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Battaglia L, Scomparin A, Dianzani C, Milla P, Muntoni E, Arpicco S, Cavalli R. Nanotechnology Addressing Cutaneous Melanoma: The Italian Landscape. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1617. [PMID: 34683910 PMCID: PMC8540596 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive solid tumors, with a low survival for the metastatic stage. Currently, clinical melanoma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Of note, innovative therapeutic regimens concern the administration of multitarget drugs in tandem, in order to improve therapeutic efficacy. However, also, if this drug combination is clinically relevant, the patient's response is not yet optimal. In this scenario, nanotechnology-based delivery systems can play a crucial role in the clinical treatment of advanced melanoma. In fact, their nano-features enable targeted drug delivery at a cellular level by overcoming biological barriers. Various nanomedicines have been proposed for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, and a relevant number of them are undergoing clinical trials. In Italy, researchers are focusing on the pharmaceutical development of nanoformulations for malignant melanoma therapy. The present review reports an overview of the main melanoma-addressed nanomedicines currently under study in Italy, alongside the state of the art of melanoma therapy. Moreover, the latest Italian advances concerning the pre-clinical evaluation of nanomedicines for melanoma are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Battaglia
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Anna Scomparin
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
- . Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Chiara Dianzani
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Paola Milla
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Elisabetta Muntoni
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Silvia Arpicco
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Roberta Cavalli
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
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2
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Sinnberg T, Niessner H, Levesque MP, Dettweiler C, Garbe C, Busch C. Embryonic bone morphogenetic protein and nodal induce invasion in melanocytes and melanoma cells. Biol Open 2018; 7:bio.032656. [PMID: 29716947 PMCID: PMC6031345 DOI: 10.1242/bio.032656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent progress in melanoma therapy via inhibition of activated oncogenes or immune stimulation, most stage IV melanoma patients still have limited survival times. Existing therapeutic approaches eventually fail to prevent further invasion and metastasis, which is driven by a morphological process termed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We previously demonstrated that inhibition of EMT in melanoma cells via antagonizing the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-pathway abrogated EMT and neural crest migration of melanoma cells in chick embryos. Here, we show that BMP-2 is highly expressed in invasive melanoma cells and is elevated in the serum of stage IV melanoma patients compared to stage IB-IIC patients and healthy controls. Highly BMP-2-expressing melanoma cells display enhanced invasion in the rhombencephalon of the chick embryo. In addition to driving neural crest migration in the zebrafish embryo, the agonists BMP-2, BMP-7 and nodal induce EMT/invasion in radial growth phase melanoma cells and in human melanocytes in skin reconstructs. Blocking either BMP or nodal signaling by antagonists (noggin, lefty), or the Alk4/5/7-receptor inhibitor SB431542, decreases EMT and invasion of melanoma cells in human epidermal skin reconstructs. Together, our data suggest that inhibition of EMT-inducing pathways in melanoma might be a therapeutic approach to attenuate melanoma cell invasiveness. Summary: We show that bone morphogenetic protein and nodal drive epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasiveness in melanoma cells, induce EMT and a melanoma-like invasive phenotype in melanocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Sinnberg
- Section of Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, Tuebingen University Hospital, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Heike Niessner
- Section of Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, Tuebingen University Hospital, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Mitchell P Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, UniversitaetsSpital Zuerich, Gloriastrasse 31, 8091 Zuerich, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Dettweiler
- Section of Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, Tuebingen University Hospital, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Claus Garbe
- Section of Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, Tuebingen University Hospital, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christian Busch
- Section of Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, Tuebingen University Hospital, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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3
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Sinnberg T, Levesque MP, Krochmann J, Cheng PF, Ikenberg K, Meraz-Torres F, Niessner H, Garbe C, Busch C. Wnt-signaling enhances neural crest migration of melanoma cells and induces an invasive phenotype. Mol Cancer 2018; 17:59. [PMID: 29454361 PMCID: PMC5816360 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-018-0773-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background During embryonic development Wnt family members and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) cooperatively induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the neural crest. Wnt and BMPs are reactivated during malignant transformation in melanoma. We previously demonstrated that the BMP-antagonist noggin blocked the EMT phenotype of melanoma cells in the neural crest and malignant invasion of melanoma cells in the chick embryo; vice-versa, malignant invasion was induced in human melanocytes in vivo by pre-treatment with BMP-2. Results Although there are conflicting results in the literature about the role of β-catenin for invasion of melanoma cells, we found Wnt/β-catenin signaling to be analogously important for the EMT-like phenotype of human metastatic melanoma cells in the neural crest and during invasion: β-catenin was frequently expressed at the invasive front of human primary melanomas and Wnt3a expression was inversely correlated with survival of melanoma patients. Accordingly, cytoplasmic β-catenin levels were increased during invasion of melanoma cells in the rhombencephalon of the chick embryo. Fibroblast derived Wnt3a reduced melanoma cell adhesion and enhanced migration, while the β-catenin inhibitor PKF115–584 increased adhesion and reduced migration in vitro and in the chick embryonic neural crest environment in vivo. Similarly, knockdown of β-catenin impaired intradermal melanoma cell invasion and PKF115–584 efficiently reduced liver metastasis in a chick chorioallantoic membrane model. Our observations were accompanied by specific alterations in gene expression which are linked to overall survival of melanoma patients. Conclusion We present a novel role for Wnt-signaling in neural crest like melanoma cell invasion and metastasis, stressing the crucial role of embryonic EMT-inducing neural crest signaling for the spreading of malignant melanoma. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12943-018-0773-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Sinnberg
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Mitchell P Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, Universitaets Spital Zürich, Gloriastrasse 31, 8091, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jelena Krochmann
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Phil F Cheng
- Department of Dermatology, Universitaets Spital Zürich, Gloriastrasse 31, 8091, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kristian Ikenberg
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Francisco Meraz-Torres
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heike Niessner
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claus Garbe
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Busch
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. .,Dermateam, Bankstrasse 4, 8400, Winterthur, Switzerland.
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4
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Jayachandran A, Prithviraj P, Lo PH, Walkiewicz M, Anaka M, Woods BL, Tan B, Behren A, Cebon J, McKeown SJ. Identifying and targeting determinants of melanoma cellular invasion. Oncotarget 2018; 7:41186-41202. [PMID: 27172792 PMCID: PMC5173051 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a critical process that increases the malignant potential of melanoma by facilitating invasion and dissemination of tumor cells. This study identified genes involved in the regulation of cellular invasion and evaluated whether they can be targeted to inhibit melanoma invasion. We identified Peroxidasin (PXDN), Netrin 4 (NTN4) and GLIS Family Zinc Finger 3 (GLIS3) genes consistently elevated in invasive mesenchymal-like melanoma cells. These genes and proteins were highly expressed in metastatic melanoma tumors, and gene silencing led to reduced melanoma invasion in vitro. Furthermore, migration of PXDN, NTN4 or GLIS3 siRNA transfected melanoma cells was inhibited following transplantation into the embryonic chicken neural tube compared to control siRNA transfected melanoma cells. Our study suggests that PXDN, NTN4 and GLIS3 play a functional role in promoting melanoma cellular invasion, and therapeutic approaches directed toward inhibiting the action of these proteins may reduce the incidence or progression of metastasis in melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Jayachandran
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.,The University of Queensland School of Medicine and the Gallipoli Medical Research Institute, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Prashanth Prithviraj
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pu-Han Lo
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marzena Walkiewicz
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Anaka
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Briannyn L Woods
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - BeeShin Tan
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Behren
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan Cebon
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sonja J McKeown
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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5
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Zage PE, Whittle SB, Shohet JM. CD114: A New Member of the Neural Crest-Derived Cancer Stem Cell Marker Family. J Cell Biochem 2016; 118:221-231. [PMID: 27428599 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The neural crest is a population of cells in the vertebrate embryo that gives rise to a wide range of tissues and cell types, including components of the peripheral nervous system and the craniofacial skeleton as well as melanocytes and the adrenal medulla. Aberrations in neural crest development can lead to numerous diseases, including cancers such as melanoma and neuroblastoma. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in these neural crest-derived tumors, and these CSCs demonstrate resistance to treatment and are likely key contributors to disease relapse. Patients with neural crest-derived tumors often have poor outcomes due to frequent relapses, likely due to the continued presence of residual treatment-resistant CSCs, and therapies directed against these CSCs are likely to improve patient outcomes. CSCs share many of the same genetic and biologic features of primordial neural crest cells, and therefore a better understanding of neural crest development will likely lead to the development of effective therapies directed against these CSCs. Signaling through STAT3 has been shown to be required for neural crest development, and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF)-mediated activation of STAT3 has been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of neural crest-derived tumors. Expression of the cell surface marker CD114 (the receptor for GCSF) has been identified as a potential marker for CSCs in neural crest-derived tumors, suggesting that CD114 expression and function may contribute to disease relapse and poor patient outcomes. Here we review the processes of neural crest development and tumorigenesis and we discuss the previously identified markers for CSC subpopulations identified in neural crest tumors and their role in neural crest tumor biology. We also discuss the potential for CD114 and downstream intracellular signaling pathways as potential targets for CSC-directed therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 221-231, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter E Zage
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.,Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California
| | - Sarah B Whittle
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Children's Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jason M Shohet
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Children's Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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6
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Prithviraj P, Anaka M, McKeown SJ, Permezel M, Walkiewicz M, Cebon J, Behren A, Jayachandran A. Pregnancy associated plasma protein-A links pregnancy and melanoma progression by promoting cellular migration and invasion. Oncotarget 2016; 6:15953-65. [PMID: 25940796 PMCID: PMC4599249 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most common cancer diagnosed in pregnant women and an aggressive course with poorer outcomes is commonly described during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth. The underlying mechanisms for this are not understood. Here, we report that melanoma migration, invasiveness and progression are promoted by pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPPA), a pregnancy-associated metalloproteinase produced by the placenta that increases the bioavailability of IGF1 by cleaving it from a circulating complex formed with IGFBP4. We show that PAPPA is widely expressed by metastatic melanoma tumors and is elevated in melanoma cells exhibiting mesenchymal, invasive and label-retaining phenotypes. Notably, inhibition of PAPPA significantly reduced invasion and migration of melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo within the embryonic chicken neural tube. PAPPA-enriched pregnancy serum treatment enhanced melanoma motility in vitro. Furthermore, we report that IGF1 can induce the phenotypic and functional effects of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in melanoma cells. In this study, we establish a clear relationship between a pregnancy-associated protein PAPPA, melanoma and functional effects mediated through IGF1 that provides a plausible mechanism for accelerated melanoma progression during pregnancy. This opens the possibility of targeting the PAPPA/IGF1 axis therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashanth Prithviraj
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew Anaka
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Sonja J McKeown
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Marzena Walkiewicz
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Jonathan Cebon
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, VIC, Australia
| | - Andreas Behren
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, VIC, Australia
| | - Aparna Jayachandran
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch, Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, VIC, Australia
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7
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Jayachandran A, McKeown SJ, Woods BL, Prithviraj P, Cebon J. Embryonic Chicken Transplantation is a Promising Model for Studying the Invasive Behavior of Melanoma Cells. Front Oncol 2015; 5:36. [PMID: 25763357 PMCID: PMC4329807 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2015.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a hallmark event in the metastatic cascade conferring invasive ability to tumor cells. There are ongoing efforts to replicate the physiological events occurring during mobilization of tumor cells in model systems. However, few systems are able to capture these complex in vivo events. The embryonic chicken transplantation model has emerged as a useful system to assess melanoma cells including functions that are relevant to the metastatic process, namely invasion and plasticity. The chicken embryo represents an accessible and economical 3-dimensional in vivo model for investigating melanoma cell invasion as it exploits the ancestral relationship between melanoma and its precursor neural crest cells. We describe a methodology that enables the interrogation of melanoma cell motility within the developing avian embryo. This model involves the injection of melanoma cells into the neural tube of chicken embryos. Melanoma cells are labeled using fluorescent tracker dye, Vybrant DiO, then cultured as hanging drops for 24 h to aggregate the cells. Groups of approximately 700 cells are placed into the neural tube of chicken embryos prior to the onset of neural crest migration at the hindbrain level (embryonic day 1.5) or trunk level (embryonic day 2.5). Chick embryos are reincubated and analyzed after 48 h for the location of melanoma cells using fluorescent microscopy on whole mounts and cross-sections of the embryos. Using this system, we compared the in vivo invasive behavior of epithelial-like and mesenchymal-like melanoma cells. We report that the developing embryonic microenvironment confers motile abilities to both types of melanoma cells. Hence, the embryonic chicken transplantation model has the potential to become a valuable tool for in vivo melanoma invasion studies. Importantly, it may provide novel insights into and reveal previously unknown mediators of the metastatic steps of invasion and dissemination in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Jayachandran
- Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch , Heidelberg, VIC , Australia ; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia ; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
| | - Sonja J McKeown
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
| | - Briannyn L Woods
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
| | - Prashanth Prithviraj
- Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch , Heidelberg, VIC , Australia ; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
| | - Jonathan Cebon
- Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne-Austin Branch , Heidelberg, VIC , Australia ; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia ; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
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8
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Maguire LH, Thomas AR, Goldstein AM. Tumors of the neural crest: Common themes in development and cancer. Dev Dyn 2014; 244:311-22. [PMID: 25382669 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Revised: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is a remarkable transient structure in the vertebrate embryo that gives rise to a highly versatile population of pluripotent cells that contribute to the formation of multiple tissues and organs throughout the body. In order to achieve their task, NC-derived cells have developed specialized mechanisms to promote (1) their transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype, (2) their capacity for extensive migration and cell proliferation, and (3) their ability to produce diverse cell types largely depending on the microenvironment encountered during and after their migratory path. Following embryogenesis, these same features of cellular motility, invasion, and proliferation can become a liability by contributing to tumorigenesis and metastasis. Ample evidence has shown that cancer cells have cleverly co-opted many of the genetic and molecular features used by developing NC cells. This review focuses on tumors that arise from NC-derived tissues and examines mechanistic themes shared during their oncogenic and metastatic development with embryonic NC cell ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillias H Maguire
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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9
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Zhang D, Ighaniyan S, Stathopoulos L, Rollo B, Landman K, Hutson J, Newgreen D. The neural crest: a versatile organ system. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 102:275-98. [PMID: 25227568 DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.21081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The neural crest is the name given to the strip of cells at the junction between neural and epidermal ectoderm in neurula-stage vertebrate embryos, which is later brought to the dorsal neural tube as the neural folds elevate. The neural crest is a heterogeneous and multipotent progenitor cell population whose cells undergo EMT then extensively and accurately migrate throughout the embryo. Neural crest cells contribute to nearly every organ system in the body, with derivatives of neuronal, glial, neuroendocrine, pigment, and also mesodermal lineages. This breadth of developmental capacity has led to the neural crest being termed the fourth germ layer. The neural crest has occupied a prominent place in developmental biology, due to its exaggerated migratory morphogenesis and its remarkably wide developmental potential. As such, neural crest cells have become an attractive model for developmental biologists for studying these processes. Problems in neural crest development cause a number of human syndromes and birth defects known collectively as neurocristopathies; these include Treacher Collins syndrome, Hirschsprung disease, and 22q11.2 deletion syndromes. Tumors in the neural crest lineage are also of clinical importance, including the aggressive melanoma and neuroblastoma types. These clinical aspects have drawn attention to the selection or creation of neural crest progenitor cells, particularly of human origin, for studying pathologies of the neural crest at the cellular level, and also for possible cell therapeutics. The versatility of the neural crest lends itself to interlinked research, spanning basic developmental biology, birth defect research, oncology, and stem/progenitor cell biology and therapy.
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Beaumont KA, Mohana-Kumaran N, Haass NK. Modeling Melanoma In Vitro and In Vivo. Healthcare (Basel) 2013; 2:27-46. [PMID: 27429258 PMCID: PMC4934492 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare2010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 12/07/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The behavior of melanoma cells has traditionally been studied in vitro in two-dimensional cell culture with cells adhering to plastic dishes. However, in order to mimic the three-dimensional architecture of a melanoma, as well as its interactions with the tumor microenvironment, there has been the need for more physiologically relevant models. This has been achieved by designing 3D in vitro models of melanoma, such as melanoma spheroids embedded in extracellular matrix or organotypic skin reconstructs. In vivo melanoma models have typically relied on the growth of tumor xenografts in immunocompromised mice. Several genetically engineered mouse models have now been developed which allow the generation of spontaneous melanoma. Melanoma models have also been established in other species such as zebrafish, which are more conducive to imaging and high throughput studies. We will discuss these models as well as novel techniques that are relevant to the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying melanoma progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A. Beaumont
- The Centenary Institute, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia; E-Mails: (K.A.B.); (N.M.-K.)
| | - Nethia Mohana-Kumaran
- The Centenary Institute, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia; E-Mails: (K.A.B.); (N.M.-K.)
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Nikolas K. Haass
- The Centenary Institute, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia; E-Mails: (K.A.B.); (N.M.-K.)
- Discipline of Dermatology, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4102, Australia
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +61-7-3443-7087; Fax: +61-7-3443-6966
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11
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Kulesa PM, Morrison JA, Bailey CM. The neural crest and cancer: a developmental spin on melanoma. Cells Tissues Organs 2013; 198:12-21. [PMID: 23774755 DOI: 10.1159/000348418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural crest (NC) cells undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in order to exit from the dorsal neural tube. Similarly, ancestrally related melanoma cells employ an EMT-like event during the initial stages of metastasis to dissociate from surrounding keratinocytes. Whether or not the molecular pathogenesis and cellular dynamics of melanoma metastasis resemble the embryonic NC invasion program is unclear. Here, we highlight advances in our understanding of tumor cell behaviors and plasticity, focusing on the relationship between melanoma and the NC invasion programs. We summarize recent discoveries of NC cell guidance and emerging in vivo imaging strategies that permit single cell resolution of fluorescently labeled tumor cells, with a focus on our recently developed in vivo chick embryo transplant model. Crucial to the molecular pathogenesis of metastasis, we highlight advances in gene profiling of small cell numbers, including our novel ability to gather gene expression information during distinct stages of melanoma invasion. Lastly, we present preliminary details of a comparison of specific genetic pathways associated with the early phases of melanoma invasion and known NC induction and migration signals. Our results suggest that malignant melanoma cells hijack portions of the NC program to promote plasticity and facilitate metastasis. In summary, there is considerable power in combining an in vivo model system with molecular analysis of gene expression, within the context of established developmental signaling pathways, to identify and study the molecular mechanisms of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Kulesa
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Mo. 64110, USA.
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Busch C, Krochmann J, Drews U. Human melanoma cells in the rhombencephalon of the chick embryo: a novel model for brain metastasis. Exp Dermatol 2013; 21:944-7. [PMID: 23171456 DOI: 10.1111/exd.12041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Malignant melanoma has the highest propensity to metastasize to the brain of all primary neoplasms in adults. Here, we describe invasive growth and the development of melanoma metastases from suspensions of human melanoma cells in the brain of the chick embryo. Patient-derived melanoma cells and established melanoma cell lines were injected into the rhombencephalic brain vesicle of the two-day-chick embryo. After 48 and 96 h, tumor formation was studied in serial paraffin sections with melanoma-specific HMB45 and human-specific MIB1 proliferation markers. The majority of the cells injected into the embryonic liquor cavity perished. Only melanoma cells in newly formed aggregates or when attached to the dorsal roof plate escaped apoptosis. Local invasion occurred not in the ventral differentiating neural epithelium but only in the roof plate. Although after 48 h melanoma cells invaded the rhombencephalic roof plate profusely at both sides, after 96 h typically one large tumor developed in the midline between roof plate and the dorsal surface epithelium. From the tumor, single cells invaded the mesenchyme and blood vessels. Cell lines with different invasive properties retained their graded invasive behaviour. Maximally invasive cells formed continuous tracks via vessels and along nerve fibres. The central tumor in the roof plate of the chick embryo rhombencephalon resembles a metastatic nodule in the patients with melanoma. Penetration of the roof plate epithelium, tumor formation and invasion of surrounding tissues by single cells can reliably be reproduced. The chick embryo model can be used for molecular studies of early phases of melanoma brain metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Busch
- Section of Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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The chick embryo as an experimental system for melanoma cell invasion. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53970. [PMID: 23342051 PMCID: PMC3544663 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 12/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A primary cutaneous melanoma will not kill the patient, but its metastases. Since in vitro studies on melanoma cells in 2-D cultures do often not reflect reality, 3-D models might come closer to the physiological situation in the patient during cancer initiation and progression. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we describe the chick embryo model for in vivo studies of melanoma cell migration and invasion. After transplantation of neural crest-derived melanoma cells into the neural tube, the melanoma cells resume neural crest cell migration along the medial and lateral pathways and finally undergo apoptosis in the target areas. Upon transplantation into ectopic areas such as the hindbrain or the optic cup malignant invasion and local tissue destruction occurs. In contrast, melanocytes are not able to spontaneously resume neural crest cell migration. However, malignant invasion can be induced in melanocytes by pre-treatment with the TGF-beta family members bone morphegenetic protein-2 or nodal. Transplantation of MCF7 breast cancer cells yields a different growth pattern in the rhombencephalon than melanoma cells. Conclusions/Significance The chick embryo model is a feasible, cost-effective in vivo system to study invasion by cancer cells in an embryonic environment. It may be useful to study invasive behavior induced by embryonic oncogenes and for targeted manipulation of melanoma or breast cancer cells aiming at ablation of invasive properties.
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Exploitation of chick embryo environments to reprogram MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells to a benign phenotype, lacking detectable MYCN expression. Oncogenesis 2012; 1:e24. [PMID: 23552815 PMCID: PMC3503288 DOI: 10.1038/oncsis.2012.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a paediatric cancer that arises from the sympathetic ganglia (SG) or adrenal gland. Tumours that occur in patients under 18 months of age have a particularly good prognosis and frequently undergo spontaneous regression. This led to the hypothesis that developmental cues in the youngest patients may prompt belated differentiation and/or apoptosis of the tumour cells. To test our hypothesis, we have injected MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells into the extra embryonic veins of chick embryos at embryonic day 3 (E3) and E6 and analysed the response of these Kelly cells at E10 and E14. Amplification of the MYCN gene occurs in up to 30% of tumours and is normally associated with a very poor prognosis. Kelly cells injected at E3 follow neural crest pathways and integrate into neural locations such as SG and the enteric nervous system although never into the adrenal gland. Additionally they migrate to non-neural locations such as the heart, meninges, jaw regions and tail. The cells respond to their respective microenvironments and in SG, some cells differentiate, they show reduced cell division and crucially all cells have undetectable MYCN expression by E10. In non-neural locations, cells form more rapidly dividing clumps and continue to express MYCN. The downregulation of MYCN is dependent on continuous and direct interaction with the sympathetic ganglion environment. We propose that the MYCN-amplicon in the Kelly cells retains the ability to correctly interpret the environmental cues leading to downregulation of MYCN.
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Dinicola S, D'Anselmi F, Pasqualato A, Proietti S, Lisi E, Cucina A, Bizzarri M. A systems biology approach to cancer: fractals, attractors, and nonlinear dynamics. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2011; 15:93-104. [PMID: 21319994 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2010.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer begins to be recognized as a highly complex disease, and advanced knowledge of the carcinogenic process claims to be acquired by means of supragenomic strategies. Experimental data evidence that tumor emerges from disruption of tissue architecture, and it is therefore consequential that the tissue level should be considered the proper level of observation for carcinogenic studies. This paradigm shift imposes to move from a reductionistic to a systems biology approach. Indeed, cell phenotypes are emergent modes arising through collective nonlinear interactions among different cellular and microenvironmental components, generally described by a phase space diagram, where stable states (attractors) are embedded into a landscape model. Within this framework cell states and cell transitions are generally conceived as mainly specified by the gene-regulatory network. However, the system's dynamics cannot be reduced to only the integrated functioning of the genome-proteome network, and the cell-stroma interacting system must be taken into consideration in order to give a more reliable picture. As cell form represents the spatial geometric configuration shaped by an integrated set of cellular and environmental cues participating in biological functions control, it is conceivable that fractal-shape parameters could be considered as "omics" descriptors of the cell-stroma system. Within this framework it seems that function follows form, and not the other way around.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Dinicola
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Roma, Italy
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Differential Antitumor Effects of IgG and IgM Monoclonal Antibodies and Their Synthetic Complementarity-Determining Regions Directed to New Targets of B16F10-Nex2 Melanoma Cells. Transl Oncol 2010; 3:204-17. [PMID: 20689762 DOI: 10.1593/tlo.09316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2009] [Revised: 02/18/2010] [Accepted: 02/23/2010] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma has increased incidence worldwide and causes most skin cancer-related deaths. A few cell surface antigens that can be targets of antitumor immunotherapy have been characterized in melanoma. This is an expanding field because of the ineffectiveness of conventional cancer therapy for the metastatic form of melanoma. In the present work, antimelanoma monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were raised against B16F10 cells (subclone Nex4, grown in murine serum), with novel specificities and antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. MAb A4 (IgG2ak) recognizes a surface antigen on B16F10-Nex2 cells identified as protocadherin beta(13). It is cytotoxic in vitro and in vivo to B16F10-Nex2 cells as well as in vitro to human melanoma cell lines. MAb A4M (IgM) strongly reacted with nuclei of permeabilized murine tumor cells, recognizing histone 1. Although it is not cytotoxic in vitro, similarly with mAb A4, mAb A4M significantly reduced the number of lung nodules in mice challenged intravenously with B16F10-Nex2 cells. The V(H) CDR3 peptide from mAb A4 and V(L) CDR1 and CDR2 from mAb A4M showed significant cytotoxic activities in vitro, leading tumor cells to apoptosis. A cyclic peptide representing A4 CDR H3 competed with mAb A4 for binding to melanoma cells. MAb A4M CDRs L1 and L2 in addition to the antitumor effect also inhibited angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro. As shown in the present work, mAbs A4 and A4M and selected CDR peptides are strong candidates to be developed as drugs for antitumor therapy for invasive melanoma.
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Dohle DS, Pasa SD, Gustmann S, Laub M, Wissler JH, Jennissen HP, Dünker N. Chick ex ovo culture and ex ovo CAM assay: how it really works. J Vis Exp 2009:1620. [PMID: 19949373 DOI: 10.3791/1620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Chicken eggs in the early phase of breeding are between in vitro and in vivo systems and provide a vascular test environment not only to study angiogenesis but also to study tumorigenesis. After the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) has developed, its blood vessel network can be easily accessed, manipulated and observed and therefore provides an optimal setting for angiogenesis assays. Since the lymphoid system is not fully developed until late stages of incubation, the chick embryo serves as a naturally immunodeficient host capable of sustaining grafted tissues and cells without species-specific restrictions. In addition to nurturing developing allo- and xenografts, the CAM blood vessel network provides a uniquely supportive environment for tumor cell intravasation, dissemination, and vascular arrest and a repository where arrested cells extravasate to form micro metastatic foci. For experimental purposes, in most of the recent studies the CAM was exposed by cutting a window through the egg shell and experiments were carried out in ovo, resulting in significant limitations in the accessibility of the CAM and possibilities for observation and photo documentation of effects. When shell-less cultures of the chick embryo were used(1-4), no experimental details were provided and, if published at all, the survival rates of these cultures were low. We refined the method of ex ovo culture of chick embryos significantly by introducing a rationally controlled extrusion of the egg content. These ex ovo cultures enhance the accessibility of the CAM and chick embryo, enabling easy in vivo documentation of effects and facilitating experimental manipulation of the embryo. This allows the successful application to a large number of scientific questions: (1) As an improved angiogenesis assay(5,6), (2) an experimental set up for facilitated injections in the vitreous of the chick embryo eye(7-9), (3) as a test environment for dissemination and intravasation of dispersed tumor cells from established cell lines inoculated on the CAM(10-12), (4) as an improved sustaining system for successful transplantation and culture of limb buds of chicken and mice(13) as well as (5) for grafting, propagation, and re-grafting of solid primary tumor tissue obtained from biopsies on the surface of the CAM(14). In this video article we describe the establishment of a refined chick ex ovo culture and CAM assay with survival rates over 50%. Besides we provide a step by step demonstration of the successful application of the ex ovo culture for a large number of scientific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Dohle
- Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Department of Biochemical Endocrinology, University of Duisburg-Essen
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Kasemeier-Kulesa JC, Teddy JM, Postovit LM, Seftor EA, Seftor REB, Hendrix MJC, Kulesa PM. Reprogramming multipotent tumor cells with the embryonic neural crest microenvironment. Dev Dyn 2008; 237:2657-66. [PMID: 18629870 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The embryonic microenvironment is an important source of signals that program multipotent cells to adopt a particular fate and migratory path, yet its potential to reprogram and restrict multipotent tumor cell fate and invasion is unrealized. Aggressive tumor cells share many characteristics with multipotent, invasive embryonic progenitors, contributing to the paradigm of tumor cell plasticity. In the vertebrate embryo, multiple cell types originate from a highly invasive cell population called the neural crest. The neural crest and the embryonic microenvironments they migrate through represent an excellent model system to study cell diversification during embryogenesis and phenotype determination. Recent exciting studies of tumor cells transplanted into various embryo models, including the neural crest rich chick microenvironment, have revealed the potential to control and revert the metastatic phenotype, suggesting further work may help to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention derived from a convergence of tumorigenic and embryonic signals. In this mini-review, we summarize markers that are common to the neural crest and highly aggressive human melanoma cells. We highlight advances in our understanding of tumor cell behaviors and plasticity studied within the chick neural crest rich microenvironment. In so doing, we honor the tremendous contributions of Professor Elizabeth D. Hay toward this important interface of developmental and cancer biology.
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Oppitz M, Busch C, Garbe C, Drews U. Distribution of muscarinic receptor subtype M3 in melanomas and their metastases. J Cutan Pathol 2008; 35:809-15. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00905.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Abstract
The primary cause of cancer treatment failure is invasion and metastasis, and invading tumor cells utilize many of the motility patterns that have been documented for normal morphogenesis. Recently, the role of mechanical forces in guiding various tissue and cell movements in embryonic development has been systematically analyzed with new experimental and computational methods. The tissue and cellular mechanobiology approach also holds promise for increasing the understanding of tumor invasion. In fact, the mechanical stiffness of tumors has correlated with invasiveness, and manipulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness in vitro has suppressed the cancer phenotype. Several important signaling molecules reside on the cytoskeleton, which is affected by external stress imparted by the ECM, and deformation of the nucleus can trigger the activation of certain genes. All these observations suggest that a synthesis of the biology of cancer cell invasion and cellular mechanobiology may offer new targets for the treatment of malignant disease. Accordingly, sensitive and relevant in vivo models and methods to study cancer mechanobiology are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Makale
- Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0819, USA.
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Fechner S, Busch C, Oppitz M, Drews U, Meyer-Wittkopf M. The chick embryo as a model for intrauterine ultrasound-guided heart intervention. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2008; 31:277-283. [PMID: 18275092 DOI: 10.1002/uog.5244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Prenatal minimally invasive therapy represents a challenging option for reducing long-term complications of pathological fetal heart development. Here, the potential of the chick embryo as a model for ultrasound-guided intrauterine cardiac intervention is explored. METHODS Chick embryos were incubated for 18 days in fenestrated eggs and their hearts were punctured in ovo under ultrasound guidance. Indian ink and Nile blue sulfate were applied to mark the injection channel. After cardiac intervention, embryos were further incubated and subsequently sacrificed for macroscopic and histological evaluation of the heart. RESULTS Stereomicroscopic analysis revealed that the catheter had successfully penetrated the cardiac ventricular wall in 26/38 embryos. The myocardium was not severely injured. Histological evaluation showed that the myocardium had almost reoccluded after the intervention and that the injection channel was clogged with fibrin. In one case, the embryo was not sacrificed, but was removed from the egg 24 h after the intervention, with no signs of cardiac dysfunction, and was followed up for 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Intrauterine ultrasound-guided heart intervention in the human fetus can be simulated in the chick embryo. Fenestrated eggs have to be used because the egg shell and shell membrane are impermeable to ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fechner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Busch C, Drews U, Eisele SR, Garbe C, Oppitz M. Noggin blocks invasive growth of murine B16-F1 melanoma cells in the optic cup of the chick embryo. Int J Cancer 2008; 122:526-33. [PMID: 17943733 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.23139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma cells originate from the neural crest and are characterized by high migratory potential and invasive growth. After transplantation into the neural tube of the chick embryo, melanoma cells spontaneously emigrate along the neural crest pathways without tumor formation or malignant growth. This emigration depends on the constitutive over-expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and can be ablated by the BMP-antagonist noggin. When transplanted into the embryonic optic cup, melanoma cells invade the host tissue and form malignant tumors. Here, we asked if the invasive growth of melanoma cells in the optic cup could be influenced by BMP-2 or noggin. Mouse B16-F1 cells were grown as aggregates, treated with BMP-2 or noggin during aggregation and transplanted into the optic cup of 3-day chick embryos. After 3 days of subsequent incubation, embryos were evaluated for melanoma cell invasiveness. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that untreated and BMP-2-treated melanoma cells had grown malignantly into the host tissue. However, noggin pretreatment of the aggregates had blocked melanoma cell invasiveness and tumor formation. We conclude that invasive growth of melanoma cells in vivo is BMP-dependent and can be ablated by noggin, thus rendering noggin a promising agent for the treatment of BMP-over-expressing melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Busch
- Department of Dermatology, Section of Dermatologic Oncology, University of Tübingen, Germany
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Hendrix MJC, Seftor EA, Seftor REB, Kasemeier-Kulesa J, Kulesa PM, Postovit LM. Reprogramming metastatic tumour cells with embryonic microenvironments. Nat Rev Cancer 2007; 7:246-55. [PMID: 17384580 DOI: 10.1038/nrc2108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 320] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive tumour cells share many characteristics with embryonic progenitors, contributing to the conundrum of tumour cell plasticity. Recent studies using embryonic models of human stem cells, the zebrafish and the chick have shown the reversion of the metastatic phenotype of aggressive melanoma cells, and revealed the convergence of embryonic and tumorigenic signalling pathways, which may help to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention. This Review will summarize the embryonic models used to reverse the metastatic melanoma phenotype, and highlight the prominent signalling pathways that have emerged as noteworthy targets for future consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary J C Hendrix
- Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program, Children's Memorial Research Centre, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60614, USA.
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