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Xin S, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Li Z, Sun X, Liu X, Jin L, Li W, Tang C, Mei W, Cao Q, Wang H, Wei Z, Zhou Z, Li R, Wen X, Yang G, Chen W, Zheng J, Ye L. ScRNA-seq revealed the tumor microenvironment heterogeneity related to the occurrence and metastasis in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00779-3. [PMID: 38877164 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00779-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is the greatest clinical challenge for UTUCs, which may have distinct molecular and cellular characteristics from earlier cancers. Herein, we provide single-cell transcriptome profiles of UTUC para cancer normal tissue, primary tumor lesions, and lymphatic metastases to explore possible mechanisms associated with UTUC occurrence and metastasis. From 28,315 cells obtained from normal and tumor tissues of 3 high-grade UTUC patients, we revealed the origin of UTUC tumor cells and the homology between metastatic and primary tumor cells. Unlike the immunomicroenvironment suppression of other tumors, we found no immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment of UTUC. Moreover, it is imperative to note that stromal cells are pivotal in the advancement of UTUC. This comprehensive single-cell exploration enhances our comprehension of the molecular and cellular dynamics of metastatic UTUCs and discloses promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets in cancer-microenvironment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyong Xin
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
| | - Yanwei Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ziyao Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Xianchao Sun
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Liang Jin
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Weiyi Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Chaozhi Tang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Wangli Mei
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Qiong Cao
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Haojie Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Central Hospital, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Zhihao Wei
- Department of Pathology, Yiluo Hospital of Luoyang, The Teaching Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Zhen Zhou
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Rongbing Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Xiaofei Wen
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Guosheng Yang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Weihua Chen
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
| | - Junhua Zheng
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Lin Ye
- Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
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2
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Liu K, Chen H, Li Y, Wang B, Li Q, Zhang L, Liu X, Wang C, Ertas YN, Shi H. Autophagy flux in bladder cancer: Cell death crosstalk, drug and nanotherapeutics. Cancer Lett 2024; 591:216867. [PMID: 38593919 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy, a self-digestion mechanism, has emerged as a promising target in the realm of cancer therapy, particularly in bladder cancer (BCa), a urological malignancy characterized by dysregulated biological processes contributing to its progression. This highly conserved catabolic mechanism exhibits aberrant activation in pathological events, prominently featured in human cancers. The nuanced role of autophagy in cancer has been unveiled as a double-edged sword, capable of functioning as both a pro-survival and pro-death mechanism in a context-dependent manner. In BCa, dysregulation of autophagy intertwines with cell death mechanisms, wherein pro-survival autophagy impedes apoptosis and ferroptosis, while pro-death autophagy diminishes tumor cell survival. The impact of autophagy on BCa progression is multifaceted, influencing metastasis rates and engaging with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mechanism. Pharmacological modulation of autophagy emerges as a viable strategy to impede BCa progression and augment cell death. Notably, the introduction of nanoparticles for targeted autophagy regulation holds promise as an innovative approach in BCa suppression. This review underscores the intricate interplay of autophagy with cell death pathways and its therapeutic implications in the nuanced landscape of bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan Liu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China
| | - Huijing Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China
| | - Yanhong Li
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China
| | - Bei Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China
| | - Xiaohui Liu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China.
| | - Ce Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China.
| | - Yavuz Nuri Ertas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, 38039, Turkey; ERNAM-Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, 38039, Turkey; UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey.
| | - Hongyun Shi
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071000, PR China.
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3
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Liao M, Yao D, Wu L, Luo C, Wang Z, Zhang J, Liu B. Targeting the Warburg effect: A revisited perspective from molecular mechanisms to traditional and innovative therapeutic strategies in cancer. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:953-1008. [PMID: 38487001 PMCID: PMC10935242 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer reprogramming is an important facilitator of cancer development and survival, with tumor cells exhibiting a preference for aerobic glycolysis beyond oxidative phosphorylation, even under sufficient oxygen supply condition. This metabolic alteration, known as the Warburg effect, serves as a significant indicator of malignant tumor transformation. The Warburg effect primarily impacts cancer occurrence by influencing the aerobic glycolysis pathway in cancer cells. Key enzymes involved in this process include glucose transporters (GLUTs), HKs, PFKs, LDHs, and PKM2. Moreover, the expression of transcriptional regulatory factors and proteins, such as FOXM1, p53, NF-κB, HIF1α, and c-Myc, can also influence cancer progression. Furthermore, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circular RNAs play a vital role in directly regulating the Warburg effect. Additionally, gene mutations, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and immune system interactions are closely associated with the Warburg effect. Notably, the development of drugs targeting the Warburg effect has exhibited promising potential in tumor treatment. This comprehensive review presents novel directions and approaches for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients by conducting in-depth research and summarizing the bright prospects of targeting the Warburg effect in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minru Liao
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dahong Yao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Lifeng Wu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chaodan Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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4
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Sari D, Gozuacik D, Akkoc Y. Role of autophagy in cancer-associated fibroblast activation, signaling and metabolic reprograming. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1274682. [PMID: 38234683 PMCID: PMC10791779 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1274682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumors not only consist of cancerous cells, but they also harbor several normal-like cell types and non-cellular components. cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of these cellular components that are found predominantly in the tumor stroma. Autophagy is an intracellular degradation and quality control mechanism, and recent studies provided evidence that autophagy played a critical role in CAF formation, metabolic reprograming and tumor-stroma crosstalk. Therefore, shedding light on the autophagy and its role in CAF biology might help us better understand the roles of CAFs and the TME in cancer progression and may facilitate the exploitation of more efficient cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, we provide an overview about the involvement of autophagy in CAF-related pathways, including transdifferentiation and activation of CAFs, and further discuss the implications of targeting tumor stroma as a treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dyana Sari
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Devrim Gozuacik
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Biotechnology, SUNUM Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Yunus Akkoc
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Türkiye
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5
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Yuan D, Zheng BW, Zheng BY, Niu HQ, Zou MX, Liu SL, Liu FS. Global cluster analysis and network visualization in cancer-associated fibroblast: insights from Web of Science database from 1999 to 2021. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:549. [PMID: 38031121 PMCID: PMC10685623 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01527-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A scientific and comprehensive analysis of the current status and trends in the field of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) research is worth investigating. This study aims to investigate and visualize the development, research frontiers, and future trends in CAFs both quantitatively and qualitatively based on a bibliometric approach. METHODS A total of 5518 publications were downloaded from the Science Citation Index Expanded of Web of Science Core Collection from 1999 to 2021 and identified for bibliometric analysis. Visualized approaches, OriginPro (version 9.8.0.200) and R (version 4.2.0) software tools were used to perform bibliometric and knowledge-map analysis. RESULTS The number of publications on CAFs increased each year, and the same tendency was observed in the RRI. Apart from China, the countries with the largest number of publications and the most cited frequency were mainly Western developed countries, especially the USA. Cancers was the journal with the largest number of articles published in CAFs, and Oncology was the most popular research orientation. The most productive author was Lisanti MP, and the University of Texas System was ranked first in the institutions. In addition, the topics of CAFs could be divided into five categories, including tumor classification, prognostic study, oncologic therapies, tumor metabolism and tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS This is the first thoroughly scientific bibliometric analysis and visualized study of the global research field on CAFs over the past 20 years. The study may provide benefits for researchers to master CAFs' dynamic evolution and research trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dun Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bo-Wen Zheng
- Musculoskeletal Tumor Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Bo-Yv Zheng
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, General Hospital of the Central Theater Command, Wuhan, 430061, China
| | - Hua-Qing Niu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, China
| | - Ming-Xiang Zou
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Song-Lin Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Fu-Sheng Liu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
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Synelnyk T, Vovk T, Halenova T, Tytarenko V, Raksha N, Savchuk O, Falalyeyeva T, Ostapchenko L, Yakovlev P, Kozyk M, Thorley D, Strubchevska K. Evaluation of proteolytic activity and serine proteases distribution in plasma from patients with bladder cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1276882. [PMID: 38034543 PMCID: PMC10685322 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1276882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bladder cancer (BC) is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. A bladder tumor, like other malignant neoplasms, is characterized by the presence of both cancer cells and stromal cells which secrete cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and proteolytic enzymes. One such class of proteolytic enzymes are serine proteases, which take part in the tumor microenvironment formation via supporting and contributing to tumor progression. This study aims to evaluate the proteolytic activity and serine protease contribution in plasma from BC patients. Methods The research involved patients of Alexandrovsky city clinical hospital aged 52-76 with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. All examined patients were divided into five groups: the control group included conditionally healthy donors, while other patients were grouped according to their tumor stage (I, II, III and IV). Plasma plasminogen levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the potential activity was measured by chromogenic plasminogen assay. Serine proteases fractions were obtained by the affinity chromatography method, and enzyme concentration in the selected fractions were determined by the Bradford method. Serine proteases distribution was investigated by electrophoresis in a polyacrylamide gel. Results It was determined that the concentration, potential activity of plasminogen, and the total amount of serine proteases in plasma from BC patients were greater than the values of the corresponding indicators in healthy donors. This could be one of the factors contributing to increased proteolysis seen in the process of carcinogenesis. Plasminogen concentration in BC patients with stage IV disease; however, displayed a tendency to be reduced compared to earlier stages, and the potential activity of plasminogen was significantly lower in patients with stages III - IV BC. Futhermore, a tumor stage specific gradual decline in the serine protease plasma content was shown. The results of electrophoretic analysis established a significant diminishment in the percentage of high molecular weight components (under non-reducing conditions) and their complete disappearance (under reducing conditions) in plasma serine protease fractions from BC patients. A decline in the percentage of heavy and light plasmin chains in BC patients was also observed. Additionally, a rise in the degraded forms of plasminogen/plasmin content was seen in BC samples, as well as the presence of fractions corresponding to trypsin and NE (under non-reducing conditions) that were absent in the control samples. Conclusion The results indicate significant changes in the proteolytic activity of plasma, from BC patients when compared to healthy controls, which is accompanied by alterations in serine protease distribution caused by tumor microenvironment pecularlities at the different stages of oncopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tetiana Vovk
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Valentyn Tytarenko
- Department of Anatomy Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Olexii Savchuk
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | | | | | - Marko Kozyk
- Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, United States
| | - Dominic Thorley
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Erie, PA, United States
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Huang L, Xie Q, Deng J, Wei WF. The role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in bladder cancer progression. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19802. [PMID: 37809511 PMCID: PMC10559166 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that critically contribute to cancer initiation and progression. In bladder cancer (BCa), there is emerging evidence that BCa CAFs are actively involved in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance. This review outlines the present knowledge of BCa CAFs, with a particular emphasis on their origin and function in BCa progression, and provides further insights into their clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Huang
- Department of Urology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Qun Xie
- Department of Urology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Deng
- Department of Urology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen-Fei Wei
- Department of Gynecology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Chen Y, Zhang X, Yang H, Liang T, Bai X. The "Self-eating" of cancer-associated fibroblast: A potential target for cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114762. [PMID: 37100015 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy helps maintain energy homeostasis and protect cells from stress effects by selectively removing misfolded/polyubiquitylated proteins, lipids, and damaged mitochondria. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are cellular components of tumor microenvironment (TME). Autophagy in CAFs inhibits tumor development in the early stages; however, it has a tumor-promoting effect in advanced stages. In this review, we aimed to summarize the modulators responsible for the induction of autophagy in CAFs, such as hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, mitochondrial stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In addition, we aimed to present autophagy-related signaling pathways in CAFs, and role of autophagy in CAF activation, tumor progression, tumor immune microenvironment. Autophagy in CAFs may be an emerging target for tumor therapy. In summary, autophagy in CAFs is regulated by a variety of modulators and can reshape tumor immune microenvironment, affecting tumor progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaozhen Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hanshen Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tingbo Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Xueli Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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9
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Wu Y, Xu Y, He S, Li Y, Feng N, Fan J, Gong Y, Li X, Zhou L. Cytoskeleton regulator RNA expression on cancer-associated fibroblasts is associated with prognosis and immunotherapy response in bladder cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13707. [PMID: 36873531 PMCID: PMC9976329 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been reported to be associated with multiple tumors where they act as tumor suppressors or accelerators. The lncRNA CYTOR was identified as an oncogene involved in many cancers, such as gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma. However, the role of CYTOR in bladder cancer (BCa) has rarely been reported. Methods Using cancer datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program, we analyzed the association between CYTOR expression and prognostic value, oncogenic pathways, antitumor immunity and immunotherapy response in BCa. The influence of CYTOR on the immune infiltration pattern in the urothelial carcinoma microenvironment was further verified in our dataset. Single-cell analysis revealed the role of CYTOR in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of BCa. Finally, we evaluated the expression of CYTOR in BCa in the Peking University First Hospital (PKU-BCa) dataset and its correlation with the malignant phenotype of BCa in vitro and in vivo. Results The results indicated that CYTOR was highly expressed in multiple cancer samples, including BCa, and increased CYTOR expression contributed to poor overall survival (OS). Additionally, elevated CYTOR expression was significantly correlated with clinicopathological features of BCa, such as female sex, advanced TNM stage, high histological grade and non-papillary subtype. Functional characterization revealed that CYTOR may be involved in immune-related pathways and the epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) process. Moreover, CYTOR had a significant association with infiltrating immune cells, including M2 macrophages and regulatory T cells (Tregs). CYTOR facilitates the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and macrophages, and mediates M2 polarization of macrophages. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between CYTOR expression and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/expression and other targets for specific immunotherapy in BCa, which are recognized to predict the efficacy of immunotherapy. Conclusions These results suggest that CYTOR serves as a potential biomarker for predicting survival outcome, TME cell infiltration characteristics and immunotherapy response in BCa.
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Key Words
- BCa, Bladder cancer
- Bladder cancer
- CAFs, Cancer-associated fibroblasts
- CIBERSOFT, Cell-type Identification By Estimating Relative Subsets Of RNA Transcripts
- CYTOR
- CYTOR, Cytoskeleton regulator RNA
- EMT, Epithelial mesenchymal transformation
- Immune infiltration
- Immunotherapy
- LncRNAs, Long non-coding RNAs
- MIBC, Muscle-invasive bladder cancer
- OS, Overall survival
- PCA, Principal component analysis
- PD-1, Programmed cell death-1
- PD-L1, Programmed death ligand 1
- RT-qPCR, Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction
- Survival
- TCGA, The Cancer Genome Atlas
- TME, Tumor microenvironment
- UMI, Unique molecular identifier
- UTUC, Upper-tract urothelial carcinoma
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucai Wu
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yangyang Xu
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shiming He
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Jian Fan
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanqing Gong
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuesong Li
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liqun Zhou
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.,Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China.,Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
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10
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Burley A, Rullan A, Wilkins A. A review of the biology and therapeutic implications of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1000888. [PMID: 36313650 PMCID: PMC9608345 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1000888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a fundamental role in the development of cancers and their response to therapy. In recent years, CAFs have returned to the spotlight as researchers work to unpick the mechanisms by which they impact tumour evolution and therapy responses. However, study of CAFs has largely been restricted to a select number of common cancers, whereas research into CAF biology in bladder cancer has been relatively neglected. In this review, we explore the basics of CAF biology including the numerous potential cellular origins of CAFs, alongside mechanisms of CAF activation and their diverse functionality. We find CAFs play an important role in the progression of bladder cancer with significant implications on tumour cell signaling, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and the capacity to modify components of the immune system. In addition, we highlight some of the landmark papers describing CAF heterogeneity and find trends in the literature to suggest that the iCAF and myCAF subtypes defined in bladder cancer share common characteristics with CAF subtypes described in other settings such as breast and pancreatic cancer. Moreover, based on findings in other common cancers we identify key therapeutic challenges associated with CAFs, such as the lack of specific CAF markers, the paucity of research into bladder-specific CAFs and their relationship with therapies such as radiotherapy. Of relevance, we describe a variety of strategies used to target CAFs in several common cancers, paying particular attention to TGFβ signaling as a prominent regulator of CAF activation. In doing so, we find parallels with bladder cancer that suggest CAF targeting may advance therapeutic options in this setting and improve the current poor survival outcomes in bladder cancer which sadly remain largely unchanged over recent decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Burley
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Antonio Rullan
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
- Head and Neck Unit, Royal Marsden National Health Service (NHS) Hospital Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Wilkins
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Radiotherapy, Royal Marsden National Health Service (NHS) Hospital Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Chen H, Chen G. Dissecting Immunosuppressive Cell Communication Patterns Reveals JunB Proto-Oncogene (JUNB) Shaping a Non-Inflamed Tumor Microenvironment. Front Genet 2022; 13:883583. [PMID: 35812726 PMCID: PMC9263213 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.883583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Immunosuppressive cell interactions are responsible for tumor progression and metastasis, as well as anti-tumor immune dysfunction. However, the communication pattern remains unclear. Methods: We first integrated two single-cell RNA-seq datasets (GSE72056 and GSE103322) of different tumor types to increase the diversity of immunosuppressive cells. Then, based on the analysis results of the communication network, gene regulatory network (GRN), and highly activated pathways, we identified the hub gene in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). To further explore the molecular features of the identified gene, we performed several in silico analysis and in vitro experiments including qRT-PCR and CCK-8 assay. Results: Four types of immunosuppressive cells were identified, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Based on GRNs and the interactions of immunosuppressive cells and tumor cells, we constructed an intercellular communication signature that divided the pan-cancer TME into two clusters with distinct immunological features and different responses to immunotherapy. In combination with pathway analysis, JunB proto-oncogene (JUNB) was identified as the hub gene of the immunosuppressive TME, and it designed a non-inflamed TME of bladder cancer according to evidence that JUNB was negatively correlated with immunomodulators, chemokines, major histocompatibility complex molecules, immune cell infiltration abundances, anti-cancer immune response, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Moreover, JUNB may predict an unfavorable response to immunotherapy. The signaling network of the four types of cells demonstrated the dominant roles of CAFs and TAMs in the TME. Further investigation uncovered that the complement signal was highly activated in the interactions between subpopulations of the inflammatory phenotype of CAFs and TAMs. Functional experiment results demonstrated the upregulated JUNB in bladder cancer tissues and low-immunity-score tissues. In addition, CAFs showed a pro-tumor proliferation effect via JUNB. Conclusion: Our findings gave insights into the immunosuppressive TME communication network and provided potential therapeutic targets.
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