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Jackovich A, Gitlitz BJ, Tiu-Lim JWW, Duddalwar V, King KG, El-Khoueiry AB, Thomas JS, Tsao-Wei D, Quinn DI, Gill PS, Nieva JJ. Improved efficacy of pembrolizumab combined with soluble EphB4-albumin in HPV-negative EphrinB2 positive head neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncotarget 2024; 15:444-458. [PMID: 38985143 PMCID: PMC11235133 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28605] [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] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients with relapsed or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) after primary local therapy have low response rates with cetuximab, systemic chemotherapy or check point inhibitor therapy. Novel combination therapies with the potential to improve outcomes for patients with HNSCC is an area of high unmet need. METHODS This is a phase II single-arm clinical trial of locally advanced or metastatic HNSCC patients treated with a combination of soluble EphB4-human serum albumin (sEphB4-HSA) fusion protein and pembrolizumab after platinum-based chemotherapy with up to 2 prior lines of treatment. The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability and the primary efficacy endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). HPV status and EphrinB2 expression were evaluated for outcome. RESULTS Twenty-five patients were enrolled. Median follow up was 40.4 months (range 9.8 - 40.4). There were 6 responders (ORR 24%). There were 5 responders in the 11 HPV-negative and EphrinB2 positive patients, (ORR 45%) with 2 of these patients achieving a complete response (CR). The median PFS in HPV-negative/EphrinB2 positive patients was 3.2 months (95% CI 1.1, 7.3). Median OS in HPV-negative/EphrinB2 positive patients was 10.9 months (95% CI 2.0, 13.7). Hypertension, transaminitis and fatigue were the most common toxicities. DISCUSSION The combination of sEphB4-HSA and pembrolizumab has a favorable toxicity profile and favorable activity particularly among HPV-negative EphrinB2 positive patients with HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Jackovich
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Barbara J Gitlitz
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Justin Wayne Wong Tiu-Lim
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Vinay Duddalwar
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Kevin George King
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Anthony B El-Khoueiry
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Jacob Stephen Thomas
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Denice Tsao-Wei
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - David I Quinn
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Parkash S Gill
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Jorge J Nieva
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
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2
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Kandouz M. Cell Death, by Any Other Name…. Cells 2024; 13:325. [PMID: 38391938 PMCID: PMC10886887 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040325] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies trying to understand cell death, this ultimate biological process, can be traced back to a century ago. Yet, unlike many other fashionable research interests, research on cell death is more alive than ever. New modes of cell death are discovered in specific contexts, as are new molecular pathways. But what is "cell death", really? This question has not found a definitive answer yet. Nevertheless, part of the answer is irreversibility, whereby cells can no longer recover from stress or injury. Here, we identify the most distinctive features of different modes of cell death, focusing on the executive final stages. In addition to the final stages, these modes can differ in their triggering stimulus, thus referring to the initial stages. Within this framework, we use a few illustrative examples to examine how intercellular communication factors in the demise of cells. First, we discuss the interplay between cell-cell communication and cell death during a few steps in the early development of multicellular organisms. Next, we will discuss this interplay in a fully developed and functional tissue, the gut, which is among the most rapidly renewing tissues in the body and, therefore, makes extensive use of cell death. Furthermore, we will discuss how the balance between cell death and communication is modified during a pathological condition, i.e., colon tumorigenesis, and how it could shed light on resistance to cancer therapy. Finally, we briefly review data on the role of cell-cell communication modes in the propagation of cell death signals and how this has been considered as a potential therapeutic approach. Far from vainly trying to provide a comprehensive review, we launch an invitation to ponder over the significance of cell death diversity and how it provides multiple opportunities for the contribution of various modes of intercellular communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustapha Kandouz
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 540 East Canfield Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, USA;
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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3
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Pasquale EB. Eph receptors and ephrins in cancer progression. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:5-27. [PMID: 37996538 PMCID: PMC11015936 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00634-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Evidence implicating Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands (that together make up the 'Eph system') in cancer development and progression has been accumulating since the discovery of the first Eph receptor approximately 35 years ago. Advances in the past decade and a half have considerably increased the understanding of Eph receptor-ephrin signalling mechanisms in cancer and have uncovered intriguing new roles in cancer progression and drug resistance. This Review focuses mainly on these more recent developments. I provide an update on the different mechanisms of Eph receptor-ephrin-mediated cell-cell communication and cell autonomous signalling, as well as on the interplay of the Eph system with other signalling systems. I further discuss recent advances in elucidating how the Eph system controls tumour expansion, invasiveness and metastasis, supports cancer stem cells, and drives therapy resistance. In addition to functioning within cancer cells, the Eph system also mediates the reciprocal communication between cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment. The involvement of the Eph system in tumour angiogenesis is well established, but recent findings also demonstrate roles in immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix. Lastly, I discuss strategies under evaluation for therapeutic targeting of Eph receptors-ephrins in cancer and conclude with an outlook on promising future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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4
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Chen L, Zhu S, Liu T, Zhao X, Xiang T, Hu X, Wu C, Lin D. Aberrant epithelial cell interaction promotes esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma development and progression. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:453. [PMID: 38097539 PMCID: PMC10721848 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01710-2] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and proliferation play important roles in epithelial cancer formation and progression, but what molecules and how they trigger EMT is largely unknown. Here we performed spatial transcriptomic and functional analyses on samples of multistage esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) from mice and humans to decipher these critical issues. By investigating spatiotemporal gene expression patterns and cell-cell interactions, we demonstrated that the aberrant epithelial cell interaction via EFNB1-EPHB4 triggers EMT and cell cycle mediated by downstream SRC/ERK/AKT signaling. The aberrant epithelial cell interaction occurs within the basal layer at early precancerous lesions, which expands to the whole epithelial layer and strengthens along the cancer development and progression. Functional analysis revealed that the aberrant EFNB1-EPHB4 interaction is caused by overexpressed ΔNP63 due to TP53 mutation, the culprit in human ESCC tumorigenesis. Our results shed new light on the role of TP53-TP63/ΔNP63-EFNB1-EPHB4 axis in EMT and cell proliferation in epithelial cancer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Chen
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shihao Zhu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tianyuan Liu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tao Xiang
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- CAMS Oxford Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100006, China.
| | - Dongxin Lin
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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Chaudhary RK, Patil P, Mateti UV, Alagundagi DB, Shetty V. Theranostic Potential of EFNB2 for Cetuximab Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023; 75:1923-1936. [PMID: 37636764 PMCID: PMC10447808 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-023-03739-9] [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: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Only 13% of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients respond to cetuximab therapy despite its target (EGFR) is expressed in about 80-90% of HNC patients. However, this problem remained unresolved till date despite of numerous efforts. Thus, the current study aimed to establish hub genes involved in cetuximab resistance via series of bioinformatics approach. The GSE21483 dataset was analysed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using GEO2R and enrichment analysis was carried out using DAVID. STRING 11.5 and Cytoscape 3.7.2 were used for protein-protein interactions and hub genes respectively. The significant hub genes (p < 0.05) were validated using ULCAN and Human protein atlas. Validated genes were further queried for tumor infiltration using TIMER2.0. Out of total 307 DEGs, 38 hub genes were identified of which IL1A, EFNB2, SPRR1A, ROBO1 and SOCS3 were the significant hub genes associated with both mRNA expression and overall survival. IL1A, ROBO1, and SOCS3 were found to be downregulated whereas EFNB2 and SPRR1A were found to be upregulated in our study. However, using UALCAN, we found that high expression of IL1A, EFNB2, SOCS3 negatively affects overall survival whereas high expression of SPRR1A and ROBO1 positively affects overall survival. Protein level for EFNB2 and SPRR1A expression was significant in tumor HNC tissue as compared to normal HNC tissue. EFNB2 was found to be a key regulator of CTX resistance among HNC patients. Targeting EFNB2 and associated PPI circuits might improve the response rate to CTX. Thus, EFNB2 has potential to be theranostic marker for CTX resistance. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-023-03739-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raushan Kumar Chaudhary
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (NGSMIPS), Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575018 India
| | - Prakash Patil
- Central Research Laboratory, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575018 India
| | - Uday Venkat Mateti
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (NGSMIPS), Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575018 India
| | - Dhananjay B. Alagundagi
- Central Research Laboratory, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575018 India
| | - Vijith Shetty
- Department of Medical Oncology, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Justice K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575018 India
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Gupta C, Sali AP, Jackovich A, Ma B, Sadeghi S, Quinn D, Gill P, Gill I. EphrinB2: Expression of a novel potential target in renal cell carcinoma. Indian J Urol 2023; 39:223-227. [PMID: 37575160 PMCID: PMC10419785 DOI: 10.4103/iju.iju_92_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is primarily managed by surgery with the use of systemic targeted therapy in a metastatic setting. Newer targeted therapeutic options are evolving; Eph-ephrin is a potential new pathway. The therapeutic potential of targeting the EphB4-EphrinB2 pathway has been demonstrated in many solid tumors; however, its expression in RCC has only been evaluated in a few studies with limited cases. We herein determine the immunohistochemical expression of EphrinB2 in RCC. Methods A tissue microarray comprising 110 cases of different histological subtypes of RCC and 10 normal kidney tissues were stained with monoclonal anti-EphrinB2 antibody (Abcam, AB201512). The tumor and endothelial cells expressing the EphrinB2 were examined and its expression was correlated with sex, histological subtypes, and tumor nodes metastasis (TNM) stage. Results Twenty cases of urothelial carcinoma and two unsatisfactory conventional clear cell RCC cases were excluded, and EphrinB2 expression was interpreted in the remaining 88 tumors. EphrinB2 was expressed in 42 out of 88 tumors (47.7%) and was negative in the normal renal parenchyma. There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of EphrinB2 in males (55%) and females (32%). However, no such difference of expression was noted for the histological subtypes and the stages. Half (51%) of Stage 1 (n = 30) and Stage 2 (n = 11) tumors showed EphrinB2 positivity. Conclusions EphrinB2 is expressed in approximately half of RCC cases. EphrinB2 expression in the early stage cancer might indicate its induction as an early event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhavi Gupta
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Akash Pramod Sali
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Alexandra Jackovich
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Binyun Ma
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarmad Sadeghi
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Quinn
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Parkash Gill
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Inderbir Gill
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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7
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Adaptive activation of EFNB2/EPHB4 axis promotes post-metastatic growth of colorectal cancer liver metastases by LDLR-mediated cholesterol uptake. Oncogene 2023; 42:99-112. [PMID: 36376513 PMCID: PMC9816060 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02519-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The microenvironment of distant organ plays vital roles in regulating tumor metastases. However, little is known about the crosstalk between metastasized tumor cells and target organs. Herein, we found that EFNB2 expression was upregulated in liver metastases (LM) of colorectal cancer (CRC), but not in pulmonary metastases (PM) or primary CRC tumors. EFNB2 played a tumor-promoting role in CRC LM in vitro and in vivo. Through forward signaling, EFNB2-promoted CRC LM by interacting with the EPHB4 receptor. EFNB2/EPHB4 axis enhances LDLR-mediated cholesterol uptake in CRC LM. Subsequently, EFNB2/EPHB4 axis promotes LDLR transcription by regulating STAT3 phosphorylation. Blocking LDLR reversed the role of the EFNB2/EPHB4 axis in promoting CRC LM. Using clinical data, survival analysis revealed that the survival time of patients with CRC LM was decreased in patients with high EFNB2 expression, compared with low EFNB2 expression. Inhibition of the EFNB2/EPHB4 axis markedly prolonged the survival time of BALB/c nude mice with CRC LM with a high cholesterol diet. These findings revealed a key step in the regulation of cholesterol uptake by EFNB2/EPHB4 axis and its tumor-promoting role in CRC LM.
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TGF-β Pathways Stratify Colorectal Cancer into Two Subtypes with Distinct Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) Expression-Related Characteristics. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121877. [PMID: 36551305 PMCID: PMC9775768 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancers (CRCs) continue to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The exact landscape of the molecular features of TGF-β pathway-inducing CRCs remains uncharacterized. METHODS Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was performed to stratify samples into two clusters based on the differences in TGF-β pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify the key gene modules mediating the different characteristics between two subtypes. An algorithm integrating the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), XGBoost, and random forest regression was performed to narrow down the candidate genes. Further bioinformatic analyses were performed focusing on COMP-related immune infiltration and functions. RESULTS The integrated machine learning algorithm identified COMP as the hub gene, which exhibited a significant predictive value for two subtypes with an area under the curve (AUC) value equaling 0.91. Further bioinformatic analysis revealed that COMP was significantly upregulated in various cancers, especially in advanced CRCs, and regulated the immune infiltration, especially M2 macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts in CRCs. CONCLUSIONS Comprehensive immune analysis and experimental validation demonstrate that COMP is a reliable signature for subtype prediction. Our results could provide a new point for TGFβ-targeted anticancer drugs and contribute to guiding clinical decision making for CRC patients.
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Bhatia S, Nguyen D, Darragh LB, Van Court B, Sharma J, Knitz MW, Piper M, Bukkapatnam S, Gadwa J, Bickett TE, Bhuvane S, Corbo S, Wu B, Lee Y, Fujita M, Joshi M, Heasley LE, Ferris RL, Rodriguez O, Albanese C, Kapoor M, Pasquale EB, Karam SD. EphB4 and ephrinB2 act in opposition in the head and neck tumor microenvironment. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3535. [PMID: 35725568 PMCID: PMC9209511 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31124-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Differential outcomes of EphB4-ephrinB2 signaling offers formidable challenge for the development of cancer therapeutics. Here, we interrogate the effects of targeting EphB4 and ephrinB2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and within its microenvironment using genetically engineered mice, recombinant constructs, pharmacologic agonists and antagonists. We observe that manipulating the EphB4 intracellular domain on cancer cells accelerates tumor growth and angiogenesis. EphB4 cancer cell loss also triggers compensatory upregulation of EphA4 and T regulatory cells (Tregs) influx and their targeting results in reversal of accelerated tumor growth mediated by EphB4 knockdown. EphrinB2 knockout on cancer cells and vasculature, on the other hand, results in maximal tumor reduction and vascular normalization. We report that EphB4 agonism provides no additional anti-tumoral benefit in the absence of ephrinB2. These results identify ephrinB2 as a tumor promoter and its receptor, EphB4, as a tumor suppressor in HNSCC, presenting opportunities for rational drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jaspreet Sharma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Thomas E Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Shiv Bhuvane
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brian Wu
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yichien Lee
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mayumi Fujita
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Molishree Joshi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lynn E Heasley
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Robert L Ferris
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Olga Rodriguez
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christopher Albanese
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mohit Kapoor
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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10
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Knitz MW, Darragh LB, Bickett TE, Bhatia S, Bukkapatnam S, Gadwa J, Piper M, Corbo S, Nguyen D, Van Court B, Oweida A, Karam SD. Loss of cancer cell STAT1 improves response to radiation therapy and promotes T cell activation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:1049-1061. [PMID: 34559306 PMCID: PMC9987617 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-03059-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Resistance to radiation therapy (RT) remains an obstacle in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs)-even with a combined RT-immunotherapy approach. Jak-Stat proteins have long been studied for both their immune regulatory role in the host immune response as well as their cancer cell signaling role in shaping the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we identify STAT1 as a mediator of radioresistance in HPV-negative preclinical mouse models of HNSCC, by which knockout of STAT1 in the cancer cell (STAT1 KO)-but not in the host-resulted in decreased tumor growth alongside increased immune activation. We show that RT increases STAT1/pSTAT1 expression, which may act as a marker of radioresistance. Whereas RT increased JAK-STAT and interferon (IFN) signaling, transcriptomic analysis revealed that STAT1 KO in the cancer cell resulted in decreased expression of IFN-associated genes of resistance. In vitro experiments showed that STAT1 KO increased T cell chemoattraction and decreased baseline growth. These results indicate that STAT1 may serve a tumor-promoting role in the cancer cell and will inform biomarker development and treatment regimens for HNSCC incorporating RT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Thomas E Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Ayman Oweida
- Départment de Médecine Nucléaire et Radiobiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 1665 Aurora Court Suite 1032, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA.
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11
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Du Y, Cao J, Jiang X, Cai X, Wang B, Wang Y, Wang X, Xue B. Comprehensive analysis of CXCL12 expression reveals the significance of inflammatory fibroblasts in bladder cancer carcinogenesis and progression. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:613. [PMID: 34801033 PMCID: PMC8606085 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02314-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bladder cancer (BLCA) is the most common genitourinary tumor but lacks specific diagnostic biomarkers. Recent years have witnessed significant advances in the use and approval of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy to manage BLCA at advanced stages when platinum-based therapy has failed. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is essential in impacting BLCA patients' prognosis and responsiveness to ICB therapy. CXCL12 is a stromal secreted factor that was essentially involved in regulating the TME among cancers. In this article, we thoroughly investigated the TME regulating roles of CXCL12 in BLCA and revealed its critical involvement in the development of BLCA, which was closely correlated with inflammatory fibroblasts (iCAFs). Methods We examined the gene expression profiles in the TCGA and GEO database to reveal the potential association of CXCL12 with the carcinogenesis and prognosis of BLCA. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to explore the accuracy of CXCL12 along with multiple iCAFs-associated genes in the diagnosis of BLCA. The MCP-COUNTER, ESTIMATE, and TIDE algorithms were applied to estimate the TME components and predict immunotherapy responsiveness. An iCAFs signature was constructed using the ssGSEA algorithm. The "maftool" R package analyzed the oncogenic mutations in BLCA patients. Bioinformatics analysis results were further validated through immunohistochemistry of clinical samples. IMvigor210 cohort was used to validate bioinformatic predictions of therapeutic responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Results This manuscript revealed a significantly reduced expression of CXCL12 in BLCA compared with normal tissue. The expressions of various marker genes for iCAFs were also reduced considerably in BLCA tissues, highlighting the reduction of iCAFs in the pathogenesis of BLCA. Further studies revealed that CXCL12 and iCAFs were associated with pathological features, TME remodeling and aging in BLCA patients. The iCAFs signature further confirmed the intricate immunomodulatory roles of iCAFs in BLCA. Gene mutation analysis revealed the essential relationship between iCAFs and the mutation frequency of oncogenic genes, including TP53 and FGFR3. Meantimes, iCAFs levels also significantly affected BLCA patients' mutations in the TP53 and RTK-RAS pathways. Finally, our results confirmed the significant exclusion of CD8 + T cells by iCAFs, which further influenced the immunotherapy responsiveness in BLCA patients. Conclusions This article highlighted the impact of CXCL12 on the pathogenesis and progression of BLCA. The reduced expression levels of iCAFs markers, including CXCL12, were highly accurate in the diagnosis of BLCA, suggesting the reduction of iCAFs accompanied bladder carcinogenesis. However, both CXCL12 and iCAFs significantly impacted the prognosis and immunotherapy responsiveness for BLCA patients by remodeling the TME. Our results critically suggested the dual roles of iCAFs in the carcinogenesis and progression of BLCA. Further exploration of iCAFs might unravel potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- YiHeng Du
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215004, China.,Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China
| | - Jin Cao
- Department of Pathology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China
| | - Xiang Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China
| | - XiaoWei Cai
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215004, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China
| | - XiZhi Wang
- Department of Urology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 215028, China.
| | - BoXin Xue
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215004, China.
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12
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Yi C, Zhang X, Li H, Chen G, Zeng B, Li Y, Wang C, He Y, Chen X, Huang Z, Yu D. EPHB4 Regulates the Proliferation and Metastasis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma through the HMGB1/NF-κB Signalling Pathway. J Cancer 2021; 12:5999-6011. [PMID: 34539874 PMCID: PMC8425198 DOI: 10.7150/jca.59331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Malignant proliferation and cervical lymphatic metastasis restrict the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular B4 (EPHB4) regulates a series of tumour functions involving tumourigenesis, cancer cell attachment and metastasis. However, the mechanism of EphB4 regulating the malignant progression of OSCC has not been fully elucidated. Methods: EPHB4 expression was analysed in 65 OSCC samples and adjacent noncancerous tissues through immunohistochemistry (IHC). siRNA and overexpression plasmids were transfected into OSCC cells to modify EPHB4 expression, and then, regulatory functions were explored in vitro and in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and mass spectrometry were applied to detect proteins interacting with EPHB4. Subsequently, protein stability assays and NF-κB pathway inhibition assays were used to verify the regulation of EPHB4, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. Results: EPHB4 was found to be highly expressed in OSCC tissues, which was related to tumour stage and lymphatic metastasis and resulted in a poor prognosis. Cellular experiments and mouse tongue xenograft models further confirmed that high EPHB4 expression promoted the proliferation and metastasis of OSCC tumours. Mechanistically, co-IP and mass spectrometry studies indicated that EPHB4 could bind to HMGB1 and maintain HMGB1 stability. Downregulation of HMGB1 inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of OSCC cells and inhibited NF-κB phosphorylation activation but did not affect EPHB4 expression. Conclusion: This study revealed the mechanism by which EPHB4 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of OSCC by activating the HMGB1-mediated NF-κB signalling pathway, which can be exploited as a novel marker or therapeutic target to control metastasis and improve the survival rate of OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Xiliu Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Hongyu Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Guanhui Chen
- Department of Stomatology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen. Guangdong, China, 518107
| | - Binghui Zeng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Yiming Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Yi He
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Xun Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
| | - Zixian Huang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510120
| | - Dongsheng Yu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510055
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13
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Oh ST, Yang KJ, Bae JM, Park HJ, Yoo DS, Park YM. The differential expression of EPHB4 and ephrin B2 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma according to the grade of tumor differentiation: a clinicopathological study. Int J Dermatol 2021; 60:736-741. [PMID: 33598934 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.15445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND EPHB4 and its ligand, ephrin B2, which are receptor tyrosine kinases of the erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular (EPH) family, are known to be linked to several human cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate their expression patterns in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in association with tumor differentiation and other variable clinical characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS Immunohistochemical staining for EPHB4 and ephrin B2 was performed in 32 cases of CSCC with different histologic grades. The clinical characteristics and histologic grades of CSCC were evaluated in association with EPHB4 and ephrin B2 expression patterns. RESULTS EPHB4 and ephrin B2 expression levels were significantly inversely proportional to the grade of differentiation of CSCC (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION These results indicated that EPHB4 and ephrin B2 can be useful markers for poorly differentiated CSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Taek Oh
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Keum Jin Yang
- Clinical Research Institute, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
| | | | - Hyun Jeong Park
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Soo Yoo
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Min Park
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
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14
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Mueller AC, Piper M, Goodspeed A, Bhuvane S, Williams JS, Bhatia S, Phan AV, Van Court B, Zolman KL, Peña B, Oweida AJ, Zakem S, Meguid C, Knitz MW, Darragh L, Bickett TE, Gadwa J, Mestroni L, Taylor MRG, Jordan KR, Dempsey P, Lucia MS, McCarter MD, Chiaro MD, Messersmith WA, Schulick RD, Goodman KA, Gough MJ, Greene CS, Costello JC, Neto AG, Lagares D, Hansen KC, Van Bokhoven A, Karam SD. Induction of ADAM10 by Radiation Therapy Drives Fibrosis, Resistance, and Epithelial-to-Mesenchyal Transition in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer Res 2021; 81:3255-3269. [PMID: 33526513 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Stromal fibrosis activates prosurvival and proepithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In patient tumors treated with neoadjuvant stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), we found upregulation of fibrosis, extracellular matrix (ECM), and EMT gene signatures, which can drive therapeutic resistance and tumor invasion. Molecular, functional, and translational analysis identified two cell-surface proteins, a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) and ephrinB2, as drivers of fibrosis and tumor progression after radiation therapy (RT). RT resulted in increased ADAM10 expression in tumor cells, leading to cleavage of ephrinB2, which was also detected in plasma. Pharmacologic or genetic targeting of ADAM10 decreased RT-induced fibrosis and tissue tension, tumor cell migration, and invasion, sensitizing orthotopic tumors to radiation killing and prolonging mouse survival. Inhibition of ADAM10 and genetic ablation of ephrinB2 in fibroblasts reduced the metastatic potential of tumor cells after RT. Stimulation of tumor cells with ephrinB2 FC protein reversed the reduction in tumor cell invasion with ADAM10 ablation. These findings represent a model of PDAC adaptation that explains resistance and metastasis after RT and identifies a targetable pathway to enhance RT efficacy. SIGNIFICANCE: Targeting a previously unidentified adaptive resistance mechanism to radiation therapy in PDAC tumors in combination with radiation therapy could increase survival of the 40% of PDAC patients with locally advanced disease.See related commentary by Garcia Garcia et al., p. 3158 GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/81/12/3255/F1.large.jpg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Mueller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andrew Goodspeed
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shiv Bhuvane
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jason S Williams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andy V Phan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kathryn L Zolman
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Brisa Peña
- Department of Cardiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ayman J Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Département de médecine nucléaire et radiobiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sara Zakem
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Cheryl Meguid
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Laurel Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Thomas E Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Luisa Mestroni
- Department of Cardiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Matthew R G Taylor
- Department of Cardiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kimberly R Jordan
- Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Peter Dempsey
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - M Scott Lucia
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Martin D McCarter
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Marco Del Chiaro
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Wells A Messersmith
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Richard D Schulick
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Karyn A Goodman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York
| | | | - Casey S Greene
- Center for Health Artificial Intelligence, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - James C Costello
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Antonio Galveo Neto
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David Lagares
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Kirk C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adrie Van Bokhoven
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
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15
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Schuch LF, Silveira FM, Wagner VP, Borgato GB, Rocha GZ, Castilho RM, Vargas PA, Martins MD. Head and neck cancer patient-derived xenograft models - A systematic review. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2020; 155:103087. [PMID: 32992152 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2020.103087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) involve the direct surgical transfer of fresh human tumor samples to immunodeficient mice. This systematic review aimed to identify publications of head and neck cancer PDX (HNC-PDX) models, describing the main methodological characteristics and outcomes. METHODS An electronic search was undertaken in four databases, including publications having used HNC-PDX. Data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS 63 articles were yielded. The nude mouse was one most commonly animal model used (38.8 %), and squamous cell carcinoma accounted for the majority of HNC-PDX (80.6 %). Tumors were mostly implanted in the flank (86.3 %), and the latency period ranged from 30 to 401 days. The successful rate ranged from 17 % to 100 %. Different drugs and pathways were identified. CONCLUSION HNC-PDX appears to significantly recapitulate the morphology of the original HNC and represents a valuable method in translational research for the assessment of the in vivo effect of novel therapies for HNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren F Schuch
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe M Silveira
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Vivian P Wagner
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Gabriell B Borgato
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Z Rocha
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Rogerio M Castilho
- Laboratory of Epithelial Biology, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1078, United States; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, United States
| | - Pablo A Vargas
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Manoela D Martins
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil; Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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16
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Bhatia S, Bukkapatnam S, Van Court B, Phan A, Oweida A, Gadwa J, Mueller AC, Piper M, Darragh L, Nguyen D, Gilani A, Knitz M, Bickett T, Green A, Venkataraman S, Vibhakar R, Cittelly D, Karam SD. The effects of ephrinB2 signaling on proliferation and invasion in glioblastoma multiforme. Mol Carcinog 2020; 59:1064-1075. [PMID: 32567728 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The aggressive nature of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) may be attributed to the dysregulation of pathways driving both proliferation and invasion. EphrinB2, a membrane-bound ligand for some of the Eph receptors, has emerged as a critical target regulating these pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of ephrinB2 in regulating proliferation and invasion in GBM using intracranial and subcutaneous xenograft models. The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis suggested high transcript and low methylation levels of ephrinB2 as poor prognostic indicators in GBM, consistent with its role as an oncogene. EphrinB2 knockdown, however, increased tumor growth, an effect that was reversed by ephrinB2 Fc protein. This was associated with EphB4 receptor activation, consistent with the data showing a significant decrease in tumor growth with ephrinB2 overexpression. Mechanistic analyses showed that ephrinB2 knockdown has anti-invasive but pro-proliferative effects in GBM. EphB4 stimulation following ephrinB2 Fc treatment in ephrinB2 knockdown tumors was shown to impart strong anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effects, which correlated with decrease in PCNA, p-ERK, vimentin, Snail, Fak, and increase in the E-cadherin levels. Overall, our study suggests that ephrinB2 cannot be used as a sole therapeutic target. Concomitant inhibition of ephrinB2 signaling with EphB4 activation is required to achieve maximal therapeutic benefit in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andy Phan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ayman Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam C Mueller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Laurel Darragh
- Department of Immunology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ahmed Gilani
- Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Michael Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Thomas Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam Green
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Rajeev Vibhakar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Diana Cittelly
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
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17
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EphrinB2 expression in prostate adenocarcinoma: Implications for targeted therapy. Pathol Res Pract 2020; 216:152967. [PMID: 32362422 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.152967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is managed by surgery, androgen deprivation and cytotoxic chemotherapy. Targeted therapy is emerging as an important pillar in cancer therapeutics, however, efficacy in prostate cancer has been limited. Eph-ephrin is a novel pathway that is upregulated in prostate cancer and promotes the initiation and progression of cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the immunohistochemical expression of ephrinB2 in prostate adenocarcinoma. METHODS A tissue microarray comprising of prostate adenocarcinoma of different grade groups was stained with a monoclonal anti-ephrinB2 antibody (Abcam, AB201512). The tumor and endothelial cells expressing the ephrinB2 positivity were noted. The statistical analysis was performed to determine the difference in expression based on grade groups and the TNM stage. RESULTS EphrinB2 was expressed in 40 out of 72 cases (55.5 %) of prostate adenocarcinoma and was predominantly negative in the normal prostatic tissue. There was no significant difference in the expression of ephrinB2 in various grade groups (p = 0.7) or stages (p = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS EphrinB2 is expressed in a significant number of prostate adenocarcinoma regardless of grade and stage. Hence, there is a potential to target this molecule in the low-grade tumors with localized disease as well as high grade, high volume tumors with metastatic disease.
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18
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Shahrokh S, Mansouri V, Razzaghi M. Assessment of the SRC Inhibition Role in the Efficacy of Breast Cancer Radiotherapy. J Lasers Med Sci 2020; 10:S18-S22. [PMID: 32021668 DOI: 10.15171/jlms.2019.s4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective therapeutic method for preventing the recurrence of breast cancer after surgery. The development and improvement of RT are of interest to scientists. Possible improvement of RT via study of dysregulated proteins of breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 which is exposed to 10 Gray (Gy) radiation is aim of this study. Methods: Using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis by means of running Cytoscape software via the STRING database, the up-regulated proteins of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells irradiated by a single and fractioned 10 Gy 137Cs γ-radiation were analyzed. The network was analyzed by using the Network analyzer to characterize the central genes. The action map was mapped for the queried genes and the added neighbors via CluePedia-STRING ACTIONS-v10.5- 20.11.2017. Results: The 14 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) plus 10 neighbors interacted to construct a network. Among the 14 queried DEPs, FN1, CSPG4, LRP1, GSN, RTN4, and CTSD were highlighted as a complex set in the analysis. The analysis revealed that SRC as an added neighbor was activated by the critical DEPs. The activation of other oncogenes like AKT1 was also determined. Conclusion: The results indicate that the inhibition of SRC activity or the inhibition of its activators is a useful function of breast cancer RT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Shahrokh
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Mansouri
- Proteomics Research Center, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Razzaghi
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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19
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Bhatia S, Oweida A, Lennon S, Darragh LB, Milner D, Phan AV, Mueller AC, Van Court B, Raben D, Serkova NJ, Wang XJ, Jimeno A, Clambey ET, Pasquale EB, Karam SD. Inhibition of EphB4-Ephrin-B2 Signaling Reprograms the Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Head and Neck Cancers. Cancer Res 2019; 79:2722-2735. [PMID: 30894369 PMCID: PMC6522285 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Identifying targets present in the tumor microenvironment that contribute to immune evasion has become an important area of research. In this study, we identified EphB4-ephrin-B2 signaling as a regulator of both innate and adaptive components of the immune system. EphB4 belongs to receptor tyrosine kinase family that interacts with ephrin-B2 ligand at sites of cell-cell contact, resulting in bidirectional signaling. We found that EphB4-ephrin-B2 inhibition alone or in combination with radiation (RT) reduced intratumoral regulatory T cells (Tregs) and increased activation of both CD8+ and CD4+Foxp3- T cells compared with the control group in an orthotopic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) model. We also compared the effect of EphB4-ephrin-B2 inhibition combined with RT with combined anti-PDL1 and RT and observed similar tumor growth suppression, particularly at early time-points. A patient-derived xenograft model showed reduction of tumor-associated M2 macrophages and favored polarization towards an antitumoral M1 phenotype following EphB4-ephrin-B2 inhibition with RT. In vitro, EphB4 signaling inhibition decreased Ki67-expressing Tregs and Treg activation compared with the control group. Overall, our study is the first to implicate the role of EphB4-ephrin-B2 in tumor immune response. Moreover, our findings suggest that EphB4-ephrin-B2 inhibition combined with RT represents a potential alternative for patients with HNSCC and could be particularly beneficial for patients who are ineligible to receive or cannot tolerate anti-PDL1 therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings present EphB4-ephrin-B2 inhibition as an alternative to anti-PDL1 therapeutics that can be used in combination with radiation to induce an effective antitumor immune response in patients with HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ayman Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shelby Lennon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dallin Milner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andy V Phan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam C Mueller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David Raben
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Natalie J Serkova
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Eric T Clambey
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
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20
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Oweida AJ, Bhatia S, Van Court B, Darragh L, Serkova N, Karam SD. Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment. J Vis Exp 2019:10.3791/59195. [PMID: 31058896 PMCID: PMC6659716 DOI: 10.3791/59195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a debilitating and deadly disease with a high prevalence of recurrence and treatment failure. To develop better therapeutic strategies, understanding tumor microenvironmental factors that contribute to the treatment resistance is important. A major impediment to understanding disease mechanisms and improving therapy has been a lack of murine cell lines that resemble the aggressive and metastatic nature of human HNSCCs. Furthermore, a majority of murine models employ subcutaneous implantations of tumors which lack important physiological features of the head and neck region, including high vascular density, extensive lymphatic vasculature, and resident mucosal flora. The purpose of this study is to develop and characterize an orthotopic model of HNSCC. We employ two genetically distinct murine cell lines and established tumors in the buccal mucosa of mice. We optimize collagenase-based tumor digestion methods for the optimal recovery of single cells from established tumors. The data presented here show that mice develop highly vascularized tumors that metastasize to regional lymph nodes. Single-cell multiparametric mass cytometry analysis shows the presence of diverse immune populations with myeloid cells representing the majority of all immune cells. The model proposed in this study has applications in cancer biology, tumor immunology, and preclinical development of novel therapeutics. The resemblance of the orthotopic model to clinical features of human disease will provide a tool for enhanced translation and improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman J Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus;
| | - Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Laurel Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Natalie Serkova
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus; Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus; Division of Radiology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus
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21
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de Leve S, Wirsdörfer F, Jendrossek V. Targeting the Immunomodulatory CD73/Adenosine System to Improve the Therapeutic Gain of Radiotherapy. Front Immunol 2019; 10:698. [PMID: 31024543 PMCID: PMC6460721 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular adenosine is a potent endogenous immunosuppressive mediator critical to the maintenance of homeostasis in various normal tissues including the lung. Adenosine is either released from stressed or injured cells or generated from extracellular adenine nucleotides by the concerted action of the ectoenzymes ectoapyrase (CD39) and 5′ ectonucleotidase (CD73) that catabolize ATP to adenosine. An acute CD73-dependent increase of adenosine in normal tissues mostly exerts tissue protective functions whereas chronically increased adenosine-levels in tissues exposed to DNA damaging chemotherapy or radiotherapy promote pathologic remodeling processes and fibrosis for example in the skin and the lung. Importantly, cancer cells also express CD73 and high CD73 expression in the tumor tissue has been linked to poor overall survival and recurrence free survival in patients suffering from breast and ovarian cancer. CD73 and adenosine support growth-promoting neovascularization, metastasis, and survival in cancer cells. In addition, adenosine can promote tumor intrinsic or therapy-induced immune escape by various mechanisms that dampen the immune system. Consequently, modulating CD73 or cancer-derived adenosine in the tumor microenvironment emerges as an attractive novel therapeutic strategy to limit tumor progression, improve antitumor immune responses, avoid therapy-induced immune deviation, and potentially limit normal tissue toxicity. However, the role of CD73/adenosine signaling in the tumor and normal tissue responses to radiotherapy and its use as therapeutic target to improve the outcome of radiotherapy approaches is less understood. The present review will highlight the dual role of CD73 and adenosine in tumor and tissue responses to radiotherapy with a special focus to the lung. It will also discuss the potential benefits and risks of pharmacologic modulation of the CD73/adenosine system to increase the therapeutic gain of radiotherapy or combined radioimmunotherapy in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone de Leve
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Florian Wirsdörfer
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Verena Jendrossek
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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22
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Lennon S, Oweida A, Milner D, Phan AV, Bhatia S, Van Court B, Darragh L, Mueller AC, Raben D, Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Pitts TM, Somerset H, Jordan KR, Hansen KC, Williams J, Messersmith WA, Schulick RD, Owens P, Goodman KA, Karam SD. Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment Modulation by EphB4-ephrinB2 Inhibition and Radiation Combination. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:3352-3365. [PMID: 30944125 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-2811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A driving factor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treatment resistance is the tumor microenvironment, which is highly immunosuppressive. One potent immunologic adjuvant is radiotherapy. Radiation, however, has also been shown to induce immunosuppressive factors, which can contribute to tumor progression and formation of fibrotic tumor stroma. To capitalize on the immunogenic effects of radiation and obtain a durable tumor response, radiation must be rationally combined with targeted therapies to mitigate the influx of immunosuppressive cells and fibrosis. One such target is ephrinB2, which is overexpressed in PDAC and correlates negatively with prognosis.Experimental Design: On the basis of previous studies of ephrinB2 ligand-EphB4 receptor signaling, we hypothesized that inhibition of ephrinB2-EphB4 combined with radiation can regulate the microenvironment response postradiation, leading to increased tumor control in PDAC. This hypothesis was explored using both cell lines and in vivo human and mouse tumor models. RESULTS Our data show this treatment regimen significantly reduces regulatory T-cell, macrophage, and neutrophil infiltration and stromal fibrosis, enhances effector T-cell activation, and decreases tumor growth. Furthermore, our data show that depletion of regulatory T cells in combination with radiation reduces tumor growth and fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS These are the first findings to suggest that in PDAC, ephrinB2-EphB4 interaction has a profibrotic, protumorigenic role, presenting a novel and promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby Lennon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ayman Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dallin Milner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andy V Phan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Laurel Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam C Mueller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David Raben
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jorge L Martínez-Torrecuadrada
- Crystallography and Protein Engineering Unit, Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Todd M Pitts
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Hilary Somerset
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kimberly R Jordan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kirk C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jason Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Wells A Messersmith
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Richard D Schulick
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Philip Owens
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, Colorado
| | - Karyn A Goodman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
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23
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Long MJ, Liu X, Aye Y. Genie in a bottle: controlled release helps tame natural polypharmacology? Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 51:48-56. [PMID: 30913473 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ability to faithfully report drug-target interactions constitutes a major critical parameter in preclinical/clinical settings. Yet the assessment of target engagement remains challenging, particularly for promiscuous and/or polypharmacologic ligands. Drawing from our improved insights into native electrophile signaling and emerging technologies that profile and interrogate these non-enzyme-assisted signaling subsystems, we posit that 'trained' polypharmocologic covalent inhibitors can be designed. Accumulating evidence indicates that electrophile-modified states at fractional occupancy can alter cell fate. Thus, by understanding sensing preferences and ligandable regions favored by the natural electrophilic signals at individual protein-ligand resolution, we can better evaluate target engagement and develop a function-guided understanding of polypharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Jc Long
- 47 Pudding Gate, Bishop Burton, Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire, HU17 8QH, UK
| | - Xuyu Liu
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yimon Aye
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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