1
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Wiegmans AP, Ivanova E, Naei VY, Monkman J, Fletcher J, Mullally W, Warkiani ME, O'Byrne K, Kulasinghe A. Poor patient outcome correlates with active engulfment of cytokeratin positive CTCs within cancer-associated monocyte population in lung cancer. Clin Exp Metastasis 2024; 41:219-228. [PMID: 38416302 PMCID: PMC11213738 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-024-10270-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
High rates of mortality in non-small cell lung cancer lung cancer is due to inherent and acquired resistance to systemic therapies and subsequent metastatic burden. Metastasis is supported by suppression of the immune system at secondary organs and within the circulation. Modulation of the immune system is now being exploited as a therapeutic target with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The tracking of therapeutic efficacy in a real-time can be achieved with liquid biopsy, and evaluation of circulating tumour cells and the associated immune cells. A stable liquid biopsy biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer lung cancer has yet to be approved for clinical use. We performed a cross-sectional single-site study, and collected liquid biopsies from patients diagnosed with early, locally advanced, or metastatic lung cancer, undergoing surgery, or systemic therapy (chemotherapy/checkpoint inhibitors). Evaluation of overall circulating tumour cell counts, or cluster counts did not correlate with patient outcome. Interestingly, the numbers of Pan cytokeratin positive circulating tumour cells engulfed by tumour associated monocytes correlated strongly with patient outcome independent of circulating tumour cell counts and the use of checkpoint inhibitors. We suggest that Pan cytokeratin staining within monocytes is an important indicator of tumour-associated inflammation post-therapy and an effective biomarker with strong prognostic capability for patient outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Wiegmans
- Cancer and Ageing Research Program, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Oncology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - E Ivanova
- Cancer and Ageing Research Program, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - V Y Naei
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - J Monkman
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - J Fletcher
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Oncology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - W Mullally
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Oncology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - M E Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - K O'Byrne
- Cancer and Ageing Research Program, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Oncology, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - A Kulasinghe
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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2
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Kumar S, Larson RA, Stecklein S, Reddy J, Debeb BG, Amos RA, Cologna SM, Woodward WA. In Vivo Simvastatin and Brain Radiation in a Model of HER2 + Inflammatory Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.25.595905. [PMID: 38854130 PMCID: PMC11160634 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.25.595905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase with simvastatin prevents breast cancer metastases in preclinical models and radiosensitizes monolayer and stem-like IBC cell lines in vitro . Given the extensive use of simvastatin worldwide and its expected penetration into the brain, we examined whether regulating cholesterol with simvastatin affected IBC3 HER2+ brain metastases. Methods and Materials Breast cancer cell lines KPL4 and MDA-IBC3 were examined in vitro for DNA repair after radiation with or without statin treatment. Brain metastasis endpoints were examined in the MDA-IBC3 brain metastasis model after ex vivo exposure to lipoproteins and after tail vein injections with and without whole-brain radiotherapy (WBR) and oral statin exposure. Results Ex vivo preculture of MDA-IBC3 cells with very low-density lipoprotein (vLDL) enhanced the growth of colonized lesions in the brain in vivo compared with control or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and concurrent oral simvastatin/ WBR reduced the incidence of micrometastatic lesions evaluated 10 days after WBR. However, statin, with or without WBR, did not reduce the incidence, burden, or number of macrometastatic brain lesions evaluated 5 weeks after WBR. Conclusions Although a role for cholesterol biosynthesis is demonstrated in DNA repair and response to whole brain radiation in this model, durable in vivo efficacy of concurrent whole brain irradiation and oral statin was not demonstrated.
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3
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Dhungel N, Dragoi AM. Exploring the multifaceted role of direct interaction between cancer cells and fibroblasts in cancer progression. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1379971. [PMID: 38863965 PMCID: PMC11165130 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1379971] [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: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer cells is a complex and mutually beneficial system that leads to rapid cancer cells proliferation, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. It is now recognized that cancer cells are not isolated, and tumor progression is governed among others, by many components of the TME. The reciprocal cross-talk between cancer cells and their microenvironment can be indirect through the secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and paracrine signaling through exosomes, cytokines, and growth factors, or direct by cell-to-cell contact mediated by cell surface receptors and adhesion molecules. Among TME components, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are of unique interest. As one of the most abundant components of the TME, CAFs play key roles in the reorganization of the extracellular matrix, facilitating metastasis and chemotherapy evasion. Both direct and indirect roles have been described for CAFs in modulating tumor progression. In this review, we focus on recent advances in understanding the role of direct contact between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in driving tumor development and metastasis. We also summarize recent findings on the role of direct contact between cancer cells and CAFs in chemotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilu Dhungel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, United States
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, United States
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4
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Hagan CE, Snyder AG, Headley M, Oberst A. Apoptotic cells promote circulating tumor cell survival and metastasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.21.595217. [PMID: 38826267 PMCID: PMC11142129 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.21.595217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
During tumor progression and especially following cytotoxic therapy, cell death of both tumor and stromal cells is widespread. Despite clinical observations that high levels of apoptotic cells correlate with poorer patient outcomes, the physiological effects of dying cells on tumor progression remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that circulating apoptotic cells robustly enhance tumor cell metastasis to the lungs. Using intravenous metastasis models, we observed that the presence of apoptotic cells, but not cells dying by other mechanisms, supports circulating tumor cell (CTC) survival following arrest in the lung vasculature. Apoptotic cells promote CTC survival by recruiting platelets to the forming metastatic niche. Apoptotic cells externalize the phospholipid phosphatidylserine to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, which we found increased the activity of the coagulation initiator Tissue Factor, thereby triggering the formation of platelet clots that protect proximal CTCs. Inhibiting the ability of apoptotic cells to induce coagulation by knocking out Tissue Factor, blocking phosphatidylserine, or administering the anticoagulant heparin abrogated the pro-metastatic effect of apoptotic cells. This work demonstrates a previously unappreciated role for apoptotic cells in facilitating metastasis by establishing CTC-supportive emboli, and suggests points of intervention that may reduce the pro-metastatic effect of apoptotic cells. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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Ning J, Ye Y, Shen H, Zhang R, Li H, Song T, Zhang R, Liu P, Chen G, Wang H, Zang F, Li X, Yu J. Macrophage-coated tumor cluster aggravates hepatoma invasion and immunotherapy resistance via generating local immune deprivation. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101505. [PMID: 38614095 PMCID: PMC11148514 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent a promising treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to their capacity for abundant lymphocyte infiltration. However, some patients with HCC respond poorly to ICI therapy due to the presence of various immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment. Our research reveals that a macrophage-coated tumor cluster (MCTC) signifies a unique spatial structural organization in HCC correlating with diminished recurrence-free survival and overall survival in a total of 572 HCC cases from 3 internal cohorts and 2 independent external validation cohorts. Mechanistically, tumor-derived macrophage-associated lectin Mac-2 binding protein (M2BP) induces MCTC formation and traps immunocompetent cells at the edge of MCTCs to induce intratumoral cytotoxic T cell exclusion and local immune deprivation. Blocking M2BP with a Mac-2 antagonist might provide an effective approach to prevent MCTC formation, enhance T cell infiltration, and thereby improve the efficacy of ICI therapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Ning
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin 300121, China
| | - Yingnan Ye
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Clinical Laboratory, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Hongru Shen
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Tianjin Cancer Institute, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Runjiao Zhang
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Huikai Li
- Department of Liver Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Tianqiang Song
- Department of Liver Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Pengpeng Liu
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Guidong Chen
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Fenglin Zang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Xiangchun Li
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Tianjin Cancer Institute, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China.
| | - Jinpu Yu
- Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
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6
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Magnusson C, Augustsson P, Undvall Anand E, Lenshof A, Josefsson A, Welén K, Bjartell A, Ceder Y, Lilja H, Laurell T. Acoustic Enrichment of Heterogeneous Circulating Tumor Cells and Clusters from Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients. Anal Chem 2024; 96:6914-6921. [PMID: 38655666 PMCID: PMC11079855 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are important unmet clinical needs to develop cell enrichment technologies to enable unbiased label-free isolation of both single cell and clusters of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) manifesting heterogeneous lineage specificity. Here, we report a pilot study based on the microfluidic acoustophoresis enrichment of CTCs using the CellSearch CTC assay as a reference modality. METHODS Acoustophoresis uses an ultrasonic standing wave field to separate cells based on biomechanical properties (size, density, and compressibility), resulting in inherently label-free and epitope-independent cell enrichment. Following red blood cell lysis and paraformaldehyde fixation, 6 mL of whole blood from 12 patients with metastatic prostate cancer and 20 healthy controls were processed with acoustophoresis and subsequent image cytometry. RESULTS Acoustophoresis enabled enrichment and characterization of phenotypic CTCs (EpCAM+, Cytokeratin+, DAPI+, CD45-/CD66b-) in all patients with metastatic prostate cancer and detected CTC-clusters composed of only CTCs or heterogeneous aggregates of CTCs clustered with various types of white blood cells in 9 out of 12 patients. By contrast, CellSearch did not detect any CTC clusters, but detected comparable numbers of phenotypic CTCs as acoustophoresis, with trends of finding a higher number of CTCs using acoustophoresis. CONCLUSION Our preliminary data indicate that acoustophoresis provides excellent possibilities to detect and characterize CTC clusters as a putative marker of metastatic disease and outcomes. Moreover, acoustophoresis enables the sensitive label-free enrichment of cells with epithelial phenotypes in blood and offers opportunities to detect and characterize CTCs undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitioning and lineage plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Magnusson
- Department
of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
| | - Per Augustsson
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
| | - Eva Undvall Anand
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
| | - Andreas Lenshof
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
| | - Andreas Josefsson
- Institute
of Clinical Sciences, Department of Urology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg SE-41345, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå
University, Umeå SE-90187, Sweden
- Department
of Urology and Andrology, Institute of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå SE-90185, Sweden
| | - Karin Welén
- Institute
of Clinical Sciences, Department of Urology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg SE-41345, Sweden
| | - Anders Bjartell
- Department
of Translational Cancer Research, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
| | - Yvonne Ceder
- Department
of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
| | - Hans Lilja
- Department
of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
- Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Surgery (Urology), and Medicine
(GU Oncology), Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Thomas Laurell
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund SE-22100, Sweden
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7
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Karras P, Black JRM, McGranahan N, Marine JC. Decoding the interplay between genetic and non-genetic drivers of metastasis. Nature 2024; 629:543-554. [PMID: 38750233 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is a multistep process by which cancer cells break away from their original location and spread to distant organs, and is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths. Preventing early metastatic dissemination would revolutionize the ability to fight cancer. Unfortunately, the relatively poor understanding of the molecular underpinnings of metastasis has hampered the development of effective anti-metastatic drugs. Although it is now accepted that disseminating tumour cells need to acquire multiple competencies to face the many obstacles they encounter before reaching their metastatic site(s), whether these competencies are acquired through an accumulation of metastasis-specific genetic alterations and/or non-genetic events is often debated. Here we review a growing body of literature highlighting the importance of both genetic and non-genetic reprogramming events during the metastatic cascade, and discuss how genetic and non-genetic processes act in concert to confer metastatic competencies. We also describe how recent technological advances, and in particular the advent of single-cell multi-omics and barcoding approaches, will help to better elucidate the cross-talk between genetic and non-genetic mechanisms of metastasis and ultimately inform innovative paths for the early detection and interception of this lethal process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Karras
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - James R M Black
- Cancer Genome Evolution Research Group, UCL Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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8
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Kou Z, Liu C, Zhang W, Sun C, Liu L, Zhang Q. Heterogeneity of primary and metastatic CAFs: From differential treatment outcomes to treatment opportunities (Review). Int J Oncol 2024; 64:54. [PMID: 38577950 PMCID: PMC11015919 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2024.5642] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared with primary tumor sites, metastatic sites appear more resistant to treatments and respond differently to the treatment regimen. It may be due to the heterogeneity in the microenvironment between metastatic sites and primary tumors. Cancer‑associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are widely present in the tumor stroma as key components of the tumor microenvironment. Primary tumor CAFs (pCAFs) and metastatic CAFs (mCAFs) are heterogeneous in terms of source, activation mode, markers and functional phenotypes. They can shape the tumor microenvironment according to organ, showing heterogeneity between primary tumors and metastases, which may affect the sensitivity of these sites to treatment. It was hypothesized that understanding the heterogeneity between pCAFs and mCAFs can provide a glimpse into the difference in treatment outcomes, providing new ideas for improving the rate of metastasis control in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixing Kou
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa Island 999078, Macau SAR, P.R. China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Qiming Zhang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
- Department of Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100007, P.R. China
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9
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Wang Y, Zhou D, Ma H, Liu D, Liang Y, Zhu S. An ultra-small organic dye nanocluster for enhancing NIR-II imaging-guided surgery outcomes. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024:10.1007/s00259-024-06702-0. [PMID: 38581443 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06702-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The accuracy of surgery for patients with solid tumors can be greatly improved through fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS). However, existing FGS technologies have limitations due to their low penetration depth and sensitivity/selectivity, which are particularly prevalent in the relatively short imaging window (< 900 nm). A solution to these issues is near-infrared-II (NIR-II) FGS, which benefits from low autofluorescence and scattering under the long imaging window (> 900 nm). However, the inherent self-assembly of organic dyes has led to high accumulation in main organs, resulting in significant background signals and potential long-term toxicity. METHODS We rationalize the donor structure of donor-acceptor-donor-based dyes to control the self-assembly process to form an ultra-small dye nanocluster, thus facilitating renal excretion and minimizing background signals. RESULTS Our dye nanocluster can not only show clear vessel imaging, tumor and tumor sentinel lymph nodes definition, but also achieve high-performance NIR-II imaging-guided surgery of tumor-positive sentinel lymph nodes. CONCLUSION In summary, our study demonstrates that the dye nanocluster-based NIR-II FGS has substantially improved outcomes for radical lymphadenectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Wang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Center for Supramolecular Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China
- Joint Laboratory of Opto-Functional Theranostics in Medicine and Chemistry, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China
| | - Ding Zhou
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Tooth Development and Bone Remodeling, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huilong Ma
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Dahai Liu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yongye Liang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shoujun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Center for Supramolecular Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China.
- Joint Laboratory of Opto-Functional Theranostics in Medicine and Chemistry, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Institute of Immunology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China.
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10
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Sayed ZS, Khattap MG, Madkour MA, Yasen NS, Elbary HA, Elsayed RA, Abdelkawy DA, Wadan AHS, Omar I, Nafady MH. Circulating tumor cells clusters and their role in Breast cancer metastasis; a review of literature. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:94. [PMID: 38557916 PMCID: PMC10984915 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00949-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a significant and deadly threat to women globally. Moreover, Breast cancer metastasis is a complicated process involving multiple biological stages, which is considered a substantial cause of death, where cancer cells spread from the original tumor to other organs in the body-representing the primary mortality factor. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells detached from the primary or metastatic tumor and enter the bloodstream, allowing them to establish new metastatic sites. CTCs can travel alone or in groups called CTC clusters. Studies have shown that CTC clusters have more potential for metastasis and a poorer prognosis than individual CTCs in breast cancer patients. However, our understanding of CTC clusters' formation, structure, function, and detection is still limited. This review summarizes the current knowledge of CTC clusters' biological properties, isolation, and prognostic significance in breast cancer. It also highlights the challenges and future directions for research and clinical application of CTC clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab S Sayed
- Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Misr University for Science and Technology, 26Th of July Corridor, 6Th of October, Giza Governorate, Postal Code: 77, Egypt
| | - Mohamed G Khattap
- Technology of Radiology and Medical Imaging Program, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Technology, Galala University, Suez, 435611, Egypt
| | | | - Noha S Yasen
- Radiology and Imaging Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Health Science Technology, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa, Al Mansurah, Egypt
| | - Hanan A Elbary
- Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Misr University for Science and Technology, 26Th of July Corridor, 6Th of October, Giza Governorate, Postal Code: 77, Egypt
| | - Reem A Elsayed
- Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Misr University for Science and Technology, 26Th of July Corridor, 6Th of October, Giza Governorate, Postal Code: 77, Egypt
| | - Dalia A Abdelkawy
- Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Misr University for Science and Technology, 26Th of July Corridor, 6Th of October, Giza Governorate, Postal Code: 77, Egypt
| | | | - Islam Omar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Mohamed H Nafady
- Radiation Sciences Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
- Faculty of Applied Health Science Technology, Misr University for Science and Technology, 6th of october, Egypt.
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11
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Grasset EM, Barillé-Nion S, Juin PP. Stress in the metastatic journey - the role of cell communication and clustering in breast cancer progression and treatment resistance. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050542. [PMID: 38506114 PMCID: PMC10979546 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050542] [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] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent malignancy afflicting women. Despite significant advancements in its diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer metastasis continues to be a leading cause of mortality among women. To metastasize, cancer cells face numerous challenges: breaking away from the primary tumor, surviving in the circulation, establishing in a distant location, evading immune detection and, finally, thriving to initiate a new tumor. Each of these sequential steps requires cancer cells to adapt to a myriad of stressors and develop survival mechanisms. In addition, most patients with breast cancer undergo surgical removal of their primary tumor and have various therapeutic interventions designed to eradicate cancer cells. Despite this plethora of attacks and stresses, certain cancer cells not only manage to persist but also proliferate robustly, giving rise to substantial tumors that frequently culminate in the patient's demise. To enhance patient outcomes, there is an imperative need for a deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that empower cancer cells to not only survive but also expand. Herein, we delve into the intrinsic stresses that cancer cells encounter throughout the metastatic journey and the additional stresses induced by therapeutic interventions. We focus on elucidating the remarkable strategies adopted by cancer cells, such as cell-cell clustering and intricate cell-cell communication mechanisms, to ensure their survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloïse M. Grasset
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
- Équipe Labellisée LIGUE Contre le Cancer CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Sophie Barillé-Nion
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
- Équipe Labellisée LIGUE Contre le Cancer CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Philippe P. Juin
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
- Équipe Labellisée LIGUE Contre le Cancer CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France
- Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, 44805 Saint Herblain, France
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12
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Piñeiro R. Editorial: Mechanisms of metastasis from circulating and disseminated tumor cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1386050. [PMID: 38476261 PMCID: PMC10927939 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1386050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Piñeiro
- Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS), Hamburg, Germany
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13
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Riaz F, Zhang J, Pan F. Forces at play: exploring factors affecting the cancer metastasis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1274474. [PMID: 38361941 PMCID: PMC10867181 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1274474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Metastatic disease, a leading and lethal indication of deaths associated with tumors, results from the dissemination of metastatic tumor cells from the site of primary origin to a distant organ. Dispersion of metastatic cells during the development of tumors at distant organs leads to failure to comply with conventional treatments, ultimately instigating abrupt tissue homeostasis and organ failure. Increasing evidence indicates that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a crucial factor in cancer progression and the process of metastatic tumor development at secondary sites. TME comprises several factors contributing to the initiation and progression of the metastatic cascade. Among these, various cell types in TME, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), T cells, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), are significant players participating in cancer metastasis. Besides, various other factors, such as extracellular matrix (ECM), gut microbiota, circadian rhythm, and hypoxia, also shape the TME and impact the metastatic cascade. A thorough understanding of the functions of TME components in tumor progression and metastasis is necessary to discover new therapeutic strategies targeting the metastatic tumor cells and TME. Therefore, we reviewed these pivotal TME components and highlighted the background knowledge on how these cell types and disrupted components of TME influence the metastatic cascade and establish the premetastatic niche. This review will help researchers identify these altered components' molecular patterns and design an optimized, targeted therapy to treat solid tumors and restrict metastatic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farooq Riaz
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Oncology, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
| | - Fan Pan
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
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14
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Mucciolo G, Araos Henríquez J, Jihad M, Pinto Teles S, Manansala JS, Li W, Ashworth S, Lloyd EG, Cheng PSW, Luo W, Anand A, Sawle A, Piskorz A, Biffi G. EGFR-activated myofibroblasts promote metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:101-118.e11. [PMID: 38157863 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a dismal prognosis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are recognized potential therapeutic targets, but poor understanding of these heterogeneous cell populations has limited the development of effective treatment strategies. We previously identified transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) as a main driver of myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs). Here, we show that epidermal growth factor receptor/Erb-B2 receptor (EGFR/ERBB2) signaling is induced by TGF-β in myCAFs through an autocrine process mediated by amphiregulin. Inhibition of this EGFR/ERBB2-signaling network in PDAC organoid-derived cultures and mouse models differentially impacts distinct CAF subtypes, providing insights into mechanisms underpinning their heterogeneity. Remarkably, EGFR-activated myCAFs promote PDAC metastasis in mice, unmasking functional significance in myCAF heterogeneity. Finally, analyses of other cancer datasets suggest that these processes might operate in other malignancies. These data provide functional relevance to myCAF heterogeneity and identify a candidate target for preventing tumor invasion in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Mucciolo
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Joaquín Araos Henríquez
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Muntadher Jihad
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Sara Pinto Teles
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Judhell S Manansala
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Wenlong Li
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Sally Ashworth
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Eloise G Lloyd
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Priscilla S W Cheng
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Weike Luo
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Akanksha Anand
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Ashley Sawle
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Anna Piskorz
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Giulia Biffi
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
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15
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Saxena N, Chakraborty S, Dutta S, Bhardwaj G, Karnik N, Shetty O, Jadhav S, Zafar H, Sen S. Stiffness-dependent MSC homing and differentiation into CAFs - implications for breast cancer invasion. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261145. [PMID: 38108421 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261145] [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] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity and extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening have been shown to be drivers of breast cancer invasiveness. Here, we examine how stiffness-dependent crosstalk between cancer cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within an evolving tumor microenvironment regulates cancer invasion. By analyzing previously published single-cell RNA sequencing datasets, we establish the existence of a subpopulation of cells in primary tumors, secondary sites and circulatory tumor cell clusters of highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that co-express MSC and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) markers. By using hydrogels with stiffnesses of 0.5, 2 and 5 kPa to mimic different stages of ECM stiffening, we show that conditioned medium from MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells cultured on 2 kPa gels, which mimic the pre-metastatic stroma, drives efficient MSC chemotaxis and induces stable differentiation of MSC-derived CAFs in a TGFβ (TGFB1)- and contractility-dependent manner. In addition to enhancing cancer cell proliferation, MSC-derived CAFs on 2 kPa gels maximally boost local invasion and confer resistance to flow-induced shear stresses. Collectively, our results suggest that homing of MSCs at the pre-metastatic stage and their differentiation into CAFs actively drives breast cancer invasion and metastasis in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Saxena
- Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay,Mumbai 400076, India
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Soura Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Sarbajeet Dutta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Garvit Bhardwaj
- Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Nupur Karnik
- Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400012, India
| | - Omshree Shetty
- Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400012, India
| | - Sameer Jadhav
- Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay,Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Hamim Zafar
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
- Mehta Family Centre for Engineering in Medicine , IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Shamik Sen
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
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16
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Adhikari E, Liu Q, Johnson J, Stewart P, Marusyk V, Fang B, Izumi V, Bowers K, Guzman KM, Koomen JM, Marusyk A, Lau EK. Brain metastasis-associated fibroblasts secrete fucosylated PVR/CD155 that induces breast cancer invasion. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113463. [PMID: 37995180 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113463] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain metastasis cancer-associated fibroblasts (bmCAFs) are emerging as crucial players in the development of breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM), but our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is limited. In this study, we aim to elucidate the pathological contributions of fucosylation (the post-translational modification of proteins by the dietary sugar L-fucose) to tumor-stromal interactions that drive the development of BCBM. Here, we report that patient-derived bmCAFs secrete high levels of polio virus receptor (PVR), which enhance the invasive capacity of BC cells. Mechanistically, we find that HIF1α transcriptionally upregulates fucosyltransferase 11, which fucosylates PVR, triggering its secretion from bmCAFs. Global phosphoproteomic analysis of BC cells followed by functional verification identifies cell-cell junction and actin cytoskeletal signaling as modulated by bmCAF-secreted, -fucosylated PVR. Our findings delineate a hypoxia- and fucosylation-regulated mechanism by which bmCAFs contribute to the invasiveness of BCBM in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Adhikari
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment & Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Molecular Medicine Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment & Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Molecular Medicine Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Joseph Johnson
- Department of Analytic Microscopy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Paul Stewart
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Viktoriya Marusyk
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Bin Fang
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Victoria Izumi
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Kiah Bowers
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Kelly M Guzman
- Department of Analytic Microscopy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - John M Koomen
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Andriy Marusyk
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Eric K Lau
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment & Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Molecular Medicine Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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17
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Magnusson C, Augustsson P, Anand EU, Lenshof A, Josefsson A, Welén K, Bjartell A, Ceder Y, Lilja H, Laurell T. Acoustic enrichment of heterogenous circulating tumor cells and clusters from patients with metastatic prostate cancer. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.12.04.23299128. [PMID: 38106097 PMCID: PMC10723509 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.04.23299128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Background There are important unmet clinical needs to develop cell enrichment technologies to enable unbiased label-free isolation of both single cell and clusters of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) manifesting heterogeneous lineage specificity. Here, we report a pilot study based on microfluidic acoustophoresis enrichment of CTCs using the CellSearch CTC assay as a reference modality. Methods Acoustophoresis uses an ultrasonic standing wave field to separate cells based on biomechanical properties (size, density, and compressibility) resulting in inherently label-free and epitope-independent cell enrichment. Following red blood cell lysis and paraformaldehyde fixation, 6 mL of whole blood from 12 patients with metastatic prostate cancer and 20 healthy controls were processed with acoustophoresis and subsequent image cytometry. Results Acoustophoresis enabled enrichment and characterization of phenotypic CTCs (EpCAM+, Cytokeratin+, DAPI+, CD45-/CD66b-) in all patients with metastatic prostate cancer and detected CTC-clusters composed of only CTCs or heterogenous aggregates of CTCs clustered with various types of white blood cells in 9 out of 12 patients. By contrast, CellSearch did not detect any CTC-clusters, but detected comparable numbers of phenotypic CTCs as acoustophoresis, with trends of finding higher number of CTCs using acoustophoresis. Conclusion Our preliminary data indicate that acoustophoresis provides excellent possibilities to detect and characterize CTC-clusters as a putative marker of metastatic disease and outcomes. Moreover, acoustophoresis enables sensitive label-free enrichment of cells with epithelial phenotype in blood and offers opportunities to detect and characterize CTCs undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitioning and lineage plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Per Augustsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Andreas Lenshof
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Andreas Josefsson
- Intitute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Urology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Institute of surgery and perioperative Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Karin Welén
- Intitute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Urology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Anders Bjartell
- Department of Translational Cancer Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yvonne Ceder
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hans Lilja
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Surgery (Urology), and Medicine (GU Oncology), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, U.S.A
| | - Thomas Laurell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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18
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Nasr MM, Lynch CC. How circulating tumor cluster biology contributes to the metastatic cascade: from invasion to dissemination and dormancy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:1133-1146. [PMID: 37442876 PMCID: PMC10713810 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10124-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are known to be prognostic for metastatic relapse and are detected in patients as solitary cells or cell clusters. Circulating tumor cell clusters (CTC clusters) have been observed clinically for decades and are of significantly higher metastatic potential compared to solitary CTCs. Recent studies suggest distinct differences in CTC cluster biology regarding invasion and survival in circulation. However, differences regarding dissemination, dormancy, and reawakening require more investigations compared to solitary CTCs. Here, we review the current state of CTC cluster research and consider their clinical significance. In addition, we discuss the concept of collective invasion by CTC clusters and molecular evidence as to how cluster survival in circulation compares to that of solitary CTCs. Molecular differences between solitary and clustered CTCs during dormancy and reawakening programs will also be discussed. We also highlight future directions to advance our current understanding of CTC cluster biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa M Nasr
- Tumor Biology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Conor C Lynch
- Tumor Biology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
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19
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Chai K, Wang C, Zhou J, Mu W, Gao M, Fan Z, Lv G. Quenching thirst with poison? Paradoxical effect of anticancer drugs. Pharmacol Res 2023; 198:106987. [PMID: 37949332 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Anticancer drugs have been developed with expectations to provide long-term or at least short-term survival benefits for patients with cancer. Unfortunately, drug therapy tends to provoke malignant biological and clinical behaviours of cancer cells relating not only to the evolution of resistance to specific drugs but also to the enhancement of their proliferation and metastasis abilities. Thus, drug therapy is suspected to impair long-term survival in treated patients under certain circumstances. The paradoxical therapeutic effects could be described as 'quenching thirst with poison', where temporary relief is sought regardless of the consequences. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which tumours react on drug-induced stress to maintain viability is crucial to develop rational targeting approaches which may optimize survival in patients with cancer. In this review, we describe the paradoxical adverse effects of anticancer drugs, in particular how cancer cells complete resistance evolution, enhance proliferation, escape from immune surveillance and metastasize efficiently when encountered with drug therapy. We also describe an integrative therapeutic framework that may diminish such paradoxical effects, consisting of four main strategies: (1) targeting endogenous stress response pathways, (2) targeting new identities of cancer cells, (3) adaptive therapy- exploiting subclonal competition of cancer cells, and (4) targeting tumour microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Chai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Chuanlei Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jianpeng Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Wentao Mu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Menghan Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhongqi Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Guoyue Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
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20
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Zhang W, Wang J, Liu C, Li Y, Sun C, Wu J, Wu Q. Crosstalk and plasticity driving between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor microenvironment: significance of breast cancer metastasis. J Transl Med 2023; 21:827. [PMID: 37978384 PMCID: PMC10657029 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04714-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most abundant stromal cell population in breast tumors. A functionally diverse population of CAFs increases the dynamic complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The intertwined network of the TME facilitates the interaction between activated CAFs and breast cancer cells, which can lead to the proliferation and invasion of breast cells. Considering the special transmission function of CAFs, the aim of this review is to summarize and highlight the crosstalk between CAFs and breast cancer cells in the TME as well as the relationship between CAFs and extracellular matrix (ECM), soluble cytokines, and other stromal cells in the metastatic state. The crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor microenvironment also provides a plastic therapeutic target for breast cancer metastasis. In the course of the study, the inhibitory effects of different natural compounds on targeting CAFs and the advantages of different drug combinations were summarized. CAFs are also widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The cumulative research on this phenomenon supports the establishment of a targeted immune microenvironment as a possible breakthrough in the prevention of invasive metastasis of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, 999078, Macau, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261000, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, 999078, Macau, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261000, China
| | - Ye Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Changgang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, 999078, Macau, China.
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261000, China.
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, 261000, China.
| | - Jibiao Wu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
| | - Qibiao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, 999078, Macau, China.
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21
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Sun B, Ji WD, Wang WC, Chen L, Ma JY, Tang EJ, Lin MB, Zhang XF. Circulating tumor cells participate in the formation of microvascular invasion and impact on clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Genet 2023; 14:1265866. [PMID: 38028589 PMCID: PMC10652898 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1265866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide. Although the treatment strategies have been improved in recent years, the long-term prognosis of HCC is far from satisfactory mainly due to high postoperative recurrence and metastasis rate. Vascular tumor thrombus, including microvascular invasion (MVI) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), affects the outcome of hepatectomy and liver transplantation. If vascular invasion could be found preoperatively, especially the risk of MVI, more reasonable surgical selection will be chosen to reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence and metastasis. However, there is a lack of reliable prediction methods, and the formation mechanism of MVI/PVTT is still unclear. At present, there is no study to explore the possibility of tumor thrombus formation from a single circulating tumor cell (CTC) of HCC, nor any related study to describe the possible leading role and molecular mechanism of HCC CTCs as an important component of MVI/PVTT. In this study, we review the current understanding of MVI and possible mechanisms, discuss the function of CTCs in the formation of MVI and interaction with immune cells in the circulation. In conclusion, we discuss implications for potential therapeutic targets and the prospect of clinical treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Sun
- Center for Clinical Research and Translational Medicine, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Dan Ji
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgical Hospital and National Center for Liver Cancer, Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Chao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Yong Ma
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Er-Jiang Tang
- Center for Clinical Research and Translational Medicine, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mou-Bin Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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22
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Bao L, Kong H, Ja Y, Wang C, Qin L, Sun H, Dai S. The relationship between cancer and biomechanics. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1273154. [PMID: 37901315 PMCID: PMC10602664 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1273154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The onset, development, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer involve intricate interactions among various factors, spanning the realms of mechanics, physics, chemistry, and biology. Within our bodies, cells are subject to a variety of forces such as gravity, magnetism, tension, compression, shear stress, and biological static force/hydrostatic pressure. These forces are perceived by mechanoreceptors as mechanical signals, which are then transmitted to cells through a process known as mechanical transduction. During tumor development, invasion and metastasis, there are significant biomechanical influences on various aspects such as tumor angiogenesis, interactions between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), interactions between tumor cells and other cells, and interactions between tumor cells and the circulatory system and vasculature. The tumor microenvironment comprises a complex interplay of cells, ECM and vasculature, with the ECM, comprising collagen, fibronectins, integrins, laminins and matrix metalloproteinases, acting as a critical mediator of mechanical properties and a key component within the mechanical signaling pathway. The vasculature exerts appropriate shear forces on tumor cells, enabling their escape from immune surveillance, facilitating their dissemination in the bloodstream, dictating the trajectory of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and playing a pivotal role in regulating adhesion to the vessel wall. Tumor biomechanics plays a critical role in tumor progression and metastasis, as alterations in biomechanical properties throughout the malignant transformation process trigger a cascade of changes in cellular behavior and the tumor microenvironment, ultimately culminating in the malignant biological behavior of the tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqi Bao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Renji College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongru Kong
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yang Ja
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chengchao Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongwei Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shengjie Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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23
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Ildiz ES, Gvozdenovic A, Kovacs WJ, Aceto N. Travelling under pressure - hypoxia and shear stress in the metastatic journey. Clin Exp Metastasis 2023; 40:375-394. [PMID: 37490147 PMCID: PMC10495280 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-023-10224-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cell invasion, intravasation and survival in the bloodstream are early steps of the metastatic process, pivotal to enabling the spread of cancer to distant tissues. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent a highly selected subpopulation of cancer cells that tamed these critical steps, and a better understanding of their biology and driving molecular principles may facilitate the development of novel tools to prevent metastasis. Here, we describe key research advances in this field, aiming at describing early metastasis-related processes such as collective invasion, shedding, and survival of CTCs in the bloodstream, paying particular attention to microenvironmental factors like hypoxia and mechanical stress, considered as important influencers of the metastatic journey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ece Su Ildiz
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ana Gvozdenovic
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Werner J Kovacs
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland.
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24
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Zubaľ M, Výmolová B, Matrasová I, Výmola P, Vepřková J, Syrůček M, Tomáš R, Vaníčková Z, Křepela E, Konečná D, Bušek P, Šedo A. Fibroblast activation protein as a potential theranostic target in brain metastases of diverse solid tumours. Pathology 2023; 55:806-817. [PMID: 37419841 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Brain metastases are a very common and serious complication of oncological diseases. Despite the vast progress in multimodality treatment, brain metastases significantly decrease the quality of life and prognosis of patients. Therefore, identifying new targets in the microenvironment of brain metastases is desirable. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a transmembrane serine protease typically expressed in tumour-associated stromal cells. Due to its characteristic presence in the tumour microenvironment, FAP represents an attractive theranostic target in oncology. However, there is little information on FAP expression in brain metastases. In this study, we quantified FAP expression in samples of brain metastases of various primary origin and characterised FAP-expressing cells. We have shown that FAP expression is significantly higher in brain metastases in comparison to non-tumorous brain tissues, both at the protein and enzymatic activity levels. FAP immunopositivity was localised in regions rich in collagen and containing blood vessels. We have further shown that FAP is predominantly confined to stromal cells expressing markers typical of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). We have also observed FAP immunopositivity on tumour cells in a portion of brain metastases, mainly originating from melanoma, lung, breast, and renal cancer, and sarcoma. There were no significant differences in the quantity of FAP protein, enzymatic activity, and FAP+ stromal cells among brain metastasis samples of various origins, suggesting that there is no association of FAP expression and/or presence of FAP+ stromal cells with the histological type of brain metastases. In summary, we are the first to establish the expression of FAP and characterise FAP-expressing cells in the microenvironment of brain metastases. The frequent upregulation of FAP and its presence on both stromal and tumour cells support the use of FAP as a promising theranostic target in brain metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Zubaľ
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Výmolová
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Matrasová
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Výmola
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Vepřková
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Syrůček
- Department of Pathology, Na Homolce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Tomáš
- Department of Neurosurgery, Na Homolce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zdislava Vaníčková
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Evžen Křepela
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dora Konečná
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurooncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Military University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Bušek
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Aleksi Šedo
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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25
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Arechaga-Ocampo E. Epigenetics as a determinant of radiation response in cancer. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 383:145-190. [PMID: 38359968 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of modern cancer treatment. Treatment is based on depositing focal radiation to the tumor to inhibit cell growth, proliferation and metastasis, and to promote the death of cancer cells. In addition, radiation also affects non-tumor cells in the tumor microenvironmental (TME). Radiation resistance of the tumor cells is the most common cause of treatment failure, allowing survival of cancer cell and subsequent tumor growing. Molecular radioresistance comprises genetic and epigenetic characteristics inherent in cancer cells, or characteristics acquired after exposure to radiation. Furthermore, cancer stem cells (CSCs) and non-tumor cells into the TME as stromal and immune cells have a role in promoting and maintaining radioresistant tumor phenotypes. Different regulatory molecules and pathways distinctive of radiation resistance include DNA repair, survival signaling and cell death pathways. Epigenetic mechanisms are one of the most relevant events that occur after radiotherapy to regulate the expression and function of key genes and proteins in the differential radiation-response. This article reviews recent data on the main molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways related to the biological response to radiotherapy in cancer; highlighting the epigenetic control exerted by DNA methylation, histone marks, chromatin remodeling and m6A RNA methylation on gene expression and activation of signaling pathways related to radiation therapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Arechaga-Ocampo
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Unidad Cuajimalpa, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico.
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26
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Diamantopoulou Z, Gvozdenovic A, Aceto N. A new time dimension in the fight against metastasis. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:736-748. [PMID: 36967300 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.02.002] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in uncovering vulnerabilities, identifying biomarkers, and developing more efficient treatments, cancer remains a threat because of its ability to progress while acquiring resistance to therapy. The circadian rhythm governs most of the cellular functions implicated in cancer progression, and its exploitation therefore opens new promising directions in the fight against metastasis. In this review we summarize the role of the circadian rhythm in tumor development and progression, with emphasis on the circadian rhythm-regulated elements that control the generation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and metastasis. We then present data on chronotherapy and discuss how circadian rhythm investigations may open new paths to more effective anticancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoi Diamantopoulou
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ana Gvozdenovic
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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27
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Muchlińska A, Wenta R, Ścińska W, Markiewicz A, Suchodolska G, Senkus E, Żaczek AJ, Bednarz-Knoll N. Improved Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in One-Tube Assay in Breast Cancer Patients Using Imaging Flow Cytometry. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4169. [PMID: 37627197 PMCID: PMC10453498 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating cancer-associated fibroblasts (cCAFs) have been individually considered strong indicators of cancer progression. However, technical limitations have prevented their simultaneous analysis in the context of CTC phenotypes different from epithelial. This study aimed to analyze CTCs and cCAFs simultaneously in the peripheral blood of 210 breast cancer patients using DAPI/pan-keratin (K)/vimentin (V)/alpha-SMA/CD29/CD45/CD31 immunofluorescent staining and novel technology-imaging flow cytometry (imFC). Single and clustered CTCs of different sizes and phenotypes (i.e., epithelial phenotype K+/V- and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related CTCs, such as K+/V+, K-/V+, and K-/V-) were detected in 27.6% of the samples and correlated with metastases. EMT-related CTCs interacted more frequently with normal cells and tended to occur in patients with tumors progressing during therapy, while cCAFs coincided with CTCs (mainly K+/V- and K-/V-) in seven (3.3%) patients and seemed to correlate with the presence of metastases, particularly visceral ones. This study emphasizes the advantages of imFC in the field of liquid biopsy and highlights the importance of multimarker-based analysis of different subpopulations and phenotypes of cancer progression-related cells, i.e., CTCs and cCAFs. The co-detection of CTCs and cCAFs might improve the identification of patients at higher risk of progression and their monitoring during therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Muchlińska
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Robert Wenta
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Wiktoria Ścińska
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Markiewicz
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Grażyna Suchodolska
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Senkus
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna J. Żaczek
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Natalia Bednarz-Knoll
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
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28
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Wu J, Jing X, Du Q, Sun X, Holgersson K, Gao J, He X, Hosaka K, Zhao C, Tao W, FitzGerald GA, Yang Y, Jensen LD, Cao Y. Disruption of the Clock Component Bmal1 in Mice Promotes Cancer Metastasis through the PAI-1-TGF-β-myoCAF-Dependent Mechanism. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301505. [PMID: 37330661 PMCID: PMC10460897 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock in animals and humans plays crucial roles in multiple physiological processes. Disruption of circadian homeostasis causes detrimental effects. Here, it is demonstrated that the disruption of the circadian rhythm by genetic deletion of mouse brain and muscle ARNT-like 1 (Bmal1) gene, coding for the key clock transcription factor, augments an exacerbated fibrotic phenotype in various tumors. Accretion of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), especially the alpha smooth muscle actin positive myoCAFs, accelerates tumor growth rates and metastatic potentials. Mechanistically, deletion of Bmal1 abrogates expression of its transcriptionally targeted plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Consequently, decreased levels of PAI-1 in the tumor microenvironment instigate plasmin activation through upregulation of tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase plasminogen activator. The activated plasmin converts latent TGF-β into its activated form, which potently induces tumor fibrosis and the transition of CAFs into myoCAFs, the latter promoting cancer metastasis. Pharmacological inhibition of the TGF-β signaling largely ablates the metastatic potentials of colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Together, these data provide novel mechanistic insights into disruption of the circadian clock in tumor growth and metastasis. It is reasonably speculated that normalization of the circadian rhythm in patients provides a novel paradigm for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieyu Wu
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 65Sweden
| | - Xu Jing
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 65Sweden
| | - Qiqiao Du
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 65Sweden
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityZhongshan Second Road 58Guangzhou510080P. R. China
| | - Xiaoting Sun
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vison and Brain Health)School of Pharmaceutical ScienceWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhou325035P. R. China
| | | | - Juan Gao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 65Sweden
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510000P. R. China
| | - Xingkang He
- Department of GastroenterologySir Run Run Shaw HospitalZhejiang University Medical SchoolHangzhou310016P. R. China
| | - Kayoko Hosaka
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 65Sweden
| | - Chen Zhao
- Eye InstituteEye and ENT HospitalShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200433P. R. China
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of AnesthesiologyBrigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
| | - Garret A. FitzGerald
- Institute for Translational Medicine and TherapeuticsUniversity of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphiaPA19104‐5158USA
| | - Yunlong Yang
- Department of Cellular and Genetic MedicineSchool of Basic Medical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Lasse D. Jensen
- Division of Cardiovascular MedicineDepartment of Medical and Health SciencesLinkoping UniversityLinkoping581 83Sweden
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 65Sweden
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29
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Bates ME, Libring S, Reinhart-King CA. Forces exerted and transduced by cancer-associated fibroblasts during cancer progression. Biol Cell 2023; 115:e2200104. [PMID: 37224184 PMCID: PMC10757454 DOI: 10.1111/boc.202200104] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Although it is well-known that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a key role in regulating tumor progression, the effects of mechanical tissue changes on CAFs are understudied. Myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs), in particular, are known to alter tumor matrix architecture and composition, heavily influencing the mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment (TME), but much less is known about how these mechanical changes initiate and maintain the myCAF phenotype. Additionally, recent studies have pointed to the existence of CAFs in circulating tumor cell clusters, indicating that CAFs may be subject to mechanical forces beyond the primary TME. Due to their pivotal role in cancer progression, targeting CAF mechanical regulation may provide therapeutic benefit. Here, we will discuss current knowledge and summarize existing gaps in how CAFs regulate and are regulated by matrix mechanics, including through stiffness, solid and fluid stresses, and fluid shear stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison E Bates
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sarah Libring
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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30
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Li Y, Wang C, Huang T, Yu X, Tian B. The role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in breast cancer metastasis. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1194835. [PMID: 37496657 PMCID: PMC10367093 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1194835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer deaths are primarily caused by metastasis. There are several treatment options that can be used to treat breast cancer. There are, however, a limited number of treatments that can either prevent or inhibit the spread of breast tumor metastases. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies are needed. Studies have increasingly focused on the importance of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in metastasis of breast cancer. As the most abundant cells in the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play important roles in cancer pathogenesis. They can remodel the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and engage in crosstalk with cancer cells or other stroma cells by secreting growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines, as well as components of the ECM, which assist the tumor cells to invade through the TME and cause distant metastasis. Clinically, CAFs not only foster the initiation, growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer but also serve as biomarkers for diagnosis, therapy, and prediction of prognosis. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics and subtypes of CAFs and their functions in breast cancer metastasis, focusing on their important roles in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of breast cancer. Recent studies suggest that CAFs are vital partners of breast cancer cells that assist metastasis and may represent ideal targets for prevention and treatment of breast cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Changyuan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Department II, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Ting Huang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xijie Yu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bole Tian
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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31
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Si H, Esquivel M, Mendoza Mendoza E, Roarty K. The covert symphony: cellular and molecular accomplices in breast cancer metastasis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1221784. [PMID: 37440925 PMCID: PMC10333702 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1221784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer has emerged as the most commonly diagnosed cancer and primary cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Although significant progress has been made in targeting the primary tumor, the effectiveness of systemic treatments to prevent metastasis remains limited. Metastatic disease continues to be the predominant factor leading to fatality in the majority of breast cancer patients. The existence of a prolonged latency period between initial treatment and eventual recurrence in certain patients indicates that tumors can both adapt to and interact with the systemic environment of the host, facilitating and sustaining the progression of the disease. In order to identify potential therapeutic interventions for metastasis, it will be crucial to gain a comprehensive framework surrounding the mechanisms driving the growth, survival, and spread of tumor cells, as well as their interaction with supporting cells of the microenvironment. This review aims to consolidate recent discoveries concerning critical aspects of breast cancer metastasis, encompassing the intricate network of cells, molecules, and physical factors that contribute to metastasis, as well as the molecular mechanisms governing cancer dormancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjiang Si
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Madelyn Esquivel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Erika Mendoza Mendoza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Kevin Roarty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, United States
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32
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Windus LCE, Matigian N, Avery VM. Induction of Reactive Bone Stromal Fibroblasts in 3D Models of Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:861. [PMID: 37372146 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
A dynamic interplay between prostate cancer (PCa) cells and reactive bone stroma modulates the growth of metastases within the bone microenvironment. Of the stromal cells, metastasis-associated fibroblasts (MAFs) are known to contribute but are the least studied cell type in PCa tumour progression. It is the aim of the current study to establish a biologically relevant 3D in vitro model that mimics the cellular and molecular profiles of MAFs found in vivo. Using 3D in vitro cell culture models, the bone-derived fibroblast cell line, HS-5, was treated with conditioned media from metastatic-derived PCa cell lines, PC3 and MDA-PCa 2b, or mouse-derived fibroblasts 3T3. Two corresponding reactive cell lines were propagated: HS5-PC3 and HS5-MDA, and evaluated for alterations in morphology, phenotype, cellular behaviour, plus protein and genomic profiles. HS5-PC3 and HS5-MDA displayed distinct alterations in expression levels of N-Cadherin, non-functional E-Cadherin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Tenascin C, and vimentin, along with transforming growth factor receptor expression (TGF β R1 and R2), consistent with subpopulations of MAFs reported in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a reversion of HS5-PC3 towards a metastatic phenotype with an upregulation in pathways known to regulate cancer invasion, proliferation, and angiogenesis. The exploitation of these engineered 3D models could help further unravel the novel biology regulating metastatic growth and the role fibroblasts play in the colonisation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa C E Windus
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Nicholas Matigian
- QCIF Facility for Advanced Bioinformatics, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
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33
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Lawrence R, Watters M, Davies CR, Pantel K, Lu YJ. Circulating tumour cells for early detection of clinically relevant cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023:10.1038/s41571-023-00781-y. [PMID: 37268719 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00781-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Given that cancer mortality is usually a result of late diagnosis, efforts in the field of early detection are paramount to reducing cancer-related deaths and improving patient outcomes. Increasing evidence indicates that metastasis is an early event in patients with aggressive cancers, often occurring even before primary lesions are clinically detectable. Metastases are usually formed from cancer cells that spread to distant non-malignant tissues via the blood circulation, termed circulating tumour cells (CTCs). CTCs have been detected in patients with early stage cancers and, owing to their association with metastasis, might indicate the presence of aggressive disease, thus providing a possible means to expedite diagnosis and treatment initiation for such patients while avoiding overdiagnosis and overtreatment of those with slow-growing, indolent tumours. The utility of CTCs as an early diagnostic tool has been investigated, although further improvements in the efficiency of CTC detection are required. In this Perspective, we discuss the clinical significance of early haematogenous dissemination of cancer cells, the potential of CTCs to facilitate early detection of clinically relevant cancers, and the technological advances that might improve CTC capture and, thus, diagnostic performance in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Lawrence
- Centre for Biomarkers and Therapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Melissa Watters
- Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London, London, UK
| | - Caitlin R Davies
- Centre for Biomarkers and Therapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Klaus Pantel
- Department of Tumour Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Yong-Jie Lu
- Centre for Biomarkers and Therapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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Modica C, Cortese M, Bersani F, Lombardi AM, Napoli F, Righi L, Taulli R, Basilico C, Vigna E. Genetic Ablation of the MET Oncogene Defines a Crucial Role of the HGF/MET Axis in Cell-Autonomous Functions Driving Tumor Dissemination. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2742. [PMID: 37345079 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cell dissemination is sustained by cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous functions. To disentangle the role of HGF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor) and MET ligand/receptor axis in this complex process, we genetically knocked out the MET gene in cancer cells in which MET is not the oncogenic driver. In this way, we evaluated the contribution of the HGF/MET axis to cancer cell dissemination independently of its direct activities in cells of the tumor microenvironment. The lack of MET expression in MET-/- cells has been proved by molecular characterization. From a functional point of view, HGF stimulation of MET-/- cancer cells was ineffective in eliciting intracellular signaling and in sustaining biological functions predictive of malignancy in vitro (i.e., anchorage-independent growth, invasion, and survival in the absence of matrix adhesion). Cancer cell dissemination was assessed in vivo, evaluating: (i) the ability of MET-/- lung carcinoma cells to colonize the lungs following intravenous injection and (ii) the spontaneous dissemination to distant organs of MET-/- pancreatic carcinoma cells upon orthotopic injection. In both experimental models, MET ablation affects the time of onset, the number, and the size of metastatic lesions. These results define a crucial contribution of the HGF/MET axis to cell-autonomous functions driving the metastatic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Modica
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Marco Cortese
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, TO, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Francesca Bersani
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Napoli
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Luisella Righi
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Riccardo Taulli
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Vigna
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, TO, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy
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35
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Leitão TP, Corredeira P, Kucharczak S, Rodrigues M, Piairo P, Rodrigues C, Alves P, Cavaco AM, Miranda M, Antunes M, Ferreira J, Palma Reis J, Lopes T, Diéguez L, Costa L. Clinical Validation of a Size-Based Microfluidic Device for Circulating Tumor Cell Isolation and Analysis in Renal Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098404. [PMID: 37176111 PMCID: PMC10178884 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098404] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presents as metastatic disease in one third of cases. Research on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and liquid biopsies is improving the understanding of RCC biology and metastases formation. However, a standardized, sensitive, specific, and cost-effective CTC detection technique is lacking. The use of platforms solely relying on epithelial markers is inappropriate in RCC due to the frequent epithelial-mesenchymal transition that CTCs undergo. This study aimed to test and clinically validate RUBYchip™, a microfluidic label-free CTC detection platform, in RCC patients. The average CTC capture efficiency of the device was 74.9% in spiking experiments using three different RCC cell lines. Clinical validation was performed in a cohort of 18 patients, eight non-metastatic (M0), five metastatic treatment-naïve (M1TN), and five metastatic progressing-under-treatment (M1TP). An average CTC detection rate of 77.8% was found and the average (range) total CTC count was 6.4 (0-27), 101.8 (0-255), and 3.2 (0-10), and the average mesenchymal CTC count (both single and clustered cells) was zero, 97.6 (0-255), and 0.2 (0-1) for M0, M1TN, and M1TP, respectively. CTC clusters were detected in 25% and 60% of M0 and M1TN patients, respectively. These results show that RUBYchip™ is an effective CTC detection platform in RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tito Palmela Leitão
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Urology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Corredeira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sandra Kucharczak
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skjalgsons gate 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Margarida Rodrigues
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Biological Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paulina Piairo
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
- RUBYnanomed Lda, Praça Conde de Agrolongo 123, 4700-312 Braga, Portugal
| | - Carolina Rodrigues
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Alves
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Martins Cavaco
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Miranda
- Urology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marília Antunes
- CEAUL-Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Ferreira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - José Palma Reis
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Urology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tomé Lopes
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lorena Diéguez
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
- RUBYnanomed Lda, Praça Conde de Agrolongo 123, 4700-312 Braga, Portugal
| | - Luís Costa
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Oncology Division, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
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36
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Chhabra Y, Weeraratna AT. Fibroblasts in cancer: Unity in heterogeneity. Cell 2023; 186:1580-1609. [PMID: 37059066 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cells do not exist in isolation in vivo, and carcinogenesis depends on the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), composed of a myriad of cell types and biophysical and biochemical components. Fibroblasts are integral in maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, even before a tumor develops, pro-tumorigenic fibroblasts in close proximity can provide the fertile 'soil' to the cancer 'seed' and are known as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In response to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors, CAFs reorganize the TME enabling metastasis, therapeutic resistance, dormancy and reactivation by secreting cellular and acellular factors. In this review, we summarize the recent discoveries on CAF-mediated cancer progression with a particular focus on fibroblast heterogeneity and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Chhabra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Ashani T Weeraratna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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37
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Asawa S, Nüesch M, Gvozdenovic A, Aceto N. Circulating tumour cells in gastrointestinal cancers: food for thought? Br J Cancer 2023; 128:1981-1990. [PMID: 36932192 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02228-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers account for 35% of cancer-related deaths, predominantly due to their ability to spread and generate drug-tolerant metastases. Arising from different locations in the GI system, the majority of metastatic GI malignancies colonise the liver and the lungs. In this context, circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are playing a critical role in the formation of new metastases, and their presence in the blood of patients has been correlated with a poor outcome. In addition to their prognostic utility, prospective targeting of CTCs may represent a novel, yet ambitious strategy in the fight against metastasis. A better understanding of CTC biology, mechanistic underpinnings and weaknesses may facilitate the development of previously underappreciated anti-metastasis approaches. Here, along with related clinical studies, we outline a selection of the literature describing biological features of CTCs with an impact on their metastasis forming ability in different GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran Asawa
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Nüesch
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ana Gvozdenovic
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland.
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38
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Rozenberg JM, Buzdin AA, Mohammad T, Rakitina OA, Didych DA, Pleshkan VV, Alekseenko IV. Molecules promoting circulating clusters of cancer cells suggest novel therapeutic targets for treatment of metastatic cancers. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1099921. [PMID: 37006265 PMCID: PMC10050392 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1099921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of metastatic disease remains among the most challenging tasks in oncology. One of the early events that predicts a poor prognosis and precedes the development of metastasis is the occurrence of clusters of cancer cells in the blood flow. Moreover, the presence of heterogeneous clusters of cancerous and noncancerous cells in the circulation is even more dangerous. Review of pathological mechanisms and biological molecules directly involved in the formation and pathogenesis of the heterotypic circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters revealed their common properties, which include increased adhesiveness, combined epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype, CTC-white blood cell interaction, and polyploidy. Several molecules involved in the heterotypic CTC interactions and their metastatic properties, including IL6R, CXCR4 and EPCAM, are targets of approved or experimental anticancer drugs. Accordingly, analysis of patient survival data from the published literature and public datasets revealed that the expression of several molecules affecting the formation of CTC clusters predicts patient survival in multiple cancer types. Thus, targeting of molecules involved in CTC heterotypic interactions might be a valuable strategy for the treatment of metastatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian M. Rozenberg
- Laboratory of Translational Bioinformatics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Anton A. Buzdin
- Laboratory of Translational Bioinformatics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
- PathoBiology Group, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Brussels, Belgium
- Group for Genomic Analysis of Cell Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory for Clinical Genomic Bioinformatics, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- *Correspondence: Anton Buzdin,
| | - Tharaa Mohammad
- Laboratory of Translational Bioinformatics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Olga A. Rakitina
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry A. Didych
- Laboratory of human genes structure and functions, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victor V. Pleshkan
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Gene oncotherapy sector, Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre (Kurchatov Institute), Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina V. Alekseenko
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Gene oncotherapy sector, Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre (Kurchatov Institute), Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Oncogynecology and Mammology, National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
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39
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Caligiuri G, Tuveson DA. Activated fibroblasts in cancer: Perspectives and challenges. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:434-449. [PMID: 36917949 PMCID: PMC11022589 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Activated fibroblasts in tumors, or cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), have become a popular research area over the past decade. As important players in many aspects of tumor biology, with functions ranging from collagen deposition to immunosuppression, CAFs have been the target of clinical and pre-clinical studies that have revealed their potential pro- and anti-tumorigenic dichotomy. In this review, we describe the important role of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment and the technological advances that made these discoveries possible, and we detail the models that are currently available for CAF investigation. Additionally, we present evidence to support the value of encompassing CAF investigation as a future therapeutic avenue alongside immune and cancer cells while highlighting the challenges that must be addressed for successful clinical translation of new findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Caligiuri
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA; Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - David A Tuveson
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA; Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
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40
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Bootsma S, Bijlsma MF, Vermeulen L. The molecular biology of peritoneal metastatic disease. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e15914. [PMID: 36700339 PMCID: PMC9994485 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202215914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Peritoneal metastases are a common form of tumor cell dissemination in gastrointestinal malignancies. Peritoneal metastatic disease (PMD) is associated with severe morbidity and resistance to currently employed therapies. Given the distinct route of dissemination compared with distant organ metastases, and the unique microenvironment of the peritoneal cavity, specific tumor cell characteristics are needed for the development of PMD. In this review, we provide an overview of the known histopathological, genomic, and transcriptomic features of PMD. We find that cancers representing the mesenchymal subtype are strongly associated with PMD in various malignancies. Furthermore, we discuss the peritoneal niche in which the metastatic cancer cells reside, including the critical role of the peritoneal immune system. Altogether, we show that PMD should be regarded as a distinct disease entity, that requires tailored treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Bootsma
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular MedicineAmsterdam UMC, Location University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer BiologyAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology MetabolismAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Maarten F Bijlsma
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular MedicineAmsterdam UMC, Location University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer BiologyAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology MetabolismAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Louis Vermeulen
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular MedicineAmsterdam UMC, Location University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer BiologyAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology MetabolismAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Oncode InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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41
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Dhungel N, Youngblood R, Chu M, Carroll J, Dragoi AM. Assessing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity in a small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and lung fibroblasts co-culture model. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1096326. [PMID: 36936987 PMCID: PMC10022497 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1096326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is the source of important cues that govern epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and facilitate the acquisition of aggressive traits by cancer cells. It is now recognized that EMT is not a binary program, and cancer cells rarely switch to a fully mesenchymal phenotype. Rather, cancer cells exist in multiple hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) states responsible for cell population heterogeneity, which is advantageous for the ever-changing environment during tumor development and metastasis. How are these intermediate states generated and maintained is not fully understood. Here, we show that direct interaction between small cell lung carcinoma cells and lung fibroblasts induces a hybrid EMT phenotype in cancer cells in which several mesenchymal genes involved in receptor interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM remodeling are upregulated while epithelial genes such as E-cadherin remain unchanged or slightly increase. We also demonstrate that several core EMT-regulating transcription factors (EMT-TFs) are upregulated in cancer cells during direct contact with fibroblasts, as is Yes-associated protein (YAP1), a major regulator of the Hippo pathway. Further, we show that these changes are transient and reverse to the initial state once the interaction is disrupted. Altogether, our results provide evidence that tumor cells' direct contact with the fibroblasts in the TME initiates a signaling cascade responsible for hybrid E/M states of cancer cells. These hybrid states are maintained during the interaction and possibly contribute to therapy resistance and immune evasion, while interference with direct contact will result in slow recovery and switch to the initial states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilu Dhungel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Reneau Youngblood
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Min Chu
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Jennifer Carroll
- Center for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT), LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
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42
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Kemper M, Krekeler C, Menck K, Lenz G, Evers G, Schulze AB, Bleckmann A. Liquid Biopsies in Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1430. [PMID: 36900221 PMCID: PMC10000706 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
As lung cancer has the highest cancer-specific mortality rates worldwide, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to detect early-stage tumors and to monitor their response to the therapy. In addition to the well-established tissue biopsy analysis, liquid-biopsy-based assays may evolve as an important diagnostic tool. The analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the most established method, followed by other methods such as the analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Both PCR- and NGS-based assays are used for the mutational assessment of lung cancer, including the most frequent driver mutations. However, ctDNA analysis might also play a role in monitoring the efficacy of immunotherapy and its recent accomplishments in the landscape of state-of-the-art lung cancer therapy. Despite the promising aspects of liquid-biopsy-based assays, there are some limitations regarding their sensitivity (risk of false-negative results) and specificity (interpretation of false-positive results). Hence, further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of liquid biopsies for lung cancer. Liquid-biopsy-based assays might be integrated into the diagnostic guidelines for lung cancer as a tool to complement conventional tissue sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Kemper
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Carolin Krekeler
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Kerstin Menck
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Georg Lenz
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Georg Evers
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Arik Bernard Schulze
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Annalen Bleckmann
- Department of Medicine A for Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
- West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
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43
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Lu T, Oomens L, Terstappen LWMM, Prakash J. In Vivo Detection of Circulating Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Breast Tumor Mouse Xenograft: Impact of Tumor Stroma and Chemotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041127. [PMID: 36831470 PMCID: PMC9954095 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041127] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important drivers in the tumor microenvironment and facilitate the growth and survival of tumor cells, as well as metastasis formation. They may travel together with tumor cells to support their survival and aid in the formation of a metastatic niche. In this study, we aimed to study circulating CAFs (cCAFs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in a preclinical breast tumor model in mice in order to understand the effect of chemotherapy on cCAFs and CTC formation. Tumors with MDA-MB-231 human breast tumor cells with/without primary human mammary fibroblasts (representing CAFs) were coinjected in SCID mice to develop tumors. We found that the tumors with CAFs grew faster than tumors without CAFs. To study the effect of the stroma on CTCs and cCAFs, we isolated cells using microsieve filtration technology and established ITGA5 as a new cCAF biomarker, which showed good agreement with the CAF markers FAP and α-SMA. We found that ITGA5+ cCAFs shed in the blood of mice bearing stroma-rich coinjection-based tumors, while there was no difference in CTC formation. Although treatment with liposomal doxorubicin reduced tumor growth, it increased the numbers of both cCAFs and CTCs in blood. Moreover, cCAFs and CTCs were found to form clusters in the chemotherapy-treated mice. Altogether, these findings indicate that the tumor stroma supports tumor growth and the formation of cCAFs. Furthermore, chemotherapy may exacerbate the formation of cCAFs and CTCs, which may eventually support the formation of a metastasis niche in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Lu
- Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa Oomens
- VyCAP B.V., Capitool 41, 7521 PL Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Leon W. M. M. Terstappen
- Medical Cell BioPhysics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Hallenweg 23, 7522 NH Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Jai Prakash
- Engineered Therapeutics, Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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Ring A, Nguyen-Sträuli BD, Wicki A, Aceto N. Biology, vulnerabilities and clinical applications of circulating tumour cells. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:95-111. [PMID: 36494603 PMCID: PMC9734934 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-022-00536-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, exceptional technological advances have enabled the identification and interrogation of rare circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from blood samples of patients, leading to new fields of research and fostering the promise for paradigm-changing, liquid biopsy-based clinical applications. Analysis of CTCs has revealed distinct biological phenotypes, including the presence of CTC clusters and the interaction between CTCs and immune or stromal cells, impacting metastasis formation and providing new insights into cancer vulnerabilities. Here we review the progress made in understanding biological features of CTCs and provide insight into exploiting these developments to design future clinical tools for improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ring
- Department of Biology, Institute for Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bich Doan Nguyen-Sträuli
- Department of Biology, Institute for Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Wicki
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute for Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Yamamoto A, Doak AE, Cheung KJ. Orchestration of Collective Migration and Metastasis by Tumor Cell Clusters. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 18:231-256. [PMID: 36207009 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-031521-023557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Metastatic dissemination has lethal consequences for cancer patients. Accruing evidence supports the hypothesis that tumor cells can migrate and metastasize as clusters of cells while maintaining contacts with one another. Collective metastasis enables tumor cells to colonize secondary sites more efficiently, resist cell death, and evade the immune system. On the other hand, tumor cell clusters face unique challenges for dissemination particularly during systemic dissemination. Here, we review recent progress toward understanding how tumor cell clusters overcome these disadvantages as well as mechanisms they utilize to gain advantages throughout the metastatic process. We consider useful models for studying collective metastasis and reflect on how the study of collective metastasis suggests new opportunities for eradicating and preventing metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Yamamoto
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; , , .,Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Andrea E Doak
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; , , .,Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kevin J Cheung
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; , ,
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Entenberg D, Oktay MH, Condeelis JS. Intravital imaging to study cancer progression and metastasis. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:25-42. [PMID: 36385560 PMCID: PMC9912378 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-022-00527-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Navigation through the bulk tumour, entry into the blood vasculature, survival in the circulation, exit at distant sites and resumption of proliferation are all steps necessary for tumour cells to successfully metastasize. The ability of tumour cells to complete these steps is highly dependent on the timing and sequence of the interactions that these cells have with the tumour microenvironment (TME), including stromal cells, the extracellular matrix and soluble factors. The TME thus plays a major role in determining the overall metastatic phenotype of tumours. The complexity and cause-and-effect dynamics of the TME cannot currently be recapitulated in vitro or inferred from studies of fixed tissue, and are best studied in vivo, in real time and at single-cell resolution. Intravital imaging (IVI) offers these capabilities, and recent years have been a time of immense growth and innovation in the field. Here we review some of the recent advances in IVI of mammalian models of cancer and describe how IVI is being used to understand cancer progression and metastasis, and to develop novel treatments and therapies. We describe new techniques that allow access to a range of tissue and cancer types, novel fluorescent reporters and biosensors that allow fate mapping and the probing of functional and phenotypic states, and the clinical applications that have arisen from applying these techniques, reporters and biosensors to study cancer. We finish by presenting some of the challenges that remain in the field, how to address them and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Entenberg
- Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - Maja H Oktay
- Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - John S Condeelis
- Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
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Pontis F, Roz L, Fortunato O, Bertolini G. The metastatic niche formation: focus on extracellular vesicle-mediated dialogue between lung cancer cells and the microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1116783. [PMID: 37207158 PMCID: PMC10189117 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1116783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world, with the majority of patients presenting with advanced or metastatic disease at first diagnosis. The lungs are also one of the most common sites of metastasis from lung cancer and other tumors. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate metastasis formation from primary lung cancer and in the lungs is therefore fundamental unmet clinical need. One of the first steps during the establishment of lung cancer metastases includes the formation of the pre-metastatic niche (PMN) at distant organs, which may occur even during the early phases of cancer development. The PMN is established through intricate cross-talk between primary tumor-secreted factors and stromal components at distant sites. Mechanisms controlling primary tumor escape and seeding of distant organs rely on specific properties of tumor cells but are also tightly regulated by interactions with stromal cells at the metastatic niche that finally dictate the success of metastasis establishment. Here, we summarize the mechanisms underlying pre-metastatic niche formation starting from how lung primary tumor cells modulate distant sites through the release of several factors, focusing on Extracellular Vesicles (EVs). In this context, we highlight the role of lung cancer-derived EVs in the modulation of tumor immune escape. Then, we illustrate the complexity of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) that represent the seeds of metastasis and how interactions with stromal and immune cells can help their metastatic dissemination. Finally, we evaluate the contribution of EVs in dictating metastasis development at the PMN through stimulation of proliferation and control of disseminated tumor cell dormancy. Overall, we present an overview of different steps in the lung cancer metastatic cascade, focusing on the EV-mediated interactions between tumor cells and stromal/immune cells.
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Hurtado P, Martínez-Pena I, Yepes-Rodríguez S, Bascoy-Otero M, Abuín C, Fernández-Santiago C, Sánchez L, López-López R, Piñeiro R. Modelling metastasis in zebrafish unveils regulatory interactions of cancer-associated fibroblasts with circulating tumour cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1076432. [PMID: 36949770 PMCID: PMC10025339 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1076432] [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: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic intercommunication between tumour cells and cells from the microenvironment, such as cancer-associated fibroblast (CAFs), is a key factor driving breast cancer (BC) metastasis. Clusters of circulating tumour cells (CTCs), known to bare a higher efficiency at establishing metastases, are found in the blood of BC patients, often accompanied by CAFs in heterotypic CTC-clusters. Previously we have shown the utility of CTC-clusters models and the zebrafish embryo as a model of metastasis to understand the biology of breast cancer CTC-clusters. In this work, we use the zebrafish embryo to study the interactions between CTCs in homotypic clusters and CTC-CAFs in heterotypic CTC-clusters to identify potential pro-metastatic traits derived from CTC-CAF communication. We found that upon dissemination CAFs seem to exert a pro-survival and pro-proliferative effect on the CTCs, but only when CTCs and CAFs remain joined as cell clusters. Our data indicate that the clustering of CTC and CAF allows the establishment of physical interactions that when maintained over time favour the selection of CTCs with a higher capacity to survive and proliferate upon dissemination. Importantly, this effect seems to be dependent on the survival of disseminated CAFs and was not observed in the presence of normal fibroblasts. Moreover, we show that CAFs can exert regulatory effects on the CTCs without being involved in promoting tumour cell invasion. Lastly, we show that the physical communication between BC cells and CAFs leads to the production of soluble factors involved in BC cell survival and proliferation. These findings suggest the existence of a CAF-regulatory effect on CTC survival and proliferation sustained by cell-to-cell contacts and highlight the need to understand the molecular mechanisms that mediate the interaction between the CTCs and CAFs in clusters enhancing the metastatic capacity of CTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Hurtado
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, Madrid, Spain
| | - Inés Martínez-Pena
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sabrina Yepes-Rodríguez
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel Bascoy-Otero
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Carmen Abuín
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Cristóbal Fernández-Santiago
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Departamento de Zoología, Genética y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Rafael López-López
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, Madrid, Spain
- Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Department of Oncology, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- *Correspondence: Roberto Piñeiro, ; Rafael López-López,
| | - Roberto Piñeiro
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Roberto Piñeiro, ; Rafael López-López,
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Owen JS, Clayton A, Pearson HB. Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Heterogeneity, Activation and Function: Implications for Prostate Cancer. Biomolecules 2022; 13:67. [PMID: 36671452 PMCID: PMC9856041 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuous remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) during prostate tumorigenesis is emerging as a critical event that facilitates cancer growth, progression and drug-resistance. Recent advances have identified extensive communication networks that enable tumor-stroma cross-talk, and emphasized the functional importance of diverse, heterogeneous stromal fibroblast populations during malignant growth. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a vital component of the TME, which mediate key oncogenic events including angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metastatic progression and therapeutic resistance, thus presenting an attractive therapeutic target. Nevertheless, how fibroblast heterogeneity, recruitment, cell-of-origin and differential functions contribute to prostate cancer remains to be fully delineated. Developing our molecular understanding of these processes is fundamental to developing new therapies and biomarkers that can ultimately improve clinical outcomes. In this review, we explore the current challenges surrounding fibroblast identification, discuss new mechanistic insights into fibroblast functions during normal prostate tissue homeostasis and tumorigenesis, and illustrate the diverse nature of fibroblast recruitment and CAF generation. We also highlight the promise of CAF-targeted therapies for the treatment of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine S. Owen
- The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Aled Clayton
- Tissue Microenvironment Group, Division of Cancer & Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Helen B. Pearson
- The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
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Imparato G, Urciuolo F, Mazio C, Netti PA. Capturing the spatial and temporal dynamics of tumor stroma for on-chip optimization of microenvironmental targeting nanomedicine. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 23:25-43. [PMID: 36305728 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00611a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Malignant cells grow in a complex microenvironment that plays a key role in cancer progression. The "dynamic reciprocity" existing between cancer cells and their microenvironment is involved in cancer differentiation, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and drug response. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between cancer cells and their surrounding tissue (i.e., tumor stroma) and how this interplay affects the disease progression is fundamental to design and validate novel nanotherapeutic approaches. As an important regulator of tumor progression, metastasis and therapy resistance, the extracellular matrix of tumors, the acellular component of the tumor microenvironment, has been identified as very promising target of anticancer treatment, revolutionizing the traditional therapeutic paradigm that sees the neoplastic cells as the preferential objective to fight cancer. To design and to validate such a target therapy, advanced 3D preclinical models are necessary to correctly mimic the complex, dynamic and heterogeneous tumor microenvironment. In addition, the recent advancement in microfluidic technology allows fine-tuning and controlling microenvironmental parameters in tissue-on-chip devices in order to emulate the in vivo conditions. In this review, after a brief description of the origin of tumor microenvironment heterogeneity, some examples of nanomedicine approaches targeting the tumor microenvironment have been reported. Further, how advanced 3D bioengineered tumor models coupled with a microfluidic device can improve the design and testing of anti-cancer nanomedicine targeting the tumor microenvironment has been discussed. We highlight that the presence of a dynamic extracellular matrix, able to capture the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of tumor stroma, is an indispensable requisite for tumor-on-chip model and nanomedicine testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Imparato
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care@CRIB Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci n. 53, 80125 Napoli, Italy.
| | - Francesco Urciuolo
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Production Engineering (DICMAPI) and Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
| | - Claudia Mazio
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care@CRIB Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci n. 53, 80125 Napoli, Italy.
| | - Paolo A Netti
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care@CRIB Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci n. 53, 80125 Napoli, Italy.
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Production Engineering (DICMAPI) and Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
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