1
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Sigafoos AN, Tolosa EJ, Carr RM, Fernandez-Barrena MG, Almada LL, Pease DR, Hogenson TL, Raja Arul GL, Mousavi F, Sen S, Vera RE, Marks DL, Flores LF, LaRue-Nolan KC, Wu C, Bamlet WR, Vrabel AM, Sicotte H, Schenk EL, Smyrk TC, Zhang L, Rabe KG, Oberg AL, Zaphiropoulos PG, Chevet E, Graham RP, Hagen CE, di Magliano MP, Elsawa SF, Pin CL, Mao J, McWilliams RR, Fernandez-Zapico ME. KRAS Promotes GLI2-Dependent Transcription during Pancreatic Carcinogenesis. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1677-1689. [PMID: 38896052 PMCID: PMC11232480 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Aberrant activation of GLI transcription factors has been implicated in the pathogenesis of different tumor types including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, the mechanistic link with established drivers of this disease remains in part elusive. In this study, using a new genetically engineered mouse model overexpressing constitutively active mouse form of GLI2 and a combination of genome-wide assays, we provide evidence of a novel mechanism underlying the interplay between KRAS, a major driver of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma development, and GLI2 to control oncogenic gene expression. These mice, also expressing KrasG12D, show significantly reduced median survival rate and accelerated tumorigenesis compared with the KrasG12D only expressing mice. Analysis of the mechanism using RNA sequencing demonstrate higher levels of GLI2 targets, particularly tumor growth-promoting genes, including Ccnd1, N-Myc, and Bcl2, in KrasG12D mutant cells. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing studies showed that in these cells KrasG12D increases the levels of trimethylation of lysine 4 of the histone 3 (H3K4me3) at the promoter of GLI2 targets without affecting significantly the levels of other major active chromatin marks. Importantly, Gli2 knockdown reduces H3K4me3 enrichment and gene expression induced by mutant Kras. In summary, we demonstrate that Gli2 plays a significant role in pancreatic carcinogenesis by acting as a downstream effector of KrasG12D to control gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N. Sigafoos
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Ezequiel J. Tolosa
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Ryan M. Carr
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
- Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Maite G. Fernandez-Barrena
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Luciana L. Almada
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - David R. Pease
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Tara L. Hogenson
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Glancis L. Raja Arul
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Fatemeh Mousavi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
| | - Sandhya Sen
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Renzo E. Vera
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - David L. Marks
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Luis F. Flores
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Kayla C. LaRue-Nolan
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Chen Wu
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - William R. Bamlet
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Anne M. Vrabel
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Hugues Sicotte
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Erin L. Schenk
- Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Thomas C. Smyrk
- Division of Anatomic Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Lizhi Zhang
- Division of Anatomic Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Kari G. Rabe
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Ann L. Oberg
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | | | - Eric Chevet
- Université de Rennes, CEDEX, Rennes, France.
| | | | | | - Marina P. di Magliano
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Sherine F. Elsawa
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire.
| | - Christopher L. Pin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
| | - Junhao Mao
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
| | | | - Martin E. Fernandez-Zapico
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
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2
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Abstract
All cancers arise from normal cells whose progeny acquire the cancer-initiating mutations and epigenetic modifications leading to frank tumorigenesis. The identity of those "cells-of-origin" has historically been a source of controversy across tumor types, as it has not been possible to witness the dynamic events giving rise to human tumors. Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of cancer provide an invaluable substitute, enabling researchers to interrogate the competence of various naive cellular compartments to initiate tumors in vivo. Researchers using these models have relied on lineage-specific promoters, knowledge of preneoplastic disease states in humans, and technical advances allowing more precise manipulations of the mouse germline. These approaches have given rise to the emerging view that multiple lineages within a given organ may generate tumors with similar histopathology. Here, we review some of the key studies leading to this conclusion in solid tumors and highlight the biological and clinical ramifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Pitarresi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA
| | - Ben Z Stanger
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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3
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Huang H, Lu W, Zhang X, Pan J, Cao F, Wen L. Fibroblast subtypes in pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis: from mechanisms to therapeutic strategies. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:383-396. [PMID: 37721678 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00874-x] [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] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive fibrosis is a predominant feature of pancreatic stroma and plays a crucial role in the development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Emerging evidence showed diversity and heterogeneity of fibroblasts play crucial and somewhat contradictory roles, the interactions between fibroblasts and pancreatic cells or infiltrating immune cells are of great importance during PDAC and CP progression, with some promising therapeutic strategies being tested. Therefore, in this review, we describe the classification of fibroblasts and their functions in PDAC and pancreatitis, the mechanisms by which fibroblasts mediate the development and progression of PDAC and CP through direct or indirect interaction between fibroblast and pancreatic parenchymal cells, or by remodeling the pancreatic immune microenvironment mediates the development and progression of PDAC and CP. Finally, we summarized the current therapeutic strategies and agents that directly target subtypes of fibroblasts or interfere with their essential functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanyi Lu
- Center for Biomarker Discovery and Validation, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine (PUMCH), Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuli Zhang
- Center for Biomarker Discovery and Validation, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine (PUMCH), Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiachun Pan
- Center for Biomarker Discovery and Validation, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine (PUMCH), Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Li Wen
- Center for Biomarker Discovery and Validation, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine (PUMCH), Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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4
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Singh R, Ray A. Therapeutic potential of hedgehog signaling in advanced cancer types. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 386:49-80. [PMID: 38782501 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2024.01.003] [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: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
In this chapter, we have made an attempt to elucidate the relevance of hedgehog signaling pathway in tumorigenesis. Here, we have described different types of hedgehog signaling (canonical and non-canonical) with emphasis on the different mechanisms (mutation-driven, autocrine, paracrine and reverse paracrine) it adopts during tumorigenesis. We have discussed the role of hedgehog signaling in regulating cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in both local and advanced cancer types, as reported in different studies based on preclinical and clinical models. We have specifically addressed the role of hedgehog signaling in aggressive neuroendocrine tumors as well. We have also elaborated on the studies showing therapeutic relevance of the inhibitors of hedgehog signaling in cancer. Evidence of the crosstalk of hedgehog signaling components with other signaling pathways and treatment resistance due to tumor heterogeneity have also been briefly discussed. Together, we have tried to put forward a compilation of the studies on therapeutic potential of hedgehog signaling in various cancers, specifically aggressive tumor types with a perspective into what is lacking and demands further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Singh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Anindita Ray
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United States
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5
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Falvo DJ, Grimont A, Zumbo P, Fall WB, Yang JL, Osterhoudt A, Pan G, Rendeiro AF, Meng Y, Wilkinson JE, Dündar F, Elemento O, Yantiss RK, Hissong E, Koche R, Betel D, Chandwani R. A reversible epigenetic memory of inflammatory injury controls lineage plasticity and tumor initiation in the mouse pancreas. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2959-2973.e7. [PMID: 38056453 PMCID: PMC10843773 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation is essential to the disruption of tissue homeostasis and can destabilize the identity of lineage-committed epithelial cells. Here, we employ lineage-traced mouse models, single-cell transcriptomic and chromatin analyses, and CUT&TAG to identify an epigenetic memory of inflammatory injury in the pancreatic acinar cell compartment. Despite resolution of pancreatitis, our data show that acinar cells fail to return to their molecular baseline, with retention of elevated chromatin accessibility and H3K4me1 at metaplasia genes, such that memory represents an incomplete cell fate decision. In vivo, we find this epigenetic memory controls lineage plasticity, with diminished metaplasia in response to a second insult but increased tumorigenesis with an oncogenic Kras mutation. The lowered threshold for oncogenic transformation, in turn, can be restored by blockade of MAPK signaling. Together, we define the chromatin dynamics, molecular encoding, and recall of a prolonged epigenetic memory of inflammatory injury that impacts future responses but remains reversible.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Falvo
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Adrien Grimont
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Paul Zumbo
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Applied Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - William B Fall
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Julie L Yang
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alexa Osterhoudt
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Grace Pan
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Andre F Rendeiro
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yinuo Meng
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - John E Wilkinson
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Friederike Dündar
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Applied Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rhonda K Yantiss
- Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Erika Hissong
- Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Richard Koche
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Doron Betel
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Applied Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rohit Chandwani
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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6
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Wang J, Cui B, Li X, Zhao X, Huang T, Ding X. The emerging roles of Hedgehog signaling in tumor immune microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1171418. [PMID: 37213270 PMCID: PMC10196179 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1171418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is pervasively involved in human malignancies, making it an effective target for cancer treatment for decades. In addition to its direct role in regulating cancer cell attributes, recent work indicates that it has an immunoregulatory effect on tumor microenvironments. An integrated understanding of these actions of Hh signaling pathway in tumor cells and tumor microenvironments will pave the way for novel tumor treatments and further advances in anti-tumor immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the most recent research about Hh signaling pathway transduction, with a particular emphasis on its role in modulating tumor immune/stroma cell phenotype and function, such as macrophage polarity, T cell response, and fibroblast activation, as well as their mutual interactions between tumor cells and nonneoplastic cells. We also summarize the recent advances in the development of Hh pathway inhibitors and nanoparticle formulation for Hh pathway modulation. We suggest that targeting Hh signaling effects on both tumor cells and tumor immune microenvironments could be more synergistic for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Wang
- Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People’s Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Baiping Cui
- Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People’s Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojie Li
- Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People’s Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyue Zhao
- Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People’s Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Taomin Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Taomin Huang, ; Xiaolei Ding,
| | - Xiaolei Ding
- Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People’s Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Taomin Huang, ; Xiaolei Ding,
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7
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Sarcar B, Fang B, Izumi V, O Nunez Lopez Y, Tassielli A, Pratley R, Jeong D, Permuth JB, Koomen JM, Fleming JB, Stewart PA. A comparative Proteomics Analysis Identified Differentially Expressed Proteins in Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Stellate Cell Small Extracellular Vesicles. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100438. [PMID: 36332889 PMCID: PMC9792568 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pancreatic stellate cells (HPSCs) are an essential stromal component and mediators of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are membrane-enclosed nanoparticles involved in cell-to-cell communications and are released from stromal cells within PDAC. A detailed comparison of sEVs from normal pancreatic stellate cells (HPaStec) and from PDAC-associated stellate cells (HPSCs) remains a gap in our current knowledge regarding stellate cells and PDAC. We hypothesized there would be differences in sEVs secretion and protein expression that might contribute to PDAC biology. To test this hypothesis, we isolated sEVs using ultracentrifugation followed by characterization by electron microscopy and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis. We report here our initial observations. First, HPSC cells derived from PDAC tumors secrete a higher volume of sEVs when compared to normal pancreatic stellate cells (HPaStec). Although our data revealed that both normal and tumor-derived sEVs demonstrated no significant biological effect on cancer cells, we observed efficient uptake of sEVs by both normal and cancer epithelial cells. Additionally, intact membrane-associated proteins on sEVs were essential for efficient uptake. We then compared sEV proteins isolated from HPSCs and HPaStecs cells using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Most of the 1481 protein groups identified were shared with the exosome database, ExoCarta. Eighty-seven protein groups were differentially expressed (selected by 2-fold difference and adjusted p value ≤0.05) between HPSC and HPaStec sEVs. Of note, HPSC sEVs contained dramatically more CSE1L (chromosome segregation 1-like protein), a described marker of poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. Based on our results, we have demonstrated unique populations of sEVs originating from stromal cells with PDAC and suggest that these are significant to cancer biology. Further studies should be undertaken to gain a deeper understanding that could drive novel therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaswati Sarcar
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Bin Fang
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Victoria Izumi
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | - Alexandra Tassielli
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Richard Pratley
- Translational Research Institute, Advent Health, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel Jeong
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jennifer B Permuth
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA; Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - John M Koomen
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jason B Fleming
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA.
| | - Paul A Stewart
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA.
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8
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Fang Z, Meng Q, Xu J, Wang W, Zhang B, Liu J, Liang C, Hua J, Zhao Y, Yu X, Shi S. Signaling pathways in cancer-associated fibroblasts: recent advances and future perspectives. CANCER COMMUNICATIONS (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 43:3-41. [PMID: 36424360 PMCID: PMC9859735 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
As a critical component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play important roles in cancer initiation and progression. Well-known signaling pathways, including the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), Hedgehog (Hh), Notch, Wnt, Hippo, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways, as well as transcription factors, including hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), P53, Snail, and Twist, constitute complex regulatory networks in the TME to modulate the formation, activation, heterogeneity, metabolic characteristics and malignant phenotype of CAFs. Activated CAFs remodel the TME and influence the malignant biological processes of cancer cells by altering the transcriptional and secretory characteristics, and this modulation partially depends on the regulation of signaling cascades. The results of preclinical and clinical trials indicated that therapies targeting signaling pathways in CAFs demonstrated promising efficacy but were also accompanied by some failures (e.g., NCT01130142 and NCT01064622). Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the signaling cascades in CAFs might help us better understand the roles of CAFs and the TME in cancer progression and may facilitate the development of more efficient and safer stroma-targeted cancer therapies. Here, we review recent advances in studies of signaling pathways in CAFs and briefly discuss some future perspectives on CAF research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengli Fang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Qingcai Meng
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jie Hua
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Institutes of Biomedical SciencesShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
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9
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Lefler JE, MarElia-Bennett CB, Thies KA, Hildreth BE, Sharma SM, Pitarresi JR, Han L, Everett C, Koivisto C, Cuitino MC, Timmers CD, O'Quinn E, Parrish M, Romeo MJ, Linke AJ, Hobbs GA, Leone G, Guttridge DC, Zimmers TA, Lesinski GB, Ostrowski MC. STAT3 in tumor fibroblasts promotes an immunosuppressive microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:e202201460. [PMID: 35803738 PMCID: PMC9270499 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with an incredibly dense stroma, which contributes to its recalcitrance to therapy. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most abundant cell types within the PDAC stroma and have context-dependent regulation of tumor progression in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Therefore, understanding tumor-promoting pathways in CAFs is essential for developing better stromal targeting therapies. Here, we show that disruption of the STAT3 signaling axis via genetic ablation of Stat3 in stromal fibroblasts in a Kras G12D PDAC mouse model not only slows tumor progression and increases survival, but re-shapes the characteristic immune-suppressive TME by decreasing M2 macrophages (F480+CD206+) and increasing CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, we show that loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN in pancreatic CAFs leads to an increase in STAT3 phosphorylation. In addition, increased STAT3 phosphorylation in pancreatic CAFs promotes secretion of CXCL1. Inhibition of CXCL1 signaling inhibits M2 polarization in vitro. The results provide a potential mechanism by which CAFs promote an immune-suppressive TME and promote tumor progression in a spontaneous model of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Lefler
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Catherine B MarElia-Bennett
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Katie A Thies
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Blake E Hildreth
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Sudarshana M Sharma
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jason R Pitarresi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lu Han
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Caroline Everett
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Christopher Koivisto
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Maria C Cuitino
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Cynthia D Timmers
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Elizabeth O'Quinn
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Melodie Parrish
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Martin J Romeo
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Amanda J Linke
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - G Aaron Hobbs
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Denis C Guttridge
- Department of Pediatrics and Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Teresa A Zimmers
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gregory B Lesinski
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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10
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Masugi Y. The Desmoplastic Stroma of Pancreatic Cancer: Multilayered Levels of Heterogeneity, Clinical Significance, and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133293. [PMID: 35805064 PMCID: PMC9265767 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant disease with treatment resistance to standardized chemotherapies. In addition, only a small fraction of patients with pancreatic cancer has, to date, actionable genetic aberrations, leading to a narrow therapeutic window for molecularly targeted therapies or immunotherapies. A lot of preclinical and translational studies are ongoing to discover potential vulnerabilities to treat pancreatic cancer. Histologically, human pancreatic cancer is characterized by abundant cancer-associated fibrotic stroma, called “desmoplastic stroma”. Recent technological advances have revealed that desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer is much more complicated than previously thought, playing pleiotropic roles in manipulating tumor cell fate and anti-tumor immunity. Moreover, real-world specimen-based analyses of pancreatic cancer stroma have also uncovered spatial heterogeneity and an intertumoral variety associated with molecular alterations, clinicopathological factors, and patient outcomes. This review describes an overview of the current efforts in the field of pancreatic cancer stromal biology and discusses treatment opportunities of stroma-modifying therapies against this hard-to-treat cancer. Abstract Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies and is becoming a dramatically increasing cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Abundant desmoplastic stroma is a histological hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Emerging evidence suggests a promising therapeutic effect of several stroma-modifying therapies that target desmoplastic stromal elements in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. The evidence also unveils multifaceted roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in manipulating pancreatic cancer progression, immunity, and chemotherapeutic response. Current state-of-the-art technologies, including single-cell transcriptomics and multiplexed tissue imaging techniques, have provided a more profound knowledge of CAF heterogeneity in real-world specimens from pancreatic cancer patients, as well as in genetically engineered mouse models. In this review, we describe recent advances in the understanding of the molecular pathology bases of pancreatic cancer desmoplastic stroma at multilayered levels of heterogeneity, namely, (1) variations in cellular and non-cellular members, including CAF subtypes and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins; (2) geographical heterogeneity in relation to cell–cell interactions and signaling pathways at niche levels and spatial heterogeneity at locoregional levels or organ levels; and (3) intertumoral stromal heterogeneity at individual levels. This review further discusses the clinicopathological significance of desmoplastic stroma and the potential opportunities for stroma-targeted therapies against this lethal malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Masugi
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1608582, Japan; ; Tel.: +81-3-5363-3764; Fax: +81-3-3353-3290
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1608582, Japan
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11
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Scales MK, Velez-Delgado A, Steele NG, Schrader HE, Stabnick AM, Yan W, Mercado Soto NM, Nwosu ZC, Johnson C, Zhang Y, Salas-Escabillas DJ, Menjivar RE, Maurer HC, Crawford HC, Bednar F, Olive KP, Pasca di Magliano M, Allen BL. Combinatorial Gli activity directs immune infiltration and tumor growth in pancreatic cancer. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010315. [PMID: 35867772 PMCID: PMC9348714 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper Hedgehog (HH) signaling is essential for embryonic development, while aberrant HH signaling drives pediatric and adult cancers. HH signaling is frequently dysregulated in pancreatic cancer, yet its role remains controversial, with both tumor-promoting and tumor-restraining functions reported. Notably, the GLI family of HH transcription factors (GLI1, GLI2, GLI3), remain largely unexplored in pancreatic cancer. We therefore investigated the individual and combined contributions of GLI1-3 to pancreatic cancer progression. At pre-cancerous stages, fibroblast-specific Gli2/Gli3 deletion decreases immunosuppressive macrophage infiltration and promotes T cell infiltration. Strikingly, combined loss of Gli1/Gli2/Gli3 promotes macrophage infiltration, indicating that subtle changes in Gli expression differentially regulate immune infiltration. In invasive tumors, Gli2/Gli3 KO fibroblasts exclude immunosuppressive myeloid cells and suppress tumor growth by recruiting natural killer cells. Finally, we demonstrate that fibroblasts directly regulate macrophage and T cell migration through the expression of Gli-dependent cytokines. Thus, the coordinated activity of GLI1-3 directs the fibroinflammatory response throughout pancreatic cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K. Scales
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ashley Velez-Delgado
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Nina G. Steele
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Hannah E. Schrader
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Anna M. Stabnick
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Wei Yan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Nayanna M. Mercado Soto
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Zeribe C. Nwosu
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Craig Johnson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | | | - Rosa E. Menjivar
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - H. Carlo Maurer
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York city, New York, United States of America
- Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Howard C. Crawford
- Department of Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Filip Bednar
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Kenneth P. Olive
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York city, New York, United States of America
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York city, New York, United States of America
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Benjamin L. Allen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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12
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Han L, Seward C, Leone G, Ostrowski MC. Origin, activation and heterogeneity of fibroblasts associated with pancreas and breast cancers. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 154:169-201. [PMID: 35459469 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Pancreas and breast cancers both contain abundant stromal components within the tumor tissues. A prominent cell type within the stroma is cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs play critical and complex roles establishing the tumor microenvironment to either promote or prevent tumor progression. Recently, complex genetic models and single cell-based techniques have provided emerging insights on the precise functions and cellular heterogeneity of CAFs. The transformation of normal fibroblasts into CAFs is a key event during tumor initiation and progression. Such coordination between tumor cells and fibroblasts plays an important role in cancer development. Reprograming fibroblasts is currently being explored for therapeutic benefits. In this review, we will discuss recent literature shedding light on the tissues of origin, activation mechanisms, and heterogeneity of CAFs comparing pancreas and breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
| | - Cara Seward
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Medical college of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
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13
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Abstract
Decades of research have concluded that disruptions to Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) have profound effects on cancer progression. However, as our understanding of the tumor stroma has evolved, we can appreciate that disruptions to tumor suppressors such as PTEN should not be studied solely in an epithelial context. Inactivation of PTEN in the stroma is associated with worse outcomes in human cancers, therefore, it is important to understand activities regulated downstream of PTEN in stromal compartments. Studies reviewed herein provide evidence for important mechanistic targets downstream of PTEN signaling in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major component of the tumor stroma. We also discuss the potential clinical implications for these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Lefler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Cara Seward
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
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14
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Li X, He J, Xie K. Molecular signaling in pancreatic ductal metaplasia: emerging biomarkers for detection and intervention of early pancreatic cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:201-225. [PMID: 35290607 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00664-x] [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] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal metaplasia (PDM) is the transformation of potentially various types of cells in the pancreas into ductal or ductal-like cells, which eventually replace the existing differentiated somatic cell type(s). PDM is usually triggered by and manifests its ability to adapt to environmental stimuli and genetic insults. The development of PDM to atypical hyperplasia or dysplasia is an important risk factor for pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Recent studies using genetically engineered mouse models, cell lineage tracing, single-cell sequencing and others have unraveled novel cellular and molecular insights in PDM formation and evolution. Those novel findings help better understand the cellular origins and functional significance of PDM and its regulation at cellular and molecular levels. Given that PDM represents the earliest pathological changes in PDA initiation and development, translational studies are beginning to define PDM-associated cell and molecular biomarkers that can be used to screen and detect early PDA and to enable its effective intervention, thereby truly and significantly reducing the dreadful mortality rate of PDA. This review will describe recent advances in the understanding of PDM biology with a focus on its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, and in biomarker discovery with clinical implications for the management of pancreatic regeneration and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojia Li
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Department of Pathology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie He
- Institute of Digestive Diseases Research, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Keping Xie
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
- Department of Pathology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
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15
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Li S, Xie K. Ductal metaplasia in pancreas. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188698. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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16
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Sunami Y, Häußler J, Zourelidis A, Kleeff J. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Tumor Cells in Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment and Metastasis: Paracrine Regulators, Reciprocation and Exosomes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030744. [PMID: 35159011 PMCID: PMC8833704 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer-associated fibroblasts in the stromal tumor microenvironment play a key role in cancer progression, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts communicate with tumor cells through diverse factors, such as growth factors, hedgehog proteins, cytokines, and chemokines, regulating signaling activity in paracrine as well as paracrine-reciprocal ways. Furthermore, cancer-associated fibroblasts, not only tumor cells, secrete exosomes that drive pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. Abstract Pancreatic cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and the overall 5 year survival rate is still only around 10%. Pancreatic cancer exhibits a remarkable resistance to established therapeutic options such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, in part due to the dense stromal tumor microenvironment, where cancer-associated fibroblasts are the major stromal cell type. Cancer-associated fibroblasts further play a key role in cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts communicate with tumor cells, not only through paracrine as well as paracrine-reciprocal signaling regulators but also by way of exosomes. In the current manuscript, we discuss intercellular mediators between cancer-associated fibroblasts and pancreatic cancer cells in a paracrine as well as paracrine-reciprocal manner. Further recent findings on exosomes in pancreatic cancer and metastasis are summarized.
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17
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Tao X, Xiang H, Pan Y, Shang D, Guo J, Gao G, Xiao GG. Pancreatitis initiated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Pathophysiology explaining clinical evidence. Pharmacol Res 2021; 168:105595. [PMID: 33823219 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant lethal disease due to its asymptomatic at its early lesion of the disease and drug resistance. Target therapy associated with molecular pathways so far seems not to produce reasonable outcomes. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation-initiated tumorigenesis may be helpful for development of an effective therapy of the disease. A line of studies showed that pancreatic tumorigenesis was resulted from pancreatitis, which was caused synergistically by various pancreatic cells. This review focuses on those players and their possible clinic implications, such as exocrine acinar cells, ductal cells, and various stromal cells, including pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, adipocytes and endothelial cells, working together with each other in an inflammation-mediated microenvironment governed by a myriad of cellular signaling networks towards PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xufeng Tao
- Department of Pharmacology at School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Hong Xiang
- Clinical Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yue Pan
- Department of Pharmacology at School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Dong Shang
- Clinical Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Junchao Guo
- Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ge Gao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Gary Guishan Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology at School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China; The UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Functional Genomics and Proteomics Laboratory, Osteoporosis Research Center, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.
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18
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Cholesterol Activates Cyclic AMP Signaling in Metaplastic Acinar Cells. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11030141. [PMID: 33652890 PMCID: PMC7996857 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11030141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is a non-essential metabolite that exerts both structural and signaling functions. However, cholesterol biosynthesis is elevated, and actively supports, pancreatic carcinogenesis. Our previous work showed that statins block the reprogramming of mutant KRAS-expressing acinar cells, that spontaneously undergo a metaplastic event termed acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) to initiate carcinogenesis. Here we tested the impact of cholesterol supplementation on isolated primary wild-type acinar cells and observed enhanced ductal transdifferentiation, associated with generation of the second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and the induction of downstream protein kinase A (PKA). Inhibition of PKA suppresses cholesterol-induced ADM ex vivo. Live imaging using fluorescent biosensors dissected the temporal and spatial dynamics of PKA activation upon cholesterol addition and showed uneven activation both in the cytosol and on the outer mitochondrial membrane of primary pancreatic acinar cells. The ability of cholesterol to activate cAMP signaling is lost in tumor cells. Qualitative examination of multiple normal and transformed cell lines supports the notion that the cAMP/PKA axis plays different roles during multi-step pancreatic carcinogenesis. Collectively, our findings describe the impact of cholesterol availability on the cyclic AMP/PKA axis and plasticity of pancreatic acinar cells.
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19
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Malchiodi ZX, Weiner LM. Understanding and Targeting Natural Killer Cell-Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Interactions in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030405. [PMID: 33499238 PMCID: PMC7865209 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Current therapies can be ineffective due to immune suppression and fibrosis (tissue scarring) that prevents cancer cells from being killed. This review article discusses the relevance of examining how natural killer (NK) cells, immune cells involved in the anti-cancer immune response, interact with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which cause fibrosis, in pancreatic cancer. Understanding how these cell types interact may provide insights to guide the development of novel targeted therapies to increase immune response and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. Abstract Interactions between natural killer (NK) cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) comprise a relevant but relatively understudied crosstalk relationship within the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review discusses the relevance of both natural killer cell and cancer-associated fibroblast function and activity in cancers, with an emphasis on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), incorporating additional insights from other malignancies to inform future directions for research. We describe what is currently known about NK cell-CAF crosstalk and their molecular interactions, how it is possible to exploit NK cell cytotoxicity in tumors and how to target CAFs to enhance efficacy of cancer therapies and cytotoxic immune cells. Although not previously tested in combination, there is an abundance of evidence demonstrating that targeting tumor-promoting CAFs and exploiting NK cells, separately, are beneficial as therapeutic strategies. This raises the possibility that a novel combination regimen addressing these two cell targets may be even more beneficial to eradicate PDAC and other solid tumors.
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20
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Garcia PE, Scales MK, Allen BL, Pasca di Magliano M. Pancreatic Fibroblast Heterogeneity: From Development to Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:E2464. [PMID: 33198201 PMCID: PMC7698149 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is characterized by an extensive fibroinflammatory microenvironment that accumulates from the onset of disease progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a prominent cellular component of the stroma, but their role during carcinogenesis remains controversial, with both tumor-supporting and tumor-restraining functions reported in different studies. One explanation for these contradictory findings is the heterogeneous nature of the fibroblast populations, and the different roles each subset might play in carcinogenesis. Here, we review the current literature on the origin and function of pancreatic fibroblasts, from the developing organ to the healthy adult pancreas, and throughout the initiation and progression of PDA. We also discuss clinical approaches to targeting fibroblasts in PDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma E. Garcia
- Program in Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA;
| | - Michael K. Scales
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.K.S.); (B.L.A.)
| | - Benjamin L. Allen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.K.S.); (B.L.A.)
- Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (M.K.S.); (B.L.A.)
- Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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21
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Han X, Zhang WH, Wang WQ, Yu XJ, Liu L. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in therapeutic resistance of pancreatic cancer: Present situation, predicaments, and perspectives. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1874:188444. [PMID: 33031899 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is highly lethal, and the most effective treatment is curative resection followed by chemotherapy. Unfortunately, chemoresistance is an extremely common occurrence, and novel treatment modalities, such as immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy, have shown limited success in clinical practice. Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an abundant stromal compartment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the extracellular matrix they deposit account for a large portion of the pancreatic tumor stroma. CAFs interact directly and indirectly with pancreatic cancer cells and can compromise the effects of, and even promote tumorigenic responses to, various treatment approaches. To eliminate these adverse effects, CAFs depletion strategies were developed. Instead of the anticipated antitumor effects of CAFs depletion, more aggressive tumor phenotypes were occasionally observed. The failure of universal stromal depletion led to the investigation of CAFs heterogeneity that forms the foundation for stromal remodeling and normalization. This review analyzes the role of CAFs in therapeutic resistance of pancreatic cancer and discusses potential CAFs-targeting strategies basing on the diverse biological functions of CAFs, thus to improve the outcome of pancreatic cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Han
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wu-Hu Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Quan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xian-Jun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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22
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The Role of Smoothened in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186863. [PMID: 32962123 PMCID: PMC7555769 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (SMO) belongs to the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway, which regulates cell growth, migration, invasion and stem cells in cancer. The HH signaling pathway includes both canonical and noncanonical pathways. The canonical HH pathway functions through major HH molecules such as HH ligands, PTCH, SMO and GLI, whereas the noncanonical HH pathway involves the activation of SMO or GLI through other pathways. The role of SMO has been discussed in different types of cancer, including breast, liver, pancreatic and colon cancers. SMO expression correlates with tumor size, invasiveness, metastasis and recurrence. In addition, SMO inhibitors can suppress cancer formation, reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, trigger apoptosis and suppress cancer stem cell activity. A better understanding of the role of SMO in cancer could contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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23
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Paoli C, Carrer A. Organotypic Culture of Acinar Cells for the Study of Pancreatic Cancer Initiation. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2606. [PMID: 32932616 PMCID: PMC7564199 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The carcinogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) progresses according to multi-step evolution, whereby the disease acquires increasingly aggressive pathological features. On the other hand, disease inception is poorly investigated. Decoding the cascade of events that leads to oncogenic transformation is crucial to design strategies for early diagnosis as well as to tackle tumor onset. Lineage-tracing experiments demonstrated that pancreatic cancerous lesions originate from acinar cells, a highly specialized cell type in the pancreatic epithelium. Primary acinar cells can survive in vitro as organoid-like 3D spheroids, which can transdifferentiate into cells with a clear ductal morphology in response to different cell- and non-cell-autonomous stimuli. This event, termed acinar-to-ductal metaplasia, recapitulates the histological and molecular features of disease initiation. Here, we will discuss the isolation and culture of primary pancreatic acinar cells, providing a historical and technical perspective. The impact of pancreatic cancer research will also be debated. In particular, we will dissect the roles of transcriptional, epigenetic, and metabolic reprogramming for tumor initiation and we will show how that can be modeled using ex vivo acinar cell cultures. Finally, mechanisms of PDA initiation described using organotypical cultures will be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Paoli
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), 35129 Padova, Italy;
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Carrer
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), 35129 Padova, Italy;
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy
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24
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Carr RM, Duma N, McCleary-Wheeler AL, Almada LL, Marks DL, Graham RP, Smyrk TC, Lowe V, Borad MJ, Kim G, Johnson GB, Allred JB, Yin J, Lim VS, Bekaii-Saab T, Ma WW, Erlichman C, Adjei AA, Fernandez-Zapico ME. Targeting of the Hedgehog/GLI and mTOR pathways in advanced pancreatic cancer, a phase 1 trial of Vismodegib and Sirolimus combination. Pancreatology 2020; 20:1115-1122. [PMID: 32778368 DOI: 10.1016/j.pan.2020.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Preclinical data indicated a functional and molecular interaction between Hedgehog (HH)/GLI and PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathways promoting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A phase I study was conducted of Vismodegib and Sirolimus combination to evaluate maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and preliminary anti-tumor efficacy. METHODS Cohort I included advanced solid tumors patients following a traditional 3 + 3 design. Vismodegib was orally administered at 150 mg daily with Sirolimus starting at 3 mg daily, increasing to 6 mg daily at dose level 2. Cohort II included only metastatic PDAC patients. Anti-tumor efficacy was evaluated every two cycles and target assessment at pre-treatment and after a single cycle. RESULTS Nine patient were enrolled in cohort I and 22 patients in cohort II. Twenty-eight patients were evaluated for dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). One DLT was observed in each cohort, consisting of grade 2 mucositis and grade 3 thrombocytopenia. The MTD for Vismodegib and Sirolimus were 150 mg daily and 6 mg daily, respectively. The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were fatigue, thrombocytopenia, dehydration, and infections. A total of 6 patients had stable disease. No partial or complete responses were observed. Paired biopsy analysis before and after the first cycle in cohort II consistently demonstrated reduced GLI1 expression. Conversely, GLI and mTOR downstream targets were not significantly affected. CONCLUSIONS The combination of Vismodegib and Sirolimus was well tolerated. Clinical benefit was limited to stable disease in a subgroup of patients. Targeting efficacy demonstrated consistent partial decreases in HH/GLI signaling with limited impact on mTOR signaling. These findings conflict with pre-clinical models and warrant further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Carr
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA
| | - Narjust Duma
- Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Angela L McCleary-Wheeler
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Luciana L Almada
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - David L Marks
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Rondell P Graham
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Thomas C Smyrk
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Val Lowe
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mitesh J Borad
- Division of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - George Kim
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Jacob B Allred
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Vun-Sin Lim
- Department of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA
| | - Tanios Bekaii-Saab
- Division of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Wen We Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA
| | - Charles Erlichman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA
| | - Alex A Adjei
- Department of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA.
| | - Martin E Fernandez-Zapico
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA.
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25
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Hadden M, Mittal A, Samra J, Zreiqat H, Sahni S, Ramaswamy Y. Mechanically stressed cancer microenvironment: Role in pancreatic cancer progression. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1874:188418. [PMID: 32827581 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal solid malignancies in the world due to its insensitivity to current therapies and its propensity to metastases from the primary tumor mass. This is largely attributed to its complex microenvironment composed of unique stromal cell populations and extracellular matrix (ECM). The recruitment and activation of these cell populations cause an increase in deposition of ECM components, which highly influences the behavior of malignant cells through disrupted forms of signaling. As PDAC progresses from premalignant lesion to invasive carcinoma, this dynamic landscape shields the mass from immune defenses and cytotoxic intervention. This microenvironment influences an invasive cell phenotype through altered forms of mechanical signaling, capable of enacting biochemical changes within cells through activated mechanotransduction pathways. The effects of altered mechanical cues on malignant cell mechanotransduction have long remained enigmatic, particularly in PDAC, whose microenvironment significantly changes over time. A more complete and thorough understanding of PDAC's physical surroundings (microenvironment), mechanosensing proteins, and mechanical properties may help in identifying novel mechanisms that influence disease progression, and thus, provide new potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hadden
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Anubhav Mittal
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia; Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jaswinder Samra
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia; Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hala Zreiqat
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Innovative Bioengineering, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; The University of Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Sumit Sahni
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia; Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Yogambha Ramaswamy
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; The University of Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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26
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Sodir NM, Kortlever RM, Barthet VJA, Campos T, Pellegrinet L, Kupczak S, Anastasiou P, Swigart LB, Soucek L, Arends MJ, Littlewood TD, Evan GI. MYC Instructs and Maintains Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Phenotype. Cancer Discov 2020; 10:588-607. [PMID: 31941709 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The signature features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are its fibroinflammatory stroma, poor immune activity, and dismal prognosis. We show that acute activation of Myc in indolent pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasm (PanIN) epithelial cells in vivo is, alone, sufficient to trigger immediate release of instructive signals that together coordinate changes in multiple stromal and immune-cell types and drive transition to pancreatic adenocarcinomas that share all the characteristic stromal features of their spontaneous human counterpart. We also demonstrate that this Myc-driven PDAC switch is completely and immediately reversible: Myc deactivation/inhibition triggers meticulous disassembly of advanced PDAC tumor and stroma and concomitant death of tumor cells. Hence, both the formation and deconstruction of the complex PDAC phenotype are continuously dependent on a single, reversible Myc switch. SIGNIFICANCE: We show that Myc activation in indolent Kras G12D-induced PanIN epithelium acts as an immediate pleiotropic switch, triggering tissue-specific signals that instruct all the diverse signature stromal features of spontaneous human PDAC. Subsequent Myc deactivation or inhibition immediately triggers a program that coordinately disassembles PDAC back to PanIN.See related commentary by English and Sears, p. 495.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Sodir
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roderik M Kortlever
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tania Campos
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Pellegrinet
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Kupczak
- Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lamorna Brown Swigart
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Laura Soucek
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mark J Arends
- Division of Pathology, Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor D Littlewood
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard I Evan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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27
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Jeng KS, Chang CF, Lin SS. Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Organogenesis, Tumors, and Tumor Microenvironments. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21030758. [PMID: 31979397 PMCID: PMC7037908 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During mammalian embryonic development, primary cilia transduce and regulate several signaling pathways. Among the various pathways, Sonic hedgehog (SHH) is one of the most significant. SHH signaling remains quiescent in adult mammalian tissues. However, in multiple adult tissues, it becomes active during differentiation, proliferation, and maintenance. Moreover, aberrant activation of SHH signaling occurs in cancers of the skin, brain, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, stomach, colon, breast, lung, prostate, and hematological malignancies. Recent studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment or stroma could affect tumor development and metastasis. One hypothesis has been proposed, claiming that the pancreatic epithelia secretes SHH that is essential in establishing and regulating the pancreatic tumor microenvironment in promoting cancer progression. The SHH signaling pathway is also activated in the cancer stem cells (CSC) of several neoplasms. The self-renewal of CSC is regulated by the SHH/Smoothened receptor (SMO)/Glioma-associated oncogene homolog I (GLI) signaling pathway. Combined use of SHH signaling inhibitors and chemotherapy/radiation therapy/immunotherapy is therefore key in targeting CSCs.
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28
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Thies KA, Lefler JE, Leone G, Ostrowski MC. PTEN in the Stroma. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2019; 9:cshperspect.a036111. [PMID: 31427286 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a036111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Although tremendous progress has been made in understanding the functions of Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) in tumor cells, only recently have tumor cell-non-autonomous PTEN actions within the tumor microenvironment (TME) been appreciated. While it is accepted that the TME actively communicates with cancer cells to influence disease progression, our understanding of the genes and pathways responsible is still evolving. Given that inactivation of PTEN in the stroma is correlated with worse outcomes in human cancers, determining the unique functions and mechanisms of PTEN regulation in various TME cell compartments is essential. In this review, the evidence for PTEN function in different TME cell compartments, the mechanisms governing PTEN inactivation, and the downstream pathways regulated by PTEN that are critical for intracellular communication, are covered. The potential clinical implications of these findings as well as the future directions for the study of stromal PTEN are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A Thies
- Department of Radiation Oncology and The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Julia E Lefler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.,Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.,Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.,Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA
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29
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TMEM16A controls EGF-induced calcium signaling implicated in pancreatic cancer prognosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13026-13035. [PMID: 31182586 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1900703116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and has poor survival rates. Here, we report that the calcium-activated chloride channel TMEM16A is a biomarker for pancreatic cancer with a poor prognosis. TMEM16A is up-regulated in 75% of cases of pancreatic cancer and high levels of TMEM16A expression are correlated with low patient survival probability. TMEM16A up-regulation is associated with the ligand-dependent EGFR signaling pathway. In vitro, TMEM16A is required for EGF-induced store-operated calcium entry essential for pancreatic cancer cell migration. TMEM16A also has a profound impact on phosphoproteome remodeling upon EGF stimulation. Moreover, molecular actors identified in this TMEM16A-dependent EGFR-induced calcium signaling pathway form a gene set that makes it possible not only to distinguish neuro-endocrine tumors from other forms of pancreatic cancer, but also to subdivide the latter into three clusters with distinct genetic profiles that could reflect their molecular underpinning.
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30
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Adams CR, Htwe HH, Marsh T, Wang AL, Montoya ML, Subbaraj L, Tward AD, Bardeesy N, Perera RM. Transcriptional control of subtype switching ensures adaptation and growth of pancreatic cancer. eLife 2019; 8:45313. [PMID: 31134896 PMCID: PMC6538376 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a heterogeneous disease comprised of a basal-like subtype with mesenchymal gene signatures, undifferentiated histopathology and worse prognosis compared to the classical subtype. Despite their prognostic and therapeutic value, the key drivers that establish and control subtype identity remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that PDA subtypes are not permanently encoded, and identify the GLI2 transcription factor as a master regulator of subtype inter-conversion. GLI2 is elevated in basal-like PDA lines and patient specimens, and forced GLI2 activation is sufficient to convert classical PDA cells to basal-like. Mechanistically, GLI2 upregulates expression of the pro-tumorigenic secreted protein, Osteopontin (OPN), which is especially critical for metastatic growth in vivo and adaptation to oncogenic KRAS ablation. Accordingly, elevated GLI2 and OPN levels predict shortened overall survival of PDA patients. Thus, the GLI2-OPN circuit is a driver of PDA cell plasticity that establishes and maintains an aggressive variant of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina R Adams
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Htet Htwe Htwe
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Timothy Marsh
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Aprilgate L Wang
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Megan L Montoya
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Lakshmipriya Subbaraj
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Aaron D Tward
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Nabeel Bardeesy
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Rushika M Perera
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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31
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Todoric J, Karin M. The Fire within: Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms in Inflammation-Driven Cancer. Cancer Cell 2019; 35:714-720. [PMID: 31085174 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory cells are important for tumor initiation and promotion, providing cancer cells with cytokines that enhance cell proliferation and survival. Although malignant epithelial cells were traditionally considered to be on the receiving end of these microenvironmental interactions, recent studies show that epithelial cells can undergo inflammatory reprogramming on their own. Such epigenetic switches are often triggered by chronic tissue injury and play important roles in tissue repair. By converting terminally differentiated cells that harbor even a single oncogenic mutation to a less differentiated state with a higher proliferative potential, cell-autonomous inflammation is an important contributor to tumor initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Todoric
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Michael Karin
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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32
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Crawford HC, Pasca di Magliano M, Banerjee S. Signaling Networks That Control Cellular Plasticity in Pancreatic Tumorigenesis, Progression, and Metastasis. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:2073-2084. [PMID: 30716326 PMCID: PMC6545585 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the deadliest cancers, and its incidence on the rise. The major challenges in overcoming the poor prognosis with this disease include late detection and the aggressive biology of the disease. Intratumoral heterogeneity; presence of a robust, reactive, and desmoplastic stroma; and the crosstalk between the different tumor components require complete understanding of the pancreatic tumor biology to better understand the therapeutic challenges posed by this disease. In this review, we discuss the processes involved during tumorigenesis encompassing the inherent plasticity of the transformed cells, development of tumor stroma crosstalk, and enrichment of cancer stem cell population during tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard C Crawford
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Sulagna Banerjee
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Sylvester Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.
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33
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Whittle MC, Hingorani SR. Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Biological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:2085-2096. [PMID: 30721663 PMCID: PMC6486863 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The desmoplastic reaction of pancreas cancer may begin as a wound healing response to the nascent neoplasm, but it soon creates an insidious shelter that can sustain the growing tumor and rebuff therapy. Among the many cell types subverted by transformed epithelial cells, fibroblasts are recruited and activated to lay a foundation of extracellular matrix proteins and glycosaminoglycans that alter tumor biophysics and signaling. Their near-universal presence in pancreas cancer and ostensible support of disease progression make fibroblasts attractive therapeutic targets. More recently, however, it has also become apparent that diverse subpopulations of fibroblasts with distinct phenotypes and secretomes inhabit the stroma, and that targeted depletion of particular fibroblast subsets could either provide substantial therapeutic benefit or accelerate disease progression. An improved characterization of these fibroblast subtypes, along with their potential relationships to tumor subtypes and mutational repertoires, is needed in order to make anti-fibroblast therapies clinically viable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin C. Whittle
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109,Correspondence: Martin C. Whittle, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M5-C800, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, , Sunil R. Hingorani, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M5-C800, Seattle, WA 98109-1024,
| | - Sunil R. Hingorani
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109,Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109,Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195,Correspondence: Martin C. Whittle, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M5-C800, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, , Sunil R. Hingorani, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M5-C800, Seattle, WA 98109-1024,
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34
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Shouksmith AE, Shah F, Grimard ML, Gawel JM, Raouf YS, Geletu M, Berger-Becvar A, de Araujo ED, Luchman HA, Heaton WL, Bakhshinyan D, Adile AA, Venugopal C, O'Hare T, Deininger MW, Singh SK, Konieczny SF, Weiss S, Fishel ML, Gunning PT. Identification and Characterization of AES-135, a Hydroxamic Acid-Based HDAC Inhibitor That Prolongs Survival in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer. J Med Chem 2019; 62:2651-2665. [PMID: 30776234 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive, incurable cancer with a 20% 1 year survival rate. While standard-of-care therapy can prolong life in a small fraction of cases, PDAC is inherently resistant to current treatments, and novel therapies are urgently required. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are effective in killing pancreatic cancer cells in in vitro PDAC studies, and although there are a few clinical studies investigating combination therapy including HDAC inhibitors, no HDAC drug or combination therapy with an HDAC drug has been approved for the treatment of PDAC. We developed an inhibitor of HDACs, AES-135, that exhibits nanomolar inhibitory activity against HDAC3, HDAC6, and HDAC11 in biochemical assays. In a three-dimensional coculture model, AES-135 kills low-passage patient-derived tumor spheroids selectively over surrounding cancer-associated fibroblasts and has excellent pharmacokinetic properties in vivo. In an orthotopic murine model of pancreatic cancer, AES-135 prolongs survival significantly, therefore representing a candidate for further preclinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E Shouksmith
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | | | | | - Justyna M Gawel
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | - Yasir S Raouf
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | - Mulu Geletu
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | - Angelika Berger-Becvar
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | - Elvin D de Araujo
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | - H Artee Luchman
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy , University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - William L Heaton
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , Utah 84112 , United States
| | - David Bakhshinyan
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute , McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario L8S 4L8 , Canada
| | - Ashley A Adile
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute , McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario L8S 4L8 , Canada
| | - Chitra Venugopal
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute , McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario L8S 4L8 , Canada
| | - Thomas O'Hare
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , Utah 84112 , United States
| | - Michael W Deininger
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , Utah 84112 , United States
| | - Sheila K Singh
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute , McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario L8S 4L8 , Canada
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Sciences , Purdue University , West Lafayette , Indiana 47907 , United States
| | - Samuel Weiss
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy , University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | | | - Patrick T Gunning
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences , University of Toronto Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
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35
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Gli Proteins: Regulation in Development and Cancer. Cells 2019; 8:cells8020147. [PMID: 30754706 PMCID: PMC6406693 DOI: 10.3390/cells8020147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gli proteins are transcriptional effectors of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. They play key roles in the development of many organs and tissues, and are deregulated in birth defects and cancer. We review the molecular mechanisms of Gli protein regulation in mammals, with special emphasis on posttranslational modifications and intracellular transport. We also discuss how Gli proteins interact with co-activators and co-repressors to fine-tune the expression of Hedgehog target genes. Finally, we provide an overview of the regulation of developmental processes and tissue regeneration by Gli proteins and discuss how these proteins are involved in cancer progression, both through canonical regulation via the Hedgehog pathway and through cross-talk with other signaling pathways.
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Rubino S, Qian J, Pinheiro-Neto CD, Kenning TJ, Adamo MA. A familial syndrome of hypothalamic hamartomas, polydactyly, and SMO mutations: a clinical report of 2 cases. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2019; 23:98-103. [PMID: 30497210 DOI: 10.3171/2018.7.peds18292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Hypothalamic hamartomas are benign tumors known to cause gelastic or dacrystic seizures, precocious puberty, developmental delay, and medically refractory epilepsy. These tumors are most often sporadic but rarely can be associated with Pallister-Hall syndrome, an autosomal dominant familial syndrome caused by truncation of glioblastoma transcription factor 3, a downstream effector in the sonic hedgehog pathway. In this clinical report, the authors describe two brothers with a different familial syndrome. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report in the literature describing a familial syndrome caused by germline mutations in the Smoothened (SMO) gene and the first familial syndrome associated with hypothalamic hamartomas other than Pallister-Hall syndrome. The authors discuss the endoscopic endonasal biopsy and subtotal resection of a large hypothalamic hamartoma in one of the patients as well as the histopathological findings encountered. Integral to this discussion is the understanding of the hedgehog pathway; therefore, the underpinnings of this pathway and its clinical associations to date are also reviewed.
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Yu CY, Chang WC, Zheng JH, Hung WH, Cho EC. Transforming growth factor alpha promotes tumorigenesis and regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition modulation in colon cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 506:901-906. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.10.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Pitarresi JR, Liu X, Avendano A, Thies KA, Sizemore GM, Hammer AM, Hildreth BE, Wang DJ, Steck SA, Donohue S, Cuitiño MC, Kladney RD, Mace TA, Chang JJ, Ennis CS, Li H, Reeves RH, Blackshaw S, Zhang J, Yu L, Fernandez SA, Frankel WL, Bloomston M, Rosol TJ, Lesinski GB, Konieczny SF, Guttridge DC, Rustgi AK, Leone G, Song JW, Wu J, Ostrowski MC. Disruption of stromal hedgehog signaling initiates RNF5-mediated proteasomal degradation of PTEN and accelerates pancreatic tumor growth. Life Sci Alliance 2018; 1:e201800190. [PMID: 30456390 PMCID: PMC6238420 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201800190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Disrupting paracrine Hedgehog signaling in pancreatic cancer stroma through genetic deletion of fibroblast Smoothened leads to proteasomal degradation of fibroblast PTEN and accelerates tumor growth. The contribution of the tumor microenvironment to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development is currently unclear. We therefore examined the consequences of disrupting paracrine Hedgehog (HH) signaling in PDAC stroma. Herein, we show that ablation of the key HH signaling gene Smoothened (Smo) in stromal fibroblasts led to increased proliferation of pancreatic tumor cells. Furthermore, Smo deletion resulted in proteasomal degradation of the tumor suppressor PTEN and activation of oncogenic protein kinase B (AKT) in fibroblasts. An unbiased proteomic screen identified RNF5 as a novel E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for degradation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in Smo-null fibroblasts. Ring Finger Protein 5 (Rnf5) knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSKβ), the kinase that marks PTEN for ubiquitination, rescued PTEN levels and reversed the oncogenic phenotype, identifying a new node of PTEN regulation. In PDAC patients, low stromal PTEN correlated with reduced overall survival. Mechanistically, PTEN loss decreased hydraulic permeability of the extracellular matrix, which was reversed by hyaluronidase treatment. These results define non-cell autonomous tumor-promoting mechanisms activated by disruption of the HH/PTEN axis and identifies new targets for restoring stromal tumor-suppressive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Pitarresi
- Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xin Liu
- Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA.,Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alex Avendano
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Katie A Thies
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Gina M Sizemore
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Anisha M Hammer
- Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Blake E Hildreth
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - David J Wang
- Hollings Cancer Center and the Darby Children's Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Sarah A Steck
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sydney Donohue
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Department and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Maria C Cuitiño
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Raleigh D Kladney
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Department and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Thomas A Mace
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jonathan J Chang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Christina S Ennis
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Huiqing Li
- Department of Physiology and McKusick-Nathans Institute for Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Roger H Reeves
- Department of Physiology and McKusick-Nathans Institute for Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lianbo Yu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Soledad A Fernandez
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Wendy L Frankel
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mark Bloomston
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Thomas J Rosol
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Gregory B Lesinski
- Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue Center for Cancer Research and Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Denis C Guttridge
- Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA.,Hollings Cancer Center and the Darby Children's Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Anil K Rustgi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jonathan W Song
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jinghai Wu
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Department and Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Hollings Cancer Center and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, USA
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Sun Y, Wang R, Qiao M, Xu Y, Guan W, Wang L. Cancer associated fibroblasts tailored tumor microenvironment of therapy resistance in gastrointestinal cancers. J Cell Physiol 2018; 233:6359-6369. [PMID: 29334123 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers (GI), are a group of highly aggressive malignancies with heavy cancer-related mortalities. Even if continued development of therapy methods, therapy resistance has been a great obstruction for cancer treatment and thereby inevitably leads to depressed final mortality. Peritumoral cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a versatile population assisting cancer cells to build a facilitated tumor microenvironment (TME), has been demonstrated exerting a promotion influence on cancer proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis, and also therapy resistance. In this review, we provide an update progress in describing how CAFs mediate therapy resistance in GI by various means, meanwhile highlight the crosstalk between CAFs and cancer cells and present some vital signaling pathways activated by CAFs in this resistant process. Furthermore, we discuss the current advances in adopting novel drugs against CAFs and how the knowledge contributing to improved therapy efficacy in clinical practice. In sum, CAFs create a therapy-resistant TME in several aspects of GI progression, although some key problems about distinguishing CAFs subpopulations and controversial issues on pleiotropic CAFs in medication need to be solved for subsequent clinical application. Predictably, targeting therapy-resistant CAFs is a promising adjunctive treatment to benefit GI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeqi Sun
- Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruifen Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Qiao
- Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanchun Xu
- Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenbin Guan
- Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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40
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Tan EHP, Sng MK, How ISB, Chan JSK, Chen J, Tan CK, Wahli W, Tan NS. ROS release by PPARβ/δ-null fibroblasts reduces tumor load through epithelial antioxidant response. Oncogene 2018; 37:2067-2078. [PMID: 29367760 PMCID: PMC5895604 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-017-0109-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Tumor stroma has an active role in the initiation, growth, and propagation of many tumor types by secreting growth factors and modulating redox status of the microenvironment. Although PPARβ/δ in fibroblasts was shown to modulate oxidative stress in the wound microenvironment, there has been no evidence of a similar effect in the tumor stroma. Here, we present evidence of oxidative stress modulation by intestinal stromal PPARβ/δ, using a FSPCre-Pparb/d−/− mouse model and validated it with immortalized cell lines. The FSPCre-Pparb/d−/− mice developed fewer intestinal polyps and survived longer when compared with Pparb/dfl/fl mice. The pre-treatment of FSPCre-Pparb/d−/− and Pparb/dfl/fl with antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine prior DSS-induced tumorigenesis resulted in lower tumor load. Gene expression analyses implicated an altered oxidative stress processes. Indeed, the FSPCre-Pparb/d−/− intestinal tumors have reduced oxidative stress than Pparb/dfl/fl tumors. Similarly, the colorectal cancer cells and human colon epithelial cells also experienced lower oxidative stress when co-cultured with fibroblasts depleted of PPARβ/δ expression. Therefore, our results establish a role for fibroblast PPARβ/δ in epithelial–mesenchymal communication for ROS homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddie Han Pin Tan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Ming Keat Sng
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Novena Campus, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ivan Shun Bo How
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeremy Soon Kiat Chan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jiapeng Chen
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Novena Campus, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chek Kun Tan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Novena Campus, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Walter Wahli
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Novena Campus, Singapore, Singapore.,INRA ToxAlim, UMR1331, Chemin de Tournefeuille, Toulouse Cedex 3, France.,Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Le Genopode, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nguan Soon Tan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore. .,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Novena Campus, Singapore, Singapore. .,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Proteos, Agency for Science Technology & Research, Singapore, Singapore. .,KK Research Centre, KK Women's and Children Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
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41
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Han S, Gonzalo DH, Feely M, Rinaldi C, Belsare S, Zhai H, Kalra K, Gerber MH, Forsmark CE, Hughes SJ. Stroma-derived extracellular vesicles deliver tumor-suppressive miRNAs to pancreatic cancer cells. Oncotarget 2017; 9:5764-5777. [PMID: 29464032 PMCID: PMC5814172 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The biology of tumor-associated stroma (TAS) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is not well understood. The paradoxical observation that stroma-depletion strategies lead to progression of PDAC reinforced the need to critically evaluate the functional contribution of TAS in the initiation and progression of PDAC. PDAC and TAS cells are unique in their expression of specific miRNAs, and this specific miRNA expression pattern alters host to tumor microenvironment interactions. Using primary human pancreatic TAS cells and primary xenograft PDAC cells co-culture, we provide evidence of miRNA trafficking and exchanging between TAS and PDAC cells, in a two-way, cell-contact independent fashion, via extracellular vesicles (EVs) transportation. Selective packaging of miRNAs into EVs led to enrichment of stromal specific miR-145 in EVs secreted by TAS cells. Exosomes, but not microvesicles, derived from human TAS cells demonstrated a tumor suppressive role by inducing PDAC cell apoptosis. This effect was mitigated by anti-miR-145 sequences. Our data suggest that TAS-derived miRNAs are delivered to adjacent PDAC cells via exosomes and suppress tumor cell growth. These data highlight that TAS cells secrete exosomes carrying tumor suppressive genetic materials, a possible anti-tumor capacity. Future work of the development of patient-derived exosomes could have therapeutic implications for unresectable PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Han
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David H Gonzalo
- Department of Pathology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael Feely
- Department of Pathology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Carlos Rinaldi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sayali Belsare
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Michael H Gerber
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Christopher E Forsmark
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Steven J Hughes
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Abstract
This Outlook discusses the finding by Liu et al. that disruption of paracrine Hedgehog signaling via genetic ablation of Smoothened (Smo) in stromal fibroblasts in a KrasG12D mouse model increases acinar-to-ductal metaplasia. Pancreatic stromal fibroblasts provide structural support. Activated fibroblasts are critical in the tumor microenvironment. In this issue of Genes & Development, Liu and colleagues (pp. 1943–1955) unravel the finding that depletion of Smoothened (Smo) in pancreatic stromal fibroblasts results in AKT activation and noncanonical GLI2 activation with subsequent TGFα secretion, activation of EGFR in pancreatic epithelial cells, and augmentation of acinar–ductal metaplasia. Additionally, Smo-mediated signaling has proproliferative effects on pancreatic tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil K Rustgi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Department of Genetics, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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43
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Abstract
Metaplasia is the replacement of one differentiated somatic cell type with another differentiated somatic cell type in the same tissue. Typically, metaplasia is triggered by environmental stimuli, which may act in concert with the deleterious effects of microorganisms and inflammation. The cell of origin for intestinal metaplasia in the oesophagus and stomach and for pancreatic acinar-ductal metaplasia has been posited through genetic mouse models and lineage tracing but has not been identified in other types of metaplasia, such as squamous metaplasia. A hallmark of metaplasia is a change in cellular identity, and this process can be regulated by transcription factors that initiate and/or maintain cellular identity, perhaps in concert with epigenetic reprogramming. Universally, metaplasia is a precursor to low-grade dysplasia, which can culminate in high-grade dysplasia and carcinoma. Improved clinical screening for and surveillance of metaplasia might lead to better prevention or early detection of dysplasia and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronique Giroux
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 951 BRB, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Anil K Rustgi
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 951 BRB, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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44
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Hammer AM, Sizemore GM, Shukla VC, Avendano A, Sizemore ST, Chang JJ, Kladney RD, Cuitiño MC, Thies KA, Verfurth Q, Chakravarti A, Yee LD, Leone G, Song JW, Ghadiali SN, Ostrowski MC. Stromal PDGFR-α Activation Enhances Matrix Stiffness, Impedes Mammary Ductal Development, and Accelerates Tumor Growth. Neoplasia 2017; 19:496-508. [PMID: 28501760 PMCID: PMC5440288 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical for mammary ductal development and differentiation, but how mammary fibroblasts regulate ECM remodeling remains to be elucidated. Herein, we used a mouse genetic model to activate platelet derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRα) specifically in the stroma. Hyperactivation of PDGFRα in the mammary stroma severely hindered pubertal mammary ductal morphogenesis, but did not interrupt the lobuloalveolar differentiation program. Increased stromal PDGFRα signaling induced mammary fat pad fibrosis with a corresponding increase in interstitial hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen deposition. Mammary fibroblasts with PDGFRα hyperactivation also decreased hydraulic permeability of a collagen substrate in an in vitro microfluidic device assay, which was mitigated by inhibition of either PDGFRα or HA. Fibrosis seen in this model significantly increased the overall stiffness of the mammary gland as measured by atomic force microscopy. Further, mammary tumor cells injected orthotopically in the fat pads of mice with stromal activation of PDGFRα grew larger tumors compared to controls. Taken together, our data establish that aberrant stromal PDGFRα signaling disrupts ECM homeostasis during mammary gland development, resulting in increased mammary stiffness and increased potential for tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha M Hammer
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Gina M Sizemore
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Vasudha C Shukla
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Alex Avendano
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Steven T Sizemore
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jonathan J Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Raleigh D Kladney
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Maria C Cuitiño
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Katie A Thies
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Quinn Verfurth
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Arnab Chakravarti
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lisa D Yee
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Gustavo Leone
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jonathan W Song
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Samir N Ghadiali
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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Spira A, Yurgelun MB, Alexandrov L, Rao A, Bejar R, Polyak K, Giannakis M, Shilatifard A, Finn OJ, Dhodapkar M, Kay NE, Braggio E, Vilar E, Mazzilli SA, Rebbeck TR, Garber JE, Velculescu VE, Disis ML, Wallace DC, Lippman SM. Precancer Atlas to Drive Precision Prevention Trials. Cancer Res 2017; 77:1510-1541. [PMID: 28373404 PMCID: PMC6681830 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-2346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer development is a complex process driven by inherited and acquired molecular and cellular alterations. Prevention is the holy grail of cancer elimination, but making this a reality will take a fundamental rethinking and deep understanding of premalignant biology. In this Perspective, we propose a national concerted effort to create a Precancer Atlas (PCA), integrating multi-omics and immunity - basic tenets of the neoplastic process. The biology of neoplasia caused by germline mutations has led to paradigm-changing precision prevention efforts, including: tumor testing for mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in Lynch syndrome establishing a new paradigm, combinatorial chemoprevention efficacy in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), signal of benefit from imaging-based early detection research in high-germline risk for pancreatic neoplasia, elucidating early ontogeny in BRCA1-mutation carriers leading to an international breast cancer prevention trial, and insights into the intricate germline-somatic-immunity interaction landscape. Emerging genetic and pharmacologic (metformin) disruption of mitochondrial (mt) respiration increased autophagy to prevent cancer in a Li-Fraumeni mouse model (biology reproduced in clinical pilot) and revealed profound influences of subtle changes in mt DNA background variation on obesity, aging, and cancer risk. The elaborate communication between the immune system and neoplasia includes an increasingly complex cellular microenvironment and dynamic interactions between host genetics, environmental factors, and microbes in shaping the immune response. Cancer vaccines are in early murine and clinical precancer studies, building on the recent successes of immunotherapy and HPV vaccine immune prevention. Molecular monitoring in Barrett's esophagus to avoid overdiagnosis/treatment highlights an important PCA theme. Next generation sequencing (NGS) discovered age-related clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Ultra-deep NGS reports over the past year have redefined the premalignant landscape remarkably identifying tiny clones in the blood of up to 95% of women in their 50s, suggesting that potentially premalignant clones are ubiquitous. Similar data from eyelid skin and peritoneal and uterine lavage fluid provide unprecedented opportunities to dissect the earliest phases of stem/progenitor clonal (and microenvironment) evolution/diversity with new single-cell and liquid biopsy technologies. Cancer mutational signatures reflect exogenous or endogenous processes imprinted over time in precursors. Accelerating the prevention of cancer will require a large-scale, longitudinal effort, leveraging diverse disciplines (from genetics, biochemistry, and immunology to mathematics, computational biology, and engineering), initiatives, technologies, and models in developing an integrated multi-omics and immunity PCA - an immense national resource to interrogate, target, and intercept events that drive oncogenesis. Cancer Res; 77(7); 1510-41. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avrum Spira
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology and Bioinformatics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Matthew B Yurgelun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ludmil Alexandrov
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
| | - Anjana Rao
- Division of Signaling and Gene Expression, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California
| | - Rafael Bejar
- Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Kornelia Polyak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marios Giannakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Olivera J Finn
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Madhav Dhodapkar
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Neil E Kay
- Department of Hematology, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Esteban Braggio
- Department of Hematology, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Sarah A Mazzilli
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology and Bioinformatics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Timothy R Rebbeck
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Judy E Garber
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Victor E Velculescu
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pathology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Mary L Disis
- Department of Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine in Women's Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Douglas C Wallace
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Scott M Lippman
- Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
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Wu F, Zhang Y, Sun B, McMahon AP, Wang Y. Hedgehog Signaling: From Basic Biology to Cancer Therapy. Cell Chem Biol 2017; 24:252-280. [PMID: 28286127 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway was discovered originally as a key pathway in embryonic patterning and development. Since its discovery, it has become increasingly clear that the HH pathway also plays important roles in a multitude of cancers. Therefore, HH signaling has emerged as a therapeutic target of interest for cancer therapy. In this review, we provide a brief overview of HH signaling and the key molecular players involved and offer an up-to-date summary of our current knowledge of endogenous and exogenous small molecules that modulate HH signaling. We discuss experiences and lessons learned from the decades-long efforts toward the development of cancer therapies targeting the HH pathway. Challenges to develop next-generation cancer therapies are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fujia Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bo Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Andrew P McMahon
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad-CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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