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Dhungel N, Dragoi AM. Exploring the multifaceted role of direct interaction between cancer cells and fibroblasts in cancer progression. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1379971. [PMID: 38863965 PMCID: PMC11165130 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1379971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer cells is a complex and mutually beneficial system that leads to rapid cancer cells proliferation, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. It is now recognized that cancer cells are not isolated, and tumor progression is governed among others, by many components of the TME. The reciprocal cross-talk between cancer cells and their microenvironment can be indirect through the secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and paracrine signaling through exosomes, cytokines, and growth factors, or direct by cell-to-cell contact mediated by cell surface receptors and adhesion molecules. Among TME components, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are of unique interest. As one of the most abundant components of the TME, CAFs play key roles in the reorganization of the extracellular matrix, facilitating metastasis and chemotherapy evasion. Both direct and indirect roles have been described for CAFs in modulating tumor progression. In this review, we focus on recent advances in understanding the role of direct contact between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in driving tumor development and metastasis. We also summarize recent findings on the role of direct contact between cancer cells and CAFs in chemotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilu Dhungel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, United States
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, United States
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2
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Liu Q, Yao F, Wu L, Xu T, Na J, Shen Z, Liu X, Shi W, Zhao Y, Liao Y. Heterogeneity and interplay: the multifaceted role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor and therapeutic strategies. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03492-7. [PMID: 38602644 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03492-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The journey of cancer development is a multifaceted and staged process. The array of treatments available for cancer varies significantly, dictated by the disease's type and stage. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), prevalent across various cancer types and stages, play a pivotal role in tumor genesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. The strategy of concurrently targeting cancer cells and CAFs holds great promise in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus intently on CAFs, delving into their critical role in cancer's progression. We begin by exploring the origins, classification, and surface markers of CAFs. Following this, we emphasize the key cytokines and signaling pathways involved in the interplay between cancer cells and CAFs and their influence on the tumor immune microenvironment. Additionally, we examine current therapeutic approaches targeting CAFs. This article underscores the multifarious roles of CAFs within the tumor microenvironment and their potential applications in cancer treatment, highlighting their importance as key targets in overcoming drug resistance and enhancing the efficacy of tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Fei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Liangliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Tianyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Jintong Na
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xiyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Yuan Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
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3
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Lall SP, Alsafwani ZW, Batra SK, Seshacharyulu P. ASPORIN: A root of the matter in tumors and their host environment. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189029. [PMID: 38008263 PMCID: PMC10872503 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Asporin (ASPN) has been identified as one of the members of the class I small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) family in the extracellular matrix (ECM). It is involved in classic ensigns of cancers such as self-dependent growth, resistance to growth inhibitors, restricting apoptosis, cancer metastasis, and bone-related disorders. ASPN is different from other members of SLRPs, such as decorin (DCN) and biglycan (BGN), in a way that it contains a distinctive length of aspartate (D) residues in the amino (N) -terminal region. These D-repeats residues possess germline polymorphisms and are identified to be linked with cancer progression and osteoarthritis (OA). The polyaspartate stretch in the N-terminal region of the protein and its resemblance to DCN are the reasons it is called asporin. In this review, we comprehensively summarized and updated the dual role of ASPN in various malignancies, its structure in mice and humans, variants, mutations, cancer-associated signalings and functions, the relationship between ASPN and cancer-epithelial, stromal fibroblast crosstalk, immune cells and immunosuppression in cancer and other diseases. In cancer and other bone-related diseases, ASPN is identified to be regulating various signaling pathways such as TGFβ, Wnt/β-catenin, notch, hedgehog, EGFR, HER2, and CD44-mediated Rac1. These pathways promote cancer cell invasion, proliferation, and migration by mediating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Finally, we discussed mouse models mimicking ASPN in vivo function in cancers and the probability of therapeutic targeting of ASPN in cancer cells, fibrosis, and other bone-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobhit P Lall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Zahraa W Alsafwani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA; Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, USA; Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA.
| | - Parthasarathy Seshacharyulu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA; Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA.
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4
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Tesařová M, Boušková T, Cejnar P, Šantrůček J, Peterková L, Fík Z, Sázelová P, Kašička V, Hynek R. Characterization of vestibular schwannoma tissues using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of specific peptide fragments separated by in-sample tryptic protein digestion followed by mathematical analysis. J Sep Sci 2023; 46:e2300543. [PMID: 37735989 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202300543] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Vestibular schwannoma is the most common benign neoplasm of the cerebellopontine angle. Its first symptoms include hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular symptoms, followed by cerebellar and brainstem symptoms, along with palsy of the adjacent cranial nerves. However, the clinical picture has unpredictable dynamics and currently, there are no reliable predictors of tumor behavior. Hence, it is desirable to have a fast routine method for analysis of vestibular schwannoma tissues at the molecular level. The major objective of this study was to verify whether a technique using in-sample specific protein digestion with trypsin would have the potential to provide a proteomic characterization of these pathological tissues. The achieved results showed that the use of this approach with subsequent liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of released peptides allowed a fast identification of a considerable number of proteins in two differential parts of vestibular schwannoma tissue as well as in tissues of control healthy samples. Furthermore, mathematical analysis of MS data was able to discriminate between pathological vestibular schwannoma tissues and healthy tissues. Thus, in-sample protein digestion combined with LC-MS/MS separation and identification of released specific peptides followed by mathematical analysis appears to have the potential for routine characterization of vestibular schwannomas at the molecular level. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD045261.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Tesařová
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Prague 5, Czech Republic
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Boušková
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Cejnar
- Department of Mathematics, Informatics and Cybernetics, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šantrůček
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Peterková
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Prague 5, Czech Republic
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Fík
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Sázelová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Kašička
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Radovan Hynek
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
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5
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Takahashi S, Takagane K, Itoh G, Kuriyama S, Umakoshi M, Goto A, Yanagihara K, Yashiro M, Iijima K, Tanaka M. CCDC85A is regulated by miR-224-3p and augments cancer cell resistance to endoplasmic reticulum stress. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1196546. [PMID: 37534255 PMCID: PMC10391547 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1196546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we analyzed miRNAs in tumor stromal fibroblasts. Expression of miR-224-3p in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) from scirrhous gastric cancer patients was lower than in normal fibroblasts (NF). Introduction of a miR-224-3p mimic attenuated migration and invasion of CAF. Coiled-coil domain containing 85A (CCDC85A), whose function in tumors is not understood, was the target gene of miR-224-3p. Immunohistological analysis revealed that CCDC85A is expressed to varying degrees by cancer cells and CAFs in gastric and pancreatic carcinomas. Downregulation of CCDC85A in cancer cells revealed that these cells are vulnerable to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by thapsigargin or tunicamycin, which were ameliorated after addback of CCDC85A. Injection of NF-derived exosomes containing miR-224-3p into the xenograft tumor increased tumor shrinkage by cisplatin treatment. Mechanistically, CCDC85A associated with the molecular chaperone GRP78 and GRP94, thereby inhibiting association of these negative regulators of the unfolded protein response (UPR), leading to sustained activation of PERK and downstream eIF2〈 and ATF4 upon ER stress. These data suggest a novel miR-224-3p-mediated function for CCDC85A: protection from ER stress and cisplatin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Takahashi
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Kurara Takagane
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Go Itoh
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Sei Kuriyama
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Michinobu Umakoshi
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Akiteru Goto
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Yanagihara
- Division of Rare Cancer Research, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masakazu Yashiro
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Katsunori Iijima
- Department of Gastroenterology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
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6
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Gesteira TF, Verma S, Coulson-Thomas VJ. Small leucine rich proteoglycans: Biology, function and their therapeutic potential in the ocular surface. Ocul Surf 2023; 29:521-536. [PMID: 37355022 PMCID: PMC11092928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2023.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Small leucine rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) are the largest family of proteoglycans, with 18 members that are subdivided into five classes. SLRPs are small in size and can be present in tissues as glycosylated and non-glycosylated proteins, and the most studied SLRPs include decorin, biglycan, lumican, keratocan and fibromodulin. SLRPs specifically bind to collagen fibrils, regulating collagen fibrillogenesis and the biomechanical properties of tissues, and are expressed at particularly high levels in fibrous tissues, such as the cornea. However, SLRPs are also very active components of the ECM, interacting with numerous growth factors, cytokines and cell surface receptors. Therefore, SLRPs regulate major cellular processes and have a central role in major fundamental biological processes, such as maintaining corneal homeostasis and transparency and regulating corneal wound healing. Over the years, mutations and/or altered expression of SLRPs have been associated with various corneal diseases, such as congenital stromal corneal dystrophy and cornea plana. Recently, there has been great interest in harnessing the various functions of SLRPs for therapeutic purposes. In this comprehensive review, we describe the structural features and the related functions of SLRPs, and how these affect the therapeutic potential of SLRPs, with special emphasis on the use of SLRPs for treating ocular surface pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sudhir Verma
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, USA; Department of Zoology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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7
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Wei F, Li T, Li J, Zhang Y, Liu T, Zhao Z, Zhu W, Guo H, Yang R. Prognostic and Immunological Role of Asporin across Cancers and Exploration in Bladder Cancer. Gene 2023:147573. [PMID: 37336272 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asporin (ASPN) has been identified as a player in tumorigenesis, but its precise roles and modulatory function are largely unknown. METHODS In the present study, ASPN expression was first explored, followed by a prognostic evaluation of ASPN and a comprehensive investigation of the connections between ASPN and immunomodulation, immune cell infiltration and potential compounds on a pancancer level. Finally, ASPN expression was validated in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) tissues, and the potential function of ASPN, including its effects on migration and invasion capabilities, was investigated in tumor cells. RESULTS The expression of ASPN exhibited significant variation across cancers and was found to be associated with patient prognosis. In addition, the expression level of APSN was markedly correlated with the abundances of infiltrating immune cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts and the expression levels of immunomodulatory genes based on the results of pancancer analysis. Metastasis and immune-associated signaling pathways were identified in enrichment analysis based on ASPN expression. Finally, we confirmed that ASPN expression increased with the degree of malignancy in BLCA tissues and cell lines and that low expression of ASPN hindered the migration and invasion of cells. CONCLUSIONS ASPN has the potential to be a biomarker of cancer prognosis and a therapeutic target, and it also has predictive capability for the progression of BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fayun Wei
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianhang Li
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiazheng Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yulin Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianyao Liu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zihan Zhao
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjie Zhu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongqian Guo
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
| | - Rong Yang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for microRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
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Sun C, Zhang K, Ni C, Wan J, Duan X, Lou X, Yao X, Li X, Wang M, Gu Z, Yang P, Li Z, Qin Z. Transgelin promotes lung cancer progression via activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts with enhanced IL-6 release. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:18. [PMID: 36990991 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00463-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the principal constituent of the heterogenous tumor microenvironment, have been shown to promote tumor progression; however, the underlying mechanism is still less clear. Here, we find that transgelin (TAGLN) protein levels increased in primary CAFs isolated from human lung cancer, compared with those in paired normal fibroblasts. Tumor microarrays (TMAs) revealed that increased stromal TAGLN levels correlates with more lymphatic metastasis of tumor cells. In a subcutaneous tumor transplantation model, overexpression of Tagln in fibroblasts also increased tumor cell spread in mice. Further experiments show that Tagln overexpression promoted fibroblast activation and mobility in vitro. And TAGLN facilitates p-p65 entry into the nucleus, thereby activating the NF-κB signaling pathway in fibroblasts. Activated fibroblasts promote lung cancer progression via enhancing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially interleukine-6 (IL-6). Our study revealed that the high levels of stromal TAGLN is a predictive risk factor for patients with lung cancer. Targeting stromal TAGLN may present an alternative therapeutic strategy against lung cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanjun Sun
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Kaishang Zhang
- Thoracic Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Chen Ni
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Jiajia Wan
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Xixi Duan
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Xiaohan Lou
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Xiaohan Yao
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Xiangnan Li
- Thoracic Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Zhuoyu Gu
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Pengyuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of CAS, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Zhihai Qin
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang Area, 100101, Beijing, China.
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9
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Dhungel N, Youngblood R, Chu M, Carroll J, Dragoi AM. Assessing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity in a small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and lung fibroblasts co-culture model. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1096326. [PMID: 36936987 PMCID: PMC10022497 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1096326] [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: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is the source of important cues that govern epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and facilitate the acquisition of aggressive traits by cancer cells. It is now recognized that EMT is not a binary program, and cancer cells rarely switch to a fully mesenchymal phenotype. Rather, cancer cells exist in multiple hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) states responsible for cell population heterogeneity, which is advantageous for the ever-changing environment during tumor development and metastasis. How are these intermediate states generated and maintained is not fully understood. Here, we show that direct interaction between small cell lung carcinoma cells and lung fibroblasts induces a hybrid EMT phenotype in cancer cells in which several mesenchymal genes involved in receptor interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM remodeling are upregulated while epithelial genes such as E-cadherin remain unchanged or slightly increase. We also demonstrate that several core EMT-regulating transcription factors (EMT-TFs) are upregulated in cancer cells during direct contact with fibroblasts, as is Yes-associated protein (YAP1), a major regulator of the Hippo pathway. Further, we show that these changes are transient and reverse to the initial state once the interaction is disrupted. Altogether, our results provide evidence that tumor cells' direct contact with the fibroblasts in the TME initiates a signaling cascade responsible for hybrid E/M states of cancer cells. These hybrid states are maintained during the interaction and possibly contribute to therapy resistance and immune evasion, while interference with direct contact will result in slow recovery and switch to the initial states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilu Dhungel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Reneau Youngblood
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Min Chu
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Jennifer Carroll
- Center for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT), LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
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10
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Sorvina A, Antoniou M, Esmaeili Z, Kochetkova M. Unusual Suspects: Bone and Cartilage ECM Proteins as Carcinoma Facilitators. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030791. [PMID: 36765749 PMCID: PMC9913341 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the complex three-dimensional network of fibrous proteins and proteoglycans that constitutes an essential part of every tissue to provide support for normal tissue homeostasis. Tissue specificity of the ECM in its topology and structure supports unique biochemical and mechanical properties of each organ. Cancers, like normal tissues, require the ECM to maintain multiple processes governing tumor development, progression and spread. A large body of experimental and clinical evidence has now accumulated to demonstrate essential roles of numerous ECM components in all cancer types. Latest findings also suggest that multiple tumor types express, and use to their advantage, atypical ECM components that are not found in the cancer tissue of origin. However, the understanding of cancer-specific expression patterns of these ECM proteins and their exact roles in selected tumor types is still sketchy. In this review, we summarize the latest data on the aberrant expression of bone and cartilage ECM proteins in epithelial cancers and their specific functions in the pathogenesis of carcinomas and discuss future directions in exploring the utility of this selective group of ECM components as future drug targets.
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11
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Jeong BY, Cho KH, Jeong KJ, Cho SJ, Won M, Kim SH, Cho NH, Hur GM, Yoon SH, Park HW, Mills GB, Lee HY. Lysophosphatidic acid-induced amphiregulin secretion by cancer-associated fibroblasts augments cancer cell invasion. Cancer Lett 2022; 551:215946. [PMID: 36209972 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key structural components of the tumor microenvironment and are closely associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a biolipid produced extracellularly and involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis. LPA has recently been implicated in the education and transdifferentiation of normal fibroblasts (NFs) into CAFs. However, little is known about the effects of LPA on CAFs and their participation in cancer cell invasion. In the present study, we identified a critical role of LPA-induced amphiregulin (AREG) secreted from CAFs in cancer invasiveness. CAFs secrete higher amounts of AREG than NFs, and LPA induces AREG expression in CAFs to augment their invasiveness. Strikingly, knocking out the AREG gene in CAFs attenuates cancer invasiveness and metastasis. Mechanistically, LPA induces Yes-associated protein (YAP) activation and Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (Zeb1) expression through the LPAR1 and LPAR3/Gi/Rho signaling axes, leading to AREG expression. Furthermore, we provide evidence that metformin, a biguanide derivative, significantly inhibits LPA-induced AREG expression in CAFs to attenuate cancer cell invasiveness. Collectively, the present data show that LPA induces AREG expression through YAP and Zeb1 in CAFs to promote cancer cell invasiveness, with the process being inhibited by metformin, providing potential biomarkers and therapeutic avenues to interdict cancer cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Young Jeong
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea; Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Kyung Hwa Cho
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang Jin Jeong
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Su Jin Cho
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Minho Won
- Biotechnology Process Engineering Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Cheongju, 28116, Republic of Korea; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hwa Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam Hoon Cho
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Gang Min Hur
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Hee Yoon
- Division of Nephrology and Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35364, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwan-Woo Park
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Hoi Young Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Fan R, Yan X, Zhang W. Relationship between asporin and extracellular matrix behavior: A literature review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e32490. [PMID: 36595867 PMCID: PMC9794316 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000032490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Asporin (ASPN), as a member of the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan family, is a type of protein that is found in the extracellular matrix. Collagen deposition or transformation is involved in a variety of pathological processes. ASPN is identified in cancerous tissue, pathological cardiac tissue, articular cartilage, keloid, and fibrotic lung tissue, and it has a role in the development of cancer, cardiovascular, bone and joint, keloid, and pulmonary fibrosis by interfering with collagen metabolism. This review article summarizes the data on ASPN expressions in mouse and human and highlights that overexpress of ASPN might play a role in a variety of diseases. Although our knowledge of ASPN is currently limited, these instances may help us better understand how it interacts with diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Fan
- First School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yan
- Department of Geriatrics, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Shandong, China
- * Correspondence: Wei Zhang, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Shandong 250014, China (e-mail: )
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13
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Karagiorgou Z, Fountas PN, Manou D, Knutsen E, Theocharis AD. Proteoglycans Determine the Dynamic Landscape of EMT and Cancer Cell Stemness. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5328. [PMID: 36358747 PMCID: PMC9653992 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 03/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteoglycans (PGs) are pivotal components of extracellular matrices, involved in a variety of processes such as migration, invasion, morphogenesis, differentiation, drug resistance, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Cellular plasticity is a crucial intermediate phenotypic state acquired by cancer cells, which can modulate EMT and the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). PGs affect cell plasticity, stemness, and EMT, altering the cellular shape and functions. PGs control these functions, either by direct activation of signaling cascades, acting as co-receptors, or through regulation of the availability of biological compounds such as growth factors and cytokines. Differential expression of microRNAs is also associated with the expression of PGs and their interplay is implicated in the fine tuning of cancer cell phenotype and potential. This review summarizes the involvement of PGs in the regulation of EMT and stemness of cancer cells and highlights the molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoi Karagiorgou
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Panagiotis N. Fountas
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Dimitra Manou
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Erik Knutsen
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9010 Tromsø, Norway
- Centre for Clinical Research and Education, University Hospital of North Norway, 9038 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Achilleas D. Theocharis
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
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14
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Tu D, Ma C, Zeng Z, Xu Q, Guo Z, Song X, Zhao X. Identification of hub genes and transcription factor regulatory network for heart failure using RNA-seq data and robust rank aggregation analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:916429. [PMID: 36386304 PMCID: PMC9649652 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.916429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Heart failure (HF) is the end stage of various cardiovascular diseases with a high mortality rate. Novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for HF are urgently required. Our research aims to identify HF-related hub genes and regulatory networks using bioinformatics and validation assays. Methods Using four RNA-seq datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of HF using Removal of Unwanted Variation from RNA-seq data (RUVSeq) and the robust rank aggregation (RRA) method. Then, hub genes were recognized using the STRING database and Cytoscape software with cytoHubba plug-in. Furthermore, reliable hub genes were validated by the GEO microarray datasets and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) using heart tissues from patients with HF and non-failing donors (NFDs). In addition, R packages “clusterProfiler” and “GSVA” were utilized for enrichment analysis. Moreover, the transcription factor (TF)–DEG regulatory network was constructed by Cytoscape and verified in a microarray dataset. Results A total of 201 robust DEGs were identified in patients with HF and NFDs. STRING and Cytoscape analysis recognized six hub genes, among which ASPN, COL1A1, and FMOD were confirmed as reliable hub genes through microarray datasets and qRT-PCR validation. Functional analysis showed that the DEGs and hub genes were enriched in T-cell-mediated immune response and myocardial glucose metabolism, which were closely associated with myocardial fibrosis. In addition, the TF–DEG regulatory network was constructed, and 13 significant TF–DEG pairs were finally identified. Conclusion Our study integrated different RNA-seq datasets using RUVSeq and the RRA method and identified ASPN, COL1A1, and FMOD as potential diagnostic biomarkers for HF. The results provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms and effective treatments of HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingyuan Tu
- Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoqun Ma
- Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - ZhenYu Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Navy 905 Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhifu Guo
- Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Zhifu Guo,
| | - Xiaowei Song
- Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Xiaowei Song,
| | - Xianxian Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Xianxian Zhao,
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15
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Kaur G, Porter CBM, Ashenberg O, Lee J, Riesenfeld SJ, Hofree M, Aggelakopoulou M, Subramanian A, Kuttikkatte SB, Attfield KE, Desel CAE, Davies JL, Evans HG, Avraham-Davidi I, Nguyen LT, Dionne DA, Neumann AE, Jensen LT, Barber TR, Soilleux E, Carrington M, McVean G, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Regev A, Fugger L. Mouse fetal growth restriction through parental and fetal immune gene variation and intercellular communications cascade. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4398. [PMID: 35906236 PMCID: PMC9338297 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32171-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) affects 5-10% of pregnancies, and can have serious consequences for both mother and child. Prevention and treatment are limited because FGR pathogenesis is poorly understood. Genetic studies implicate KIR and HLA genes in FGR, however, linkage disequilibrium, genetic influence from both parents, and challenges with investigating human pregnancies make the risk alleles and their functional effects difficult to map. Here, we demonstrate that the interaction between the maternal KIR2DL1, expressed on uterine natural killer (NK) cells, and the paternally inherited HLA-C*0501, expressed on fetal trophoblast cells, leads to FGR in a humanized mouse model. We show that the KIR2DL1 and C*0501 interaction leads to pathogenic uterine arterial remodeling and modulation of uterine NK cell function. This initial effect cascades to altered transcriptional expression and intercellular communication at the maternal-fetal interface. These findings provide mechanistic insight into specific FGR risk alleles, and provide avenues of prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurman Kaur
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Caroline B M Porter
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Orr Ashenberg
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jack Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Samantha J Riesenfeld
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matan Hofree
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maria Aggelakopoulou
- Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Subita Balaram Kuttikkatte
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kathrine E Attfield
- Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Christiane A E Desel
- Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- University Department of Neurology, University Hospital Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jessica L Davies
- Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hayley G Evans
- Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Inbal Avraham-Davidi
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lan T Nguyen
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Danielle A Dionne
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Lise Torp Jensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas R Barber
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elizabeth Soilleux
- Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Rd, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
| | - Mary Carrington
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gil McVean
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Orit Rozenblatt-Rosen
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Lars Fugger
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
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16
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Huang C, Sharma A, Thakur R, Rai D, Katiki M, Germano JDF, Song Y, Singh S, Sin J, Sengstock D, Andres AM, Murali R, Mentzer RM, Gottlieb RA, Piplani H. Asporin, an extracellular matrix protein, is a beneficial regulator of cardiac remodeling. Matrix Biol 2022; 110:40-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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17
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Diffuse gastric cancer: Emerging mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188719. [PMID: 35307354 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer is globally the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Patients with diffuse-type gastric cancer (DGC) particularly have a poor prognosis that only marginally improved over the last decades, as conventional chemotherapies are frequently ineffective and specific therapies are unavailable. Early-stage DGC is characterized by intramucosal lesions of discohesive cells, which can be present for many years before the emergence of advanced DGC consisting of highly proliferative and invasive cells. The mechanisms underlying the key steps of DGC development and transition to aggressive tumors are starting to emerge. Novel mouse- and organoid models for DGC, together with multi-omic analyses of DGC tumors, revealed contributions of both tumor cell-intrinsic alterations and gradual changes in the tumor microenvironment to DGC progression. In this review, we will discuss how these recent findings are leading towards an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for DGC initiation and malignancy, which may provide opportunities for targeted therapies.
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18
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Takedachi M, Yamamoto S, Kawasaki K, Shimomura J, Murata M, Morimoto C, Hirai A, Kawakami K, Bhongsatiern P, Iwayama T, Sawada K, Yamada S, Murakami S. Reciprocal role of PLAP-1 in HIF-1α-mediated responses to hypoxia. J Periodontal Res 2022; 57:470-478. [PMID: 35138637 DOI: 10.1111/jre.12976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mutual regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α activity and periodontal ligament-associated protein-1 (PLAP-1) expression in human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLs). BACKGROUND Cellular responses to hypoxia regulate various biological events (e.g., inflammation and tissue regeneration) through activation of HIF-1α. PLAP-1, an extracellular matrix protein preferentially expressed in the periodontal ligament, plays important roles in the functions of HPDLs. Although PLAP-1 expression has been demonstrated in hypoxic regions, the involvement of PLAP-1 in responses to hypoxia has not been revealed. METHODS HPDLs were cultured under normoxic (20% O2 ) or hypoxic (1% O2 ) conditions with or without deferoxamine mesylate (chemical hypoxia inducer) or chetomin (HIF signaling inhibitor). Expression levels of PLAP-1 and HIF-1α were examined by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Luciferase reporter assays of HIF-1α activity were performed using 293T cells stably transfected with a hypoxia response element (HRE)-containing luciferase vector in the presence or absence of recombinant PLAP-1 or PLAP-1 gene transfection. RESULTS Cultivation under hypoxic conditions elevated the gene and protein expression levels of PLAP-1 in HPDLs. Deferoxamine mesylate treatment also enhanced PLAP-1 expression in HPDLs. Hypoxia-induced PLAP-1 expression was significantly suppressed in the presence of chetomin. PLAP-1-suppressed HPDLs showed increased HIF-1α accumulation in the nucleus during culture under hypoxic conditions, but not in the presence of recombinant PLAP-1. In the presence of recombinant PLAP-1, hypoxia-induced HRE activity of 293T cells was significantly suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. Transfection of the PLAP-1 gene resulted in a significant reduction of HRE activity during culture under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION PLAP-1 expression is upregulated under hypoxic conditions through HIF-1α activation. Moreover, hypoxia-induced PLAP-1 expression regulates HIF-1α signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahide Takedachi
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satomi Yamamoto
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kohsuke Kawasaki
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Junpei Shimomura
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mari Murata
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Chiaki Morimoto
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Asae Hirai
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazuma Kawakami
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Phan Bhongsatiern
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Iwayama
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keigo Sawada
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamada
- Department of Periodontology and Endodontology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shinya Murakami
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
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19
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Tanaka M. Crosstalk of tumor stromal cells orchestrates invasion and spreading of gastric cancer. Pathol Int 2022; 72:219-233. [PMID: 35112770 DOI: 10.1111/pin.13211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Tumors contain various stromal cells that support cancer progression. Some types of cancer, such as scirrhous gastric cancer, are characterized by large areas of fibrosis accompanied by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Asporin (ASPN) is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan highly expressed in CAFs of various tumors. ASPN accelerates CAF migration and invasion, resulting in CAF-led cancer cell invasion. In addition, ASPN further upregulated the expression of genes specific to a characteristic subgroup of fibroblasts in tumors. These cells were preferentially located at the tumor periphery and could be generated by a unique mechanism involving the CAF-mediated education of normal fibroblasts (CEFs). In this review, we at first describe recent findings regarding the function of ASPN in the tumor microenvironment, as well as the mechanism involved in the generation of CEFs. CAFs are derived from heterogeneous origins besides resident normal fibroblasts. Among them, CAFs derived from mesothelial cells (mesothelial cell-derived CAF [MC-CAFs]) play pivotal roles in peritoneal carcinomatosis. We observed that MC-CAFs on the surfaces of organs also participate in tumor formation by infiltrating into the parenchyma, promoting local invasion by gastric cancers. This review also highlights the potential functions of macrophages in the formation of MC-CAFs in gastric cancers, by transfer the contents of cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamitsu Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
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20
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Huang S, Lai X, Yang L, Ye F, Huang C, Qiu Y, Lin S, Pu L, Wang Z, Huang W. Asporin Promotes TGF-β-induced Lung Myofibroblast Differentiation by Facilitating Rab11-dependent Recycling of TβRI. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2021; 66:158-170. [PMID: 34705621 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2021-0257oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive fibrotic lung disease with high mortality and morbidity. Asporin (ASPN), a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family, plays crucial roles in tissue injury and regeneration. However, the precise pathophysiological role of ASPN and its molecular mechanisms in IPF remain unknown. We sought to investigate the role of ASPN during the development of pulmonary fibrosis and the therapeutic potential of targeting ASPN-related signaling pathways. In our study, three microarray datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out by bioinformatic analysis. Hub genes were selected from the protein-protein interaction network. ASPN was examined in lung tissues from pulmonary fibrosis mouse models and the role of ASPN in TGF-β/Smad signaling was determined by transfection with ASPN shRNA vectors in vitro. Biotinylation assays were conducted to measure plasma membrane TβRI and TβRI recycling after ASPN knockdown. The results showed ASPN expression was increased in the lungs of pulmonary fibrosis mouse models, and ASPN was primarily localized in α-SMA+ myofibroblasts. In vitro experiments proved that ASPN knockdown inhibited TGF-β/Smad signaling and myofibroblast differentiation by regulating the stability of TβRI. Further molecular mechanisms revealed that ASPN knockdown inhibited TGF-β/Smad signaling by suppressing recycling of TβRI to the cell surface in a Rab11-dependent manner and facilitated lysosome-mediated degradation of TβRI. In conclusion, our findings provide important evidence for the use of ASPN as a novel pharmacological target for treating pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojie Huang
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofan Lai
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Ye
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chanyan Huang
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Qiu
- Sun Yat-Sen University, 26469, Center for stem cell biology and tissue engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sijia Lin
- Sun Yat-Sen University, 26469, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lvya Pu
- Sun Yat-Sen University, 26469, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongxing Wang
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenqi Huang
- Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, 71068, Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou, China;
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21
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Basak D, Jamal Z, Ghosh A, Mondal PK, Dey Talukdar P, Ghosh S, Ghosh Roy B, Ghosh R, Halder A, Chowdhury A, Dhali GK, Chattopadhyay BK, Saha ML, Basu A, Roy S, Mukherjee C, Biswas NK, Chatterji U, Datta S. Reciprocal interplay between asporin and decorin: Implications in gastric cancer prognosis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255915. [PMID: 34379688 PMCID: PMC8357146 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective patient prognosis necessitates identification of novel tumor promoting drivers of gastric cancer (GC) which contribute to worsened conditions by analysing TCGA-gastric adenocarcinoma dataset. Small leucine-rich proteoglycans, asporin (ASPN) and decorin (DCN), play overlapping roles in development and diseases; however, the mechanisms underlying their interplay remain elusive. Here, we investigated the complex interplay of asporin, decorin and their interaction with TGFβ in GC tumor and corresponding normal tissues. The mRNA levels, protein expressions and cellular localizations of ASPN and DCN were analyzed using real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The protein-protein interaction was predicted by in-silico interaction analysis and validated by co-immunoprecipitation assay. The correlations between ASPN and EMT proteins, VEGF and collagen were achieved using western blot analysis. A significant increase in expression of ASPN in tumor tissue vs. normal tissue was observed in both TCGA and our patient cohort. DCN, an effective inhibitor of the TGFβ pathway, was negatively correlated with stages of GC. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that DCN binds with TGFβ, in normal gastric epithelium, whereas in GC, ASPN preferentially binds TGFβ. Possible activation of the canonical TGFβ pathway by phosphorylation of SMAD2 in tumor tissues suggests its role as an intracellular tumor promoter. Furthermore, tissues expressing ASPN showed unregulated EMT signalling. Our study uncovers ASPN as a GC-promoting gene and DCN as tumor suppressor, suggesting that ASPN can act as a prognostic marker in GC. For the first time, we describe the physical interaction of TGFβ with ASPN in GC and DCN with TGFβ in GC and normal gastric epithelium respectively. This study suggests that prevention of ASPN-TGFβ interaction or overexpression of DCN could serve as promising therapeutic strategies for GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipjit Basak
- Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Zarqua Jamal
- Cancer Research Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, India
| | | | | | - Semanti Ghosh
- Crystallography and Molecular Biology Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Ranajoy Ghosh
- The School of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Aniket Halder
- The School of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Abhijit Chowdhury
- The School of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Gopal Krishna Dhali
- The School of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Makhan Lal Saha
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Abhimanyu Basu
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Sukanta Roy
- The School of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | | | | | - Urmi Chatterji
- Cancer Research Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Shalini Datta
- Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India
- * E-mail:
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22
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Itoh G, Takagane K, Fukushi Y, Kuriyama S, Umakoshi M, Goto A, Yanagihara K, Yashiro M, Tanaka M. Cancer-associated fibroblasts educate normal fibroblasts to facilitate cancer cell spreading and T cell suppression. Mol Oncol 2021; 16:166-187. [PMID: 34379869 PMCID: PMC8732346 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In some tumors, a small number of cancer cells are scattered in a large fibrotic stroma. Here, we demonstrate a novel mechanism for expansion of pro‐tumor fibroblasts via cancer‐associated fibroblast (CAF)‐mediated education of normal fibroblasts (NFs). When NFs were incubated with conditioned medium from CAFs, the resulting CAF‐educated fibroblasts (CEFs) generated reactive oxygen species, which induced NF‐κB‐mediated expression of inflammatory cytokines and the extracellular matrix protein asporin (ASPN), while expression of a common CAF marker gene, α‐SMA, was not increased. ASPN further increased CEF expression of downstream molecules, including indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase 1 (IDO‐1), kynureninase (KYNU), and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A). These CEFs induce cytocidal effects against CD8+ T cells and IGF‐I activation in cancer cells. CEFs were generated without cancer cells by the direct mixture of NFs and CAFs in mouse xenografts, and once CEFs were generated, they sequentially educated NFs, leading to continuous generation of CEFs. In diffuse‐type gastric cancers, ASPNhigh/IDO‐1high/KYNUhigh/α‐SMA− CEFs were located at the distal invading front. These CEFs expanded in the fibrotic stroma and caused dissemination of cancer cells. ASPN may therefore be a key molecule in facilitating tumor spreading and T‐cell suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Go Itoh
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Kurara Takagane
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Yuma Fukushi
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan.,Department of Life Science, Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering and Resource Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegata Gakuenmachi, Akita, 010-8502, Japan
| | - Sei Kuriyama
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Michinobu Umakoshi
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Akiteru Goto
- Department of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Yanagihara
- Division of Biomarker Discovery, Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan
| | - Masakazu Yashiro
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8545, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
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23
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Extracellular AGR2 activates neighboring fibroblasts through endocytosis and direct binding to β-catenin that requires AGR2 dimerization and adhesion domains. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 573:86-92. [PMID: 34399098 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) is often overexpressed in several types of cancer. AGR2 is cytoplasmic or secreted as an extracellular signal. Intracellular AGR2 properties and role in cancer have been well studied, but its extracellular function is largely unclear. It has been shown that extracellular AGR2 activates endothelial cells and fibroblasts in culture, but the mechanism of AGR2 signaling is not well elucidated. Here, we report that tumor secreted or externally added AGR2 translocates into cytoplasm by endocytosis, binds to β-catenin and further co-translocates to the nucleus in NIH3T3 fibroblasts. Externally added AGR2 also increased β-catenin expression, stability, and accumulation in the nucleus in both fibroblasts and cancer cells. External AGR2 rescued the expression of β-catenin, which was suppressed by EGFR inhibitor AG1478 indicating an alternative pathway to regulate β-catenin independent of EGFR signal. These effects were abolished when a monoclonal antibody against AGR2 was added to the experiments, confirming the effects are caused by AGR2 only. Putting together, our results show that extracellular AGR2 signaling pathway involves endocytosis mediated cellular translocation, direct binding and regulating β-catenin nuclear accumulation. It is also a target against tumor initiated AGR2 signaling to form and maintain tumor microenvironment.
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24
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Zhang H, Yang M, Wu X, Li Q, Li X, Zhao Y, Du F, Chen Y, Wu Z, Xiao Z, Shen J, Wen Q, Hu W, Cho CH, Chen M, Zhou Y, Li M. The distinct roles of exosomes in tumor-stroma crosstalk within gastric tumor microenvironment. Pharmacol Res 2021; 171:105785. [PMID: 34311072 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) development is a complex process displaying polytropic cell and molecular landscape within gastric tumor microenvironment (TME). Stromal cells in TME, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and various immune cells, support tumor growth, metastasis, and recurrence, functioning as the soil for gastric tumorigenesis. Importantly, exosomes secreted by either stromal cells or tumor cells during tumor-stroma crosstalk perform as crucial transporter of agents including RNAs and proteins for cell-cell communication in GC pathogenesis. Therefore, given the distinct roles of exosomes secreted by various cell types in GC TME, increasing evidence has indicated that exosomes present as new biomarkers for GC diagnosis and prognosis and shed light on novel approaches for GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyu Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; Nanchong Key Laboratory of Individualized Drug Therapy, Department of Pharmacy, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, Sichuan, China
| | - Min Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianxiu Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yueshui Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Fukuan Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhigui Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Qinglian Wen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chi Hin Cho
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China
| | - Meijuan Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yejiang Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China; South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
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25
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Liu L, Yu H, Long Y, You Z, Ogawa R, Du Y, Huang C. Asporin inhibits collagen matrix-mediated intercellular mechanocommunications between fibroblasts during keloid progression. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21705. [PMID: 34105826 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100111r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Keloids are fibrotic lesions that grow unceasingly and invasively and are driven by local mechanical stimuli. Unlike other fibrotic diseases and normal wound healing, keloids exhibit little transformation of dermal fibroblasts into α-SMA+ myofibroblasts. This study showed that asporin is the most strongly expressed gene in keloids and its gene-ontology terms relate strongly to ECM metabolism/organization. Experiments with human dermal cells (HDFs) showed that asporin overexpression/treatment abrogated the HDF ability to adopt a perpendicular orientation when subjected to stretching tension. It also induced calcification of the surrounding 3D collagen matrix. Asporin overexpression/treatment also prevented the HDFs from remodeling the surrounding 3D collagen matrix, leading to a disorganized network of thick, wavy collagen fibers that resembled keloid collagen architecture. This in turn impaired the ability of the HDFs to contract the collagen matrix. Asporin treatment also made the fibroblasts impervious to the fibrous collagen contraction of α-SMA+ myofibroblasts, which normally activates fibroblasts. Thus, by calcifying collagen, asporin prevents fibroblasts from linearly rearranging the surrounding collagen; this reduces both their mechanosensitivity and mechanosignaling to each other through the collagen network. This blocks fibroblast activation and differentiation into the mature myofibroblasts that efficiently remodel the extracellular matrix. Consequently, the fibroblasts remain immature, highly proliferative, and continue laying down abundant extracellular matrix, causing keloid growth and invasion. Notably, dermal injection of asporin-overexpressing HDFs into murine wounds recapitulated keloid collagen histopathological characteristics. Thus, disrupted interfibroblast mechanocommunication may promote keloid progression. Asporin may be a new diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for keloids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longwei Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongsheng Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Long
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhifeng You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Rei Ogawa
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yanan Du
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenyu Huang
- Department of Dermatology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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26
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Zhang Z, Min L, Li H, Chen L, Zhao Y, Liu S, Guo Q, Zhu S, Li P, Zhang S. Asporin represses gastric cancer apoptosis via activating LEF1-mediated gene transcription independent of β-catenin. Oncogene 2021; 40:4552-4566. [PMID: 34127813 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01858-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Asporin (ASPN) presents in the tumor microenvironment and exhibits a cancer-promoting effect as a stroma protein. Even though ASPN has already been observed inside cancer cells, the functions of intracellular ASPN and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we reported that ASPN was upregulated in different stages of gastric cancer (GC), and associated with a poor prognosis. Moreover, we found that ASPN markedly inhibited GC cell apoptosis and promoted cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanism investigations revealed that ASPN directly binding to lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) and promoted LEF1-mediated gene transcription independent of β-catenin, the classic co-factor in the Wnt/LEF1 pathway. We also demonstrated that ASPN selectively facilitated LEF1 binding to and activating the promoters of PTGS2, IL6, and WISP1 to promote their transcription. The suppression of cell apoptosis by ASPN overexpression could be attenuated by LEF1 knockdown or 100 µM aspirin (PTGS2 inhibitor), and siASPN mediated apoptosis could be rescued by LEF1 ectopic expression or adding recombinant IL6. Therefore, we concluded that ASPN repressed GC cell apoptosis via activating LEF1-mediated gene transcription independent of β-catenin, which could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Li Min
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Hengcun Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Si Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qingdong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shengtao Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Shutian Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P. R. China.
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27
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Wu F, Yang J, Liu J, Wang Y, Mu J, Zeng Q, Deng S, Zhou H. Signaling pathways in cancer-associated fibroblasts and targeted therapy for cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:218. [PMID: 34108441 PMCID: PMC8190181 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00641-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To flourish, cancers greatly depend on their surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in TME are critical for cancer occurrence and progression because of their versatile roles in extracellular matrix remodeling, maintenance of stemness, blood vessel formation, modulation of tumor metabolism, immune response, and promotion of cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and therapeutic resistance. CAFs are highly heterogeneous stromal cells and their crosstalk with cancer cells is mediated by a complex and intricate signaling network consisting of transforming growth factor-beta, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin, mitogen-activated protein kinase, Wnt, Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription, epidermal growth factor receptor, Hippo, and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, etc., signaling pathways. These signals in CAFs exhibit their own special characteristics during the cancer progression and have the potential to be targeted for anticancer therapy. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of these signaling cascades in interactions between cancer cells and CAFs is necessary to fully realize the pivotal roles of CAFs in cancers. Herein, in this review, we will summarize the enormous amounts of findings on the signals mediating crosstalk of CAFs with cancer cells and its related targets or trials. Further, we hypothesize three potential targeting strategies, including, namely, epithelial-mesenchymal common targets, sequential target perturbation, and crosstalk-directed signaling targets, paving the way for CAF-directed or host cell-directed antitumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanglong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Junjiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingtian Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingxiang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuzhi Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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28
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Jeong BY, Cho KH, Yoon SH, Park CG, Park HW, Lee HY. Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 Mediates Lysophosphatidic Acid-Induced Ovarian Cancer Aggressiveness. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105374. [PMID: 34065317 PMCID: PMC8160857 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a bioactive lipid produced extracellularly by autotaxin (ATX), has been known to induce various pathophysiological events, including cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) expression is upregulated in ovarian cancer tissues, and is closely associated with poor clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer patients. In the present study, we determined a critical role and signaling cascade for the expression of DDR2 in LPA-induced ovarian cancer cell invasion. We also found ectopic expression of ATX or stimulation of ovarian cancer cells with LPA-induced DDR2 expression. However, the silencing of DDR2 expression significantly inhibited ATX- and LPA-induced ovarian cancer cell invasion. In addition, treatment of the cells with pharmacological inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, and mTOR abrogated LPA-induced DDR2 expression. Moreover, we observed that HIF-1α, located downstream of the mTOR, is implicated in LPA-induced DDR2 expression and ovarian cancer cell invasion. Finally, we provide evidence that LPA-induced HIF-1α expression mediates Twist1 expression to upregulate DDR2 expression. Collectively, the present study demonstrates that ATX, and thereby LPA, induces DDR2 expression through the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/HIF-1α/Twist1 signaling axes, aggravating ovarian cancer cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Young Jeong
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea; (B.Y.J.); (K.H.C.); (C.G.P.)
| | - Kyung Hwa Cho
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea; (B.Y.J.); (K.H.C.); (C.G.P.)
| | - Se-Hee Yoon
- Division of Nephrology and Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Korea;
| | - Chang Gyo Park
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea; (B.Y.J.); (K.H.C.); (C.G.P.)
| | - Hwan-Woo Park
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea;
| | - Hoi Young Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Korea; (B.Y.J.); (K.H.C.); (C.G.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-42-600-8687
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29
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Hesterberg AB, Rios BL, Wolf EM, Tubbs C, Wong HY, Schaffer KR, Lotan TL, Giannico GA, Gordetsky JB, Hurley PJ. A distinct repertoire of cancer-associated fibroblasts is enriched in cribriform prostate cancer. J Pathol Clin Res 2021; 7:271-286. [PMID: 33600062 PMCID: PMC8073007 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Outcomes for men with localized prostate cancer vary widely, with some men effectively managed without treatment on active surveillance, while other men rapidly progress to metastatic disease despite curative-intent therapies. One of the strongest prognostic indicators of outcome is grade groups based on the Gleason grading system. Gleason grade 4 prostate cancer with cribriform morphology is associated with adverse outcomes and can be utilized clinically to improve risk stratification. The underpinnings of disease aggressiveness associated with cribriform architecture are not fully understood. Most studies have focused on genetic and molecular alterations in cribriform tumor cells; however, less is known about the tumor microenvironment in cribriform prostate cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogeneous population of fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment that impact cancer aggressiveness. The overall goal of this study was to determine if cribriform prostate cancers are associated with a unique repertoire of CAFs. Radical prostatectomy whole-tissue sections were analyzed for the expression of fibroblast markers (ASPN in combination with FAP, THY1, ENG, NT5E, TNC, and PDGFRβ) in stroma adjacent to benign glands and in Gleason grade 3, Gleason grade 4 cribriform, and Gleason grade 4 noncribriform prostate cancer by RNAscope®. Halo® Software was used to quantify percent positive stromal cells and expression per positive cell. The fibroblast subtypes enriched in prostate cancer were highly heterogeneous. Both overlapping and distinct populations of low abundant fibroblast subtypes in benign prostate stroma were enriched in Gleason grade 4 prostate cancer with cribriform morphology compared to Gleason grade 4 prostate cancer with noncribriform morphology and Gleason grade 3 prostate cancer. In addition, gene expression was distinctly altered in CAF subtypes adjacent to cribriform prostate cancer. Overall, these studies suggest that cribriform prostate cancer has a unique tumor microenvironment that may distinguish it from other Gleason grade 4 morphologies and lower Gleason grades.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brenda L Rios
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Elysa M Wolf
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Colby Tubbs
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Hong Yuen Wong
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Kerry R Schaffer
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Tamara L Lotan
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Giovanna A Giannico
- Department of PathologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of UrologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Jennifer B Gordetsky
- Department of PathologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of UrologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Paula J Hurley
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
- Department of UrologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
- Vanderbilt‐Ingram Cancer CenterVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTNUSA
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30
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Yashiro M, Hasegawa T, Yamamoto Y, Tsujio G, Nishimura S, Sera T, Sugimoto A, Kushiyama S, Kasashima H, Fukuoka T, Sakurai K, Toyokawa T, Kubo N, Ohira M. Asporin Expression on Stromal Cells and/or Cancer Cells Might Be A Useful Prognostic Marker in Patients with Diffuse-Type Gastric Cancer. Eur Surg Res 2021; 62:53-60. [PMID: 33882483 DOI: 10.1159/000515458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asporin (ASPN), a member of the proteoglycan family, has been shown to have a close correlation with cancer progression. It is not known whether ASPN is an oncogenic driver or a tumor suppressor in human gastric cancer. We sought herein to determine the relationship between ASPN expression and clinicopathological features of gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 296 gastric cancer patients (diffuse type, n = 144; intestinal type, n = 152) were enrolled. The ASPN expression level in each case was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS ASPN was mainly found on stromal cells, especially on fibroblasts in tumor stroma, i.e., cancer-associated fibroblasts. The ASPN expression on either cancer cells or stromal cells was significantly high in macroscopic scirrhous-type tumors (p < 0.001) and histologically abundant stroma-type tumors (p < 0.001). Interestingly, a Kaplan-Meier survival curve of the 144 cases of diffuse-type gastric cancer revealed a significantly poorer prognosis in patients with ASPN-positive expression (p = 0.043; log rank) compared to those with ASPN-negative expression, but the prognoses were not significantly different in these subgroups of the 152 cases of intestinal-type gastric cancer. A multivariate analysis with respect to overall survival showed that ASPN expression on stromal cells and/or cancer cells was significantly correlated with overall survival in patients with diffuse-type gastric cancer (p = 0.041). CONCLUSION In gastric cancer, ASPN was expressed mainly on stromal cells and partially on cancer cells. ASPN expression on stromal cells and/or cancer cells might be a useful prognostic marker in patients with diffuse-type gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakazu Yashiro
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Cancer Center for Translational Research, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Hasegawa
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Yurie Yamamoto
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Cancer Center for Translational Research, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Gen Tsujio
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Sadaaki Nishimura
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Sera
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sugimoto
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Shuhei Kushiyama
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kasashima
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Tatsunari Fukuoka
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan.,Cancer Center for Translational Research, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Katsunobu Sakurai
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Takahiro Toyokawa
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Naoshi Kubo
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Masaichi Ohira
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City, Japan
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31
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Wang G, Zhang M, Cheng M, Wang X, Li K, Chen J, Chen Z, Chen S, Chen J, Xiong G, Xu X, Wang C, Chen D. Tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Functions and regulatory mechanisms. Cancer Lett 2021; 507:55-69. [PMID: 33741424 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment has been recently reported to play a pivotal role in sustaining tumor cells survival and protecting them from immunotherapy and chemotherapy-induced death. It remains largely unknown how the specific signaling pathway exerts the tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma though previous studies have elucidated the regulatory mechanisms involve in tumor immune microenvironment, stromal cells, tumor angiogenesis and cancer stem cell. These components are responsible for tumor progression as well as anti-cancer therapy resistance, leading to rapid tumor growth and treatment failure. In this review, we focus on discussing the interaction between tumor cells and the surrounding components for better understanding of anti-cancer treatment ineffectiveness and its underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganping Wang
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Maosheng Cheng
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiaochen Wang
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Kang Li
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jianwen Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhi Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shuang Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Gan Xiong
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Xiuyun Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510030, China
| | - Demeng Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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32
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Mice lacking PLAP-1/asporin counteracts high fat diet-induced metabolic disorder and alveolar bone loss by controlling adipose tissue expansion. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4970. [PMID: 33654143 PMCID: PMC7925592 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84512-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Adipose tissue fibrosis with chronic inflammation is a hallmark of obesity-related metabolic disorders, and the role of proteoglycans in developing adipose tissue fibrosis is of interest. Periodontal disease is associated with obesity; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here we investigated the roles of periodontal ligament associated protein-1 (PLAP-1)/asporin, a proteoglycan preferentially and highly expressed in the periodontal ligament, in obesity-related adipose tissue dysfunction and adipocyte differentiation. It was found that PLAP-1 is also highly expressed in white adipose tissues. Plap-1 knock-out mice counteracted obesity and alveolar bone resorption induced by a high-fat diet. Plap-1 knock-down in 3T3-L1 cells resulted in less lipid accumulation, and recombinant PLAP-1 enhanced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, it was found that primary preadipocytes isolated from Plap-1 knock-out mice showed lesser lipid accumulation than the wild-type (WT) mice. Furthermore, the stromal vascular fraction of Plap-1 knock-out mice showed different extracellular matrix gene expression patterns compared to WT. These findings demonstrate that PLAP-1 enhances adipogenesis and could be a key molecule in understanding the association between periodontal disease and obesity-related metabolic disorders.
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33
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Wang Z, Yang Q, Tan Y, Tang Y, Ye J, Yuan B, Yu W. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Suppress Cancer Development: The Other Side of the Coin. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:613534. [PMID: 33614646 PMCID: PMC7890026 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.613534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the main stromal components of cancer, representing a group of heterogeneous cells. Many studies indicate that CAFs promote tumor development. Besides, evidence of the tumor suppression effects of CAFs keeps on merging. In the tumor microenvironment, multiple stimuli can activate fibroblasts. Notably, this does not necessarily mean the activated CAFs become strong tumor promoters immediately. The varying degree of CAFs activation makes quiescent CAFs, tumor-restraining CAFs, and tumor-promoting CAFs. Quiescent CAFs and tumor-restraining CAFs are more present in early-stage cancer, while comparatively, more tumor-promoting CAFs present in advanced-stage cancer. The underlying mechanism that balances tumor promotion or tumor inhibition effects of CAFs is mostly unknown. This review focus on the inhibitory effects of CAFs on cancer development. We describe the heterogeneous origin, markers, and metabolism in the CAFs population. Transgenetic mouse models that deplete CAFs or deplete CAFs activation signaling in the tumor stroma present direct evidence of CAFs protective effects against cancer. Moreover, we outline CAFs subpopulation and CAFs derived soluble factors that act as a tumor suppressor. Single-cell RNA-sequencing on CAFs population provides us new insight to classify CAFs subsets. Understanding the full picture of CAFs will help translate CAFs biology from bench to bedside and develop new strategies to improve precision cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanhuai Wang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yinuo Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Tang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Ye
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Wei Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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34
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Sasaki Y, Takagane K, Konno T, Itoh G, Kuriyama S, Yanagihara K, Yashiro M, Yamada S, Murakami S, Tanaka M. Expression of asporin reprograms cancer cells to acquire resistance to oxidative stress. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:1251-1261. [PMID: 33393151 PMCID: PMC7935789 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Asporin (ASPN), a small leucine‐rich proteoglycan expressed predominantly by cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), plays a pivotal role in tumor progression. ASPN is also expressed by some cancer cells, but its biological significance is unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of ASPN expression in gastric cancer cells. Overexpression of ASPN in 2 gastric cancer cell lines, HSC‐43 and 44As3, led to increased migration and invasion capacity, accompanied by induction of CD44 expression and activation of Rac1 and MMP9. ASPN expression increased resistance of HSC‐43 cells to oxidative stress by reducing the amount of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. ASPN induced expression of the transcription factor HIF1α and upregulated lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and PDH‐E1α, suggesting that ASPN reprograms HSC‐43 cells to undergo anaerobic glycolysis and suppresses ROS generation in mitochondria, which has been observed in another cell line HSC‐44PE. By contrast, 44As3 cells expressed high levels of HIF1α in response to oxidant stress and escaped apoptosis regardless of ASPN expression. Examination of xenografts in the gastric wall of ASPN–/– mice revealed that growth of HSC‐43 tumors with increased micro blood vessel density was significantly accelerated by ASPN; however, ASPN increased the invasion depth of both HSC‐43 and 44As3 tumors. These results suggest that ASPN has 2 distinct effects on cancer cells: HIF1α‐mediated resistance to oxidative stress via reprogramming of glucose metabolism, and activation of CD44‐Rac1 and MMP9 to promote cell migration and invasion. Therefore, ASPN may be a new therapeutic target in tumor fibroblasts and cancer cells in some gastric carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Sasaki
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.,Department of Life Science, Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering and Resource Science, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Kurara Takagane
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Takumi Konno
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.,Department of Life Science, Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering and Resource Science, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Go Itoh
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Sei Kuriyama
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Yanagihara
- Division of Biomarker Discovery, Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masakazu Yashiro
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamada
- Department of Periodontology and Endodontology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shinya Murakami
- Department of Periodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
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35
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Kim JY, Cho KH, Jeong BY, Park CG, Lee HY. Zeb1 for RCP-induced oral cancer cell invasion and its suppression by resveratrol. Exp Mol Med 2020; 52:1152-1163. [PMID: 32728068 PMCID: PMC8080807 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-020-0474-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rab coupling protein (RCP) is upregulated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and is correlated with the progression and survival of patients. However, the role of RCP in one of the aggressive types of HNSCC, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), remains elusive. In the present study, we identified the important role of Zeb1 in RCP-induced OSCC epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion. RCP induces Zeb1 expression, and silencing Zeb1 expression significantly inhibits RCP-induced OSCC invasion. In addition, Zeb1 upregulates MT1-MMP expression to promote OSCC EMT and invasion. Furthermore, we observed that the β1 integrin/EGFR/β-catenin signaling cascade mediates RCP-induced Zeb1 expression to promote OSCC invasion. Notably, we provide evidence that resveratrol (REV) strongly inhibits RCP-induced Zeb1 expression through blocking β1 integrin endosome recycling and EGFR activation, leading to suppression of RCP-induced OSCC invasion, demonstrating the important role of RCP in OSCC invasion and its reversion by REV. Collectively, the present study provides evidence for the first time that RCP aggravates OSCC invasion through increasing Zeb1 expression and subsequently upregulating MT1-MMP expression and that this process is reversed by REV, providing novel biomarkers and indicating the therapeutic potential of REV in OSCC. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring compound present in grape skins, peanuts, and blueberries, reduces the ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells to spread to other parts of the body. Over half a million new cases of OSCC are diagnosed each year, and spread beyond the mouth is the most common cause of death. Hoi Young Lee at Konyang University, Daejon, Republic of Korea, and co-workers investigated whether a protein called RCP, which increases the invasiveness of many but not all types of cancer, is implicated in aggressive spread of OSCC. They found that RCP does increase the invasiveness of OSCC. Resveratrol is known to suppress the spread of many cancers, and strongly curtailed the spread of OSCC by blocking RCP activity. These results shed light on OSCC invasiveness, and offer a potential new treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Young Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Hwa Cho
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Young Jeong
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Gyo Park
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoi Young Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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36
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Wang Y, Liu H, Bian Y, An J, Duan X, Wan J, Yao X, Du C, Ni C, Zhu L, Lei N, Wang F, Zhang L, Wang M, Qin Z. Low SCRIB expression in fibroblasts promotes invasion of lung cancer cells. Life Sci 2020; 256:117955. [PMID: 32534038 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a crucial role in lung tumor development, but the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. MAIN METHODS SCRIB expression in the CAFs of human lung cancer tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). A coculture of mouse Lewis lung cancer cells (LLC) and fibroblasts was used to investigate SCRIB expression in cocultured fibroblasts. Proliferation, scratch wound, and transwell assays were used to examine the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of SCRIB knockdown fibroblasts and their effects on LLC. A 3D-coculture system and co-injection xenograft model were used to examine LLC invasion. RNA sequencing and transwell experiments were used to explore the molecules that may participate in LLC invasion. KEY FINDINGS Herein, we found that the low expression of SCRIB in CAFs is correlated with advanced tumor stages and poor survival for human lung squamous cell carcinoma. SCRIB expression in fibroblasts is drastically downregulated by LLC cells. SCRIB knockdown fibroblasts not only enhance invasion but also facilitate LLC invasion in a 3D-coculture system and in an in vivo subcutaneous transplantation model. The upregulation of asporin in SCRIB knockdown fibroblasts is involved in LLC invasion in vitro. SIGNIFICANCE Collectively, the results indicate that fibroblasts with low SCRIB expression promote lung cancer cell invasion, which suggests that the downregulated expression of SCRIB may represent one of the important characteristics of tumor-promoting CAFs in lung squamous cell cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Wang
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, CAS-University of Tokyo Joint Laboratory of Structural Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yangyang Bian
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Junfeng An
- President of Yun kang Medical Research Institute, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000, China; School of Yun kang Medical and Health Management, Nan fang College of SUN Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou city, Guangdong 510970, China
| | - Xixi Duan
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Jiajia Wan
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Xiaohan Yao
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Cancan Du
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Chen Ni
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Linyu Zhu
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Ningjing Lei
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Lijing Zhang
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China.
| | - Zhihai Qin
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceuticals, CAS-University of Tokyo Joint Laboratory of Structural Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China.
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37
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Cancer-associated fibroblasts-derived VCAM1 induced by H. pylori infection facilitates tumor invasion in gastric cancer. Oncogene 2020; 39:2961-2974. [PMID: 32034307 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1197-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a major role in the progression of stomach cancer, but the related mechanisms are not fully understood. H. pylori infection is recognized as one of the strongest risk factors for gastric carcinoma, but its effects on CAFs remain unknown. We aimed to determine the causative relationship between H. pylori infection in fibroblasts and the promoted cancer pathogenesis and progression in gastric cancer. Primary CAFs and normal activated fibroblasts (NAFs) were generated from gastric cancer patients. Gene signature of H. pylori-infected human stomach fibroblasts was performed using the RNA-seq analysis. Spheroid cell invasion assay and zebrafish cell line-derived xenograft (zCDX) model were introduced to evaluate tumor invasion induced by CAFs. The molecule interactions were determined using the kinetic binding analysis with the Biolayer Interferometry (BLI). Clinical significance and relevance were also assessed using the database analyses. H. pylori infection activated stomach fibroblasts and caused multiple gene alterations, including vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1). H. pylori infection increased VCAM1 expression in CAFs in gastric carcinoma via activation of JAK/STAT1 signaling pathway, and VCAM1 levels were positively associated with tumor progression and dismal prognosis in stomach cancer patients. Furthermore, CAFs-derived VCAM1 molecularly interacted with integrin αvβ1/5 in gastric cancer cells facilitated tumor invasion in vitro and in vivo. Our results identify a novel mechanism underlying CAFs to promote tumor invasion during H. pylori infection. These studies facilitate us for a better understanding of the molecular process of gastric carcinoma progression, and provide the potential strategies for gastric cancer therapy.
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38
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Hanumantharao SN, Que CA, Vogl BJ, Rao S. Engineered Three-Dimensional Scaffolds Modulating Fate of Breast Cancer Cells Using Stiffness and Morphology Related Cell Adhesion. IEEE OPEN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1:41-48. [PMID: 35402960 PMCID: PMC8979620 DOI: 10.1109/ojemb.2020.2965084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Goal: Artificially engineering the tumor microenvironment in vitro as a vital tool for understanding the mechanism of tumor progression. In this study, we developed three-dimensional cell scaffold systems with different topographical features and mechanical properties but similar surface chemistry. The cell behavior was modulated by the topography and mechanical properties of the scaffold. Methods: Adenocarcinoma (MCF7), triple-negative (MDA-MB-231) and premalignant (MCF10AneoT) breast cancer cells were seeded on the scaffold systems. The cell viability, cell-cell interaction and cell-matrix interactions were analyzed. The preferential growth and alignment of specific population of cells were demonstrated. Results: Among the different scaffolds, triple-negative breast cancer cells preferred honeycomb scaffolds while adenocarcinoma cells favored mesh scaffolds and premalignant cells preferred the aligned scaffolds. Conclusions: The 3D model system developed here can be used to support growth of only specific cell populations or for the growth of tumors. This model can be used for understanding the topographical and mechanical features affecting tumorigenesis, cancer cell growth and migration behavior of malignant and metastatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Smitha Rao
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringMichigan Technological University Houghton MI 49931 USA
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39
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Zhan S, Li J, Ge W. Multifaceted Roles of Asporin in Cancer: Current Understanding. Front Oncol 2019; 9:948. [PMID: 31608236 PMCID: PMC6771297 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family consists of 18 members categorized into five distinct classes, the traditional classes I–III, and the non-canonical classes IV–V. Unlike the other class I SLRPs (decorin and biglycan), asporin contains a unique and conserved stretch of aspartate (D) residues in its N terminus, and germline polymorphisms in the D-repeat-length are associated with osteoarthritis and prostate cancer progression. Since the first discovery of asporin in 2001, previous studies have focused mainly on its roles in bone and joint diseases, including osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration and periodontal ligament mineralization. Recently, asporin gene expression was also reported to be dysregulated in tumor tissues of different types of cancer, and to act as oncogene in pancreatic, colorectal, gastric, and prostate cancers, and some types of breast cancer, though it is also reported to function as a tumor suppressor gene in triple-negative breast cancer. Furthermore, asporin is also positively or negatively correlated with tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, and patient prognosis through its regulation of different signaling pathways, including the TGF-β, EGFR, and CD44 pathways. In this review, we seek to elucidate the signaling pathways and functions regulated by asporin in different types of cancer and to highlight some important issues that require investigation in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohua Zhan
- National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
| | - Jinming Li
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Ge
- National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Immunology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
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40
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Sai E, Miwa Y, Takeyama R, Kojima S, Ueno T, Yashiro M, Seto Y, Mano H. Identification of candidates for driver oncogenes in scirrhous-type gastric cancer cell lines. Cancer Sci 2019; 110:2643-2651. [PMID: 31222839 PMCID: PMC6676123 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Scirrhous‐type gastric cancer (SGC) is one of the most intractable cancer subtypes in humans, and its therapeutic targets have been rarely identified to date. Exploration of somatic mutations in the SGC genome with the next‐generation sequencers has been hampered by markedly increased fibrous tissues. Thus, SGC cell lines may be useful resources for searching for novel oncogenes. Here we have conducted whole exome sequencing and RNA sequencing on 2 SGC cell lines, OCUM‐8 and OCUM‐9. Interestingly, most of the mutations thus identified have not been reported. In OCUM‐8 cells, a novel CD44‐IGF1R fusion gene is discovered, the protein product of which ligates the amino‐terminus of CD44 to the transmembrane and tyrosine‐kinase domains of IGF1R. Furthermore, both CD44 and IGF1R are markedly amplified in the OCUM‐8 genome and abundantly expressed. CD44‐IGF1R has a transforming ability, and the suppression of its kinase activity leads to rapid cell death of OCUM‐8. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the transforming activity of IGF1R fusion genes. However, OCUM‐9 seems to possess multiple oncogenic events in its genome. In particular, a novel BORCS5‐ETV6 fusion gene is identified in the OCUM‐9 genome. BORCS5‐ETV6 possesses oncogenic activity, and suppression of its message partially inhibits cell growth. Prevalence of these novel fusion genes among SGC awaits further investigation, but we validate the significance of cell lines as appropriate reagents for detailed genomic analyses of SGC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirin Sai
- Department of Medical Genomics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Miwa
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Reina Takeyama
- Department of Cellular Signaling, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Kojima
- Department of Cellular Signaling, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshihide Ueno
- Department of Cellular Signaling, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masakazu Yashiro
- Department of Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Seto
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Mano
- Department of Cellular Signaling, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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41
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Hughes RM, Simons BW, Khan H, Miller R, Kugler V, Torquato S, Theodros D, Haffner MC, Lotan T, Huang J, Davicioni E, An SS, Riddle RC, Thorek DLJ, Garraway IP, Fertig EJ, Isaacs JT, Brennen WN, Park BH, Hurley PJ. Asporin Restricts Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Differentiation, Alters the Tumor Microenvironment, and Drives Metastatic Progression. Cancer Res 2019; 79:3636-3650. [PMID: 31123087 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-2931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Tumor progression to metastasis is not cancer cell autonomous, but rather involves the interplay of multiple cell types within the tumor microenvironment. Here we identify asporin (ASPN) as a novel, secreted mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) factor in the tumor microenvironment that regulates metastatic development. MSCs expressed high levels of ASPN, which decreased following lineage differentiation. ASPN loss impaired MSC self-renewal and promoted terminal cell differentiation. Mechanistically, secreted ASPN bound to BMP-4 and restricted BMP-4-induced MSC differentiation prior to lineage commitment. ASPN expression was distinctly conserved between MSC and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). ASPN expression in the tumor microenvironment broadly impacted multiple cell types. Prostate tumor allografts in ASPN-null mice had a reduced number of tumor-associated MSCs, fewer cancer stem cells, decreased tumor vasculature, and an increased percentage of infiltrating CD8+ T cells. ASPN-null mice also demonstrated a significant reduction in lung metastases compared with wild-type mice. These data establish a role for ASPN as a critical MSC factor that extensively affects the tumor microenvironment and induces metastatic progression. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that asporin regulates key properties of mesenchymal stromal cells, including self-renewal and multipotency, and asporin expression by reactive stromal cells alters the tumor microenvironment and promotes metastatic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Hughes
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Brian W Simons
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hamda Khan
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Rebecca Miller
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Valentina Kugler
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Samantha Torquato
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Debebe Theodros
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michael C Haffner
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tamara Lotan
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jessie Huang
- The Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Elai Davicioni
- Genome Dx Biosciences, Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Steven S An
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Whiting School of Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ryan C Riddle
- The Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel L J Thorek
- The Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Isla P Garraway
- The Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Elana J Fertig
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - John T Isaacs
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - W Nathaniel Brennen
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ben H Park
- The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Whiting School of Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Paula J Hurley
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. .,The Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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42
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Abstract
The tumour microenvironment, also termed the tumour stroma or tumour mesenchyme, includes fibroblasts, immune cells, blood vessels and the extracellular matrix and substantially influences the initiation, growth and dissemination of gastrointestinal cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the critical components of the tumour mesenchyme and not only provide physical support for epithelial cells but also are key functional regulators in cancer, promoting and retarding tumorigenesis in a context-dependent manner. In this Review, we outline the emerging understanding of gastrointestinal CAFs with a particular emphasis on their origin and heterogeneity, as well as their function in cancer cell proliferation, tumour immunity, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodelling and drug resistance. Moreover, we discuss the clinical implications of CAFs as biomarkers and potential targets for prevention and treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancer.
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43
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Wilson RB, Solass W, Archid R, Weinreich FJ, Königsrainer A, Reymond MA. Resistance to anoikis in transcoelomic shedding: the role of glycolytic enzymes. Pleura Peritoneum 2019; 4:20190003. [PMID: 31198853 PMCID: PMC6545877 DOI: 10.1515/pp-2019-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Detachment of cells from the extracellular matrix into the peritoneal cavity initiates a cascade of metabolic alterations, leading usually to cell death by apoptosis, so-called anoikis. Glycolytic enzymes enable the switch from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis and allow resistance to anoikis of shed tumour cells. These enzymes also have moonlighting activities as protein kinases and transcription factors. Phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) and pyruvate kinase are the only glycolytic enzymes generating ATP in the hexokinase pathway. Hypoxia, EGFR activation, expression of K-Ras G12V and B-Raf V600E induce mitochondrial translocation of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1). Mitochondrial PGK1 acts as a protein kinase to phosphorylate pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDHK1), reducing mitochondrial pyruvate utilization, suppressing reactive oxygen species production, increasing lactate production and promoting tumourigenesis. PGK1 also plays a role as a transcription factor once transported into the nucleus. Resistance to anoikis is also facilitated by metabolic support provided by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Our series of experiments in-vitro and in the animal model showed that PGK1 knock-out or inhibition is effective in controlling development and growth of peritoneal metastasis (PM) of gastric origin, establishing a causal role of PGK1 in this development. PGK1 also increases CXCR4 and CXCL12 expression, which is associated with a metastatic phenotype and plays a role in the metastatic homing of malignant cells. Thus, PGK1, its modulators and target genes may be exploited as therapeutic targets for preventing development of PM and for enhancing cytotoxic effects of conventional systemic chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Wilson
- Department of Surgery, University of South New Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Liverpool Hospital, Elizabeth St, Liverpool, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Wiebke Solass
- Institute of Pathology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rami Archid
- Department of General and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Alfred Königsrainer
- Department of General and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marc A. Reymond
- Department of General and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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44
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Najgebauer H, Jarnuczak AF, Varro A, Sanderson CM. Integrative Omic Profiling Reveals Unique Hypoxia Induced Signatures in Gastric Cancer Associated Myofibroblasts. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11020263. [PMID: 30813438 PMCID: PMC6406696 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11020263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although hypoxia is known to contribute to several aspects of tumour progression, relatively little is known about the effects of hypoxia on cancer-associated myofibroblasts (CAMs), or the consequences that conditional changes in CAM function may have on tumour development and metastasis. To investigate this issue in the context of gastric cancer, a comparative multiomic analysis was performed on populations of patient-derived myofibroblasts, cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Data from this study reveal a novel set of CAM-specific hypoxia-induced changes in gene expression and secreted proteins. Significantly, these signatures are not observed in either patient matched adjacent tissue myofibroblasts (ATMs) or non-cancer associated normal tissue myofibroblasts (NTMs). Functional characterisation of different myofibroblast populations shows that hypoxia-induced changes in gene expression not only enhance the ability of CAMs to induce cancer cell migration, but also confer pro-tumorigenic (CAM-like) properties in NTMs. This study provides the first global mechanistic insight into the molecular changes that contribute to hypoxia-induced pro-tumorigenic changes in gastric stromal myofibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Najgebauer
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK.
| | - Andrew F Jarnuczak
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK.
| | - Andrea Varro
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
| | - Christopher M Sanderson
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
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45
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Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles in Gastric Juice from Gastric Cancer Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20040953. [PMID: 30813244 PMCID: PMC6412909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20040953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secretory membrane vesicles containing lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids; they function in intercellular transport by delivering their components to recipient cells. EVs are observed in various body fluids, i.e., blood, saliva, urine, amniotic fluid, and ascites. EVs secreted from cancer cells play important roles in the formation of their environment, including fibrosis, angiogenesis, evasion of immune surveillance, and even metastasis. However, EVs in gastric juice (GJ-EVs) have been largely unexplored. In this study, we sought to clarify the existence of GJ-EVs derived from gastric cancer patients. GJ-EVs were isolated by the ultracentrifuge method combined with our own preprocessing from gastric cancer (GC) patients. We verified GJ-EVs by morphological experiments, i.e., nanoparticle tracking system analysis and electron microscopy. In addition, protein and microRNA markers of EVs were examined by Western blotting analysis, Bioanalyzer, or quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. GJ-EVs were found to promote the proliferation of normal fibroblast cells. Our findings suggest that isolates from the GJ of GC patients contain EVs and imply that GJ-EVs partially affect their microenvironments and that analysis using GJ-EVs from GC patients will help to clarify the pathophysiology of GC.
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46
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Cytoplasmic Asporin promotes cell migration by regulating TGF-β/Smad2/3 pathway and indicates a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:109. [PMID: 30728352 PMCID: PMC6365561 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1376-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies revealed that Asporin (ASPN) is a potential mediator in the development of various types of cancer as a secreted stroma protein, but the function of ASPN inside the cancer cells remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated a higher expression level of ASPN in colorectal cancer (CRC) than matched normal tissues, and 25% (2/8) CRC showed copy number variation (CNV) gain/amplification in ASPN gene. Both higher ASPN expression levels and ASPN CNV gain/amplification indicated a worse prognosis in CRC patients. ASPN can promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells, and inhibit apoptosis by activating Akt/Erk and TGF-β/Smad2/3 signalings. Further investigations revealed that ASPN interacts with Smad2/3, facilitates its translocation into nucleus, and up-regulates the expression of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related genes. Rescue assays confirmed that TGF-β signaling is essential for the effects of ASPN on promoting CRC cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, ASPN promotes the migration and invasion of CRC cells via TGF-β/Smad2/3 pathway and could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in CRC patients.
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47
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Elias KM, Tsantoulis P, Tille JC, Vitonis A, Doyle LA, Hornick JL, Kaya G, Barnes L, Cramer DW, Puppa G, Stuckelberger S, Hooda J, Dietrich PY, Goggins M, Kerr CL, Birrer M, Hirsch MS, Drapkin R, Labidi-Galy SI. Primordial germ cells as a potential shared cell of origin for mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas and mucinous ovarian tumors. J Pathol 2018; 246:459-469. [PMID: 30229909 DOI: 10.1002/path.5161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Mucinous ovarian tumors (MOTs) morphologically and epidemiologically resemble mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) of the pancreas, sharing a similar stroma and both occurring disproportionately among young females. Additionally, MOTs and MCNs share similar clinical characteristics and immunohistochemical phenotypes. Exome sequencing has revealed frequent recurrent mutations in KRAS and RNF43 in both MOTs and MCNs. The cell of origin for these tumors remains unclear, but MOTs sometimes arise in the context of mature cystic teratomas and other primordial germ cell (PGC) tumors. We undertook the present study to investigate whether non-teratoma-associated MOTs and MCNs share a common cell of origin. Comparisons of the gene expression profiles of MOTs [including both the mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (MBOTs) and invasive mucinous ovarian carcinomas (MOCs)], high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas, ovarian surface epithelium, Fallopian tube epithelium, normal pancreatic tissue, pancreatic duct adenocarcinomas, MCNs, and single-cell RNA-sequencing of PGCs revealed that both MOTs and MCNs are more closely related to PGCs than to either eutopic epithelial tumors or normal epithelia. We hypothesize that MCNs may arise from PGCs that stopped in the dorsal pancreas during their descent to the gonads during early human embryogenesis, while MOTs arise from PGCs in the ovary. Together, these data suggest a common pathway for the development of MCNs and MOTs, and suggest that these tumors may be more properly classified as germ cell tumor variants. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Elias
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petros Tsantoulis
- Department of internal medicine specialties, Facutly of Medicine, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Allison Vitonis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leona A Doyle
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason L Hornick
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gurkan Kaya
- Department of internal medicine specialties, Facutly of Medicine, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Dermatology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Barnes
- Division of Dermatology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniel W Cramer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giacomo Puppa
- Division of Pathology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Stuckelberger
- Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jagmohan Hooda
- Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pierre-Yves Dietrich
- Department of internal medicine specialties, Facutly of Medicine, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michael Goggins
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Candace L Kerr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael Birrer
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Michelle S Hirsch
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ronny Drapkin
- Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sana Intidhar Labidi-Galy
- Department of internal medicine specialties, Facutly of Medicine, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
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48
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Zhang Y, Xue X, Zhao X, Qin L, Shen Y, Dou H, Sun J, Wang T, Yang DQ. Vasohibin 2 promotes malignant behaviors of pancreatic cancer cells by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition via Hedgehog signaling pathway. Cancer Med 2018; 7:5567-5576. [PMID: 30318866 PMCID: PMC6246956 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.1752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Based on previous findings, we hypothesized that Vasohibin 2 (VASH2) protein may induce epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells by promoting the malignant behaviors of these cells. The present study aimed to test this hypothesis and explore the possible mechanisms involved. Methods The expression of VASH2 in PC tissues and cell lines was detected by quantitative real‐time PCR and Western blot. PC cells with overexpression or knockdown of VASH2 were used to examine the involvement of VASH2 in EMT by detecting the expression of epithelial (E‐cadherin) and mesenchymal (vimentin) markers and EMT‐related transcription factor ZEB1/2, in gemcitabine resistance and tumor cell invasion by apoptosis and invasion assays, and in cancer stem cell‐like phenotypes by detecting the proportion of CD24+CD44+ and side population (SP) cells in PC cells with flow cytometry. The impact of VASH2 overexpression and knockdown on components of the Hedgehog signaling pathway was also assessed. Results We found that VASH2 was highly expressed in PC tissues and cells. It promoted the EMT of PC cells by altering ZEB1/2 expression. VASH2 also stimulated invasion and chemotherapeutic resistance of PC cells and increased the proportion of cancer stem‐like cells in PC cells. VASH2 did so by upregulating the expression of multiple molecules in the Hedgehog signaling pathway of PC cells. Conclusion VASH2 promotes malignant behaviors of PC cells by inducing EMT via activation of the Hedgehog signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Zhang
- Wuxi People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.,The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota.,College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Xue
- First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqian Zhao
- College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Qin
- First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yu Shen
- First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou University, Suzhou, China
| | - Huiqiang Dou
- Wuxi People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.,College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jialin Sun
- College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Wuxi People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.,College of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Da-Qing Yang
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota.,The Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota
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49
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HGF-mediated crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and MET-unamplified gastric cancer cells activates coordinated tumorigenesis and metastasis. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:867. [PMID: 30158543 PMCID: PMC6115420 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0922-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important components of tumor stroma and play a key role in tumor progression. CAFs involve in crosstalk with tumor cells through various kinds of cytokines. In the present study, we screened hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) as a cytokine predominantly originating from CAFs. CAFs-derived HGF was found to promote MET-unamplified gastric cancer (GC) proliferation, migration, and invasion through the activation of HGF/c-Met/STAT3/twist1 pathway. It also activated interleukin (IL)-6/IL-6R/JAK2/STAT3/twist1 pathway by up-regulating IL-6R expression. As IL-6 was also found to upregulate c-Met expression, we identified the cooperation of HGF and IL-6 in enhancing the characteristics of CAFs. In vivo experiments revealed that CAFs-derived HGF promoted tumorigenesis and metastasis of MET-unamplified GC. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to confirm our findings. Our study found that the increased expression of HGF in CAFs induced by MET-unamplified GC contributed to the malignant phenotype of both MET-unamplified GC and CAFs in tumor microenvironment.
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50
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Liu X, Wu J, Zhang D, Bing Z, Tian J, Ni M, Zhang X, Meng Z, Liu S. Identification of Potential Key Genes Associated With the Pathogenesis and Prognosis of Gastric Cancer Based on Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis. Front Genet 2018; 9:265. [PMID: 30065754 PMCID: PMC6056647 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective: Despite striking advances in multimodality management, gastric cancer (GC) remains the third cause of cancer mortality globally and identifying novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers is urgently demanded. The study aimed to identify potential key genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of GC. Methods: Differentially expressed genes between GC and normal gastric tissue samples were screened by an integrated analysis of multiple gene expression profile datasets. Key genes related to the pathogenesis and prognosis of GC were identified by employing protein–protein interaction network and Cox proportional hazards model analyses. Results: We identified nine hub genes (TOP2A, COL1A1, COL1A2, NDC80, COL3A1, CDKN3, CEP55, TPX2, and TIMP1) which might be tightly correlated with the pathogenesis of GC. A prognostic gene signature consisted of CST2, AADAC, SERPINE1, COL8A1, SMPD3, ASPN, ITGBL1, MAP7D2, and PLEKHS1 was constructed with a good performance in predicting overall survivals. Conclusion: The findings of this study would provide some directive significance for further investigating the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to facilitate the molecular targeting therapy of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinkui Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhitong Bing
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China.,Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Tian
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mengwei Ni
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhang
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqi Meng
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyu Liu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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