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Mendoza-Martinez AK, Loessner D, Mata A, Azevedo HS. Modeling the Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer: The Application of Self-Assembling Biomaterials. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5745. [PMID: 34830897 PMCID: PMC8616551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is one of the leading causes of gynecologic malignancies. Despite treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, OvCa disseminates and recurs frequently, reducing the survival rate for patients. There is an urgent need to develop more effective treatment options for women diagnosed with OvCa. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a key driver of disease progression, metastasis and resistance to treatment. For this reason, 3D models have been designed to represent this specific niche and allow more realistic cell behaviors compared to conventional 2D approaches. In particular, self-assembling peptides represent a promising biomaterial platform to study tumor biology. They form nanofiber networks that resemble the architecture of the extracellular matrix and can be designed to display mechanical properties and biochemical motifs representative of the TME. In this review, we highlight the properties and benefits of emerging 3D platforms used to model the ovarian TME. We also outline the challenges associated with using these 3D systems and provide suggestions for future studies and developments. We conclude that our understanding of OvCa and advances in materials science will progress the engineering of novel 3D approaches, which will enable the development of more effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Karen Mendoza-Martinez
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK;
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Daniela Loessner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials Dresden, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V., 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Alvaro Mata
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Helena S. Azevedo
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK;
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
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Kressin M, Fietz D, Becker S, Strebhardt K. Modelling the Functions of Polo-Like Kinases in Mice and Their Applications as Cancer Targets with a Special Focus on Ovarian Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:1176. [PMID: 34065956 PMCID: PMC8151477 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Polo-like kinases (PLKs) belong to a five-membered family of highly conserved serine/threonine kinases (PLK1-5) that play differentiated and essential roles as key mitotic kinases and cell cycle regulators and with this in proliferation and cellular growth. Besides, evidence is accumulating for complex and vital non-mitotic functions of PLKs. Dysregulation of PLKs is widely associated with tumorigenesis and by this, PLKs have gained increasing significance as attractive targets in cancer with diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic potential. PLK1 has proved to have strong clinical relevance as it was found to be over-expressed in different cancer types and linked to poor patient prognosis. Targeting the diverse functions of PLKs (tumor suppressor, oncogenic) are currently at the center of numerous investigations in particular with the inhibition of PLK1 and PLK4, respectively in multiple cancer trials. Functions of PLKs and the effects of their inhibition have been extensively studied in cancer cell culture models but information is rare on how these drugs affect benign tissues and organs. As a step further towards clinical application as cancer targets, mouse models therefore play a central role. Modelling PLK function in animal models, e.g., by gene disruption or by treatment with small molecule PLK inhibitors offers promising possibilities to unveil the biological significance of PLKs in cancer maintenance and progression and give important information on PLKs' applicability as cancer targets. In this review we aim at summarizing the approaches of modelling PLK function in mice so far with a special glimpse on the significance of PLKs in ovarian cancer and of orthotopic cancer models used in this fatal malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Kressin
- Institute for Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany;
| | - Daniela Fietz
- Institute for Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany;
| | - Sven Becker
- Department of Gynecology, Goethe-University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (S.B.); (K.S.)
| | - Klaus Strebhardt
- Department of Gynecology, Goethe-University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (S.B.); (K.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center, Partner Site Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
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Nanosecond Electric Pulses Induce Early and Late Phases of DNA Damage and Cell Death in Cisplatin-Resistant Human Ovarian Cancer Cells. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:4504895. [PMID: 30186858 PMCID: PMC6112222 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4504895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chemoresistance is a challenge for management of ovarian cancer, and therefore the response of resistant cells to nanosecond electric pulses (nsEP) was explored. Human ovarian cancer cell line COC1 and the cisplatin-resistant subline COC1/DDP were subjected to nsEP (32 ns, 10 kV/cm, 10 Hz pulse repletion frequency, and 10 min exposure duration), and then the cellular responses were followed. The percentages of dead cells and of comet-formed cells in the alkaline assay displayed two peak levels (i.e., 2 and 8 h after nsEP exposure), with the highest value noted at 8 h; the percentage of comet-formed cells in the neutral assay was increased at 8 h; the apoptotic percentage was increased at 8 h, with collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. The comet assay demonstrated DNA single-strand break at 2 h and double-strand break at 8 h. nsEP resulted in lower cytotoxicity in COC1/DDP cells compared with COC1 cells. These findings indicated that nsEP induced early and late phases of DNA damage and cell death, and these two types of cell death may have distinct applications to treatments of chemoresistant ovarian cancers.
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Cui X, Sun Y, Shen M, Song K, Yin X, Di W, Duan Y. Enhanced Chemotherapeutic Efficacy of Paclitaxel Nanoparticles Co-delivered with MicroRNA-7 by Inhibiting Paclitaxel-Induced EGFR/ERK pathway Activation for Ovarian Cancer Therapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:7821-7831. [PMID: 29411964 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b19183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced activation of cell survival pathways leads to drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression in many biological pathways. Paclitaxel (PTX) is one of the first-line chemotherapy drugs for ovarian cancer, and it induces the activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway that leads to tumor cell proliferation, survival, invasion, and drug resistance. MicroRNA-7 (miR-7) has the ability to suppress the EGFR/ERK pathway. To sensitize chemotherapy, we developed monomethoxy(poly(ethylene glycol))-poly(d,l-lactide- co-glycolide)-poly(l-lysine) nanoparticles for the simultaneous co-delivery of PTX and miR-7. The resulting PTX/miR-7 nanoparticles (P/MNPs) protect miRNA from degradation, possess a sequential and controlled release of drugs, improve the transfection efficiency of miRNA, decrease the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of PTX, and increase the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. The chemotherapeutic efficacy of PTX is prominently enhanced in vitro and in vivo via the inhibition of PTX-induced EGFR/ERK pathway activation by miR-7. Our studies in P/MNPs reveal a novel paradigm for a dual-drug-delivery system of chemotherapeutics and gene therapy in treating cancers.
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Magnotti E, Marasco WA. The latest animal models of ovarian cancer for novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2018; 13:249-257. [PMID: 29338446 PMCID: PMC6487846 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2018.1426567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epithelial ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease classified into five subtypes, each with a different molecular profile. Most cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed after metastasis of the primary tumor and are resistant to traditional platinum-based chemotherapeutics. Mouse models of ovarian cancer have been utilized to discern ovarian cancer tumorigenesis and the tumor's response to therapeutics. Areas covered: The authors provide a review of mouse models currently employed to understand ovarian cancer. This article focuses on advances in the development of orthotopic and patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) mouse models of ovarian cancer and discusses current humanized mouse models of ovarian cancer. Expert opinion: The authors suggest that humanized mouse models of ovarian cancer will provide new insight into the role of the human immune system in combating and augmenting ovarian cancer and aid in the development of novel therapeutics. Development of humanized mouse models will take advantage of the NSG and NSG-SGM3 strains of mice as well as new strains that are actively being derived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Magnotti
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wayne A. Marasco
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Cui Y, Wu F, Tian D, Wang T, Lu T, Huang X, Zhang P, Qin L. miR-199a-3p enhances cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells by targeting ITGB8. Oncol Rep 2018; 39:1649-1657. [PMID: 29436681 PMCID: PMC5868401 DOI: 10.3892/or.2018.6259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance remains a large obstacle for the treatment of ovarian cancer. miRNAs have been reported to be involved in cisplatin (CDDP) resistance in ovarian cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the function and mechanism of miR-199a-3p in the CDDP resistance in ovarian cancer. We found that miR-199a-3p was significantly downregulated in chemoresistant ovarian cancer tissues, as well as CDDP-resistant SKOV3/CDDP cells, compared to chemosensitive carcinomas and SKOV3 cells. Restoration of miR-199a-3p in SKOV3/CDDP cells reduced cell proliferation, G1 phase cell cycle arrest, cell invasion, and increased cell apoptosis, resulting in enhanced CDDP sensitivity, while miR-199a-3p inhibition resulted in the opposite effects. Luciferase reporter assay showed that integrin β8 (ITGB8), one of the integrins that is involved in the regulation of cell cycle and motility, was a direct target of miR-199a-3p. Overexpression of miR-199a-3p downregulated ITGB8 expression via binding to its 3'-UTR. In addition, overexpression of ITGB8 restored CDDP resistance inhibited by miR-199a-3p. Moreover, orthotopic ovarian cancer mouse model showed that miR‑199a-3p enhanced CDDP sensitivity of ovarian cancer in vivo. Therefore, our results indicate that miR-199a-3p enhances CDDP sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells through downregulating ITGB8 expression, and miR-199a-3p may serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer patients with CDDP-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Cui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xi'an No. 4 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710002, P.R. China
| | - Fengqin Wu
- Department of Gynecology, Shangluo Central Hospital, Shangluo, Shaanxi 726000, P.R. China
| | - Defu Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Shaanxi Provincial Fourth People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710006, P.R. China
| | - Ting Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Northwest Women and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Tianjie Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xi'an No. 1 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710002, P.R. China
| | - Xiying Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xi'an No. 1 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710002, P.R. China
| | - Peilian Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xi'an No. 1 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710002, P.R. China
| | - Li Qin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaanxi Province People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710033, P.R. China
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