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Syga S, Jain HP, Krellner M, Hatzikirou H, Deutsch A. Evolution of phenotypic plasticity leads to tumor heterogeneity with implications for therapy. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012003. [PMID: 39121170 PMCID: PMC11338451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012003] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a significant global health issue, with treatment challenges arising from intratumor heterogeneity. This heterogeneity stems mainly from somatic evolution, causing genetic diversity within the tumor, and phenotypic plasticity of tumor cells leading to reversible phenotypic changes. However, the interplay of both factors has not been rigorously investigated. Here, we examine the complex relationship between somatic evolution and phenotypic plasticity, explicitly focusing on the interplay between cell migration and proliferation. This type of phenotypic plasticity is essential in glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain tumor. We propose that somatic evolution alters the regulation of phenotypic plasticity in tumor cells, specifically the reaction to changes in the microenvironment. We study this hypothesis using a novel, spatially explicit model that tracks individual cells' phenotypic and genetic states. We assume cells change between migratory and proliferative states controlled by inherited and mutation-driven genotypes and the cells' microenvironment. We observe that cells at the tumor edge evolve to favor migration over proliferation and vice versa in the tumor bulk. Notably, different genetic configurations can result in this pattern of phenotypic heterogeneity. We analytically predict the outcome of the evolutionary process, showing that it depends on the tumor microenvironment. Synthetic tumors display varying levels of genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity, which we show are predictors of tumor recurrence time after treatment. Interestingly, higher phenotypic heterogeneity predicts poor treatment outcomes, unlike genetic heterogeneity. Our research offers a novel explanation for heterogeneous patterns of tumor recurrence in glioblastoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Syga
- Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences, Department Information Services and High Performance Computing, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Harish P. Jain
- Njord Centre, Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marcus Krellner
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Haralampos Hatzikirou
- Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences, Department Information Services and High Performance Computing, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
- Mathematics Department, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Andreas Deutsch
- Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences, Department Information Services and High Performance Computing, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
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2
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Haydo A, Wehle A, Herold-Mende C, Kögel D, Pampaloni F, Linder B. Combining organotypic tissue culture with light-sheet microscopy (OTCxLSFM) to study glioma invasion. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56964. [PMID: 37938214 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202356964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a very aggressive tumor and represents the most common primary brain malignancy. Key characteristics include its high resistance against conventional treatments, such as radio- and chemotherapy and its diffuse tissue infiltration, preventing complete surgical resection. The analysis of migration and invasion processes in a physiological microenvironment allows for enhanced understanding of these phenomena and can lead to improved therapeutic approaches. Here, we combine two state-of-the-art techniques, adult organotypic brain tissue slice culture (OTC) and light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) of cleared tissues in a combined method termed OTCxLSFM. Using this methodology, we can show that glioblastoma tissue infiltration can be effectively blocked through treatment with arsenic trioxide or WP1066, as well as genetic depletion of the tetraspanin, transmembrane receptor CD9, or signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). With our analysis pipeline, we gain single-cell level, three-dimensional information, as well as insights into the morphological appearance of the tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Haydo
- Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andrej Wehle
- Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christel Herold-Mende
- Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Donat Kögel
- Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner site Frankfurt/Main, a partnership between DKFZ and Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Francesco Pampaloni
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Benedikt Linder
- Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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3
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Lumibao JC, Haak PL, Kolossov VL, Chen JWE, Stutchman J, Ruiz A, Sivaguru M, Sarkaria JN, Harley BA, Steelman AJ, Gaskins HR. CHCHD2 mediates glioblastoma cell proliferation, mitochondrial metabolism, hypoxia‑induced invasion and therapeutic resistance. Int J Oncol 2023; 63:117. [PMID: 37654190 PMCID: PMC10546377 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor affecting adults and remains incurable. The mitochondrial coiled‑coil‑helix‑coiled‑coil‑helix domain‑containing protein 2 (CHCHD2) has been demonstrated to mediate mitochondrial respiration, nuclear gene expression and cell migration; however, evidence of this in GBM is lacking. In the present study, it was hypothesized that CHCHD2 may play a functional role in U87 GBM cells expressing the constitutively active epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII). The amplification of the CHCHD2 gene was found to be associated with a decreased patient overall and progression‑free survival. The CHCHD2 mRNA levels were increased in high‑vs. low‑grade glioma, IDH‑wt GBMs, and in tumor vs. non‑tumor tissue. Additionally, CHCHD2 protein expression was greatest in invasive, EGFRvIII‑expressing patient‑derived samples. The CRISPR‑Cas9‑mediated knockout of CHCHD2 in EGFRvIII‑expressing U87 cells resulted in an altered mitochondrial respiration and glutathione status, in decreased cell growth and invasion under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and in an enhanced sensitivity to cytotoxic agents. CHCHD2 was distributed in both the mitochondria and nuclei of U87 and U87vIII cells, and the U87vIII cells exhibited a greater nuclear expression of CHCHD2 compared to isogenic U87 cells. Incubation under hypoxic conditions, serum starvation and the reductive unfolding of CHCHD2 induced the nuclear accumulation of CHCHD2 in both cell lines. Collectively, the findings of the present study indicate that CHCHD2 mediates a variety of GBM characteristics, and highlights mitonuclear retrograde signaling as a pathway of interest in GBM cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan C. Lumibao
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and
| | - Payton L. Haak
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Department of Animal Sciences and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | | | - Jee-Wei Emily Chen
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | | | | | | | - Jann N. Sarkaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Brendan A.C. Harley
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Andrew J. Steelman
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and
- Department of Animal Sciences and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - H. Rex Gaskins
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and
- Department of Animal Sciences and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Wu KZ, Adine C, Mitriashkin A, Aw BJJ, Iyer NG, Fong ELS. Making In Vitro Tumor Models Whole Again. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202279. [PMID: 36718949 PMCID: PMC11469124 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
As a reductionist approach, patient-derived in vitro tumor models are inherently still too simplistic for personalized drug testing as they do not capture many characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as tumor architecture and stromal heterogeneity. This is especially problematic for assessing stromal-targeting drugs such as immunotherapies in which the density and distribution of immune and other stromal cells determine drug efficacy. On the other end, in vivo models are typically costly, low-throughput, and time-consuming to establish. Ex vivo patient-derived tumor explant (PDE) cultures involve the culture of resected tumor fragments that potentially retain the intact TME of the original tumor. Although developed decades ago, PDE cultures have not been widely adopted likely because of their low-throughput and poor long-term viability. However, with growing recognition of the importance of patient-specific TME in mediating drug response, especially in the field of immune-oncology, there is an urgent need to resurrect these holistic cultures. In this Review, the key limitations of patient-derived tumor explant cultures are outlined and technologies that have been developed or could be employed to address these limitations are discussed. Engineered holistic tumor explant cultures may truly realize the concept of personalized medicine for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenny Zhuoran Wu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Design and EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119276Singapore
| | - Christabella Adine
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Design and EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119276Singapore
| | - Aleksandr Mitriashkin
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Design and EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119276Singapore
| | - Benjamin Jun Jie Aw
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Design and EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119276Singapore
| | - N. Gopalakrishna Iyer
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery and Surgical OncologyDuke‐NUS Medical SchoolSingapore169857Singapore
- Department of Head and Neck SurgeryNational Cancer Centre SingaporeSingapore169610Singapore
| | - Eliza Li Shan Fong
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Design and EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119276Singapore
- The N.1 Institute for HealthNational University of SingaporeSingapore117456Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute (CSI)National University of SingaporeSingapore117599Singapore
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5
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Ruxolitinib enhances cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of temozolomide on glioblastoma cells by regulating WNT signaling pathway-related genes. MEDICAL ONCOLOGY (NORTHWOOD, LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 40:37. [PMID: 36460932 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-022-01897-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Although temozolomide is the primary chemotherapeutic agent in glioblastoma, current studies have focused on its combinational applications to overcome resistance by targeting multiple pathways. JAK/STAT and WNT are among the essential cancer-related signaling pathways. Ruxolitinib, the first approved JAK1/2 inhibitor, has promise in glioblastoma with its blood-brain barrier (BBB) crossing ability. The mentioned study aims to evaluate the anti-cancer potential of ruxolitinib individually and in combination with temozolomide on glioblastoma cells, brain cancer stem cells (BCSCs), and BBB-forming healthy cells. It also intends to determine the effects of JAK inhibitor treatment in combination with temozolomide on WNT signaling, which is known to cross-talk with the JAK/STAT pathway. The U87MG, BCSC, and HBMEC cell lines were the in vitro models. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of ruxolitinib and the combination were determined by the WST-1 test and Annexin V assay, respectively. The expression level changes of WNT signaling pathway genes caused by ruxolitinib and the combination treatments were defined by the qRT-PCR method. Network analysis of significantly upregulated and downregulated genes was performed via the GO KEGG pathway enrichment module of the String V11.5 database. The IC50 value of the ruxolitinib on U87MG glioblastoma cells was determined as 94.07 µM at 24th h. The combination of temozolomide and ruxolitinib had a synergistic effect on U87MG cells at 24th h. The combination index (CI) was determined as 0.796, and ED60 values of ruxolitinib and temozolomide were determined as 89.75 and 391.48 µM, respectively. Ruxolitinib improves the apoptotic effect of temozolomide on glioblastoma cells and brain cancer stem cells. Ruxolitinib regulates the WNT signaling pathway both individually and in combination with temozolomide. Our study indicates the potential of ruxolitinib to increase the cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of temozolomide in glioblastoma cells, also considering CSCs and healthy BBB-forming cells. As supported by gene expression and network analyses, the BBB-crossing agent ruxolitinib promises the potential to increase the efficacy of temozolomide in glioblastoma by affecting multiple signaling pathways in both cancer cells and CSCs.
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Tu W, Zheng H, Li L, Zhou C, Feng M, Chen L, Li D, Chen X, Hao B, Sun H, Cao Y, Gao Y. Secreted phosphoprotein 1 promotes angiogenesis of glioblastoma through upregulating PSMA expression via transcription factor HIF-1α. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 55:417-425. [PMID: 36305723 PMCID: PMC10160226 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly vascularized malignant brain tumor. Our previous study showed that prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) promotes angiogenesis of GBM. However, the specific mechanism underlying GBM-induced PSMA upregulation remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the GBM-secreted cytokine phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) can regulate the expression of PSMA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our mechanistic study further reveals that SPP1 regulates the expression of PSMA through the transcription factor HIF1α. Moreover, SPP1 promotes HUVEC migration and tube formation. In addition, HIF1α knockdown reduces the expression of PSMA in HUVECs and blocks the ability of SPP1 to promote HUVEC migration and tube formation. We further confirm that SPP1 is abundantly expressed in GBM, is associated with poor prognosis, and has high clinical diagnostic value with considerable sensitivity and specificity. Collectively, our findings identify that the GBM-secreted cytokine SPP1 upregulates PSMA expression in endothelial cells via the transcription factor HIF1α, providing insight into the angiogenic process and promising candidates for targeted GBM therapy.
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7
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Parik S, Fernández-García J, Lodi F, De Vlaminck K, Derweduwe M, De Vleeschouwer S, Sciot R, Geens W, Weng L, Bosisio FM, Bergers G, Duerinck J, De Smet F, Lambrechts D, Van Ginderachter JA, Fendt SM. GBM tumors are heterogeneous in their fatty acid metabolism and modulating fatty acid metabolism sensitizes cancer cells derived from recurring GBM tumors to temozolomide. Front Oncol 2022; 12:988872. [PMID: 36338708 PMCID: PMC9635944 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.988872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a highly lethal grade of astrocytoma with very low median survival. Despite extensive efforts, there is still a lack of alternatives that might improve these prospects. We uncovered that the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide impinges on fatty acid synthesis and desaturation in newly diagnosed glioblastoma. This response is, however, blunted in recurring glioblastoma from the same patient. Further, we describe that disrupting cellular fatty acid homeostasis in favor of accumulation of saturated fatty acids such as palmitate synergizes with temozolomide treatment. Pharmacological inhibition of SCD and/or FADS2 allows palmitate accumulation and thus greatly augments temozolomide efficacy. This effect was independent of common GBM prognostic factors and was effective against cancer cells from recurring glioblastoma. In summary, we provide evidence that intracellular accumulation of saturated fatty acids in conjunction with temozolomide based chemotherapy induces death in glioblastoma cells derived from patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Parik
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Juan Fernández-García
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Francesca Lodi
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karen De Vlaminck
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marleen Derweduwe
- Laboratory for Precision Cancer Medicine, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Raf Sciot
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wietse Geens
- Department of Neurosurgery, UZ Brussel, Jette, Belgium
| | - Linqian Weng
- Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Therapeutic Resistance, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Francesca Maria Bosisio
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Translational Cell & Tissue Research Department of Pathology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gabriele Bergers
- Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Therapeutic Resistance, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Frederick De Smet
- Laboratory for Precision Cancer Medicine, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Diether Lambrechts
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jo A. Van Ginderachter
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Maria Fendt
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
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8
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Lopez BGC, Kohale IN, Du Z, Korsunsky I, Abdelmoula WM, Dai Y, Stopka SA, Gaglia G, Randall EC, Regan MS, Basu SS, Clark AR, Marin BM, Mladek AC, Burgenske DM, Agar JN, Supko JG, Grossman SA, Nabors LB, Raychaudhuri S, Ligon KL, Wen PY, Alexander B, Lee EQ, Santagata S, Sarkaria J, White FM, Agar NYR. Multimodal platform for assessing drug distribution and response in clinical trials. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:64-77. [PMID: 34383057 PMCID: PMC8730776 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Response to targeted therapy varies between patients for largely unknown reasons. Here, we developed and applied an integrative platform using mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), phosphoproteomics, and multiplexed tissue imaging for mapping drug distribution, target engagement, and adaptive response to gain insights into heterogeneous response to therapy. METHODS Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) lines of glioblastoma were treated with adavosertib, a Wee1 inhibitor, and tissue drug distribution was measured with MALDI-MSI. Phosphoproteomics was measured in the same tumors to identify biomarkers of drug target engagement and cellular adaptive response. Multiplexed tissue imaging was performed on sister sections to evaluate spatial co-localization of drug and cellular response. The integrated platform was then applied on clinical specimens from glioblastoma patients enrolled in the phase 1 clinical trial. RESULTS PDX tumors exposed to different doses of adavosertib revealed intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of drug distribution and integration of the heterogeneous drug distribution with phosphoproteomics and multiplexed tissue imaging revealed new markers of molecular response to adavosertib. Analysis of paired clinical specimens from patients enrolled in the phase 1 clinical trial informed the translational potential of the identified biomarkers in studying patient's response to adavosertib. CONCLUSIONS The multimodal platform identified a signature of drug efficacy and patient-specific adaptive responses applicable to preclinical and clinical drug development. The information generated by the approach may inform mechanisms of success and failure in future early phase clinical trials, providing information for optimizing clinical trial design and guiding future application into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña G C Lopez
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ishwar N Kohale
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ziming Du
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ilya Korsunsky
- Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Walid M Abdelmoula
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yang Dai
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sylwia A Stopka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giorgio Gaglia
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Randall
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael S Regan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sankha S Basu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amanda R Clark
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bianca-Maria Marin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ann C Mladek
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey N Agar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Supko
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stuart A Grossman
- Brain Cancer Program, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Louis B Nabors
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Soumya Raychaudhuri
- Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith L Ligon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick Y Wen
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian Alexander
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eudocia Q Lee
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sandro Santagata
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jann Sarkaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Forest M White
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathalie Y R Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Fiandaca G, Bernardi S, Scianna M, Delitala ME. A phenotype-structured model to reproduce the avascular growth of a tumor and its interaction with the surrounding environment. J Theor Biol 2021; 535:110980. [PMID: 34915043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We here propose a one-dimensional spatially explicit phenotype-structured model to analyze selected aspects of avascular tumor progression. In particular, our approach distinguishes viable and necrotic cell fractions. The metabolically active part of the disease is, in turn, differentiated according to a continuous trait, that identifies cell variants with different degrees of motility and proliferation potential. A parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) then governs the spatio-temporal evolution of the phenotypic distribution of active cells within the host tissue. In this respect, active tumor agents are allowed to duplicate, move upon haptotactic and pressure stimuli, and eventually undergo necrosis. The mutual influence between the emerging malignancy and its environment (in terms of molecular landscape) is implemented by coupling the evolution law of the viable tumor mass with a parabolic PDE for oxygen kinetics and a differential equation that accounts for local consumption of extracellular matrix (ECM) elements. The resulting numerical realizations reproduce tumor growth and invasion in a number scenarios that differ for cell properties (i.e., individual migratory behavior, duplication and mutation potential) and environmental conditions (i.e., level of tissue oxygenation and homogeneity in the initial matrix profile). In particular, our simulations show that, in all cases, more mobile cell variants occupy the front edge of the tumor, whereas more proliferative clones are selected at the more internal regions. A necrotic core constantly occupies the bulk of the mass due to nutrient deprivation. This work may eventually suggest some biomedical strategies to partially reduce tumor aggressiveness, i.e., to enhance necrosis of malignant tissue and to promote the presence of more proliferative cell phenotypes over more invasive ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Fiandaca
- Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange", Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy.
| | - Sara Bernardi
- Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange", Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy.
| | - Marco Scianna
- Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange", Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy.
| | - Marcello Edoardo Delitala
- Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange", Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy.
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10
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Nousi A, Søgaard MT, Audoin M, Jauffred L. Single-cell tracking reveals super-spreading brain cancer cells with high persistence. Biochem Biophys Rep 2021; 28:101120. [PMID: 34541340 PMCID: PMC8435994 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.101120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell migration is a fundamental characteristic of vital processes such as tissue morphogenesis, wound healing and immune cell homing to lymph nodes and inflamed or infected sites. Therefore, various brain defect diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases as well as tumor formation and metastasis are associated with aberrant or absent cell migration. We embedded multicellular brain cancer spheroids in Matrigel™ and utilized single-particle tracking to extract the paths of cells migrating away from the spheroids. We found that - in contrast to local invasion - single cell migration is independent of Matrigel™ concentration and is characterized by high directionality and persistence. Furthermore, we identified a subpopulation of super-spreading cells with >200-fold longer persistence times than the majority of cells. These results highlight yet another aspect of cell heterogeneity in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Tangen Søgaard
- The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | | | - Liselotte Jauffred
- The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
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11
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Suckert T, Nexhipi S, Dietrich A, Koch R, Kunz-Schughart LA, Bahn E, Beyreuther E. Models for Translational Proton Radiobiology-From Bench to Bedside and Back. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4216. [PMID: 34439370 PMCID: PMC8395028 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of proton therapy centers worldwide are increasing steadily, with more than two million cancer patients treated so far. Despite this development, pending questions on proton radiobiology still call for basic and translational preclinical research. Open issues are the on-going discussion on an energy-dependent varying proton RBE (relative biological effectiveness), a better characterization of normal tissue side effects and combination treatments with drugs originally developed for photon therapy. At the same time, novel possibilities arise, such as radioimmunotherapy, and new proton therapy schemata, such as FLASH irradiation and proton mini-beams. The study of those aspects demands for radiobiological models at different stages along the translational chain, allowing the investigation of mechanisms from the molecular level to whole organisms. Focusing on the challenges and specifics of proton research, this review summarizes the different available models, ranging from in vitro systems to animal studies of increasing complexity as well as complementing in silico approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Suckert
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (T.S.); (S.N.); (A.D.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sindi Nexhipi
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (T.S.); (S.N.); (A.D.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology-OncoRay, 01309 Dresden, Germany
| | - Antje Dietrich
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (T.S.); (S.N.); (A.D.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robin Koch
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (R.K.); (E.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Leoni A. Kunz-Schughart
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (T.S.); (S.N.); (A.D.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Emanuel Bahn
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (R.K.); (E.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elke Beyreuther
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (T.S.); (S.N.); (A.D.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden—Rossendorf, Institute of Radiation Physics, 01328 Dresden, Germany
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12
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Sengul E, Elitas M. Long-term migratory velocity measurements of single glioma cells using microfluidics. Analyst 2021; 146:5143-5149. [PMID: 34282810 DOI: 10.1039/d1an00817j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic platforms enabling single-cell measurements notably contribute to the identification and observation of rare cancer cells that are involved in tumor invasion. Most aggressive, invasive, and heterogeneous glioblastoma cells cause incurable primary brain tumors. Infiltrating gliomas of a brain tumor microenvironment have been intensively studied using conventional assays. Still, quantitative, simple, and precise tools are required for long-term, steady-state migratory-velocity measurements of single glioma cells. To measure long-term velocity changes and investigate the heterogeneity of glioma cells under different growth conditions, we developed a microfluidic platform. We cultured U87 glioma cells in the microfluidic device using either regular growth medium or conditional medium composed of 50% basal medium and 50% macrophage-depleted medium. We microscopically monitored the behavior of 40 glioma cells for 5 days. Using acquired images, we calculated cellular circularity and determined the migratory velocities of glioma cells from 60 h to 120 h. The mean migratory velocity values of the glioma cells were 1.513 μm h-1 in the basal medium and 3.246 μm h-1 in the conditional medium. The circularity values of the glioma cells decreased from 0.20-0.25 to 0.15-0.20 when cultured in the conditional medium. Here, we clearly showed that the glioma cells lost their circularity and increased their steady-state velocities; in other words, they adopted an invasive glioma phenotype in the presence of macrophage-depleted medium. Besides, the heterogeneity of the circularity and the velocity of glioma cells were enhanced in the conditional medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Sengul
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Istanbul 34956, Turkey.
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13
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Schweiger MW, Li M, Giovanazzi A, Fleming RL, Tabet EI, Nakano I, Würdinger T, Chiocca EA, Tian T, Tannous BA. Extracellular Vesicles Induce Mesenchymal Transition and Therapeutic Resistance in Glioblastomas through NF-κB/STAT3 Signaling. ADVANCED BIOSYSTEMS 2020; 4:e1900312. [PMID: 32519463 PMCID: PMC7718424 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201900312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor and despite optimal treatment, long-term survival remains uncommon. GBM can be roughly divided into three different molecular subtypes, each varying in aggressiveness and treatment resistance. Recent evidence shows plasticity between these subtypes in which the proneural (PN) glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) undergo transition into the more aggressive mesenchymal (MES) subtype, leading to therapeutic resistance. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous structures secreted by nearly every cell and are shown to play a key role in GBM progression by acting as multifunctional signaling complexes. Here, it is shown that EVs derived from MES cells educate PN cells to increase stemness, invasiveness, cell proliferation, migration potential, aggressiveness, and therapeutic resistance by inducing mesenchymal transition through nuclear factor-κB/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling. The findings could potentially help explore new treatment strategies for GBM and indicate that EVs may also play a role in mesenchymal transition of different tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus W. Schweiger
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Brain Tumor Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mao Li
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Alberta Giovanazzi
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Brain Tumor Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Renata L. Fleming
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
| | - Elie I. Tabet
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Dakota, 4800 N. Career Ave, Suite 221, Sioux Falls, SD USA
| | - Ichiro Nakano
- Department of Neurosurgery and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Thomas Würdinger
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Brain Tumor Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E. Antonio Chiocca
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Tian Tian
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Bakhos A. Tannous
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02129, USA
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14
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Schweiger MW, Tannous BA. Small but Fierce: Tracking the Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma Progression and Therapeutic Resistance. ADVANCED BIOSYSTEMS 2020; 4:e2000035. [PMID: 32881418 PMCID: PMC7968117 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202000035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults. Most patients die within a year and long-term survival remains rare, owing to a combination of rapid progression/degeneration, lack of successful treatments, and high recurrence rates. Extracellular vesicles are cell-derived membranous structures involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes. In the context of cancer, these biological nanoparticles play an important role in intercellular communication, allowing cancer cells to exchange information with each other, the tumor microenvironment as well as distant cells. Here, light is shed on the role of extracellular vesicles in glioblastoma heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment interactions, and therapeutic resistance, and an overview on means to track their release, uptake, and cargo delivery is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus W Schweiger
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Brain Tumor Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, HV 1081, The Netherlands
| | - Bakhos A Tannous
- Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Neuro-Oncology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
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15
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Arora A, Niño JLG, Myaing MZ, Chia S, Arasi B, Ravasio A, Huang RYJ, Dasgupta R, Biro M, Viasnoff V. Two high-yield complementary methods to sort cell populations by their 2D or 3D migration speed. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:2779-2790. [PMID: 33085550 PMCID: PMC7851856 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-07-0466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential to migrate is one of the most fundamental functions for various epithelial, mesenchymal, and immune cells. Image analysis of motile cell populations, both primary and cultured, typically reveals an intercellular variability in migration speeds. However, cell migration chromatography, the sorting of large populations of cells based on their migratory characteristics, cannot be easily performed. The lack of such methods has hindered our understanding of the direct correlation between the capacity to migrate and other cellular properties. Here, we report two novel, easily implementable and readily scalable methods to sort millions of live migratory cancer and immune cells based on their spontaneous migration in two-dimensional and three-dimensional microenvironments, respectively. Correlative downstream transcriptomic, molecular and functional tests reveal marked differences between the fast and slow subpopulations in patient-derived cancer cells. We further employ our method to reveal that sorting the most migratory cytotoxic T lymphocytes yields a pool of cells with enhanced cytotoxicity against cancer cells. This phenotypic assay opens new avenues for the precise characterization of the mechanisms underlying hither to unexplained heterogeneities in migratory phenotypes within a cell population, and for the targeted enrichment of the most potent migratory leukocytes in immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Arora
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Jorge Luis Galeano Niño
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science Node, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales 2052, Sydney, Australia
| | - Myint Zu Myaing
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Shumei Chia
- Laboratory of Precision Oncology and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore/A*STAR, Singapore 138632
| | - Bakya Arasi
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore 117599
| | - Ramanuj Dasgupta
- Laboratory of Precision Oncology and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore/A*STAR, Singapore 138632
| | - Maté Biro
- Laboratory of Precision Oncology and Cancer Evolution, Genome Institute of Singapore/A*STAR, Singapore 138632
| | - Virgile Viasnoff
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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16
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Identification of New Genetic Clusters in Glioblastoma Multiforme: EGFR Status and ADD3 Losses Influence Prognosis. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112429. [PMID: 33172155 PMCID: PMC7694764 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GB) is one of the most aggressive tumors. Despite continuous efforts to improve its clinical management, there is still no strategy to avoid a rapid and fatal outcome. EGFR amplification is the most characteristic alteration of these tumors. Although effective therapy against it has not yet been found in GB, it may be central to classifying patients. We investigated somatic-copy number alterations (SCNA) by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification in a series of 137 GB, together with the detection of EGFRvIII and FISH analysis for EGFR amplification. Publicly available data from 604 patients were used as a validation cohort. We found statistical associations between EGFR amplification and/or EGFRvIII, and SCNA in CDKN2A, MSH6, MTAP and ADD3. Interestingly, we found that both EGFRvIII and losses on ADD3 were independent markers of bad prognosis (p = 0.028 and 0.014, respectively). Finally, we got an unsupervised hierarchical classification that differentiated three clusters of patients based on their genetic alterations. It offered a landscape of EGFR co-alterations that may improve the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying GB aggressiveness. Our findings can help in defining different genetic profiles, which is necessary to develop new and different approaches in the management of our patients.
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Liesche-Starnecker F, Mayer K, Kofler F, Baur S, Schmidt-Graf F, Kempter J, Prokop G, Pfarr N, Wei W, Gempt J, Combs SE, Zimmer C, Meyer B, Wiestler B, Schlegel J. Immunohistochemically Characterized Intratumoral Heterogeneity Is a Prognostic Marker in Human Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102964. [PMID: 33066251 PMCID: PMC7602025 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Intratumoral heterogeneity is believed to contribute to the immense therapy resistance and recurrence rate of glioblastoma. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the heterogeneity of 36 human glioblastoma samples on a morphological level by immunohistochemistry. We confirmed that this method is valid for heterogeneity detection. 115 Areas of Interest were labelled. By cluster analysis, we defined two subtypes (“classical” and “mesenchymal”). The results of epigenomic analyses corroborated the findings. Interestingly, patients with tumors that consisted of both subtypes (“subtype-heterogeneous”) showed a shorter overall survival compared to patients with tumor that were dominated by one subtype (“subtype-dominant”). Furthermore, the analysis of 21 corresponding pairs of primary and recurrent glioblastoma demonstrated that, additionally to an intratumoral heterogeneity, there is also a chronological heterogeneity with dominance of the mesenchymal subtype in recurrent tumors. Our study confirms the prognostic impact of intratumoral heterogeneity in glioblastoma and makes this hallmark assessable by routine diagnostics. Abstract Tumor heterogeneity is considered to be a hallmark of glioblastoma (GBM). Only more recently, it has become apparent that GBM is not only heterogeneous between patients (intertumoral heterogeneity) but more importantly, also within individual patients (intratumoral heterogeneity). In this study, we focused on assessing intratumoral heterogeneity. For this purpose, the heterogeneity of 38 treatment-naïve GBM was characterized by immunohistochemistry. Perceptible areas were rated for ALDH1A3, EGFR, GFAP, Iba1, Olig2, p53, and Mib1. By clustering methods, two distinct groups similar to subtypes described in literature were detected. The classical subtype featured a strong EGFR and Olig2 positivity, whereas the mesenchymal subtype displayed a strong ALDH1A3 expression and a high fraction of Iba1-positive microglia. 18 tumors exhibited both subtypes and were classified as “subtype-heterogeneous”, whereas the areas of the other tumors were all assigned to the same cluster and named “subtype-dominant”. Results of epigenomic analyses corroborated these findings. Strikingly, the subtype-heterogeneous tumors showed a clearly shorter overall survival compared to subtype-dominant tumors. Furthermore, 21 corresponding pairs of primary and recurrent GBM were compared, showing a dominance of the mesenchymal subtype in the recurrent tumors. Our study confirms the prognostic impact of intratumoral heterogeneity in GBM, and more importantly, makes this hallmark assessable by routine diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Liesche-Starnecker
- Department of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany; (K.M.); (S.B.); (G.P.); (W.W.); (J.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-6145
| | - Karoline Mayer
- Department of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany; (K.M.); (S.B.); (G.P.); (W.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Florian Kofler
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (F.K.); (C.Z.); (B.W.)
| | - Sandra Baur
- Department of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany; (K.M.); (S.B.); (G.P.); (W.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Friederike Schmidt-Graf
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (F.S.-G.); (J.K.)
| | - Johanna Kempter
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (F.S.-G.); (J.K.)
| | - Georg Prokop
- Department of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany; (K.M.); (S.B.); (G.P.); (W.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Nicole Pfarr
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany;
| | - Wu Wei
- Department of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany; (K.M.); (S.B.); (G.P.); (W.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Jens Gempt
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (J.G.); (B.M.)
| | - Stephanie E. Combs
- Department of RadiationOncology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany;
| | - Claus Zimmer
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (F.K.); (C.Z.); (B.W.)
| | - Bernhard Meyer
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (J.G.); (B.M.)
| | - Benedikt Wiestler
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany; (F.K.); (C.Z.); (B.W.)
- TranslaTUM (Zentralinstitut für translationale Krebsforschung der Technischen Universität München), Einsteinstraße 25, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schlegel
- Department of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Trogerstraße 18, 81675 München, Germany; (K.M.); (S.B.); (G.P.); (W.W.); (J.S.)
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18
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Perini G, Palmieri V, Ciasca G, D’Ascenzo M, Primiano A, Gervasoni J, De Maio F, De Spirito M, Papi M. Enhanced Chemotherapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme Mediated by Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dots. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13184139. [PMID: 32957607 PMCID: PMC7560355 DOI: 10.3390/ma13184139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and lethal brain cancer. Current treatments involve surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the life expectancy of patients with this disease remains short and chemotherapy leads to severe adverse effects. Furthermore, the presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) makes it difficult for drugs to effectively reach the brain. A promising strategy lies in the use of graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are light-responsive graphene nanoparticles that have shown the capability of crossing the BBB. Here we investigate the effect of GQDs on U87 human glioblastoma cells and primary cortical neurons. Non-functionalized GQDs (NF-GQDs) demonstrated high biocompatibility, while dimethylformamide-functionalized GQDs (DMF-GQDs) showed a toxic effect on both cell lines. The combination of GQDs and the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (Dox) was tested. GQDs exerted a synergistic increase in the efficacy of chemotherapy treatment, specifically on U87 cells. The mechanism underlying this synergy was investigated, and it was found that GQDs can alter membrane permeability in a manner dependent on the surface chemistry, facilitating the uptake of Dox inside U87 cells, but not on cortical neurons. Therefore, experimental evidence indicates that GQDs could be used in a combined therapy against brain cancer, strongly increasing the efficacy of chemotherapy and, at the same time, reducing its dose requirement along with its side effects, thereby improving the life quality of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giordano Perini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Valentina Palmieri
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (V.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Marcello D’Ascenzo
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Aniello Primiano
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Jacopo Gervasoni
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Flavio De Maio
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli”IRCSS, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Dipartimento di Scienze biotecnologiche di base, cliniche intensivologiche e perioperatorie—Sezione di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Spirito
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Massimiliano Papi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Correspondence: (V.P.); (M.P.)
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19
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Sengul E, Elitas M. Single-Cell Mechanophenotyping in Microfluidics to Evaluate Behavior of U87 Glioma Cells. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11090845. [PMID: 32932941 PMCID: PMC7569913 DOI: 10.3390/mi11090845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Integration of microfabricated, single-cell resolution and traditional, population-level biological assays will be the future of modern techniques in biology that will enroll in the evolution of biology into a precision scientific discipline. In this study, we developed a microfabricated cell culture platform to investigate the indirect influence of macrophages on glioma cell behavior. We quantified proliferation, morphology, motility, migration, and deformation properties of glioma cells at single-cell level and compared these results with population-level data. Our results showed that glioma cells obtained slightly slower proliferation, higher motility, and extremely significant deformation capability when cultured with 50% regular growth medium and 50% macrophage-depleted medium. When the expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin proteins were measured, it was verified that observed mechanophenotypic alterations in glioma cells were not due to epithelium to mesenchymal transition. Our results were consistent with previously reported enormous heterogeneity of U87 glioma cell line. Herein, for the first time, we quantified the change of deformation indexes of U87 glioma cells using microfluidic devices for single-cells analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Sengul
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Meltem Elitas
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey;
- Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Sabanci University, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +90-538-810-2930
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20
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Bhatia S, Bukkapatnam S, Van Court B, Phan A, Oweida A, Gadwa J, Mueller AC, Piper M, Darragh L, Nguyen D, Gilani A, Knitz M, Bickett T, Green A, Venkataraman S, Vibhakar R, Cittelly D, Karam SD. The effects of ephrinB2 signaling on proliferation and invasion in glioblastoma multiforme. Mol Carcinog 2020; 59:1064-1075. [PMID: 32567728 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The aggressive nature of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) may be attributed to the dysregulation of pathways driving both proliferation and invasion. EphrinB2, a membrane-bound ligand for some of the Eph receptors, has emerged as a critical target regulating these pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of ephrinB2 in regulating proliferation and invasion in GBM using intracranial and subcutaneous xenograft models. The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis suggested high transcript and low methylation levels of ephrinB2 as poor prognostic indicators in GBM, consistent with its role as an oncogene. EphrinB2 knockdown, however, increased tumor growth, an effect that was reversed by ephrinB2 Fc protein. This was associated with EphB4 receptor activation, consistent with the data showing a significant decrease in tumor growth with ephrinB2 overexpression. Mechanistic analyses showed that ephrinB2 knockdown has anti-invasive but pro-proliferative effects in GBM. EphB4 stimulation following ephrinB2 Fc treatment in ephrinB2 knockdown tumors was shown to impart strong anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effects, which correlated with decrease in PCNA, p-ERK, vimentin, Snail, Fak, and increase in the E-cadherin levels. Overall, our study suggests that ephrinB2 cannot be used as a sole therapeutic target. Concomitant inhibition of ephrinB2 signaling with EphB4 activation is required to achieve maximal therapeutic benefit in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andy Phan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ayman Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam C Mueller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Laurel Darragh
- Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ahmed Gilani
- Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Michael Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Thomas Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam Green
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Rajeev Vibhakar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Diana Cittelly
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
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21
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Potential Applications of NRF2 Modulators in Cancer Therapy. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:antiox9030193. [PMID: 32106613 PMCID: PMC7139512 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9030193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) regulatory pathway plays an essential role in protecting cells and tissues from oxidative, electrophilic, and xenobiotic stress. By controlling the transactivation of over 500 cytoprotective genes, the NRF2 transcription factor has been implicated in the physiopathology of several human diseases, including cancer. In this respect, accumulating evidence indicates that NRF2 can act as a double-edged sword, being able to mediate tumor suppressive or pro-oncogenic functions, depending on the specific biological context of its activation. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanisms that control NRF2 functions and the most appropriate context of its activation is a prerequisite for the development of effective therapeutic strategies based on NRF2 modulation. In line of principle, the controlled activation of NRF2 might reduce the risk of cancer initiation and development in normal cells by scavenging reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and by preventing genomic instability through decreased DNA damage. In contrast however, already transformed cells with constitutive or prolonged activation of NRF2 signaling might represent a major clinical hurdle and exhibit an aggressive phenotype characterized by therapy resistance and unfavorable prognosis, requiring the use of NRF2 inhibitors. In this review, we will focus on the dual roles of the NRF2-KEAP1 pathway in cancer promotion and inhibition, describing the mechanisms of its activation and potential therapeutic strategies based on the use of context-specific modulation of NRF2.
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22
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Gallaher JA, Massey SC, Hawkins-Daarud A, Noticewala SS, Rockne RC, Johnston SK, Gonzalez-Cuyar L, Juliano J, Gil O, Swanson KR, Canoll P, Anderson ARA. From cells to tissue: How cell scale heterogeneity impacts glioblastoma growth and treatment response. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007672. [PMID: 32101537 PMCID: PMC7062288 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastomas are aggressive primary brain tumors known for their inter- and intratumor heterogeneity. This disease is uniformly fatal, with intratumor heterogeneity the major reason for treatment failure and recurrence. Just like the nature vs nurture debate, heterogeneity can arise from intrinsic or environmental influences. Whilst it is impossible to clinically separate observed behavior of cells from their environmental context, using a mathematical framework combined with multiscale data gives us insight into the relative roles of variation from different sources. To better understand the implications of intratumor heterogeneity on therapeutic outcomes, we created a hybrid agent-based mathematical model that captures both the overall tumor kinetics and the individual cellular behavior. We track single cells as agents, cell density on a coarser scale, and growth factor diffusion and dynamics on a finer scale over time and space. Our model parameters were fit utilizing serial MRI imaging and cell tracking data from ex vivo tissue slices acquired from a growth-factor driven glioblastoma murine model. When fitting our model to serial imaging only, there was a spectrum of equally-good parameter fits corresponding to a wide range of phenotypic behaviors. When fitting our model using imaging and cell scale data, we determined that environmental heterogeneity alone is insufficient to match the single cell data, and intrinsic heterogeneity is required to fully capture the migration behavior. The wide spectrum of in silico tumors also had a wide variety of responses to an application of an anti-proliferative treatment. Recurrent tumors were generally less proliferative than pre-treatment tumors as measured via the model simulations and validated from human GBM patient histology. Further, we found that all tumors continued to grow with an anti-migratory treatment alone, but the anti-proliferative/anti-migratory combination generally showed improvement over an anti-proliferative treatment alone. Together our results emphasize the need to better understand the underlying phenotypes and tumor heterogeneity present in a tumor when designing therapeutic regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill A. Gallaher
- Integrated Mathematical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Susan C. Massey
- Precision NeuroTherapeutics Innovation Program, Mathematical NeuroOncology Lab, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Andrea Hawkins-Daarud
- Precision NeuroTherapeutics Innovation Program, Mathematical NeuroOncology Lab, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Sonal S. Noticewala
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Russell C. Rockne
- Division of Mathematical Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Sandra K. Johnston
- Precision NeuroTherapeutics Innovation Program, Mathematical NeuroOncology Lab, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Luis Gonzalez-Cuyar
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Joseph Juliano
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Orlando Gil
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kristin R. Swanson
- Precision NeuroTherapeutics Innovation Program, Mathematical NeuroOncology Lab, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Peter Canoll
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Alexander R. A. Anderson
- Integrated Mathematical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
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23
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Muñoz-Hidalgo L, San-Miguel T, Megías J, Monleón D, Navarro L, Roldán P, Cerdá-Nicolás M, López-Ginés C. Somatic copy number alterations are associated with EGFR amplification and shortened survival in patients with primary glioblastoma. Neoplasia 2019; 22:10-21. [PMID: 31751860 PMCID: PMC6864306 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2019.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary tumor of the central nervous system. With no effective therapy, the prognosis for patients is terrible poor. It is highly heterogeneous and EGFR amplification is its most frequent molecular alteration. In this light, we aimed to examine the genetic heterogeneity of GBM and to correlate it with the clinical characteristics of the patients. For that purpose, we analyzed the status of EGFR and the somatic copy number alterations (CNAs) of a set of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. Thus, we found GBMs with high level of EGFR amplification, low level and with no EGFR amplification. Highly amplified tumors showed histological features of aggressiveness. Interestingly, accumulation of CNAs, as a measure of tumor mutational burden, was frequent and significantly associated to shortened survival. EGFR-amplified GBMs displayed both a higher number of concrete CNAs and a higher global tumor mutational burden than their no EGFR-amplified counterparts. In addition to genetic changes previously described in GBM, we found PARK2 and LARGE1 CNAs associated to EGFR amplification. The set of genes analyzed allowed us to explore relevant signaling pathways on GBM. Both PARK2 and LARGE1 are related to receptor tyrosine kinase/PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR-signaling pathway. Finally, we found an association between the molecular pathways altered, EGFR amplification and a poor outcome. Our results underline the potential interest of categorizing GBM according to their EGFR amplification level and the usefulness of assessing the tumor mutational burden. These approaches would open new knowledge possibilities related to GBM biology and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Teresa San-Miguel
- INCLIVA Research Institute, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Department of Pathology, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Javier Megías
- INCLIVA Research Institute, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Department of Pathology, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Daniel Monleón
- INCLIVA Research Institute, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Department of Pathology, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Lara Navarro
- Consortium Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Av. Tres cruces, 2, 46014 Valencia, Spain
| | - Pedro Roldán
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel Cerdá-Nicolás
- INCLIVA Research Institute, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Department of Pathology, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Concha López-Ginés
- INCLIVA Research Institute, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Department of Pathology, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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24
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Targeted genomic CRISPR-Cas9 screen identifies MAP4K4 as essential for glioblastoma invasion. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14020. [PMID: 31570734 PMCID: PMC6768851 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50160-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Among high-grade brain tumors, glioblastoma is particularly difficult to treat, in part due to its highly infiltrative nature which contributes to the malignant phenotype and high mortality in patients. In order to better understand the signaling pathways underlying glioblastoma invasion, we performed the first large-scale CRISPR-Cas9 loss of function screen specifically designed to identify genes that facilitate cell invasion. We tested 4,574 genes predicted to be involved in trafficking and motility. Using a transwell invasion assay, we discovered 33 genes essential for invasion. Of the 11 genes we selected for secondary testing using a wound healing assay, 6 demonstrated a significant decrease in migration. The strongest regulator of invasion was mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MAP4K4). Targeting of MAP4K4 with single guide RNAs or a MAP4K4 inhibitor reduced migration and invasion in vitro. This effect was consistent across three additional patient derived glioblastoma cell lines. Analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in U138 cells with lack or inhibition of MAP4K4 demonstrated protein expression consistent with a non-invasive state. Importantly, MAP4K4 inhibition limited migration in a subset of human glioma organotypic slice cultures. Our results identify MAP4K4 as a novel potential therapeutic target to limit glioblastoma invasion.
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