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Hernández-Peralta P, Chacón-Salinas R, Gracia-Mora MI, Soldevila G, Moreno-Rodríguez J, Cobos-Marín L. Microenvironment M1/M2 macrophages and tumoral progression vary within C57BL/6 mice from same substrain in prostate cancer model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15112. [PMID: 38956203 PMCID: PMC11219814 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65960-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer mice models are critical for immune-oncology research; they provide conditions to explore tumor immunoenviroment aiming to advance knowledge and treatment development. Often, research groups breed their own mice colonies. To assess the effect of C57BL/6 mice breeding nuclei in prostate cancer development and intratumoral macrophage populations, an isotransplantation experiment was performed. C57BL/6J mice from two breeding nuclei (nA and nB) were employed for prostate adenocarcinoma TRAMP-C1 cell implantation; tumor growth period and intratumoral macrophage profile were measured. BL/6nB mice (54%) showed tumor implantation after 69-day growth period while BL/6nA implantation reached 100% across tumor growth period (28 days). No difference in total macrophage populations was observed between groups within several tumoral regions; significantly higher M2 macrophage profile was observed in tumor microenvironments from both mice groups. Nevertheless, BL/6nB tumors showed around twice the population of M1 profile (11-27%) than BL6nA (4-15%) and less non-polarized macrophages. The M1:M2 average ratio was 1:8 for group A and 1:4 for B. Our results demonstrate different tumor progression and intratumoral macrophage populations among mice from the same substrain. Data obtained in this study shows the relevance of animal source renewal for better control of murine cancer model variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Hernández-Peralta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Circuito Exterior sn, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - R Chacón-Salinas
- Department of Immunology, National School of Biological Sciences, Instituto Politécnico Nacional (ENCB-IPN), 11340, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - M I Gracia-Mora
- Department of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Investigación Científica 70, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - G Soldevila
- Department of Immunology, Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - J Moreno-Rodríguez
- Research Division, Hospital Juárez de México, 07760, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - L Cobos-Marín
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Circuito Exterior sn, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
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2
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Martinez S, Wu S, Geuenich M, Malik A, Weber R, Woo T, Zhang A, Jang GH, Dervovic D, Al-Zahrani KN, Tsai R, Fodil N, Gros P, Gallinger S, Neely GG, Notta F, Sendoel A, Campbell K, Elling U, Schramek D. In vivo CRISPR screens reveal SCAF1 and USP15 as drivers of pancreatic cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5266. [PMID: 38902237 PMCID: PMC11189927 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Functionally characterizing the genetic alterations that drive pancreatic cancer is a prerequisite for precision medicine. Here, we perform somatic CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis screens to assess the transforming potential of 125 recurrently mutated pancreatic cancer genes, which revealed USP15 and SCAF1 as pancreatic tumor suppressors. Mechanistically, we find that USP15 functions in a haploinsufficient manner and that loss of USP15 or SCAF1 leads to reduced inflammatory TNFα, TGF-β and IL6 responses and increased sensitivity to PARP inhibition and Gemcitabine. Furthermore, we find that loss of SCAF1 leads to the formation of a truncated, inactive USP15 isoform at the expense of full-length USP15, functionally coupling SCAF1 and USP15. Notably, USP15 and SCAF1 alterations are observed in 31% of pancreatic cancer patients. Our results highlight the utility of in vivo CRISPR screens to integrate human cancer genomics and mouse modeling for the discovery of cancer driver genes with potential prognostic and therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastien Martinez
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shifei Wu
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Geuenich
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ahmad Malik
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ramona Weber
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tristan Woo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy Zhang
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gun Ho Jang
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dzana Dervovic
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Khalid N Al-Zahrani
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ricky Tsai
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nassima Fodil
- Department of Biochemistry, Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Gros
- Department of Biochemistry, Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Steven Gallinger
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - G Gregory Neely
- Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, Charles Perkins Centre, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Faiyaz Notta
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ataman Sendoel
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kieran Campbell
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ulrich Elling
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science (IMBA), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Schramek
- Centre for Molecular and Systems Biology, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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3
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Andersen MS, Kofoed MS, Paludan-Müller AS, Pedersen CB, Mathiesen T, Mawrin C, Wirenfeldt M, Kristensen BW, Olsen BB, Halle B, Poulsen FR. Meningioma animal models: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Transl Med 2023; 21:764. [PMID: 37898750 PMCID: PMC10612271 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04620-7] [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: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal models are widely used to study pathological processes and drug (side) effects in a controlled environment. There is a wide variety of methods available for establishing animal models depending on the research question. Commonly used methods in tumor research include xenografting cells (established/commercially available or primary patient-derived) or whole tumor pieces either orthotopically or heterotopically and the more recent genetically engineered models-each type with their own advantages and disadvantages. The current systematic review aimed to investigate the meningioma model types used, perform a meta-analysis on tumor take rate (TTR), and perform critical appraisal of the included studies. The study also aimed to assess reproducibility, reliability, means of validation and verification of models, alongside pros and cons and uses of the model types. METHODS We searched Medline, Embase, and Web of Science for all in vivo meningioma models. The primary outcome was tumor take rate. Meta-analysis was performed on tumor take rate followed by subgroup analyses on the number of cells and duration of incubation. The validity of the tumor models was assessed qualitatively. We performed critical appraisal of the methodological quality and quality of reporting for all included studies. RESULTS We included 114 unique records (78 using established cell line models (ECLM), 21 using primary patient-derived tumor models (PTM), 10 using genetically engineered models (GEM), and 11 using uncategorized models). TTRs for ECLM were 94% (95% CI 92-96) for orthotopic and 95% (93-96) for heterotopic. PTM showed lower TTRs [orthotopic 53% (33-72) and heterotopic 82% (73-89)] and finally GEM revealed a TTR of 34% (26-43). CONCLUSION This systematic review shows high consistent TTRs in established cell line models and varying TTRs in primary patient-derived models and genetically engineered models. However, we identified several issues regarding the quality of reporting and the methodological approach that reduce the validity, transparency, and reproducibility of studies and suggest a high risk of publication bias. Finally, each tumor model type has specific roles in research based on their advantages (and disadvantages). SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO-ID CRD42022308833.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikkel Schou Andersen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
- BRIDGE (Brain Research - Inter Disciplinary Guided Excellence), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Mikkel Seremet Kofoed
- Department of Neurosurgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- BRIDGE (Brain Research - Inter Disciplinary Guided Excellence), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Asger Sand Paludan-Müller
- Nordic Cochrane Centre, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense (CEBMO) and NHTA: Market Access & Health Economics Consultancy, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Bonde Pedersen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- BRIDGE (Brain Research - Inter Disciplinary Guided Excellence), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tiit Mathiesen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Mawrin
- Department of Neuropathology, Otto-Von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Martin Wirenfeldt
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Biology, Hospital South West Jutland, Esbjerg, Denmark
- Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Birgitte Brinkmann Olsen
- Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Bo Halle
- Department of Neurosurgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- BRIDGE (Brain Research - Inter Disciplinary Guided Excellence), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Frantz Rom Poulsen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- BRIDGE (Brain Research - Inter Disciplinary Guided Excellence), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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4
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Schmidt DR, Gramatikov IMT, Sheen A, Williams CL, Hurwitz M, Dodge LE, Holupka E, Kiger WS, Cornwall-Brady MR, Huang W, Mak HH, Cormier KS, Condon C, Dane Wittrup K, Yilmaz ÖH, Stevenson MA, Down JD, Floyd SR, Roper J, Vander Heiden MG. Ablative radiotherapy improves survival but does not cure autochthonous mouse models of prostate and colorectal cancer. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:108. [PMID: 37558833 PMCID: PMC10412558 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00336-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of cancer are powerful tools to study mechanisms of disease progression and therapy response, yet little is known about how these models respond to multimodality therapy used in patients. Radiation therapy (RT) is frequently used to treat localized cancers with curative intent, delay progression of oligometastases, and palliate symptoms of metastatic disease. METHODS Here we report the development, testing, and validation of a platform to immobilize and target tumors in mice with stereotactic ablative RT (SART). Xenograft and autochthonous tumor models were treated with hypofractionated ablative doses of radiotherapy. RESULTS We demonstrate that hypofractionated regimens used in clinical practice can be effectively delivered in mouse models. SART alters tumor stroma and the immune environment, improves survival in GEMMs of primary prostate and colorectal cancer, and synergizes with androgen deprivation in prostate cancer. Complete pathologic responses were achieved in xenograft models, but not in GEMMs. CONCLUSIONS While SART is capable of fully ablating xenografts, it is unable to completely eradicate disease in GEMMs, arguing that resistance to potentially curative therapy can be modeled in GEMMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Schmidt
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Iva Monique T Gramatikov
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allison Sheen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Christopher L Williams
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martina Hurwitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura E Dodge
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edward Holupka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - W S Kiger
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Milton R Cornwall-Brady
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wei Huang
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Howard H Mak
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kathleen S Cormier
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Charlene Condon
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - K Dane Wittrup
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ömer H Yilmaz
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Mary Ann Stevenson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julian D Down
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Scott R Floyd
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jatin Roper
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, and Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew G Vander Heiden
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Forsythe SD, Pu T, Andrews SG, Madigan JP, Sadowski SM. Models in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Current Perspectives and Future Directions. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3756. [PMID: 37568572 PMCID: PMC10416968 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors derived from multiple neuroendocrine origin cell subtypes. Incidence rates for pNENs have steadily risen over the last decade, and outcomes continue to vary widely due to inability to properly screen. These tumors encompass a wide range of functional and non-functional subtypes, with their rarity and slow growth making therapeutic development difficult as most clinically used therapeutics are derived from retrospective analyses. Improved molecular understanding of these cancers has increased our knowledge of the tumor biology for pNENs. Despite these advances in our understanding of pNENs, there remains a dearth of models for further investigation. In this review, we will cover the current field of pNEN models, which include established cell lines, animal models such as mice and zebrafish, and three-dimensional (3D) cell models, and compare their uses in modeling various disease aspects. While no study model is a complete representation of pNEN biology, each has advantages which allow for new scientific understanding of these rare tumors. Future efforts and advancements in technology will continue to create new options in modeling these cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D. Forsythe
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
| | - Tracey Pu
- Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Stephen G. Andrews
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
| | - James P. Madigan
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
| | - Samira M. Sadowski
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
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Krawczyk E, Kitlińska J. Preclinical Models of Neuroblastoma-Current Status and Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3314. [PMID: 37444423 PMCID: PMC10340830 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical in vitro and in vivo models remain indispensable tools in cancer research. These classic models, including two- and three-dimensional cell culture techniques and animal models, are crucial for basic and translational studies. However, each model has its own limitations and typically does not fully recapitulate the course of the human disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of novel, advanced systems that can allow for efficient evaluation of the mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression, more accurately reflect the disease pathophysiology and complexity, and effectively inform therapeutic decisions for patients. Preclinical models are especially important for rare cancers, such as neuroblastoma, where the availability of patient-derived specimens that could be used for potential therapy evaluation and screening is limited. Neuroblastoma modeling is further complicated by the disease heterogeneity. In this review, we present the current status of preclinical models for neuroblastoma research, discuss their development and characteristics emphasizing strengths and limitations, and describe the necessity of the development of novel, more advanced and clinically relevant approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Krawczyk
- Department of Pathology, Center for Cell Reprogramming, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Joanna Kitlińska
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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7
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Rathje F, Klingler S, Aberger F. Organoids for Modeling (Colorectal) Cancer in a Dish. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14215416. [PMID: 36358834 PMCID: PMC9655999 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Despite remarkable progress in the treatment of cancer patients, the medical need for drugs with better efficacy is still unmet and high. In addition to accurate prediction of drug efficacy for individual patients, pathophysiologically relevant preclinical model systems with increased predictive power are urgently needed to reduce the high rate of clinical trial failure in oncology. Organoids grown from patient material represent exceptionally valuable model systems to mimic and study human diseased tissues such as tumors. Here, we elaborate an overview of innovative and advanced organoid model systems and highlight the exciting opportunities of organoids for personalized precision medicine and the field of immuno-oncology drug development. Abstract Functional studies of primary cancer have been limited to animal models for a long time making it difficult to study aspects specific to human cancer biology. The development of organoid technology enabled us to culture human healthy and tumor cells as three-dimensional self-organizing structures in vitro for a prolonged time. Organoid cultures conserve the heterogeneity of the originating epithelium regarding cell types and tumor clonality. Therefore, organoids are considered an invaluable tool to study and genetically dissect various aspects of human cancer biology. In this review, we describe the applications, advantages, and limitations of organoids as human cancer models with the main emphasis on colorectal cancer.
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8
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Arias A, Manubens-Gil L, Dierssen M. Fluorescent transgenic mouse models for whole-brain imaging in health and disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:958222. [PMID: 36211979 PMCID: PMC9538927 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.958222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A paradigm shift is occurring in neuroscience and in general in life sciences converting biomedical research from a descriptive discipline into a quantitative, predictive, actionable science. Living systems are becoming amenable to quantitative description, with profound consequences for our ability to predict biological phenomena. New experimental tools such as tissue clearing, whole-brain imaging, and genetic engineering technologies have opened the opportunity to embrace this new paradigm, allowing to extract anatomical features such as cell number, their full morphology, and even their structural connectivity. These tools will also allow the exploration of new features such as their geometrical arrangement, within and across brain regions. This would be especially important to better characterize brain function and pathological alterations in neurological, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative disorders. New animal models for mapping fluorescent protein-expressing neurons and axon pathways in adult mice are key to this aim. As a result of both developments, relevant cell populations with endogenous fluorescence signals can be comprehensively and quantitatively mapped to whole-brain images acquired at submicron resolution. However, they present intrinsic limitations: weak fluorescent signals, unequal signal strength across the same cell type, lack of specificity of fluorescent labels, overlapping signals in cell types with dense labeling, or undetectable signal at distal parts of the neurons, among others. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in the development of fluorescent transgenic mouse models that overcome to some extent the technical and conceptual limitations and tradeoffs between different strategies. We also discuss the potential use of these strains for understanding disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Arias
- Department of System Biology, Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Linus Manubens-Gil
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Department of System Biology, Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Connolly KA, Fitzgerald B, Damo M, Joshi NS. Novel Mouse Models for Cancer Immunology. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY 2022; 6:269-291. [PMID: 36875867 PMCID: PMC9979244 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-070620-105523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mouse models for the study of cancer immunology provide excellent systems in which to test biological mechanisms of the immune response against cancer. Historically, these models have been designed to have different strengths based on the current major research questions at the time. As such, many mouse models of immunology used today were not originally developed to study questions currently plaguing the relatively new field of cancer immunology, but instead have been adapted for such purposes. In this review, we discuss various mouse model of cancer immunology in a historical context as a means to provide a fuller perspective of each model's strengths. From this outlook, we discuss the current state of the art and strategies for tackling future modeling challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli A. Connolly
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Brittany Fitzgerald
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Martina Damo
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Nikhil S. Joshi
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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10
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Pothuraju R, Pai P, Chaudhary S, Siddiqui JA, Cox JL, Kaur S, Rachagani S, Roy HK, Bouvet M, Batra SK. Depletion of transmembrane mucin 4 (Muc4) alters intestinal homeostasis in a genetically engineered mouse model of colorectal cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:2025-2046. [PMID: 35255004 PMCID: PMC8954958 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mucins are components of the mucus layer overlying the intestinal epithelial cells, which maintains physiological homeostasis. Altered mucin expression is associated with disease progression. Expression of MUC4 decreases in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, its functional role and implications in the intestinal pathology in CRC are not studied well. Therefore, we generated a genetically engineered Muc4 knockout (Muc4-/-) CRC mouse model by crossing with Muc4-/- and Apcflox/flox mice in the presence of colon-specific inducible Cre. We observed that deficiency of Muc4 results in an increased number of macroscopic tumors in the colon and rectal region and leads to poor survival. Further, the absence of Muc4 was associated with goblet cell dysfunction where the expression of intestinal homeostasis molecules (Muc2 and Fam3D) was downregulated. Next, we also observed that loss of Muc4 showed reduced thickness of mucus layer, leading to infiltration of bacteria, reduction in anti-microbial peptides, and upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Further, Apc gene mutation results in activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that corroborated with an increased nuclear accumulation of β-catenin and activation of its target genes: cyclin D1 and c-Myc in Muc4-/- mice was observed. We conclude that the presence of Muc4 is essential for intestinal homeostasis, reduces tumor burden, and improves overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Pothuraju
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Priya Pai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Sanjib Chaudhary
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Jawed A Siddiqui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Jesse L Cox
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Sukhwinder Kaur
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Satyanarayana Rachagani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Hemant K Roy
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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11
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CDK5RAP3, a New BRCA2 Partner That Regulates DNA Repair, Is Associated with Breast Cancer Survival. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020353. [PMID: 35053516 PMCID: PMC8773632 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020353] [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: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BRCA2 is essential for homologous recombination DNA repair. BRCA2 mutations lead to genome instability and increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Similarly, mutations in BRCA2-interacting proteins are also known to modulate sensitivity to DNA damage agents and are established cancer risk factors. Here we identify the tumor suppressor CDK5RAP3 as a novel BRCA2 helical domain-interacting protein. CDK5RAP3 depletion induced DNA damage resistance, homologous recombination and single-strand annealing upregulation, and reduced spontaneous and DNA damage-induced genomic instability, suggesting that CDK5RAP3 negatively regulates double-strand break repair in the S-phase. Consistent with this cellular phenotype, analysis of transcriptomic data revealed an association between low CDK5RAP3 tumor expression and poor survival of breast cancer patients. Finally, we identified common genetic variations in the CDK5RAP3 locus as potentially associated with breast and ovarian cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Our results uncover CDK5RAP3 as a critical player in DNA repair and breast cancer outcomes.
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12
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Falcomatà C, Bärthel S, Ulrich A, Diersch S, Veltkamp C, Rad L, Boniolo F, Solar M, Steiger K, Seidler B, Zukowska M, Madej J, Wang M, Öllinger R, Maresch R, Barenboim M, Eser S, Tschurtschenthaler M, Mehrabi A, Roessler S, Goeppert B, Kind A, Schnieke A, Robles MS, Bradley A, Schmid RM, Schmidt-Supprian M, Reichert M, Weichert W, Sansom OJ, Morton JP, Rad R, Schneider G, Saur D. Genetic Screens Identify a Context-Specific PI3K/p27Kip1 Node Driving Extrahepatic Biliary Cancer. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:3158-3177. [PMID: 34282029 PMCID: PMC7612573 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-0209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Biliary tract cancer ranks among the most lethal human malignancies, representing an unmet clinical need. Its abysmal prognosis is tied to an increasing incidence and a fundamental lack of mechanistic knowledge regarding the molecular basis of the disease. Here, we show that the Pdx1-positive extrahepatic biliary epithelium is highly susceptible toward transformation by activated PIK3CAH1047R but refractory to oncogenic KrasG12D. Using genome-wide transposon screens and genetic loss-of-function experiments, we discover context-dependent genetic interactions that drive extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) and show that PI3K signaling output strength and repression of the tumor suppressor p27Kip1 are critical context-specific determinants of tumor formation. This contrasts with the pancreas, where oncogenic Kras in concert with p53 loss is a key cancer driver. Notably, inactivation of p27Kip1 permits KrasG12D-driven ECC development. These studies provide a mechanistic link between PI3K signaling, tissue-specific tumor suppressor barriers, and ECC pathogenesis, and present a novel genetic model of autochthonous ECC and genes driving this highly lethal tumor subtype. SIGNIFICANCE We used the first genetically engineered mouse model for extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma to identify cancer genes by genome-wide transposon-based mutagenesis screening. Thereby, we show that PI3K signaling output strength and p27Kip1 function are critical determinants for context-specific ECC formation. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 2945.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Falcomatà
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Bärthel
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Angelika Ulrich
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra Diersch
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Veltkamp
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lena Rad
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Fabio Boniolo
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Myriam Solar
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Barbara Seidler
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Magdalena Zukowska
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Joanna Madej
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mingsong Wang
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Rupert Öllinger
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Roman Maresch
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Maxim Barenboim
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics and Children's Cancer Research Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, School of Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Eser
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Tschurtschenthaler
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Arianeb Mehrabi
- Department of Surgery, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Alexander Kind
- Livestock Biotechnology, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Angelika Schnieke
- Livestock Biotechnology, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Maria S. Robles
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Allan Bradley
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Genome Campus, Hinxton-Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roland M. Schmid
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Marc Schmidt-Supprian
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Reichert
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Protein Assemblies (CPA), Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Owen J. Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer P. Morton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Roland Rad
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Günter Schneider
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dieter Saur
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Chair of Translational Cancer Research and Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
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13
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Singh M, Dahal A, Brastianos PK. Preclinical Solid Tumor Models to Study Novel Therapeutics in Brain Metastases. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e284. [PMID: 34762346 PMCID: PMC8597918 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.284] [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] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Metastases are the most common malignancy of the adult central nervous system and are becoming an increasingly troubling problem in oncology largely due to the lack of successful therapeutic options. The limited selection of treatments is a result of the currently poor understanding of the biological mechanisms of metastatic development, which in turn is difficult to achieve because of limited preclinical models that can accurately represent the clinical progression of metastasis. Described in this article are in vitro and in vivo model systems that are used to enhance the understanding of metastasis and to identify new therapies for the treatment of brain metastasis. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohini Singh
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ashish Dahal
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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14
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Loss of Smad4 promotes aggressive lung cancer metastasis by de-repression of PAK3 via miRNA regulation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4853. [PMID: 34381046 PMCID: PMC8357888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24898-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
SMAD4 is mutated in human lung cancer, but the underlying mechanism by which Smad4 loss-of-function (LOF) accelerates lung cancer metastasis is yet to be elucidated. Here, we generate a highly aggressive lung cancer mouse model bearing conditional KrasG12D, p53fl/fl LOF and Smad4fl/fl LOF mutations (SPK), showing a much higher incidence of tumor metastases than the KrasG12D, p53fl/fl (PK) mice. Molecularly, PAK3 is identified as a downstream effector of Smad4, mediating metastatic signal transduction via the PAK3-JNK-Jun pathway. Upregulation of PAK3 by Smad4 LOF in SPK mice is achieved by attenuating Smad4-dependent transcription of miR-495 and miR-543. These microRNAs (miRNAs) directly bind to the PAK3 3'UTR for blockade of PAK3 production, ultimately regulating lung cancer metastasis. An inverse correlation between Smad4 and PAK3 pathway components is observed in human lung cancer. Our study highlights the Smad4-PAK3 regulation as a point of potential therapy in metastatic lung cancer.
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15
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T-ALL can evolve to oncogene independence. Leukemia 2021; 35:2205-2219. [PMID: 33483615 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01120-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The majority of cases of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) contain chromosomal abnormalities that drive overexpression of oncogenic transcription factors. However, whether these initiating oncogenes are required for leukemia maintenance is poorly understood. To address this, we developed a tetracycline-regulated mouse model of T-ALL driven by the oncogenic transcription factor Lmo2. This revealed that whilst thymus-resident pre-Leukemic Stem Cells (pre-LSCs) required continuous Lmo2 expression, the majority of leukemias relapsed despite Lmo2 withdrawal. Relapse was associated with a mature phenotype and frequent mutation or loss of tumor suppressor genes including Ikzf1 (Ikaros), with targeted deletion Ikzf1 being sufficient to transform Lmo2-dependent leukemias to Lmo2-independence. Moreover, we found that the related transcription factor TAL1 was dispensable in several human T-ALL cell lines that contain SIL-TAL1 chromosomal deletions driving its overexpression, indicating that evolution to oncogene independence can also occur in human T-ALL. Together these results indicate an evolution of oncogene addiction in murine and human T-ALL and show that loss of Ikaros is a mechanism that can promote self-renewal of T-ALL lymphoblasts in the absence of an initiating oncogenic transcription factor.
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16
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Abstract
Cancer models have helped solve many mysteries of cancer research, and are poised to bring our understanding to the next level as we dissect the relevance of cancer-associated alleles and heterocellular interactions. However, the ability of cancer models to correctly identify new therapeutic methods has been less fruitful, and a reconsideration of model designs and model applications should help develop more effective approaches for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Tuveson
- Cancer Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York.
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17
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Bok I, Karreth FA. Strategies to Study the Functions of Pseudogenes in Mouse Models of Cancer. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2324:287-304. [PMID: 34165722 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1503-4_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant expression of pseudogenes has been observed in many cancer types. Deregulated pseudogenes engage in a multitude of biological processes at the DNA, RNA, and protein levels and eventually facilitate disease progression. To investigate pseudogene functions in cancer, cell lines and cell line transplantation models have been widely used. However, cancer biology is best studied in the context of an intact organism. Here, we present various strategies to investigate pseudogenes in genetically engineered mouse models and discuss advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilah Bok
- Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Florian A Karreth
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
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18
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Doshi A, Sadeghi F, Varadarajan N, Cirino PC. Small-molecule inducible transcriptional control in mammalian cells. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2020; 40:1131-1150. [PMID: 32862714 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2020.1808583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tools for tuning transcription in mammalian cells have broad applications, from basic biological discovery to human gene therapy. While precise control over target gene transcription via dosing with small molecules (drugs) is highly sought, the design of such inducible systems that meets required performance metrics poses a great challenge in mammalian cell synthetic biology. Important characteristics include tight and tunable gene expression with a low background, minimal drug toxicity, and orthogonality. Here, we review small-molecule-inducible transcriptional control devices that have demonstrated success in mammalian cells and mouse models. Most of these systems employ natural or designed ligand-binding protein domains to directly or indirectly communicate with transcription machinery at a target sequence, via carefully constructed fusions. Example fusions include those to transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs), DNA-targeting proteins (e.g. dCas systems) fused to transactivating domains, and recombinases. Similar to the architecture of Type I nuclear receptors, many of the systems are designed such that the transcriptional controller is excluded from the nucleus in the absence of an inducer. Techniques that use ligand-induced proteolysis and antibody-based chemically induced dimerizers are also described. Collectively, these transcriptional control devices take advantage of a variety of recently developed molecular biology tools and cell biology insights and represent both proof of concept (e.g. targeting reporter gene expression) and disease-targeting studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Doshi
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fatemeh Sadeghi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Navin Varadarajan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Patrick C Cirino
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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19
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Lange S, Engleitner T, Mueller S, Maresch R, Zwiebel M, González-Silva L, Schneider G, Banerjee R, Yang F, Vassiliou GS, Friedrich MJ, Saur D, Varela I, Rad R. Analysis pipelines for cancer genome sequencing in mice. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:266-315. [PMID: 31907453 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0234-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mouse models of human cancer have transformed our ability to link genetics, molecular mechanisms and phenotypes. Both reverse and forward genetics in mice are currently gaining momentum through advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS). Methodologies to analyze sequencing data were, however, developed for humans and hence do not account for species-specific differences in genome structures and experimental setups. Here, we describe standardized computational pipelines specifically tailored to the analysis of mouse genomic data. We present novel tools and workflows for the detection of different alteration types, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions and deletions (indels), copy-number variations (CNVs), loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and complex rearrangements, such as in chromothripsis. Workflows have been extensively validated and cross-compared using multiple methodologies. We also give step-by-step guidance on the execution of individual analysis types, provide advice on data interpretation and make the complete code available online. The protocol takes 2-7 d, depending on the desired analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Lange
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Engleitner
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Mueller
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Roman Maresch
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Zwiebel
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura González-Silva
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Günter Schneider
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - George S Vassiliou
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Stem Cell Institute, Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Haematology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cam bridge, UK
| | - Mathias J Friedrich
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Dieter Saur
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ignacio Varela
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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20
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Genetically Engineered Mouse Models for Liver Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 12:cancers12010014. [PMID: 31861541 PMCID: PMC7016809 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death globally, accounting for approximately 800,000 deaths annually. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer, comprising approximately 80% of cases. Murine models of HCC, such as chemically-induced models, xenograft models, and genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models, are valuable tools to reproduce human HCC biopathology and biochemistry. These models can be used to identify potential biomarkers, evaluate potential novel therapeutic drugs in pre-clinical trials, and develop molecular target therapies. Considering molecular target therapies, a novel approach has been developed to create genetically engineered murine models for HCC, employing hydrodynamics-based transfection (HT). The HT method, coupled with the Sleeping Beauty transposon system or the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool, has been used to rapidly and cost-effectively produce a variety of HCC models containing diverse oncogenes or inactivated tumor suppressor genes. The versatility of these models is expected to broaden our knowledge of the genetic mechanisms underlying human hepatocarcinogenesis, allowing the study of premalignant and malignant liver lesions and the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies. Here, we review recent advances in GEM models of HCC with an emphasis on new technologies.
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21
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Weber J, Rad R. Engineering CRISPR mouse models of cancer. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2019; 54:88-96. [PMID: 31078083 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gene targeting in mammals has revolutionized the study of complex diseases, involving the interaction of multiple genes, cells, and organ systems. In cancer, genetically engineered mouse models deciphered biological principles by integrating molecular mechanisms, cellular processes, and environmental signals. Major advances in manipulative mouse genetics are currently emerging from breakthroughs in gene editing, which open new avenues for rapid model generation. Here, we review recent developments in engineering CRISPR mouse models of cancer. We describe engineering strategies, including germline manipulation of zygotes or embryonic stem cells, direct in vivo somatic gene editing, and ex vivo targeting of cellular transplant models. We also discuss promises and limitations of the expanding spectrum of CRISPR applications, ranging from engineering of simple mutations over complex genomic rearrangements to gene and epigenome regulation. Fast and scalable in vivo CRISPR methodologies pave the way for a new phase of functional cancer genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Weber
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Germany; Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Germany
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Germany; Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TUM School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Germany; Department of Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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22
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Rios AC, Capaldo BD, Vaillant F, Pal B, van Ineveld R, Dawson CA, Chen Y, Nolan E, Fu NY, Jackling FC, Devi S, Clouston D, Whitehead L, Smyth GK, Mueller SN, Lindeman GJ, Visvader JE. Intraclonal Plasticity in Mammary Tumors Revealed through Large-Scale Single-Cell Resolution 3D Imaging. Cancer Cell 2019; 35:618-632.e6. [PMID: 30930118 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Breast tumors are inherently heterogeneous, but the evolving cellular organization through neoplastic progression is poorly understood. Here we report a rapid, large-scale single-cell resolution 3D imaging protocol based on a one-step clearing agent that allows visualization of normal tissue architecture and entire tumors at cellular resolution. Imaging of multicolor lineage-tracing models of breast cancer targeted to either basal or luminal progenitor cells revealed profound clonal restriction during progression. Expression profiling of clones arising in Pten/Trp53-deficient tumors identified distinct molecular signatures. Strikingly, most clones harbored cells that had undergone an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, indicating widespread, inherent plasticity. Hence, an integrative pipeline that combines lineage tracing, 3D imaging, and clonal RNA sequencing technologies offers a comprehensive path for studying mechanisms underlying heterogeneity in whole tumors.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/genetics
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Lineage/genetics
- Cell Plasticity/genetics
- Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Genetic Heterogeneity
- Humans
- Imaging, Three-Dimensional
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Inbred NOD
- Mice, SCID
- Mice, Transgenic
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Sequence Analysis, RNA
- Single-Cell Analysis/methods
- Transcriptome
- Tumor Burden
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Rios
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Bianca D Capaldo
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - François Vaillant
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Bhupinder Pal
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ravian van Ineveld
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Caleb A Dawson
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Yunshun Chen
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Emma Nolan
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Nai Yang Fu
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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- 3D Tissue Clearing and Lightsheet Microscopy Group, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Felicity C Jackling
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Sapna Devi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC 3050, Australia; The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | | | - Lachlan Whitehead
- Centre for Dynamic Imaging, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Gordon K Smyth
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Scott N Mueller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC 3050, Australia; The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Lindeman
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Jane E Visvader
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
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23
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Tseng CH, Huang WT, Chew CH, Lai JK, Tu SH, Wei PL, Lee KY, Lai GM, Chen CC. Electrospun Polylactic Acid (PLLA) Microtube Array Membrane (MTAM)-An Advanced Substrate for Anticancer Drug Screening. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12040569. [PMID: 30769818 PMCID: PMC6416630 DOI: 10.3390/ma12040569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The advent of personalized cancer treatment resulted in the shift from the administration of cytotoxic drugs with broad activity spectrum to a targeted tumor-specific therapy. Aligned to this development, the focus of this study revolved around the application of our novel and patented microtube array membrane (MTAM) in the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) developed an HFA (hollow fiber assay) assay; hereinafter known as MTAM/HFA. Electrospun poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) MTAM was sterilized and loaded with cell lines/patient derived tumor cells (PDTC) and subcutaneously implanted into the backs of BALB/C mice. Anticancer drugs were administered at the respective time points and the respective MTAMs were retrieved and the viability tumor cells within were quantified with the MTT assay. Results revealed that the MTAMs were excellent culture substrate for various cancer cell lines and PDTCs (patient derived tumor cells). Compared to traditional HFA systems that utilize traditional hollow fibers, MTAM/HFA revealed superior drug sensitivity for a wide range of anticancer drug classes. Additionally, the duration for each test was <14 days; all this while capable of producing similar trend outcome to the current gold-standard xenograft models. These benefits were observed in both the in vitro and in vivo stages, making it a highly practical phenotypic-based solution that could potentially be applied in personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hsuan Tseng
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials & Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Xinyi District, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
| | - Wan-Ting Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials & Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Xinyi District, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
- MTAMTech corporation, 17th floor, 3rd Yuanqu Street, Nangang District, Taipei 11503, Taiwan.
| | - Chee Ho Chew
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials & Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Xinyi District, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
| | - Jun-Kai Lai
- MTAMTech corporation, 17th floor, 3rd Yuanqu Street, Nangang District, Taipei 11503, Taiwan.
| | - Shih-Hsin Tu
- Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Xinyi District, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Li Wei
- Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Xinyi District, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
| | - Kang-Yun Lee
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 235, Taiwan.
- Division of Thoracic Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 250, Taiwan.
- International PhD Program for Cell Therapy and Regeneration Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 250, Taiwan.
| | - Gi-Ming Lai
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 250, Taiwan.
| | - Chien-Chung Chen
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials & Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Xinyi District, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
- MTAMTech corporation, 17th floor, 3rd Yuanqu Street, Nangang District, Taipei 11503, Taiwan.
- Ph.D Program in Biotechnology Research and Development, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 250, Taiwan.
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24
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Aier I, Semwal R, Sharma A, Varadwaj PK. A systematic assessment of statistics, risk factors, and underlying features involved in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Epidemiol 2018; 58:104-110. [PMID: 30537645 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world, and will continue to become the number two cause of cancer-related death unless a remarkable breakthrough is achieved. With a slim chance of early diagnosis, surgery can only provide a median survival of 17-23 months. The presence of a dense stroma makes this cancer resilient to chemotherapy, with very few potent inhibitors like nab paclitaxelin available that can work in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Survival rates, on the one hand, lie at 8.5%. Variation in types of pancreatic cancer, on the other hand, makes it notoriously difficult to come up with a practical solution for the treatment of this disease. A deeper understanding of the root cause would be beneficial for diagnosis. Advancement in the field of genomics has made the identification of novel biomarkers relatively easier. By coupling this factor with the production of suitable inhibitors, testing in large numbers can be made possible with the help of cell lines. With the combined efforts of biological knowledge and modern technology, the cure for pancreatic cancer could be at hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imlimaong Aier
- Department of Bioinformatics & Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, 211015, India
| | - Rahul Semwal
- Department of Bioinformatics & Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, 211015, India
| | - Anju Sharma
- Department of Bioinformatics & Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, 211015, India
| | - Pritish Kumar Varadwaj
- Department of Bioinformatics & Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, 211015, India.
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25
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de Ruiter JR, Wessels LFA, Jonkers J. Mouse models in the era of large human tumour sequencing studies. Open Biol 2018; 8:180080. [PMID: 30111589 PMCID: PMC6119864 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.180080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease in which cells progressively accumulate mutations disrupting their cellular processes. A fraction of these mutations drive tumourigenesis by affecting oncogenes or tumour suppressor genes, but many mutations are passengers with no clear contribution to tumour development. The advancement of DNA and RNA sequencing technologies has enabled in-depth analysis of thousands of human tumours from various tissues to perform systematic characterization of their (epi)genomes and transcriptomes in order to identify (epi)genetic changes associated with cancer. Combined with considerable progress in algorithmic development, this expansion in scale has resulted in the identification of many cancer-associated mutations, genes and pathways that are considered to be potential drivers of tumour development. However, it remains challenging to systematically identify drivers affected by complex genomic rearrangements and drivers residing in non-coding regions of the genome or in complex amplicons or deletions of copy-number driven tumours. Furthermore, functional characterization is challenging in the human context due to the lack of genetically tractable experimental model systems in which the effects of mutations can be studied in the context of their tumour microenvironment. In this respect, mouse models of human cancer provide unique opportunities for pinpointing novel driver genes and their detailed characterization. In this review, we provide an overview of approaches for complementing human studies with data from mouse models. We also discuss state-of-the-art technological developments for cancer gene discovery and validation in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R de Ruiter
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L F A Wessels
- Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of EEMCS, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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26
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Bhurani V, Mohankrishnan A, Morrot A, Dalai SK. Developing effective vaccines: Cues from natural infection. Int Rev Immunol 2018; 37:249-265. [PMID: 29927676 DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2018.1471479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ultimate goal of any vaccine is to generate a heterogeneous and stable pool of memory lymphocytes. Vaccine are designed with the hope to generate antigen specific long-lived T cell responses, as it may be the case in natural infection; however, inducing such response by sub-unit vaccine has been a challenge. Although significant progress has been made, there is lot of scope for designing novel vaccine strategies by taking cues from the natural infection. This review focuses upon the roadblocks and the possible ways to overcome them leading to developing effective vaccines. Here we propose that mimicking the natural course of infection as well as the inclusion of non-target antigens in vaccine formulations might generate heterogeneous pool of memory T cells to ensure long-lived protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishakha Bhurani
- a Institute of Science , Nirma University , Ahmedabad , Gujarat , India
| | | | - Alexandre Morrot
- b Faculdade de Medicina , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil.,c Instituto Oswaldo Cruz , Fiocruz , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
| | - Sarat Kumar Dalai
- a Institute of Science , Nirma University , Ahmedabad , Gujarat , India
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27
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Izumchenko E, Paz K, Ciznadija D, Sloma I, Katz A, Vasquez-Dunddel D, Ben-Zvi I, Stebbing J, McGuire W, Harris W, Maki R, Gaya A, Bedi A, Zacharoulis S, Ravi R, Wexler LH, Hoque MO, Rodriguez-Galindo C, Pass H, Peled N, Davies A, Morris R, Hidalgo M, Sidransky D. Patient-derived xenografts effectively capture responses to oncology therapy in a heterogeneous cohort of patients with solid tumors. Ann Oncol 2018; 28:2595-2605. [PMID: 28945830 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdx416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) offer a powerful modality for translational cancer research, a precise evaluation of how accurately patient responses correlate with matching PDXs in a large, heterogeneous population is needed for assessing the utility of this platform for preclinical drug-testing and personalized patient cancer treatment. Patients and methods Tumors obtained from surgical or biopsy procedures from 237 cancer patients with a variety of solid tumors were implanted into immunodeficient mice and whole-exome sequencing was carried out. For 92 patients, responses to anticancer therapies were compared with that of their corresponding PDX models. Results We compared whole-exome sequencing of 237 PDX models with equivalent information in The Cancer Genome Atlas database, demonstrating that tumorgrafts faithfully conserve genetic patterns of the primary tumors. We next screened PDXs established for 92 patients with various solid cancers against the same 129 treatments that were administered clinically and correlated patient outcomes with the responses in corresponding models. Our analysis demonstrates that PDXs accurately replicate patients' clinical outcomes, even as patients undergo several additional cycles of therapy over time, indicating the capacity of these models to correctly guide an oncologist to treatments that are most likely to be of clinical benefit. Conclusions Integration of PDX models as a preclinical platform for assessment of drug efficacy may allow a higher success-rate in critical end points of clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Izumchenko
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, R&D, Baltimore
| | - K Paz
- Champions Oncology, R&D, Baltimore, USA
| | | | - I Sloma
- Champions Oncology, R&D, Baltimore, USA
| | - A Katz
- Champions Oncology, R&D, Baltimore, USA
| | | | - I Ben-Zvi
- Champions Oncology, R&D, Baltimore, USA
| | - J Stebbing
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - W McGuire
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
| | - W Harris
- Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - R Maki
- Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - A Gaya
- Guy's and St Thomas' Cancer Center, London
| | - A Bedi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, R&D, Baltimore
| | - S Zacharoulis
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Harley Street Clinic, Sutton, UK
| | - R Ravi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, R&D, Baltimore
| | - L H Wexler
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
| | - M O Hoque
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, R&D, Baltimore
| | | | - H Pass
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - N Peled
- Research and Detection Unit for Thoracic malignancies, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - A Davies
- Champions Oncology, R&D, Baltimore, USA
| | - R Morris
- Champions Oncology, R&D, Baltimore, USA
| | - M Hidalgo
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - D Sidransky
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, R&D, Baltimore.
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28
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Youn YS, Bae YH. Perspectives on the past, present, and future of cancer nanomedicine. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 130:3-11. [PMID: 29778902 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The justification of cancer nanomedicine relies on enhanced permeation (EP) and retention (R) effect and the capability of intracellular targeting due primarily to size after internalization (endocytosis) into the individual target cells. The EPR effect implies improved efficacy. Affinity targeting for solid tumors only occur after delivery to individual cells, which help internalization and/or retention. The design principles have been supported by animal results in numerous publications, but hardly translated. The natures of EP and R, such as frequency of large openings in tumor vasculature and their dynamics, are not understood, in particular, in clinical settings. Although various attempts to address the issues related to EP and delivery, by modifying design factors and manipulating tumor microenvironment, are being reported, they are still verified in artificial rodent tumors which do not mimic the nature of human tumor physiology/pathology in terms of transport and delivery. The clinical trials of experimental nanomedicine have experienced unexpected adverse effects with modest improvement in efficacy when compared to current frontline therapy. Future nanomedicine may require new design principles without consideration of EP and affinity targeting. A possible direction is to set new approaches to intentionally minimize adverse effects, rather than aiming at better efficacy, which can widen the therapeutic window of an anticancer drug of interest. Broadening indications and administration routes of developed therapeutic nanotechnology would benefit patients.
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29
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Harrington J, Carter L, Basu B, Cook N. Drug development and clinical trial design in pancreatico-biliary malignancies. Curr Probl Cancer 2018; 42:73-94. [PMID: 29402439 DOI: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatico-biliary (P-B) tumors arise from the pancreas, bile duct, and ampulla of Vater. Despite their close anatomical location, they have different etiology and biology. However, they uniformly share a poor prognosis, with no major improvements observed in overall survival over decades, even in the face of progress in diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques, and advances in systemic and loco-regional radiation therapies. To date, cytotoxic treatment has been associated with modest benefits in the advanced disease setting, and survival for patients with stage IV disease has not exceeded a year. Therefore, there is a pressing need to identify better treatments which may impact more significantly. Frequently, encouraging signals of potential efficacy for novel agents in early phase clinical trials have been followed by disappointing failures in larger phase III trials, raising the valid question of how drug development can be optimized for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and biliary tract malignancies. In this article we summarize the current therapeutic options for these patients and their limitations. The biological context of these cancers is reviewed, highlighting features that may make them resistant to standard chemotherapeutics and could be potential therapeutic targets. We discuss the role of early phase clinical trials, defined as phase I and non-randomised phase II trials, within the clinical context and current therapeutic landscape of P-B tumors and postulate how translational studies and trial design may enable better realization of emerging targets together with a proposed model for future patient management. A detailed summary of current phase I clinical trials in P-B tumors is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Harrington
- Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Louise Carter
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK; Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Bristi Basu
- Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK; Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Natalie Cook
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK; Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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30
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Gengenbacher N, Singhal M, Augustin HG. Preclinical mouse solid tumour models: status quo, challenges and perspectives. Nat Rev Cancer 2017; 17:751-765. [PMID: 29077691 DOI: 10.1038/nrc.2017.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oncology research in humans is limited to analytical and observational studies for obvious ethical reasons, with therapy-focused clinical trials being the one exception to this rule. Preclinical mouse tumour models therefore serve as an indispensable intermediate experimental model system bridging more reductionist in vitro research with human studies. Based on a systematic survey of preclinical mouse tumour studies published in eight scientific journals in 2016, this Analysis provides an overview of how contemporary preclinical mouse tumour biology research is pursued. It thereby identifies some of the most important challenges in this field and discusses potential ways in which preclinical mouse tumour models could be improved for better relevance, reproducibility and translatability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Gengenbacher
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mahak Singhal
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hellmut G Augustin
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Kersten K, de Visser KE, van Miltenburg MH, Jonkers J. Genetically engineered mouse models in oncology research and cancer medicine. EMBO Mol Med 2017; 9:137-153. [PMID: 28028012 PMCID: PMC5286388 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201606857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) have contributed significantly to the field of cancer research. In contrast to cancer cell inoculation models, GEMMs develop de novo tumors in a natural immune‐proficient microenvironment. Tumors arising in advanced GEMMs closely mimic the histopathological and molecular features of their human counterparts, display genetic heterogeneity, and are able to spontaneously progress toward metastatic disease. As such, GEMMs are generally superior to cancer cell inoculation models, which show no or limited heterogeneity and are often metastatic from the start. Given that GEMMs capture both tumor cell‐intrinsic and cell‐extrinsic factors that drive de novo tumor initiation and progression toward metastatic disease, these models are indispensable for preclinical research. GEMMs have successfully been used to validate candidate cancer genes and drug targets, assess therapy efficacy, dissect the impact of the tumor microenvironment, and evaluate mechanisms of drug resistance. In vivo validation of candidate cancer genes and therapeutic targets is further accelerated by recent advances in genetic engineering that enable fast‐track generation and fine‐tuning of GEMMs to more closely resemble human patients. In addition, aligning preclinical tumor intervention studies in advanced GEMMs with clinical studies in patients is expected to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic strategies and their translation into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Kersten
- Division of Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karin E de Visser
- Division of Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martine H van Miltenburg
- Division of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Galuschka C, Proynova R, Roth B, Augustin HG, Müller-Decker K. Models in Translational Oncology: A Public Resource Database for Preclinical Cancer Research. Cancer Res 2017; 77:2557-2563. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-3099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Boutin AT, Liao WT, Wang M, Hwang SS, Karpinets TV, Cheung H, Chu GC, Jiang S, Hu J, Chang K, Vilar E, Song X, Zhang J, Kopetz S, Futreal A, Wang YA, Kwong LN, DePinho RA. Oncogenic Kras drives invasion and maintains metastases in colorectal cancer. Genes Dev 2017; 31:370-382. [PMID: 28289141 PMCID: PMC5358757 DOI: 10.1101/gad.293449.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Human colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer mortality and frequently harbors activating mutations in the KRAS gene. To understand the role of oncogenic KRAS in CRC, we engineered a mouse model of metastatic CRC that harbors an inducible oncogenic Kras allele (Krasmut ) and conditional null alleles of Apc and Trp53 (iKAP). The iKAP model recapitulates tumor progression from adenoma through metastases. Whole-exome sequencing revealed that the Krasmut allele was heterogenous in primary tumors yet homogenous in metastases, a pattern consistent with activated Krasmut signaling being a driver of progression to metastasis. System-level and functional analyses revealed the TGF-β pathway as a key mediator of Krasmut -driven invasiveness. Genetic extinction of Krasmut resulted in specific elimination of the Krasmut subpopulation in primary and metastatic tumors, leading to apoptotic elimination of advanced invasive and metastatic disease. This faithful CRC model provides genetic evidence that Krasmut drives CRC invasion and maintenance of metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Boutin
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Wen-Ting Liao
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Melody Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Soyoon Sarah Hwang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Tatiana V Karpinets
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Hannah Cheung
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Gerald C Chu
- Institute for Applied Cancer Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jian Hu
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Kyle Chang
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xingzhi Song
- Institute for Applied Cancer Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Institute for Applied Cancer Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Scott Kopetz
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Andrew Futreal
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Y Alan Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Lawrence N Kwong
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Ronald A DePinho
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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34
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Application of CRISPR-mediated genome engineering in cancer research. Cancer Lett 2017; 387:10-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2015] [Revised: 03/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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35
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Couto JP, Bentires-Alj M. Mouse Models of Breast Cancer: Deceptions that Reveal the Truth. Breast Cancer 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-48848-6_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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36
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Abstract
The generation of a new genetically modified mouse strain is a big hurdle to take for many researchers. It is often unclear which steps and decisions have to be made prior to obtaining the desired mouse model. This review aims to help researchers by providing a decision guide that answers the essential questions that need to be asked before generating the most suitable genetically modified mouse line in the most optimal timeframe. The review includes the latest technologies in both the stem cell culture and gene editing tools, particularly CRISPR/Cas9, and provides compatibility guidelines for selecting among the different types of genetic modifications that can be introduced in the mouse genome and the various routes for introducing these modifications into the mouse germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo J Huijbers
- Mouse Clinic for Cancer and Aging, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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37
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Fry EA, Taneja P, Inoue K. Clinical applications of mouse models for breast cancer engaging HER2/neu. INTEGRATIVE CANCER SCIENCE AND THERAPEUTICS 2016; 3:593-603. [PMID: 28133539 PMCID: PMC5267336 DOI: 10.15761/icst.1000210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human c-ErbB2 (HER2) has long been used as a marker of breast cancer (BC) for sub-categorization for the prediction of prognosis, and determination of therapeutic strategies. HER2 overexpressing BCs are more invasive/metastatic; but patients respond to monoclonal antibody therapy with trastuzumab or tyrosine kinase inhibitors, at least at early stages. To date, numerous mouse models that faithfully reproduce HER2(+) BCs have been created in mice. We recently reviewed different mouse models of BC overexpressing wild type or mutant neu driven by MMTV, neu, or doxycycline-inducible promoters. These mice have been used to demonstrate the histopathology, oncogenic signaling pathways initiated by aberrant overexpression of HER2 in the mammary epithelium, and interaction between oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes at molecular levels. In this review, we focus on their clinical applications. They can be used to test the efficacy of HER(2) inhibitors before starting clinical trials, characterize the tumor-initiating cells that could be the cause of relapse after therapy as well as to analyze the molecular mechanisms of therapeutic resistance targeting HER2. MMTV-human ErbB2 (HER2) mouse models have recently been established since the monoclonal antibody to HER2 (trastuzumab; Herceptin®) does not recognize the rat neu protein. It has been reported that early intervention with HER2 monoclonal antibody would be beneficial for preventing mammary carcinogenesis. MDA-7/IL-24 as well as naturally-occurring chemicals have also been tested using MMTV-neu models. Recent studies have shown that MMTV-neu models are useful to develop vaccines to HER2 for immunotherapy. The mouse models employing HER2/neu will be essential for future antibody or drug screenings to overcome resistance to trastuzumab or HER(2)-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Fry
- The Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
| | - Pankaj Taneja
- Department of Biotechnology, Sharda University, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida 201306, India
| | - Kazushi Inoue
- The Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
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38
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Wang Y, Cai KQ, Smith ER, Yeasky TM, Moore R, Ganjei-Azar P, Klein-Szanto AJ, Godwin AK, Hamilton TC, Xu XX. Follicle Depletion Provides a Permissive Environment for Ovarian Carcinogenesis. Mol Cell Biol 2016; 36:2418-30. [PMID: 27354067 PMCID: PMC5007791 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00202-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 05/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We modeled the etiology of postmenopausal biology on ovarian cancer risk using germ cell-deficient white-spotting variant (Wv) mice, incorporating oncogenic mutations. Ovarian cancer incidence is highest in peri- and postmenopausal women, and epidemiological studies have established the impact of reproductive factors on ovarian cancer risk. Menopause as a result of ovarian follicle depletion is thought to contribute to higher cancer risk. As a consequence of follicle depletion, female Wv mice develop ovarian tubular adenomas, a benign epithelial tumor corresponding to surface epithelial invaginations and papillomatosis frequently found in postmenopausal human ovaries. Lineage tracing using MISR2-Cre indicated that the tubular adenomas that developed in Wv mice were largely derived from the MISR2 lineage, which marked only a fraction of ovarian surface and oviduct epithelial cells in wild-type tissues. Deletion of p27, either heterozygous or homozygous, was able to convert the benign tubular adenomas into more proliferative tumors. Restricted deletion of p53 in Wv/Wv mice by either intrabursal injection of adenoviral Cre or inclusion of the MISR2-Cre transgene also resulted in augmented tumor growth. This finding suggests that follicle depletion provides a permissive ovarian environment for oncogenic transformation of epithelial cells, presenting a mechanism for the increased ovarian cancer risk in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Kathy Qi Cai
- Ovarian Cancer Programs, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Smith
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Toni M Yeasky
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Robert Moore
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Parvin Ganjei-Azar
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Pathology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Andres J Klein-Szanto
- Ovarian Cancer Programs, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew K Godwin
- Ovarian Cancer Programs, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas C Hamilton
- Ovarian Cancer Programs, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xiang-Xi Xu
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
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39
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Mcilhatton MA, Boivin GP, Groden J. Manipulation of DNA Repair Proficiency in Mouse Models of Colorectal Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:1414383. [PMID: 27413734 PMCID: PMC4931062 DOI: 10.1155/2016/1414383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Technical and biological innovations have enabled the development of more sophisticated and focused murine models that increasingly recapitulate the complex pathologies of human diseases, in particular cancer. Mouse models provide excellent in vivo systems for deciphering the intricacies of cancer biology within the context of precise experimental settings. They present biologically relevant, adaptable platforms that are amenable to continual improvement and refinement. We discuss how recent advances in our understanding of tumorigenesis and the underlying deficiencies of DNA repair mechanisms that drive it have been informed by using genetically engineered mice to create defined, well-characterized models of human colorectal cancer. In particular, we focus on how mechanisms of DNA repair can be manipulated precisely to create in vivo models whereby the underlying processes of tumorigenesis are accelerated or attenuated, dependent on the composite alleles carried by the mouse model. Such models have evolved to the stage where they now reflect the initiation and progression of sporadic cancers. The review is focused on mouse models of colorectal cancer and how insights from these models have been instrumental in shaping our understanding of the processes and potential therapies for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Mcilhatton
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Gregory P. Boivin
- Department of Pathology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Health Sciences Building 053, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH 45435, USA
| | - Joanna Groden
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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40
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Hagerling C, Werb Z. Neutrophils: Critical components in experimental animal models of cancer. Semin Immunol 2016; 28:197-204. [PMID: 26976824 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Neutrophils have a crucial role in tumor development and metastatic progression. The contribution of neutrophils in tumor development is multifaceted and contradictory. On the one hand, neutrophils prompt tumor inception, promote tumor development by mediating the initial angiogenic switch and facilitate colonization of circulating tumor cells, and on the other hand, have cytotoxic and anti-metastatic capabilities. Our understanding of the role of neutrophils in tumor development has greatly depended on different experimental animal models of cancer. In this review we cover important findings that have been made about neutrophils in experimental animal models of cancer, point to their advantages and limitations, and discuss novel techniques that can be used to expand our knowledge of how neutrophils influence tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharina Hagerling
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Anatomy, 513 Parnassus Avenue, HSW1320, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Zena Werb
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Anatomy, 513 Parnassus Avenue, HSW1320, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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41
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Izumchenko E, Meir J, Bedi A, Wysocki PT, Hoque MO, Sidransky D. Patient-derived xenografts as tools in pharmaceutical development. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2016; 99:612-21. [PMID: 26874468 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Successful drug development in oncology is grossly suboptimal, manifested by the very low percentage of new agents being developed that ultimately succeed in clinical approval. This poor success is in part due to the inability of standard cell-line xenograft models to accurately predict clinical success and to tailor chemotherapy specifically to a group of patients more likely to benefit from the therapy. Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) maintain the histopathological architecture and molecular features of human tumors, and offer a potential solution to maximize drug development success and ultimately generate better outcomes for patients. Although imperfect in mimicking all aspects of human cancer, PDXs are a more predictable platform for preclinical evaluation of treatment effect and in selected cases can guide therapeutic decision making in the clinic. This article summarizes the current status of PDX models, challenges associated with modeling human cancer, and various approaches that have been applied to overcome these challenges and improve the clinical relevance of PDX cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Izumchenko
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - J Meir
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - A Bedi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - P T Wysocki
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - M O Hoque
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - D Sidransky
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Abstract
As cancer has become increasingly prevalent, cancer prevention research has evolved towards placing a greater emphasis on reducing cancer deaths and minimizing the adverse consequences of having cancer. 'Precision cancer prevention' takes into account the collaboration of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in influencing cancer incidence and aggressiveness in the context of the individual, as well as recognizing that such knowledge can improve early detection and enable more accurate discrimination of cancerous lesions. However, mouse models, and particularly genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models, have yet to be fully integrated into prevention research. In this Opinion article, we discuss opportunities and challenges for precision mouse modelling, including the essential criteria of mouse models for prevention research, representative success stories and opportunities for more refined analyses in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aditya Dutta
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Cory Abate-Shen
- Department of Urology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Institute of Cancer Genetics, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Corresponding author: Cory Abate-Shen, Columbia University Medical Center, 1130 St. Nicholas Ave., New York, NY 10032, (CAS) Phone: (212) 851-4731; fax: (212) 851-4787;
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43
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Animal models of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis. Cancer Lett 2016; 387:114-120. [PMID: 26850374 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Liver metastasis is a leading cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer. Investigating the mechanisms of liver metastasis and control of disease progression are important strategies for improving survival of these patients. Liver metastasis is a multi-step process and relevant models representing these steps are necessary to understand the mechanism of liver metastasis and establish appropriate treatments. Recently, the development of animal models for use in metastasis research has greatly increased; however, there is still a lack of models that sufficiently represent human cancer. Thus, in order to select an optimal model for of a given study, it is necessary to fully understand the characteristics of each animal model. In this review, we describe the mouse models currently used for colorectal cancer with liver metastasis, their characteristics, and their pros and cons. This may help us specify the mechanism of liver metastasis and provide evidence relevant to clinical applications.
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44
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Nguyen AT, Koh V, Spitsbergen JM, Gong Z. Development of a conditional liver tumor model by mifepristone-inducible Cre recombination to control oncogenic kras V12 expression in transgenic zebrafish. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19559. [PMID: 26790949 PMCID: PMC4726387 DOI: 10.1038/srep19559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we report a new transgenic expression system by combination of liver-specific expression, mifepristone induction and Cre-loxP recombination to conditionally control the expression of oncogenic krasV12. This transgenic system allowed expression of krasV12 specifically in the liver by a brief exposure of mifepristone to induce permanent genomic recombination mediated by the Cre-loxP system. We found that liver tumors were generally induced from multiple foci due to incomplete Cre-loxP recombination, thus mimicking naturally occurring human tumors resulting from one or a few mutated cells and clonal proliferation to form nodules. Similar to our earlier studies by both constitutive and inducible expression of the krasV12 oncogene, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main type of liver tumor induced by krasV12 expression. Moreover, mixed tumors with hepatocellular adenoma and hepatoblastoma (HB) were also frequently observed. Molecular analyses also indicated similar increase of phosphorylated ERK1/2 in all types of liver tumors, but nuclear localization of β–catenin, a sign of malignant transformation, was found only in HCC and HB. Taken together, our new transgenic system reported in this study allows transgenic krasV12 expression specifically in the zebrafish liver only by a brief exposure of mifepristone to induce permanent genomic recombination mediated by the Cre-loxP system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh Tuan Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543.,Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA, 97331
| | - Vivien Koh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Jan M Spitsbergen
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA, 97331
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
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45
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Langenau DM, Sweet-Cordero A, Wechsler-Reya R, Dyer MA. Preclinical Models Provide Scientific Justification and Translational Relevance for Moving Novel Therapeutics into Clinical Trials for Pediatric Cancer. Cancer Res 2015; 75:5176-5186. [PMID: 26627009 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-1308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite improvements in survival rates for children with cancer since the 1960s, progress for many pediatric malignancies has slowed over the past two decades. With the recent advances in our understanding of the genomic landscape of pediatric cancer, there is now enthusiasm for individualized cancer therapy based on genomic profiling of patients' tumors. However, several obstacles to effective personalized cancer therapy remain. For example, relatively little data from prospective clinical trials demonstrate the selective efficacy of molecular-targeted therapeutics based on somatic mutations in the patient's tumor. In this commentary, we discuss recent advances in preclinical testing for pediatric cancer and provide recommendations for providing scientific justification and translational relevance for novel therapeutic combinations for childhood cancer. Establishing rigorous criteria for defining and validating druggable mutations will be essential for the success of ongoing and future clinical genomic trials for pediatric malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Langenau
- Molecular Pathology, Cancer Center, and Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge MA 02139
| | - Alejandro Sweet-Cordero
- Pediatrics, Stanford University Medical School. 265 Campus Drive, LLSCR Building Rm G2078b. Stanford, CA, 94305
| | - Robert Wechsler-Reya
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Michael A Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, USA
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46
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Cai KQ, Wang Y, Smith ER, Smedberg JL, Yang DH, Yang WL, Xu XX. Global deletion of Trp53 reverts ovarian tumor phenotype of the germ cell-deficient white spotting variant (Wv) mice. Neoplasia 2015; 17:89-100. [PMID: 25622902 PMCID: PMC4309726 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
White spotting variant (Wv) mice are spontaneous mutants attributed to a point mutation in the c-Kit gene, which reduces the tyrosine kinase activity to around 1% and affects the development of melanocytes, mast cells, and germ cells. Homozygous mutant mice are sterile but can live nearly a normal life span. The female Wv mice have a greatly reduced ovarian germ cell and follicle reserve at birth, and the remaining follicles are largely depleted soon after the females reach reproductive stage at around 7 weeks of age. Consequently, ovarian epithelial tumors develop in 100% of Wv females by 3 to 4 months of age. These tumors, called tubular adenomas, are benign but can become invasive in older Wv mice. We tested if additional genetic mutation(s) could convert the benign ovarian epithelial tumors to malignant tumors by crossing the Wv mutant into the Trp53 knockout background. Surprisingly, we found that global deletion of Trp53 suppressed the development of ovarian tubular adenomas in Wv mice. The ovaries of Wv/Wv; Trp53 (−/−) mice were covered by a single layer of surface epithelium and lacked excessive epithelial proliferation. Rather, the ovaries contained a small number of follicles. The presence of ovarian follicles and granulosa cells, as indicated by Pgc7 and inhibin-alpha expression, correlated with the absence of epithelial lesions. A reduction of Pten gene dosage, as in Wv/Wv; Pten (+/−) mice, produced a similar, though less dramatic, phenotype. We conclude that deletion of Trp53 prolongs the survival of ovarian follicles in Wv mice and consequently prevents the proliferation of ovarian epithelial cells and development of ovarian tubular adenomas. The results suggest that various cell types within the ovary communicate and mutually modulate, and an intact tissue environment is required to ensure homeostasis of ovarian surface epithelial cells. Especially, the current finding emphasizes the importance of ovarian follicles in suppressing the hyperplastic growth of ovarian epithelial cells, dominating over the loss of p53.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Qi Cai
- Ovarian Cancer Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111
| | - Ying Wang
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Elizabeth R Smith
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136
| | | | - Dong-Hua Yang
- Ovarian Cancer Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111
| | - Wan-Lin Yang
- Ovarian Cancer Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111
| | - Xiang-Xi Xu
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136.
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Greenow KR, Smalley MJ. Overview of Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Breast Cancer Used in Translational Biology and Drug Development. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN PHARMACOLOGY 2015; 70:14.36.1-14.36.14. [PMID: 26331886 DOI: 10.1002/0471141755.ph1436s70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous condition with no single standard of treatment and no definitive method for determining whether a tumor will respond to therapy. The development of murine models that faithfully mimic specific human breast cancer subtypes is critical for the development of patient-specific treatments. While the artificial nature of traditional in vivo xenograft models used to characterize novel anticancer treatments has limited clinical predictive value, the development of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) makes it possible to study the therapeutic responses in an intact microenvironment. GEMMs have proven to be an experimentally tractable platform for evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic combinations and for defining the mechanisms of acquired resistance. Described in this overview are several of the more popular breast cancer GEMMs, including details on their value in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty R Greenow
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Current Address: Propath UK Ltd., Hereford, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J Smalley
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Corresponding Author:
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Riccardo F, Aurisicchio L, Impellizeri JA, Cavallo F. The importance of comparative oncology in translational medicine. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2015; 64:137-48. [PMID: 25548094 PMCID: PMC11029667 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-014-1645-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human cancer is so complex that in vivo preclinical models are needed if effective therapies are to be developed. Naturally occurring cancers in companion animals are therefore a great resource, as shown by the remarkable growth that comparative oncology has seen over the last 30 years. Cancer has become a leading cause of death in companion animals now that more pets are living long enough to develop the disease. Furthermore, more owners are seeking advanced and novel therapies for their pets as they are very much considered family members. Living in the same environments, pets and humans are often afflicted by the same types of cancer which show similar behavior and, in some species, express the same antigen molecules. The treatment of pet tumors using novel therapies is of compelling translational significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Riccardo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Via Nizza, 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - Federica Cavallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Via Nizza, 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
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49
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Perez C, Jukica A, Listopad JJ, Anders K, Kühl AA, Loddenkemper C, Blankenstein T, Charo J. Permissive expansion and homing of adoptively transferred T cells in tumor-bearing hosts. Int J Cancer 2015; 137:359-71. [PMID: 25530110 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Activated T cells expressing endogenous or transduced TCRs are two cell types currently used in clinical adoptive T-cell therapy. The ability of these cells to recognize their antigen, expand and traffic to the tumor site are the initial steps necessary for successful therapy. In this study, we used in vivo bioluminescent imaging (BLI) of Renilla luciferase (RLuc) expressing T cells to evaluate the ability of adoptively transferred T cells to survive, expand and home to tumor site in vivo. Using this method, termed RT-Rack (Rluc T cell tracking), we followed T-cell response against tumors in vivo. Expansion and homing of adoptively transferred T cells were antigen dependent, but independent of the host immune status. Moreover, we successfully detected T-cell response to small and large tumors, including autochthonous liver tumors. The adoptively transferred T cells were not ignorant or excluded in a partially tolerant host, which expressed low level of the target in the periphery. Using T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells, we showed the ability of these cells to respond in tumor-bearing hosts by expanding and homing to the tumor site. In all these models, the host immune status, the nature of the tumor or of the antigen, the tumor size and the presence of the targeted antigen in the periphery did not prevent the adoptively transferred T cells from responding by expanding and homing to the tumor. However, T cells had higher expression of the inhibitory receptor PD1 and reduced functional activity when a self-antigen was targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Perez
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, 13125, Germany
| | - A Jukica
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, 13125, Germany
| | - J J Listopad
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, 13125, Germany
| | - K Anders
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, 13125, Germany
| | - A A Kühl
- Department of Medicine I for Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease and Rheumatology, Berlin, 12200, Germany
| | - C Loddenkemper
- Institute of Pathology, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, 12200, Germany
| | - T Blankenstein
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, 13125, Germany.,Institute of Immunology, Charité Campus Buch, Berlin, 13125, Germany
| | - J Charo
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, 13125, Germany
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50
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Abstract
To date a variety of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) mouse models have been developed that mimic human lung cancer. Chemically induced or spontaneous lung cancer in susceptible inbred strains has been widely used, but the more recent genetically engineered somatic mouse models recapitulate much better the genotype-phenotype correlations found in human lung cancer. Additionally, improved orthotopic transplantation of primary human cancer tissue fragments or cells into lungs of immune-compromised mice can be valuable tools for preclinical research such as antitumor drug tests. Here we give a short overview of most somatic mouse models for lung cancer that are currently in use. We accompany each different model with a description of its practical use and application for all major lung tumor types, as well as the intratracheal injection or direct injection of fresh or freeze-thawed tumor cells or tumor cell lines into lung parenchyma of recipient mice. All here presented somatic mouse models are based on the ability to (in) activate specific alleles at a time, and in a tissue-specific cell type, of choice. This spatial-temporal controlled induction of genetic lesions allows the selective introduction of main genetic lesions in an adult mouse lung as found in human lung cancer. The resulting conditional somatic mouse models can be used as versatile powerful tools in basic lung cancer research and preclinical translational studies alike. These distinctively advanced lung cancer models permit us to investigate initiation (cell of origin) and progression of lung cancer, along with response and resistance to drug therapy. Cre/lox or FLP/frt recombinase-mediated methods are now well-used techniques to develop tissue-restricted lung cancer in mice with tumor-suppressor gene and/or oncogene (in)activation. Intranasal or intratracheal administration of engineered adenovirus-Cre or lentivirus-Cre has been optimized for introducing Cre recombinase activity into pulmonary tissues, and we discuss here the different techniques underlying these applications. Concomitant with Cre/Flp recombinase-based models are the tetracycline (Tet)-inducible bitransgenic systems in which presence or absence of doxycycline can turn the expression of a specific oncogene on or off. The use of several Tet-inducible lung cancer models for NSCLC is presented here in which the reversal of oncogene expression led to complete tumor regression and provided us with important insight of how oncogene dependence influence lung cancer survival and growth. As alternative to Tet-inducible models, we discuss the application of reversible expressed, transgenic mutant estrogen receptor (ER) fusion proteins, which are regulated via systemic tamoxifen administration. Most of the various lung cancer models can be combined through the generation of transgenic compound mice so that the use of these somatic mouse models can be even more enhanced for the study of specific molecular pathways that facilitate growth and maintenance of lung cancer. Finally, this description of the practical application and methodology of mouse models for lung cancer should be helpful in assisting researchers to make the best choices and optimal use of (existing) somatic models that suits the specific experimental needs in their study of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roghaiyeh Safari
- Health Science Institute, Dokuz Eylul University, Cumhuriyet Bulvari No: 144 35210, Alsancak, Izmir, Turkey
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