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Qin X, Gan Z, Liu H, Tao T, He J, Li X, Shang D, Li X, Xie F, Qin J. A Pump-Free Strategy for the Controllable Generation of Alginate Microgels as Cellular Microcarriers. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:3958-3967. [PMID: 38711418 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Microgels are advanced scaffolds for tissue engineering due to their proper biodegradability, good biocompatibility, and high specific surface area for effective oxygen and nutrient transfer. However, most of the current monodispersed microgel fabrication systems rely heavily on various precision pumps, which highly increase the cost and complexity of their downstream application. In this work, we developed a simple and facile system for the controllable generation of uniform alginate microgels by integrating a gas-shearing strategy into a glass microfluidic device. Importantly, the cell-laden microgels can be rapidly prepared in a pump-free manner under an all-aqueous environment. The three-dimensional cultured green fluorescent protein-human A549 cells in alginate microgels exhibited enhanced stemness and drug resistance compared to those under two-dimensional conditions. The pancreatic cancer organoids in alginate microgels exhibited some of the key features of pancreatic cancer. The proposed microgels showed decent monodispersity, biocompatibility, and versatility, providing great opportunities in various biomedical applications such as microcarrier fabricating, organoid engineering, and high-throughput drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Qin
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhongqiao Gan
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haitao Liu
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Tingting Tao
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jia He
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Xianliang Li
- Department of HBP Surgery, Beijing Chao Yang Hospital, the Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Dong Shang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No.222 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116011, China
- Clinical Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No.222 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116011, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, No. 2 Fengyang Street, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fuwei Xie
- Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, No. 2 Fengyang Street, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jianhua Qin
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, CAS, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215123, China
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2
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Golo M, Newman PLH, Kempe D, Biro M. Mechanoimmunology in the solid tumor microenvironment. Biochem Soc Trans 2024:BST20231427. [PMID: 38856041 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and dynamic ecosystem that adjoins the cancer cells within solid tumors and comprises distinct components such as extracellular matrix, stromal and immune cells, blood vessels, and an abundance of signaling molecules. In recent years, the mechanical properties of the TME have emerged as critical determinants of tumor progression and therapeutic response. Aberrant mechanical cues, including altered tissue architecture and stiffness, contribute to tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to treatment. Moreover, burgeoning immunotherapies hold great promise for harnessing the immune system to target and eliminate solid malignancies; however, their success is hindered by the hostile mechanical landscape of the TME, which can impede immune cell infiltration, function, and persistence. Consequently, understanding TME mechanoimmunology - the interplay between mechanical forces and immune cell behavior - is essential for developing effective solid cancer therapies. Here, we review the role of TME mechanics in tumor immunology, focusing on recent therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating the mechanical properties of the TME to potentiate T cell immunotherapies, and innovative assays tailored to evaluate their clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Golo
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Peter L H Newman
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Daryan Kempe
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Maté Biro
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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3
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Vela-Alcántara AM, Santiago-García J, Barragán-Palacios M, León-Chacón A, Domínguez-Pantoja M, Barceinas-Dávila I, Juárez-Aguilar E, Tamariz E. Differential modulation of cell morphology, migration, and Neuropilin-1 expression in cancer and non-cancer cell lines by substrate stiffness. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1352233. [PMID: 38903533 PMCID: PMC11188430 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1352233] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Physical changes in the tumor microenvironment, such as increased stiffness, regulate cancer hallmarks and play an essential role in gene expression, cell morphology, migration, and malignancy. However, the response of cancer cells to stiffness is not homogeneous and varies depending on the cell type and its mechanosensitivity. In this study, we investigated the differential responses of cervical (HeLa) and prostate (PC-3) cancer cell lines, as well as non-tumoral cell lines (HEK293 and HPrEC), to stiffness using polyacrylamide hydrogels mimicking normal and tumoral tissues. We analyzed cell morphology, migration, and the expression of neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a receptor involved in angiogenesis, cell migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling, known to be associated with cancer progression and poor prognosis. Our findings reveal that NRP1 expression increases on substrates mimicking the high stiffness characteristic of tumoral tissue in the non-tumoral cell lines HPrEC and HEK293. Conversely, in tumoral PC-3 cells, stiffness resembling normal prostate tissue induces an earlier and more sustained expression of NRP1. Furthermore, we observed that stiffness influences cell spreading, pseudopodia formation, and the mode of cell protrusion during migration. Soft substrates predominantly trigger bleb cell protrusion, while pseudopodia protrusions increase on substrates mimicking normal and tumor-like stiffnesses in HPrEC cells compared to PC-3 cells. Stiffer substrates also enhance the percentage of migratory cells, as well as their velocity and total displacement, in both non-tumoral and tumoral prostate cells. However, they only improve the persistence of migration in tumoral PC-3 cells. Moreover, we found that NRP1 co-localizes with actin, and its suppression impairs tumoral PC-3 spreading while decreasing pseudopodia protrusion mode. Our results suggest that the modulation of NRP1 expression by the stiffness can be a feedback loop to promote malignancy in non-tumoral and cancer cells, contingent upon the mechanosensitivity of the cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Monserrat Vela-Alcántara
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Juan Santiago-García
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Madeleine Barragán-Palacios
- Laboratorio de Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
- Programa de Maestría en Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Aylin León-Chacón
- Laboratorio de Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | | | - Irene Barceinas-Dávila
- Laboratorio de Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
- Programa de Maestría en Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Enrique Juárez-Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Elisa Tamariz
- Laboratorio de Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
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Chen C, Boché A, Wang Z, Lopez E, Peng J, Carreiras F, Schanne-Klein MC, Chen Y, Lambert A, Aimé C. The Balance Between Shear Flow and Extracellular Matrix in Ovarian Cancer-on-Chip. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2400938. [PMID: 38829702 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202400938] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer in developed countries. In the tumor microenvironment, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and flow shear stress are key players in directing ovarian cancer cells invasion. Artificial ECM models based only on ECM proteins are used to build an ovarian tumor-on-chip to decipher the crosstalk between ECM and shear stress on the migratory behavior and cellular heterogeneity of ovarian tumor cells. This work shows that in the shear stress regime of the peritoneal cavity, the ECM plays a major role in driving individual or collective ovarian tumor cells migration. In the presence of basement membrane proteins, migration is more collective than on type I collagen regardless of shear stress. With increasing shear stress, individual cell migration is enhanced; while, no significant impact on collective migration is measured. This highlights the central position that ECM and flow shear stress should hold in in vitro ovarian cancer models to deepen understanding of cellular responses and improve development of ovarian cancer therapeutic platforms. In this frame, adding flow provides significant improvement in biological relevance over the authors' previous work. Further steps for enhanced clinical relevance require not only multiple cell lines but also patient-derived cells and sera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changchong Chen
- PASTEUR, Département de chimie, École normale supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Alphonse Boché
- Equipe de Recherche sur les Relations Matrice Extracellulaire-Cellules, ERRMECe (EA1391), Groupe Matrice Extracellulaire et physiopathologie (MECuP), Institut des Matériaux, I-MAT (FD4122), CY Cergy Paris Université, Cergy, 95000, France
| | - Zixu Wang
- PASTEUR, Département de chimie, École normale supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Elliot Lopez
- PASTEUR, Département de chimie, École normale supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Juan Peng
- PASTEUR, Département de chimie, École normale supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Franck Carreiras
- Equipe de Recherche sur les Relations Matrice Extracellulaire-Cellules, ERRMECe (EA1391), Groupe Matrice Extracellulaire et physiopathologie (MECuP), Institut des Matériaux, I-MAT (FD4122), CY Cergy Paris Université, Cergy, 95000, France
| | - Marie-Claire Schanne-Klein
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences (LOB), École polytechnique, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, F-91128, France
| | - Yong Chen
- PASTEUR, Département de chimie, École normale supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Ambroise Lambert
- Equipe de Recherche sur les Relations Matrice Extracellulaire-Cellules, ERRMECe (EA1391), Groupe Matrice Extracellulaire et physiopathologie (MECuP), Institut des Matériaux, I-MAT (FD4122), CY Cergy Paris Université, Cergy, 95000, France
| | - Carole Aimé
- PASTEUR, Département de chimie, École normale supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
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Zeng R, Zhang D, Zhang J, Pan Y, Liu X, Qi Q, Xu J, Xu C, Shi S, Wang J, Liu T, Dong L. Targeting lysyl oxidase like 2 attenuates OVA-induced airway remodeling partly via the AKT signaling pathway. Respir Res 2024; 25:230. [PMID: 38824593 PMCID: PMC11144323 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02811-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Airway epithelium is an important component of airway structure and the initiator of airway remodeling in asthma. The changes of extracellular matrix (ECM), such as collagen deposition and structural disturbance, are typical pathological features of airway remodeling. Thus, identifying key mediators that derived from airway epithelium and capable of modulating ECM may provide valuable insights for targeted therapy of asthma. METHODS The datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus database were analyzed to screen differentially expressed genes in airway epithelium of asthma. We collected bronchoscopic biopsies and serum samples from asthmatic and healthy subjects to assess lysyl oxidase like 2 (LOXL2) expression. RNA sequencing and various experiments were performed to determine the influences of LOXL2 knockdown in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse models. The roles and mechanisms of LOXL2 in bronchial epithelial cells were explored using LOXL2 small interfering RNA, overexpression plasmid and AKT inhibitor. RESULTS Both bioinformatics analysis and further experiments revealed that LOXL2 is highly expressed in airway epithelium of asthmatics. In vivo, LOXL2 knockdown significantly inhibited OVA-induced ECM deposition and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in mice. In vitro, the transfection experiments on 16HBE cells demonstrated that LOXL2 overexpression increases the expression of N-cadherin and fibronectin and reduces the expression of E-cadherin. Conversely, after silencing LOXL2, the expression of E-cadherin is up-regulated. In addition, the remodeling and EMT process that induced by transforming growth factor-β1 could be enhanced and weakened after LOXL2 overexpression and silencing in 16HBE cells. Combining the RNA sequencing of mouse lung tissues and experiments in vitro, LOXL2 was involved in the regulation of AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, the treatment with AKT inhibitor in vitro partially alleviated the consequences associated with LOXL2 overexpression. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the results demonstrated that epithelial LOXL2 plays a role in asthmatic airway remodeling partly via the AKT signaling pathway and highlighted the potential of LOXL2 as a therapeutic target for airway remodeling in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zeng
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jintao Zhang
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Yun Pan
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaofei Liu
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Qian Qi
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Jiawei Xu
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Changjuan Xu
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Shuochuan Shi
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Junfei Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tian Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Liang Dong
- Department of Respiratory, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China.
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Wu D, Gong T, Sun Z, Yao X, Wang D, Chen Q, Guo Q, Li X, Guo Y, Lu Y. Dual-crosslinking gelatin-hyaluronic acid methacrylate based biomimetic PDAC desmoplastic niche enhances tumor-associated macrophages recruitment and M2-like polarization. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131826. [PMID: 38679256 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by deposition of desmoplastic matrix (including collagen and hyaluronic acid). And the interactions between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and tumor cells play a crucial role in progression of PDAC. Hence, the appropriate model of tumor cell-macrophage interaction within the unique PDAC TME is of significantly important. To this end, a 3D tumor niche based on dual-crosslinking gelatin methacrylate and hyaluronic acid methacrylate hydrogels was constructed to simulate the desmoplastic tumor matrix with matching compressive modulus and composition. The bionic 3D tumor niche creates an immunosuppressive microenvironment characterized by the downregulation of M1 markers and upregulation of M2 markers in TAMs. Mechanistically, RNA-seq analysis revealed that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway might modulate the phenotypic balance and recruitment of macrophages through regulating SELE and VCAM-1. Furthermore, GO and GSEA revealed the biological process of leukocyte migration and the activation of cytokine-associated signaling were involved. Finally, the 3D tumor-macrophage niches with three different ratios were fabricated which displayed increased M2-like polarization and stemness. The utilization of the 3D tumor niche has the potential to provide a more accurate investigation of the interplay between PDAC tumor cells and macrophages within an in vivo setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China; Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Tiancheng Gong
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China; Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Zhongxiang Sun
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Xihao Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China; Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Dongzhi Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China; Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Qiyang Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China; Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Qingsong Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China
| | - Yibing Guo
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu province 226001, PR China.
| | - Yuhua Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China.
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7
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Filipe EC, Velayuthar S, Philp A, Nobis M, Latham SL, Parker AL, Murphy KJ, Wyllie K, Major GS, Contreras O, Mok ETY, Enriquez RF, McGowan S, Feher K, Quek L, Hancock SE, Yam M, Tran E, Setargew YFI, Skhinas JN, Chitty JL, Phimmachanh M, Han JZR, Cadell AL, Papanicolaou M, Mahmodi H, Kiedik B, Junankar S, Ross SE, Lam N, Coulson R, Yang J, Zaratzian A, Da Silva AM, Tayao M, Chin IL, Cazet A, Kansara M, Segara D, Parker A, Hoy AJ, Harvey RP, Bogdanovic O, Timpson P, Croucher DR, Lim E, Swarbrick A, Holst J, Turner N, Choi YS, Kabakova IV, Philp A, Cox TR. Tumor Biomechanics Alters Metastatic Dissemination of Triple Negative Breast Cancer via Rewiring Fatty Acid Metabolism. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307963. [PMID: 38602451 PMCID: PMC11186052 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
In recent decades, the role of tumor biomechanics on cancer cell behavior at the primary site has been increasingly appreciated. However, the effect of primary tumor biomechanics on the latter stages of the metastatic cascade, such as metastatic seeding of secondary sites and outgrowth remains underappreciated. This work sought to address this in the context of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a cancer type known to aggressively disseminate at all stages of disease progression. Using mechanically tuneable model systems, mimicking the range of stiffness's typically found within breast tumors, it is found that, contrary to expectations, cancer cells exposed to softer microenvironments are more able to colonize secondary tissues. It is shown that heightened cell survival is driven by enhanced metabolism of fatty acids within TNBC cells exposed to softer microenvironments. It is demonstrated that uncoupling cellular mechanosensing through integrin β1 blocking antibody effectively causes stiff primed TNBC cells to behave like their soft counterparts, both in vitro and in vivo. This work is the first to show that softer tumor microenvironments may be contributing to changes in disease outcome by imprinting on TNBC cells a greater metabolic flexibility and conferring discrete cell survival advantages.
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8
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Johansen CG, Holcomb K, Sela A, Morrall S, Park D, Farnsworth NL. Extracellular matrix stiffness mediates insulin secretion in pancreatic islets via mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel regulated Ca 2+ dynamics. Matrix Biol Plus 2024; 22:100148. [PMID: 38803329 PMCID: PMC11128509 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2024.100148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The pancreatic islet is surrounded by ECM that provides both biochemical and mechanical cues to the islet β-cell to regulate cell survival and insulin secretion. Changes in ECM composition and mechanical properties drive β-cell dysfunction in many pancreatic diseases. While several studies have characterized changes in islet insulin secretion with changes in substrate stiffness, little is known about the mechanotransduction signaling driving altered islet function in response to mechanical cues. We hypothesized that increasing matrix stiffness will lead to insulin secretion dysfunction by opening the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 and disrupting intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in mouse and human islets. To test our hypothesis, mouse and human cadaveric islets were encapsulated in a biomimetic reverse thermal gel (RTG) scaffold with tailorable stiffness that allows formation of islet focal adhesions with the scaffold and activation of Piezo1 in 3D. Our results indicate that increased scaffold stiffness causes insulin secretion dysfunction mediated by increases in Ca2+ influx and altered Ca2+ dynamics via opening of the mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel. Additionally, inhibition of Piezo1 rescued glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in islets in stiff scaffolds. Overall, our results emphasize the role mechanical properties of the islet microenvironment plays in regulating function. It also supports further investigation into the modulation of Piezo1 channel activity to restore islet function in diseases like type 2 diabetes (T2D) and pancreatic cancer where fibrosis of the peri-islet ECM leads to increased tissue stiffness and islet dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea G Johansen
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Keifer Holcomb
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Amit Sela
- Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Stephanie Morrall
- Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Daewon Park
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Nikki L Farnsworth
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
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9
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Liang L, Song X, Zhao H, Lim CT. Insights into the mechanobiology of cancer metastasis via microfluidic technologies. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:021506. [PMID: 38841688 PMCID: PMC11151435 DOI: 10.1063/5.0195389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
During cancer metastasis, cancer cells will encounter various microenvironments with diverse physical characteristics. Changes in these physical characteristics such as tension, stiffness, viscosity, compression, and fluid shear can generate biomechanical cues that affect cancer cells, dynamically influencing numerous pathophysiological mechanisms. For example, a dense extracellular matrix drives cancer cells to reorganize their cytoskeleton structures, facilitating confined migration, while this dense and restricted space also acts as a physical barrier that potentially results in nuclear rupture. Identifying these pathophysiological processes and understanding their underlying mechanobiological mechanisms can aid in the development of more effective therapeutics targeted to cancer metastasis. In this review, we outline the advances of engineering microfluidic devices in vitro and their role in replicating tumor microenvironment to mimic in vivo settings. We highlight the potential cellular mechanisms that mediate their ability to adapt to different microenvironments. Meanwhile, we also discuss some important mechanical cues that still remain challenging to replicate in current microfluidic devices in future direction. While much remains to be explored about cancer mechanobiology, we believe the developments of microfluidic devices will reveal how these physical cues impact the behaviors of cancer cells. It will be crucial in the understanding of cancer metastasis, and potentially contributing to better drug development and cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanfeng Liang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xiao Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Kazakova AN, Lukina MM, Anufrieva KS, Bekbaeva IV, Ivanova OM, Shnaider PV, Slonov A, Arapidi GP, Shender VO. Exploring the diversity of cancer-associated fibroblasts: insights into mechanisms of drug resistance. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1403122. [PMID: 38818409 PMCID: PMC11137237 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1403122] [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: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Among the various stromal cell types within the tumor microenvironment, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) emerge as the predominant constituent, exhibiting a diverse array of oncogenic functions not intrinsic to normal fibroblasts. Their involvement spans across all stages of tumorigenesis, encompassing initiation, progression, and metastasis. Current understanding posits the coexistence of distinct subpopulations of CAFs within the tumor microenvironment across a spectrum of solid tumors, showcasing both pro- and antitumor activities. Recent advancements in single-cell transcriptomics have revolutionized our ability to meticulously dissect the heterogeneity inherent to CAF populations. Furthermore, accumulating evidence underscores the pivotal role of CAFs in conferring therapeutic resistance to tumors against various drug modalities. Consequently, efforts are underway to develop pharmacological agents specifically targeting CAFs. Methods: This review embarks on a comprehensive analysis, consolidating data from 36 independent single-cell RNA sequencing investigations spanning 17 distinct human malignant tumor types. Results: Our exploration centers on elucidating CAF population markers, discerning their prognostic relevance, delineating their functional contributions, and elucidating the underlying mechanisms orchestrating chemoresistance. Discussion: Finally, we deliberate on the therapeutic potential of harnessing CAFs as promising targets for intervention strategies in clinical oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia N. Kazakova
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria M. Lukina
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Experimental Oncology and Biomedical Technologies, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Ksenia S. Anufrieva
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina V. Bekbaeva
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Olga M. Ivanova
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Polina V. Shnaider
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Slonov
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Georgij P. Arapidi
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victoria O. Shender
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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11
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Sneider A, Liu Y, Starich B, Du W, Nair PR, Marar C, Faqih N, Ciotti GE, Kim JH, Krishnan S, Ibrahim S, Igboko M, Locke A, Lewis DM, Hong H, Karl MN, Vij R, Russo GC, Gómez-de-Mariscal E, Habibi M, Muñoz-Barrutia A, Gu L, Eisinger-Mathason TK, Wirtz D. Small Extracellular Vesicles Promote Stiffness-mediated Metastasis. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1240-1252. [PMID: 38630893 PMCID: PMC11080964 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Tissue stiffness is a critical prognostic factor in breast cancer and is associated with metastatic progression. Here we show an alternative and complementary hypothesis of tumor progression whereby physiologic matrix stiffness affects the quantity and protein cargo of small extracellular vesicles (EV) produced by cancer cells, which in turn aid cancer cell dissemination. Primary patient breast tissue released by cancer cells on matrices that model human breast tumors (25 kPa; stiff EVs) feature increased adhesion molecule presentation (ITGα2β1, ITGα6β4, ITGα6β1, CD44) compared with EVs from softer normal tissue (0.5 kPa; soft EVs), which facilitates their binding to extracellular matrix proteins including collagen IV, and a 3-fold increase in homing ability to distant organs in mice. In a zebrafish xenograft model, stiff EVs aid cancer cell dissemination. Moreover, normal, resident lung fibroblasts treated with stiff and soft EVs change their gene expression profiles to adopt a cancer-associated fibroblast phenotype. These findings show that EV quantity, cargo, and function depend heavily on the mechanical properties of the extracellular microenvironment. SIGNIFICANCE Here we show that the quantity, cargo, and function of breast cancer-derived EVs vary with mechanical properties of the extracellular microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Sneider
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ying Liu
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Bartholomew Starich
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Wenxuan Du
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Praful R. Nair
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Carolyn Marar
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Najwa Faqih
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Gabrielle E. Ciotti
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Joo Ho Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sejal Krishnan
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Salma Ibrahim
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Muna Igboko
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alexus Locke
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel M. Lewis
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hanna Hong
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michelle N. Karl
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Raghav Vij
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Gabriella C. Russo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Estibaliz Gómez-de-Mariscal
- Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering Department, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mehran Habibi
- Johns Hopkins Breast Center, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Arrate Muñoz-Barrutia
- Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering Department, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luo Gu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - T.S. Karin Eisinger-Mathason
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Denis Wirtz
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences–Oncology Center and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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12
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Guvatova ZG, Kobelyatskaya AA, Kudasheva ER, Pudova EA, Bulavkina EV, Churov AV, Tkacheva ON, Moskalev AA. Matrisome Transcriptome Dynamics during Tissue Aging. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:593. [PMID: 38792614 PMCID: PMC11121957 DOI: 10.3390/life14050593] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex three-dimensional network of macromolecules that provides structural support for the cells and plays a significant role in tissue homeostasis and repair. Growing evidence indicates that dysregulation of ECM remodeling contributes to various pathological conditions in the body, including age-associated diseases. In this work, gene expression data of normal human tissues obtained from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project, as well as data from MatrisomeDB 2.0, the ECM-protein knowledge database, are used to estimate the age-dependent matrisome transcriptome dynamics in the blood, heart, brain, liver, kidneys, lungs, and muscle. Differential gene expression (DE) analysis revealed dozens of matrisome genes encoding both structural elements of the ECM and ECM-associated proteins, which had a tissue-specific expression profile with age. Among common DE genes that changed expression with age in at least three tissues, COL18A1, MFAP1, IGFBP7, AEBP1, LTBP2, LTBP4, LG14, EFEMP1, PRELP, BGN, FAM20B, CTSC, CTSS, and CLEC2B were observed. The findings of the study also reveal that there are sex-specific alterations during aging in the matrisome gene expression. Taken together, the results obtained in this work may help in understanding the role of the ECM in tissue aging and might prove valuable for the future development of the field of ECM research in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zulfiya G. Guvatova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Eveline R. Kudasheva
- Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena A. Pudova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elizaveta V. Bulavkina
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey V. Churov
- Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga N. Tkacheva
- Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, 129226 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A. Moskalev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Russian Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, 129226 Moscow, Russia
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13
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Nakamura H, Watanabe M, Takada K, Sato T, Hikage F, Umetsu A, Muramatsu J, Furuhashi M, Ohguro H. Modulation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Is a Possible Underlying Mechanism for Inducing Chemoresistance in MIA PaCa-2 Cells against Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1011. [PMID: 38790973 PMCID: PMC11118094 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
To elucidate the currently unknown molecular mechanisms responsible for the similarity and difference during the acquirement of resistance against gemcitabine (GEM) and paclitaxel (PTX) in patients with pancreatic carcinoma, we examined two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures of parent MIA PaCa-2 cells (MIA PaCa-2-PA) and their GEM resistance cell line (MIA PaCa-2-GR) and PTX resistance (MIA PaCa-2-PR). Using these cells, we examined 3D spheroid configurations and cellular metabolism, including mitochondrial and glycolytic functions, with a Seahorse bio-analyzer and RNA sequencing analysis. Compared to the MIA PaCa-2-PA, (1) the formation of the 3D spheroids of MIA PaCa-2-GR or -PR was much slower, and (2) their mitochondrial and glycolytic functions were greatly modulated in MIA PaCa-2-GR or -PR, and such metabolic changes were also different between their 2D and 3D culture conditions. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using an ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) suggested that various modulatory factors related to epithelial -mesenchymal transition (EMT) including STAT3, GLI1, ZNF367, NKX3-2, ZIC2, IFIT2, HEY1 and FBLX, may be the possible upstream regulators and/or causal network master regulators responsible for the acquirement of drug resistance in MIA PaCa-2-GR and -PR. In addition, among the prominently altered DEGs (Log2 fold changes more than 6 or less than -6), FABP5, IQSEC3, and GASK1B were identified as unique genes associated with their antisense RNA or pseudogenes, and among these, FABP5 and GASK1B are known to function as modulators of cancerous EMT. Therefore, the observations reported herein suggest that modulations of cancerous EMT may be key molecular mechanisms that are responsible for inducing chemoresistance against GEM or PTX in MIA PaCa-2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Nakamura
- Departments of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (H.N.); (K.T.); (J.M.)
| | - Megumi Watanabe
- Departments of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (M.W.); (F.H.); (A.U.)
| | - Kohichi Takada
- Departments of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (H.N.); (K.T.); (J.M.)
| | - Tatsuya Sato
- Departments of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (T.S.); (M.F.)
- Departments of Cellular Physiology and Signal Transduction, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Fumihito Hikage
- Departments of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (M.W.); (F.H.); (A.U.)
| | - Araya Umetsu
- Departments of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (M.W.); (F.H.); (A.U.)
| | - Joji Muramatsu
- Departments of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (H.N.); (K.T.); (J.M.)
| | - Masato Furuhashi
- Departments of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (T.S.); (M.F.)
| | - Hiroshi Ohguro
- Departments of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan; (M.W.); (F.H.); (A.U.)
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14
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Mai Z, Lin Y, Lin P, Zhao X, Cui L. Modulating extracellular matrix stiffness: a strategic approach to boost cancer immunotherapy. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:307. [PMID: 38693104 PMCID: PMC11063215 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06697-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The interplay between extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and the tumor microenvironment is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in cancer progression and the efficacy of immunotherapy. This review comprehensively discusses the key factors regulating ECM remodeling, including the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts and the accumulation and crosslinking of ECM proteins. Furthermore, it provides a detailed exploration of how ECM stiffness influences the behaviors of both tumor and immune cells. Significantly, the impact of ECM stiffness on the response to various immunotherapy strategies, such as immune checkpoint blockade, adoptive cell therapy, oncolytic virus therapy, and therapeutic cancer vaccines, is thoroughly examined. The review also addresses the challenges in translating research findings into clinical practice, highlighting the need for more precise biomaterials that accurately mimic the ECM and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The insights offered aim to guide future research, with the potential to enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhao Mai
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunfan Lin
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, China
| | - Pei Lin
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinyuan Zhao
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, China.
| | - Li Cui
- Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, China.
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15
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Zhang H, Chen J, Bai J, Zhang J, Huang S, Zeng L, Zhou P, Shen Q, Yin T. Single dual-specific anti-PD-L1/TGF-β antibody synergizes with chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a preclinical experimental study. Int J Surg 2024; 110:2679-2691. [PMID: 38489548 DOI: 10.1097/js9.0000000000001226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Chemotherapy resistance is an important cause of neoadjuvant therapy failure in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). BiTP (anti-PD-L1/TGF-β bispecific antibody) is a single antibody that can simultaneously and dually target transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). We attempted in this study to investigate the efficacy of BiTP in combination with first-line chemotherapy in PDAC. METHODS Preclinical assessments of BiTP plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel were completed through a resectable KPC mouse model (C57BL/6J). Spectral flow cytometry, tissue section staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, Counting Kit-8, transwell, and Western blot assays were used to investigate the synergistic effects. RESULTS BiTP combinatorial chemotherapy in neoadjuvant settings significantly downstaged PDAC tumors, enhanced survival, and had a higher resectability for mice with PDAC. BiTP was high affinity binding to targets and reverse chemotherapy resistance of PDAC cells. The combination overcame immune evasion through reprogramming tumor microenvironment via increasing penetration and function of T cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells and decreasing the function of immunosuppression-related cells as regulatory T cells, M2 macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the BiTP combinatorial chemotherapy is a promising neoadjuvant therapy for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxiang Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou
- Sino-German Laboratory of Personalized Medicine for Pancreatic Cancer, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
| | - Jiaoshun Chen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
- Sino-German Laboratory of Personalized Medicine for Pancreatic Cancer, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
| | - Jianwei Bai
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
- Sino-German Laboratory of Personalized Medicine for Pancreatic Cancer, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
| | - Jing Zhang
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoyi Huang
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Zeng
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengfei Zhou
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd, Biolake, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Shen
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Tao Yin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
- Sino-German Laboratory of Personalized Medicine for Pancreatic Cancer, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
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16
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Youssef KK, Nieto MA. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tissue repair and degeneration. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00733-z. [PMID: 38684869 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00733-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) are the epitome of cell plasticity in embryonic development and cancer; during EMT, epithelial cells undergo dramatic phenotypic changes and become able to migrate to form different tissues or give rise to metastases, respectively. The importance of EMTs in other contexts, such as tissue repair and fibrosis in the adult, has become increasingly recognized and studied. In this Review, we discuss the function of EMT in the adult after tissue damage and compare features of embryonic and adult EMT. Whereas sustained EMT leads to adult tissue degeneration, fibrosis and organ failure, its transient activation, which confers phenotypic and functional plasticity on somatic cells, promotes tissue repair after damage. Understanding the mechanisms and temporal regulation of different EMTs provides insight into how some tissues heal and has the potential to open new therapeutic avenues to promote repair or regeneration of tissue damage that is currently irreversible. We also discuss therapeutic strategies that modulate EMT that hold clinical promise in ameliorating fibrosis, and how precise EMT activation could be harnessed to enhance tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Angela Nieto
- Instituto de Neurociencias (CSIC-UMH), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
- CIBERER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
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17
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Sun Y, Sun X, Wang R, Xing Y, Ma X, Yue J, Zhang M, Wang Y, Tian W, Jing G. Oxidized sodium alginate hydrogel-mouse nerve growth factor sustained release system promotes repair of peripheral nerve injury. JOURNAL OF BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE. POLYMER EDITION 2024:1-21. [PMID: 38630632 DOI: 10.1080/09205063.2024.2339636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF) has emerged as an important biological regulator to repair peripheral nerve injury, but its systemic application is restricted by low efficiency and large dosage requirement. These limitations prompted us to search for biomaterials that can be locally loaded. Oxidized sodium alginate hydrogel (OSA) exhibits good biocompatibility and physicochemical properties, and can be loaded with drugs to construct a sustained-release system that can act locally on nerve injury. Here, we constructed a sustained-release system of OSA-mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF), and investigated the loading and release of the drug through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and drug release curves. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that OSA-mNGF significantly promoted the biological activities of RSC-96 cells and facilitated the recovery from sciatic nerve crush injury in rats. This observation may be attributed to the additive effect of OSA on promoting Schwann cell biological activities or its synergistic effect of cross-activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) through extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. Although the specific mechanism of OSA action needs to be explored in the future, the current results provide a valuable preliminary research basis for the clinical application of the OSA-mNGF sustained-release system for nerve repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuming Sun
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiangyu Sun
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Ruiqi Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Yuhang Xing
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiang Ma
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jie Yue
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuezhu Wang
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Weiming Tian
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Guangping Jing
- Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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18
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Connaughton M, Dabagh M. Modeling Physical Forces Experienced by Cancer and Stromal Cells Within Different Organ-Specific Tumor Tissue. IEEE JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL ENGINEERING IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE 2024; 12:413-434. [PMID: 38765886 PMCID: PMC11100865 DOI: 10.1109/jtehm.2024.3388561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical force exerted on cancer cells by their microenvironment have been reported to drive cells toward invasive phenotypes by altering cells' motility, proliferation, and apoptosis. These mechanical forces include compressive, tensile, hydrostatic, and shear forces. The importance of forces is then hypothesized to be an alteration of cancer cells' and their microenvironment's biophysical properties as the indicator of a tumor's malignancy state. Our objective is to investigate and quantify the correlation between a tumor's malignancy state and forces experienced by the cancer cells and components of the microenvironment. In this study, we have developed a multicomponent, three-dimensional model of tumor tissue consisting of a cancer cell surrounded by fibroblasts and extracellular matrix (ECM). Our results on three different organs including breast, kidney, and pancreas show that: A) the stresses within tumor tissue are impacted by the organ specific ECM's biophysical properties, B) more invasive cancer cells experience higher stresses, C) in pancreas which has a softer ECM (Young modulus of 1.0 kPa) and stiffer cancer cells (Young modulus of 2.4 kPa and 1.7 kPa) than breast and kidney, cancer cells experienced significantly higher stresses, D) cancer cells in contact with ECM experienced higher stresses compared to cells surrounded by fibroblasts but the area of tumor stroma experiencing high stresses has a maximum length of 40 μm when the cancer cell is surrounded by fibroblasts and 12 μm for when the cancer cell is in vicinity of ECM. This study serves as an important first step in understanding of how the stresses experienced by cancer cells, fibroblasts, and ECM are associated with malignancy states of cancer cells in different organs. The quantification of forces exerted on cancer cells by different organ-specific ECM and at different stages of malignancy will help, first to develop theranostic strategies, second to predict accurately which tumors will become highly malignant, and third to establish accurate criteria controlling the progression of cancer cells malignancy. Furthermore, our in silico model of tumor tissue can yield critical, useful information for guiding ex vivo or in vitro experiments, narrowing down variables to be investigated, understanding what factors could be impacting cancer treatments or even biomarkers to be looking for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Connaughton
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWI53211USA
| | - Mahsa Dabagh
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWI53211USA
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19
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Mohan MD, Latifi N, Flick R, Simmons CA, Young EWK. Interrogating Matrix Stiffness and Metabolomics in Pancreatic Ductal Carcinoma Using an Openable Microfluidic Tumor-on-a-Chip. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38606850 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a dense fibrotic stroma that contributes to aggressive tumor biology and therapeutic resistance. Current in vitro PDAC models lack sufficient optical and physical access for fibrous network visualization, in situ mechanical stiffness measurement, and metabolomic profiling. Here, we describe an openable multilayer microfluidic PDAC-on-a-chip platform that consists of pancreatic tumor cells (PTCs) and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) embedded in a 3D collagen matrix that mimics the stroma. Our system allows fibrous network visualization via reflected light confocal (RLC) microscopy, in situ mechanical stiffness testing using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and compartmentalized hydrogel extraction for PSC metabolomic profiling via mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. In comparing cocultures of gel-embedded PSCs and PTCs with PSC-only monocultures, RLC microscopy identified a significant decrease in pore size and corresponding increase in fiber density. In situ AFM indicated significant increases in stiffness, and hallmark characteristics of PSC activation were observed using fluorescence microscopy. PSCs in coculture also demonstrated localized fiber alignment and densification as well as increased collagen production. Finally, an untargeted MS study putatively identified metabolic contributions consistent with in vivo PDAC studies. Taken together, this platform can potentially advance our understanding of tumor-stromal interactions toward the discovery of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Mohan
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2, Canada
| | - Neda Latifi
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, 661 University Avenue, 14th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, ENG 030, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Robert Flick
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Craig A Simmons
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, 661 University Avenue, 14th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Edmond W K Young
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2, Canada
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20
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Yu S, Zhang L, Yang Y, Wang M, Liu T, Ji W, Liu Y, Lv H, Zhao Y, Chen X, Hu T. Polydopamine-Based Resveratrol-Hyaluronidase Nanomedicine Inhibited Pancreatic Cancer Cell Invasive Phenotype in Hyaluronic Acid Enrichment Tumor Sphere Model. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:1013-1022. [PMID: 38633596 PMCID: PMC11020062 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00304] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The dense storm microenvironment formed by an excessively cross-linked extracellular matrix, such as hyaluronic acid and collagens, serves as a major barrier that prevents drugs from reaching the deeper tumor. Current traditional two-dimensional (2D) cultures are not capable of modeling this drug delivery barrier in vitro. Thus, tumor spheroids have become increasingly important in cancer research due to their three-dimensional structure. Currently, various methods have been developed to construct tumor spheroids. However, there are still challenges, such as lengthy construction time, complex composition of added growth factors, and high cultivation costs. To address this technical bottleneck, our study combined the GelMA hydrogel system to develop a rapid and high-yield method for tumor spheroids generation. Additionally, we proposed an evaluation scheme to assess the effects of drugs on tumor spheroids. Building on the hyaluronic acid-rich pathological tumor microenvironment, we constructed a resveratrol-loaded nano-drug delivery system with tumor stroma modulation capability and used a three-dimensional (3D) tumor sphere model to simulate in vivo tumor conditions. This process was utilized to completely evaluate the ability of the nano-drug delivery system to enhance the deep penetration of resveratrol in the tumor microenvironment, providing new insights into future oncology drug screening, efficacy assessment, and drug delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yu
- Department
of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Department
of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated
Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710004, China
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710000, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- National
& Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biodiagnosis and
Biotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital
of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710004, China
| | - Yanshen Yang
- Bioinspired
Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710000, China
| | - Meijuan Wang
- Department
of Anesthesia, Guangdong Provincial People’s
Hospital, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department
of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Wenwen Ji
- Department
of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department
of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated
Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Hao Lv
- Department
of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated
Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- National
& Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biodiagnosis and
Biotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital
of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710004, China
| | - Xi Chen
- National
& Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biodiagnosis and
Biotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital
of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710004, China
| | - Tinghua Hu
- Department
of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
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21
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Mao Y, Wickström SA. Mechanical state transitions in the regulation of tissue form and function. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00719-x. [PMID: 38600372 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00719-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
From embryonic development, postnatal growth and adult homeostasis to reparative and disease states, cells and tissues undergo constant changes in genome activity, cell fate, proliferation, movement, metabolism and growth. Importantly, these biological state transitions are coupled to changes in the mechanical and material properties of cells and tissues, termed mechanical state transitions. These mechanical states share features with physical states of matter, liquids and solids. Tissues can switch between mechanical states by changing behavioural dynamics or connectivity between cells. Conversely, these changes in tissue mechanical properties are known to control cell and tissue function, most importantly the ability of cells to move or tissues to deform. Thus, tissue mechanical state transitions are implicated in transmitting information across biological length and time scales, especially during processes of early development, wound healing and diseases such as cancer. This Review will focus on the biological basis of tissue-scale mechanical state transitions, how they emerge from molecular and cellular interactions, and their roles in organismal development, homeostasis, regeneration and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlan Mao
- Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK.
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Sara A Wickström
- Department of Cell and Tissue Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany.
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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22
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Atkins D, Rosas JM, Månsson LK, Shahverdi N, Dey SS, Pitenis AA. Survival-Associated Cellular Response Maintained in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Switched Between Soft and Stiff 3D Microgel Culture. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:2177-2187. [PMID: 38466617 PMCID: PMC11005012 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for about 90% of all pancreatic cancer cases. Five-year survival rates have remained below 12% since the 1970s, in part due to the difficulty in detection prior to metastasis (migration and invasion into neighboring organs and glands). Mechanical memory is a concept that has emerged over the past decade that may provide a path toward understanding how invading PDAC cells "remember" the mechanical properties of their diseased ("stiff", elastic modulus, E ≈ 10 kPa) microenvironment even while invading a healthy ("soft", E ≈ 1 kPa) microenvironment. Here, we investigated the role of mechanical priming by culturing a dilute suspension of PDAC (FG) cells within a 3D, rheologically tunable microgel platform from hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties. We conducted a suite of acute (short-term) priming studies where we cultured PDAC cells in either a soft (E ≈ 1 kPa) or stiff (E ≈ 10 kPa) environment for 6 h, then removed and placed them into a new soft or stiff 3D environment for another 18 h. Following these steps, we conducted RNA-seq analyses to quantify gene expression. Initial priming in the 3D culture showed persistent gene expression for the duration of the study, regardless of the subsequent environments (stiff or soft). Stiff 3D culture was associated with the downregulation of tumor suppressors (LATS1, BCAR3, CDKN2C), as well as the upregulation of cancer-associated genes (RAC3). Immunofluorescence staining (BCAR3, RAC3) further supported the persistence of this cellular response, with BCAR3 upregulated in soft culture and RAC3 upregulated in stiff-primed culture. Stiff-primed genes were stratified against patient data found in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Upregulated genes in stiff-primed 3D culture were associated with decreased survival in patient data, suggesting a link between patient survival and mechanical priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dixon
J. Atkins
- Department
of Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Jonah M. Rosas
- Department
of Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Lisa K. Månsson
- Materials
Department, University of California Santa
Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Nima Shahverdi
- Molecular,
Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Siddharth S. Dey
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University
of California Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California
Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Angela A. Pitenis
- Materials
Department, University of California Santa
Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
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23
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Major G, Ahn M, Cho WW, Santos M, Wise J, Phillips E, Wise SG, Jang J, Rnjak-Kovacina J, Woodfield T, Lim KS. Programming temporal stiffness cues within extracellular matrix hydrogels for modelling cancer niches. Mater Today Bio 2024; 25:101004. [PMID: 38420142 PMCID: PMC10900776 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening is a common occurrence during the progression of many diseases, such as breast cancer. To accurately mimic the pathophysiological context of disease within 3D in vitro models, there is high demand for smart biomaterials which replicate the dynamic and temporal mechanical cues of diseased states. This study describes a preclinical disease model, using breast cancer as an example, which replicates the dynamic plasticity of the tumour microenvironment by incorporating temporal (3-week progression) biomechanical cues within a tissue-specific hydrogel microenvironment. The composite hydrogel formulation, integrating adipose-derived decellularised ECM (AdECM) and silk fibroin, was initially crosslinked using a visible light-mediated system, and then progressively stiffened through spontaneous secondary structure interactions inherent between the polymer chains (∼10-15 kPa increase, with a final stiffness of 25 kPa). When encapsulated and cultured in vitro, MCF-7 breast cancer cells initially formed numerous, large spheroids (>1000 μm2 in area), however, with progressive temporal stiffening, cells demonstrated growth arrest and underwent phenotypic changes resulting in intratumoral heterogeneity. Unlike widely-investigated static mechanical models, this stiffening hydrogel allowed for progressive phenotypic changes to be observed, and fostered the development of mature organoid-like spheroids, which mimicked both the organisation and acinar-structures of mature breast epithelium. The spheroids contained a central population of cells which expressed aggressive cellular programs, evidenced by increased fibronectin expression and reduction of E-cadherin. The phenotypic heterogeneity observed using this model is more reflective of physiological tumours, demonstrating the importance of establishing temporal cues within preclinical models in future work. Overall, the developed model demonstrated a novel strategy to uncouple ECM biomechanical properties from the cellular complexities of the disease microenvironment and offers the potential for wide applicability in other 3D in vitro disease models through addition of tissue-specific dECM materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretel Major
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Minjun Ahn
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea
| | - Won-Woo Cho
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea
| | - Miguel Santos
- Applied Materials Group, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jessika Wise
- Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Elisabeth Phillips
- Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Steven G Wise
- Applied Materials Group, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jinah Jang
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea
| | - Jelena Rnjak-Kovacina
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Tyree Institute of Health Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Tim Woodfield
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Khoon S Lim
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Light-Activated Materials Group, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia
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24
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Massey A, Stewart J, Smith C, Parvini C, McCormick M, Do K, Cartagena-Rivera AX. Mechanical properties of human tumour tissues and their implications for cancer development. NATURE REVIEWS. PHYSICS 2024; 6:269-282. [PMID: 38706694 PMCID: PMC11066734 DOI: 10.1038/s42254-024-00707-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells and tissues help determine their architecture, composition and function. Alterations to these properties are associated with many diseases, including cancer. Tensional, compressive, adhesive, elastic and viscous properties of individual cells and multicellular tissues are mostly regulated by reorganization of the actomyosin and microtubule cytoskeletons and extracellular glycocalyx, which in turn drive many pathophysiological processes, including cancer progression. This Review provides an in-depth collection of quantitative data on diverse mechanical properties of living human cancer cells and tissues. Additionally, the implications of mechanical property changes for cancer development are discussed. An increased knowledge of the mechanical properties of the tumour microenvironment, as collected using biomechanical approaches capable of multi-timescale and multiparametric analyses, will provide a better understanding of the complex mechanical determinants of cancer organization and progression. This information can lead to a further understanding of resistance mechanisms to chemotherapies and immunotherapies and the metastatic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Massey
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jamie Stewart
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Jamie Stewart, Chynna Smith
| | - Chynna Smith
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Jamie Stewart, Chynna Smith
| | - Cameron Parvini
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Moira McCormick
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kun Do
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexander X. Cartagena-Rivera
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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25
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Tian Y, Cheng T, Sun F, Zhou Y, Yuan C, Guo Z, Wang Z. Effect of biophysical properties of tumor extracellular matrix on intratumoral fate of nanoparticles: Implications on the design of nanomedicine. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 326:103124. [PMID: 38461766 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2024.103124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Nanomedicine has a profound impact on various research domains including drug delivery, diagnostics, theranostics, and regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, the clinical translation of nanomedicines for solid cancer remains limited due to the abundant physiological and pathological barriers in tumor that hinder the intratumoral penetration and distribution of these nanomedicines. In this article, we review the dynamic remodeling of tumor extracellular matrix during the tumor progression, discuss the impact of biophysical obstacles within tumors on the penetration and distribution of nanomedicines within the solid tumor and collect innovative approaches to surmount these obstacles for improving the penetration and accumulation of nanomedicines in tumor. Furthermore, we dissect the challenges and opportunities of the respective approaches, and propose potential avenues for future investigations. The purpose of this review is to provide a perspective guideline on how to effectively enhance the penetration of nanomedicines within tumors using promising methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachao Tian
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China; Heilongjiang Guoru Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Xiangfang District, Harbin City 150030, China; School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong 250353, China
| | - Tianfu Cheng
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China
| | - Fuwei Sun
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China
| | - Yaxin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Chao Yuan
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong 250353, China
| | - Zengwang Guo
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China.
| | - Zhongjiang Wang
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China.
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26
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Sneider A, Liu Y, Starich B, Du W, Marar C, Faqih N, Ciotti GE, Kim JH, Krishnan S, Ibrahim S, Igboko M, Locke A, Lewis DM, Hong H, Karl M, Vij R, Russo GC, Nair P, Gómez-de-Mariscal E, Habibi M, Muñoz-Barrutia A, Gu L, Eisinger-Mathason TSK, Wirtz D. Small extracellular vesicles promote stiffness-mediated metastasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.01.545937. [PMID: 37425743 PMCID: PMC10327142 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.01.545937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Tissue stiffness is a critical prognostic factor in breast cancer and is associated with metastatic progression. Here we show an alternative and complementary hypothesis of tumor progression whereby physiological matrix stiffness affects the quantity and protein cargo of small EVs produced by cancer cells, which in turn drive their metastasis. Primary patient breast tissue produces significantly more EVs from stiff tumor tissue than soft tumor adjacent tissue. EVs released by cancer cells on matrices that model human breast tumors (25 kPa; stiff EVs) feature increased adhesion molecule presentation (ITGα 2 β 1 , ITGα 6 β 4 , ITGα 6 β 1 , CD44) compared to EVs from softer normal tissue (0.5 kPa; soft EVs), which facilitates their binding to extracellular matrix (ECM) protein collagen IV, and a 3-fold increase in homing ability to distant organs in mice. In a zebrafish xenograft model, stiff EVs aid cancer cell dissemination through enhanced chemotaxis. Moreover, normal, resident lung fibroblasts treated with stiff and soft EVs change their gene expression profiles to adopt a cancer associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype. These findings show that EV quantity, cargo, and function depend heavily on the mechanical properties of the extracellular microenvironment.
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27
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Song X, Nihashi Y, Imai Y, Mori N, Kagaya N, Suenaga H, Shin-ya K, Yamamoto M, Setoyama D, Kunisaki Y, Kida YS. Collagen Lattice Model, Populated with Heterogeneous Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts, Facilitates Advanced Reconstruction of Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3740. [PMID: 38612551 PMCID: PMC11011612 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a solid-tumor malignancy. To enhance the treatment landscape of PDAC, a 3D model optimized for rigorous drug screening is essential. Within the PDAC tumor microenvironment, a dense stroma comprising a large extracellular matrix and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is well-known for its vital role in modulating tumor growth, cellular heterogeneity, bidirectional paracrine signaling, and chemoresistance. In this study, we employed a fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL) modeling approach that has the ability to replicate fibroblast contractility in the collagenous matrix to build dense stroma. This FPCL model allows CAF differentiation by facilitating multifaceted cell-cell interactions between cancer cells and CAFs, with the differentiation further influenced by mechanical forces and hypoxia carried within the 3D structure. Our FPCL models displayed hallmark features, including ductal gland structures and differentiated CAFs with spindle shapes. Through morphological explorations alongside in-depth transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling, we identified substantial molecular shifts from the nascent to mature model stages and potential metabolic biomarkers, such as proline. The initial pharmacological assays highlighted the effectiveness of our FPCL model in screening for improved therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, our PDAC modeling platform mirrors complex tumor microenvironmental dynamics and offers an unparalleled perspective for therapeutic exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Song
- Tsukuba Life Science Innovation Program (T-LSI), School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan;
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
| | - Yuma Nihashi
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
| | - Yukiko Imai
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan;
| | - Nobuhito Mori
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
| | - Noritaka Kagaya
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
| | - Hikaru Suenaga
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
| | - Kazuo Shin-ya
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
| | - Masamichi Yamamoto
- Department of Research Promotion and Management, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Ki-shibe-Shimmachi, Suita 564-8565, Japan;
| | - Daiki Setoyama
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan;
| | - Yuya Kunisaki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan;
| | - Yasuyuki S. Kida
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; (Y.N.); (N.M.); (N.K.); (H.S.); (K.S.-y.)
- School of Integrative & Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
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Pamplona R, González-Lana S, Ochoa I, Martín-Rapún R, Sánchez-Somolinos C. Evaluation of gelatin-based hydrogels for colon and pancreas studies using 3D in vitro cell culture. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:3144-3160. [PMID: 38456751 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02640j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Biomimetic 3D models emerged some decades ago to address 2D cell culture limitations in the field of replicating biological phenomena, structures or functions found in nature. The fabrication of hydrogels for cancer disease research enables the study of cell processes including growth, proliferation and migration and their 3D design is based on the encapsulation of tumoral cells within a tunable matrix. In this work, a platform of gelatin methacrylamide (GelMA)-based photocrosslinked scaffolds with embedded colorectal (HCT-116) or pancreatic (MIA PaCa-2) cancer cells is presented. Prior to cell culture, the mechanical characterization of hydrogels was assessed in terms of stiffness and swelling behavior. Modifications of the UV curing time enabled a fine tuning of the mechanical properties, which at the same time, showed susceptibility to the chemical composition and crosslinking mechanism. All scaffolds displayed excellent cytocompatibility with both tumoral cells while eliciting various cell responses depending on the microenvironment features. Individual and collective cell migration were observed for HCT-116 and MIA PaCa-2 cell lines, highlighting the ability of the colorectal cancer cells to cluster into aggregates of different sizes governed by the surrounding matrix. Additionally, metabolic activity results pointed out to the development of a more proliferative phenotype within stiffer networks. These findings confirm the suitability of the presented platform of GelMA-based hydrogels to conduct 3D cell culture experiments and explore biological processes associated with colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Pamplona
- Aragón Institute of Nanoscience and Materials (INMA), CSIC-University of Zaragoza, Department of Organic Chemistry, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Sandra González-Lana
- BEONCHIP S.L., CEMINEM, Campus Río Ebro. C/Mariano Esquillor Gómez s/n, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Tissue Microenvironment (TME) Lab. Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, C/Mariano Esquillor s/n, 500018 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ignacio Ochoa
- Tissue Microenvironment (TME) Lab. Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, C/Mariano Esquillor s/n, 500018 Zaragoza, Spain
- CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Health Research Aragón (IIS Aragón), Paseo de Isabel La Católica 1-3, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Rafael Martín-Rapún
- Aragón Institute of Nanoscience and Materials (INMA), CSIC-University of Zaragoza, Department of Organic Chemistry, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
- CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
- Universidad de Zaragoza, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Orgánica, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Carlos Sánchez-Somolinos
- CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
- Aragón Institute of Nanoscience and Materials (INMA), CSIC-University of Zaragoza, Department of Condensed Matter Physics (Faculty of Science), C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
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Nguyen HD, Lin CC. Viscoelastic stiffening of gelatin hydrogels for dynamic culture of pancreatic cancer spheroids. Acta Biomater 2024; 177:203-215. [PMID: 38354874 PMCID: PMC10958777 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a complex milieu of cellular and non-cellular components. Pancreatic cancer cells (PCC) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are two major cell types in PDAC TME, whereas the non-cellular components are enriched with extracellular matrices (ECM) that contribute to high stiffness and fast stress-relaxation. Previous studies have suggested that higher matrix rigidity promoted aggressive phenotypes of tumors, including PDAC. However, the effects of dynamic viscoelastic matrix properties on cancer cell fate remain largely unexplored. The focus of this work was to understand the effects of such dynamic matrix properties on PDAC cell behaviors, particularly in the context of PCC/CAF co-culture. To this end, we engineered gelatin-norbornene (GelNB) based hydrogels with a built-in mechanism for simultaneously increasing matrix elastic modulus and viscoelasticity. Two GelNB-based macromers, namely GelNB-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (GelNB-HPA) and GelNB-boronic acid (GelNB-BA), were modularly mixed and crosslinked with 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol)-thiol (PEG4SH) to form elastic hydrogels. Treating the hybrid hydrogels with tyrosinase not only increased the elastic moduli of the gels (due to HPA dimerization) but also concurrently produced 1,2-diols that formed reversible boronic acid-diol bonding with the BA groups on GelNB-BA. We employed patient-derived CAF and a PCC cell line COLO-357 to demonstrate the effect of increasing matrix stiffness and viscoelasticity on CAF and PCC cell fate. Our results indicated that in the stiffened environment, PCC underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In the co-culture PCC and CAF spheroid, CAF enhanced PCC spreading and stimulated collagen 1 production. Through mRNA-sequencing, we further showed that stiffened matrices, regardless of the degree of stress-relaxation, heightened the malignant phenotype of PDAC cells. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The pancreatic cancer microenvironment is a complex milieu composed of various cell types and extracellular matrices. It has been suggested that stiffer matrices could promote aggressive behavior in pancreatic cancer, but the effect of dynamic stiffening and matrix stress-relaxation on cancer cell fate remains largely undefined. This study aimed to explore the impact of dynamic changes in matrix viscoelasticity on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell behavior by developing a hydrogel system capable of simultaneously increasing stiffness and stress-relaxation on demand. This is achieved by crosslinking two gelatin-based macromers through orthogonal thiol-norbornene photochemistry and post-gelation stiffening with mushroom tyrosinase. The results revealed that higher matrix stiffness, regardless of the degree of stress relaxation, exacerbated the malignant characteristics of PDAC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han D Nguyen
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Chien-Chi Lin
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Liu Y, Okesola BO, Osuna de la Peña D, Li W, Lin ML, Trabulo S, Tatari M, Lawlor RT, Scarpa A, Wang W, Knight M, Loessner D, Heeschen C, Mata A, Pearce OMT. A Self-Assembled 3D Model Demonstrates How Stiffness Educates Tumor Cell Phenotypes and Therapy Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2301941. [PMID: 38471128 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a dense and stiff extracellular matrix (ECM) associated with tumor progression and therapy resistance. To further the understanding of how stiffening of the tumor microenvironment (TME) contributes to aggressiveness, a three-dimensional (3D) self-assembling hydrogel disease model is developed based on peptide amphiphiles (PAs, PA-E3Y) designed to tailor stiffness. The model displays nanofibrous architectures reminiscent of native TME and enables the study of the invasive behavior of PDAC cells. Enhanced tuneability of stiffness is demonstrated by interacting thermally annealed aqueous solutions of PA-E3Y (PA-E3Yh) with divalent cations to create hydrogels with mechanical properties and ultrastructure similar to native tumor ECM. It is shown that stiffening of PA-E3Yh hydrogels to levels found in PDAC induces ECM deposition, promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), enriches CD133+/CXCR4+ cancer stem cells (CSCs), and subsequently enhances drug resistance. The findings reveal how a stiff 3D environment renders PDAC cells more aggressive and therefore more faithfully recapitulates in vivo tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Babatunde O Okesola
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - David Osuna de la Peña
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Weiqi Li
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Meng-Lay Lin
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Sara Trabulo
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Marianthi Tatari
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, 37134, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research on Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, 37134, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, 37134, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research on Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, 37134, Italy
| | - Wen Wang
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Martin Knight
- Centre for Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
- Centre for Predictive in vitro Models, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Daniela Loessner
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Christopher Heeschen
- Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (TO), 10060, Italy
| | - Alvaro Mata
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Oliver M T Pearce
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
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Mittelheisser V, Gensbittel V, Bonati L, Li W, Tang L, Goetz JG. Evidence and therapeutic implications of biomechanically regulated immunosurveillance in cancer and other diseases. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:281-297. [PMID: 38286876 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01535-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Disease progression is usually accompanied by changes in the biochemical composition of cells and tissues and their biophysical properties. For instance, hallmarks of cancer include the stiffening of tissues caused by extracellular matrix remodelling and the softening of individual cancer cells. In this context, accumulating evidence has shown that immune cells sense and respond to mechanical signals from the environment. However, the mechanisms regulating these mechanical aspects of immune surveillance remain partially understood. The growing appreciation for the 'mechano-immunology' field has urged researchers to investigate how immune cells sense and respond to mechanical cues in various disease settings, paving the way for the development of novel engineering strategies that aim at mechanically modulating and potentiating immune cells for enhanced immunotherapies. Recent pioneer developments in this direction have laid the foundations for leveraging 'mechanical immunoengineering' strategies to treat various diseases. This Review first outlines the mechanical changes occurring during pathological progression in several diseases, including cancer, fibrosis and infection. We next highlight the mechanosensitive nature of immune cells and how mechanical forces govern the immune responses in different diseases. Finally, we discuss how targeting the biomechanical features of the disease milieu and immune cells is a promising strategy for manipulating therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Mittelheisser
- Tumor Biomechanics, INSERM UMR_S1109, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valentin Gensbittel
- Tumor Biomechanics, INSERM UMR_S1109, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucia Bonati
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Weilin Li
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Li Tang
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jacky G Goetz
- Tumor Biomechanics, INSERM UMR_S1109, Strasbourg, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France.
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Strasbourg, France.
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32
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Cambria E, Coughlin MF, Floryan MA, Offeddu GS, Shelton SE, Kamm RD. Linking cell mechanical memory and cancer metastasis. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:216-228. [PMID: 38238471 PMCID: PMC11146605 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00656-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis causes most cancer-related deaths; however, the efficacy of anti-metastatic drugs is limited by incomplete understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive metastasis. Focusing on the mechanics of metastasis, we propose that the ability of tumour cells to survive the metastatic process is enhanced by mechanical stresses in the primary tumour microenvironment that select for well-adapted cells. In this Perspective, we suggest that biophysical adaptations favourable for metastasis are retained via mechanical memory, such that the extent of memory is influenced by both the magnitude and duration of the mechanical stress. Among the mechanical cues present in the primary tumour microenvironment, we focus on high matrix stiffness to illustrate how it alters tumour cell proliferation, survival, secretion of molecular factors, force generation, deformability, migration and invasion. We particularly centre our discussion on potential mechanisms of mechanical memory formation and retention via mechanotransduction and persistent epigenetic changes. Indeed, we propose that the biophysical adaptations that are induced by this process are retained throughout the metastatic process to improve tumour cell extravasation, survival and colonization in the distant organ. Deciphering mechanical memory mechanisms will be key to discovering a new class of anti-metastatic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cambria
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Mark F Coughlin
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marie A Floryan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Giovanni S Offeddu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah E Shelton
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Mishra J, Chakraborty S, Niharika, Roy A, Manna S, Baral T, Nandi P, Patra SK. Mechanotransduction and epigenetic modulations of chromatin: Role of mechanical signals in gene regulation. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30531. [PMID: 38345428 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical forces may be generated within a cell due to tissue stiffness, cytoskeletal reorganization, and the changes (even subtle) in the cell's physical surroundings. These changes of forces impose a mechanical tension within the intracellular protein network (both cytosolic and nuclear). Mechanical tension could be released by a series of protein-protein interactions often facilitated by membrane lipids, lectins and sugar molecules and thus generate a type of signal to drive cellular processes, including cell differentiation, polarity, growth, adhesion, movement, and survival. Recent experimental data have accentuated the molecular mechanism of this mechanical signal transduction pathway, dubbed mechanotransduction. Mechanosensitive proteins in the cell's plasma membrane discern the physical forces and channel the information to the cell interior. Cells respond to the message by altering their cytoskeletal arrangement and directly transmitting the signal to the nucleus through the connection of the cytoskeleton and nucleoskeleton before the information despatched to the nucleus by biochemical signaling pathways. Nuclear transmission of the force leads to the activation of chromatin modifiers and modulation of the epigenetic landscape, inducing chromatin reorganization and gene expression regulation; by the time chemical messengers (transcription factors) arrive into the nucleus. While significant research has been done on the role of mechanotransduction in tumor development and cancer progression/metastasis, the mechanistic basis of force-activated carcinogenesis is still enigmatic. Here, in this review, we have discussed the various cues and molecular connections to better comprehend the cellular mechanotransduction pathway, and we also explored the detailed role of some of the multiple players (proteins and macromolecular complexes) involved in mechanotransduction. Thus, we have described an avenue: how mechanical stress directs the epigenetic modifiers to modulate the epigenome of the cells and how aberrant stress leads to the cancer phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagdish Mishra
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Subhajit Chakraborty
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Niharika
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Ankan Roy
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Soumen Manna
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Tirthankar Baral
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Piyasa Nandi
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Samir K Patra
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
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Hüsnügil HH, Güleç Taşkıran AE, Güderer I, Nehri LN, Oral G, Menemenli NŞ, Özcan Ö, Noghreh A, Akyol A, Banerjee S. Lysosomal alkalinization in nutrient restricted cancer cells activates cytoskeletal rearrangement to enhance partial epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Transl Oncol 2024; 41:101860. [PMID: 38262111 PMCID: PMC10832471 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nutrient restriction in cancer cells can activate a number of stress response pathways for cell survival. We aimed to determine mechanistically how nutrient depletion in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells leads to cellular adaptation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cell survival under nutrient depletion (ND) was evaluated by colony formation and in vivo tumor formation assays. Lysosomes are activated with ND; therefore, we incubated the ND cells with the V-ATPase inhibitor Bafilomycin A1 (ND+Baf). The expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers with ND+Baf was determined by RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR while motility was determined with an in vivo Chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Reorganization of cytoskeletal network and lysosomal positioning was determined by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS 4 different colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines under ND showed high viability, tumor forming ability and increased expression of one or more epithelial and mesenchymal markers, suggesting the activation of partial (p)-EMT. We observed a further increase in p-EMT markers, numerous membrane protrusions, decreased cell-cell adhesion in 3D, and increased motility in ND+Baf cells. The protrusions in the ND+Baf cells were primarily mediated by microtubules and enabled the relocalization of lysosomes from the perinuclear region to the periphery. CONCLUSIONS ND activated p-EMT in CRC cells, which was exacerbated by lysosomal alkalinization. The ND+Baf cells also showed numerous protrusions containing lysosomes, which may lead to lysosomal exocytosis and enhanced motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hazal Hüsnügil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Aliye Ezgi Güleç Taşkıran
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ismail Güderer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Leman Nur Nehri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Göksu Oral
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Özün Özcan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ariana Noghreh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Aytekin Akyol
- Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pathology, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sreeparna Banerjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey; Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory CanSyL, Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi, Ankara, Turkey.
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Yang K, Yi T. Tumor cell stemness in gastrointestinal cancer: regulation and targeted therapy. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1297611. [PMID: 38455361 PMCID: PMC10918437 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1297611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cancer stem cells are a rare group of self-renewable cancer cells capable of the initiation, progression, metastasis and recurrence of tumors, and also a key contributor to the therapeutic resistance. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanism of tumor stemness regulation, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, is of great importance for targeting CSC and designing novel therapeutic strategies. This review aims to elucidate current advancements in the understanding of CSC regulation, including CSC biomarkers, signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs. We will also provide a comprehensive view on how the tumor microenvironment (TME) display an overall tumor-promoting effect, including the recruitment and impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the establishment of an immunosuppressive milieu, and the induction of angiogenesis and hypoxia. Lastly, this review consolidates mainstream novel therapeutic interventions targeting CSC stemness regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangqi Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tuo Yi
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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36
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Kpeglo D, Haddrick M, Knowles MA, Evans SD, Peyman SA. Modelling and breaking down the biophysical barriers to drug delivery in pancreatic cancer. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:854-868. [PMID: 38240720 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00660c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stroma and its inherent biophysical barriers to drug delivery are central to therapeutic resistance. This makes PDAC the most prevalent pancreatic cancer with poor prognosis. The chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine is used against various solid tumours, including pancreatic cancer, but with only a modest effect on patient survival. The growing PDAC tumour mass with high densities of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, i.e., collagen, results in high interstitial pressure, leading to vasculature collapse and a dense, hypoxic, mechanically stiff stroma with reduced interstitial flow, critical to drug delivery to cells. Despite this, most drug studies are performed on cellular models that neglect these biophysical barriers to drug delivery. Microfluidic technology offers a promising platform to emulate tumour biophysical characteristics with appropriate flow conditions and transport dynamics. We present a microfluidic PDAC culture model, encompassing the disease's biophysical barriers to therapeutics, to evaluate the use of the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan, which has been found to have matrix-depleting properties, on improving gemcitabine efficacy. PDAC cells were seeded into our 5-channel microfluidic device for a 21-day culture to mimic the rigid, collagenous PDAC stroma with reduced interstitial flow, which is critical to drug delivery to the cancer cells, and for assessment with gemcitabine and losartan treatment. With losartan, our culture matrix was more porous with less collagen, resulting in increased hydraulic conductivity of the culture interstitial space and improved gemcitabine effect. We demonstrate the importance of modelling tumour biophysical barriers to successfully assess new drugs and delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delanyo Kpeglo
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK.
| | - Malcolm Haddrick
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Block 35, Mereside Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Margaret A Knowles
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's (LIMR), School of Medicine, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK
| | - Stephen D Evans
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK.
| | - Sally A Peyman
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK.
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's (LIMR), School of Medicine, University of Leeds, LS2 9 JT, UK
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37
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Goncharov AP, Vashakidze N, Kharaishvili G. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A Fundamental Cellular and Microenvironmental Process in Benign and Malignant Prostate Pathologies. Biomedicines 2024; 12:418. [PMID: 38398019 PMCID: PMC10886988 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial and fundamental mechanism in many cellular processes, beginning with embryogenesis via tissue remodulation and wound healing, and plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and metastasis formation. EMT is a complex process that involves many transcription factors and genes that enable the tumor cell to leave the primary location, invade the basement membrane, and send metastasis to other tissues. Moreover, it may help the tumor avoid the immune system and establish radioresistance and chemoresistance. It may also change the normal microenvironment, thus promoting other key factors for tumor survival, such as hypoxia-induced factor-1 (HIF-1) and promoting neoangiogenesis. In this review, we will focus mainly on the role of EMT in benign prostate disease and especially in the process of establishment of malignant prostate tumors, their invasiveness, and aggressive behavior. We will discuss relevant study methods for EMT evaluation and possible clinical implications. We will also introduce clinical trials conducted according to CONSORT 2010 that try to harness EMT properties in the form of circulating tumor cells to predict aggressive patterns of prostate cancer. This review will provide the most up-to-date information to establish a keen understanding of the cellular and microenvironmental processes for developing novel treatment lines by modifying or blocking the pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Philip Goncharov
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
| | - Nino Vashakidze
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
| | - Gvantsa Kharaishvili
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
- Department of Human Morphology and Pathology, Medical Faculty, David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi 0159, Georgia
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De Lorenzi F, Hansen N, Theek B, Daware R, Motta A, Breuel S, Nasehi R, Baumeister J, Schöneberg J, Stojanović N, von Stillfried S, Vogt M, Müller-Newen G, Maurer J, Sofias AM, Lammers T, Fischer H, Kiessling F. Engineering Mesoscopic 3D Tumor Models with a Self-Organizing Vascularized Matrix. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2303196. [PMID: 37865947 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Advanced in vitro systems such as multicellular spheroids and lab-on-a-chip devices have been developed, but often fall short in reproducing the tissue scale and self-organization of human diseases. A bioprinted artificial tumor model is introduced with endothelial and stromal cells self-organizing into perfusable and functional vascular structures. This model uses 3D hydrogel matrices to embed multicellular tumor spheroids, allowing them to grow to mesoscopic scales and to interact with endothelial cells. It is shown that angiogenic multicellular tumor spheroids promote the growth of a vascular network, which in turn further enhances the growth of cocultivated tumor spheroids. The self-developed vascular structure infiltrates the tumor spheroids, forms functional connections with the bioprinted endothelium, and can be perfused by erythrocytes and polystyrene microspheres. Moreover, cancer cells migrate spontaneously from the tumor spheroid through the self-assembled vascular network into the fluid flow. Additionally, tumor type specific characteristics of desmoplasia, angiogenesis, and metastatic propensity are preserved between patient-derived samples and tumors derived from this same material growing in the bioreactors. Overall, this modular approach opens up new avenues for studying tumor pathophysiology and cellular interactions in vitro, providing a platform for advanced drug testing while reducing the need for in vivo experimentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica De Lorenzi
- Department of Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Mildred Scheel School of Oncology (MSSO), Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIOABCD), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nadja Hansen
- Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research (ZWBF), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Theek
- Department of Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rasika Daware
- Department of Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alessandro Motta
- Department of Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Saskia Breuel
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ramin Nasehi
- Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research (ZWBF), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julian Baumeister
- Mildred Scheel School of Oncology (MSSO), Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIOABCD), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan Schöneberg
- Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research (ZWBF), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Natalija Stojanović
- Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research (ZWBF), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Michael Vogt
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gerhard Müller-Newen
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochen Maurer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alexandros Marios Sofias
- Department of Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Mildred Scheel School of Oncology (MSSO), Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIOABCD), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Trondheim, 7491, Norway
| | - Twan Lammers
- Department of Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Mildred Scheel School of Oncology (MSSO), Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIOABCD), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Horst Fischer
- Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research (ZWBF), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Fabian Kiessling
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging (ExMI), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, 28359, Bremen, Germany
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Wendong Y, Jiali J, Qiaomei F, Yayun W, Xianze X, Zheng S, Wei H. Biomechanical forces and force-triggered drug delivery in tumor neovascularization. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116117. [PMID: 38171243 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor angiogenesis is one of the typical hallmarks of tumor occurrence and development, and tumor neovascularization also exhibits distinct characteristics from normal blood vessels. As the number of cells and matrix inside the tumor increases, the biomechanical force is enhanced, specifically manifested as solid stress, fluid stress, stiffness, and topology. This mechanical microenvironment also provides shelter for tumors and intensifies angiogenesis, providing oxygen and nutritional support for tumor progression. During tumor development, the biomechanical microenvironment also emerges, which in turn feeds back to regulate the tumor progression, including tumor angiogenesis, and biochemical and biomechanical signals can regulate tumor angiogenesis. Blood vessels possess inherent sensitivity to mechanical stimuli, but compared to the extensive research on biochemical signal regulation, the study of the regulation of tumor neovascularization by biomechanical signals remains relatively scarce. Biomechanical forces can affect the phenotypic characteristics and mechanical signaling pathways of tumor blood vessels, directly regulating angiogenesis. Meanwhile, they can indirectly regulate tumor angiogenesis by causing an imbalance in angiogenesis signals and affecting stromal cell function. Understanding the regulatory mechanism of biomechanical forces in tumor angiogenesis is beneficial for better identifying and even taming the mechanical forces involved in angiogenesis, providing new therapeutic targets for tumor vascular normalization. Therefore, we summarized the composition of biomechanical forces and their direct or indirect regulation of tumor neovascularization. In addition, this review discussed the use of biomechanical forces in combination with anti-angiogenic therapies for the treatment of tumors, and biomechanical forces triggered delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wendong
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China
| | - Jiang Jiali
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China
| | - Fan Qiaomei
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China
| | - Weng Yayun
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China
| | - Xie Xianze
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China
| | - Shi Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China.
| | - Huang Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310005, China.
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40
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Sacco JL, Vaneman ZT, Gomez EW. Extracellular matrix viscoelasticity regulates TGFβ1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and apoptosis via integrin linked kinase. J Cell Physiol 2024; 239:e31165. [PMID: 38149820 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 is a multifunctional cytokine that plays important roles in health and disease. Previous studies have revealed that TGFβ1 activation, signaling, and downstream cell responses including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis are regulated by the elasticity or stiffness of the extracellular matrix. However, tissues within the body are not purely elastic, rather they are viscoelastic. How matrix viscoelasticity impacts cell fate decisions downstream of TGFβ1 remains unknown. Here, we synthesized polyacrylamide hydrogels that mimic the viscoelastic properties of breast tumor tissue. We found that increasing matrix viscous dissipation reduces TGFβ1-induced cell spreading, F-actin stress fiber formation, and EMT-associated gene expression changes, and promotes TGFβ1-induced apoptosis in mammary epithelial cells. Furthermore, TGFβ1-induced expression of integrin linked kinase (ILK) and colocalization of ILK with vinculin at cell adhesions is attenuated in mammary epithelial cells cultured on viscoelastic substrata in comparison to cells cultured on nearly elastic substrata. Overexpression of ILK promotes TGFβ1-induced EMT and reduces apoptosis in cells cultured on viscoelastic substrata, suggesting that ILK plays an important role in regulating cell fate downstream of TGFβ1 in response to matrix viscoelasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Sacco
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zachary T Vaneman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Esther W Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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41
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Bigos KJA, Quiles CG, Lunj S, Smith DJ, Krause M, Troost EGC, West CM, Hoskin P, Choudhury A. Tumour response to hypoxia: understanding the hypoxic tumour microenvironment to improve treatment outcome in solid tumours. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1331355. [PMID: 38352889 PMCID: PMC10861654 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1331355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumours affecting their biology and response to therapy. One of the main transcription factors activated by hypoxia is hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which regulates the expression of genes involved in various aspects of tumourigenesis including proliferative capacity, angiogenesis, immune evasion, metabolic reprogramming, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, and cell migration. This can negatively impact patient outcomes by inducing therapeutic resistance. The importance of hypoxia is clearly demonstrated by continued research into finding clinically relevant hypoxia biomarkers, and hypoxia-targeting therapies. One of the problems is the lack of clinically applicable methods of hypoxia detection, and lack of standardisation. Additionally, a lot of the methods of detecting hypoxia do not take into consideration the complexity of the hypoxic tumour microenvironment (TME). Therefore, this needs further elucidation as approximately 50% of solid tumours are hypoxic. The ECM is important component of the hypoxic TME, and is developed by both cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumour cells. However, it is important to distinguish the different roles to develop both biomarkers and novel compounds. Fibronectin (FN), collagen (COL) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are important components of the ECM that create ECM fibres. These fibres are crosslinked by specific enzymes including lysyl oxidase (LOX) which regulates the stiffness of tumours and induces fibrosis. This is partially regulated by HIFs. The review highlights the importance of understanding the role of matrix stiffness in different solid tumours as current data shows contradictory results on the impact on therapeutic resistance. The review also indicates that further research is needed into identifying different CAF subtypes and their exact roles; with some showing pro-tumorigenic capacity and others having anti-tumorigenic roles. This has made it difficult to fully elucidate the role of CAFs within the TME. However, it is clear that this is an important area of research that requires unravelling as current strategies to target CAFs have resulted in worsened prognosis. The role of immune cells within the tumour microenvironment is also discussed as hypoxia has been associated with modulating immune cells to create an anti-tumorigenic environment. Which has led to the development of immunotherapies including PD-L1. These hypoxia-induced changes can confer resistance to conventional therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the impact of hypoxia on the TME and its implications for therapy resistance. It also discusses the potential of hypoxia biomarkers as prognostic and predictive indictors of treatment response, as well as the challenges and opportunities of targeting hypoxia in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamilla JA. Bigos
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Conrado G. Quiles
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sapna Lunj
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle J. Smith
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mechthild Krause
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiation Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, Helmholtz Association / Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- School of Medicine, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Esther GC. Troost
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiation Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Radiooncology and Clinical Radiotherapy and Image-guided High Precision Radiotherapy, Helmholtz Association / Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- School of Medicine, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Radiooncology – OncoRay, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Rossendorf, Germany
| | - Catharine M. West
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Christie Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Hoskin
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, United Kingdom
| | - Ananya Choudhury
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, Germany
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42
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Abuwatfa WH, Pitt WG, Husseini GA. Scaffold-based 3D cell culture models in cancer research. J Biomed Sci 2024; 31:7. [PMID: 38221607 PMCID: PMC10789053 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-00994-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures have emerged as valuable tools in cancer research, offering significant advantages over traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. In 3D cell cultures, cancer cells are grown in an environment that more closely mimics the 3D architecture and complexity of in vivo tumors. This approach has revolutionized cancer research by providing a more accurate representation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and enabling the study of tumor behavior and response to therapies in a more physiologically relevant context. One of the key benefits of 3D cell culture in cancer research is the ability to recapitulate the complex interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding stroma. Tumors consist not only of cancer cells but also various other cell types, including stromal cells, immune cells, and blood vessels. These models bridge traditional 2D cell cultures and animal models, offering a cost-effective, scalable, and ethical alternative for preclinical research. As the field advances, 3D cell cultures are poised to play a pivotal role in understanding cancer biology and accelerating the development of effective anticancer therapies. This review article highlights the key advantages of 3D cell cultures, progress in the most common scaffold-based culturing techniques, pertinent literature on their applications in cancer research, and the ongoing challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waad H Abuwatfa
- Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box. 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - William G Pitt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Ghaleb A Husseini
- Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box. 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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43
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Chakkera M, Foote JB, Farran B, Nagaraju GP. Breaking the stromal barrier in pancreatic cancer: Advances and challenges. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189065. [PMID: 38160899 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide due to the absence of early detection methods and the low success rates of traditional therapeutic strategies. Drug resistance in PC is driven by its desmoplastic stroma, which creates a barrier that shields cancer niches and prevents the penetration of drugs. The PC stroma comprises heterogeneous cellular populations and non-cellular components involved in aberrant ECM deposition, immunosuppression, and drug resistance. These components can influence PC development through intricate and complex crosstalk with the PC cells. Understanding how stromal components and cells interact with and influence the invasiveness and refractoriness of PC cells is thus a prerequisite for developing successful stroma-modulating strategies capable of remodeling the PC stroma to alleviate drug resistance and enhance therapeutic outcomes. In this review, we explore how non-cellular and cellular stromal components, including cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages, contribute to the immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting effects of the stroma. We also examine the signaling pathways underlying their activation, tumorigenic effects, and interactions with PC cells. Finally, we discuss recent pre-clinical and clinical work aimed at developing and testing novel stroma-modulating agents to alleviate drug resistance and improve therapeutic outcomes in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohana Chakkera
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Jeremy B Foote
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Batoul Farran
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
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Tangsiri M, Hheidari A, Liaghat M, Razlansari M, Ebrahimi N, Akbari A, Varnosfaderani SMN, Maleki-Sheikhabadi F, Norouzi A, Bakhtiyari M, Zalpoor H, Nabi-Afjadi M, Rahdar A. Promising applications of nanotechnology in inhibiting chemo-resistance in solid tumors by targeting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 170:115973. [PMID: 38064969 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy, also known as chemo-resistance, poses a significant obstacle to cancer treatment and can ultimately result in patient mortality. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the many factors and processes responsible for chemo-resistance. Studies have shown that targeting EMT can help overcome chemo-resistance, and nanotechnology and nanomedicine have emerged as promising approaches to achieve this goal. This article discusses the potential of nanotechnology in inhibiting EMT and proposes a viable strategy to combat chemo-resistance in various solid tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. While nanotechnology has shown promising results in targeting EMT, further research is necessary to explore its full potential in overcoming chemo-resistance and discovering more effective methods in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Tangsiri
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Hheidari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Liaghat
- Department of Medical Laboratory sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kazerun Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazerun, Iran; Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy & Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education & Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahtab Razlansari
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tübingen University, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Narges Ebrahimi
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdullatif Akbari
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy & Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education & Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Fahimeh Maleki-Sheikhabadi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Norouzi
- Dental Research Center, Faculty of Dentistry, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Maryam Bakhtiyari
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy & Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education & Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Zalpoor
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy & Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education & Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Nabi-Afjadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Abbas Rahdar
- Department of Physics, University of Zabol, Zabol 98613-35856, Iran.
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45
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Xu X, Xiao Z, Zhang F, Wang C, Wei B, Wang Y, Cheng B, Jia Y, Li Y, Li B, Guo H, Xu F. CellVisioner: A Generalizable Cell Virtual Staining Toolbox based on Few-Shot Transfer Learning for Mechanobiological Analysis. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0285. [PMID: 38434246 PMCID: PMC10907024 DOI: 10.34133/research.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Visualizing cellular structures especially the cytoskeleton and the nucleus is crucial for understanding mechanobiology, but traditional fluorescence staining has inherent limitations such as phototoxicity and photobleaching. Virtual staining techniques provide an alternative approach to addressing these issues but often require substantial amount of user training data. In this study, we develop a generalizable cell virtual staining toolbox (termed CellVisioner) based on few-shot transfer learning that requires substantially reduced user training data. CellVisioner can virtually stain F-actin and nuclei for various types of cells and extract single-cell parameters relevant to mechanobiology research. Taking the label-free single-cell images as input, CellVisioner can predict cell mechanobiological status (e.g., Yes-associated protein nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio) and perform long-term monitoring for living cells. We envision that CellVisioner would be a powerful tool to facilitate on-site mechanobiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiayu Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Zhanfeng Xiao
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Fan Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Changxiang Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Bo Wei
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Bo Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Yuanbo Jia
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Bin Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
| | - Hui Guo
- Department of Medical Oncology,
The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, P.R. China
| | - Feng Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC),
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
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46
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Sun XS, Wang JW, Han F, Zou RH, Yang ZC, Guo SS, Liu LT, Chen QY, Tang LQ, Mai HQ. Prognostic value of metastatic cervical lymph node stiffness in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A prospective cohort study. Radiother Oncol 2023; 189:109939. [PMID: 37806561 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Extracellular matrix stiffness plays an important role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we assessed the prognostic value of metastatic cervical lymph node (CLN) stiffness measured using ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS A total of 325 consecutive patients with NPC and CLN metastases were prospectively enrolled in this study. The association between the CLN stiffness and patient characteristics was also evaluated. Survival analysis was performed for 307 patients with stage M0 disease. Distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) was the primary endpoint. Log-rank test and multivariate analysis were used to explore the prognostic value of CLN stiffness. RESULTS Eighteen patients developed distant metastases before treatment (stage M1) and had significantly higher CLN stiffness (Pt-test < 0.001) than the other patients (stage M0). For stage M0 patients, those in the high-stiffness group had lower 3-year DMFS (83.3% vs. 91.7%, P = 0.013) and 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) (78.2% vs. 87.9%, P = 0.015) than those in the low-stiffness group. Multivariate analysis identified CLN stiffness and pretreatment Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA as independent prognostic factors for DMFS and PFS. We further established stiffness-EBV risk stratification based on these two factors. The concordance index, receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analyses showed that our risk stratification outperformed the TNM classification for predicting metastasis. CONCLUSION The stiffness of metastatic CLN is closely associated with the prognosis of patients with NPC. SWE can be used as a pretreatment examination for CLN-positive patients. A multicenter study is required to verify our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Song Sun
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Jian-Wei Wang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Feng Han
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Ru-Hai Zou
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Zhen-Chong Yang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Shan-Shan Guo
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Li-Ting Liu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Qiu-Yan Chen
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Lin-Quan Tang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
| | - Hai-Qiang Mai
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
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47
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Buonvino S, Arciero I, Martinelli E, Seliktar D, Melino S. Modelling the disease: H 2S-sensitivity and drug-resistance of triple negative breast cancer cells can be modulated by embedding in isotropic micro-environment. Mater Today Bio 2023; 23:100862. [PMID: 38046276 PMCID: PMC10689286 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100862] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems provide more physiologically relevant information, representing more accurately the actual microenvironment where cells reside in tissues. However, the differences between the tissue culture plate (TCP) and 3D culture systems in terms of tumour cell growth, proliferation, migration, differentiation and response to the treatment have not been fully elucidated. Tumoroid microspheres containing the MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cell line were prepared using either tunable PEG-fibrinogen (PFs) or tunable PEG-silk fibroin (PSFs) hydrogels, respectively named MDAPFs and MDAPSFs. The cancer cells in the tumoroids showed changes both in globular morphology and at the protein expression level. A decrease of both Histone H3 acetylation and cyclin D1 expression in all 3D systems, compared to the 2D cell culture, was detected in parallel to changes of the matrix stiffness. The effects of a glutathionylated garlic extract (GSGa), a slow H2S-releasing donor, were investigated on both tumoroid systems. A pro-apoptotic effect of GSGa on tumour cell growth in 2D culture was observed as opposed to a pro-proliferative effect apparent in both MDAPFs and MDAPSFs. A dedicated ad hoc 3D cell migration chip was designed and optimized for studying tumour cell invasion in a gel-in-gel configuration. An anti-cell-invasion effect of the GSGa was observed in the 2D cell culture, whereas a pro-migratory effect in both MDAPFs and MDAPSFs was observed in the 3D cell migration chip assay. An increase of cyclin D1 expression after GSGa treatment was observed in agreement with an increase of the cell invasion index. Our results suggest that the "dimensionality" and the stiffness of the 3D cell culture milieu can change the response to both the gasotransmitter H2S and doxorubicin due to differences in both H2S diffusion and changes in protein expression. Moreover, we uncovered a direct relation between the cyclin D1 expression and the stiffness of the 3D cell culture milieu, suggesting the potential causal involvement of the cyclin D1 as a bio-marker for sensitivity of the tumour cells to their matrix stiffness. Therefore, our hydrogel-based tumoroids represent a valid tunable model for studying the physically induced transdifferentiation (PiT) of cancer cells and as a more reliable and predictive in vitro screening platform to investigate the effects of anti-tumour drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Buonvino
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Arciero
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Martinelli
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Studies on Lab-on -Chip and Organ-on-Chip Applications, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Dror Seliktar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sonia Melino
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
- NAST Centre, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Rome, Italy
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48
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Gamradt P, Thierry K, Masmoudi M, Wu Z, Hernandez-Vargas H, Bachy S, Antonio T, Savas B, Hussain Z, Tomasini R, Milani P, Bertolino P, Hennino A. Stiffness-induced cancer-associated fibroblasts are responsible for immunosuppression in a platelet-derived growth factor ligand-dependent manner. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad405. [PMID: 38111825 PMCID: PMC10727001 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with a vast stromal reaction that arises mainly from cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and promotes both immune escape and tumor growth. Here, we used a mouse model with deletion of the activin A receptor ALK4 in the context of the KrasG12D mutation, which strongly drives collagen deposition that leads to tissue stiffness. By ligand-receptor analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data, we identified that, in stiff conditions, neoplastic ductal cells instructed CAFs through sustained platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling. Tumor-associated tissue rigidity resulted in the emergence of stiffness-induced CAFs (siCAFs) in vitro and in vivo. Similar results were confirmed in human data. siCAFs were able to strongly inhibit CD8+ T-cell responses in vitro and in vivo, promoting local immunosuppression. More importantly, targeting PDGF signaling led to diminished siCAF and reduced tumor growth. Our data show for the first time that early paracrine signaling leads to profound changes in tissue mechanics, impacting immune responses and tumor progression. Our study highlights that PDGF ligand neutralization can normalize the tissue architecture independent of the genetic background, indicating that finely tuned stromal therapy may open new therapeutic avenues in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Gamradt
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Kevin Thierry
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Melissa Masmoudi
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
- StromaCare, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Zhichong Wu
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Hector Hernandez-Vargas
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Sophie Bachy
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
- StromaCare, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Tiffanie Antonio
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Berkan Savas
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
| | | | | | | | - Philippe Bertolino
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
| | - Ana Hennino
- Tumor Escape, Resistance and Immunity, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, UMR INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon F-69373, France
- Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69000, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon F-69008, France
- StromaCare, Lyon F-69008, France
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Horta CA, Doan K, Yang J. Mechanotransduction pathways in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 85:102245. [PMID: 37804773 PMCID: PMC10796216 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102245] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support for cells and mediates cell-stromal communications. In addition to ECM proteins, mechanical force exerted from the ECM serves as a critical regulator of many biological processes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular process by which epithelial cells loosen their cellular junctions and migrate and invade in a more mesenchymal fashion. Recent studies show that increasing ECM stiffness can impinge on cellular signaling pathways through mechanotransduction to promote carcinoma cells to undergo EMT, suggesting that mechanical force exerted by the ECM plays a critical role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Here, we highlight recent work utilizing innovative approaches to study mechanotransduction and summarize newly discovered mechanisms by which mechanosensors and responders regulate EMT during tumor progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calista A Horta
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Khoa Doan
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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50
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Weisman CM. The permissive binding theory of cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1272981. [PMID: 38023252 PMCID: PMC10666763 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1272981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The later stages of cancer, including the invasion and colonization of new tissues, are actively mysterious compared to earlier stages like primary tumor formation. While we lack many details about both, we do have an apparently successful explanatory framework for the earlier stages: one in which genetic mutations hold ultimate causal and explanatory power. By contrast, on both empirical and conceptual grounds, it is not currently clear that mutations alone can explain the later stages of cancer. Can a different type of molecular change do better? Here, I introduce the "permissive binding theory" of cancer, which proposes that novel protein binding interactions are the key causal and explanatory entity in invasion and metastasis. It posits that binding is more abundant at baseline than we observe because it is restricted in normal physiology; that any large perturbation to physiological state revives this baseline abundance, unleashing many new binding interactions; and that a subset of these cause the cellular functions at the heart of oncogenesis, especially invasion and metastasis. Significant physiological perturbations occur in cancer cells in very early stages, and generally become more extreme with progression, providing interactions that continually fuel invasion and metastasis. The theory is compatible with, but not limited to, causal roles for the diverse molecular changes observed in cancer (e.g. gene expression or epigenetic changes), as these generally act causally upstream of proteins, and so may exert their effects by changing the protein binding interactions that occur in the cell. This admits the possibility that molecular changes that appear quite different may actually converge in creating the same few protein complexes, simplifying our picture of invasion and metastasis. If correct, the theory offers a concrete therapeutic strategy: targeting the key novel complexes. The theory is straightforwardly testable by large-scale identification of protein interactions in different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M. Weisman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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