1
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Shao L, Yu H, Wang M, Chen L, Ji B, Wu T, Teng X, Su M, Han X, Shi W, Hu X, Wang Z, He H, Han G, Zhang Y, Wu Q. DKK1-SE recruits AP1 to activate the target gene DKK1 thereby promoting pancreatic cancer progression. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:566. [PMID: 39107271 PMCID: PMC11303742 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06915-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
Super-enhancers are a class of DNA cis-regulatory elements that can regulate cell identity, cell fate, stem cell pluripotency, and even tumorigenesis. Increasing evidence shows that epigenetic modifications play an important role in the pathogenesis of various types of cancer. However, the current research is far from enough to reveal the complex mechanism behind it. This study found a super-enhancer enriched with abnormally active histone modifications in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), called DKK1-super-enhancer (DKK1-SE). The major active component of DKK1-SE is component enhancer e1. Mechanistically, AP1 induces chromatin remodeling in component enhancer e1 and activates the transcriptional activity of DKK1. Moreover, DKK1 was closely related to the malignant clinical features of PDAC. Deletion or knockdown of DKK1-SE significantly inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, motility, migration, and invasion of PDAC cells in vitro, and these phenomena were partly mitigated upon rescuing DKK1 expression. In vivo, DKK1-SE deficiency not only inhibited tumor proliferation but also reduced the complexity of the tumor microenvironment. This study identifies that DKK1-SE drives DKK1 expression by recruiting AP1 transcription factors, exerting oncogenic effects in PDAC, and enhancing the complexity of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Shao
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Mengyun Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Boshu Ji
- Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Tong Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Xiangqi Teng
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Mu Su
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Xiao Han
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Weikai Shi
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Xin Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Ziwen Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Hongjuan He
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Guiping Han
- Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
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2
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McAndrews KM, Mahadevan KK, Kalluri R. Mouse Models to Evaluate the Functional Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression and Therapy Responses. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041411. [PMID: 38191175 PMCID: PMC11216184 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041411] [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: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex ecosystem of both cellular and noncellular components that functions to impact the evolution of cancer. Various aspects of the TME have been targeted for the control of cancer; however, TME composition is dynamic, with the overall abundance of immune cells, endothelial cells (ECs), fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as subsets of TME components changing at different stages of progression and in response to therapy. To effectively treat cancer, an understanding of the functional role of the TME is needed. Genetically engineered mouse models have enabled comprehensive insight into the complex interactions within the TME ecosystem that regulate disease progression. Here, we review recent advances in mouse models that have been employed to understand how the TME regulates cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M McAndrews
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
| | - Krishnan K Mahadevan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
| | - Raghu Kalluri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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3
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Zheng D, Chen W, Peng J, Huang X, Zhang S, Zhuang Y. Hsa_circ_0007590/PTBP1 complex reprograms glucose metabolism by reducing the stability of m 6A-modified PTEN mRNA in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:1090-1102. [PMID: 38802551 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00786-4] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in glucose metabolism in pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains elusive. Through RNA sequencing of cells cultured under conditions of glucose deprivation, we identified hsa_circ_0007590. Sanger sequencing and RNase R and Act D treatments were performed to confirm the circular RNA features of hsa_circ_0007590. RNA in situ hybridization (RNA-ISH) and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) were used to estimate hsa_circ_0007590 expression in PDAC clinical specimens and cell lines. hsa_circ_0007590 expression was higher in PDAC patients and closely related to the clinicopathological characteristics of the disease. Cytoplasm‒nuclear fractionation and FISH assays demonstrated that hsa_circ_0007590 was located in the nucleus. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays were performed to assess the biological behaviors of PDAC cells. Seahorse XF assays were performed to validate the Warburg effect. hsa_circ_0007590 facilitated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PDAC cells and promoted the Warburg effect. Mass spectrometry, RNA pulldown, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA m6A quantification, m6A dot blot, MeRIP, and Western blotting were conducted to investigate the detailed mechanism through which hsa_circ_0007590 produces these effects. Mechanistically, hsa_circ_0007590 targeted PTBP1 and increased the expression of the m6A reader protein YTHDF2, leading to PTEN mRNA degradation and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activation. Overall, hsa_circ_0007590, which targets PTBP1, reprograms glucose metabolism by attenuating the stability of m6A-modified PTEN mRNA and holds potential promise as a therapeutic target for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China
- Doctor of Excellence Program (DEP), The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenying Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China
| | - Juanfei Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianxian Huang
- Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Center, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Shineng Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yanyan Zhuang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Yamashita K, Kumamoto Y. CAFs-Associated Genes (CAFGs) in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and Novel Therapeutic Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6003. [PMID: 38892190 PMCID: PMC11172745 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most aggressive cancer with striking fibrosis, and its mortality rate is ranked second across human cancers. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a critical role in PDAC progression, and we reviewed the molecular understanding of PDAC CAFs and novel therapeutic potential at present. CAFs-associated genes (CAFGs) were tentatively classified into three categories by stroma specificity representing stroma/epithelia expression ratios (SE ratios). The recent classification using single cell transcriptome technology clarified that CAFs were composed of myofibroblasts (myCAFs), inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs), and other minor ones (e.g., POSTN-CAFs and antigen presenting CAFs, apCAFs). LRRC15 is a myCAFs marker, and myCAFs depletion by diphtheria toxin induces the rapid accumulation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and therefore augment PDL1 antibody treatments. This finding proposes that myCAFs may be a critical regulator of tumor immunity in terms of PDAC progression. myCAFs are located in CAFs adjacent to tumor cells, while iCAFs marked by PDPN and/or COL14A1 are distant from tumor cells, where hypoxic and acidic environments being located in iCAFs putatively due to poor blood supply is consistent with HIF1A and GPR68 expressions. iCAFs may be shared with SASP (secretion-associated phenotypes) in senescent CAFs. myCAFs are classically characterized by CAFGs induced by TGFB1, while chemoresistant CAFs with SASP may dependent on IL6 expression and accompanied by STAT3 activation. Recently, it was found that the unique metabolism of CAFs can be targeted to prevent PDAC progression, where PDAC cells utilize glucose, whereas CAFs in turn utilize lactate, which may be epigenetically regulated, mediated by its target genes including CXCR4. In summary, CAFs have unique molecular characteristics, which have been rigorously clarified as novel therapeutic targets of PDAC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keishi Yamashita
- Division of Advanced Surgical Oncology, Research and Development Center for New Medical Frontiers, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kitasato 1-15-1, Minami-ku, Sagamihara 252-0374, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kumamoto
- Department of General-Pediatric-Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara 252-0374, Japan;
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5
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Kalla J, Pfneissl J, Mair T, Tran L, Egger G. A systematic review on the culture methods and applications of 3D tumoroids for cancer research and personalized medicine. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00960-8. [PMID: 38806997 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00960-8] [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] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, and thus treatment responses vary greatly between patients. To improve therapy efficacy and outcome for cancer patients, more representative and patient-specific preclinical models are needed. Organoids and tumoroids are 3D cell culture models that typically retain the genetic and epigenetic characteristics, as well as the morphology, of their tissue of origin. Thus, they can be used to understand the underlying mechanisms of cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis in a more physiological setting. Additionally, co-culture methods of tumoroids and cancer-associated cells can help to understand the interplay between a tumor and its tumor microenvironment. In recent years, tumoroids have already helped to refine treatments and to identify new targets for cancer therapy. Advanced culturing systems such as chip-based fluidic devices and bioprinting methods in combination with tumoroids have been used for high-throughput applications for personalized medicine. Even though organoid and tumoroid models are complex in vitro systems, validation of results in vivo is still the common practice. Here, we describe how both animal- and human-derived tumoroids have helped to identify novel vulnerabilities for cancer treatment in recent years, and how they are currently used for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kalla
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Janette Pfneissl
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Theresia Mair
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Loan Tran
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerda Egger
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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6
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Lior C, Barki D, Halperin C, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Kelsen D, Shouval RS. Mapping the tumor stress network reveals dynamic shifts in the stromal oxidative stress response. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114236. [PMID: 38758650 PMCID: PMC11156623 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114236] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) presents cells with challenges such as variable pH, hypoxia, and free radicals, triggering stress responses that affect cancer progression. In this study, we examine the stress response landscape in four carcinomas-breast, pancreas, ovary, and prostate-across five pathways: heat shock, oxidative stress, hypoxia, DNA damage, and unfolded protein stress. Using a combination of experimental and computational methods, we create an atlas of stress responses across various types of carcinomas. We find that stress responses vary within the TME and are especially active near cancer cells. Focusing on the non-immune stroma we find, across tumor types, that NRF2 and the oxidative stress response are distinctly activated in immune-regulatory cancer-associated fibroblasts and in a unique subset of cancer-associated pericytes. Our study thus provides an interactome of stress responses in cancer, offering ways to intersect survival pathways within the tumor, and advance cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lior
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Debra Barki
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Coral Halperin
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Kelsen
- Gastrointestinal Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ruth Scherz- Shouval
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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7
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Vendramini-Costa DB, Francescone R, Franco-Barraza J, Luong T, Graves M, de Aquino AM, Steele N, Gardiner JC, Dos Santos SAA, Ogier C, Malloy E, Borghaei L, Martinez E, Zhigarev DI, Tan Y, Lee H, Zhou Y, Cai KQ, Klein-Szanto AJ, Wang H, Andrake M, Dunbrack RL, Campbell K, Cukierman E. Netrin G1 Ligand is a new stromal immunomodulator that promotes pancreatic cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.15.594354. [PMID: 38798370 PMCID: PMC11118300 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.15.594354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Understanding pancreatic cancer biology is fundamental for identifying new targets and for developing more effective therapies. In particular, the contribution of the stromal microenvironment to pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis requires further exploration. Here, we report the stromal roles of the synaptic protein Netrin G1 Ligand (NGL-1) in pancreatic cancer, uncovering its pro-tumor functions in cancer-associated fibroblasts and in immune cells. We observed that the stromal expression of NGL-1 inversely correlated with patients' overall survival. Moreover, germline knockout (KO) mice for NGL-1 presented decreased tumor burden, with a microenvironment that is less supportive of tumor growth. Of note, tumors from NGL-1 KO mice produced less immunosuppressive cytokines and displayed an increased percentage of CD8 + T cells than those from control mice, while preserving the physical structure of the tumor microenvironment. These effects were shown to be mediated by NGL-1 in both immune cells and in the local stroma, in a TGF-β-dependent manner. While myeloid cells lacking NGL-1 decreased the production of immunosuppressive cytokines, NGL-1 KO T cells showed increased proliferation rates and overall polyfunctionality compared to control T cells. CAFs lacking NGL-1 were less immunosuppressive than controls, with overall decreased production of pro-tumor cytokines and compromised ability to inhibit CD8 + T cells activation. Mechanistically, these CAFs downregulated components of the TGF-β pathway, AP-1 and NFAT transcription factor families, resulting in a less tumor-supportive phenotype. Finally, targeting NGL-1 genetically or using a functionally antagonistic small peptide phenocopied the effects of chemotherapy, while modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), rather than eliminating it. We propose NGL-1 as a new local stroma and immunomodulatory molecule, with pro-tumor roles in pancreatic cancer. Statement of Significance Here we uncovered the pro-tumor roles of the synaptic protein NGL-1 in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer, defining a new target that simultaneously modulates tumor cell, fibroblast, and immune cell functions. This study reports a new pathway where NGL-1 controls TGF-β, AP-1 transcription factor members and NFAT1, modulating the immunosuppressive microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. Our findings highlight NGL-1 as a new stromal immunomodulator in pancreatic cancer.
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8
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Li GH, Miao Y, Chen H, Xue MF, Wang JY, Zhang JW, Yi ZF, Sun ZL. The small-molecule drug homoharringtonine targets HSF1 to suppress pancreatic cancer progression. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:2072-2087. [PMID: 38859866 PMCID: PMC11162665 DOI: 10.62347/xfjh3424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), an essential transcription factor for stress response, is exploited by various tumors to facilitate their initiation, progression, invasion, and migration. Amplification of HSF1 is widely regarded as an indicator in predicting cancer severity, the likelihood of treatment failure and reduced patient survival. Notably, HSF1 is markedly amplified in 40% of pancreatic cancer (PC), which typically have limited treatment options. HSF1 has been proven to be a promising therapeutic target for multiple cancers. However, a direct small molecule HSF1 inhibitor with sufficient bioactivity and reliable safety has not been developed clinically. In this study, we successfully established a high-throughput screening system utilizing luciferase reporter assay specifically designed for HSF1, which leads to the discovery of a potent small molecule inhibitor targeting HSF1. Homoharringtonine (HHT) selectively inhibited PC cell viability with high HSF1 expression and induced a markedly stronger tumor regression effect in the subcutaneous xenograft model than the comparator drug KRIBB11, known for its direct action on HSF1. Moreover, HHT shows promise in countering the resistance encountered with HSP90 inhibitors, which have been observed to increase heat shock response intensity in clinical trials. Mechanistically, HHT directly bound to HSF1, suppressing its expression and thereby inhibiting transcription of HSF1 target genes. In conclusion, our work presents a preclinical discovery and validation for HHT as a HSF1 inhibitor for PC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Hong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510515, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Affiliated Fengxian Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityShanghai 201499, P. R. China
| | - Ying Miao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal UniversityShanghai 200241, P. R. China
| | - Huang Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal UniversityShanghai 200241, P. R. China
| | - Meng-Fei Xue
- Affiliated Fengxian Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityShanghai 201499, P. R. China
| | - Jia-Yu Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal UniversityShanghai 200241, P. R. China
| | - Jing-Wen Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal UniversityShanghai 200241, P. R. China
| | - Zheng-Fang Yi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal UniversityShanghai 200241, P. R. China
| | - Zhen-Liang Sun
- Affiliated Fengxian Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityShanghai 201499, P. R. China
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9
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Shi B, Lou X, Ma F, Nie Y, Chen H, Huang Y, Zhang W, Wang T. Perylene-Mediated Cytoskeletal Dysfunction Remodels Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts to Augment Antitumor Immunotherapy. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303837. [PMID: 38183408 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303837] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Targeted reprogramming of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is one of the most essential cancer therapies. However, how to reprogram active CAFs toward deactivated state still remains immense challenge. To tackle this challenge, herein, one perylene N, N'-bis(2-((dimethylammonium)ethylene)-2-(methoxylethyl))-1, 6, 7, 12-tetrachloroperylene-3, 4, 9, 10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDIC-OC) is prepared, which can trigger endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst to result in cytoskeletal dysfunction and cell apoptosis so that suppress transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) production. As a result, PDIC-OC can reprogram the activated CAFs and relieve immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by efficient polarization of M2-typed macrophages into M1-typed ones, downregulation of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), alleviation of hypoxic state to promote infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and ultimately realizes outstanding antitumor performance on B16F10 tumor-xenografted and lung-metastatic mouse model even at low concentration of 1 mg kg-1 body weight. This work thus presents a novel strategy that cytoskeleton dysfunction and cell apoptosis cooperatively suppress the secretion of TGF-β to reprogram CAFs and meanwhile clarifies intrinsic mechanism for perylene-triggered chemo-immunotherapy against hypoxic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Shi
- Laboratory for NanoMedical Photonics, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 475001, P. R. China
| | - Xue Lou
- Laboratory for NanoMedical Photonics, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 475001, P. R. China
| | - Feiyan Ma
- Laboratory for NanoMedical Photonics, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 475001, P. R. China
| | - Yanling Nie
- Laboratory for NanoMedical Photonics, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 475001, P. R. China
| | - Haoxing Chen
- Laboratory for NanoMedical Photonics, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 475001, P. R. China
| | - Yongwei Huang
- Laboratory for NanoMedical Photonics, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 475001, P. R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Life and Health Intelligent Research Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Life and Health Detection, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300387, P. R. China
| | - Tie Wang
- Life and Health Intelligent Research Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Life and Health Detection, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300387, P. R. China
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10
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Lloyd EG, Henríquez JA, Biffi G. Modelling the micro- and macro- environment of pancreatic cancer: from patients to pre-clinical models and back. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050624. [PMID: 38639944 PMCID: PMC11051978 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050624] [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: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy with very low survival rates. Over the past 50 years, improvements in PDAC survival have significantly lagged behind the progress made in other cancers. PDAC's dismal prognosis is due to typical late-stage diagnosis combined with lack of effective treatments and complex mechanisms of disease. We propose that improvements in survival are partly hindered by the current focus on largely modelling and targeting PDAC as one disease, despite it being heterogeneous. Implementing new disease-representative pre-clinical mouse models that capture this complexity could enable the development of transformative therapies. Specifically, these models should recapitulate human PDAC late-stage biology, heterogeneous genetics, extensive non-malignant stroma, and associated risk factors and comorbidities. In this Perspective, we focus on how pre-clinical mouse models could be improved to exemplify key features of PDAC micro- and macro- environments, which would drive clinically relevant patient stratification, tailored treatments and improved survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise G. Lloyd
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Joaquín Araos Henríquez
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Giulia Biffi
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
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11
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Massenet-Regad L, Soumelis V. ICELLNET v2: a versatile method for cell-cell communication analysis from human transcriptomic data. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae089. [PMID: 38490248 PMCID: PMC10955248 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae089] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Several methods have been developed in the past years to infer cell-cell communication networks from transcriptomic data based on ligand and receptor expression. Among them, ICELLNET is one of the few approaches to consider the multiple subunits of ligands and receptors complexes to infer and quantify cell communication. In here, we present a major update of ICELLNET. As compared to its original implementation, we (i) drastically expanded the ICELLNET ligand-receptor database from 380 to 1669 biologically curated interactions, (ii) integrated important families of communication molecules involved in immune crosstalk, cell adhesion, and Wnt pathway, (iii) optimized ICELLNET framework for single-cell RNA sequencing data analyses, (iv) provided new visualizations of cell-cell communication results to facilitate prioritization and biological interpretation. This update will broaden the use of ICELLNET by the scientific community in different biological fields. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ICELLNET package is implemented in R. Source code, documentation and tutorials are available on GitHub (https://github.com/soumelis-lab/ICELLNET).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucile Massenet-Regad
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U976 HIPI, Paris, F-75010, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Saint Aubin, F-91190, France
| | - Vassili Soumelis
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U976 HIPI, Paris, F-75010, France
- Department of Immunology-Histocompatibility, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP.Nord, Université Paris Cité, Paris 75010, France
- Owkin France, Paris 75010, France
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12
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Yang TN, Wang YX, Jian PA, Ma XY, Zhu SY, Li XN, Li JL. Exogenous Melatonin Alleviates Atrazine-Induced Glucose Metabolism Disorders in Mice Liver via Suppressing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:742-751. [PMID: 38111124 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Atrazine (ATZ) is a widely used herbicide that has toxic effects on animals. Melatonin (MLT) is a natural hormone with strong antioxidant properties. However, the effect of MLT on the glucose metabolism disorder caused by ATZ is still unclear. Mice were divided into four groups randomly and given 21 days of gavage: blank control group (Con), 5 mg/kg MLT group (MLT), 170 mg/kg ATZ group (ATZ), and 170 mg/kg ATZ and 5 mg/kg MLT group (ATZ + MLT). The results show that ATZ alters mRNA levels of metabolic enzymes related to glycogen synthesis and glycolysis and increased metabolites (glycogen, lactate, and pyruvate). ATZ causes abnormalities in glucose metabolism in mouse liver, interfering with glycemia regulation ability. MLT can regulate the endoplasmic reticulum to respond to disordered glucose metabolism in mice liver. This study suggested that MLT has the power to alleviate the ATZ-induced glycogen overdeposition and glycolytic deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Ning Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Yu-Xiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Ping-An Jian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xiang-Yu Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Shi-Yong Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xue-Nan Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Jin-Long Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
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13
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Lee CM, Hwang Y, Jeong JW, Kim M, Lee J, Bae SJ, Ahn SG, Fang S. BRCA1 mutation promotes sprouting angiogenesis in inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblast of triple-negative breast cancer. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:5. [PMID: 38182557 PMCID: PMC10770063 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01768-5] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype with inferior outcomes owing to its low treatment response and high invasiveness. Based on abundant cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and frequent mutation of breast cancer-associated 1 (BRCA1) in TNBC, the characteristics of CAFs in TNBC patients with BRCA1 mutation compared to wild-type were investigated using single-cell analysis. Intriguingly, we observed that characteristics of inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) were enriched in patients with BRCA1 mutation compared to the wild-type. iCAFs in patients with BRCA1 mutation exhibited outgoing signals to endothelial cells (ECs) clusters, including chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). During CXCL signaling, the atypical chemokine receptor 1 (ACKR1) mainly interacts with CXCL family members in tumor endothelial cells (TECs). ACKR1-high TECs also showed high expression levels of angiogenesis-related genes, such as ANGPT2, MMP1, and SELE, which might lead to EC migration. Furthermore, iCAFs showed VEGF signals for FLT1 and KDR in TECs, which showed high co-expression with tip cell marker genes, including ZEB1 and MAFF, involved in sprouting angiogenesis. Moreover, BRCA1 mutation patients with relatively abundant iCAFs and tip cell gene expression exhibited a limited response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, including cisplatin and bevacizumab. Importantly, our study observed the intricate link between iCAFs-mediated angiogenesis and chemoresistance in TNBC with BRCA1 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chae Min Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeseong Hwang
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Woong Jeong
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Minki Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Janghee Lee
- Department of Surgery, Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Dongtan, 18450, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Soong June Bae
- Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea
- Institute for Breast Cancer Precision Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Gwe Ahn
- Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea.
- Institute for Breast Cancer Precision Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sungsoon Fang
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Chronic Intractable Disease for Systems Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Severance Institute for Vascular and Metabolic Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Pessa JC, Joutsen J, Sistonen L. Transcriptional reprogramming at the intersection of the heat shock response and proteostasis. Mol Cell 2024; 84:80-93. [PMID: 38103561 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Cellular homeostasis is constantly challenged by a myriad of extrinsic and intrinsic stressors. To mitigate the stress-induced damage, cells activate transient survival programs. The heat shock response (HSR) is an evolutionarily well-conserved survival program that is activated in response to proteotoxic stress. The HSR encompasses a dual regulation of transcription, characterized by rapid activation of genes encoding molecular chaperones and concomitant global attenuation of non-chaperone genes. Recent genome-wide approaches have delineated the molecular depth of stress-induced transcriptional reprogramming. The dramatic rewiring of gene and enhancer networks is driven by key transcription factors, including heat shock factors (HSFs), that together with chromatin-modifying enzymes remodel the 3D chromatin architecture, determining the selection of either gene activation or repression. Here, we highlight the current advancements of molecular mechanisms driving transcriptional reprogramming during acute heat stress. We also discuss the emerging implications of HSF-mediated stress signaling in the context of physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny C Pessa
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Cell Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Jenny Joutsen
- Department of Pathology, Lapland Central Hospital, Lapland Wellbeing Services County, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Lea Sistonen
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Cell Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
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15
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Ge F, Zeng C, Wang J, Liu X, Zheng C, Zhang H, Yang L, Yang B, Zhu H, He Q. Cancer-associated fibroblasts drive early pancreatic cancer cell invasion via the SOX4/MMP11 signalling axis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166852. [PMID: 37633471 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166852] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by abundant cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), early perineural invasion (PNI) and microvascular invasion (MVI). However, the differentiation trajectories and underlying molecular mechanisms of CAFs in PDAC early invasion have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we integrated and reanalysed single-cell data from the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) database and confirmed that myofibroblast-like CAFs (myCAFs) mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and enhanced the invasion abilities of PDAC cells by secreting regulators of angiogenesis and metastasis. Furthermore, we constructed a differentiation trajectory of CAFs and revealed that reprogramming from iCAFs to myCAFs was associated with poor prognosis. Mechanistically, SOX4 was aberrantly activated in myCAFs, which promoted the secretion of MMP11 and eventually induced early cancer cell invasion. Together, our results provide a comprehensive transcriptomic overview of PDAC patients with early invasion and reveal the intercellular crosstalk between myCAFs and cancer cells, which suggests potential targets for early invasion PDAC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fujing Ge
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenming Zeng
- College of Agriculture & Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaer Wang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangning Liu
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Churun Zheng
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Qiaojun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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16
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Hsu WH, LaBella KA, Lin Y, Xu P, Lee R, Hsieh CE, Yang L, Zhou A, Blecher JM, Wu CJ, Lin K, Shang X, Jiang S, Spring DJ, Xia Y, Chen P, Shen JP, Kopetz S, DePinho RA. Oncogenic KRAS Drives Lipofibrogenesis to Promote Angiogenesis and Colon Cancer Progression. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:2652-2673. [PMID: 37768068 PMCID: PMC10807546 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-1467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic KRAS (KRAS*) contributes to many cancer hallmarks. In colorectal cancer, KRAS* suppresses antitumor immunity to promote tumor invasion and metastasis. Here, we uncovered that KRAS* transforms the phenotype of carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) into lipid-laden CAFs, promoting angiogenesis and tumor progression. Mechanistically, KRAS* activates the transcription factor CP2 (TFCP2) that upregulates the expression of the proadipogenic factors BMP4 and WNT5B, triggering the transformation of CAFs into lipid-rich CAFs. These lipid-rich CAFs, in turn, produce VEGFA to spur angiogenesis. In KRAS*-driven colorectal cancer mouse models, genetic or pharmacologic neutralization of TFCP2 reduced lipid-rich CAFs, lessened tumor angiogenesis, and improved overall survival. Correspondingly, in human colorectal cancer, lipid-rich CAF and TFCP2 signatures correlate with worse prognosis. This work unveils a new role for KRAS* in transforming CAFs, driving tumor angiogenesis and disease progression, providing an actionable therapeutic intervention for KRAS*-driven colorectal cancer. SIGNIFICANCE This study identified a molecular mechanism contributing to KRAS*-driven colorectal cancer progression via fibroblast transformation in the tumor microenvironment to produce VEGFA driving tumor angiogenesis. In preclinical models, targeting the KRAS*-TFCP2-VEGFA axis impaired tumor progression, revealing a potential novel therapeutic option for patients with KRAS*-driven colorectal cancer. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2489.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Hsu
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kyle A. LaBella
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yiyun Lin
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ping Xu
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rumi Lee
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cheng-En Hsieh
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ashley Zhou
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jonathan M. Blecher
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chang-Jiun Wu
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kangyu Lin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaoying Shang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Denise J. Spring
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yan Xia
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Peiwen Chen
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - John Paul Shen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Scott Kopetz
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ronald A. DePinho
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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17
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Launonen IM, Vähärautio A, Färkkilä A. The Emerging Role of the Single-Cell and Spatial Tumor Microenvironment in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2023; 13:a041314. [PMID: 37553211 PMCID: PMC10547388 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041314] [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: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
The development of single-cell and spatial technologies has enabled a more detailed understanding of the tumor microenvironment and its role in therapy response and clinical outcome of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC). Interestingly, emerging evidence suggests that HGSCs with different genetic drivers harbor distinct tumor-immune microenvironments. Further, spatial cell-cell interactions have been shown to shape the CD8+ T-cell phenotypes and responses to immune checkpoint blockade therapies. The heterogeneous stroma consisting of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subtypes, endothelia, and site-specific stromal types such as mesothelium modulates treatment responses via increasing stiffness and by producing ligands that promote drug resistance, angiogenesis, or immune escape. Chemotherapy itself shifts CAFs toward an inflammatory phenotype that associates with poor survival and immune-suppressive signaling. New emerging immunotherapies include combinational approaches and agents targeting, for example, the tumor-intrinsic endoplasmic reticulum pathway. A more detailed understanding of the spatial interplay of tumor, immune, and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment is needed to develop more efficient immunotherapeutic strategies for HGSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga-Maria Launonen
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Vähärautio
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Foundation for the Finnish Cancer Institute, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anniina Färkkilä
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- FIMM and HiLIfe, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
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18
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Wahab R, Hasan MM, Azam Z, Grippo PJ, Al-Hilal TA. The role of coagulome in the tumor immune microenvironment. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 200:115027. [PMID: 37517779 PMCID: PMC11099942 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
The rising incidence and persistent thrombosis in multiple cancers including those that are immunosuppressive highlight the need for understanding the tumor coagulome system and its role beyond hemostatic complications. Immunotherapy has shown significant benefits in solid organ tumors but has been disappointing in the treatment of hypercoagulable cancers, such as glioblastoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. Thus, targeting thrombosis to prevent immunosuppression seems a clinically viable approach in cancer treatment. Hypercoagulable tumors often develop fibrin clots within the tumor microenvironment (TME) that dictates the biophysical characteristics of the tumor tissue. The application of systems biology and single-cell approaches highlight the potential role of coagulome or thrombocytosis in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). In-depth knowledge of the tumor coagulome would provide unprecedented opportunities to better predict the hemostatic complications, explore how thrombotic stroma modulates tumor immunity, reexamine the significance of clinical biomarkers, and enable steering the stromal versus systemic immune response for boosting the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment. We focus on the role of coagulation factors in priming a suppressive TIME and the huge potential of existing anticoagulant drugs in the clinical settings of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riajul Wahab
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Md Mahedi Hasan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, College of Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Zulfikar Azam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Paul J Grippo
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Taslim A Al-Hilal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, College of Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
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19
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Van Emmenis L. Ruth Scherz-Shouval: Together we can ask big questions. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20230600. [PMID: 37115509 PMCID: PMC10148165 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230600] [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: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ruth Scherz-Shouval is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomolecular Sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. Her lab is interested in the tumor microenvironment, how stress responses can shape the tumor microenvironment, and also how different cells within the tumor microenvironment interact. We talked about how her interest in science began at an early age, the impact of having strong female role models, and ways to encourage collaboration and create an engaging and welcoming lab environment.
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20
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Luo Y, Li C, Zhang Y, Liu P, Chen H, Zhao Z, Wang Y, Zhou Z, Song H, Su B, Li C, Li X, Zhang T, You H, Wu Y, Tian Z, Zhang S, Guo Y, Fan H, Chen Q, Jiang C, Sun T. Gradient Tumor Microenvironment-Promoted Penetrating Micelles for Hypoxia Relief and Immunosuppression Reversion in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment. Acta Biomater 2023:S1742-7061(23)00314-8. [PMID: 37276955 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the main block for the penetration of chemotherapy. In the tumor microenvironment, a dense matrix composed of fibrin is formed on the exterior, while the interior is featured by high reduction, hypoxia and low pH. How to match the special microenvironment to on-demand drug release is the key to improve chemotherapeutic efficacy. Herein, a microenvironment-responsive micellar system is developed to deepen tumoral penetration. Briefly, the conjugation of a fibrin-targeting peptide to PEG-poly amino acid has been utilized to achieve accumulation of micelles in the tumor stroma. By modification of micelles with hypoxia-reducible nitroimidazole which becomes protonated under acidic conditions, their surface charge is more positive, facilitating deeper penetration into tumors. Paclitaxel was loaded onto the micelles via a disulfide bond to enable glutathione (GSH)-responsive release. Therefore, the immunosuppressive microenvironment is relived through the alleviation of hypoxia and depletion of GSH. Hopefully, this work could establish paradigms by designing sophisticated drug-delivery systems to tactfully employ and retroact the tamed tumoral microenvironment to improve the therapeutic efficacy based on understanding the multiple hallmarks and learning the mutual regulation. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Tumor microenvironment(TME) is an unique pathological feature of pancreatic cancer and an inherent barrier to chemotherapy. Numerous studies regard TME as the targets for drug delivery. In this work, we propose a hypoxia-responsive nanomicellar drug delivery system that aiming hypoxia TME of pancreatic cancer. The nanodrug delivery system could respond to the hypoxic microenvironment and enhance the penetration of the inner tumor at the same time preserving the outer tumor stroma, thus achieving targeted treatment of PDAC by preserving the integrity of the outer stroma. Simultaneously, the responsive group can reverse the degree of hypoxia in TME by disrupting the redox balance in the tumor region, thus achieving precise treatment of PDAC by matching the pathological characteristics of TME. We believe our article would provide new design ideas for the future treatments for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Luo
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Peixin Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongyi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhenhao Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Haolin Song
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Boyu Su
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chufeng Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xuwen Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Tongyu Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Haoyu You
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuxing Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zonghua Tian
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shilin Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yun Guo
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongrui Fan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qinjun Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chen Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University; Minhang Hospital; Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai 201203, China.
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21
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Brichkina A, Polo P, Sharma SD, Visestamkul N, Lauth M. A Quick Guide to CAF Subtypes in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092614. [PMID: 37174079 PMCID: PMC10177377 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer represents one of the most desmoplastic malignancies and is characterized by an extensive deposition of extracellular matrix. The latter is provided by activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are abundant cells in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Many recent studies have made it clear that CAFs are not a singular cellular entity but represent a multitude of potentially dynamic subgroups that affect tumor biology at several levels. As mentioned before, CAFs significantly contribute to the fibrotic reaction and the biomechanical properties of the tumor, but they can also modulate the local immune environment and the response to targeted, chemo or radiotherapy. As the number of known and emerging CAF subgroups is steadily increasing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with these developments and to clearly discriminate the cellular subsets identified so far. This review aims to provide a helpful overview that enables readers to quickly familiarize themselves with field of CAF heterogeneity and to grasp the phenotypic, functional and therapeutic distinctions of the various stromal subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Brichkina
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Pierfrancesco Polo
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Shrey Dharamvir Sharma
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nico Visestamkul
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Lauth
- Center for Tumor and Immune Biology, Clinics for Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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22
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Halbrook CJ, Lyssiotis CA, Pasca di Magliano M, Maitra A. Pancreatic cancer: Advances and challenges. Cell 2023; 186:1729-1754. [PMID: 37059070 PMCID: PMC10182830 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 218.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest cancers. Significant efforts have largely defined major genetic factors driving PDAC pathogenesis and progression. Pancreatic tumors are characterized by a complex microenvironment that orchestrates metabolic alterations and supports a milieu of interactions among various cell types within this niche. In this review, we highlight the foundational studies that have driven our understanding of these processes. We further discuss the recent technological advances that continue to expand our understanding of PDAC complexity. We posit that the clinical translation of these research endeavors will enhance the currently dismal survival rate of this recalcitrant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Halbrook
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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23
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Lavon H, Scherz-Shouval R. Insights into the co-evolution of epithelial cells and fibroblasts in the esophageal tumor microenvironment. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:826-828. [PMID: 37054715 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are recruited and rewired by cancer cells to become protumorigenic. The molecular mechanisms underlying this crosstalk in esophageal cancer are completely unknown. Chen et al. discover that premalignant epithelial cells of the esophagus rewire normal resident fibroblasts into CAFs through the downregulation of ANXA1-FRP2 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagar Lavon
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ruth Scherz-Shouval
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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24
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Fang WB, Medrano M, Cote P, Portsche M, Rao V, Hong Y, Behbod F, Knapp JR, Bloomer C, Noel-Macdonnell J, Cheng N. Transcriptome analysis reveals differences in cell cycle, growth and migration related genes that distinguish fibroblasts derived from pre-invasive and invasive breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1130911. [PMID: 37091166 PMCID: PMC10118028 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1130911] [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: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/Introduction As the most common form of pre-invasive breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) affects over 50,000 women in the US annually. Despite standardized treatment involving lumpectomy and radiation therapy, up to 25% of patients with DCIS experience disease recurrence often with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), indicating that a subset of patients may be under-treated. As most DCIS cases will not progress to invasion, many patients may experience over-treatment. By understanding the underlying processes associated with DCIS to IDC progression, we can identify new biomarkers to determine which DCIS cases may become invasive and improve treatment for patients. Accumulation of fibroblasts in IDC is associated with disease progression and reduced survival. While fibroblasts have been detected in DCIS, little is understood about their role in DCIS progression. Goals We sought to determine 1) whether DCIS fibroblasts were similar or distinct from normal and IDC fibroblasts at the transcriptome level, and 2) the contributions of DCIS fibroblasts to breast cancer progression. Methods Fibroblasts underwent transcriptome profiling and pathway analysis. Significant DCIS fibroblast-associated genes were further analyzed in existing breast cancer mRNA databases and through tissue array immunostaining. Using the sub-renal capsule graft model, fibroblasts from normal breast, DCIS and IDC tissues were co-transplanted with DCIS.com breast cancer cells. Results Through transcriptome profiling, we found that DCIS fibroblasts were characterized by unique alterations in cell cycle and motility related genes such as PKMYT1, TGF-α, SFRP1 and SFRP2, which predicted increased cell growth and invasion by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Immunostaining analysis revealed corresponding increases in expression of stromal derived PKMYT1, TGF-α and corresponding decreases in expression of SFRP1 and SFRP2 in DCIS and IDC tissues. Grafting studies in mice revealed that DCIS fibroblasts enhanced breast cancer growth and invasion associated with arginase-1+ cell recruitment. Conclusion DCIS fibroblasts are phenotypically distinct from normal breast and IDC fibroblasts, and play an important role in breast cancer growth, invasion, and recruitment of myeloid cells. These studies provide novel insight into the role of DCIS fibroblasts in breast cancer progression and identify some key biomarkers associated with DCIS progression to IDC, with important clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Bin Fang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Marcela Medrano
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Paige Cote
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Mike Portsche
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Vinamratha Rao
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Yan Hong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Fariba Behbod
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jennifer R. Knapp
- Center for Genes Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States
- Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Clark Bloomer
- Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Janelle Noel-Macdonnell
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Core, Health Services and Outcomes Research Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Nikki Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
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25
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Arpinati L, Scherz-Shouval R. From gatekeepers to providers: regulation of immune functions by cancer-associated fibroblasts. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:421-443. [PMID: 36870916 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major protumorigenic components of the tumor microenvironment in solid cancers. CAFs are heterogeneous, consisting of multiple subsets that display diverse functions. Recently, CAFs have emerged as major promoters of immune evasion. CAFs favor T cell exclusion and exhaustion, promote recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and induce protumoral phenotypic shifts in macrophages and neutrophils. With the growing appreciation of CAF heterogeneity came the understanding that different CAF subpopulations may be driving distinct immune-regulatory effects, interacting with different cell types, and perhaps even driving opposing effects on malignancy. In this review we discuss the current understanding of CAF-immune interactions, their effect on tumor progression and therapeutic response, and the possibility of exploiting CAF-immune interactions as potential targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Arpinati
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ruth Scherz-Shouval
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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26
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Tanaka HY, Nakazawa T, Enomoto A, Masamune A, Kano MR. Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome Fibrotic Barriers to Nanomedicine in the Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030724. [PMID: 36765684 PMCID: PMC9913712 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030724] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its dismal prognosis. The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect theory posits that nanomedicines (therapeutics in the size range of approximately 10-200 nm) selectively accumulate in tumors. Nanomedicine has thus been suggested to be the "magic bullet"-both effective and safe-to treat pancreatic cancer. However, the densely fibrotic tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer impedes nanomedicine delivery. The EPR effect is thus insufficient to achieve a significant therapeutic effect. Intratumoral fibrosis is chiefly driven by aberrantly activated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix (ECM) components secreted. Fibroblast and ECM abnormalities offer various potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we detail the diverse strategies being tested to overcome the fibrotic barriers to nanomedicine in pancreatic cancer. Strategies that target the fibrotic tissue/process are discussed first, which are followed by strategies to optimize nanomedicine design. We provide an overview of how a deeper understanding, increasingly at single-cell resolution, of fibroblast biology is revealing the complex role of the fibrotic stroma in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and consider the therapeutic implications. Finally, we discuss critical gaps in our understanding and how we might better formulate strategies to successfully overcome the fibrotic barriers in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyoshi Y. Tanaka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Takuya Nakazawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biomedicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Enomoto
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya-shi 466-8550, Aichi, Japan
| | - Atsushi Masamune
- Division of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi 980-8574, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mitsunobu R. Kano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biomedicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
- Correspondence:
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27
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Chin Y, Gumilar KE, Li XG, Tjokroprawiro BA, Lu CH, Lu J, Zhou M, Sobol RW, Tan M. Targeting HSF1 for cancer treatment: mechanisms and inhibitor development. Theranostics 2023; 13:2281-2300. [PMID: 37153737 PMCID: PMC10157728 DOI: 10.7150/thno.82431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1) is a master regulator of heat shock responsive signaling. In addition to playing critical roles in cellular heat shock response, emerging evidence suggests that HSF1 also regulates a non-heat shock responsive transcriptional network to handle metabolic, chemical, and genetic stress. The function of HSF1 in cellular transformation and cancer development has been extensively studied in recent years. Due to important roles for HSF1 for coping with various stressful cellular states, research on HSF1 has been very active. New functions and molecular mechanisms underlying these functions have been continuously discovered, providing new targets for novel cancer treatment strategies. In this article, we review the essential roles and mechanisms of HSF1 action in cancer cells, focusing more on recently discovered functions and their underlying mechanisms to reflect the new advances in cancer biology. In addition, we emphasize new advances with regard to HSF1 inhibitors for cancer drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeh Chin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Khanisyah E Gumilar
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
- The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Xing-Guo Li
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Brahmana A. Tjokroprawiro
- The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Chien-Hsing Lu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Jianrong Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Ming Zhou
- Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Robert W. Sobol
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School & Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Ming Tan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C
- ✉ Corresponding author: Ming Tan, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University (Taiwan), E-mail:
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