression was associated with a molecular profile indicating altered metabolism, neovascularization, chemoresistance, EMT, suppressed immune response, and active tumor microenvironment. Protein levels of CAV1 in malignant and stromal cells were not correlated with CAV1 gene expression. CONCLUSION CAV1 gene expression in TNBC is a biomarker that merits further investigation in clinical trials and as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Godina
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Somayeh Khazaei
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mattias Belting
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Sweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Vallon-Christersson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Nodin
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Jirström
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Therapeutic Pathology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karolin Isaksson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Surgery, Lund University and Kristianstad Hospital, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Ana Bosch
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Sweden
| | - Helena Jernström
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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15
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Confalonieri S, Matoskova B, Pennisi R, Martino F, De Mario A, Miloro G, Montani F, Rotta L, Ferrari ME, Gilardi L, Ceci F, Grana CM, Rizzuto R, Mammucari C, Di Fiore PP, Lanzetti L. A PET-Surrogate Signature for the Interrogation of the Metabolic Status of Breast Cancers. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2308255. [PMID: 38757578 PMCID: PMC11267279 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic alterations in cancers can be exploited for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic purposes. This is exemplified by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), an imaging tool that relies on enhanced glucose uptake by tumors for diagnosis and staging. By performing transcriptomic analysis of breast cancer (BC) samples from patients stratified by FDG-PET, a 54-gene signature (PETsign) is identified that recapitulates FDG uptake. PETsign is independently prognostic of clinical outcome in luminal BCs, the most common and heterogeneous BC molecular subtype, which requires improved stratification criteria to guide therapeutic decision-making. The prognostic power of PETsign is stable across independent BC cohorts and disease stages including the earliest BC stage, arguing that PETsign is an ab initio metabolic signature. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of BC cells reveals that PETsign predicts enhanced glycolytic dependence and reduced reliance on fatty acid oxidation. Moreover, coamplification of PETsign genes occurs frequently in BC arguing for their causal role in pathogenesis. CXCL8 and EGFR signaling pathways feature strongly in PETsign, and their activation in BC cells causes a shift toward a glycolytic phenotype. Thus, PETsign serves as a molecular surrogate for FDG-PET that could inform clinical management strategies for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rosa Pennisi
- Department of OncologyUniversity of Torino Medical SchoolCandioloTurin10060Italy
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSStr. Provinciale 142 km 3.95, CandioloTurin10060Italy
| | - Flavia Martino
- Department of OncologyUniversity of Torino Medical SchoolCandioloTurin10060Italy
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSStr. Provinciale 142 km 3.95, CandioloTurin10060Italy
| | - Agnese De Mario
- Department of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of PaduaVia U. Bassi 58/BPadua35131Italy
| | - Giorgia Miloro
- IEOEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCSVia Ripamonti 435Milan20141Italy
| | - Francesca Montani
- IEOEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCSVia Ripamonti 435Milan20141Italy
| | - Luca Rotta
- IEOEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCSVia Ripamonti 435Milan20141Italy
| | | | - Laura Gilardi
- IEOEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCSVia Ripamonti 435Milan20141Italy
| | - Francesco Ceci
- IEOEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCSVia Ripamonti 435Milan20141Italy
- Department of Oncology and Haemato‐OncologyUniversity of MilanMilan20142Italy
| | | | - Rosario Rizzuto
- Department of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of PaduaVia U. Bassi 58/BPadua35131Italy
| | - Cristina Mammucari
- Department of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of PaduaVia U. Bassi 58/BPadua35131Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Di Fiore
- IEOEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCSVia Ripamonti 435Milan20141Italy
- Department of Oncology and Haemato‐OncologyUniversity of MilanMilan20142Italy
| | - Letizia Lanzetti
- Department of OncologyUniversity of Torino Medical SchoolCandioloTurin10060Italy
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSStr. Provinciale 142 km 3.95, CandioloTurin10060Italy
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16
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Jansson M, Lindberg J, Rask G, Svensson J, Billing O, Nazemroaya A, Berglund A, Wärnberg F, Sund M. Stromal Type I Collagen in Breast Cancer: Correlation to Prognostic Biomarkers and Prediction of Chemotherapy Response. Clin Breast Cancer 2024; 24:e360-e369.e4. [PMID: 38485557 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2024.02.015] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fibrillar collagens accumulate in the breast cancer stroma and appear as poorly defined spiculated masses in mammography imaging. The prognostic value of tissue type I collagen remains elusive in treatment-naïve and chemotherapy-treated breast cancer patients. Here, type I collagen mRNA and protein expression were analysed in 2 large independent breast cancer cohorts. Levels were related to clinicopathological parameters, prognostic biomarkers, and outcome. METHOD COL1A1 mRNA expression was analysed in 2509 patients with breast cancer obtained from the cBioPortal database. Type I collagen protein expression was studied by immunohistochemistry in 1395 women diagnosed with early invasive breast cancer. RESULTS Low COL1A1 mRNA and protein levels correlated with poor prognosis features, such as hormone receptor negativity, high histological grade, triple-negative subtype, node positivity, and tumour size. In unadjusted analysis, high stromal type I collagen protein expression was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.61-0.99, p = .043) and trended towards improved breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) (HR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.42-1.01, P = 0.053), although these findings were lost after adjustment for other clinical variables. In unadjusted analysis, high expression of type I collagen was associated with better OS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.55-0.90, P = .006) and BCSS (HR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.34-0.88, P = .014) among patients not receiving chemotherapy. Strikingly, the opposite was observed among patients receiving chemotherapy. There, high expression of type I collagen was instead associated with worse OS (HR = 1.83, 95% CI = 0.65-5.14, P = .25) and BCSS (HR = 1.72, 95% CI = 0.54-5.50, P = .357). CONCLUSION Low stromal type I collagen mRNA and protein expression are associated with unfavourable tumour characteristics in breast cancer. Stromal type I collagen might predict chemotherapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Jansson
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences/Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jessica Lindberg
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences/Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gunilla Rask
- Department of Medical Biosciences/Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Johan Svensson
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences/Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Statistics, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ola Billing
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences/Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Anette Berglund
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences/Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Wärnberg
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Malin Sund
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences/Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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17
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Verma S, Giagnocavo SD, Curtin MC, Arumugam M, Osburn-Staker SM, Wang G, Atkinson A, Nix DA, Lum DH, Cox JE, Hilgendorf KI. Zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein Secreted by Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Promotes Peritumoral Fibrosis. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1655-1666. [PMID: 38888911 PMCID: PMC11224648 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-24-0218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Obesity is a modifiable predisposition factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. This suggests a localized, reciprocal interaction between breast cancer cells and the surrounding mammary white adipose tissue. To investigate how breast cancer cells alter the composition and function of adipose tissue, we screened the secretomes of 10 human breast cancer cell lines for the ability to modulate the differentiation of adipocyte stem and progenitor cells. The screen identified an adipogenic modulator, zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG/AZGP1) that is secreted by triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. TNBC-secreted ZAG inhibits adipogenesis and instead induces the expression of fibrotic genes. Accordingly, depletion of ZAG in TNBC cells attenuates fibrosis in white adipose tissue and inhibits tumor growth. Further, high expression of ZAG is linked to poor prognosis in patients with TNBC but not in patients with other clinical subtypes of breast cancer. Our findings suggest a role of TNBC-secreted ZAG in promoting the transdifferentiation of adipocyte stem and progenitor cells into cancer-associated fibroblasts to support tumorigenesis. SIGNIFICANCE Functional screening of breast cancer secretomes revealed that triple-negative breast cancer promotes fibrosis in the adipose tissue microenvironment by secreting zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein and promoting the transdifferentiation of adipocyte stem cells into myofibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Verma
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | | | - Meghan C. Curtin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Menusha Arumugam
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Sandra M. Osburn-Staker
- Metabolomics, Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Guoying Wang
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Aaron Atkinson
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - David A. Nix
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - David H. Lum
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - James E. Cox
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Metabolomics, Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Keren I. Hilgendorf
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
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18
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Momeny M, Tienhaara M, Sharma M, Chakroborty D, Varjus R, Takala I, Merisaari J, Padzik A, Vogt A, Paatero I, Elenius K, Laajala TD, Kurppa KJ, Westermarck J. DUSP6 inhibition overcomes neuregulin/HER3-driven therapy tolerance in HER2+ breast cancer. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:1603-1629. [PMID: 38886591 PMCID: PMC11251193 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00088-0] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite clinical benefits of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in cancer, most tumors can reactivate proliferation under TKI therapy. Here we present transcriptional profiling of HER2+ breast cancer cells transitioning from dormant drug tolerant cells to re-proliferating cells under continuous HER2 inhibitor (HER2i) therapy. Focusing on phosphatases, expression of dual-specificity phosphatase DUSP6 was found inhibited in dormant cells, but strongly induced upon regrowth. DUSP6 expression also selectively associated with poor patient survival in HER2+ breast cancers. DUSP6 overexpression conferred apoptosis resistance, whereas its pharmacological blockade prevented therapy tolerance development under HER2i therapy. DUSP6 targeting also synergized with clinically used HER2i combination therapies. Mechanistically DUSP6 is a positive regulator of HER3 expression, and its impact on HER2i tolerance was mediated by neuregulin-HER3 axis. In vivo, genetic targeting of DUSP6 reduced tumor growth in brain metastasis model, whereas its pharmacological targeting induced synthetic lethal therapeutic effect in combination with HER2i. Collectively this work demonstrates that DUSP6 drives escape from HER2i-induced dormancy, and that DUSP6 is a druggable target to overcome HER3-driven TKI resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Momeny
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
| | - Mari Tienhaara
- Medicity Research Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Mukund Sharma
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Deepankar Chakroborty
- Medicity Research Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Roosa Varjus
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Iina Takala
- Medicity Research Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Joni Merisaari
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Artur Padzik
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Andreas Vogt
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh Technology Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ilkka Paatero
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Klaus Elenius
- Medicity Research Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Teemu D Laajala
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Kari J Kurppa
- Medicity Research Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jukka Westermarck
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
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Snijesh VP, Nimbalkar VP, Patil S, Rajarajan S, Anupama CE, Mahalakshmi S, Alexander A, Soundharya R, Ramesh R, Srinath BS, Jolly MK, Prabhu JS. Differential role of glucocorticoid receptor based on its cell type specific expression on tumor cells and infiltrating lymphocytes. Transl Oncol 2024; 45:101957. [PMID: 38643748 PMCID: PMC11039344 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101957] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is frequently expressed in breast cancer (BC), and its prognostic implications are contingent on estrogen receptor (ER) status. To address conflicting reports and explore therapeutic potential, a GR signature (GRsig) independent of ER status was developed. We also investigated cell type-specific GR protein expression in BC tumor epithelial cells and infiltrating lymphocytes. METHODS GRsig was derived from Dexamethasone treated cell lines through a bioinformatic pipeline. Immunohistochemistry assessed GR protein expression. Associations between GRsig and tumor phenotypes (proliferation, cytolytic activity (CYT), immune cell distribution, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were explored in public datasets. Single-cell RNA sequencing data evaluated context-dependent GR roles, and a cell type-specific prognostic role was assessed in an independent BC cohort. RESULTS High GRsig levels were associated with a favorable prognosis across BC subtypes. Tumor-specific high GRsig correlated with lower proliferation, increased CYT, and anti-tumorigenic immune cells. Single-cell data analysis revealed higher GRsig expression in immune cells, negatively correlating with EMT while a positive correlation was observed with EMT primarily in tumor and stromal cells. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated the robust and independent predictive capability of GRsig for favorable prognosis. GR protein expression on immune cells in triple-negative tumors indicated a favorable prognosis. CONCLUSION This study underscores the cell type-specific role of GR, where its expression on tumor cells is associated with aggressive features like EMT, while in infiltrating lymphocytes, it predicts a better prognosis, particularly within TNBC tumors. The GRsig emerges as a promising independent prognostic indicator across diverse BC subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- V P Snijesh
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; Centre for Doctoral Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Vidya P Nimbalkar
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Sharada Patil
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Savitha Rajarajan
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; Centre for Doctoral Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - C E Anupama
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - S Mahalakshmi
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Annie Alexander
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Ramu Soundharya
- IISc Mathematics Initiative, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka-560012, India
| | - Rakesh Ramesh
- Department of Surgical Oncology, St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - B S Srinath
- Department of Surgery, Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka-560012, India
| | - Jyothi S Prabhu
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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20
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Richman J, Schuster G, Buus R, Lopez-Knowles E, Dowsett M. Clinical and molecular predictors of very late recurrence in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 206:195-205. [PMID: 38709373 PMCID: PMC11182842 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07311-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Risk of recurrence from primary ER+ breast cancer continues for at least 20 years. We aimed to identify clinical and molecular features associated with risk of recurrence after 10 years. METHODS ER+ breast cancers from patients with and without recurrence were analysed with the BC360 NanoString Panel and an 87 gene targeted-exome panel. Frequency of clinical, pathologic and molecular characteristics was compared between cases (recurred between 10 and 20 years) and controls (no recurrence by 20 years) in the Very Late Recurrence (VLR) cohort. Analogous data from METABRIC were examined to confirm or refute findings. RESULTS VLR cases had larger tumours and higher node positivity. Both VLR and METABRIC cases had higher clinical treatment score at 5 years (CTS5). There was a trend for fewer GATA3 mutations in cases in both VLR and METABRIC but no statistically significant differences in mutation frequency. Cell cycle and proliferation genes were strongly expressed in VLR cases. Immune-related genes and cell cycle inhibitors were highly expressed in controls. Neither of these changes were significant after correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS Clinicopathologic features are prognostic beyond 10 years. Conversely, molecular features, such as copy number alterations, TP53 mutations and intrinsic subtype which have early prognostic significance, have little prognostic value after 10 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Richman
- Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK.
| | - Gene Schuster
- Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Richard Buus
- Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Elena Lopez-Knowles
- Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Mitch Dowsett
- Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
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21
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Boscolo Bielo L, Trapani D, Nicolò E, Valenza C, Guidi L, Belli C, Kotteas E, Marra A, Prat A, Fusco N, Criscitiello C, Burstein HJ, Curigliano G. The evolving landscape of metastatic HER2-positive, hormone receptor-positive Breast Cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2024; 128:102761. [PMID: 38772169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102761] [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: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Therapeutic agents targeting Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) demonstrated to positively impact the prognosis of HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2-positive breast cancer can present either as hormone receptor-negative or positive, defining Triple-positive breast cancer (TPBC). TPBC demonstrate unique gene expression profiles, showing reduced HER2-driven gene expression, as recapitulated by a higher proportion of Luminal-type intrinsic subtypes. The different molecular landscape of TPBC dictates distinctive clinical features, including reduced chemotherapy sensitivity, different patterns of recurrence, and better overall prognosis. Cross-talk between HER2 and hormone receptor signaling seems to be critical to determine resistance to HER2-directed agents. Accordingly, superior outcomes have been achieved with the use of endocrine therapy, representing the first subtype-specific pharmacological intervention unique to this subgroup. Additional targeted agents capable to tackle resistance mechanisms to anti-HER2, hormone agents, or both might further improve the efficacy of treatments, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors, particularly in a biomarker-enriched setting, and CDK4/6-inhibitors, with preliminary data suggesting a role of PAM50 subtyping to predict higher benefits in luminal tumors. Finally, the distinct biology of triple-positive tumors may yield the rationale for considering combinations within antibody-drug conjugate regimens. Accordingly, in this review, we summarized the current evidence and rationale for considering TPBC as a different entity, in which distinct therapeutical approaches leveraging on the different biological profile of TPBC may result in superior anticancer regimens and improved patient-centric outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Boscolo Bielo
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Dario Trapani
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Nicolò
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carmine Valenza
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Guidi
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmen Belli
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Elias Kotteas
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, 3rd Dept of Internal Medicine, Athens School of Medicine, Greece
| | - Antonio Marra
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Aleix Prat
- Department of Medical Oncology and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmen Criscitiello
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Harold J Burstein
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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22
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Zhang L, Fang K, Ren H, Fan S, Wang J, Guan H. Comparison of the diagnostic significance of cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing copy number variation analysis and cytology in leptomeningeal malignancy. BMC Neurol 2024; 24:223. [PMID: 38943096 PMCID: PMC11212224 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-024-03655-7] [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: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diagnosis and monitoring of leptomeningeal malignancy remain challenging, and are usually based on neurological, radiological, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and pathological findings. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of CSF metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and chromosome copy number variations (CNVs) analysis in the detection of leptomeningeal malignancy. METHODS Of the 51 patients included in the study, 34 patients were diagnosed with leptomeningeal malignancies, and 17 patients were diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory diseases. The Sayk's spontaneous cell sedimentation technique was employed for CSF cytology. And a well-designed approach utilizing the CSF mNGS-CNVs technique was explored for early diagnosis of leptomeningeal malignancy. RESULTS In the tumor group, 28 patients were positive for CSF cytology, and 24 patients were positive for CSF mNGS-CNVs. Sensitivity and specificity of CSF cytology were 82.35% (95% CI: 66.83-92.61%) and 94.12% (95% CI: 69.24-99.69%). In comparison, sensitivity and specificity of CSF mNGS-CNV were 70.59% (95% CI: 52.33-84.29%) and 100% (95% CI: 77.08-100%). There was no significant difference in diagnostic consistency between CSF cytology and mNGS-CNVs (p = 0.18, kappa = 0.650). CONCLUSIONS CSF mNGS-CNVs tend to have higher specificity compared with traditional cytology and can be used as a complementary diagnostic method for patients with leptomeningeal malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Kechi Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haitao Ren
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Siyuan Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Hongzhi Guan
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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23
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Chawla P, Gau D, Chen F, Welling N, Boone D, Taboas J, Lee AV, Galson DL, Roy P. Breast cancer cells promote osteoclast differentiation in an MRTF-dependent paracrine manner. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.06.570453. [PMID: 38106226 PMCID: PMC10723471 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.06.570453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Bone is a frequent site for breast cancer metastasis. Conditioning of the local tumor microenvironment (TME) through crosstalk between tumor cells and bone resident cells in the metastatic niche is a major driving force for bone colonization of breast cancer cells. The vast majority of breast cancer-associated metastasis is osteolytic in nature, and RANKL-induced differentiation of bone marrow-derived macrophages to osteoclasts (OCLs) is a key requirement for osteolytic metastatic growth of cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrate that breast cancer cell-secreted factors stimulate RANKL-induced OCL differentiation of BMDMs requiring the function of Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF) in tumor cells. This is partly attributed to the critical role of MRTF in maintaining the basal cellular expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a pro-osteoclastogenic matricellular factor known to promote bone metastasis in human breast cancer. Supporting these in vitro findings, bioinformatics analyses of multiple human breast cancer transcriptome datasets reveal a strong positive correlation between CTGF expression and MRTF gene signature further establishing the relevance of our findings in a human disease context. By Luminex analyses, we show that MRTF depletion in breast cancer cells has a broad impact on OCL-regulatory cell-secreted factors that extends beyond CTGF. These findings, taken together with demonstration of MRTF-dependence for bone colonization breast cancer cells in vivo, suggest that MRTF inhibition could be an effective strategy to diminish OCL formation and skeletal involvement in breast cancer. In summary, this study highlights a novel tumor-extrinsic function of MRTF relevant to breast cancer metastasis.
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24
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Tjader NP, Beer AJ, Ramroop J, Tai MC, Ping J, Gandhi T, Dauch C, Neuhausen SL, Ziv E, Sotelo N, Ghanekar S, Meadows O, Paredes M, Gillespie JL, Aeilts AM, Hampel H, Zheng W, Jia G, Hu Q, Wei L, Liu S, Ambrosone CB, Palmer JR, Carpten JD, Yao S, Stevens P, Ho WK, Pan JW, Fadda P, Huo D, Teo SH, McElroy JP, Toland AE. Association of ESR1 Germline Variants with TP53 Somatic Variants in Breast Tumors in a Genome-wide Study. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1597-1608. [PMID: 38836758 PMCID: PMC11210444 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-24-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
In breast tumors, somatic mutation frequencies in TP53 and PIK3CA vary by tumor subtype and ancestry. Emerging data suggest tumor mutation status is associated with germline variants and genetic ancestry. We aimed to identify germline variants that are associated with somatic TP53 or PIK3CA mutation status in breast tumors. A genome-wide association study was conducted in 2,850 women of European ancestry with breast cancer using TP53 and PIK3CA mutation status (positive or negative) as well as specific functional categories [e.g., TP53 gain-of-function (GOF) and loss-of-function, PIK3CA activating] as phenotypes. Germline variants showing evidence of association were selected for validation analyses and tested in multiple independent datasets. Discovery association analyses found five variants associated with TP53 mutation status with P values <1 × 10-6 and 33 variants with P values <1 × 10-5. Forty-four variants were associated with PIK3CA mutation status with P values <1 × 10-5. In validation analyses, only variants at the ESR1 locus were associated with TP53 mutation status after multiple comparisons corrections. Combined analyses in European and Malaysian populations found ESR1 locus variants rs9383938 and rs9479090 associated with the presence of TP53 mutations overall (P values 2 × 10-11 and 4.6 × 10-10, respectively). rs9383938 also showed association with TP53 GOF mutations (P value 6.1 × 10-7). rs9479090 showed suggestive evidence (P value 0.02) for association with TP53 mutation status in African ancestry populations. No other variants were significantly associated with TP53 or PIK3CA mutation status. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine if additional variants contribute to ancestry-specific differences in mutation frequency. SIGNIFICANCE Emerging data show ancestry-specific differences in TP53 and PIK3CA mutation frequency in breast tumors suggesting that germline variants may influence somatic mutational processes. This study identified variants near ESR1 associated with TP53 mutation status and identified additional loci with suggestive association which may provide biological insight into observed differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nijole P. Tjader
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Abigail J. Beer
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Johnny Ramroop
- The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Mei-Chee Tai
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jie Ping
- Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Tanish Gandhi
- Biomedical Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
- The Ohio State University Medical School, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Cara Dauch
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Clinical Trials Office, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Susan L. Neuhausen
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Elad Ziv
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Nereida Sotelo
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Shreya Ghanekar
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Owen Meadows
- Biomedical Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Monica Paredes
- Biomedical Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Amber M. Aeilts
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Human Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Heather Hampel
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
| | - Wei Zheng
- Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Guochong Jia
- Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Lei Wei
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Christine B. Ambrosone
- Department of Cancer Control and Prevention, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Julie R. Palmer
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - John D. Carpten
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
- Department of Integrative Translational Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Song Yao
- Department of Cancer Control and Prevention, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Patrick Stevens
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Weang-Kee Ho
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jia Wern Pan
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Paolo Fadda
- Genomics Shared Resource, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Dezheng Huo
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Soo-Hwang Teo
- Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya Cancer Research Institute, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Joseph Paul McElroy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University Center for Biostatistics, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Amanda E. Toland
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Human Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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25
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Li Y, Van Alsten SC, Lee DN, Kim T, Calhoun BC, Perou CM, Wobker SE, Marron JS, Hoadley KA, Troester MA. Visual Intratumor Heterogeneity and Breast Tumor Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2294. [PMID: 39001357 PMCID: PMC11240824 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16132294] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
High intratumoral heterogeneity is thought to be a poor prognostic indicator. However, the source of heterogeneity may also be important, as genomic heterogeneity is not always reflected in histologic or 'visual' heterogeneity. We aimed to develop a predictor of histologic heterogeneity and evaluate its association with outcomes and molecular heterogeneity. We used VGG16 to train an image classifier to identify unique, patient-specific visual features in 1655 breast tumors (5907 core images) from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS). Extracted features for images, as well as the epithelial and stromal image components, were hierarchically clustered, and visual heterogeneity was defined as a greater distance between images from the same patient. We assessed the association between visual heterogeneity, clinical features, and DNA-based molecular heterogeneity using generalized linear models, and we used Cox models to estimate the association between visual heterogeneity and tumor recurrence. Basal-like and ER-negative tumors were more likely to have low visual heterogeneity, as were the tumors from younger and Black women. Less heterogeneous tumors had a higher risk of recurrence (hazard ratio = 1.62, 95% confidence interval = 1.22-2.16), and were more likely to come from patients whose tumors were comprised of only one subclone or had a TP53 mutation. Associations were similar regardless of whether the image was based on stroma, epithelium, or both. Histologic heterogeneity adds complementary information to commonly used molecular indicators, with low heterogeneity predicting worse outcomes. Future work integrating multiple sources of heterogeneity may provide a more comprehensive understanding of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Li
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sarah C Van Alsten
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Dong Neuck Lee
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Taebin Kim
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Benjamin C Calhoun
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Charles M Perou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sara E Wobker
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - J S Marron
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Katherine A Hoadley
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Melissa A Troester
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Ma G, Huo B, Shen Y, Zhu X, Cheng C, Li W, Cao W, Li J. Genomic Alterations Correlated to Trastuzumab Resistance and Clinical Outcomes in HER2+/HR- Breast Cancers of Patients Living in Northwestern China. J Cancer 2024; 15:4467-4476. [PMID: 39006074 PMCID: PMC11242333 DOI: 10.7150/jca.84832] [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: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Anti-HER2 therapy has significantly improved the survival rates of patients with HER2+ breast cancer. However, a subset of these patients eventually experience treatment failure, and the underlying genetic mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This underscores the need to investigate the genomic heterogeneity of HER2+ breast cancer. In this study, we focus on HER2+/HR- breast cancer, as it differs from HER2+/HR+ breast cancer in terms of genetic and biological characteristics. We performed gene-targeted genome sequencing on 45 HER2+/HR- breast cancer samples and identified 650 mutations across 268 cancer-related genes. TP53 (71.1%) and PIK3CA (35.6%) were the most frequently mutated genes in our sample. Additionally, ERBB2 (77.8%), CDK12 (42.2%), and MYC (11.1%) exhibited a high frequency of copy number amplifications (CNAs). Comparative analysis with two other HER2+/HR- breast cancer cohorts revealed that our cohort had higher genetic variation rates in ARID1A, PKHD1, PTPN13, FANCA, SETD2, BRCA2, BLM, STAG2, FAT1, TOP2A, POLE, ATM, KMT2B, FGFR4, and EPAS1. Notably, in our cohort, NF1 and ATM mutations were more prevalent in trastuzumab-resistant patients (NF1, p=0.016; ATM, p=0.006) and were associated with primary trastuzumab resistance (NF1, p=0.042; ATM, p=0.021). Moreover, patients with NF1 mutations (p=0.009) and high histological grades (p=0.028) were more likely to experience early relapse. Ultimately, we identified a unique cancer-related gene mutation profile and a subset of genes associated with primary resistance to trastuzumab and RFS in patients with HER2+/HR- breast cancer in Northwest China. These findings could lay the groundwork for future studies aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of resistance to trastuzumab and improving HER2-targeted treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Ma
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Binliang Huo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanwei Shen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Xulong Zhu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Chong Cheng
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Wensheng Li
- Department of Pathology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Jianhui Li
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
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Reinert T, do Rego FO, Silva MCE, Rodrigues AM, Koyama FC, Gonçalves AC, Pauletto MM, de Carvalho Oliveira LJ, de Resende CAA, Landeiro LCG, Barrios CH, Mano MS, Dienstmann R. The somatic mutation profile of estrogen receptor-positive HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer in Brazilian patients. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1372947. [PMID: 38952553 PMCID: PMC11215150 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1372947] [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: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Studies about the genomic landscape of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) have predominantly originated from developed nations. There are still limited data on the molecular epidemiology of MBC in low- and middle-income countries. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of mutations in the PI3K-AKT pathway and other actionable drivers in estrogen receptor (ER)+/HER2- MBC among Brazilian patients treated at a large institution representative of the nation's demographic diversity. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study using laboratory data (OC Precision Medicine). Our study included tumor samples from patients with ER+/HER2- MBC who underwent routine tumor testing from 2020 to 2023 and originated from several Brazilian centers within the Oncoclinicas network. Two distinct next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays were used: GS Focus (23 genes, covering PIK3CA, AKT1, ESR1, ERBB2, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, TP53, but not PTEN) or GS 180 (180 genes, including PTEN, tumor mutation burden [TMB] and microsatellite instability [MSI]). Results Evaluation of tumor samples from 328 patients was undertaken, mostly (75.6%) with GS Focus. Of these, 69% were primary tumors, while 31% were metastatic lesions. The prevalence of mutations in the PI3K-AKT pathway was 39.3% (95% confidence interval, 33% to 43%), distributed as 37.5% in PIK3CA and 1.8% in AKT1. Stratification by age revealed a higher incidence of mutations in this pathway among patients over 50 (44.5% vs 29.1%, p=0.01). Among the PIK3CA mutations, 78% were canonical (included in the alpelisib companion diagnostic non-NGS test), while the remaining 22% were characterized as non-canonical mutations (identifiable only by NGS test). ESR1 mutations were detected in 6.1%, exhibiting a higher frequency in metastatic samples (15.1% vs 1.3%, p=0.003). Additionally, mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 were identified in 3.9% of cases, while mutations in ERBB2 were found in 2.1%. No PTEN mutations were detected, nor were TMB high or MSI cases. Conclusion We describe the genomic landscape of Brazilian patients with ER+/HER2- MBC, in which the somatic mutation profile is comparable to what is described in the literature globally. These data are important for developing precision medicine strategies in this scenario, as well as for health systems management and research initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Reinert
- Oncoclínicas & Co, São Paulo, Brazil
- Grupo Brasileiro de Estudos em Câncer de Mama (GBECAM), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rodrigo Dienstmann
- Oncoclínicas & Co, São Paulo, Brazil
- University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
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Bai H, Liu X, Lin M, Meng Y, Tang R, Guo Y, Li N, Clarke MF, Cai S. Progressive senescence programs induce intrinsic vulnerability to aging-related female breast cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5154. [PMID: 38886378 PMCID: PMC11183265 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49106-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer incidence escalates exponentially with advancing age; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we build a chronological molecular clock at single-cell transcription level with a mammary stem cell-enriched population to depict physiological aging dynamics in female mice. We find that the mammary aging process is asynchronous and progressive, initiated by an early senescence program, succeeded by an entropic late senescence program with elevated cancer associated pathways, vulnerable to cancer predisposition. The transition towards senescence program is governed by a stem cell factor Bcl11b, loss of which accelerates mammary ageing with enhanced DMBA-induced tumor formation. We have identified a drug TPCA-1 that can rejuvenate mammary cells and significantly reduce aging-related cancer incidence. Our findings establish a molecular portrait of progressive mammary cell aging and elucidate the transcriptional regulatory network bridging mammary aging and cancer predisposition, which has potential implications for the management of cancer prevalence in the aged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiru Bai
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoqin Liu
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meizhen Lin
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuan Meng
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruolan Tang
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yajing Guo
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Nan Li
- Westlake University High-Performance Computing Center, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Michael F Clarke
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Shang Cai
- Westlake Disease Modeling lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Zhang Y, Chen F, Balic M, Creighton CJ. An essential gene signature of breast cancer metastasis reveals targetable pathways. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:98. [PMID: 38867323 PMCID: PMC11167932 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01855-0] [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: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The differential gene expression profile of metastatic versus primary breast tumors represents an avenue for discovering new or underappreciated pathways underscoring processes of metastasis. However, as tumor biopsy samples are a mixture of cancer and non-cancer cells, most differentially expressed genes in metastases would represent confounders involving sample biopsy site rather than cancer cell biology. METHODS By paired analysis, we defined a top set of differentially expressed genes in breast cancer metastasis versus primary tumors using an RNA-sequencing dataset of 152 patients from The Breast International Group Aiming to Understand the Molecular Aberrations dataset (BIG-AURORA). To filter the genes higher in metastasis for genes essential for breast cancer proliferation, we incorporated CRISPR-based data from breast cancer cell lines. RESULTS A significant fraction of genes with higher expression in metastasis versus paired primary were essential by CRISPR. These 264 genes represented an essential signature of breast cancer metastasis. In contrast, nonessential metastasis genes largely involved tumor biopsy site. The essential signature predicted breast cancer patient outcome based on primary tumor expression patterns. Pathways underlying the essential signature included proteasome degradation, the electron transport chain, oxidative phosphorylation, and cancer metabolic reprogramming. Transcription factors MYC, MAX, HDAC3, and HCFC1 each bound significant fractions of essential genes. CONCLUSIONS Associations involving the essential gene signature of breast cancer metastasis indicate true biological changes intrinsic to cancer cells, with important implications for applying existing therapies or developing alternate therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Zhang
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS305, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Fengju Chen
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS305, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Marija Balic
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Unit for Translational Breast Cancer Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chad J Creighton
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS305, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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30
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Jagust P, Powell AM, Ola M, Watson L, de Pablos-Aragoneses A, García-Gómez P, Fallon R, Bane F, Heiland M, Morris G, Cavanagh B, McGrath J, Ottaviani D, Hegarty A, Cocchiglia S, Sweeney KJ, MacNally S, Brett FM, Cryan J, Beausang A, Morris P, Valiente M, Hill ADK, Varešlija D, Young LS. RET overexpression leads to increased brain metastatic competency in luminal breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024:djae091. [PMID: 38852945 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djae091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer brain metastasis is a rising occurrence, necessitating a better understanding of the mechanisms involved for effective management. Breast cancer brain metastases diverge notably from the primary tumor, with gains in kinase and concomitant losses of steroid signaling observed. In this study, we explored the role of the kinase receptor RET in promoting breast cancer brain metastases and provide a rationale for targeting this receptor. METHODS RET expression was characterized in a cohort of patients with primary and brain metastatic tumors. RET functionality was assessed using pharmacological inhibition and gene silencing in patient-derived brain metastatic tumor explants and in vivo models, organoid models, and brain organotypic cultures. RNA sequencing was used to uncover novel brain metastatic relevant RET mechanisms of action. RESULTS A statistically significant enrichment of RET in brain metastases was observed in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, where it played a role in promoting cancer cell adhesion, survival, and outgrowth in the brain. In vivo, RET overexpression enhanced brain metastatic competency in patient-derived models. At a mechanistic level, RET overexpression was found to enhance the activation of gene programs involved in cell adhesion, requiring EGFR cooperation to deliver a pro-brain metastatic phenotype. CONCLUSION Our results illustrate, for the first time, the role of RET in regulating colonization and outgrowth of breast cancer brain metastasis and provide data to support the use of RET inhibitors in the management strategy for patients with breast cancer brain metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Jagust
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aoibhin M Powell
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mihaela Ola
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Louise Watson
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Ramón Fallon
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona Bane
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mona Heiland
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gareth Morris
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Brenton Cavanagh
- Cellular and Molecular Imaging Core, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jason McGrath
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Ottaviani
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aisling Hegarty
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sinéad Cocchiglia
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kieron J Sweeney
- National Centre of Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen MacNally
- National Centre of Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Jane Cryan
- Department of Neuropathology, National Centre of Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alan Beausang
- Department of Neuropathology, National Centre of Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Patrick Morris
- Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Arnold D K Hill
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Damir Varešlija
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Leonie S Young
- Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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31
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Parimita S, Das A, Samanta S. VGLL1 stabilization of cytoplasmic TAZ promotes EGFR expression and maintains tumor initiating cells in breast cancer independent of TEAD. Cell Signal 2024; 118:111120. [PMID: 38417636 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Vestigial-like family member 1 (VGLL1) is one of the X-linked genes whose expression is elevated in basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) because of X-chromosome isodisomy. As an approach towards understanding its function, we performed correlation study using transcript data of breast cancer patients from cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics. Our analysis identified EGFR as the most correlated transcript with VGLL1. We demonstrate that VGLL1 promotes EGFR expression and increases the frequency of breast tumor initiating cells (CD44high/+CD24low/-). These findings are crucial because an elevated EGFR expression and high frequency of CD44high/+CD24low/- cells are defining features of BLBC, and we provide a new mechanistic insight into how their expressions are controlled. Importantly, VGLL1 regulation of EGFR and CD44high/+CD24low/- population is mediated by the hippo-transducer TAZ which exerts its oncogenic roles by binding and activating TEAD transcription factors. A crucial finding is that TEAD-binding domain of TAZ is dispensable for its regulation of EGFR and CD44high/+CD24low/- cells. Instead, VGLL1 stabilization of cytoplasmic TAZ is essential for these functions. Also, we show that VGLL1/TAZ restricts the surface expression of CD24 which contributes to the increased number of CD44high/+CD24low/- cells. In addition, we observed that VGLL1 represses AXL expression and suppresses claudin-low phenotype, and that is caused by the VGLL1 mediated nuclear expulsion of TAZ. Therefore, EGFR and AXL seem to represent two different breast tumor subtypes, and their differential expressions is controlled by VGLL1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhashree Parimita
- Department of Applied Biology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, TS 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Amitava Das
- Department of Applied Biology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, TS 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sanjoy Samanta
- Department of Applied Biology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, TS 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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Yari K, Hakimi A, Mohammadi M, Ammari-Allahyari M, Salari N, Ghasemi H. The Association of PTEN Gene Mutations with the Breast Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Biochem Genet 2024; 62:1617-1635. [PMID: 37658255 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10464-z] [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: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women in western countries. A significant part of malignant cases is caused by genetic mutation. Mutations in the gene phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome (PTEN) have been proven in various malignancies. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the prevalence of BC due to PTEN gene mutation, as well as estimating the chance of developing BC due to the occurrence of PTEN gene mutation. The present study was conducted using a systematic review method based on PRISMA 2020 statements. The search was done in PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and direct scientific databases. The search was performed using the keywords breast cancer, breast malignancy, PTEN, polymorphism, mutation, variant, and their equivalents. Statistical analysis was performed using the second version of Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software. A total of 2138 articles were collected. After removing duplicate articles, checking the title and abstract, and then checking the full text of the documents, finally 64 articles were approved and entered the systematic review process. Analysis of these studies with a sample size of 231,179 showed the prevalence of breast cancer patients with PTEN mutations. The combined results of 64 studies showed that the prevalence of PTEN mutations has a 3.3 (95% CI 2.2-5) in BC patients, and an analysis of 6 studies showed that the odds ratio of developing BC due to PTEN mutation is 3.7 (95% CI 1.1-11.9). The results of this study show that mutation in the PTEN gene increases the chance of developing BC. However, it was found that a small part of patients gets BC due to the occurrence of mutation in this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kheirollah Yari
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Ali Hakimi
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Masoud Mohammadi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Gerash University of Medical Sciences, Gerash, Iran
| | | | - Nader Salari
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
- Sleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Hooman Ghasemi
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
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Dakal TC, Dhabhai B, Pant A, Moar K, Chaudhary K, Yadav V, Ranga V, Sharma NK, Kumar A, Maurya PK, Maciaczyk J, Schmidt‐Wolf IGH, Sharma A. Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes: functions and roles in cancers. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e582. [PMID: 38827026 PMCID: PMC11141506 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.582] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer, being the most formidable ailment, has had a profound impact on the human health. The disease is primarily associated with genetic mutations that impact oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (TSGs). Recently, growing evidence have shown that X-linked TSGs have specific role in cancer progression and metastasis as well. Interestingly, our genome harbors around substantial portion of genes that function as tumor suppressors, and the X chromosome alone harbors a considerable number of TSGs. The scenario becomes even more compelling as X-linked TSGs are adaptive to key epigenetic processes such as X chromosome inactivation. Therefore, delineating the new paradigm related to X-linked TSGs, for instance, their crosstalk with autosome and involvement in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis becomes utmost importance. Considering this, herein, we present a comprehensive discussion of X-linked TSG dysregulation in various cancers as a consequence of genetic variations and epigenetic alterations. In addition, the dynamic role of X-linked TSGs in sex chromosome-autosome crosstalk in cancer genome remodeling is being explored thoroughly. Besides, the functional roles of ncRNAs, role of X-linked TSG in immunomodulation and in gender-based cancer disparities has also been highlighted. Overall, the focal idea of the present article is to recapitulate the findings on X-linked TSG regulation in the cancer landscape and to redefine their role toward improving cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tikam Chand Dakal
- Department of BiotechnologyGenome and Computational Biology LabMohanlal Sukhadia UniversityUdaipurRajasthanIndia
| | - Bhanupriya Dhabhai
- Department of BiotechnologyGenome and Computational Biology LabMohanlal Sukhadia UniversityUdaipurRajasthanIndia
| | - Anuja Pant
- Department of BiochemistryCentral University of HaryanaMahendergarhHaryanaIndia
| | - Kareena Moar
- Department of BiochemistryCentral University of HaryanaMahendergarhHaryanaIndia
| | - Kanika Chaudhary
- School of Life Sciences. Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew DelhiIndia
| | - Vikas Yadav
- School of Life Sciences. Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew DelhiIndia
| | - Vipin Ranga
- Dearptment of Agricultural BiotechnologyDBT‐NECAB, Assam Agricultural UniversityJorhatAssamIndia
| | | | - Abhishek Kumar
- Manipal Academy of Higher EducationManipalKarnatakaIndia
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology ParkBangaloreIndia
| | - Pawan Kumar Maurya
- Department of BiochemistryCentral University of HaryanaMahendergarhHaryanaIndia
| | - Jarek Maciaczyk
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Ingo G. H. Schmidt‐Wolf
- Department of Integrated OncologyCenter for Integrated Oncology (CIO)University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Amit Sharma
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital of BonnBonnGermany
- Department of Integrated OncologyCenter for Integrated Oncology (CIO)University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
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Young CC, Eason K, Manzano Garcia R, Moulange R, Mukherjee S, Chin SF, Caldas C, Rueda OM. Development and validation of a reliable DNA copy-number-based machine learning algorithm (CopyClust) for breast cancer integrative cluster classification. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11861. [PMID: 38789621 PMCID: PMC11126405 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62724-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The Integrative Cluster subtypes (IntClusts) provide a framework for the classification of breast cancer tumors into 10 distinct groups based on copy number and gene expression, each with unique biological drivers of disease and clinical prognoses. Gene expression data is often lacking, and accurate classification of samples into IntClusts with copy number data alone is essential. Current classification methods achieve low accuracy when gene expression data are absent, warranting the development of new approaches to IntClust classification. Copy number data from 1980 breast cancer samples from METABRIC was used to train multiclass XGBoost machine learning algorithms (CopyClust). A piecewise constant fit was applied to the average copy number profile of each IntClust and unique breakpoints across the 10 profiles were identified and converted into ~ 500 genomic regions used as features for CopyClust. These models consisted of two approaches: a 10-class model with the final IntClust label predicted by a single multiclass model and a 6-class model with binary reclassification in which four pairs of IntClusts were combined for initial multiclass classification. Performance was validated on the TCGA dataset, with copy number data generated from both SNP arrays and WES platforms. CopyClust achieved 81% and 79% overall accuracy with the TCGA SNP and WES datasets, respectively, a nine-percentage point or greater improvement in overall IntClust subtype classification accuracy. CopyClust achieves a significant improvement over current methods in classification accuracy of IntClust subtypes for samples without available gene expression data and is an easily implementable algorithm for IntClust classification of breast cancer samples with copy number data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron C Young
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine Eason
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Raquel Manzano Garcia
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Richard Moulange
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Sach Mukherjee
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Suet-Feung Chin
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carlos Caldas
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Oscar M Rueda
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK.
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Yu X, Xu J. TWIST1 Drives Cytotoxic CD8+ T-Cell Exhaustion through Transcriptional Activation of CD274 (PD-L1) Expression in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1973. [PMID: 38893094 PMCID: PMC11171171 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In breast cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is positively associated with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and immune escape, and TWIST1 silences ERα expression and induces EMT and cancer metastasis. However, how TWIST1 regulates PD-L1 and immune evasion is unknown. This study analyzed TWIST1 and PD-L1 expression in breast cancers, investigated the mechanism for TWIST1 to regulate PD-L1 transcription, and assessed the effects of TWIST1 and PD-L1 in cancer cells on cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, TWIST1 expression is correlated with high-level PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. The overexpression and knockdown of TWIST1 robustly upregulate and downregulate PD-L1 expression, respectively. TWIST1 binds to the PD-L1 promoter and recruits the TIP60 acetyltransferase complex in a BRD8-dependent manner to transcriptionally activate PD-L1 expression, which significantly accelerates the exhaustion and death of the cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Accordingly, knockdown of TWIST1 or BRD8 or inhibition of PD-L1 significantly enhances the tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells to suppress the growth of breast cancer cells. These results demonstrate that TWIST1 directly induces PD-L1 expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells to promote immune evasion. Targeting TWIST1, BRD8, and/or PD-L1 in ERα-negative breast cancer cells with TWIST1 expression may sensitize CD8+ T-cell-mediated immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Poskus MD, McDonald J, Laird M, Li R, Norcoss K, Zervantonakis IK. Rational design of HER2-targeted combination therapies to reverse drug resistance in fibroblast-protected HER2+ breast cancer cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.18.594826. [PMID: 38798591 PMCID: PMC11118562 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.18.594826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Fibroblasts, an abundant cell type in the breast tumor microenvironment, interact with cancer cells and orchestrate tumor progression and drug resistance. However, the mechanisms by which fibroblast-derived factors impact drug sensitivity remain poorly understood. Here, we develop rational combination therapies that are informed by proteomic profiling to overcome fibroblast-mediated therapeutic resistance in HER2+ breast cancer cells. Methods Drug sensitivity to the HER2 kinase inhibitor lapatinib was characterized under conditions of monoculture and exposure to breast fibroblast-conditioned medium. Protein expression was measured using reverse phase protein arrays. Candidate targets for combination therapy were identified using differential expression and multivariate regression modeling. Follow-up experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of HER2 kinase combination therapies in fibroblast-protected cancer cell lines and fibroblasts. Results Compared to monoculture, fibroblast-conditioned medium increased the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI1) and cell cycle regulator polo like kinase 1 (PLK1) in lapatinib-treated breast cancer cells. Combination therapy of lapatinib with inhibitors targeting either PAI1 or PLK1, eliminated fibroblast-protected cancer cells, under both conditions of direct coculture with fibroblasts and protection by fibroblast-conditioned medium. Analysis of publicly available, clinical transcriptomic datasets revealed that HER2-targeted therapy fails to suppress PLK1 expression in stroma-rich HER2+ breast tumors and that high PAI1 gene expression associates with high stroma density. Furthermore, we showed that an epigenetics-directed approach using a bromodomain and extraterminal inhibitor to globally target fibroblast-induced proteomic adaptions in cancer cells, also restored lapatinib sensitivity. Conclusions Our data-driven framework of proteomic profiling in breast cancer cells identified the proteolytic degradation regulator PAI1 and the cell cycle regulator PLK1 as predictors of fibroblast-mediated treatment resistance. Combination therapies targeting HER2 kinase and these fibroblast-induced signaling adaptations eliminates fibroblast-protected HER2+ breast cancer cells.
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Coban B, Wang Z, Liao CY, Beslmüller K, Timmermans MA, Martens JW, Hundscheid JH, Slutter B, Zweemer AJ, Neubert E, Danen EH. GRHL2 suppression of NT5E/CD73 in breast cancer cells modulates CD73-mediated adenosine production and T cell recruitment. iScience 2024; 27:109738. [PMID: 38706844 PMCID: PMC11068632 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109738] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor tissues often contain high extracellular adenosine, promoting an immunosuppressed environment linked to mesenchymal transition and immune evasion. Here, we show that loss of the epithelial transcription factor, GRHL2, triggers NT5E/CD73 ecto-enzyme expression, augmenting the conversion of AMP to adenosine. GRHL2 binds an intronic NT5E sequence and is negatively correlated with NT5E/CD73 in breast cancer cell lines and patients. Remarkably, the increased adenosine levels triggered by GRHL2 depletion in MCF-7 breast cancer cells do not suppress but mildly increase CD8 T cell recruitment, a response mimicked by a stable adenosine analog but prevented by CD73 inhibition. Indeed, NT5E expression shows a positive rather than negative association with CD8 T cell infiltration in breast cancer patients. These findings reveal a GRHL2-regulated immune modulation mechanism in breast cancers and show that extracellular adenosine, besides its established role as a suppressor of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, is associated with enhanced T cell recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bircan Coban
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Zi Wang
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of clinical laboratory, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen-yi Liao
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Klara Beslmüller
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Mieke A.M. Timmermans
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - John W.M. Martens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Bram Slutter
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Annelien J.M. Zweemer
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Elsa Neubert
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Erik H.J. Danen
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Rybinska I, Mangano N, Romero-Cordoba SL, Regondi V, Ciravolo V, De Cecco L, Maffioli E, Paolini B, Bianchi F, Sfondrini L, Tedeschi G, Agresti R, Tagliabue E, Triulzi T. SAA1-dependent reprogramming of adipocytes by tumor cells is associated with triple negative breast cancer aggressiveness. Int J Cancer 2024; 154:1842-1856. [PMID: 38289016 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) are characterized by a poor prognosis and a lack of targeted treatments. Their progression depends on tumor cell intrinsic factors, the tumor microenvironment and host characteristics. Although adipocytes, the primary stromal cells of the breast, have been determined to be plastic in physiology and cancer, the tumor-derived molecular mediators of tumor-adipocyte crosstalk have not been identified yet. In this study, we report that the crosstalk between TNBC cells and adipocytes in vitro beyond adipocyte dedifferentiation, induces a unique transcriptional profile that is characterized by inflammation and pathways that are related to interaction with the tumor microenvironment. Accordingly, increased cancer stem-like features and recruitment of pro-tumorigenic immune cells are induced by this crosstalk through CXCL5 and IL-8 production. We identified serum amyloid A1 (SAA1) as a regulator of the adipocyte reprogramming through CD36 and P2XR7 signaling. In human TNBC, SAA1 expression was associated with cancer-associated adipocyte infiltration, inflammation, stimulated lipolysis, stem-like properties, and a distinct tumor immune microenvironment. Our findings constitute evidence that the interaction between tumor cells and adipocytes through the release of SAA1 is relevant to the aggressiveness of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Rybinska
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nunzia Mangano
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sandra L Romero-Cordoba
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "Salvador Zubirán", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Viola Regondi
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Ciravolo
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Molecular Mechanisms Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Maffioli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
- CIMAINA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Biagio Paolini
- Anatomic Pathology A Unit, Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Bianchi
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Sfondrini
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriella Tedeschi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
- CIMAINA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberto Agresti
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Breast Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Triulzi
- Microenvironment and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Gorska-Arcisz M, Popeda M, Braun M, Piasecka D, Nowak JI, Kitowska K, Stasilojc G, Okroj M, Romanska HM, Sadej R. FGFR2-triggered autophagy and activation of Nrf-2 reduce breast cancer cell response to anti-ER drugs. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2024; 29:71. [PMID: 38745155 PMCID: PMC11092031 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-024-00586-6] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic abnormalities in the FGFR signalling occur in 40% of breast cancer (BCa) patients resistant to anti-ER therapy, which emphasizes the potential of FGFR-targeting strategies. Recent findings indicate that not only mutated FGFR is a driver of tumour progression but co-mutational landscapes and other markers should be also investigated. Autophagy has been recognized as one of the major mechanisms underlying the role of tumour microenvironment in promotion of cancer cell survival, and resistance to anti-ER drugs. The selective autophagy receptor p62/SQSTM1 promotes Nrf-2 activation by Keap1/Nrf-2 complex dissociation. Herein, we have analysed whether the negative effect of FGFR2 on BCa cell response to anti-ER treatment involves the autophagy process and/or p62/Keap1/Nrf-2 axis. METHODS The activity of autophagy in ER-positive MCF7 and T47D BCa cell lines was determined by analysis of expression level of autophagy markers (p62 and LC3B) and monitoring of autophagosomes' maturation. Western blot, qPCR and proximity ligation assay were used to determine the Keap1/Nrf-2 interaction and Nrf-2 activation. Analysis of 3D cell growth in Matrigel® was used to assess BCa cell response to applied treatments. In silico gene expression analysis was performed to determine FGFR2/Nrf-2 prognostic value. RESULTS We have found that FGFR2 signalling induced autophagy in AMPKα/ULK1-dependent manner. FGFR2 activity promoted dissociation of Keap1/Nrf-2 complex and activation of Nrf-2. Both, FGFR2-dependent autophagy and activation of Nrf-2 were found to counteract the effect of anti-ER drugs on BCa cell growth. Moreover, in silico analysis showed that high expression of NFE2L2 (gene encoding Nrf-2) combined with high FGFR2 expression was associated with poor relapse-free survival (RFS) of ER+ BCa patients. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the unknown role of FGFR2 signalling in activation of autophagy and regulation of the p62/Keap1/Nrf-2 interdependence, which has a negative impact on the response of ER+ BCa cells to anti-ER therapies. The data from in silico analyses suggest that expression of Nrf-2 could act as a marker indicating potential benefits of implementation of anti-FGFR therapy in patients with ER+ BCa, in particular, when used in combination with anti-ER drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Gorska-Arcisz
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Molecular Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marta Popeda
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marcin Braun
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213, Lodz, Poland
| | - Dominika Piasecka
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Molecular Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Joanna I Nowak
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Kamila Kitowska
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Molecular Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Stasilojc
- Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marcin Okroj
- Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Hanna M Romanska
- Department of Pathology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Rafal Sadej
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Molecular Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 1, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland.
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Yan Z, Huang H, Wang Q, Kong Y, Liu X. Function and mechanism of action of the TRPV1 channel in the development of triple-negative breast cancer. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2024; 56:957-962. [PMID: 38734935 PMCID: PMC11322878 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2024068] [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: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Transient receptor potential channel subfamily vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a member of the transient receptor potential family of nonselective cationic transmembrane channel proteins that are involved in the regulation of calcium homeostasis. It is expressed in various tumor types and has been implicated in the regulation of cancer growth, metastasis, apoptosis, and cancer-related pain. TRPV1 is highly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and both its agonists and antagonists may exert anti-cancer effects. In this review, we provide an overview of the effect of TRPV1 on TNBC development and its influence on immunotherapy in an attempt to facilitate the development of future treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziling Yan
- />Pathology Departmentthe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Second People’s HospitalShenzhen518035China
| | - Haihui Huang
- />Pathology Departmentthe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Second People’s HospitalShenzhen518035China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- />Pathology Departmentthe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Second People’s HospitalShenzhen518035China
| | - Yanjie Kong
- />Pathology Departmentthe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Second People’s HospitalShenzhen518035China
| | - Xia Liu
- />Pathology Departmentthe First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Second People’s HospitalShenzhen518035China
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Han Z, Yao L, Fang Y, Chen S, Lian R, Yao Y, Chen H, Ji X, Yu W, Wang Z, Wang R, Liang S. Patient-derived organoid elucidates the identical clonal origin of bilateral breast cancer with diverse molecular subtypes. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1361603. [PMID: 38800414 PMCID: PMC11116675 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1361603] [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: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Bilateral breast cancer (BBC), an infrequent breast cancer subtype, has primarily been studied in terms of incidence, prognosis, and through comparative analysis of synchronous (SBBC) and metachronous (MBBC) manifestations. The advent and application of organoid technology hold profound implications for tumor research and clinical management. This study represents the pioneering use of organoid models in BBC research. We established organoid lines from two surgical tumor specimens of a BBC patient, with one line undergoing detailed pathological and genomic analysis. The BBC organoid from the right breast demonstrated a marker expression profile of ER (-), PR (-), HER-2 (0), and Ki67 index 10%, indicating that it may derived from the TNBC tissue. Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) displayed consistent set of Top10 cancer driver genes affected by missense mutations, frameshift mutation, or splice site mutations in three tumor tissues and the organoid samples. The organoids' single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were more closely aligned with the TNBC tissue than other tumor tissues. Evolutionary analysis suggested that different tumor regions might evolve from a common ancestral layer. In this case, the development of BBC organoids indicated that simultaneous lesions with diverse molecular profiles shared a high degree of consistency in key tumor-driving mutations. These findings suggest the feasibility of generating BBC organoids representing various molecular types, accurately replicating significant markers and driver mutations of the originating tumor. Consequently, organoids serve as a valuable in vitro model for exploring treatment strategies and elucidating the underlying mechanisms of BBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbin Han
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Liangxue Yao
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanhua Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Sijing Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Ruiqing Lian
- Pathology Department, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Yongqiang Yao
- Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongsheng Chen
- Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xuening Ji
- Oncology Department, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Weiting Yu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Oncology Department, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Ruoyu Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Oncology Department, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Shanshan Liang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomarker High Throughput Screening And Target Translation of Breast and Gastrointestinal Tumor, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
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Chi LH, Redfern AD, Roslan S, Street IP, Burrows AD, Anderson RL. Loss of tumor-derived SMAD4 enhances primary tumor growth but not metastasis following BMP4 signalling. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:248. [PMID: 38689334 PMCID: PMC11060976 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01559-0] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is a potent inhibitor of breast cancer metastasis. However, a tumor-promoting effect of BMP4 is reported in other tumor types, especially when SMAD4 is inactive. METHODS To assess the requirement for SMAD4 in BMP4-mediated suppression of metastasis, we knocked down SMAD4 in two different breast tumors and enforced SMAD4 expression in a third line with endogenous SMAD4 deletion. In addition, we assessed the requirement for SMAD4 in tumor cell-specific BMP signalling by expression of a constitutively active BMP receptor. Delineation of genes regulated by BMP4 in the presence or absence of SMAD4 was assessed by RNA sequencing and a BMP4-induced gene, MYO1F was assessed for its role in metastasis. Genes regulated by BMP4 and/or SMAD4 were assessed in a publicly available database of gene expression profiles of breast cancer patients. RESULTS In the absence of SMAD4, BMP4 promotes primary tumor growth that is accompanied by increased expression of genes associated with DNA replication, cell cycle, and MYC signalling pathways. Despite increased primary tumor growth, BMP4 suppresses metastasis in the absence of tumor cell expression of SMAD4. Consistent with the anti-metastatic activity of BMP4, enforced signalling through the constitutively active receptor in SMAD4 positive tumors that lacked BMP4 expression still suppressed metastasis, but in the absence of SMAD4, the suppression of metastasis was largely prevented. Thus BMP4 is required for suppression of metastasis regardless of tumor SMAD4 status. The BMP4 upregulated gene, MYO1F, was shown to be a potent suppressor of breast cancer metastasis. Gene signature upregulated by BMP4 in the absence of SMAD4 was associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients, whereas gene signature upregulated by BMP4 in the presence of SMAD4 was associated with improved prognosis. CONCLUSIONS BMP4 expression is required for suppression of metastasis regardless of the SMAD4 status of the tumor cells. Since BMP4 is a secreted protein, we conclude that it can act both in an autocrine manner in SMAD4-expressing tumor cells and in a paracrine manner on stromal cells to suppress metastasis. Deletion of SMAD4 from tumor cells does not prevent BMP4 from suppressing metastasis via a paracrine mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lap Hing Chi
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew D Redfern
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Suraya Roslan
- Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian P Street
- Children's Cancer Institute, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Allan D Burrows
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Robin L Anderson
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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Shuaibi A, Chitra U, Raphael BJ. A latent variable model for evaluating mutual exclusivity and co-occurrence between driver mutations in cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.24.590995. [PMID: 38712136 PMCID: PMC11071465 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.24.590995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
A key challenge in cancer genomics is understanding the functional relationships and dependencies between combinations of somatic mutations that drive cancer development. Such driver mutations frequently exhibit patterns of mutual exclusivity or co-occurrence across tumors, and many methods have been developed to identify such dependency patterns from bulk DNA sequencing data of a cohort of patients. However, while mutual exclusivity and co-occurrence are described as properties of driver mutations, existing methods do not explicitly disentangle functional, driver mutations from neutral, passenger mutations. In particular, nearly all existing methods evaluate mutual exclusivity or co-occurrence at the gene level, marking a gene as mutated if any mutation - driver or passenger - is present. Since some genes have a large number of passenger mutations, existing methods either restrict their analyses to a small subset of suspected driver genes - limiting their ability to identify novel dependencies - or make spurious inferences of mutual exclusivity and co-occurrence involving genes with many passenger mutations. We introduce DIALECT, an algorithm to identify dependencies between pairs of driver mutations from somatic mutation counts. We derive a latent variable mixture model for drivers and passengers that combines existing probabilistic models of passenger mutation rates with a latent variable describing the unknown status of a mutation as a driver or passenger. We use an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm to estimate the parameters of our model, including the rates of mutually exclusivity and co-occurrence between drivers. We demonstrate that DIALECT more accurately infers mutual exclusivity and co-occurrence between driver mutations compared to existing methods on both simulated mutation data and somatic mutation data from 5 cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).
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Pan JW, Ragu M, Chan WQ, Hasan SN, Islam T, Teoh LY, Jamaris S, See MH, Yip CH, Rajadurai P, Looi LM, Taib NAM, Rueda OM, Caldas C, Chin SF, Lim J, Teo SH. Clustering of HR + /HER2- breast cancer in an Asian cohort is driven by immune phenotypes. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:67. [PMID: 38649964 PMCID: PMC11035138 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01826-5] [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: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer exhibits significant heterogeneity, manifesting in various subtypes that are critical in guiding treatment decisions. This study aimed to investigate the existence of distinct subtypes of breast cancer within the Asian population, by analysing the transcriptomic profiles of 934 breast cancer patients from a Malaysian cohort. Our findings reveal that the HR + /HER2- breast cancer samples display a distinct clustering pattern based on immune phenotypes, rather than conforming to the conventional luminal A-luminal B paradigm previously reported in breast cancers from women of European descent. This suggests that the activation of the immune system may play a more important role in Asian HR + /HER2- breast cancer than has been previously recognized. Analysis of somatic mutations by whole exome sequencing showed that counter-intuitively, the cluster of HR + /HER2- samples exhibiting higher immune scores was associated with lower tumour mutational burden, lower homologous recombination deficiency scores, and fewer copy number aberrations, implicating the involvement of non-canonical tumour immune pathways. Further investigations are warranted to determine the underlying mechanisms of these pathways, with the potential to develop innovative immunotherapeutic approaches tailored to this specific patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Wern Pan
- Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
| | - Mohana Ragu
- Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Wei-Qin Chan
- Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | | | - Tania Islam
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Li-Ying Teoh
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Suniza Jamaris
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mee-Hoong See
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Cheng-Har Yip
- Subang Jaya Medical Centre, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Pathmanathan Rajadurai
- Subang Jaya Medical Centre, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Lai-Meng Looi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Aishah Mohd Taib
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Oscar M Rueda
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carlos Caldas
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Suet-Feung Chin
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Joanna Lim
- Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Soo-Hwang Teo
- Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
- Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya Cancer Research Institute, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Luboff AJ, DeRemer DL. Capivasertib: A Novel AKT Inhibitor Approved for Hormone-Receptor-Positive, HER-2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer. Ann Pharmacother 2024:10600280241241531. [PMID: 38566315 DOI: 10.1177/10600280241241531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of capivasertib for the treatment of adults with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer with 1 or more PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN alterations. DATA SOURCES A literature search was conducted using PubMed and MEDLINE databases, published abstracts, and studies from ClinicalTrials.gov between 2003 and February 2024. Keywords included capivasertib, AZD5363, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and breast cancer. DATA EXTRACTION All applicable publications, package inserts, meeting abstracts, and clinical trials with capivasertib were reviewed. DATA SYNTHESIS Capivasertib is a first-in-class inhibitor of 3 isoforms of AKT (AKT-1, AKT-2, and AKT-3) which is an essential component in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway involved in oncogenesis. In the phase III CAPItello-291 trial, capivasertib in combination with fulvestrant (C+F) demonstrated improved progression-free survival (PFS) (7.3 vs 3.1 months) compared with placebo-fulvestrant (P+F) cohort in AKT-altered pathway patients who had progressed through prior aromatase inhibitor. The most common adverse reactions of any grade reported in the C+F group were diarrhea, cutaneous skin reactions, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE IN COMPARISON WITH EXISTING DRUGS HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients experience progression following endocrine therapies and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors. Capivasertib is a viable treatment option for patients with PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN activating mutations following progression on endocrine-based regimens in the metastatic setting or recurrence within 12 months of completing adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSION Integration of capivasertib into clinical practice is ongoing; intermittent dosing and favorable toxicity are attractive for future novel combination prospective trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa J Luboff
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David L DeRemer
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Lulla AR, Akli S, Karakas C, Caruso JA, Warma LD, Fowlkes NW, Rao X, Wang J, Hunt KK, Watowich SS, Keyomarsi K. Neutrophil Elastase Remodels Mammary Tumors to Facilitate Lung Metastasis. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:492-506. [PMID: 37796181 PMCID: PMC10987287 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Metastatic disease remains the leading cause of death due to cancer, yet the mechanism(s) of metastasis and its timely detection remain to be elucidated. Neutrophil elastase (NE), a serine protease secreted by neutrophils, is a crucial mediator of chronic inflammation and tumor progression. In this study, we used the PyMT model (NE+/+ and NE-/-) of breast cancer to interrogate the tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic mechanisms by which NE can promote metastasis. Our results showed that genetic ablation of NE significantly reduced lung metastasis and improved metastasis-free survival. RNA-sequencing analysis of primary tumors indicated differential regulation of tumor-intrinsic actin cytoskeleton signaling pathways by NE. These NE-regulated pathways are critical for cell-to-cell contact and motility and consistent with the delay in metastasis in NE-/- mice. To evaluate whether pharmacologic inhibition of NE inhibited pulmonary metastasis and phenotypically mimicked PyMT NE-/- mice, we utilized AZD9668, a clinically available and specific NE inhibitor. We found AZD9668 treated PyMT-NE+/+ mice showed significantly reduced lung metastases, improved recurrence-free, metastasis-free and overall survival, and their tumors showed similar molecular alterations as those observed in PyMT-NE-/- tumors. Finally, we identified a NE-specific signature that predicts recurrence and metastasis in patients with breast cancer. Collectively, our studies suggest that genetic ablation and pharmacologic inhibition of NE reduces metastasis and extends survival of mouse models of breast cancer, providing rationale to examine NE inhibitors as a treatment strategy for the clinical management of patients with metastatic breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amriti R. Lulla
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Said Akli
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Cansu Karakas
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Joseph A. Caruso
- Department of Pathology and Helen Diller Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Lucas D. Warma
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Natalie W. Fowlkes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xiayu Rao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kelly K. Hunt
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Stephanie S. Watowich
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Khandan Keyomarsi
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
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Yamamoto T, Hayashida T, Masugi Y, Oshikawa K, Hayakawa N, Itoh M, Nishime C, Suzuki M, Nagayama A, Kawai Y, Hishiki T, Matsuura T, Naito Y, Kubo A, Yamamoto A, Yoshioka Y, Kurahori T, Nagasaka M, Takizawa M, Takano N, Kawakami K, Sakamoto M, Wakui M, Yamamoto T, Kitagawa Y, Kabe Y, Horisawa K, Suzuki A, Matsumoto M, Suematsu M. PRMT1 Sustains De Novo Fatty Acid Synthesis by Methylating PHGDH to Drive Chemoresistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1065-1083. [PMID: 38383964 PMCID: PMC10982647 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-2266] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) chemoresistance hampers the ability to effectively treat patients. Identification of mechanisms driving chemoresistance can lead to strategies to improve treatment. Here, we revealed that protein arginine methyltransferase-1 (PRMT1) simultaneously methylates D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), a critical enzyme in serine synthesis, and the glycolytic enzymes PFKFB3 and PKM2 in TNBC cells. 13C metabolic flux analyses showed that PRMT1-dependent methylation of these three enzymes diverts glucose toward intermediates in the serine-synthesizing and serine/glycine cleavage pathways, thereby accelerating the production of methyl donors in TNBC cells. Mechanistically, PRMT1-dependent methylation of PHGDH at R54 or R20 activated its enzymatic activity by stabilizing 3-phosphoglycerate binding and suppressing polyubiquitination. PRMT1-mediated PHGDH methylation drove chemoresistance independently of glutathione synthesis. Rather, activation of the serine synthesis pathway supplied α-ketoglutarate and citrate to increase palmitate levels through activation of fatty acid synthase (FASN). Increased palmitate induced protein S-palmitoylation of PHGDH and FASN to further enhance fatty acid synthesis in a PRMT1-dependent manner. Loss of PRMT1 or pharmacologic inhibition of FASN or protein S-palmitoyltransferase reversed chemoresistance in TNBC. Furthermore, IHC coupled with imaging MS in clinical TNBC specimens substantiated that PRMT1-mediated methylation of PHGDH, PFKFB3, and PKM2 correlates with chemoresistance and that metabolites required for methylation and fatty acid synthesis are enriched in TNBC. Together, these results suggest that enhanced de novo fatty acid synthesis mediated by coordinated protein arginine methylation and protein S-palmitoylation is a therapeutic target for overcoming chemoresistance in TNBC. SIGNIFICANCE PRMT1 promotes chemoresistance in TNBC by methylating metabolic enzymes PFKFB3, PKM2, and PHGDH to augment de novo fatty acid synthesis, indicating that targeting this axis is a potential treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Yamamoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsu Hayashida
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yohei Masugi
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Oshikawa
- Department of Omics and Systems Biology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Noriyo Hayakawa
- Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Science, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Mai Itoh
- Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Science, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Chiyoko Nishime
- Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Science, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Masami Suzuki
- Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Science, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Aiko Nagayama
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Kawai
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takako Hishiki
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomomi Matsuura
- Clinical Translational Research Center, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Naito
- Clinical Translational Research Center, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Kubo
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Arisa Yamamoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yujiro Yoshioka
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Kurahori
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Misa Nagasaka
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Minako Takizawa
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoharu Takano
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Kawakami
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiie Sakamoto
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Wakui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takushi Yamamoto
- Solutions COE Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuko Kitagawa
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuaki Kabe
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Horisawa
- Division of Organogenesis and Regeneration, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Suzuki
- Division of Organogenesis and Regeneration, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Masaki Matsumoto
- Department of Omics and Systems Biology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Makoto Suematsu
- Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Science, Kawasaki, Japan
- Keio University WPI-Bio2Q Research Center, Tokyo, Japan
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Fletcher KA, Alkurashi MH, Lindsay AJ. Endosomal recycling inhibitors downregulate estrogen receptor-alpha and synergise with endocrine therapies. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 204:631-642. [PMID: 38228924 PMCID: PMC10959794 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07225-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Breast cancer (BC) accounts for roughly 30% of new cancers diagnosed in women each year; thus, this cancer type represents a substantial burden for people and health care systems. Despite the existence of effective therapies to treat BC, drug resistance remains a problem and is a major cause of treatment failure. Therefore, new drugs and treatment regimens are urgently required to overcome resistance. Recent research indicates that inhibition of the endosomal recycling pathway, an intracellular membrane trafficking pathway that returns endocytosed proteins back to the plasma membrane, may be a promising strategy to downregulate clinically relevant cell surface proteins such as HER2 and HER3, and to overcome drug resistance. METHODS To investigate the molecular mechanism of action of an endosomal recycling inhibitor (ERI) called primaquine, we performed a reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) assay using a HER2-positive breast cancer cell line. The RPPA findings were confirmed by Western blot and RT-qPCR in several BC cell lines. Novel drug combinations were tested by MTT cell viability and clonogenic assays. RESULTS Among the signalling molecules downregulated by ERIs were estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) and androgen receptor. We confirmed this finding in other breast cancer cell lines and show that downregulation occurs at the transcriptional level. We also found that ERIs synergise with tamoxifen, a standard-of-care therapy for breast cancer. DISCUSSION Our data suggest that combining ERIs with hormone receptor antagonists may enhance their efficacy and reduce the emergence of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey A Fletcher
- Membrane Trafficking and Disease Laboratory, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Mai H Alkurashi
- Membrane Trafficking and Disease Laboratory, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Andrew J Lindsay
- Membrane Trafficking and Disease Laboratory, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, T12 YT20, Ireland.
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Han R, Nofech-Mozes S, Boles D, Wu H, Curcin N, Slodkowska E. Immunohistochemical Characterization of a Large Cohort of Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Int J Surg Pathol 2024; 32:239-251. [PMID: 37306115 PMCID: PMC10949410 DOI: 10.1177/10668969231171936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Introduction. Triple negative breast carcinomas are characterized by a lack of hormone receptor and HER2 expression and inconsistent expression of breast-specific immunohistochemical markers. The expression of many site-specific markers in these tumors is largely unknown. The objective of the study was to examine the expression of widely used immunohistochemical markers on a large cohort of triple negative breast cancer. Methods. Sections from tissue microarrays were stained with 47 markers using routine protocols. Most markers were scored using a modified Allred method. ATRX, BAP1, SMAD4, e-cadherin, and beta-catenin were scored as retained or lost. Mammaglobin was considered positive if there was at least moderate intensity staining in any tumor cells. P16 was scored as overexpressed or not overexpressed; p53 was scored as wildtype, overexpressed, null, or cytoplasmic. Results. The cohort consisted of 639 tumors including 601 primary and 32 metastases. Overall, 96% expressed GATA3, mammaglobin, and/or SOX10 while 97% of no special type tumors expressed this panel. Carcinoma of apocrine differentiation demonstrated an AR positive, SOX10 negative, K5 negative/focal immunophenotype. PAX8 (SP348), WT1, Napsin A, and TTF1 (8G7G3/1) were never or rarely expressed while CA9, CDX2, NKX3.1, SATB2 (SATBA410), synaptophysin, and vimentin were variably expressed. Conclusions. Almost all TNBC express at least 1 of the 3 IHC markers: GATA3, mammaglobin, and/or SOX10. Carcinoma of apocrine differentiation is characterized by an AR positive, SOX10 negative, K5 negative or focal immunophenotype. Cautious interpretation of so-called site-specific markers, with knowledge of antibody clones, is required in excluding the diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Han
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sharon Nofech-Mozes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
| | - Dina Boles
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Markham Stouffville Hospital, Markham, Canada
| | - Hannah Wu
- Department of Pathology, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Newmarket, Canada
| | - Nikolina Curcin
- Department of Pathology, William Osler Health System, Brampton, Canada
| | - Elzbieta Slodkowska
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
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50
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Villodre ES, Nguyen APN, Debeb BG. NDRGs in Breast Cancer: A Review and In Silico Analysis. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1342. [PMID: 38611020 PMCID: PMC11011033 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071342] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The N-myc downstream regulated gene family (NDRGs) includes four members: NDRG1, NDRG2, NDRG3, and NDRG4. These members exhibit 53-65% amino acid identity. The role of NDRGs in tumor growth and metastasis appears to be tumor- and context-dependent. While many studies have reported that these family members have tumor suppressive roles, recent studies have demonstrated that NDRGs, particularly NDRG1 and NDRG2, function as oncogenes, promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Additionally, NDRGs are involved in regulating different signaling pathways and exhibit diverse cellular functions in breast cancers. In this review, we comprehensively outline the oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles of the NDRG family members in breast cancer, examining evidence from in vitro and in vivo breast cancer models as well as tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. We also present analyses of publicly available genomic and transcriptomic data from multiple independent cohorts of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilly S. Villodre
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (E.S.V.); (A.P.N.N.)
- MD Anderson Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic and Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anh P. N. Nguyen
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (E.S.V.); (A.P.N.N.)
- MD Anderson Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic and Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bisrat G. Debeb
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (E.S.V.); (A.P.N.N.)
- MD Anderson Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic and Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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