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Niu X, Liu W, Zhang Y, Liu J, Zhang J, Li B, Qiu Y, Zhao P, Wang Z, Wang Z. Cancer plasticity in therapy resistance: Mechanisms and novel strategies. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 76:101114. [PMID: 38924995 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Therapy resistance poses a significant obstacle to effective cancer treatment. Recent insights into cell plasticity as a new paradigm for understanding resistance to treatment: as cancer progresses, cancer cells experience phenotypic and molecular alterations, corporately known as cell plasticity. These alterations are caused by microenvironment factors, stochastic genetic and epigenetic changes, and/or selective pressure engendered by treatment, resulting in tumor heterogeneity and therapy resistance. Increasing evidence suggests that cancer cells display remarkable intrinsic plasticity and reversibly adapt to dynamic microenvironment conditions. Dynamic interactions between cell states and with the surrounding microenvironment form a flexible tumor ecosystem, which is able to quickly adapt to external pressure, especially treatment. Here, this review delineates the formation of cancer cell plasticity (CCP) as well as its manipulation of cancer escape from treatment. Furthermore, the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms driving CCP that promote the development of therapy resistance is summarized. Novel treatment strategies, e.g., inhibiting or reversing CCP is also proposed. Moreover, the review discusses the multiple lines of ongoing clinical trials globally aimed at ameliorating therapy resistance. Such advances provide directions for the development of new treatment modalities and combination therapies against CCP in the context of therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Niu
- China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China; Experimental Center of BIOQGene, YuanDong International Academy Of Life Sciences, 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenjing Liu
- Medical Oncology Department of Thoracic Cancer (2), Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Yinling Zhang
- Department of Oncology Radiotherapy 1, Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266042, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 101149, China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Department of Digestive Diseases 1, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Medical Imaging, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Zhongmiao Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases 1, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China.
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases 1, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China.
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2
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Karras P, Black JRM, McGranahan N, Marine JC. Decoding the interplay between genetic and non-genetic drivers of metastasis. Nature 2024; 629:543-554. [PMID: 38750233 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07302-6] [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: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is a multistep process by which cancer cells break away from their original location and spread to distant organs, and is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths. Preventing early metastatic dissemination would revolutionize the ability to fight cancer. Unfortunately, the relatively poor understanding of the molecular underpinnings of metastasis has hampered the development of effective anti-metastatic drugs. Although it is now accepted that disseminating tumour cells need to acquire multiple competencies to face the many obstacles they encounter before reaching their metastatic site(s), whether these competencies are acquired through an accumulation of metastasis-specific genetic alterations and/or non-genetic events is often debated. Here we review a growing body of literature highlighting the importance of both genetic and non-genetic reprogramming events during the metastatic cascade, and discuss how genetic and non-genetic processes act in concert to confer metastatic competencies. We also describe how recent technological advances, and in particular the advent of single-cell multi-omics and barcoding approaches, will help to better elucidate the cross-talk between genetic and non-genetic mechanisms of metastasis and ultimately inform innovative paths for the early detection and interception of this lethal process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Karras
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - James R M Black
- Cancer Genome Evolution Research Group, UCL Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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3
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Fustaino V, Papoff G, Ruberti F, Ruberti G. Co-Expression Network Analysis Unveiled lncRNA-mRNA Links Correlated to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Resistance and/or Intermediate Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Phenotypes in a Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cellular Model System. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3863. [PMID: 38612674 PMCID: PMC11011530 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073863] [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: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
We investigated mRNA-lncRNA co-expression patterns in a cellular model system of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) sensitive and resistant to the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) erlotinib/gefitinib. The aim of this study was to unveil insights into the complex mechanisms of NSCLC targeted therapy resistance and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Genome-wide RNA expression was quantified for weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to correlate the expression levels of mRNAs and lncRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis and identification of lncRNAs were conducted on modules associated with the EGFR-TKI response and/or intermediate EMT phenotypes. We constructed lncRNA-mRNA co-expression networks and identified key modules and their enriched biological functions. Processes enriched in the selected modules included RHO (A, B, C) GTPase and regulatory signaling pathways, apoptosis, inflammatory and interleukin signaling pathways, cell adhesion, cell migration, cell and extracellular matrix organization, metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Interestingly, several lncRNAs, already shown to be dysregulated in cancer, are connected to a small number of mRNAs, and several lncRNAs are interlinked with each other in the co-expression network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Fustaino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Campus Adriano Buzzati Traverso, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo (Roma), Italy; (G.P.); (F.R.)
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4
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Rodriguez-Tirado C, Sosa MS. How much do we know about the metastatic process? Clin Exp Metastasis 2024:10.1007/s10585-023-10248-0. [PMID: 38520475 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-023-10248-0] [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: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells can leave their primary sites and travel through the circulation to distant sites, where they lodge as disseminated cancer cells (DCCs), even during the early and asymptomatic stages of tumor progression. In experimental models and clinical samples, DCCs can be detected in a non-proliferative state, defined as cellular dormancy. This state can persist for extended periods until DCCs reawaken, usually in response to niche-derived reactivation signals. Therefore, their clinical detection in sites like lymph nodes and bone marrow is linked to poor survival. Current cancer therapy designs are based on the biology of the primary tumor and do not target the biology of the dormant DCC population and thus fail to eradicate the initial or subsequent waves of metastasis. In this brief review, we discuss the current methods for detecting DCCs and highlight new strategies that aim to target DCCs that constitute minimal residual disease to reduce or prevent metastasis formation. Furthermore, we present current evidence on the relevance of DCCs derived from early stages of tumor progression in metastatic disease and describe the animal models available for their study. We also discuss our current understanding of the dissemination mechanisms utilized by genetically less- and more-advanced cancer cells, which include the functional analysis of intermediate or hybrid states of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Finally, we raise some intriguing questions regarding the clinical impact of studying the crosstalk between evolutionary waves of DCCs and the initiation of metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Rodriguez-Tirado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute/Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Maria Soledad Sosa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute/Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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5
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BV H, Jolly MK. Proneural-mesenchymal antagonism dominates the patterns of phenotypic heterogeneity in glioblastoma. iScience 2024; 27:109184. [PMID: 38433919 PMCID: PMC10905000 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109184] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggressive nature of glioblastoma (GBM) - one of the deadliest forms of brain tumors - is majorly attributed to underlying phenotypic heterogeneity. Early attempts to classify this heterogeneity at a transcriptomic level in TCGA GBM cohort proposed the existence of four distinct molecular subtypes: Proneural, Neural, Classical, and Mesenchymal. Further, a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of primary tumors also reported similar four subtypes mimicking neurodevelopmental lineages. However, it remains unclear whether these four subtypes identified via bulk and single-cell transcriptomics are mutually exclusive or not. Here, we perform pairwise correlations among individual genes and gene signatures corresponding to these proposed subtypes and show that the subtypes are not distinctly mutually antagonistic in either TCGA or scRNA-seq data. We observed that the proneural (or neural progenitor-like)-mesenchymal axis is the most prominent antagonistic pair, with the other two subtypes lying on this spectrum. These results are reinforced through a meta-analysis of over 100 single-cell and bulk transcriptomic datasets as well as in terms of functional association with metabolic switching, cell cycle, and immune evasion pathways. Finally, this proneural-mesenchymal antagonistic trend percolates to the association of relevant transcription factors with patient survival. These results suggest rethinking GBM phenotypic characterization for more effective therapeutic targeting efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshavardhan BV
- IISc Mathematics Initiative, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
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6
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Bose A, Datta S, Mandal R, Ray U, Dhar R. Increased heterogeneity in expression of genes associated with cancer progression and drug resistance. Transl Oncol 2024; 41:101879. [PMID: 38262110 PMCID: PMC10832509 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101879] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluctuations in the number of regulatory molecules and differences in timings of molecular events can generate variation in gene expression among genetically identical cells in the same environmental condition. This variation, termed as expression noise, can create differences in metabolic state and cellular functions, leading to phenotypic heterogeneity. Expression noise and phenotypic heterogeneity have been recognized as important contributors to intra-tumor heterogeneity, and have been associated with cancer growth, progression, and therapy resistance. However, how expression noise changes with cancer progression in actual cancer patients has remained poorly explored. Such an analysis, through identification of genes with increasing expression noise, can provide valuable insights into generation of intra-tumor heterogeneity, and could have important implications for understanding immune-suppression, drug tolerance and therapy resistance. In this work, we performed a genome-wide identification of changes in gene expression noise with cancer progression using single-cell RNA-seq data of lung adenocarcinoma patients at different stages of cancer. We identified 37 genes in epithelial cells that showed an increasing noise trend with cancer progression, many of which were also associated with cancer growth, EMT and therapy resistance. We found that expression of several of these genes was positively associated with expression of mitochondrial genes, suggesting an important role of mitochondria in generation of heterogeneity. In addition, we uncovered substantial differences in sample-specific noise profiles which could have implications for personalized prognosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Bose
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Subhasis Datta
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Rakesh Mandal
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Upasana Ray
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Riddhiman Dhar
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India.
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7
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Neagu AN, Whitham D, Bruno P, Arshad A, Seymour L, Morrissiey H, Hukovic AI, Darie CC. Onco-Breastomics: An Eco-Evo-Devo Holistic Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1628. [PMID: 38338903 PMCID: PMC10855488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Known as a diverse collection of neoplastic diseases, breast cancer (BC) can be hyperbolically characterized as a dynamic pseudo-organ, a living organism able to build a complex, open, hierarchically organized, self-sustainable, and self-renewable tumor system, a population, a species, a local community, a biocenosis, or an evolving dynamical ecosystem (i.e., immune or metabolic ecosystem) that emphasizes both developmental continuity and spatio-temporal change. Moreover, a cancer cell community, also known as an oncobiota, has been described as non-sexually reproducing species, as well as a migratory or invasive species that expresses intelligent behavior, or an endangered or parasite species that fights to survive, to optimize its features inside the host's ecosystem, or that is able to exploit or to disrupt its host circadian cycle for improving the own proliferation and spreading. BC tumorigenesis has also been compared with the early embryo and placenta development that may suggest new strategies for research and therapy. Furthermore, BC has also been characterized as an environmental disease or as an ecological disorder. Many mechanisms of cancer progression have been explained by principles of ecology, developmental biology, and evolutionary paradigms. Many authors have discussed ecological, developmental, and evolutionary strategies for more successful anti-cancer therapies, or for understanding the ecological, developmental, and evolutionary bases of BC exploitable vulnerabilities. Herein, we used the integrated framework of three well known ecological theories: the Bronfenbrenner's theory of human development, the Vannote's River Continuum Concept (RCC), and the Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Eco-Evo-Devo) theory, to explain and understand several eco-evo-devo-based principles that govern BC progression. Multi-omics fields, taken together as onco-breastomics, offer better opportunities to integrate, analyze, and interpret large amounts of complex heterogeneous data, such as various and big-omics data obtained by multiple investigative modalities, for understanding the eco-evo-devo-based principles that drive BC progression and treatment. These integrative eco-evo-devo theories can help clinicians better diagnose and treat BC, for example, by using non-invasive biomarkers in liquid-biopsies that have emerged from integrated omics-based data that accurately reflect the biomolecular landscape of the primary tumor in order to avoid mutilating preventive surgery, like bilateral mastectomy. From the perspective of preventive, personalized, and participatory medicine, these hypotheses may help patients to think about this disease as a process governed by natural rules, to understand the possible causes of the disease, and to gain control on their own health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca-Narcisa Neagu
- Laboratory of Animal Histology, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Carol I bvd. 20A, 700505 Iasi, Romania
| | - Danielle Whitham
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
| | - Pathea Bruno
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
| | - Aneeta Arshad
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
| | - Logan Seymour
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
| | - Hailey Morrissiey
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
| | - Angiolina I. Hukovic
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
| | - Costel C. Darie
- Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5810, USA; (D.W.); (P.B.); (A.A.); (L.S.); (H.M.); (A.I.H.)
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8
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Fontana R, Mestre-Farrera A, Yang J. Update on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity in Cancer Progression. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2024; 19:133-156. [PMID: 37758242 PMCID: PMC10872224 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051222-122423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular process by which epithelial cells lose their characteristics and acquire mesenchymal traits to promote cell movement. This program is aberrantly activated in human cancers and endows tumor cells with increased abilities in tumor initiation, cell migration, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. The EMT program in tumors is rarely binary and often leads to a series of gradual or intermediate epithelial-mesenchymal states. Functionally, epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) improves the fitness of cancer cells during tumor progression and in response to therapies. Here, we discuss the most recent advances in our understanding of the diverse roles of EMP in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance and address major clinical challenges due to EMP-driven phenotypic heterogeneity in cancer. Uncovering novel molecular markers and key regulators of EMP in cancer will aid the development of new therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer recurrence and overcome therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Fontana
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA;
| | - Aida Mestre-Farrera
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA;
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA;
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA
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9
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Mehta A, Stanger BZ. Lineage Plasticity: The New Cancer Hallmark on the Block. Cancer Res 2024; 84:184-191. [PMID: 37963209 PMCID: PMC10841583 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Plasticity refers to the ability of cells to adopt a spectrum of states or phenotypes. In cancer, it is a critical contributor to tumor initiation, progression, invasiveness, and therapy resistance, and it has recently been recognized as an emerging cancer hallmark. Plasticity can occur as a result of cell-intrinsic factors (e.g., genetic, transcriptional, or epigenetic fluctuations), or through cell-extrinsic cues (e.g., signaling from components of the tumor microenvironment or selective pressure from therapy). Over the past decade, technological advances, analysis of patient samples, and studies in mouse model systems have led to a deeper understanding of how such plastic states come about. In this review, we discuss: (i) the definition of plasticity; (ii) methods to measure and quantify plasticity; (iii) the clinical relevance of plasticity; and (iv) therapeutic hypotheses to modulate plasticity in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnav Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Ben Z. Stanger
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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10
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Wang X, Eichhorn PJA, Thiery JP. TGF-β, EMT, and resistance to anti-cancer treatment. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 97:1-11. [PMID: 37944215 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.10.004] [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: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling regulates cell-specific programs involved in embryonic development, wound-healing, and immune homeostasis. Yet, during tumor progression, these TGF-β-mediated programs are altered, leading to epithelial cell plasticity and a reprogramming of epithelial cells into mesenchymal lineages through epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical developmental program in morphogenesis and organogenesis. These changes, in turn, lead to enhanced carcinoma cell invasion, metastasis, immune cell differentiation, immune evasion, and chemotherapy resistance. Here, we discuss EMT as one of the critical programs associated with carcinoma cell plasticity and the influence exerted by TGF-β on carcinoma status and function. We further explore the composition of carcinoma and other cell populations within the tumor microenvironment, and consider the relevant outcomes related to the programs associated with cancer treatment resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuecong Wang
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Pieter Johan Adam Eichhorn
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia; Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia; Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore, Singapore
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11
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Gulia S, Chandra P, Das A. The Prognosis of Cancer Depends on the Interplay of Autophagy, Apoptosis, and Anoikis within the Tumor Microenvironment. Cell Biochem Biophys 2023; 81:621-658. [PMID: 37787970 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01179-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Within the tumor microenvironment, the fight between the immune system and cancer influences tumor transformation. Metastasis formation is an important stage in the progression of cancer. This process is aided by cellular detachment and resistance to anoikis, which are achieved by altering intercellular signaling. Autophagy, specifically pro-survival autophagy, aids cancer cells in developing treatment resistance. Numerous studies have shown that autophagy promotes tumor growth and resistance to anoikis. To regulate protective autophagy, cancer-related genes phosphorylate both pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. Apoptosis, a type of controlled cell death, eliminates damaged or unwanted cells. Anoikis is a type of programmed cell death in which cells lose contact with the extracellular matrix. The dysregulation of these cellular pathways promotes tumor growth and spread. Apoptosis, anoikis, and autophagy interact meticulously and differently depending on the cellular circumstances. For instance, autophagy can protect cancer cells from apoptosis by removing cellular components that are damaged and might otherwise trigger apoptotic pathways. Similarly, anoikis dysregulation can trigger autophagy by causing cellular harm and metabolic stress. In order to prevent or treat metastatic disease, specifically, targeting these cellular mechanisms may present a promising prospect for cancer therapy. This review discourses the state of our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tumor transformation and the establishment of metastatic tumors. To enhance the prognosis for cancer, we highlight and discuss potential therapeutic approaches that target these processes and genes involved in them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Gulia
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Prakash Chandra
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Asmita Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Main Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India.
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12
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Bhatia S, Gunter JH, Burgess JT, Adams MN, O'Byrne K, Thompson EW, Duijf PH. Stochastic epithelial-mesenchymal transitions diversify non-cancerous lung cell behaviours. Transl Oncol 2023; 37:101760. [PMID: 37611490 PMCID: PMC10466920 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101760] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) is a hallmark of cancer. By enabling cells to shift between different morphological and functional states, EMP promotes invasion, metastasis and therapy resistance. We report that near-diploid non-cancerous human epithelial lung cells spontaneously shift along the EMP spectrum without genetic changes. Strikingly, more than half of single cell-derived clones adopt a mesenchymal morphology. We independently characterise epithelial-like and mesenchymal-like clones. Mesenchymal clones lose epithelial markers, display larger cell aspect ratios and lower motility, with mostly unaltered proliferation rates. Stemness marker expression and metabolic rewiring diverge independently of phenotypes. In 3D culture, more epithelial clones become mesenchymal-like. Thus, non-cancerous epithelial cells may acquire cancer metastasis-associated features prior to genetic alterations and cancerous transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sugandha Bhatia
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia.
| | - Jennifer H Gunter
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia; Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland (APCRC-Q), Queensland University of Technology, Woolloongabba 4102, Australia
| | - Joshua T Burgess
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark N Adams
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Kenneth O'Byrne
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia; Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Erik W Thompson
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Pascal Hg Duijf
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD, Australia; Centre for Cancer Biology, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide SA, 5001, Australia; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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13
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Jain P, Pillai M, Duddu AS, Somarelli JA, Goyal Y, Jolly MK. Dynamical hallmarks of cancer: Phenotypic switching in melanoma and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:48-63. [PMID: 37788736 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.09.007] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity was recently incorporated as a hallmark of cancer. This plasticity can manifest along many interconnected axes, such as stemness and differentiation, drug-sensitive and drug-resistant states, and between epithelial and mesenchymal cell-states. Despite growing acceptance for phenotypic plasticity as a hallmark of cancer, the dynamics of this process remains poorly understood. In particular, the knowledge necessary for a predictive understanding of how individual cancer cells and populations of cells dynamically switch their phenotypes in response to the intensity and/or duration of their current and past environmental stimuli remains far from complete. Here, we present recent investigations of phenotypic plasticity from a systems-level perspective using two exemplars: epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in carcinomas and phenotypic switching in melanoma. We highlight how an integrated computational-experimental approach has helped unravel insights into specific dynamical hallmarks of phenotypic plasticity in different cancers to address the following questions: a) how many distinct cell-states or phenotypes exist?; b) how reversible are transitions among these cell-states, and what factors control the extent of reversibility?; and c) how might cell-cell communication be able to alter rates of cell-state switching and enable diverse patterns of phenotypic heterogeneity? Understanding these dynamic features of phenotypic plasticity may be a key component in shifting the paradigm of cancer treatment from reactionary to a more predictive, proactive approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paras Jain
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Maalavika Pillai
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Jason A Somarelli
- Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yogesh Goyal
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
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14
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Nojszewska N, Idilli O, Sarkar D, Ahouiyek Z, Arroyo-Berdugo Y, Sandoval C, Amin-Anjum MS, Bowers S, Greaves D, Saeed L, Khan M, Salti S, Al-Shami S, Topoglu H, Punzalan JK, Farias JG, Calle Y. Bone marrow mesenchymal/fibroblastic stromal cells induce a distinctive EMT-like phenotype in AML cells. Eur J Cell Biol 2023; 102:151334. [PMID: 37354622 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) like features is emerging as a critical factor involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, the extracellular signals and the signalling pathways in AML that may regulate EMT remain largely unstudied. We found that the bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal/fibroblastic cell line HS5 induces an EMT-like migratory phenotype in AML cells. AML cells underwent a strong increase of vimentin (VIM) levels that was not mirrored to the same extent by changes of expression of the other EMT core proteins SNAI1 and SNAI2. We validated these particular pattern of co-expression of core-EMT markers in AML cells by performing an in silico analysis using datasets of human tumours. Our data showed that in AML the expression levels of VIM does not completely correlate with the co-expression of core EMT markers observed in epithelial tumours. We also found that vs epithelial tumours, AML cells display a distinct patterns of co-expression of VIM and the actin binding and adhesion regulatory proteins that regulate F-actin dynamics and integrin-mediated adhesions involved in the invasive migration in cells undergoing EMT. We conclude that the BM stroma induces an EMT related pattern of migration in AML cells in a process involving a distinctive regulation of EMT markers and of regulators of cell adhesion and actin dynamics that should be further investigated. Understanding the tumour specific signalling pathways associated with the EMT process may contribute to the development of new tailored therapies for AML as well as in different types of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Nojszewska
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - O Idilli
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - D Sarkar
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - Z Ahouiyek
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - Y Arroyo-Berdugo
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - C Sandoval
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - M S Amin-Anjum
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - S Bowers
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - D Greaves
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - L Saeed
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - M Khan
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - S Salti
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - S Al-Shami
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - H Topoglu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - J K Punzalan
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - J G Farias
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Y Calle
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
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15
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Davies A, Zoubeidi A, Beltran H, Selth LA. The Transcriptional and Epigenetic Landscape of Cancer Cell Lineage Plasticity. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:1771-1788. [PMID: 37470668 PMCID: PMC10527883 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Lineage plasticity, a process whereby cells change their phenotype to take on a different molecular and/or histologic identity, is a key driver of cancer progression and therapy resistance. Although underlying genetic changes within the tumor can enhance lineage plasticity, it is predominantly a dynamic process controlled by transcriptional and epigenetic dysregulation. This review explores the transcriptional and epigenetic regulators of lineage plasticity and their interplay with other features of malignancy, such as dysregulated metabolism, the tumor microenvironment, and immune evasion. We also discuss strategies for the detection and treatment of highly plastic tumors. SIGNIFICANCE Lineage plasticity is a hallmark of cancer and a critical facilitator of other oncogenic features such as metastasis, therapy resistance, dysregulated metabolism, and immune evasion. It is essential that the molecular mechanisms of lineage plasticity are elucidated to enable the development of strategies to effectively target this phenomenon. In this review, we describe key transcriptional and epigenetic regulators of cancer cell plasticity, in the process highlighting therapeutic approaches that may be harnessed for patient benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Davies
- Oncology Research Discovery, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Amina Zoubeidi
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Himisha Beltran
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Luke A. Selth
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute and Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042 Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005 Australia
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