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Chekhun V, Pavlova A, Zadvornyi T, Borikun T, Naleskina L, Mushii O, Bazas V, Lukianova N. EXPRESSION OF SPP1 AND SPARC GENES IN TUMOR TISSUE OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER. Exp Oncol 2024; 46:13-21. [PMID: 38852057 DOI: 10.15407/exp-oncology.2024.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BCa) is one of the most common oncological diseases in women in Ukraine and worldwide, which determines the need to search for new diagnostic and prognostic markers. In this aspect, the study of multicellular proteins, in particular osteopontin (OPN) and osteonectin (ON), in BCа tissue is relevant. The aim of the work was to investigate the expression of SPP1 and SPARC at the mRNA and protein levels in BCa tissue and to assess their relationship with the main clinicopathological BCa characteristics and the survival rates of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS The work was based on the analysis of the results of the examination and treatment of 60 patients with stage II-III BCa and 15 patients with breast fibroadenomas. SPP1 and SPARC mRNA levels were determined by real-time PCR. The study of the expression of protein products of the SPP1 and SPARC genes was carried out by the immunohistochemical method. RESULTS We have established that the BCa tissue was characterized by 3.5 (p < 0.05) and 7.4 (p < 0.05) lower levels of SPP1 and SPARC mRNA, respectively, compared to the tissue of benign neoplasms, while OPN and ON expression levels were 1.6 (p < 0.05) and 5.6 (p < 0.05) times higher, respectively, compared to fibroadenoma tissue. The analysis of the relationship between the expression of SPP1 and SPARC at the protein and mRNA levels in BCa tissue and the main clinicopathological BCa characteristics revealed its dependence on the presence of metastases in regional lymph nodes, differentiation grade, and the molecular BCa subtype. Also, high expression levels of SPP1 and OPN were associated with worse patient survival rates. CONCLUSION The obtained results indicate the perspective of using SPP1 and SPARC expression indices in BCa tissue to assess the aggressiveness of the cancer course and optimize the tactics of treating patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Chekhun
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - A Pavlova
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - T Zadvornyi
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - T Borikun
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - L Naleskina
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - O Mushii
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - V Bazas
- Kyiv City Clinical Oncology Center, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - N Lukianova
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology, and Radiobiology, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Hendawi NY, Crane HL, Mehanna H, Bolt R, Lambert DW, Hunter KD. Fibroblasts from HPV-negative oropharynx squamous cell carcinomas stimulate the release of osteopontin from cancer cells via the release of IL-6. FRONTIERS IN ORAL HEALTH 2024; 5:1390081. [PMID: 38803348 PMCID: PMC11128591 DOI: 10.3389/froh.2024.1390081] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) shows distinct biological and clinical behaviour when compared to HPV-negative OPSCC. The overall role of the tumour microenvironment (TME) in head and neck cancer progression and metastasis has been studied intensively, but differences in HPV-negative and HPV-positive OPSCCs are less understood. Objective To investigate the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the functional interactions of normal tonsil fibroblasts (NTFs) and OP CAFs with HPV+ and HPV- OPSCC cells and explore novel candidates in tumour-fibroblast crosstalk. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort of 143 primary OPSCCs was characterised using HPV16/18 RNAScope assay, p16 IHC and ɑ-SMA. Four OPSCC, three NTF and 2 new OPSCC CAF cultures were used to assess the cytokine-based interactions using cytokine arrays on conditioned media (CM), followed by co-culture approaches to identify the role of individual cell types and the role of OPN (SPP1) and IL-6 in SCC/fibroblast communication. Results HPV status was associated with better overall survival. Although ɑ-SMA expression was observed in both OPSCC subtypes, it provided survival stratification only in the HPV-positive group (Log-Rank p = 0.02). Three normal tonsillar fibroblast cultures (NTFs) were characterised by induction of myofibroblastic and senescent phenotypes with similar reactivity to our published NOF phenotype. The OPSCC-derived CAF cultures were characterised and their baseline myofibroblastic and senescence phenotypes varied. Cytokine array analysis of CM to identify novel candidates in the crosstalk between OPSCC tumour cells and NTFs/CAFs identified differences in the cytokine profiles on comparison of HPV+ and HPV- OPSCC cells. Osteopontin (OPN/SPP1) was identified, particularly in HPV-negative OPSCC cell analyses. We have demonstrated that OPN was produced by the OPSCC cells and revealed an associated upregulation of IL-6 in fibroblasts. Treatment of NTFs with rOPN showed alteration in phenotype, including increased contraction and IL-6 production. Antibody-mediated inhibition of CD44v6 attenuated the production of IL-6 by OPN in NTFs. Conclusion This investigation with OPSCC fibroblasts provides novel insights into the role of CAFs in OPSCC mediated by IL-6 stimulated release of OPN from HPV negative OPSCC cells. The details of HPV-positive SCC cell/fibroblast cytokine crosstalk remain elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naeima Yahia Hendawi
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya
| | - Hannah L. Crane
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Hisham Mehanna
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Bolt
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel W. Lambert
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Keith D. Hunter
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Head and Neck Centre, Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Liu ZL, Meng XY, Bao RJ, Shen MY, Sun JJ, Chen WD, Liu F, He Y. Single cell deciphering of progression trajectories of the tumor ecosystem in head and neck cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2595. [PMID: 38519500 PMCID: PMC10959966 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46912-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and has high heterogeneity and unsatisfactory outcomes. To better characterize the tumor progression trajectory, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing of normal tissue, precancerous tissue, early-stage, advanced-stage cancer tissue, lymph node, and recurrent tumors tissue samples. We identify the transcriptional development trajectory of malignant epithelial cells and a tumorigenic epithelial subcluster regulated by TFDP1. Furthermore, we find that the infiltration of POSTN+ fibroblasts and SPP1+ macrophages gradually increases with tumor progression; their interaction or interaction with malignant cells also gradually increase to shape the desmoplastic microenvironment and reprogram malignant cells to promote tumor progression. Additionally, we demonstrate that during lymph node metastasis, exhausted CD8+ T cells with high CXCL13 expression strongly interact with tumor cells to acquire more aggressive phenotypes of extranodal expansion. Finally, we delineate the distinct features of malignant epithelial cells in primary and recurrent tumors, providing a theoretical foundation for the precise selection of targeted therapy for tumors at different stages. In summary, the current study offers a comprehensive landscape and deep insight into epithelial and microenvironmental reprogramming throughout initiation, progression, lymph node metastasis and recurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z L Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - X Y Meng
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - R J Bao
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - M Y Shen
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - J J Sun
- Department of Oral Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - W D Chen
- Novel Bioinformatics Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - F Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Y He
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial & Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology Shanghai, Shanghai, 200011, China.
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Kostecki KL, Iida M, Crossman BE, Salgia R, Harari PM, Bruce JY, Wheeler DL. Immune Escape Strategies in Head and Neck Cancer: Evade, Resist, Inhibit, Recruit. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:312. [PMID: 38254801 PMCID: PMC10814769 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) arise from the mucosal lining of the aerodigestive tract and are often associated with alcohol use, tobacco use, and/or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Over 600,000 new cases of HNC are diagnosed each year, making it the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Historically, treatments have included surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and while these treatments are still the backbone of current therapy, several immunotherapies have recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in HNC. The role of the immune system in tumorigenesis and cancer progression has been explored since the early 20th century, eventually coalescing into the current three-phase model of cancer immunoediting. During each of the three phases-elimination, equilibrium, and escape-cancer cells develop and utilize multiple strategies to either reach or remain in the final phase, escape, at which point the tumor is able to grow and metastasize with little to no detrimental interference from the immune system. In this review, we summarize the many strategies used by HNC to escape the immune system, which include ways to evade immune detection, resist immune cell attacks, inhibit immune cell functions, and recruit pro-tumor immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kourtney L. Kostecki
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
| | - Mari Iida
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
| | - Bridget E. Crossman
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Paul M. Harari
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
| | - Justine Y. Bruce
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Deric L. Wheeler
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; (K.L.K.); (M.I.); (B.E.C.)
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
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5
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Lozar T, Laklouk I, Golfinos AE, Gavrielatou N, Xu J, Flynn C, Keske A, Yu M, Bruce JY, Wang W, Grasic Kuhar C, Bailey HH, Harari PM, Dinh HQ, Rimm DL, Hu R, Lambert PF, Fitzpatrick MB. Stress Keratin 17 Is a Predictive Biomarker Inversely Associated with Response to Immune Check-Point Blockade in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Beyond. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4905. [PMID: 37835599 PMCID: PMC10571921 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Low response rates in immune check-point blockade (ICB)-treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) drive a critical need for robust, clinically validated predictive biomarkers. Our group previously showed that stress keratin 17 (CK17) suppresses macrophage-mediated CXCL9/CXCL10 chemokine signaling involved in attracting activated CD8+ T cells into tumors, correlating with decreased response rate to pembrolizumab-based therapy in a pilot cohort of ICB-treated HNSCC (n = 26). Here, we performed an expanded analysis of the predictive value of CK17 in ICB-treated HNSCC according to the REMARK criteria and investigated the gene expression profiles associated with high CK17 expression. Pretreatment samples from pembrolizumab-treated HNSCC patients were stained via immunohistochemistry using a CK17 monoclonal antibody (n = 48) and subjected to spatial transcriptomic profiling (n = 8). Our findings were validated in an independent retrospective cohort (n = 22). CK17 RNA expression in pembrolizumab-treated patients with various cancer types was investigated for predictive significance. Of the 48 patients (60% male, median age of 61.5 years), 21 (44%) were CK17 high, and 27 (56%) were CK17 low. A total of 17 patients (35%, 77% CK17 low) had disease control, while 31 patients (65%, 45% CK17 low) had progressive disease. High CK17 expression was associated with a lack of disease control (p = 0.037), shorter time to treatment failure (p = 0.025), and progression-free survival (PFS, p = 0.004), but not overall survival (OS, p = 0.06). A high CK17 expression was associated with lack of disease control in an independent validation cohort (p = 0.011). PD-L1 expression did not correlate with CK17 expression or clinical outcome. CK17 RNA expression was predictive of PFS and OS in 552 pembrolizumab-treated cancer patients. Our findings indicate that high CK17 expression may predict resistance to ICB in HNSCC patients and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taja Lozar
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 6459 Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, 53705 WI, USA
- University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Israa Laklouk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, MC 8550, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Athena E Golfinos
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 6459 Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Niki Gavrielatou
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, MC 8550, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Christopher Flynn
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, MC 8550, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Aysenur Keske
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, MC 8550, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Menggang Yu
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Justine Y Bruce
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, 53705 WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 6459 Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Cvetka Grasic Kuhar
- University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Howard H Bailey
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, 53705 WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Paul M Harari
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, 53705 WI, USA
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Huy Q Dinh
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 6459 Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - David L Rimm
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Rong Hu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, MC 8550, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Paul F Lambert
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 6459 Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, 53705 WI, USA
| | - Megan B Fitzpatrick
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, MC 8550, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
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Jiang N, Jin L, Li S. Role of SPP1 in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer. Oncol Lett 2023; 26:411. [PMID: 37614657 PMCID: PMC10442757 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, the incidence rate of digestive system tumors has increased in China and these tumors occur in a younger population. The present study aimed to determine the expression levels and potential clinical value of secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) in gastrointestinal cancer. The microarray datasets GSE104836, GSE189830 and GSE103236, obtained from the gene expression omnibus database, were analyzed to determine differentially expressed genes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), gastric cancer (GC) and esophageal cancer (EC). A total of 42 patients with CRC, GC or EC and 21 healthy controls were recruited to obtain blood and tissues samples. SPP1 expression levels were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Moreover, levels of significance of SPP1 in patients with CRC, GC and EC were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Potential correlations between SPP1 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. SPP1 was significantly upregulated in the serum, plasma and tissue of patients with CRC, GC or EC. In addition, the area under the curve of SPP1 was >0.5 in the plasma, serum and cancer tissue of patients with early and late CRC, GC or EC. The present study further demonstrated that the specificity and sensitivity of SPP1 was higher in patients with late CRC, GC or EC compared with patients with early CRC, GC or EC. Moreover, SPP1 and CEA were significantly positively correlated in serum of patients with CRC, GC or EC. In conclusion, the current study demonstrated that SPP1 exhibited significant diagnostic value for gastrointestinal tumors, which suggested that SPP1 may exhibit potential as a diagnostic marker of CRC, GC and EC. The present study provided a novel theoretical basis for the role of SPP1 as a diagnostic marker of digestive system tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanfang Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei No. 3 People's Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Lei Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei No. 3 People's Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Shuyu Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei No. 3 People's Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
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Osman AA, Arslan E, Bartels M, Michikawa C, Lindemann A, Tomczak K, Yu W, Sandulache V, Ma W, Shen L, Wang J, Singh AK, Frederick MJ, Spencer ND, Kovacs J, Heffernan T, Symmans WF, Rai K, Myers JN. Dysregulation and Epigenetic Reprogramming of NRF2 Signaling Axis Promote Acquisition of Cisplatin Resistance and Metastasis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:1344-1359. [PMID: 36689560 PMCID: PMC10068451 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy is a first-line treatment for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), despite a high rate of treatment failures, acquired resistance, and subsequent aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to study the mechanism of CDDP resistance and metastasis in HNSCC. We investigated the role of NRF2 pathway activation as a driven event for tumor progression and metastasis of HNSCC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Human HNSCC cell lines that are highly resistant to CDDP were generated. Clonogenic survival assays and a mouse model of oral cancer were used to examine the impact of NRF2 activation in vitro and in vivo on CDDP sensitivity and development of metastasis. Western blotting, immunostaining, whole-exome sequencing, single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling platforms were performed to dissect clonal evolution and molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Implantation of CDDP-resistant HNSCC cells into the tongues of nude mice resulted in a very high rate of distant metastases. The CDDP-resistant cells had significantly higher expression of NRF2 pathway genes in the presence of newly acquired KEAP1 mutations, or via epigenomic activation of target genes. Knockdown of NRF2 or restoration of the wild-type KEAP1 genes resensitized resistant cells to CDDP and decreased distant metastasis (DM). Finally, treatment with inhibitor of glutaminase-1, a NRF2 target gene, alleviated CDDP resistance. CONCLUSIONS CDDP resistance and development of DM are associated with dysregulated and epigenetically reprogrammed KEAP1-NRF2 signaling pathway. A strategy targeting KEAP1/NRF2 pathway or glutamine metabolism deserves further clinical investigation in patients with CDDP-resistant head and neck tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah A. Osman
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Emre Arslan
- Department of Genomic Medicine and MDACC Epigenomics Therapy Initiative, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mason Bartels
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Chieko Michikawa
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Antje Lindemann
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Katarzyna Tomczak
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Wangjie Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Vlad Sandulache
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Wencai Ma
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Anand K. Singh
- Department of Genomic Medicine and MDACC Epigenomics Therapy Initiative, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mitchell J. Frederick
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Nakia D. Spencer
- TRACTION Platform, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffery Kovacs
- TRACTION Platform, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Timothy Heffernan
- TRACTION Platform, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - William F. Symmans
- Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kunal Rai
- Department of Genomic Medicine and MDACC Epigenomics Therapy Initiative, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey N. Myers
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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Sorvina A, Antoniou M, Esmaeili Z, Kochetkova M. Unusual Suspects: Bone and Cartilage ECM Proteins as Carcinoma Facilitators. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030791. [PMID: 36765749 PMCID: PMC9913341 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the complex three-dimensional network of fibrous proteins and proteoglycans that constitutes an essential part of every tissue to provide support for normal tissue homeostasis. Tissue specificity of the ECM in its topology and structure supports unique biochemical and mechanical properties of each organ. Cancers, like normal tissues, require the ECM to maintain multiple processes governing tumor development, progression and spread. A large body of experimental and clinical evidence has now accumulated to demonstrate essential roles of numerous ECM components in all cancer types. Latest findings also suggest that multiple tumor types express, and use to their advantage, atypical ECM components that are not found in the cancer tissue of origin. However, the understanding of cancer-specific expression patterns of these ECM proteins and their exact roles in selected tumor types is still sketchy. In this review, we summarize the latest data on the aberrant expression of bone and cartilage ECM proteins in epithelial cancers and their specific functions in the pathogenesis of carcinomas and discuss future directions in exploring the utility of this selective group of ECM components as future drug targets.
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Xu N, Wang X, Wang L, Song Y, Zheng X, Hu H. Comprehensive analysis of potential cellular communication networks in advanced osteosarcoma using single-cell RNA sequencing data. Front Genet 2022; 13:1013737. [PMID: 36303551 PMCID: PMC9592772 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1013737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common bone cancer in children and adolescents, and metastasis and recurrence are the major causes of poor treatment outcomes. A better understanding of the tumor microenvironment is required to develop an effective treatment for OS. In this paper, a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset was taken to a systematic genetic analysis, and potential signaling pathways linked with osteosarcoma development were explored. Our findings revealed 25 clusters across 11 osteosarcoma tissues, with 11 cell types including “Chondroblastic cells”, “Osteoblastic cells”, “Myeloid cells”, “Pericytes”, “Fibroblasts”, “Proliferating osteoblastic cells”, “Osteoclasts”, “TILs”, “Endothelial cells”, “Mesenchymal stem cells”, and “Myoblasts”. The results of Cell communication analysis showed 17 potential cellular communication networks including “COLLAGEN signaling pathway network”, “CD99 signaling pathway network”, “PTN signaling pathway network”, “MIF signaling pathway network”, “SPP1 signaling pathway network”, “FN1 signaling pathway network”, “LAMININ signaling pathway network”, “FGF signaling pathway network”, “VEGF signaling pathway network”, “GALECTIN signaling pathway network”, “PERIOSTIN signaling pathway network”, “VISFATIN signaling pathway network”, “ITGB2 signaling pathway network”, “NOTCH signaling pathway network”, “IGF signaling pathway network”, “VWF signaling pathway network”, “PDGF signaling pathway network”. This research may provide novel insights into the pathophysiology of OS’s molecular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Xu
- Departments of Orthopedics, Shanghai Eighth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Departments of Orthopedics, Shanghai Eighth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Song
- Departments of Orthopedics, Shanghai Eighth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yuan Song, ; Xianyou Zheng, ; Hai Hu,
| | - Xianyou Zheng
- Departments of Orthopedics, Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yuan Song, ; Xianyou Zheng, ; Hai Hu,
| | - Hai Hu
- Departments of Orthopedics, Shanghai Eighth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
- Departments of Orthopedics, Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yuan Song, ; Xianyou Zheng, ; Hai Hu,
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A Four-Gene Signature Associated with Radioresistance in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Identified by Text Mining and Data Analysis. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:5693806. [PMID: 36203528 PMCID: PMC9532131 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5693806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth leading cancer globally, and radiotherapy plays a crucial part in its treatment. This study was designed to identify potential genes related to radiation resistance in HNSCC. Method We first used text mining to obtain common genes related to radiotherapy resistance and HNSCC in published articles. Functional enrichment analyses were conducted to identify the significantly enriched pathways and genes. Protein and protein interactions were performed, and the most significant gene modules were determined; then, genes in the gene modules were validated at transcriptional levels and overall survival. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) score was calculated, and the association between GSVA score and survival/pathway was estimated. Immune cell infiltration, methylation, and genetic alteration analysis of these genes was conducted in HNSCC patients. Finally, potential sensitive anticancer drugs related to target genes were obtained. Result We identified 583 common genes through text mining. After further validation, a four-gene signature (EPHB2, SPP1, SERPINE1, and VEGFC) was constructed. The patients with higher GSVA scores have a worse prognosis than those with lower GSVA scores. Differences in methylation of these four genes in HNSCC tumor tissue and normal tissue were compared, with higher methylation levels of EBPH2 and SPP1 in normal tissue and higher methylation levels of SERPINE1 in the tumor. Immune cell infiltration revealed that the increased expression of these genes was closely related to the infiltration level of CD4+ T cell, neutrophil, macrophage, and dendritic cell. Thirty drugs, including 22 positively and eight negatively correlated drugs that most correlated with related genes, were available for treating HNSCC. Conclusion In this study, we identified four potential genes as well as corresponding drugs that might be related to radioresistance in HNSCC patients. These candidate genes may provide a promising avenue to further elevate radiotherapy efficacy.
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Chen Y, He J, Chen R, Wang Z, Dai Z, Liang X, Wu W, Luo P, Zhang J, Peng Y, Zhang N, Liu Z, Zhang L, Zhang H, Cheng Q. Pan-Cancer Analysis of the Immunological Role of PDIA5: A Potential Target for Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:881722. [PMID: 36003400 PMCID: PMC9393377 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.881722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The aberrant protein disulfide isomerase A5 (PDIA5) expression was relevant to the poor prognosis of patients with human cancers. However, its relationship with the epigenetic and genetic alterations and its effect on tumor immunity is still lacking. In the present study, we comprehensively analyzed the immune infiltration role of PDIA5 in human cancers based on large-scale bioinformatics analyses and in vitro experiments. Obvious DNA methylation and moderate alteration frequency of PDIA5 were observed in human cancers. The expression level of PDIA5 was significantly correlated with infiltrated immune cells, immune pathways, and other immune signatures. We found that cancer cells and macrophages exhibited high PDIA5 expression in human cancers using the single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. We also demonstrated the interaction between PDIA5 and immune cells in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Multiplex immunofluorescence staining showed the upregulated expression level of PDIA5 and the increased number of M2 macrophage markers-CD163 positive cells in pan-cancer samples. Notably, PDIA5 silencing resulted in upregulated expression of PD-L1 and SPP1 in U251 cells. Silencing of PDIA5 in hepG2 cells, U251 cells, and PC3 cells contributed to a decline in their ability of proliferation, clone formation, and invasion and inhibited the migration of cocultured M2 macrophages. Additionally, PDIA5 also displayed predictive value in the immunotherapy response of both murine and human cancer cohorts. Overall, our findings indicated that PDIA5 might be a potential target for immunotherapies in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jialin He
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, University of South China, Changsha, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ziyu Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xisong Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wantao Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Luo
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Changsha, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Changsha, China
| | - Yun Peng
- Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Teaching and Research Section of Clinical Nursing, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- One-third Lab, College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zaoqu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou, Changsha, China
| | - Liyang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Quan Cheng, ; Hao Zhang, ; Liyang Zhang,
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Quan Cheng, ; Hao Zhang, ; Liyang Zhang,
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Quan Cheng, ; Hao Zhang, ; Liyang Zhang,
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