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Merteroglu M, Santoro MM. Exploiting the metabolic vulnerability of circulating tumour cells. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:541-556. [PMID: 38580535 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis has a major part in the severity of disease and lethality of cancer. Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) represent a reservoir of metastatic precursors in circulation, most of which cannot survive due to hostile conditions in the bloodstream. Surviving cells colonise a secondary site based on a combination of physical, metabolic, and oxidative stress protection states required for that environment. Recent advances in CTC isolation methods and high-resolution 'omics technologies are revealing specific metabolic pathways that support this selection of CTCs. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of CTC biology and discoveries of adaptations in metabolic pathways during their selection. Understanding these traits and delineating mechanisms by which they confer acquired resistance or vulnerability in CTCs is crucial for developing successful prognostic and therapeutic strategies in cancer.
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Alizadeh J, da Silva Rosa SC, Cordani M, Ghavami S. Evaluation of Mitochondrial Phagy (Mitophagy) in Human Non-small Adenocarcinoma Tumor Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2024. [PMID: 38607594 DOI: 10.1007/7651_2024_532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a predominant form of lung cancer characterized by its aggressive nature and high mortality rate, primarily due to late-stage diagnosis and metastatic spread. Recent studies underscore the pivotal role of mitophagy, a selective form of autophagy targeting damaged or superfluous mitochondria, in cancer biology, including NSCLC. Mitophagy regulation may influence cancer cell survival, proliferation, and metastasis by modulating mitochondrial quality and cellular energy homeostasis. Herein, we present a comprehensive methodology developed in our laboratory for the evaluation of mitophagy in NSCLC tumor cells. Utilizing a combination of immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry, and fluorescent microscopy, we detail the steps to quantify early and late mitophagy markers and mitochondrial dynamics. Our findings highlight the potential of targeting mitophagy pathways as a novel therapeutic strategy in NSCLC, offering insights into the complex interplay between mitochondrial dysfunction and tumor progression. This study not only sheds light on the significance of mitophagy in NSCLC but also establishes a foundational approach for its investigation, paving way for future research in this critical area of cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javad Alizadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Simone C da Silva Rosa
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Marco Cordani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- Faculty of Medicine in Zabrze, University of Technology in Katowice, Zabrze, Poland.
- Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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Greier MDC, Runge A, Dudas J, Hartl R, Santer M, Dejaco D, Steinbichler TB, Federspiel J, Seifarth C, Konschake M, Sprung S, Sopper S, Randhawa A, Mayr M, Hofauer BG, Riechelmann H. Cytotoxic response of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes of head and neck cancer slice cultures under mitochondrial dysfunction. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1364577. [PMID: 38515569 PMCID: PMC10954813 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1364577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are highly heterogeneous tumors. In the harsh tumor microenvironment (TME), metabolic reprogramming and mitochondrial dysfunction may lead to immunosuppressive phenotypes. Aerobic glycolysis is needed for the activation of cytotoxic T-cells and the absence of glucose may hamper the full effector functions of cytotoxic T-cells. To test the effect of mitochondrial dysfunction on cytotoxic T cell function, slice cultures (SC) of HNSCC cancer were cultivated under different metabolic conditions. Methods Tumor samples from 21 patients with HNSCC were collected, from which, SC were established and cultivated under six different conditions. These conditions included high glucose, T cell stimulation, and temporarily induced mitochondrial dysfunction (MitoDys) using FCCP and oligomycin A with or without additional T cell stimulation, high glucose and finally, a control medium. Over three days of cultivation, sequential T cell stimulation and MitoDys treatments were performed. Supernatant was collected, and SC were fixed and embedded. Granzyme B was measured in the supernatant and in the SC via immunohistochemistry (IHC). Staining of PD1, CD8/Ki67, and cleaved-caspase-3 (CC3) were performed in SC. Results Hematoxylin eosin stains showed that overall SC quality remained stable over 3 days of cultivation. T cell stimulation, both alone and combined with MitoDys, led to significantly increased granzyme levels in SC and in supernatant. Apoptosis following T cell stimulation was observed in tumor and stroma. Mitochondrial dysfunction alone increased apoptosis in tumor cell aggregates. High glucose concentration alone had no impact on T cell activity and apoptosis. Apoptosis rates were significantly lower under conditions with high glucose and MitoDys (p=0.03). Conclusion Stimulation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in SC was feasible, which led to increased apoptosis in tumor cells. Induced mitochondrial dysfunction did not play a significant role in the activation and function of TILs in SC of HNSCC. Moreover, high glucose concentration did not promote cytotoxic T cell activity in HNSCC SC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria do Carmo Greier
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Annette Runge
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jozsef Dudas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Roland Hartl
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Matthias Santer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Daniel Dejaco
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Julia Federspiel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christof Seifarth
- Institute for Clinical and Functional Anatomy, Medical University Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Marko Konschake
- Institute for Clinical and Functional Anatomy, Medical University Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Susanne Sprung
- INNPATH GmbH, Institute for Pathology, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sieghart Sopper
- Clinic for Internal Medicine V, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Avneet Randhawa
- Department of Otolaryngology, Rutgers University Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | | | - Benedikt Gabriel Hofauer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Herbert Riechelmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Federspiel J, Greier MDC, Ladányi A, Dudas J. p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibition of Mesenchymal Transdifferentiated Tumor Cells in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3301. [PMID: 38137525 PMCID: PMC10741606 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
High mortality in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is due to recurrence, metastasis, and radiochemotherapy (RCT) resistance. These phenomena are related to the tumor cell subpopulation undergoing partial epithelial to mesenchymal transition (pEMT). Repeated transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta-1) treatment via the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway induces pEMT in SCC-25 HNSCC cells, and activates and stabilizes the pro-EMT transcription factor Slug. We investigated the growth inhibitory, cisplatin-sensitizing, and pro-apoptotic effects of p38 MAPK inhibition in cisplatin-resistant (SCC-25) and -sensitive (UPCI-SCC090) HNSCC cell lines, using two specific p38 MAPK inhibitors, SB202190 and ralimetinib. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay; cell cycle distribution and cell death were evaluated by flow cytometry; p38 MAPK phosphorylation, Slug protein stabilization, and p38 MAPK downstream targets were investigated by Western blot. p-p38 inhibitors achieved sustained phosphorylation of p38 MAPK (Thr180/Tyr182) and inhibition of its function, which resulted in decreased phosphorylation (Thr69/71) of the downstream target pATF2 in pEMT cells. Subsequently, the p-p38 inhibition resulted in reduced Slug protein levels. In accordance, p-p38 inhibition led to sensitization of pEMT cells to cisplatin-induced cell death; moreover, p-p38 inhibitor treatment cycles significantly decreased the viability of cisplatin-surviving cells. In conclusion, clinically relevant p38 inhibitors might be effective for RCT-resistant pEMT cells in HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Federspiel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria and University Hospital of Tyrol, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (J.F.); (M.d.C.G.)
| | - Maria do Carmo Greier
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria and University Hospital of Tyrol, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (J.F.); (M.d.C.G.)
| | - Andrea Ladányi
- Department of Surgical and Molecular Pathology and the National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Jozsef Dudas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria and University Hospital of Tyrol, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (J.F.); (M.d.C.G.)
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Rana M, Kansal RG, Bisunke B, Fang J, Shibata D, Bajwa A, Yang J, Glazer ES. Bromo- and Extra-Terminal Domain Inhibitors Induce Mitochondrial Stress in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:936-946. [PMID: 37294884 PMCID: PMC10527726 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0149] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Identifying novel, unique, and personalized molecular targets for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains the greatest challenge in altering the biology of fatal tumors. Bromo- and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins are activated in a noncanonical fashion by TGFβ, a ubiquitous cytokine in the PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME). We hypothesized that BET inhibitors (BETi) represent a new class of drugs that attack PDAC tumors via a novel mechanism. Using a combination of patient and syngeneic murine models, we investigated the effects of the BETi drug BMS-986158 on cellular proliferation, organoid growth, cell-cycle progression, and mitochondrial metabolic disruption. These were investigated independently and in combination with standard cytotoxic chemotherapy (gemcitabine + paclitaxel [GemPTX]). BMS-986158 reduced cell viability and proliferation across multiple PDAC cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, even more so in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy (P < 0.0001). We found that BMS-986158 reduced both human and murine PDAC organoid growth (P < 0.001), with associated perturbations in the cell cycle leading to cell-cycle arrest. BMS-986158 disrupts normal cancer-dependent mitochondrial function, leading to aberrant mitochondrial metabolism and stress via dysfunctional cellular respiration, proton leakage, and ATP production. We demonstrated mechanistic and functional data that BETi induces metabolic mitochondrial dysfunction, abrogating PDAC progression and proliferation, alone and in combination with systemic cytotoxic chemotherapies. This novel approach improves the therapeutic window in patients with PDAC and offers another treatment approach distinct from cytotoxic chemotherapy that targets cancer cell bioenergetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjul Rana
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Rita G. Kansal
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Bijay Bisunke
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Jie Fang
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - David Shibata
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Amandeep Bajwa
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Transplant Research Institute, James D. Eason Transplant Institute, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Transplant Research Institute, James D. Eason Transplant Institute, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Evan S. Glazer
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
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