X-Linked Dominant Growth Suppression of Transplanted Tumors in C57BL/6J-scid Mice

Transmissible cancers in an evolutionary context

Cancer is an evolutionary and ecological process in which complex interactions between tumour cells and their environment share many similarities with organismal evolution. Tumour cells with highest adaptive potential have a selective advantage over less fit cells. Naturally occurring transmissible cancers provide an ideal model system for investigating the evolutionary arms race between cancer cells and their surrounding micro-environment and macro-environment. However, the evolutionary landscapes in which contagious cancers reside have not been subjected to comprehensive investigation. Here, we provide a multifocal analysis of transmissible tumour progression and discuss the selection forces that shape it. We demonstrate that transmissible cancers adapt to both their micro-environment and macro-environment, and evolutionary theories applied to organisms are also relevant to these unique diseases. The three naturally occurring transmissible cancers, canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) and Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) and the recently discovered clam leukaemia, exhibit different evolutionary phases: (i) CTVT, the oldest naturally occurring cell line is remarkably stable; (ii) DFTD exhibits the signs of stepwise cancer evolution; and (iii) clam leukaemia shows genetic instability. While all three contagious cancers carry the signature of ongoing and fairly recent adaptations to selective forces, CTVT appears to have reached an evolutionary stalemate with its host, while DFTD and the clam leukaemia appear to be still at a more dynamic phase of their evolution. Parallel investigation of contagious cancer genomes and transcriptomes and of their micro-environment and macro-environment could shed light on the selective forces shaping tumour development at different time points: during the progressive phase and at the endpoint. A greater understanding of transmissible cancers from an evolutionary ecology perspective will provide novel avenues for the prevention and treatment of both contagious and non-communicable cancers.

Co-evolution of tumor cells and their microenvironment

Increasing evidence indicates that tumor-stromal cell interactions have a crucial role in tumor initiation and progression. These interactions modify cellular compartments, leading to the co-evolution of tumor cells and their microenvironment. Although the importance of microenvironmental alterations in tumor development is recognized, the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes are only now beginning to be understood. Epigenetic and gene expression changes have consistently been reported in cancer-associated stromal cells and the influence of the host genotype on tumorigenesis is also well documented. However, the presence of clonally selected somatic genetic alterations within the tumor microenvironment has been controversial. A thorough understanding of the co-evolution of these two cellular compartments will require carefully executed molecular studies combined with mathematical modeling.

Radiation-induced apoptosis along with local and systemic cytokine elaboration is associated with DC plus radiotherapy-mediated renal cell tumor regression

Utilizing melanoma and sarcoma tumor models syngeneic to C57BL/6 mice, we previously reported the antitumor effects of intratumoral (i.t.) administration of dendritic cells (DC) combined with localized radiotherapy (RT). However, the mechanisms underlying the augmented therapeutic effects have yet to be fully defined. Using the BALB/c host, we explored in this study the capacity of RT to augment the therapeutic efficacy of DC in the syngeneic renal cell cancer, Renca. I.t. DC administration combined with RT inhibited tumor growth in a synergistic manner. This extends our previous findings using a different host strain and two histologically distinct tumor models. More importantly, we provide evidence in this report that RT induced significant apoptosis and necrosis in Renca tumor cells, which involved down-regulated expression of Bcl-2 and a concurrent up-regulated expression of Bax. We also found significantly elevated expression of TNFalpha in RT plus DC-treated Renca tumors. Furthermore, splenocytes isolated from DC plus RT-treated mice elaborated higher levels of IL-2, IL-4, IFNgamma and IgG, IgM in response to tumor cells compared with splenocytes from monotherapy-treated hosts. These data support the conclusion that radiotherapy enhanced DC vaccination by inducing tumor cell apoptosis in BABL/c host, and the significantly augmented therapeutic efficacy by RT+DC treatment was associated with an increased local production of TNFalpha as well as an amplified systemic antitumor responses conferred by the combined therapy. I.t. DC administration in concert with localized RT may represent a promising novel regimen for human cancer therapy.