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Geister E, Ard D, Patel H, Findley A, DeSouza G, Martin L, Knox H, Gavara N, Lugea A, Sabbatini ME. The Role of Twist1 in Chronic Pancreatitis-Associated Pancreatic Stellate Cells. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2024; 194:1879-1897. [PMID: 39032603 PMCID: PMC11423762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
In healthy pancreas, pancreatic stellate cells (PaSCs) synthesize the basement membrane, which is mainly composed of type IV collagen and laminin. In chronic pancreatitis (CP), PaSCs are responsible for the production of a rigid extracellular matrix (ECM) that is mainly composed of fibronectin and type I/III collagen. Reactive oxygen species evoke the formation of the rigid ECM by PaSCs. One source of reactive oxygen species is NADPH oxidase (Nox) enzymes. Nox1 up-regulates the expression of Twist1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in PaSCs from mice with CP. This study determined the functional relationship between Twist1 and MMP-9, and other PaSC-produced proteins, and the extent to which Twist1 regulates digestion of ECM proteins in CP. Twist1 induced the expression of MMP-9 in mouse PaSCs. The action of Twist1 was not selective to MMP-9 because Twist1 induced the expression of types I and IV collagen, fibronectin, transforming growth factor, and α-smooth muscle actin. Luciferase assay indicated that Twist1 in human primary PaSCs increased the expression of MMP-9 at the transcriptional level in an NF-κB dependent manner. The digestion of type I/III collagen by MMP-9 secreted by PaSCs from mice with CP depended on Twist1. Thus, Twist1 in PaSCs from mice with CP induced rigid ECM production and MMP-9 transcription in an NF-κB-dependent mechanism that selectively displayed proteolytic activity toward type I/III collagen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Geister
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Dalton Ard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Heer Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Alyssa Findley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Godfrey DeSouza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Lyndsay Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Henry Knox
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Natasha Gavara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Aurelia Lugea
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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Secchia S, Beilinson V, Chen X, Yang ZF, Wayman JA, Dhaliwal J, Jurickova I, Angerman E, Denson LA, Miraldi ER, Weirauch MT, Ikegami K. Nutrient starvation activates ECM remodeling gene enhancers associated with inflammatory bowel disease risk in fibroblasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.06.611754. [PMID: 39314475 PMCID: PMC11418948 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.06.611754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Nutrient deprivation induces a reversible cell cycle arrest state termed quiescence, which often accompanies transcriptional silencing and chromatin compaction. Paradoxically, nutrient deprivation is associated with activated fibroblast states in pathological microenvironments in which fibroblasts drive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling to alter tissue environments. The relationship between nutrient deprivation and fibroblast activation remains unclear. Here, we report that serum deprivation extensively activates transcription of ECM remodeling genes in cultured fibroblasts, despite the induction of quiescence. Starvation-induced transcriptional activation accompanied large-scale histone acetylation of putative distal enhancers, but not promoters. The starvation-activated putative enhancers were enriched for non-coding genetic risk variants associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), suggesting that the starvation-activated gene regulatory network may contribute to fibroblast activation in IBD. Indeed, the starvation-activated gene PLAU, encoding uPA serine protease for plasminogen and ECM, was upregulated in inflammatory fibroblasts in the intestines of IBD patients. Furthermore, the starvation-activated putative enhancer at PLAU, which harbors an IBD risk variant, gained chromatin accessibility in IBD patient fibroblasts. This study implicates nutrient deprivation in transcriptional activation of ECM remodeling genes in fibroblasts and suggests nutrient deprivation as a potential mechanism for pathological fibroblast activation in IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Secchia
- Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, 22362, Sweden
- Present address: Institute of Human Biology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vera Beilinson
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Present address: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Xiaoting Chen
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, CCHMC Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Zi F Yang
- Division of Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Joseph A Wayman
- Division of Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jasbir Dhaliwal
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Ingrid Jurickova
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Elizabeth Angerman
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Lee A Denson
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Emily R Miraldi
- Division of Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew T Weirauch
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, CCHMC Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kohta Ikegami
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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3
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Papavassiliou KA, Sofianidi AA, Spiliopoulos FG, Gogou VA, Gargalionis AN, Papavassiliou AG. YAP/TAZ Signaling in the Pathobiology of Pulmonary Fibrosis. Cells 2024; 13:1519. [PMID: 39329703 PMCID: PMC11430237 DOI: 10.3390/cells13181519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a severe, irreversible lung disease characterized by progressive scarring, with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) being the most prevalent form. IPF's pathogenesis involves repetitive lung epithelial injury leading to fibroblast activation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. The prognosis for IPF is poor, with limited therapeutic options like nintedanib and pirfenidone offering only modest benefits. Emerging research highlights the dysregulation of the yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) signaling pathway as a critical factor in PF. YAP and TAZ, components of the Hippo pathway, play significant roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and fibrosis by modulating gene expression through interactions with TEA domain (TEAD) transcription factors. The aberrant activation of YAP/TAZ in lung tissue promotes fibroblast activation and ECM accumulation. Targeting the YAP/TAZ pathway offers a promising therapeutic avenue. Preclinical studies have identified potential treatments, such as trigonelline, dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) agonists, and statins, which inhibit YAP/TAZ activity and demonstrate antifibrotic effects. These findings underscore the importance of YAP/TAZ in PF pathogenesis and the potential of novel therapies aimed at this pathway, suggesting a new direction for improving IPF treatment outcomes. Further research is needed to validate these approaches and translate them into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostas A Papavassiliou
- First University Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School, 'Sotiria' Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Amalia A Sofianidi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Fotios G Spiliopoulos
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Vassiliki A Gogou
- First University Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School, 'Sotiria' Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Antonios N Gargalionis
- Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, 'Attikon' University General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasios G Papavassiliou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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Guo T, Xu J. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: a versatile mediator in tumor progression, metastasis, and targeted therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:1095-1116. [PMID: 38602594 PMCID: PMC11300527 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been demonstrated to play a significant role in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the major component of TME and exhibit heterogeneous properties in their communication with tumor cells. This heterogeneity of CAFs can be attributed to various origins, including quiescent fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipocytes, pericytes, endothelial cells, and mesothelial cells. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing has identified diverse phenotypes of CAFs, with myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) and inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) being the most acknowledged, alongside newly discovered subtypes like antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs). Due to these heterogeneities, CAFs exert multiple functions in tumorigenesis, cancer stemness, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metabolism, and metastasis. As a result, targeted therapies aimed at the TME, particularly focusing on CAFs, are rapidly developing, fueling the promising future of advanced tumor-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchen Guo
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junfen Xu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China.
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5
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Sun L, Liu L, Jiang J, Liu K, Zhu J, Wu L, Lu X, Huang Z, Yuan Y, Crowley SD, Mao H, Xing C, Ren J. Transcription factor Twist1 drives fibroblast activation to promote kidney fibrosis via signaling proteins Prrx1/TNC. Kidney Int 2024:S0085-2538(24)00566-0. [PMID: 39181396 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2024.07.028] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
The transcription factor Twist1 plays a vital role in normal development in many tissue systems and continues to be important throughout life. However, inappropriate Twist1 activity has been associated with kidney injury and fibrosis, though the underlying mechanisms involved remain incomplete. Here, we explored the role of Twist1 in regulating fibroblast behaviors and the development kidney fibrosis. Initially Twist1 protein and activity was found to be markedly increased within interstitial myofibroblasts in fibrotic kidneys in both humans and rodents. Treatment of rat kidney interstitial fibroblasts with transforming growth factor-β1 (a profibrotic factor) also induced Twist1 expression in vitro. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments supported that Twist1 signaling was responsible for transforming growth factor-β1-induced fibroblast activation and fetal bovine serum-induced fibroblast proliferation. Mechanistically, Twist1 protein promoted kidney fibroblast activation by driving the expression of downstream signaling proteins, Prrx1 and Tnc. Twist1 directly enhanced binding to the promoter of Prrx1 but not TNC, whereas the promoter of TNC was directly bound by Prrx1. Finally, mice with fibroblast-specific deletion of Twist1 exhibited less Prrx1 and TNC protein abundance, interstitial extracellular matrix deposition and kidney inflammation in both the unilateral ureteral obstruction and ischemic-reperfusion injury-induced-kidney fibrotic models. Inhibition of Twist1 signaling with Harmine, a β-carboline alkaloid, improved extracellular matrix deposition in both injury models. Thus, our results suggest that Twist1 signaling promotes the activation and proliferation of kidney fibroblasts, contributing to the development of interstitial fibrosis, offering a potential therapeutic target for chronic kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianqin Sun
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Lishan Liu
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Juanjuan Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Kang Liu
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jingfeng Zhu
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaohan Lu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Zhimin Huang
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yanggang Yuan
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Steven D Crowley
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Department of Medicine, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Huijuan Mao
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Changying Xing
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Jiafa Ren
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Ma Z, Zhou F, Jin H, Wu X. Crosstalk between CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 and the STAT3 Pathway. Cells 2024; 13:1027. [PMID: 38920657 PMCID: PMC11201928 DOI: 10.3390/cells13121027] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The reciprocal modulation between the CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 axis and the STAT3 signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the progression of various diseases and neoplasms. Activation of the CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 axis triggers the STAT3 pathway through multiple mechanisms, while the STAT3 pathway also regulates the expression of CXCL12. This review offers a thorough and systematic analysis of the reciprocal regulatory mechanisms between the CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 signaling axis and the STAT3 signaling pathway in the context of diseases, particularly tumors. It explores the potential clinical applications in tumor treatment, highlighting possible therapeutic targets and novel strategies for targeted tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaoming Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming 650500, China; (Z.M.); (F.Z.); (H.J.)
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7
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Wu Z, Tang Y, Liu Y, Chen Z, Feng Y, Hu H, Liu H, Chen G, Lu Y, Hu Y, Xu R. Co-delivery of fucoxanthin and Twist siRNA using hydroxyethyl starch-cholesterol self-assembled polymer nanoparticles for triple-negative breast cancer synergistic therapy. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00160-7. [PMID: 38636588 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.04.017] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with an extremely dismal prognosis and few treatment options. As a desmoplastic tumor, TNBC tumor cells are girdled by stroma composed of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and their secreted stromal components. The rapidly proliferating tumor cells, together with the tumor stroma, exert additional solid tissue pressure on tumor vasculature and surrounding tissues, severely obstructing therapeutic agent from deep intratumoral penetration, and resulting in tumor metastasis and treatment resistance. OBJECTIVES Fucoxanthin (FX), a xanthophyll carotenoid abundant in marine algae, has attracted widespread attention as a promising alternative candidate for tumor prevention and treatment. Twist is a pivotal regulator of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and its depletion has proven to sensitize antitumor drugs, inhibit metastasis, reduce CAFs activation and the following interstitial deposition, and increase tumor perfusion. The nanodrug delivery system co-encapsulating FX and nucleic acid drug Twist siRNA (siTwist) was expected to form a potent anti-TNBC therapeutic cyclical feedback loop. METHODS AND RESULTS Herein, our studies constituted a novel self-assembled polymer nanomedicine (siTwist/FX@HES-CH) based on the amino-modified hydroxyethyl starch (HES-NH2) grafted with hydrophobic segment cholesterol (CH). The MTT assay, flow cytometry apoptosis analysis, transwell assay, western blot, and 3D multicellular tumor spheroids growth inhibition assay all showed that siTwist/FX@HES-CH could kill tumor cells and inhibit their metastasis in a synergistic manner. The in vivo anti-TNBC efficacy was demonstrated that siTwist/FX@HES-CH remodeled tumor microenvironment, facilitated interstitial barrier crossing, killed tumor cells synergistically, drastically reduced TNBC orthotopic tumor burden and inhibited lung metastasis. CONCLUSION Systematic studies revealed that this dual-functional nanomedicine that targets both tumor cells and tumor microenvironment significantly alleviates TNBC orthotopic tumor burden and inhibits lung metastasis, establishing a new paradigm for TNBC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeliang Wu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yuxiang Tang
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Clinical Medical Center of Cell Therapy for Neoplastic Disease, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yuanhui Liu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Zhaozhao Chen
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yuao Feng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hang Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; The Key Laboratory for Drug Target Researches and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Youming Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Innovation Center for Brain Medical Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Yu Hu
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Clinical Medical Center of Cell Therapy for Neoplastic Disease, Wuhan 430022, China.
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; The Key Laboratory for Drug Target Researches and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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8
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Freag MS, Mohammed MT, Kulkarni A, Emam HE, Maremanda KP, Elzoghby AO. Modulating tumoral exosomes and fibroblast phenotype using nanoliposomes augments cancer immunotherapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk3074. [PMID: 38416824 PMCID: PMC10901379 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk3074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells program fibroblasts into cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in a two-step manner. First, cancer cells secrete exosomes to program quiescent fibroblasts into activated CAFs. Second, cancer cells maintain the CAF phenotype via activation of signal transduction pathways. We rationalized that inhibiting this two-step process can normalize CAFs into quiescent fibroblasts and augment the efficacy of immunotherapy. We show that cancer cell-targeted nanoliposomes that inhibit sequential steps of exosome biogenesis and release from lung cancer cells block the differentiation of lung fibroblasts into CAFs. In parallel, we demonstrate that CAF-targeted nanoliposomes that block two distinct nodes in fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway can reverse activate CAFs into quiescent fibroblasts. Co-administration of both nanoliposomes significantly improves the infiltration of cytotoxic T cells and enhances the antitumor efficacy of αPD-L1 in immunocompetent lung cancer-bearing mice. Simultaneously blocking the tumoral exosome-mediated activation of fibroblasts and FGFR-Wnt/β-catenin signaling constitutes a promising approach to augment immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- May S. Freag
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Investigative Toxicology, Drug Safety Research and Evaluation, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mostafa T. Mohammed
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Anatomical and Clinical Pathology Department, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arpita Kulkarni
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hagar E. Emam
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Krishna P. Maremanda
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Ahmed O. Elzoghby
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Zhao W, Kepecs B, Mahadevan NR, Segerstolpe A, Weirather JL, Besson NR, Giotti B, Soong BY, Li C, Vigneau S, Slyper M, Wakiro I, Jane-Valbuena J, Ashenberg O, Rotem A, Bueno R, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Pfaff K, Rodig S, Hata AN, Regev A, Johnson BE, Tsankov AM. A cellular and spatial atlas of TP53 -associated tissue remodeling in lung adenocarcinoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.28.546977. [PMID: 37425718 PMCID: PMC10327017 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.28.546977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene across many cancers and is associated with shorter survival in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). To define how TP53 mutations affect the LUAD tumor microenvironment (TME), we constructed a multi-omic cellular and spatial tumor atlas of 23 treatment-naïve human lung tumors. We found that TP53 -mutant ( TP53 mut ) malignant cells lose alveolar identity and upregulate highly proliferative and entropic gene expression programs consistently across resectable LUAD patient tumors, genetically engineered mouse models, and cell lines harboring a wide spectrum of TP53 mutations. We further identified a multicellular tumor niche composed of SPP1 + macrophages and collagen-expressing fibroblasts that coincides with hypoxic, pro-metastatic expression programs in TP53 mut tumors. Spatially correlated angiostatic and immune checkpoint interactions, including CD274 - PDCD1 and PVR - TIGIT , are also enriched in TP53 mut LUAD tumors, which may influence response to checkpoint blockade therapy. Our methodology can be further applied to investigate mutation-specific TME changes in other cancers.
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10
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Pu T, Wang J, Wei J, Zeng A, Zhang J, Chen J, Yin L, Li J, Lin TP, Melamed J, Corey E, Gao AC, Wu BJ. Stromal-derived MAOB promotes prostate cancer growth and progression. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi4935. [PMID: 38335292 PMCID: PMC10857382 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi4935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) develops in a microenvironment where the stromal cells modulate adjacent tumor growth and progression. Here, we demonstrated elevated levels of monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), a mitochondrial enzyme that degrades biogenic and dietary monoamines, in human PC stroma, which was associated with poor clinical outcomes of PC patients. Knockdown or overexpression of MAOB in human prostate stromal fibroblasts indicated that MAOB promotes cocultured PC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and co-inoculated prostate tumor growth in mice. Mechanistically, MAOB induces a reactive stroma with activated marker expression, increased extracellular matrix remodeling, and acquisition of a protumorigenic phenotype through enhanced production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, MAOB transcriptionally activates CXCL12 through Twist1 synergizing with TGFβ1-dependent Smads in prostate stroma, which stimulates tumor-expressed CXCR4-Src/JNK signaling in a paracrine manner. Pharmacological inhibition of stromal MAOB restricted PC xenograft growth in mice. Collectively, these findings characterize the contribution of MAOB to PC and suggest MAOB as a potential stroma-based therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjie Pu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
| | - Jing Wei
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
| | - Alan Zeng
- Undergraduate Programs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jinglong Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
| | - Jingrui Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
| | - Lijuan Yin
- Uro-Oncology Research Program, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
| | - Tzu-Ping Lin
- Department of Urology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine and Shu-Tien Urological Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jonathan Melamed
- Department of Pathology, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Eva Corey
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Allen C. Gao
- Department of Urologic Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Boyang Jason Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
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Zhang X, Zhang M, Sun H, Wang X, Wang X, Sheng W, Xu M. The role of transcription factors in the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00046-8. [PMID: 38309692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.033] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription factors (TFs) fulfill a critical role in the formation and maintenance of different cell types during the developmental process as well as disease. It is believed that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activation status of tissue-resident fibroblasts or derived from form other cell types via transdifferentiation or dedifferentiation. Despite a subgroup of CAFs exhibit anti-cancer effects, most of them are reported to exert effects on tumor progression, further indicating their heterogeneous origin. AIM OF REVIEW This review aimed to summarize and review the roles of TFs in the reciprocal crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells, discuss the emerging mechanisms, and their roles in cell-fate decision, cellular reprogramming and advancing our understanding of the gene regulatory networks over the period of cancer initiation and progression. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW This manuscript delves into the key contributory factors of TFs that are involved in activating CAFs and maintaining their unique states. Additionally, it explores how TFs play a pivotal and multifaceted role in the reciprocal crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells. This includes their involvement in processes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, as well as metabolic reprogramming. TFs also have a role in constructing an immunosuppressive microenvironment, inducing resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, facilitating angiogenesis, and even 'educating' CAFs to support the malignancies of tumor cells. Furthermore, this manuscript delves into the current status of TF-targeted therapy and considers the future directions of TFs in conjunction with anti-CAFs therapies to address the challenges in clinical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hui Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weiqi Sheng
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Midie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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12
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Saito LM, Ortiz RC, Amôr NG, Lopes NM, Buzo RF, Garlet GP, Rodini CO. NK cells and the profile of inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood of patients with advanced carcinomas. Cytokine 2024; 174:156455. [PMID: 38043142 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells are one of the most crucial immune cells that mediate the antitumoral response due to their ability to immediately recognize and eliminate transformed cells. Because of their great cytotoxic activity, the function of NK cells must be robustly regulated to avoid tissue damage. Such regulation is mediated by a coordinated engagement of activating (NKp46) and inhibitory (CD158b) receptors, which tumor cells may use to escape from immunosurveillance. Also, NK cells are generally divided based on surface molecules, such as CD16 and CD56, and can be classified as CD56brightCD16- (regulatory) and CD56dimCD16+ (cytotoxic) NK cells. Here, we aimed to evaluate the frequency and phenotype of circulating NK cells in patients with advanced carcinomas, as well as their systemic cytokine/chemokine and growth factors production. METHODS Peripheral blood was collected from 24 patients with advanced solid cancer during or after treatment and from 10 healthy donors. The frequency and the expression of activating (NKp46) and inhibitory (CD158b) molecules of CD56brightCD16- and CD56dimCD16+ NK cells were assessed by flow cytometry and the multiplex Luminex platform was used to quantify the secreted factors in peripheral blood serum. RESULTS Cancer patients had a lower frequency of the cytotoxic CD56dim CD16+ NK cells subset in comparison with healthy controls. Also, the regulatory CD56bright CD16- NKs isolated from cancer patients exhibited a significantly lower expression of NKp46. Among 29 immunological and growth factors analyzed in the peripheral blood of oncologic patients, MCP-1, IP-10, and eotaxin, and VEGF they have presented a higher proportion. The Pearson correlation test showed that IL-12p40 positively correlates with CD56brightCD16- NK cells. We also observed a positive correlation between MCP-1 and the activating marker NKp46, as well as a negative correlation between IP-10 and TNF-α and NKp46. CD158b expression in CD56dimCD16+ was positively correlated with EGF and negatively correlated with MIP-1β. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results suggest that cancer patients present a shift towards a poorly cytotoxic and less activated NK profile which may contribute to tumor development and progression. The understanding of NK cell biology and soluble factors during tumor development could aid in the design of possible targeting therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Mieli Saito
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rafael Carneiro Ortiz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo (HRAC/USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Nádia Ghinelli Amôr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Nathália Martins Lopes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Fonseca Buzo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo Pompermaier Garlet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Camila Oliveira Rodini
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Zheng J, Hao H. The importance of cancer-associated fibroblasts in targeted therapies and drug resistance in breast cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1333839. [PMID: 38273859 PMCID: PMC10810416 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1333839] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a substantial role in the tumor microenvironment, exhibiting a strong association with the advancement of various types of cancer, including breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. CAFs represent the most abundant mesenchymal cell population in breast cancer. Through diverse mechanisms, including the release of cytokines and exosomes, CAFs contribute to the progression of breast cancer by influencing tumor energy metabolism, promoting angiogenesis, impairing immune cell function, and remodeling the extracellular matrix. Moreover, CAFs considerably impact the response to treatment in breast cancer. Consequently, the development of interventions targeting CAFs has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach in the management of breast cancer. This article provides an analysis of the role of CAFs in breast cancer, specifically in relation to diagnosis, treatment, drug resistance, and prognosis. The paper succinctly outlines the diverse mechanisms through which CAFs contribute to the malignant behavior of breast cancer cells, including proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the potential of CAFs as valuable tools for early diagnosis, targeted therapy, treatment resistance, and prognosis assessment in breast cancer, thereby offering novel approaches for targeted therapy and overcoming treatment resistance in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hua Hao
- Department of Pathology, Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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14
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Melchionna R, Trono P, Di Carlo A, Di Modugno F, Nisticò P. Transcription factors in fibroblast plasticity and CAF heterogeneity. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:347. [PMID: 38124183 PMCID: PMC10731891 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02934-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, research focused on the multifaceted landscape and functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) aimed to reveal their heterogeneity and identify commonalities across diverse tumors for more effective therapeutic targeting of pro-tumoral stromal microenvironment. However, a unified functional categorization of CAF subsets remains elusive, posing challenges for the development of targeted CAF therapies in clinical settings.The CAF phenotype arises from a complex interplay of signals within the tumor microenvironment, where transcription factors serve as central mediators of various cellular pathways. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing technology have emphasized the role of transcription factors in the conversion of normal fibroblasts to distinct CAF subtypes across various cancer types.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the specific roles of transcription factor networks in shaping CAF heterogeneity, plasticity, and functionality. Beginning with their influence on fibroblast homeostasis and reprogramming during wound healing and fibrosis, it delves into the emerging insights into transcription factor regulatory networks. Understanding these mechanisms not only enables a more precise characterization of CAF subsets but also sheds light on the early regulatory processes governing CAF heterogeneity and functionality. Ultimately, this knowledge may unveil novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment, addressing the existing challenges of stromal-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Melchionna
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Trono
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Di Carlo
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Modugno
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Nisticò
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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15
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Yuan WC, Zhang JX, Chen HB, Yuan Y, Zhuang YP, Zhou HL, Li MH, Qiu WL, Zhou HG. A bibliometric and visual analysis of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1323115. [PMID: 38173726 PMCID: PMC10762783 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1323115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent the predominant stromal component within the tumour microenvironment (TME), exhibiting considerable heterogeneity and plasticity that significantly impact immune response and metabolic reprogramming within the TME, thereby influencing tumour progression. Consequently, investigating CAFs is of utmost importance. The objective of this study is to employ bibliometric analysis in order to evaluate the current state of research on CAFs and predict future areas of research and emerging trends. Methods Conduct a comprehensive search for scholarly publications within the Web of Science Core Collection database, encompassing the time period from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2022. Apply VOSviewer, CiteSpace, R software and Microsoft Excel for bibliometric analysis and visualisation. Results This study involved a comprehensive analysis of 5,925 publications authored by 33,628 individuals affiliated with 4,978 institutions across 79 countries/regions. These publications were published in 908 journals, covering 14,495 keywords and 203,947 references. Notably, there was a significant increase in articles published between 2019 and 2022. China had the highest count of articles, while the United States emerged as the most frequently cited country. The primary research institutions in this field were Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Harvard University, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Sotgia, Federica and Lisanti, Michael P from the University of Manchester, and Martinet, Wim from the University of Antwerp were the most prolific and highly cited authors. The journal Cancers had the highest number of publications, while Cancer Research was the most frequently cited journal. Molecular, biology, immunology, medicine and genetics were the main research disciplines in the field of CAFs. Key directions in CAFs research encompassed the study of transforming growth factor-β, Fibroblast Activation Protein, breast cancer, as well as growth and metastasis. The findings from the analysis of keyword co-occurrence and literature co-citation have revealed several emerging hotspots and trends within the field of CAFs. These include STAT3, multidrug resistance, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pan-cancer analysis, preclinical evaluation, ionizing radiation, and gold nanoparticles. Conclusion Targeting CAFs is anticipated to be a novel and effective strategy for cancer treatment. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the existing research on CAFs from 2001 to 2022, utilizing bibliometric analysis. The study identified the prominent areas of investigation and anticipated future research directions, with the aim of providing valuable insights and recommendations for future studies in the field of CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chen Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie-Xiang Zhang
- The First Clinical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hai-Bin Chen
- Science and Technology Department, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Yuan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Oral Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College, Weifang, China
| | - Yu-Pei Zhuang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Li Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mu-Han Li
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen-Li Qiu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Guang Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, The First Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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16
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Krzysiek-Maczka G, Brzozowski T, Ptak-Belowska A. Helicobacter pylori-activated fibroblasts as a silent partner in gastric cancer development. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:1219-1256. [PMID: 37460910 PMCID: PMC10713772 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10122-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection of gastric mucosa leading to active chronic gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, and MALT lymphoma laid the groundwork for understanding of the general relationship between chronic infection, inflammation, and cancer. Nevertheless, this sequence of events is still far from full understanding with new players and mediators being constantly identified. Originally, the Hp virulence factors affecting mainly gastric epithelium were proposed to contribute considerably to gastric inflammation, ulceration, and cancer. Furthermore, it has been shown that Hp possesses the ability to penetrate the mucus layer and directly interact with stroma components including fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. These cells, which are the source of biophysical and biochemical signals providing the proper balance between cell proliferation and differentiation within gastric epithelial stem cell compartment, when exposed to Hp, can convert into cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype. The crosstalk between fibroblasts and myofibroblasts with gastric epithelial cells including stem/progenitor cell niche involves several pathways mediated by non-coding RNAs, Wnt, BMP, TGF-β, and Notch signaling ligands. The current review concentrates on the consequences of Hp-induced increase in gastric fibroblast and myofibroblast number, and their activation towards CAFs with the emphasis to the altered communication between mesenchymal and epithelial cell compartment, which may lead to inflammation, epithelial stem cell overproliferation, disturbed differentiation, and gradual gastric cancer development. Thus, Hp-activated fibroblasts may constitute the target for anti-cancer treatment and, importantly, for the pharmacotherapies diminishing their activation particularly at the early stages of Hp infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gracjana Krzysiek-Maczka
- Department of Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 16 Grzegorzecka Street, 31-531, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Brzozowski
- Department of Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 16 Grzegorzecka Street, 31-531, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Agata Ptak-Belowska
- Department of Physiology, the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 16 Grzegorzecka Street, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
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17
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Blakely B, Shin S, Jin K. Overview of the therapeutic strategies for ER positive breast cancer. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 212:115552. [PMID: 37068524 PMCID: PMC10394654 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115552] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen Receptor is the driving transcription factor in about 75% of all breast cancers, which is the target of endocrine therapies, but drug resistance is a common clinical problem. ESR1 point mutations at the ligand binding domain are frequently identified in metastatic tumor and ctDNA (Circulating tumor DNA) derived from ER positive breast cancer patients with endocrine therapies. Although endocrine therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy have demonstrated preclinical and clinical benefits for breast cancer, the development of resistance remains a significant challenge and the detailed mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets in advanced breast cancer yet to be revealed. Since a crosstalk between tumor and tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role to grow tumor and metastasis, this effect could serve as key regulators in the resistance of endocrine therapy and the transition of breast cancer cells to metastasis. In this article, we have reviewed recent progress in endocrine therapy and the contribution of TME to ER positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Blakely
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Seobum Shin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Kideok Jin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science, Albany, NY, United States.
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18
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Zhao Z, Li T, Yuan Y, Zhu Y. What is new in cancer-associated fibroblast biomarkers? Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:96. [PMID: 37143134 PMCID: PMC10158035 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01125-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is one of the important drivers of tumor development. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major component of the tumor stroma and actively participate in tumor development, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and other biological behaviors. CAFs are a highly heterogeneous group of cells, a reflection of the diversity of their origin, biomarkers, and functions. The diversity of CAF origin determines the complexity of CAF biomarkers, and CAF subpopulations expressing different biomarkers may play contrasting roles in tumor progression. In this review, we provide an overview of these emerging CAF biomarkers and the biological functions that they suggest, which may give a better understanding of the relationship between CAFs and tumor cells and be of great significance for breakthroughs in precision targeted therapy for tumors. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology (Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University), No. 44 of Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, China
| | - Tianming Li
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology (Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University), No. 44 of Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- Tumor Etiology and Screening Department of Cancer Institute and General Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Prevention in Liaoning Education Department, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
- Key Laboratory of GI Cancer Etiology and Prevention in Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 of Nanjing Road, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, China.
| | - Yanmei Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology (Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University), No. 44 of Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, China.
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Butti R, Khaladkar A, Bhardwaj P, Prakasam G. Heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping the cancer cell drug resistance. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:182-204. [PMID: 37065872 PMCID: PMC10099601 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2022.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The context-dependent reciprocal interaction between the cancer cells and surrounding fibroblasts is imperative for regulating malignant potential, metabolic reprogramming, immunosuppression, and ECM deposition. However, recent evidence also suggests that cancer-associated fibroblasts induce chemoresistance in cancer cells to various anticancer regimens. Because of the protumorigenic function of cancer-associated fibroblasts, these stromal cell types have emerged as fascinating therapeutic targets for cancer. However, this notion was recently challenged by studies that targeted cancer-associated fibroblasts and highlighted the underlying heterogeneity by identifying a subset of these cells with tumor-restricting functions. Hence, it is imperative to understand the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts to target tumor-promoting signaling processes by sparing tumor-restricting ones. In this review, we discuss the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping drug resistance and also list the cancer-associated fibroblast-targeting therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Butti
- Kidney Cancer Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Ashwini Khaladkar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Bombay 400076, India
- Authors contributed equally
| | - Priya Bhardwaj
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
- Authors contributed equally
| | - Gopinath Prakasam
- Kidney Cancer Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
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20
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CD36 + cancer-associated fibroblasts provide immunosuppressive microenvironment for hepatocellular carcinoma via secretion of macrophage migration inhibitory factor. Cell Discov 2023; 9:25. [PMID: 36878933 PMCID: PMC9988869 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00529-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an immunotherapy-resistant malignancy characterized by high cellular heterogeneity. The diversity of cell types and the interplay between tumor and non-tumor cells remain to be clarified. Single cell RNA sequencing of human and mouse HCC tumors revealed heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF). Cross-species analysis determined the prominent CD36+ CAFs exhibited high-level lipid metabolism and expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). Lineage-tracing assays showed CD36+CAFs were derived from hepatic stellate cells. Furthermore, CD36 mediated oxidized LDL uptake-dependent MIF expression via lipid peroxidation/p38/CEBPs axis in CD36+ CAFs, which recruited CD33+myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in MIF- and CD74-dependent manner. Co-implantation of CD36+ CAFs with HCC cells promotes HCC progression in vivo. Finally, CD36 inhibitor synergizes with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy by restoring antitumor T-cell responses in HCC. Our work underscores the importance of elucidating the function of specific CAF subset in understanding the interplay between the tumor microenvironment and immune system.
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21
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Huang T, Cheng J, Feng H, Zhou W, Qiu P, Zhou D, Yang D, Zhang J, Willer C, Chen YE, Mizrak D, Yang B. Bicuspid Aortic Valve-Associated Regulatory Regions Reveal GATA4 Regulation and Function During Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Brief Report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:312-322. [PMID: 36519469 PMCID: PMC10038164 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.122.318566] [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: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) is a fundamental process for heart valve formation and defects in EndoMT cause aortic valve abnormalities. Our previous genome-wide association study identified multiple variants in a large chromosome 8 segment as significantly associated with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). The objective of this study is to determine the biological effects of this large noncoding segment in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based EndoMT. METHODS A large genomic segment enriched for BAV-associated variants was deleted in hiPSCs using 2-step CRISPR/Cas9 editing. To address the effects of the variants on GATA4 expression, we generated CRISPR repression hiPSC lines (CRISPRi) as well as hiPSCs from BAV patients. The resulting hiPSCs were differentiated to mesenchymal/myofibroblast-like cells through cardiovascular-lineage endothelial cells for molecular and cellular analysis. Single-cell RNA sequencing was also performed at different stages of EndoMT induction. RESULTS The large deletion impaired hiPSC-based EndoMT in multiple biallelic clones compared with their isogenic control. It also reduced GATA4 transcript and protein levels during EndoMT, sparing the other genes nearby the deletion segment. Single-cell trajectory analysis revealed the molecular reprogramming during EndoMT. Putative GATA-binding protein targets during EndoMT were uncovered, including genes implicated in endocardial cushion formation and EndoMT process. Differentiation of cells derived from BAV patients carrying the rs117430032 variant as well as CRISPRi repression of the rs117430032 locus resulted in lower GATA4 expression in a stage-specific manner. TWIST1 was identified as a potential regulator of GATA4 expression, showing specificity to the locus tagged by rs117430032. CONCLUSIONS BAV-associated distal regions regulate GATA4 expression during hiPSC-based EndoMT, which in turn promotes EndoMT progression, implicating its contribution to heart valve development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Huang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiaxi Cheng
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Hao Feng
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ping Qiu
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dong Zhou
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Dongshan Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Cristen Willer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Y. Eugene Chen
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dogukan Mizrak
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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22
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Wang F, Zhao H, Yin L, Zhang W, Tang Y, Wang X, Huang C. The paired-related homeobox protein 1 promotes cardiac fibrosis via the Twist1-Prrx1-tenascin-C loop. Cell Biol Int 2023; 47:167-177. [PMID: 36273425 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathology in the advanced stage of cardiovascular diseases, which leads to cardiac systolic and diastolic dysfunction. It is important to prevent cardiac fibrosis during myocardial injury. The transcription factor Prrx1 is involved in cancer-associated fibrosis and other organ fibrosis. However, the role and mechanism of Prrx1 in cardiac fibrosis deserves further exploration. We identified that overexpressed Prrx1 promoted the proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts, and transform cardiac fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in vitro. We demonstrated that the expression of Prrx1 is upregulated in TGF-β1-treated fibroblasts. And silencing Prrx1 could attenuate cardiac fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 in vitro. In addition, a Twist1-paired-related homeobox 1 (Prrx1)-tenascin-C (TNC) positive feedback loop (PFL) combined with Twist1, Prrx1, and TNC activated fibroblasts, which was the mechanism the Prrx1 in cardiac fibrosis. In conclusion, our findings showed that the deficiency of Prrx1 attenuated cardiac fibrosis in vitro and reveal a novel Twist1-Prrx1-TNC PFL in the regulation of cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyuan Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongyi Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Yin
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanhong Tang
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Congxin Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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23
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Wang T, Rho O, Eguiarte-Solomon F, DiGiovanni J. Twist1 as a target for prevention of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:62-76. [PMID: 36373194 PMCID: PMC9772054 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23482] [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: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) represents an important clinical problem requiring novel approaches for both prevention and treatment. The transcription factor, Twist-related protein 1 (Twist1), has been identified as having a key mechanistic role in the development and progression of cSCC. Studies in relevant mouse models of cSCC have shown that Twist1 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness driving progression and metastasis of cSCC. In addition, further research has shown that Twist1 regulates the balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation and therefore impacts earlier stages of cSCC development. Through use of keratinocyte specific Twist1 knockout models, a role for this gene in keratinocyte stem cell homeostasis has been revealed. As a transcription factor, Twist1 regulates a large number of genes both in a positive, as well as a negative manner across several interdependent pathways. Studies in keratinocyte specific knockout models have shown that Twist1 upregulates the expression of genes involved in proliferation, stemness, and EMT while downregulating the expression of genes associated with differentiation. Furthermore, a number of compounds, including naturally occurring compounds, have been identified that target Twist1 and can block its effects in cancer cells and in keratinocytes in vivo. Collectively, the current understanding of Twist1 function in cSCC development and progression suggests that it represents a potential target for prevention and treatment of cSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingzeng Wang
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
| | - Okkyung Rho
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
| | - Fernando Eguiarte-Solomon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
| | - John DiGiovanni
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
- Center for Molecular Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
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24
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Fang Z, Meng Q, Xu J, Wang W, Zhang B, Liu J, Liang C, Hua J, Zhao Y, Yu X, Shi S. Signaling pathways in cancer-associated fibroblasts: recent advances and future perspectives. CANCER COMMUNICATIONS (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 43:3-41. [PMID: 36424360 PMCID: PMC9859735 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
As a critical component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play important roles in cancer initiation and progression. Well-known signaling pathways, including the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), Hedgehog (Hh), Notch, Wnt, Hippo, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways, as well as transcription factors, including hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), P53, Snail, and Twist, constitute complex regulatory networks in the TME to modulate the formation, activation, heterogeneity, metabolic characteristics and malignant phenotype of CAFs. Activated CAFs remodel the TME and influence the malignant biological processes of cancer cells by altering the transcriptional and secretory characteristics, and this modulation partially depends on the regulation of signaling cascades. The results of preclinical and clinical trials indicated that therapies targeting signaling pathways in CAFs demonstrated promising efficacy but were also accompanied by some failures (e.g., NCT01130142 and NCT01064622). Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the signaling cascades in CAFs might help us better understand the roles of CAFs and the TME in cancer progression and may facilitate the development of more efficient and safer stroma-targeted cancer therapies. Here, we review recent advances in studies of signaling pathways in CAFs and briefly discuss some future perspectives on CAF research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengli Fang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Qingcai Meng
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Jie Hua
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Institutes of Biomedical SciencesShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic SurgeryFudan University Shanghai Cancer CenterShanghai200032P. R. China,Department of OncologyShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer InstituteShanghai200032P. R. China,Pancreatic Cancer InstituteFudan UniversityShanghai200032P. R. China
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25
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Foster DS, Januszyk M, Delitto D, Yost KE, Griffin M, Guo J, Guardino N, Delitto AE, Chinta M, Burcham AR, Nguyen AT, Bauer-Rowe KE, Titan AL, Salhotra A, Jones RE, da Silva O, Lindsay HG, Berry CE, Chen K, Henn D, Mascharak S, Talbott HE, Kim A, Nosrati F, Sivaraj D, Ransom RC, Matthews M, Khan A, Wagh D, Coller J, Gurtner GC, Wan DC, Wapnir IL, Chang HY, Norton JA, Longaker MT. Multiomic analysis reveals conservation of cancer-associated fibroblast phenotypes across species and tissue of origin. Cancer Cell 2022; 40:1392-1406.e7. [PMID: 36270275 PMCID: PMC9669239 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2022.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are integral to the solid tumor microenvironment. CAFs were once thought to be a relatively uniform population of matrix-producing cells, but single-cell RNA sequencing has revealed diverse CAF phenotypes. Here, we further probed CAF heterogeneity with a comprehensive multiomics approach. Using paired, same-cell chromatin accessibility and transcriptome analysis, we provided an integrated analysis of CAF subpopulations over a complex spatial transcriptomic and proteomic landscape to identify three superclusters: steady state-like (SSL), mechanoresponsive (MR), and immunomodulatory (IM) CAFs. These superclusters are recapitulated across multiple tissue types and species. Selective disruption of underlying mechanical force or immune checkpoint inhibition therapy results in shifts in CAF subpopulation distributions and affected tumor growth. As such, the balance among CAF superclusters may have considerable translational implications. Collectively, this research expands our understanding of CAF biology, identifying regulatory pathways in CAF differentiation and elucidating therapeutic targets in a species- and tumor-agnostic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deshka S Foster
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael Januszyk
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel Delitto
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Kathryn E Yost
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michelle Griffin
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jason Guo
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nicholas Guardino
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrea E Delitto
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Malini Chinta
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Austin R Burcham
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alan T Nguyen
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Khristian E Bauer-Rowe
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ashley L Titan
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Ankit Salhotra
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - R Ellen Jones
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Oscar da Silva
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hunter G Lindsay
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Charlotte E Berry
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kellen Chen
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dominic Henn
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Shamik Mascharak
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Heather E Talbott
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alexia Kim
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Fatemeh Nosrati
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dharshan Sivaraj
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - R Chase Ransom
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael Matthews
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anum Khan
- Cell Sciences Imaging Facility, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dhananjay Wagh
- Stanford Genomics Facility, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - John Coller
- Stanford Genomics Facility, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Geoffrey C Gurtner
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Derrick C Wan
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Irene L Wapnir
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Jeffrey A Norton
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA.
| | - Michael T Longaker
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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26
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Bae WJ, Kim S, Ahn JM, Han JH, Lee D. Estrogen-responsive cancer-associated fibroblasts promote invasive property of gastric cancer in a paracrine manner via CD147 production. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22597. [PMID: 36197688 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200164rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen signaling has been extensively studied, especially in cancers that express estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). However, little is known regarding the effect of estrogen on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Here, we explored the role of estrogen signaling of CAFs in gastric cancer (GC) progression. We investigated the phenotypic changes in CAFs upon 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment using ERα-negative/positive CAFs, and the conditioned media (CM) collected from these were compared with regard to cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. A paracrine factor was found using a cytokine array and was confirmed using qRT-PCR, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. ERα-CD147-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) axis was confirmed by knockdown experiments using specific siRNAs. We found that a subset of CAFs expressed ERα. ERα-positive CAFs were responsive to E2, inducing ERα expression in a dose-dependent manner. Although E2 did not induce the proliferation of ERα-positive CAFs, the CM from E2-bound ERα-positive CAFs significantly promoted cancer cell migration and invasion. Cytokine array revealed that CD147 was induced in ERα-positive CAFs upon E2 treatment; this was mediated via ERα. Increased CD147 upregulated MMP2 and MMP9 in CAFs, and also influenced cancer cells in a paracrine manner to increase MMPs and CD147 in cancer cells. High CD147 expression in tumor tissue was associated with a worse prognosis in GC patients. Our data suggest that estrogen signaling activation in CAFs and the byproduct CD147 are among the critical mediators between the interplay of CAFs and cancer cells to facilitate cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Jung Bae
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokhwi Kim
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Mi Ahn
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Ho Han
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dakeun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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27
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Sun H, Wang X, Wang X, Xu M, Sheng W. The role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in tumorigenesis of gastric cancer. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:874. [PMID: 36244987 PMCID: PMC9573863 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05320-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite advances in anticancer therapy, the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) remains unsatisfactory. Research in recent years has shown that the malignant behavior of cancer is not only attributable to tumor cells but is partly mediated by the activity of the cancer stroma and controlled by various molecular networks in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most abundant mesenchymal cell components of the stroma and extensively participate in the malignant development of GC malignancy. CAFs modulate the biological properties of tumor cells in multiple ways, including the secretion of various bioactive molecules that have effects through paracrine and autocrine signaling, the release of exosomes, and direct interactions, thereby affecting GC initiation and development. However, there is marked heterogeneity in the cellular origins, phenotypes, and functions of CAFs in the TME of GC. Furthermore, variations in factors, such as proteins, microRNAs, and lncRNAs, affect interactions between CAFs and GC cells, although, the potential molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this review, we aim to describe the current knowledge of the cellular features and heterogeneity of CAFs and discuss how these factors are regulated in CAFs, with a focus on how they affect GC biology. This review provides mechanistic insight that could inform therapeutic strategies and improve the prognosis of GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Sun
- grid.452404.30000 0004 1808 0942Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.11841.3d0000 0004 0619 8943Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Wang
- grid.452404.30000 0004 1808 0942Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.11841.3d0000 0004 0619 8943Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wang
- grid.452404.30000 0004 1808 0942Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.11841.3d0000 0004 0619 8943Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Midie Xu
- grid.452404.30000 0004 1808 0942Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.11841.3d0000 0004 0619 8943Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Weiqi Sheng
- grid.452404.30000 0004 1808 0942Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032 Shanghai, China ,grid.11841.3d0000 0004 0619 8943Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
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28
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Qi M, Fan S, Huang M, Pan J, Li Y, Miao Q, Lyu W, Li X, Deng L, Qiu S, Liu T, Deng W, Chu X, Jiang C, He W, Xia L, Yang Y, Hong J, Qi Q, Yin W, Liu X, Shi C, Chen M, Ye W, Zhang D. Targeting FAPα-expressing hepatic stellate cells overcomes resistance to antiangiogenics in colorectal cancer liver metastasis models. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:e157399. [PMID: 35951441 PMCID: PMC9525122 DOI: 10.1172/jci157399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Vessel co-option has been demonstrated to mediate colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM) resistance to antiangiogenic therapy. The current mechanisms underlying vessel co-option have mainly focused on "hijacker" tumor cells, whereas the function of the "hijackee" sinusoidal blood vessels has not been explored. Here, we found that the occurrence of vessel co-option in bevacizumab-resistant CRCLM xenografts was associated with increased expression of fibroblast activation protein α (FAPα) in the co-opted hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which was dramatically attenuated in HSC-specific conditional Fap-knockout mice bearing CRCLM allografts. Mechanistically, bevacizumab treatment induced hypoxia to upregulate the expression of fibroblast growth factor-binding protein 1 (FGFBP1) in tumor cells. Gain- or loss-of-function experiments revealed that the bevacizumab-resistant tumor cell-derived FGFBP1 induced FAPα expression by enhancing the paracrine FGF2/FGFR1/ERK1/-2/EGR1 signaling pathway in HSCs. FAPα promoted CXCL5 secretion in HSCs, which activated CXCR2 to promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells and the recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. These findings were further validated in tumor tissues derived from patients with CRCLM. Targeting FAPα+ HSCs effectively disrupted the co-opted sinusoidal blood vessels and overcame bevacizumab resistance. Our study highlights the role of FAPα+ HSCs in vessel co-option and provides an effective strategy to overcome the vessel co-option-mediated bevacizumab resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Qi
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuran Fan
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maohua Huang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinghua Pan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Li
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, and
| | - Qun Miao
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenyu Lyu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Deng
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shenghui Qiu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tongzheng Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiqing Deng
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Chu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chang Jiang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenzhuo He
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liangping Xia
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunlong Yang
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Hong
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Qi
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenqian Yin
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangning Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Changzheng Shi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minfeng Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wencai Ye
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, and
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, and
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29
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Becker WR, Nevins SA, Chen DC, Chiu R, Horning AM, Guha TK, Laquindanum R, Mills M, Chaib H, Ladabaum U, Longacre T, Shen J, Esplin ED, Kundaje A, Ford JM, Curtis C, Snyder MP, Greenleaf WJ. Single-cell analyses define a continuum of cell state and composition changes in the malignant transformation of polyps to colorectal cancer. Nat Genet 2022; 54:985-995. [PMID: 35726067 PMCID: PMC9279149 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01088-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To chart cell composition and cell state changes that occur during the transformation of healthy colon to precancerous adenomas to colorectal cancer (CRC), we generated single-cell chromatin accessibility profiles and single-cell transcriptomes from 1,000 to 10,000 cells per sample for 48 polyps, 27 normal tissues and 6 CRCs collected from patients with or without germline APC mutations. A large fraction of polyp and CRC cells exhibit a stem-like phenotype, and we define a continuum of epigenetic and transcriptional changes occurring in these stem-like cells as they progress from homeostasis to CRC. Advanced polyps contain increasing numbers of stem-like cells, regulatory T cells and a subtype of pre-cancer-associated fibroblasts. In the cancerous state, we observe T cell exhaustion, RUNX1-regulated cancer-associated fibroblasts and increasing accessibility associated with HNF4A motifs in epithelia. DNA methylation changes in sporadic CRC are strongly anti-correlated with accessibility changes along this continuum, further identifying regulatory markers for molecular staging of polyps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston R Becker
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Program in Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Nevins
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Derek C Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne Chiu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aaron M Horning
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tuhin K Guha
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rozelle Laquindanum
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Meredith Mills
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hassan Chaib
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Uri Ladabaum
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Teri Longacre
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jeanne Shen
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Edward D Esplin
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anshul Kundaje
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - James M Ford
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christina Curtis
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - William J Greenleaf
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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30
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PRRX1 is a master transcription factor of stromal fibroblasts for myofibroblastic lineage progression. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2793. [PMID: 35589735 PMCID: PMC9120014 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30484-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Although stromal fibroblasts play a critical role in cancer progression, their identities remain unclear as they exhibit high heterogeneity and plasticity. Here, a master transcription factor (mTF) constructing core-regulatory circuitry, PRRX1, which determines the fibroblast lineage with a myofibroblastic phenotype, is identified for the fibroblast subgroup. PRRX1 orchestrates the functional drift of fibroblasts into myofibroblastic phenotype via TGF-β signaling by remodeling a super-enhancer landscape. Such reprogrammed fibroblasts have myofibroblastic functions resulting in markedly enhanced tumorigenicity and aggressiveness of cancer. PRRX1 expression in cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) has an unfavorable prognosis in multiple cancer types. Fibroblast-specific PRRX1 depletion induces long-term and sustained complete remission of chemotherapy-resistant cancer in genetically engineered mice models. This study reveals CAF subpopulations based on super-enhancer profiles including PRRX1. Therefore, mTFs, including PRRX1, provide another opportunity for establishing a hierarchical classification system of fibroblasts and cancer treatment by targeting fibroblasts. Cancer associated fibroblasts are an important and highly heterogeneous component of the tumor microenvironment. Here the authors identify PRRX1 as a master transcription factor determining a fibroblast lineage with myofibroblastic phenotype, associated with unfavourable prognosis in several cancer types.
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31
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Al Hrout A, Cervantes-Gracia K, Chahwan R, Amin A. Modelling liver cancer microenvironment using a novel 3D culture system. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8003. [PMID: 35568708 PMCID: PMC9107483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment and its contribution to tumorigenesis has been a focal highlight in recent years. A two-way communication between the tumor and the surrounding microenvironment sustains and contributes to the growth and metastasis of tumors. Progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported to be exceedingly influenced by diverse microenvironmental cues. In this study, we present a 3D-culture model of liver cancer to better mimic in vivo tumor settings. By creating novel 3D co-culture model that combines free-floating and scaffold-based 3D-culture techniques of liver cancer cells and fibroblasts, we aimed to establish a simple albeit reproducible ex vivo cancer microenvironment model that captures tumor-stroma interactions. The model presented herein exhibited unique gene expression and protein expression profiles when compared to 2D and 3D mono-cultures of liver cancer cells. Our results showed that in vivo like conditions cannot be mimicked by simply growing cancer cells as spheroids, but by co-culturing them with 3D fibroblast with which they were able to crosstalk. This was evident by the upregulation of several pathways involved in HCC, and the increase in secreted factors by co-cultured cancer cells, many of which are also involved in tumor-stroma interactions. Compared to the conventional 2D culture, the proposed model exhibits an increase in the expression of genes associated with development, progression, and poor prognosis of HCC. Our results correlated with an aggressive outcome that better mirrors in vivo HCC, and therefore, a more reliable platform for molecular understanding of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala'a Al Hrout
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Biology Department, College of Science, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Karla Cervantes-Gracia
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Chahwan
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Amr Amin
- Biology Department, College of Science, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
- The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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32
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Suzuki J, Tsuboi M, Ishii G. Cancer-associated fibroblasts and the tumor microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2022; 22:169-182. [PMID: 34904919 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2022.2019018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a markedly poor prognosis as it progresses, and the prognosis is still unsatisfactory even with modern treatments. Cancer is composed of not only cancer cells, but also stroma consisting of various cell types. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major component of the stroma and the associated tumor microenvironment (TME). Particularly, CAFs are a critical component in elucidating the biological mechanisms of cancer progression and new therapeutic targets. This article outlines the TME formed by CAFs in NSCLC. AREAS COVERED Focusing on the TME in NSCLC, we discuss the mechanisms by which CAFs are involved in cancer progression, drug resistance, and the development of therapies targeting CAFs. EXPERT OPINION In the TME, CAFs profoundly contribute to tumor progression by interacting with cancer cells through direct contact or paracrine cytokine signaling. CAFs also interact with various other stromal components to establish a tumor-promoting immunosuppressive microenvironment and remodel the extracellular matrix. Furthermore, these effects are closely associated with drug resistance. Further elucidation of the stromal microenvironment, including CAFs, could prove to be crucial in the treatment of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Suzuki
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.,Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Masahiro Tsuboi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Genichiro Ishii
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
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33
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Liu XQ, Shao XR, Liu Y, Dong ZX, Chan SH, Shi YY, Chen SN, Qi L, Zhong L, Yu Y, Lv T, Yang PF, Li LY, Wang XB, Zhang XD, Li X, Zhao W, Sehgal L, Li M, Zhang XD. Tight junction protein 1 promotes vasculature remodeling via regulating USP2/TWIST1 in bladder cancer. Oncogene 2022; 41:502-514. [PMID: 34782718 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02112-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BLCA) is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system and is characterized by high metastatic rates and poor prognosis. The expression of tight junction protein 1 (TJP1) is associated with bladder cancer invasion; however, the mechanism by which TJP1 affects vasculature remodeling remains unknown. In this study, we found that TJP1 expression correlated with tumor angiogenesis and poor overall survival in clinical samples. Furthermore, TJP1 overexpression promoted tumor angiogenesis in BLCA cells and stimulated recruitment of macrophages to tumors by upregulating CCL2 expression. Mechanistically, TJP1 interacted with TWIST1 and enhanced the transcriptional activity of CCL2. The impairment of tumor angiogenesis caused by knockdown of TJP1 was dramatically rescued by overexpression of TWIST1. Furthermore, TJP1 recruited USP2, which deubiquitinated TWIST1, thereby protecting TWIST1 from proteasome-mediated protein degradation. In conclusion, our results suggest that TJP1 controls angiogenesis in BLCA via TWIST1-dependent regulation of CCL2. We demonstrate that TJP1 functions as a scaffold for the interaction between USP2 and TWIST1 and this may provide potential therapeutic targets in bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Qi Liu
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin-Rong Shao
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ye Liu
- Department of Pathology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Zhao-Xia Dong
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Sze-Hoi Chan
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Shi
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shu-Na Chen
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Qi
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ting Lv
- Department of Pathology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Peng-Fei Yang
- Department of Pathology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Li-Yan Li
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Bin Wang
- Andrology section, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xu-Dong Zhang
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin Li
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenxue Zhao
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lalit Sehgal
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Miao Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China. .,Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xing-Ding Zhang
- Molecular Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
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34
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Dinh HQ, Pan F, Wang G, Huang QF, Olingy CE, Wu ZY, Wang SH, Xu X, Xu XE, He JZ, Yang Q, Orsulic S, Haro M, Li LY, Huang GW, Breunig JJ, Koeffler HP, Hedrick CC, Xu LY, Lin DC, Li EM. Integrated single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals heterogeneity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7335. [PMID: 34921160 PMCID: PMC8683407 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27599-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is a highly complex ecosystem of diverse cell types, which shape cancer biology and impact the responsiveness to therapy. Here, we analyze the microenvironment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) using single-cell transcriptome sequencing in 62,161 cells from blood, adjacent nonmalignant and matched tumor samples from 11 ESCC patients. We uncover heterogeneity in most cell types of the ESCC stroma, particularly in the fibroblast and immune cell compartments. We identify a tumor-specific subset of CST1+ myofibroblasts with prognostic values and potential biological significance. CST1+ myofibroblasts are also highly tumor-specific in other cancer types. Additionally, a subset of antigen-presenting fibroblasts is revealed and validated. Analyses of myeloid and T lymphoid lineages highlight the immunosuppressive nature of the ESCC microenvironment, and identify cancer-specific expression of immune checkpoint inhibitors. This work establishes a rich resource of stromal cell types of the ESCC microenvironment for further understanding of ESCC biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy Q Dinh
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
- Division of Inflammation Biology, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Feng Pan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China
| | - Geng Wang
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Qing-Feng Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China
| | - Claire E Olingy
- Division of Inflammation Biology, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Xin Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China
| | - Xiu-E Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China
| | - Jian-Zhong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sandra Orsulic
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marcela Haro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Li-Yan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Guo-Wei Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Joshua J Breunig
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - H Phillip Koeffler
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Catherine C Hedrick
- Division of Inflammation Biology, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Li-Yan Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China.
| | - De-Chen Lin
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - En-Min Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Research Institute, Shantou Sub-center, Shantou, China.
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35
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Chen M, Yang S, Wu Y, Zhao Z, Zhai X, Dong D. High temperature requirement A1 in cancer: biomarker and therapeutic target. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:513. [PMID: 34563186 PMCID: PMC8466973 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02203-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As the life expectancy of the population increases worldwide, cancer is becoming a substantial public health problem. Considering its recurrence and mortality rates, most cancer cases are difficult to cure. In recent decades, a large number of studies have been carried out on different cancer types; unfortunately, tumor incidence and mortality have not been effectively improved. At present, early diagnostic biomarkers and accurate therapeutic strategies for cancer are lacking. High temperature requirement A1 (HtrA1) is a trypsin-fold serine protease that is also a chymotrypsin-like protease family member originally discovered in bacteria and later discovered in mammalian systems. HtrA1 gene expression is decreased in diverse cancers, and it may play a role as a tumor suppressor for promoting the death of tumor cells. This work aimed to examine the role of HtrA1 as a cell type-specific diagnostic biomarker or as an internal and external regulatory factor of diverse cancers. The findings of this study will facilitate the development of HtrA1 as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222, Zhongshan Road, Xigang District, 116011, Dalian, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Shilei Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222, Zhongshan Road, Xigang District, 116011, Dalian, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222, Zhongshan Road, Xigang District, 116011, Dalian, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zirui Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222, Zhongshan Road, Xigang District, 116011, Dalian, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhai
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222, Zhongshan Road, Xigang District, 116011, Dalian, China.
| | - Deshi Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222, Zhongshan Road, Xigang District, 116011, Dalian, China.
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36
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Ansardamavandi A, Tafazzoli-Shadpour M. The functional cross talk between cancer cells and cancer associated fibroblasts from a cancer mechanics perspective. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2021; 1868:119103. [PMID: 34293346 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.119103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The function of biological tissues in health and disease is regulated at cellular level and is highly influenced by the physical microenvironment, through the interaction of forces between cells and ECM, which are perceived through mechanosensing pathways. In cancer, both chemical and physical signaling cascades and their interactions are involved during cell-cell and cell-ECM communications to meet requirements of tumor growth. Among stroma cells, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play key role in tumor growth and pave the way for cancer cells to initiate metastasis and invasion to other tissues, and without recruitment of CAFs, the process of cancer invasion is dysfunctional. This is through an intense chemical and physical cross talks with tumor cells, and interactive remodeling of ECM. During such interaction CAFs apply traction forces and depending on the mechanical properties, deform ECM and in return receive physical signals from the micromechanical environment. Such interaction leads to ECM remodeling by manipulating ECM structure and its mechanical properties. The results are in form of deposition of extra fibers, stiffening, rearrangement and reorganization of fibrous structure, and degradation which are due to a complex secretion and expression of different markers triggered by mechanosensing of tumor cells, specially CAFs. Such events define cancer progress and invasion of cancer cells. A systemic knowledge of chemical and physical factors provides a holistic view of how cancer process and enhances the current treatment methods to provide more diversity among targets that involves tumor cells and ECM structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arian Ansardamavandi
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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37
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Dey M, Ayan B, Yurieva M, Unutmaz D, Ozbolat IT. Studying Tumor Angiogenesis and Cancer Invasion in a Three-Dimensional Vascularized Breast Cancer Micro-Environment. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2021; 5:e2100090. [PMID: 33857356 PMCID: PMC8574137 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Metastatic breast cancer is one of the deadliest forms of malignancy, primarily driven by its characteristic micro-environment comprising cancer cells interacting with stromal components. These interactions induce genetic and metabolic alterations creating a conducive environment for tumor growth. In this study, a physiologically relevant 3D vascularized breast cancer micro-environment is developed comprising of metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells loaded in human dermal fibroblasts laden fibrin, representing the tumor stroma. The matrix, as well as stromal cell density, impacts the transcriptional profile of genes involved in tumor angiogenesis and cancer invasion, which are hallmarks of cancer. Cancer-specific canonical pathways and activated upstream regulators are also identified by the differential gene expression signatures of these composite cultures. Additionally, a tumor-associated vascular bed of capillaries is established exhibiting dilated vessel diameters, representative of in vivo tumor physiology. Further, employing aspiration-assisted bioprinting, cancer-endothelial crosstalk, in the form of collective angiogenesis of tumor spheroids bioprinted at close proximity, is identified. Overall, this bottom-up approach of tumor micro-environment fabrication provides an insight into the potential of in vitro tumor models and enables the identification of novel therapeutic targets as a preclinical drug screening platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuri Dey
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Bugra Ayan
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Marina Yurieva
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Derya Unutmaz
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Ibrahim T Ozbolat
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Materials Research Institute, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Ishii T, Suzuki A, Kuwata T, Hisamitsu S, Hashimoto H, Ohara Y, Yanagihara K, Mitsunaga S, Yoshino T, Kinoshita T, Ochiai A, Shitara K, Ishii G. Drug-exposed cancer-associated fibroblasts facilitate gastric cancer cell progression following chemotherapy. Gastric Cancer 2021; 24:810-822. [PMID: 33837489 DOI: 10.1007/s10120-021-01174-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer progression following chemotherapy is a significant barrier to effective cancer treatment. We aimed to evaluate the role of drug-exposed cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the growth and progression of drug-exposed gastric cancer (GC) cells and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. METHODS The human GC cell line 44As3 and CAFs were treated with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (5FU + OX). 5FU + OX-pretreated 44As3 cells were then cultured in a conditioned medium (CM) from 5FU + OX-pretreated CAFs, and the growth and migration/invasion ability of the cells were evaluated. We also compared the clinicopathological characteristics of the GC patients treated with S1 + OX in accordance with the properties of their resected specimens, focusing on the number of CAFs. Changes in gene expression in CAFs and 44As3 cells were comprehensively analyzed using RNA-seq analysis. RESULTS The CM from 5FU + OX-pretreated CAFs promoted the migration and invasion of 5FU + OX-pretreated 44As3 cells. Although the number of cases was relatively small (n = 21), the frequency of positive cases of lymphovascular invasion and the recurrence rate were significantly higher in those with more residual CAF. RNA-seq analysis revealed 5FU + OX-pretreated CAF-derived glycoprotein 130 (gp130) as a candidate factor contributing to the increased migration of 5FU + OX-pretreated 44As3 cells. Administration of the gp130 inhibitor SC144 prevented the increased migration ability of 5FU + OX-pretreated 44As3 cells owing to drug-treated CAFs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence regarding the interactions between GC cells and CAFs in the tumor microenvironment following chemotherapy, suggesting that ligands for gp130 may be novel therapeutic targets for suppressing or preventing metastasis in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Ishii
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.,Courses of Advanced Clinical Research of Cancer, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ayako Suzuki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kuwata
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shoshi Hisamitsu
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroko Hashimoto
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yuuki Ohara
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Yanagihara
- Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shuichi Mitsunaga
- Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takayuki Yoshino
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kinoshita
- Department of Gastric Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Atsushi Ochiai
- Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kohei Shitara
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Genichiro Ishii
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan. .,Courses of Advanced Clinical Research of Cancer, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. .,Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
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39
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Mezawa Y, Orimo A. Phenotypic heterogeneity, stability and plasticity in tumor-promoting carcinoma-associated fibroblasts. FEBS J 2021; 289:2429-2447. [PMID: 33786982 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are essential for full-blown tumor development. Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of the TME together with a wide variety of stromal cell types including vascular, inflammatory, and immune cells in the extracellular matrix. CAFs not only promote tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis, but also dampen the efficacy of various therapies including immune checkpoint inhibitors. CAFs are composed of distinct fibroblast populations presumably with diverse activated fibroblastic states and tumor-promoting phenotypes in a tumor, indicating intratumor heterogeneity in these fibroblasts. Given that CAFs have been implicated in both disease progression and therapeutic responses, elucidating the functional roles of each fibroblast population in CAFs and the molecular mechanisms mediating their phenotypic stability and plasticity in the TME would be crucial for understanding tumor biology. We herein discuss how distinct fibroblast populations comprising CAFs establish their cell identities, in terms of cells-of-origin, stimuli from the TME, and the phenotypes characteristic of activated states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Mezawa
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Orimo
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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40
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Qin Y, Wang F, Ni H, Liu Y, Yin Y, Zhou X, Gao G, Li Q, Qi X, Li J. Cancer-associated fibroblasts in gastric cancer affect malignant progression via the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis. J Cancer 2021; 12:3011-3023. [PMID: 33854601 PMCID: PMC8040897 DOI: 10.7150/jca.49707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are principal constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and play a critical role in tumor progression. The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis regulates multiple facets of the TME. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between CXCL12 expression in CAFs and the malignant progression of gastric cancer (GC). Methods: In the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database, we performed transcriptome analysis on paired gastric cancer RNA sequencing samples, and scRNA analysis was performed on advanced malignant GC samples from the scRNA sequencing data set. Fibroblast cells were co-cultured with GC cells, and invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) were determined. After blocking the expression of fibroblast CXCL12, cells were co-cultured with a GC cell line. Detection of GC cell line invasion, migration, EMT and CXCR4, Wnt5a and β-Catenin expression levels was performed. Primary CAFs and gastric normal fibroblasts were isolated and CXCL12 mRNA and protein expression were determined. In addition, a cohort of 285 GC cases was established, protein expression was evaluated immunohistochemically, and prognostic results were analyzed. Results: GC transcriptome analysis suggested that cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and the Wnt signaling pathway in GC tissues were significantly up-regulated. scRNA analysis of advanced malignant GC samples showed that severe intestinal metaplasia (SIM) in GC specimens of different malignant grades had obvious fibroblast clusters compared to non-atrophic gastritis (NAG) and early gastric cancer (EGC). In the SIM group, fibroblast cluster, CXCL12, CXCR4, and Wnt5a were overexpressed. Co-culturing with fibroblast cells significantly increased the invasion, migration, and EMT of GC cells, and blocking CXCL12 in CAFs disturbed the expression of Wnt5a and β-catenin. In our cohort of GC patients, high CXCL12 expression in CAFs significantly correlated with histological grade (P = 0.012) and TNM stage (P = 0.014), as well as with poor overall survival (p = 0.0107). Conclusion: High expression of CXCL12 in CAFs in a GC microenvironment can affect the migration, invasion, and EMT of GC cells. Furthermore, it can cause poor prognosis in patients with GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Qin
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Soochow University, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Jiangnan University School of Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Hengli Ni
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Soochow University, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Soochow University, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yuan Yin
- Wuxi Oncology Institute, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi China
| | - Xinyi Zhou
- Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Jiangnan University School of Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Guihua Gao
- Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaowei Qi
- Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Jiangnan University School of Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Jianming Li
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Soochow University, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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41
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Tumor-secreted exosomal Wnt2B activates fibroblasts to promote cervical cancer progression. Oncogenesis 2021; 10:30. [PMID: 33731705 PMCID: PMC7969781 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-021-00319-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation of stromal fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) has been suggested to promote primary tumor growth and progression; however, the mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between tumors and fibroblasts that drives stromal heterogeneity remain unknown. Here, we show that high Wnt2B levels were positively correlated with the number of CAFs in cervical cancer (CC). More importantly, Wnt2B was characteristically enriched in CC cell-secreted exosomes and transferred into fibroblasts to promote fibroblast activation via Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and inhibiting exosomal release or the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway diminished the activation induced by exosomal Wnt2B. Moreover, circulating exosomal Wnt2B also promoted CAF conversion in vitro and its expression was significantly higher in CC patients. In conclusion, our findings indicate that CC cell-derived Wnt2B can induce the activation of fibroblasts into CAFs, mainly via exosome-dependent secretion, thus providing directions for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic targets for CC progression.
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42
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Butti R, Nimma R, Kundu G, Bulbule A, Kumar TVS, Gunasekaran VP, Tomar D, Kumar D, Mane A, Gill SS, Patil T, Weber GF, Kundu GC. Tumor-derived osteopontin drives the resident fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation through Twist1 to promote breast cancer progression. Oncogene 2021; 40:2002-2017. [PMID: 33603163 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01663-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumor-stroma interactions are important determinants for the disease course in cancer. While stromal influence has been known to often play a tumor-promoting role, incomplete mechanistic insight into this phenomenon has prevented its therapeutic targeting. Stromal fibroblasts can be activated by tumor cells to differentiate into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), that exhibit the traits of myofibroblasts, and in turn, they increase cancer aggressiveness. Here, we report the crosstalk between the cancer cells and stromal fibroblasts that leads to tumor progression. The process is initiated by secretion of a chemokine like protein, osteopontin (OPN) from the cancer cells that differentiates the fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Tumor-derived OPN achieves this transition by engaging CD44 and αvβ3 integrins on the fibroblast surface, which mediates signaling via Akt and ERK to induce Twist1-dependent gene expression. The OPN-driven CAFs then secrete CXCL12, which in turn triggers epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the tumor cells. OPN, produced by the cancer cells, and CXCL12, secreted by activated fibroblasts, are necessary and sufficient to perpetuate the crosstalk. Knocking out OPN in carcinogen-induced mammary tumors or knocking down OPN in cancer cells and fibroblast co-implanted xenografts abrogates myofibroblast differentiation, Twist1, and CXCL12 expression. OPN expression is correlated with CAF-specific gene signature as shown by breast tumor tissue microarray consisting of 100 patient specimens. Bioinformatics analyses have confirmed that the expression of OPN is significantly correlated with the expression of myofibroblast-specific markers as demonstrated in human breast carcinoma dataset of 2509 patients. Our findings describe OPN and CXCL12 act as compelling targets to curb the tumor-promoting features of the stromal components and further suggested that OPN-regulated CXCL12 network might act as potential therapeutic target for the management of CAF-mediated breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Butti
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Deepti Tomar
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Dhiraj Kumar
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, Maharashtra, India.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Tushar Patil
- Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | | | - Gopal C Kundu
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, Maharashtra, India. .,School of Biotechnology and Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT Deemed to be University, Institute of Eminence, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
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43
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Galbo PM, Zang X, Zheng D. Molecular Features of Cancer-associated Fibroblast Subtypes and their Implication on Cancer Pathogenesis, Prognosis, and Immunotherapy Resistance. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:2636-2647. [PMID: 33622705 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-4226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are an important component of the tumor microenvironment, but a systematic investigation of their molecular characteristics and clinical relevance are lacking. Here, we sought to compare CAFs across multiple cancer types to identify critical molecular pathways activated in CAF subtypes, which may contribute to clinical outcome, disease progression, and immunotherapy resistance. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We performed integrated analysis of CAFs from melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and lung cancer, and identified the molecular characteristics that are distinctly active in each CAF subtype. Gene signatures for individual CAF subtypes were identified and used to study the association of subtype abundance with clinical outcome and immunotherapy resistance. RESULTS We identified six CAF subtypes (pan-CAF) shared across cancer types and uncovered the molecular characteristics and genetic pathways distinguishing them. Interestingly, these CAF subtypes express distinct immunosuppressive factors, such as CXCL12 and CXLC14, and stem cell-promoting factor IL6. In addition, we identified novel transcriptional drivers (MEF2C, TWIST1, NR1H3, RELB, and FOXM1) key to CAF heterogeneity. Furthermore, we showed that CAF subtypes were associated with different clinical outcomes and uncovered key molecular pathways that could activate or suppress cancer progression or were involved in resistance to anti-PD1 or anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Our study identifies the molecular characteristics of CAF subtypes shared across several cancer types, implicates cancer types that may benefit from CAF subtype targeted therapies, and identifies specific CAF subtypes associated with immunotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip M Galbo
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. .,Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. .,Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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Sunami Y, Böker V, Kleeff J. Targeting and Reprograming Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and the Tumor Microenvironment in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:697. [PMID: 33572223 PMCID: PMC7915918 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States both in female and male, and is projected to become the second deadliest cancer by 2030. The overall five-year survival rate remains at around 10%. Pancreatic cancer exhibits a remarkable resistance to established therapeutic options such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, due to dense stromal tumor microenvironment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts are the major stromal cell type and source of extracellular matrix proteins shaping a physical and metabolic barrier thereby reducing therapeutic efficacy. Targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts has been considered a promising therapeutic strategy. However, depleting cancer-associated fibroblasts may also have tumor-promoting effects due to their functional heterogeneity. Several subtypes of cancer-associated fibroblasts have been suggested to exhibit tumor-restraining function. This review article summarizes recent preclinical and clinical investigations addressing pancreatic cancer therapy through targeting specific subtypes of cancer-associated fibroblasts, deprogramming activated fibroblasts, administration of mesenchymal stem cells, as well as reprogramming tumor-promoting cancer-associated fibroblasts to tumor-restraining cancer-associated fibroblasts. Further, inter-cellular mediators between cancer-associated fibroblasts and the surrounding tissue microenvironment are discussed. It is important to increase our understanding of cancer-associated fibroblast heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment for more specific and personalized therapies for pancreatic cancer patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Sunami
- Department of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, University Medical Center Halle, 06120 Halle, Germany; (V.B.); (J.K.)
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Bhat AA, Nisar S, Maacha S, Carneiro-Lobo TC, Akhtar S, Siveen KS, Wani NA, Rizwan A, Bagga P, Singh M, Reddy R, Uddin S, Grivel JC, Chand G, Frenneaux MP, Siddiqi MA, Bedognetti D, El-Rifai W, Macha MA, Haris M. Cytokine-chemokine network driven metastasis in esophageal cancer; promising avenue for targeted therapy. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:2. [PMID: 33390169 PMCID: PMC7780621 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01294-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a disease often marked by aggressive growth and poor prognosis. Lack of targeted therapies, resistance to chemoradiation therapy, and distant metastases among patients with advanced disease account for the high mortality rate. The tumor microenvironment (TME) contains several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, adipocytes, stromal proteins, and growth factors, which play a significant role in supporting the growth and aggressive behavior of cancer cells. The complex and dynamic interactions of the secreted cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and their receptors mediate chronic inflammation and immunosuppressive TME favoring tumor progression, metastasis, and decreased response to therapy. The molecular changes in the TME are used as biological markers for diagnosis, prognosis, and response to treatment in patients. This review highlighted the novel insights into the understanding and functional impact of deregulated cytokines and chemokines in imparting aggressive EC, stressing the nature and therapeutic consequences of the cytokine-chemokine network. We also discuss cytokine-chemokine oncogenic potential by contributing to the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metastatic niche, and therapeutic resistance development. In addition, it discusses the wide range of changes and intracellular signaling pathways that occur in the TME. Overall, this is a relatively unexplored field that could provide crucial insights into tumor immunology and encourage the effective application of modulatory cytokine-chemokine therapy to EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajaz A Bhat
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sabah Nisar
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Selma Maacha
- Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Sabah Akhtar
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Nissar A Wani
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Arshi Rizwan
- Department of Nephrology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Puneet Bagga
- Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Mayank Singh
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Ravinder Reddy
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Gyan Chand
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Mushtaq A Siddiqi
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Davide Bedognetti
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunogenomics, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Wael El-Rifai
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Muzafar A Macha
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
| | - Mohammad Haris
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
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Yang D, Li Q, Shang R, Yao L, Wu L, Zhang M, Zhang L, Xu M, Lu Z, Zhou J, Huang L, Huang X, Cheng D, Yang Y, Yu H. WNT4 secreted by tumor tissues promotes tumor progression in colorectal cancer by activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2020; 39:251. [PMID: 33222684 PMCID: PMC7682076 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01774-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wingless and Int-related protein (Wnt) ligands are aberrantly expressed in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the aberrant level of Wnt ligands in serum have not been explored. Here, we aimed to identify the levels of WNT4 in serum and explored its oncogenic role in CRC. METHODS The Oncomine database was used to analyze the relationship between WNT4 and the prognosis of CRC. ELISA was performed to measure WNT4 levels in serum and conditioned medium from fresh CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were carried out to measure the expression of WNT4 in human CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. The migration and invasion of CRC cells were determined by trans-well assay, and the effects of WNT4 on CRC invasion and metastasis in vivo were verified by tumor xenograft in nude mice. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and angiogenesis in subcutaneous nodules were detected by immunofluorescence (IF). In addition, the suspended spheres formation and tube formation assay were performed to explore the effects of WNT4 on CAFs and angiogenesis respectively. RESULTS WNT4 was significantly upregulated in serum of CRC patients, and CRC tissues were identified as an important source of elevated WNT4 levels in CRC patients. Interestingly, elevated levels of WNT4 in serum were downregulated after tumor resection. Furthermore, we found that WNT4 contributed to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and activated fibroblasts by activating the WNT4/β-catenin pathway in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, angiogenesis was induced via the WNT4/β-catenin/Ang2 pathway. Those effects could be reversed by ICG-001, a β-catenin/TCF inhibitor. CONCLUSION Our findings indicated that serum levels of WNT4 may be a potential biomarker for CRC. WNT4 secreted by colorectal cancer tissues promote the progression of CRC by inducing EMT, activate fibroblasts and promote angiogenesis through the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Renduo Shang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Liwen Yao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Lianlian Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Mengjiao Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Lihui Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Zihua Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Xiaodong Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Du Cheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Yanning Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Honggang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China. .,Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Rd. 238, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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López de Andrés J, Griñán-Lisón C, Jiménez G, Marchal JA. Cancer stem cell secretome in the tumor microenvironment: a key point for an effective personalized cancer treatment. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:136. [PMID: 33059744 PMCID: PMC7559894 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00966-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a tumor subpopulation responsible for tumor metastasis and resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy, ultimately leading to tumor relapse. As a consequence, the detection and eradication of this cell subpopulation represent a current challenge in oncology medicine. CSC phenotype is dependent on the tumor microenvironment (TME), which involves stem and differentiated tumor cells, as well as different cell types, such as mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and cells of the immune system, in addition to the extracellular matrix (ECM), different in composition to the ECM in healthy tissues. CSCs regulate multiple cancer hallmarks through the interaction with cells and ECM in their environment by secreting extracellular vesicles including exosomes, and soluble factors such as interleukins, cytokines, growth factors and other metabolites to the TME. Through these factors, CSCs generate and activate their own tumor niche by recruiting stromal cells and modulate angiogenesis, metastasis, resistance to antitumor treatments and their own maintenance by the secretion of different factors such as IL-6, VEGF and TGF-ß. Due to the strong influence of the CSC secretome on disease development, the new antitumor therapies focus on targeting these communication networks to eradicate the tumor and prevent metastasis, tumor relapse and drug resistance. This review summarizes for the first time the main components of the CSC secretome and how they mediate different tumor processes. Lastly, the relevance of the CSC secretome in the development of more precise and personalized antitumor therapies is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia López de Andrés
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs.GRANADA, University Hospitals of Granada-University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain.,Excellence Research Unit "Modeling Nature" (MNat), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Carmen Griñán-Lisón
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs.GRANADA, University Hospitals of Granada-University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain.,Excellence Research Unit "Modeling Nature" (MNat), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Gema Jiménez
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs.GRANADA, University Hospitals of Granada-University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain. .,Excellence Research Unit "Modeling Nature" (MNat), University of Granada, Granada, Spain. .,Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Juan Antonio Marchal
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs.GRANADA, University Hospitals of Granada-University of Granada, 18100, Granada, Spain. .,Excellence Research Unit "Modeling Nature" (MNat), University of Granada, Granada, Spain. .,Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016, Granada, Spain.
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48
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Alipoor B, Parvar SN, Sabati Z, Ghaedi H, Ghasemi H. An updated review of the H19 lncRNA in human cancer: molecular mechanism and diagnostic and therapeutic importance. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:6357-6374. [PMID: 32743775 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05695-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has reported that H19 long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression level is deregulated in human cancer. It has been also demonstrated that de-regulated levels of H19 could affect cancer biology by various mechanisms including microRNA (miRNA) production (like miR-675), miRNA sponging and epigenetic modifications. Furthermore, lncRNA could act as a potential diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers and also a candidate therapeutic approach for different human cancers. In this narrative review, we shed light on the molecular mechanism of H19 in cancer development and pathogenesis. Moreover, we discussed the expression pattern and diagnostic and therapeutic importance of H19 as a potential biomarker in a range of human malignancies from breast to osteosarcoma cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnam Alipoor
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Nasrin Parvar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Zolfaghar Sabati
- Student Research Committee, Abadan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - Hamid Ghaedi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Ghasemi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Abadan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran.
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49
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Melissari MT, Chalkidi N, Sarris ME, Koliaraki V. Fibroblast Reprogramming in Gastrointestinal Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:630. [PMID: 32760726 PMCID: PMC7373725 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers are a significant cause of cancer mortality worldwide and have been strongly linked with chronic inflammation. Current therapies focus on epithelial/cancer cells; however, the importance of the tumor microenvironment in the development and treatment of the disease is also now well established. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major component of the tumor microenvironment, and are actively participating in tumor initiation, promotion and metastasis. They structurally and functionally affect cancer cell proliferation, tumor immunity, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling and metastasis through a variety of signaling pathways. CAFs originate predominantly from resident mesenchymal cells, which are activated and reprogrammed in response to cues from cancer cells. In recent years, chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract has also proven an important driver of mesenchymal cell activation and subsequent CAF development, which in turn are capable of regulating the transition from acute to chronic inflammation and cancer. In this review, we will provide a concise overview of the mechanisms that drive fibroblast reprogramming in cancer and the recent advances on the downstream signaling pathways that regulate the functional properties of the activated mesenchyme. This new mechanistic insight could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies and better prognosis for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Theodora Melissari
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
| | - Niki Chalkidi
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
| | - Michalis E Sarris
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Koliaraki
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, Greece
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50
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Liu H, Ni S, Wang H, Zhang Q, Weng W. Charactering tumor microenvironment reveals stromal-related transcription factors promote tumor carcinogenesis in gastric cancer. Cancer Med 2020; 9:5247-5257. [PMID: 32463580 PMCID: PMC7367614 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors represent the crucial role of controlling gene transcription in cancer development and progression. However, their functions in gastric cancer have not been thoroughly characterized. For this study, we comprehensively evaluated the correlation between infiltration patterns of tumor microenvironment (TME) cells and TFs expression in the cohort of stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) from TCGA database. We integrally explored differential expression panel and prognostic value of candidate TFs in TCGA‐STAD cohort. Notably, we found a key transcription factor named HEYL, which its expression level was correlated with stromal component transformation of TME. HEYL was regularly high expressed in gastric cancer and correlated with patients’ poor prognosis. Knockdown of HEYL prominently abrogated the tendency of cell proliferation, migration, and progression in gastric cancer. Consistently, overexpression of HEYL strikingly accelerated the gastric carcinoma development through activating oncogenic signaling pathways and transcriptional activation of cadherin 11 (CDH11). Our findings not only identified the close relationship between TFs and TME phenotype, but also emphasized the crucial importance of TFs, especially HEYL, which could be identified as a candidate biomarker to evaluate prognostic risk and therapeutic effect in gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haining Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Shujuan Ni
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanbo Wang
- Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Qiongyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiwei Weng
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
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