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Jiang H. Latest Research Progress of Liquid Biopsy in Tumor-A Narrative Review. Cancer Manag Res 2024; 16:1031-1042. [PMID: 39165347 PMCID: PMC11335005 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s479338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Human life expectancy is significantly impacted by cancer, with liquid biopsy emerging as an advantageous method for cancer detection because of its noninvasive nature, high accuracy, ease of sampling, and cost-effectiveness compared with conventional tissue biopsy techniques. Liquid biopsy shows promise in early cancer detection, real-time monitoring, and personalized treatment for various cancers, including lung, cervical, and prostate cancers, and offers innovative approaches for cancer diagnosis and management. By utilizing circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells, and exosomes as biomarkers, liquid biopsy enables the tracking of cancer progression. Various techniques commonly used in life sciences research, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS), and droplet digital PCR, are employed to assess cancer progression on the basis of different indicators. This review examines the latest advancements in liquid biopsy markers-circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and exosomes-for cancer diagnosis over the past three years, with a focus on their detection methodologies and clinical applications. It encapsulates the pivotal aims of liquid biopsy, including early detection, therapy response prediction, treatment monitoring, prognostication, and its relevance in minimal residual disease, while also addressing the challenges facing routine clinical adoption. By combining the latest research advancements and practical clinical experiences, this work focuses on discussing the clinical significance of DNA methylation biomarkers and their applications in tumor screening, auxiliary diagnosis, companion diagnosis, and recurrence monitoring. These discussions may help enhance the application of liquid biopsy throughout the entire process of tumor diagnosis and treatment, thereby providing patients with more precise and effective treatment plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Jiang
- Department of Urology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (Zhuhai Sixth People’s Hospital), Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Shukla N, Shah K, Rathore D, Soni K, Shah J, Vora H, Dave H. Androgen receptor: Structure, signaling, function and potential drug discovery biomarker in different breast cancer subtypes. Life Sci 2024; 348:122697. [PMID: 38710280 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122697] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The Androgen Receptor (AR) is emerging as an important factor in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC), which is the most common malignancy worldwide. >70 % of AR expression in primary and metastatic breast tumors has been observed which suggests that AR may be a new marker and a potential therapeutic target among AR-positive BC patients. Biological insight into AR-positive breast cancer reveals that AR may cross-talk with several vital signaling pathways, including key molecules and receptors. Downstream signaling of AR might also affect many clinically important pathways that are emerging as clinical targets in BC. AR exhibits different behaviors depending on the breast cancer molecular subtype. Preliminary clinical research using AR-targeted drugs, which have already been FDA-approved for prostate cancer (PC), has given promising results for AR-positive breast cancer patients. However, since AR positivity's prognostic and predictive value remains uncertain, it is difficult to identify and stratify patients who would benefit from AR-targeted therapies alone. Thus, the need of the hour is to target the androgen receptor as a monotherapy or in combination with other conventional therapies which has proven to be an effective clinical strategy for the treatment of prostate cancer patients, and these therapeutic strategies are increasingly being investigated in breast cancer. Therefore, in this manuscript, we review the role of AR in various cellular processes that promote tumorigenesis and aggressiveness, in different subtypes of breast cancer, as well as discuss ongoing efforts to target AR for the more effective treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirali Shukla
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India
| | - Kanisha Shah
- Division of Biological & Life Sciences, School of Arts & Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Central Campus, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009, India
| | - Deepshikha Rathore
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India
| | - Kinal Soni
- Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India
| | - Jigna Shah
- Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India
| | - Hemangini Vora
- The Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016, India
| | - Heena Dave
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India.
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Krawczyk N, Jaeger B, Martina PJ, Cristina LCRN, Melissa N, Maggie BP, Franziska MS, Hans N, Dieter N, Eugen R, Svjetlana M, Jürgen H, Thomas K, Irene E, Tanja F. Determination of the androgen receptor status of disseminated tumor cells in primary breast cancer patients. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 309:1525-1533. [PMID: 37902839 PMCID: PMC10894135 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-07225-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Androgen receptor (AR) can serve as a new therapeutic target since it was shown to play a proliferative role in several breast cancer (BC) subtypes. Moreover, AR positivity has been suggested to reflect the metastatic potential of tumor cells in some BC subtypes. The aim of this study was to determine the AR expression on disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) as a surrogate marker of minimal residual disease (MRD) and potential precursor of metastasis in early BC. METHODS Bone marrow (BM) aspirates from 62 DTC-positive early BC patients were included into this study and analyzed by immunofluorescence staining for the presence of AR-positive DTCs. CK-positive, CD45-negative cells containing an intact nucleus (DAPI positive) were identified as DTCs. AR expression of the primary tumor (PT) was assessed by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor sections from core biopsies and surgical specimens. RESULTS AR status of DTCs could be determined in 21 patients. We detected AR-positive DTCs in nine samples (43%). AR expression of DTCs and corresponding PT showed a concordance rate of 33%. The DTC-AR status did not correlate with clinicopathological factors, nor did we observe a significant correlation between the AR status of the PT and other established prognostic factors for BC. CONCLUSION AR-positive DTCs can be detected in BM of early BC patients with a marked discordance of the AR status between DTCs and corresponding PTs. The clinical significance of these findings needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Krawczyk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Bernadette Jaeger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
| | - Piperek-Jäger Martina
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Neubacher Melissa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Banys-Paluchowski Maggie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Schleswig Holstein, Campus Lübeck, 23538, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Meier-Stiegen Franziska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Neubauer Hans
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Niederacher Dieter
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Ruckhäberle Eugen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Mohrmann Svjetlana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Hoffmann Jürgen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Kaleta Thomas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Esposito Irene
- Department of Pathology, University of Mannheim, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Fehm Tanja
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
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Kuroiwa Y, Ito K, Nakayama J, Semba K, Yamamoto Y. Analysis of the responsiveness to antiandrogens in multiple breast cancer cell lines. Genes Cells 2024; 29:301-315. [PMID: 38366725 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13105] [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: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Antiandrogens were originally developed as therapeutic agents for prostate cancer but are also expected to be effective for breast cancer. However, the role of androgen signaling in breast cancer has long been controversial due to the limited number of experimental models. Our study aimed to comprehensively investigate the efficacy of antiandrogens on breast cancer. In the present study, a total of 18 breast cancer cell lines were treated with the agonist or antagonists of the androgen receptor (AR). Among the 18 cell lines tested, only T-47D cells proliferated in an androgen-dependent manner, while the other cell lines were almost irresponsive to AR stimulation. On the other hand, treatment with AR antagonists at relatively high doses suppressed the proliferation of not only T-47D cells but also some other cell lines including AR-low/negative cells. In addition, expression of the full-length AR and constitutively active AR splice variants, AR-V7 and ARV567es, was not correlated with sensitivity to AR antagonists. These data suggest that the antiproliferative effect of AR antagonists is AR-independent in some cases. Consistently, proliferation of AR-knockout BT-549 cells was inhibited by AR antagonists. Identification of biomarkers would be necessary to determine which breast cancer patients will benefit from these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Kuroiwa
- Laboratory of Integrative Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kagenori Ito
- Laboratory of Integrative Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Urology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Nakayama
- Laboratory of Integrative Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Semba
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Integrative Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
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Tien AH, Sadar MD. Treatments Targeting the Androgen Receptor and Its Splice Variants in Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1817. [PMID: 38339092 PMCID: PMC10855698 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031817] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a major cause of death worldwide. The complexity of endocrine regulation in breast cancer may allow the cancer cells to escape from a particular treatment and result in resistant and aggressive disease. These breast cancers usually have fewer treatment options. Targeted therapies for cancer patients may offer fewer adverse side effects because of specificity compared to conventional chemotherapy. Signaling pathways of nuclear receptors, such as the estrogen receptor (ER), have been intensively studied and used as therapeutic targets. Recently, the role of the androgen receptor (AR) in breast cancer is gaining greater attention as a therapeutic target and as a prognostic biomarker. The expression of constitutively active truncated AR splice variants in breast cancer is a possible mechanism contributing to treatment resistance. Therefore, targeting both the full-length AR and AR variants, either through the activation or suppression of AR function, depending on the status of the ER, progesterone receptor, or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, may provide additional treatment options. Studies targeting AR in combination with other treatment strategies are ongoing in clinical trials. The determination of the status of nuclear receptors to classify and identify patient subgroups will facilitate optimized and targeted combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy H. Tien
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Marianne D. Sadar
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z7, Canada
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Ilenič P, Herman A, Langerholc E, Gazić B, Šeruga B. Association of androgen receptor and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes with bone recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer. J Bone Oncol 2024; 44:100518. [PMID: 38374890 PMCID: PMC10874935 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbo.2023.100518] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background As compared to endocrine responsive breast cancer bone is less frequent site of distant recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). A biomarker which predicts bone recurrence would allow a more personalized treatment approach with adjuvant bisphosphonates in TNBC. Here we hypothesised that tumour expression of androgen receptor (AR) is associated with bone recurrence in TNBC. Materials and methods Patients with operable TNBC who were treated at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana between 2005 and 2015 and developed distant recurrence were included into our study. Nuclear expression of AR in the tissue of primary tumours was determined immunohistochemically by using the Androgen Receptor (SP107) Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody. We applied a logistic regression model to test the association between expression of AR and development of bone metastases. The model was adjusted for selected known prognostic factors and possible confounders in TNBC, including the level of the stromal tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs). Results At recurrence 45 (45 %) out of 100 patients presented with bone metastases. Additionally, seven (7 %) developed bone metastases metachronously. AR was expressed in primary tumours of 35 (35 %) women and 19 (54.3 %) developed bone recurrence. In 25 (25 %) patients sTILs were absent. Neither the proportion of AR positive cancer cells (OR = 1.00; 95 % CI 0.96-1.03; p = 1.00) nor the intensity of AR positive reaction (OR = 0.71; 95 % CI 0.02-21.4; p = 1.00) were significantly associated with bone recurrence. However, women with at least mild level of the sTILs were at significantly lower risk for bone recurrence as compared to those without any sTILs (OR = 0.01; 95 % CI < 0.01-0.08; p = 0.01). Conclusions Expression of AR is not significantly associated with the development of bone metastases in TNBC. However, patients with absent sTILs in their primary tumours are highly susceptible for recurrence in the bone and might particularly benefit from adjuvant bisphosphonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Ilenič
- University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ajda Herman
- University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Erik Langerholc
- Institute for Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Gazić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Boštjan Šeruga
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Division of Medical Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Wang Y, Hu Y, Wang M, Wang M, Xu Y. The Role of Breast Cancer Cells in Bone Metastasis: Suitable Seeds for Nourishing Soil. Curr Osteoporos Rep 2024; 22:28-43. [PMID: 38206556 DOI: 10.1007/s11914-023-00849-9] [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] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review was to describe the characteristics of breast cancer cells prone to developing bone metastasis and determine how they are regulated by the bone microenvironment. RECENT FINDINGS The bone is a site of frequent breast cancer metastasis. Bone metastasis accounts for 70% of advanced breast cancer cases and remains incurable. It can lead to skeletal-related events, such as bone fracture and pain, and seriously affect the quality of life of patients. Breast cancer cells escape from the primary lesion and spread to the bone marrow in the early stages. They can then enter the dormant state and restore tumourigenicity after several years to develop overt metastasis. In the last few years, an increasing number of studies have reported on the factors promoting bone metastasis of breast cancer cells, both at the primary and metastatic sites. Identifying factors associated with bone metastasis aids in the early recognition of bone metastasis tendency. How to target these factors and minimize the side effects on the bone remains to be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiou Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Outpatient, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Mozhi Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Mengshen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yingying Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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Choi SW, Sun AK, Cheung JPY, Ho JCY. Circulating Tumour Cells in the Prediction of Bone Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:252. [PMID: 38254743 PMCID: PMC10813668 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020252] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bone is the most common organ for the development of metastases in many primary tumours, including those of the breast, prostate and lung. In most cases, bone metastasis is incurable, and treatment is predominantly palliative. Much research has focused on the role of Circulating Tumour Cells (CTCs) in the mechanism of metastasis to the bone, and methods have been developed to isolate and count CTCs from peripheral blood. Several methods are currently being used in the study of CTCs, but only one, the CellSearchTM system has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for clinical use. This review summarises the advantages and disadvantages, and outlines which clinical studies have used these methods. Studies have found that CTC numbers are predictive of bone metastasis in breast, prostate and lung cancer. Further work is required to incorporate information on CTCs into current staging systems to guide treatment in the prevention of tumour progression into bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siu-Wai Choi
- Department of Orthopaedics and Tramatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Aria Kaiyuan Sun
- Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (A.K.S.); (J.C.-Y.H.)
| | - Jason Pui-Yin Cheung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Tramatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jemmi Ching-Ying Ho
- Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (A.K.S.); (J.C.-Y.H.)
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Wang S, Wu W, Lin X, Zhang KM, Wu Q, Luo M, Zhou J. Predictive and prognostic biomarkers of bone metastasis in breast cancer: current status and future directions. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:224. [PMID: 38041134 PMCID: PMC10693103 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01171-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The most common site of metastasis in breast cancer is the bone, where the balance between osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and osteoblast-mediated bone formation is disrupted. This imbalance causes osteolytic bone metastasis in breast cancer, which leads to bone pain, pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, and other skeletal-related events (SREs). These complications reduce patients' quality of life significantly and have a profound impact on prognosis. In this review, we begin by providing a brief overview of the epidemiology of bone metastasis in breast cancer, including current diagnostic tools, treatment approaches, and existing challenges. Then, we will introduce the pathophysiology of breast cancer bone metastasis (BCBM) and the animal models involved in the study of BCBM. We then come to the focus of this paper: a discussion of several biomarkers that have the potential to provide predictive and prognostic value in the context of BCBM-some of which may be particularly compatible with more comprehensive liquid biopsies. Beyond that, we briefly explore the potential of new technologies such as single-cell sequencing and organoid models, which will improve our understanding of tumor heterogeneity and aid in the development of improved biomarkers. The emerging biomarkers discussed hold promise for future clinical application, aiding in the prevention of BCBM, improving the prognosis of patients, and guiding the implementation of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenkangle Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China
- Biomedical Research Center and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenxin Wu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China
- Biomedical Research Center and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xixi Lin
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China
- Biomedical Research Center and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - QingLiang Wu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China
- Hangzhou Ninth People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Mingpeng Luo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China.
- Biomedical Research Center and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
| | - Jichun Zhou
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China.
- Biomedical Research Center and Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
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Keup C, Kimmig R, Kasimir-Bauer S. The Diversity of Liquid Biopsies and Their Potential in Breast Cancer Management. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5463. [PMID: 38001722 PMCID: PMC10670968 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225463] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Analyzing blood as a so-called liquid biopsy in breast cancer (BC) patients has the potential to adapt therapy management. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other blood components mirror the tumoral heterogeneity and could support a range of clinical decisions. Multi-cancer early detection tests utilizing blood are advancing but are not part of any clinical routine yet. Liquid biopsy analysis in the course of neoadjuvant therapy has potential for therapy (de)escalation.Minimal residual disease detection via serial cfDNA analysis is currently on its way. The prognostic value of blood analytes in early and metastatic BC is undisputable, but the value of these prognostic biomarkers for clinical management is controversial. An interventional trial confirmed a significant outcome benefit when therapy was changed in case of newly emerging cfDNA mutations under treatment and thus showed the clinical utility of cfDNA analysis for therapy monitoring. The analysis of PIK3CA or ESR1 variants in plasma of metastatic BC patients to prescribe targeted therapy with alpesilib or elacestrant has already arrived in clinical practice with FDA-approved tests available and is recommended by ASCO. The translation of more liquid biopsy applications into clinical practice is still pending due to a lack of knowledge of the analytes' biology, lack of standards and difficulties in proving clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Keup
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
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11
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Katleba KD, Ghosh PM, Mudryj M. Beyond Prostate Cancer: An Androgen Receptor Splice Variant Expression in Multiple Malignancies, Non-Cancer Pathologies, and Development. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2215. [PMID: 37626712 PMCID: PMC10452427 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple studies have demonstrated the importance of androgen receptor (AR) splice variants (SVs) in the progression of prostate cancer to the castration-resistant phenotype and their utility as a diagnostic. However, studies on AR expression in non-prostatic malignancies uncovered that AR-SVs are expressed in glioblastoma, breast, salivary, bladder, kidney, and liver cancers, where they have diverse roles in tumorigenesis. AR-SVs also have roles in non-cancer pathologies. In granulosa cells from women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, unique AR-SVs lead to an increase in androgen production. In patients with nonobstructive azoospermia, testicular Sertoli cells exhibit differential expression of AR-SVs, which is associated with impaired spermatogenesis. Moreover, AR-SVs have been identified in normal cells, including blood mononuclear cells, neuronal lipid rafts, and the placenta. The detection and characterization of AR-SVs in mammalian and non-mammalian species argue that AR-SV expression is evolutionarily conserved and that AR-SV-dependent signaling is a fundamental regulatory feature in multiple cellular contexts. These discoveries argue that alternative splicing of the AR transcript is a commonly used mechanism that leads to an expansion in the repertoire of signaling molecules needed in certain tissues. Various malignancies appropriate this mechanism of alternative AR splicing to acquire a proliferative and survival advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley D. Katleba
- Veterans Affairs-Northern California Health Care System, 10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655, USA; (K.D.K.); (P.M.G.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 1 Shields Avenue, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Paramita M. Ghosh
- Veterans Affairs-Northern California Health Care System, 10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655, USA; (K.D.K.); (P.M.G.)
- Department of Urologic Surgery, 4860 Y Street, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA 95718, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, 1 Shields Avenue, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Maria Mudryj
- Veterans Affairs-Northern California Health Care System, 10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655, USA; (K.D.K.); (P.M.G.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 1 Shields Avenue, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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12
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Yan Y, Teng H, Hang Q, Kondiparthi L, Lei G, Horbath A, Liu X, Mao C, Wu S, Zhuang L, James You M, Poyurovsky MV, Ma L, Olszewski K, Gan B. SLC7A11 expression level dictates differential responses to oxidative stress in cancer cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3673. [PMID: 37339981 PMCID: PMC10281978 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39401-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The cystine transporter solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11; also called xCT) protects cancer cells from oxidative stress and is overexpressed in many cancers. Here we report a surprising finding that, whereas moderate overexpression of SLC7A11 is beneficial for cancer cells treated with H2O2, a common oxidative stress inducer, its high overexpression dramatically increases H2O2-induced cell death. Mechanistically, high cystine uptake in cancer cells with high overexpression of SLC7A11 in combination with H2O2 treatment results in toxic buildup of intracellular cystine and other disulfide molecules, NADPH depletion, redox system collapse, and rapid cell death (likely disulfidptosis). We further show that high overexpression of SLC7A11 promotes tumor growth but suppresses tumor metastasis, likely because metastasizing cancer cells with high expression of SLC7A11 are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. Our findings reveal that SLC7A11 expression level dictates cancer cells' sensitivity to oxidative stress and suggests a context-dependent role for SLC7A11 in tumor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuelong Yan
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hongqi Teng
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Qinglei Hang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Lavanya Kondiparthi
- Kadmon Corporation, LLC (A Sanofi Company), New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Sanofi US Services Inc, 270 Albany St, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Guang Lei
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Amber Horbath
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Liu
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Chao Mao
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Shiqi Wu
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Li Zhuang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - M James You
- Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | | | - Li Ma
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kellen Olszewski
- Kadmon Corporation, LLC (A Sanofi Company), New York, NY, 10016, USA
- The Barer Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Boyi Gan
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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13
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Lim J, Chin V, Fairfax K, Moutinho C, Suan D, Ji H, Powell JE. Transitioning single-cell genomics into the clinic. Nat Rev Genet 2023:10.1038/s41576-023-00613-w. [PMID: 37258725 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00613-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The use of genomics is firmly established in clinical practice, resulting in innovations across a wide range of disciplines such as genetic screening, rare disease diagnosis and molecularly guided therapy choice. This new field of genomic medicine has led to improvements in patient outcomes. However, most clinical applications of genomics rely on information generated from bulk approaches, which do not directly capture the genomic variation that underlies cellular heterogeneity. With the advent of single-cell technologies, research is rapidly uncovering how genomic data at cellular resolution can be used to understand disease pathology and mechanisms. Both DNA-based and RNA-based single-cell technologies have the potential to improve existing clinical applications and open new application spaces for genomics in clinical practice, with oncology, immunology and haematology poised for initial adoption. However, challenges in translating cellular genomics from research to a clinical setting must first be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Lim
- Cellular Science, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Oncology, St George Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Venessa Chin
- Cellular Science, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kirsten Fairfax
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Catia Moutinho
- Cellular Science, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dan Suan
- Cellular Science, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hanlee Ji
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Joseph E Powell
- Cellular Science, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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14
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Ghannoum S, Fantini D, Zahoor M, Reiterer V, Phuyal S, Leoncio Netto W, Sørensen Ø, Iyer A, Sengupta D, Prasmickaite L, Mælandsmo GM, Köhn-Luque A, Farhan H. A combined experimental-computational approach uncovers a role for the Golgi matrix protein Giantin in breast cancer progression. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010995. [PMID: 37068117 PMCID: PMC10159355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of how speed and persistence of cell migration affects the growth rate and size of tumors remains incomplete. To address this, we developed a mathematical model wherein cells migrate in two-dimensional space, divide, die or intravasate into the vasculature. Exploring a wide range of speed and persistence combinations, we find that tumor growth positively correlates with increasing speed and higher persistence. As a biologically relevant example, we focused on Golgi fragmentation, a phenomenon often linked to alterations of cell migration. Golgi fragmentation was induced by depletion of Giantin, a Golgi matrix protein, the downregulation of which correlates with poor patient survival. Applying the experimentally obtained migration and invasion traits of Giantin depleted breast cancer cells to our mathematical model, we predict that loss of Giantin increases the number of intravasating cells. This prediction was validated, by showing that circulating tumor cells express significantly less Giantin than primary tumor cells. Altogether, our computational model identifies cell migration traits that regulate tumor progression and uncovers a role of Giantin in breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Ghannoum
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Damiano Fantini
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Muhammad Zahoor
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Veronika Reiterer
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Santosh Phuyal
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Waldir Leoncio Netto
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein Sørensen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arvind Iyer
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Debarka Sengupta
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi, India
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi, India
| | - Lina Prasmickaite
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gunhild Mari Mælandsmo
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Biology, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Alvaro Köhn-Luque
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hesso Farhan
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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15
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Liu X, Song J, Zhang H, Liu X, Zuo F, Zhao Y, Zhao Y, Yin X, Guo X, Wu X, Zhang H, Xu J, Hu J, Jing J, Ma X, Shi H. Immune checkpoint HLA-E:CD94-NKG2A mediates evasion of circulating tumor cells from NK cell surveillance. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:272-287.e9. [PMID: 36706761 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), shed by primary malignancies, function as "seeds" for distant metastasis. However, it is still largely unknown how CTCs escape immune surveillance. Here, we characterize the transcriptomes of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma CTCs, primary, and metastatic lesions at single-cell scale. Cell-interaction analysis and functional studies in vitro and in vivo reveal that CTCs and natural killer (NK) cells interact via the immune checkpoint molecule pair HLA-E:CD94-NKG2A. Disruption of this interaction by blockade of NKG2A or knockdown of HLA-E expression enhances NK-mediated tumor cell killing in vitro and prevents tumor metastasis in vivo. Mechanistic studies indicate that platelet-derived RGS18 promotes the expression of HLA-E through AKT-GSK3β-CREB signaling, and overexpression of RGS18 facilitates pancreatic tumor hepatic metastasis. In conclusion, platelet-derived RGS18 protects CTCs from NK-mediated immune surveillance by engaging the immune checkpoint HLA-E:CD94-NKG2A. Interruption of the suppressive signaling prevents tumor metastasis in vivo by immune elimination of CTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jinen Song
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Fengli Zuo
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yunuo Zhao
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yujie Zhao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xiaomeng Yin
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xinyu Guo
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xi Wu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Hu Zhang
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Institutes of Biological Sciences, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jianping Hu
- College of Pharmacy and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610106, China
| | - Jing Jing
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
| | - Hubing Shi
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
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16
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Androgen receptor variant 7 exacerbates hepatocarcinogenesis in a c-MYC-driven mouse HCC model. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:4. [PMID: 36746917 PMCID: PMC9902460 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00449-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor variant 7 (AR-V7), an AR isoform with a truncated ligand-binding domain, functions as a transcription factor in an androgen-independent manner. AR-V7 is expressed in a subpopulation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, its role(s) in this cancer is undefined. In this study, we investigated the potential roles of AR-V7 in hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo in a c-MYC-driven mouse HCC model generated by the hydrodynamic tail-vein injection system. The impacts of AR-V7 on gene expression in mouse HCC were elucidated by RNA-seq transcriptome and ontology analyses. The results showed that AR-V7 significantly exacerbated the c-MYC-mediated oncogenesis in the livers of both sexes. The transcriptome and bioinformatics analyses revealed that AR-V7 and c-MYC synergistically altered the gene sets involved in various cancer-related biological processes, particularly in lipid and steroid/sterol metabolisms. Importantly, AR-V7 suppressed a tumor suppressor Claudin 7 expression, upregulated by c-MYC overexpression via the p53 signaling pathway. Claudin 7 overexpression significantly suppressed the c-MYC-driven HCC development under p53-deficient conditions. Our results suggest that the AR-V7 exacerbates the c-MYC-driven hepatocarcinogenesis by potentiating the oncogenic roles and minimizing the anti-oncogenic functions of c-MYC. Since AR-V7 is expressed in a subpopulation of HCC cases, it could contribute to the inter- and intra-heterogeneity of HCC.
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17
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Wei L, Gao H, Yu J, Zhang H, Nguyen TTL, Gu Y, Passow MR, Carter JM, Qin B, Boughey JC, Goetz MP, Weinshilboum RM, Ingle JN, Wang L. Pharmacological Targeting of Androgen Receptor Elicits Context-Specific Effects in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2023; 83:456-470. [PMID: 36469363 PMCID: PMC9896025 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-1016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in 80% to 90% of estrogen receptor α-positive (ER+) breast cancers. Accumulated evidence has shown that AR is a tumor suppressor and that its expression is associated with improved prognosis in ER+ breast cancer. However, both a selective AR agonist (RAD140) and an AR inhibitor (enzalutamide, ENZ) have shown a therapeutic effect on ER+ breast cancer, so the potential for clinical application of AR-targeting therapy for ER+ breast cancer is still in dispute. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of ENZ and RAD140 in vivo and in vitro in AR+/ER+ breast cancer models, characterizing the relationship of AR and ER levels to response to AR-targeting drugs and investigating the alterations of global gene expression and chromatin binding of AR and ERα after ENZ treatment. In the AR-low setting, ENZ directly functioned as an ERα antagonist. Cell growth inhibition by ENZ in breast cancer with low AR expression was independent of AR and instead dependent on ER. In AR-high breast cancer models, AR repressed ERα signaling and ENZ promoted ERα signaling by antagonizing AR. In contrast, RAD140 activated AR signaling and suppressed AR-high tumor growth by deregulating ERα expression and blocking ERα function. Overall, analysis of the dynamic efficacies and outcomes of AR agonist, and antagonist in the presence of different AR and ERα levels reveals regulators of response and supports the clinical investigation of ENZ in selected ER+ tumors with a low AR/ER ratio and AR agonists in tumors with a high AR/ER ratio. SIGNIFICANCE The ratio of androgen receptor to estrogen receptor in breast cancer dictates the response to AR-targeted therapies, providing guidelines for developing AR-directed treatment strategies for patients with breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixuan Wei
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Huanyao Gao
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jia Yu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Huan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Thanh Thanh L. Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Yayun Gu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Marie R. Passow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jodi M. Carter
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Bo Qin
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Matthew P. Goetz
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Richard M. Weinshilboum
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - James N. Ingle
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Liewei Wang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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18
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Deep transfer learning enables lesion tracing of circulating tumor cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7687. [PMID: 36509761 PMCID: PMC9744915 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35296-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy offers great promise for noninvasive cancer diagnostics, while the lack of adequate target characterization and analysis hinders its wide application. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful technology for cell characterization. Integrating scRNA-seq into a CTC-focused liquid biopsy study can perhaps classify CTCs by their original lesions. However, the lack of CTC scRNA-seq data accumulation and prior knowledge hinders further development. Therefore, we design CTC-Tracer, a transfer learning-based algorithm, to correct the distributional shift between primary cancer cells and CTCs to transfer lesion labels from the primary cancer cell atlas to CTCs. The robustness and accuracy of CTC-Tracer are validated by 8 individual standard datasets. We apply CTC-Tracer on a complex dataset consisting of RNA-seq profiles of single CTCs, CTC clusters from a BRCA patient, and two xenografts, and demonstrate that CTC-Tracer has potential in knowledge transfer between different types of RNA-seq data of lesions and CTCs.
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19
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Saha Detroja T, Detroja R, Mukherjee S, Samson AO. Identifying Hub Genes Associated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Resistance in Breast Cancer and Potential Drug Repurposing for the Development of Precision Medicine. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012628. [PMID: 36293493 PMCID: PMC9603969 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Despite advancements in the clinical application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), drug resistance remains a major concern hindering treatment efficacy. Thus, identifying the key genes involved in driving NAC resistance and targeting them with known potential FDA-approved drugs could be applied to advance the precision medicine strategy. With this aim, we performed an integrative bioinformatics study to identify the key genes associated with NAC resistance in breast cancer and then performed the drug repurposing to identify the potential drugs which could use in combination with NAC to overcome drug resistance. In this study, we used publicly available RNA-seq datasets from the samples of breast cancer patients sensitive and resistant to chemotherapy and identified a total of 1446 differentially expressed genes in NAC-resistant breast cancer patients. Next, we performed gene co-expression network analysis to identify significantly co-expressed gene modules, followed by MCC (Multiple Correlation Clustering) clustering algorithms and identified 33 key hub genes associated with NAC resistance. mRNA–miRNA network analysis highlighted the potential impact of these hub genes in altering the regulatory network in NAC-resistance breast cancer cells. Further, several hub genes were found to be significantly involved in the poor overall survival of breast cancer patients. Finally, we identified FDA-approved drugs which could be useful for potential drug repurposing against those hub genes. Altogether, our findings provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of NAC resistance and pave the way for drug repurposing techniques and personalized treatment to overcome NAC resistance in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rajesh Detroja
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Sumit Mukherjee
- Department of Computer Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (A.O.S.)
| | - Abraham O. Samson
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed 1311502, Israel
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (A.O.S.)
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20
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Fridrichova I, Kalinkova L, Ciernikova S. Clinical Relevancy of Circulating Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer: Epithelial or Mesenchymal Characteristics, Single Cells or Clusters? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12141. [PMID: 36292996 PMCID: PMC9603393 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is typically an incurable disease with high mortality rates; thus, early identification of metastatic features and disease recurrence through precise biomarkers is crucial. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) consisting of heterogeneous subpopulations with different morphology and genetic, epigenetic, and gene expression profiles represent promising candidate biomarkers for metastatic potential. The experimentally verified role of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cancer dissemination has not been clearly described in BC patients, but the stemness features of CTCs strongly contributes to metastatic potency. Single CTCs have been shown to be protected in the bloodstream against recognition by the immune system through impaired interactions with T lymphocytes and NK cells, while associations of heterotypic CTC clusters with platelets, leucocytes, neutrophils, tumor-associated macrophages, and fibroblasts improve their tumorigenic behavior. In addition to single CTC and CTC cluster characteristics, we reviewed CTC evaluation methods and clinical studies in early and metastatic BCs. The variable CTC tests were developed based on specific principles and strategies. However, CTC count and the presence of CTC clusters were shown to be most clinically relevant in existing clinical trials. Despite the known progress in CTC research and sampling of BC patients, implementation of CTCs and CTC clusters in routine diagnostic and treatment strategies still requires improvement in detection sensitivity and precise molecular characterizations, focused predominantly on the role of CTC clusters for their higher metastatic potency.
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21
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Keup C, Kimmig R, Kasimir-Bauer S. Combinatorial Power of cfDNA, CTCs and EVs in Oncology. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:870. [PMID: 35453918 PMCID: PMC9031112 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12040870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy is a promising technique for clinical management of oncological patients. The diversity of analytes circulating in the blood useable for liquid biopsy testing is enormous. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and extracellular vesicles (EVs), as well as blood cells and other soluble components in the plasma, were shown as liquid biopsy analytes. A few studies directly comparing two liquid biopsy analytes showed a benefit of one analyte over the other, while most authors concluded the benefit of the additional analyte. Only three years ago, the first studies to examine the value of a characterization of more than two liquid biopsy analytes from the same sample were conducted. We attempt to reflect on the recent development of multimodal liquid biopsy testing in this review. Although the analytes and clinical purposes of the published multimodal studies differed significantly, the additive value of the analytes was concluded in almost all projects. Thus, the blood components, as liquid biopsy reservoirs, are complementary rather than competitive, and orthogonal data sets were even shown to harbor synergistic effects. The unmistakable potential of multimodal liquid biopsy testing, however, is dampened by its clinical utility, which is yet to be proven, the lack of methodical standardization and insufficiently mature reimbursement, logistics and data handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Keup
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Rainer Kimmig
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Sabine Kasimir-Bauer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
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22
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Lovero D, D’Oronzo S, Palmirotta R, Cafforio P, Brown J, Wood S, Porta C, Lauricella E, Coleman R, Silvestris F. Correlation between targeted RNAseq signature of breast cancer CTCs and onset of bone-only metastases. Br J Cancer 2022; 126:419-429. [PMID: 34272498 PMCID: PMC8810805 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-021-01481-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone is the most frequent site of metastases from breast cancer (BC), but no biomarkers are yet available to predict skeletal dissemination. METHODS We attempted to identify a gene signature correlated with bone metastasis (BM) onset in circulating tumour cells (CTCs), isolated by a DEPArray-based protocol from 40 metastatic BC patients and grouped according to metastasis sites, namely "BM" (bone-only), "ES" (extra-skeletal) or BM + ES (bone + extra-skeletal). RESULTS A 134-gene panel was first validated through targeted RNA sequencing (RNAseq) on sub-clones of the MDA-MB-231 BC cell line with variable organotropism, which successfully shaped their clustering. The panel was then applied to CTC groups and, in particular, the "BM" vs "ES" CTC comparison revealed 31 differentially expressed genes, including MAF, CAPG, GIPC1 and IL1B, playing key prognostic roles in BC. CONCLUSION Such evidence confirms that CTCs are suitable biological sources for organotropism investigation through targeted RNAseq and might deserve future applications in wide-scale prospective studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenica Lovero
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Stella D’Oronzo
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaele Palmirotta
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Paola Cafforio
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Janet Brown
- grid.417079.c0000 0004 0391 9207Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Steven Wood
- grid.417079.c0000 0004 0391 9207Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Camillo Porta
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Eleonora Lauricella
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Robert Coleman
- grid.417079.c0000 0004 0391 9207Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Franco Silvestris
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology—Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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23
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Negishi R, Yamakawa H, Kobayashi T, Horikawa M, Shimoyama T, Koizumi F, Sawada T, Oboki K, Omuro Y, Funasaka C, Kageyama A, Kanemasa Y, Tanaka T, Matsunaga T, Yoshino T. Transcriptomic profiling of single circulating tumor cells provides insight into human metastatic gastric cancer. Commun Biol 2022; 5:20. [PMID: 35017627 PMCID: PMC8752828 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02937-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which migrate into blood vessels from primary tumor tissues, at the single-cell level offers critical insights into the biology of metastasis and contributes to drug discovery. However, transcriptome analysis of single CTCs has only been reported for a limited number of cancer types, such as multiple myeloma, breast, hepatocellular, and prostate cancer. Herein, we report the transcriptome analysis of gastric cancer single-CTCs. We utilized an antigen-independent strategy for CTC isolation from metastatic gastric cancer patients involving a size-dependent recovery of CTCs and a single cell isolation technique. The transcriptomic profile of single-CTCs revealed that a majority of gastric CTCs had undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and indicated the contribution of platelet adhesion toward EMT progression and acquisition of chemoresistance. Taken together, this study serves to employ CTC characterization to elucidate the mechanisms of chemoresistance and metastasis in gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Negishi
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Hitomi Yamakawa
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Takeru Kobayashi
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Mayuko Horikawa
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Tatsu Shimoyama
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Koizumi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Sawada
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Oboki
- Center for Medical Research Cooperation, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Japan
| | - Yasushi Omuro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chikako Funasaka
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kageyama
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kanemasa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Tanaka
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Tadashi Matsunaga
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| | - Tomoko Yoshino
- Division of Biotechnology and Life science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.
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24
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Sadar MD. Drugging the Undruggable: Targeting the N-Terminal Domain of Nuclear Hormone Receptors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1390:311-326. [PMID: 36107327 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-11836-4_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the development of drugs targeting the N-terminal domain of nuclear hormone receptors, using progress with the androgen receptor as an example. Historically, development of therapies targeting nuclear hormone receptors has focused on the folded C-terminal ligand-binding domain. Therapies were traditionally not developed to target the intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain as it was considered "undruggable". Recent developments have now shown it is possible to direct therapies to the N-terminal domain. This chapter will provide an introduction of the structure and function of the domains of nuclear hormone receptors, followed by a discussion of the rationale supporting the development of N-terminal domain inhibitors. Chemistry and mechanisms of action of small molecule inhibitors will be described with emphasis on N-terminal domain inhibitors developed to the androgen receptor including those in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne D Sadar
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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25
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Ravaioli S, Maltoni R, Pasculli B, Parrella P, Giudetti AM, Vergara D, Tumedei MM, Pirini F, Bravaccini S. Androgen receptor in breast cancer: The "5W" questions. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:977331. [PMID: 36111296 PMCID: PMC9468319 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.977331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in 60-70% of breast cancers (BCs) and the availability of anti-AR compounds, currently used for treating prostate cancer, paves the way to tackle specifically AR-positive BC patients. The prognostic and predictive role of AR in BC is a matter of debate, since the results from clinical trials are not striking, probably due to both technical and biological reasons. In this review, we aimed to highlight WHAT is AR, describing its structure and functions, WHAT to test and HOW to detect AR, WHERE AR should be tested (on primary tumor or metastasis) and WHY studying this fascinating hormone receptor, exploring and debating on its prognostic and predictive role. We considered AR and its ratio with other hormone receptors, analyzing also studies including patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and with early and advanced BC, as well. We also emphasized the effects that both other hormone receptors and the newly emerging androgen-inducible non coding RNAs may have on AR function in BC pathology and the putative implementation in the clinical setting. Moreover, we pointed out the latest results by clinical trials and we speculated about the use of anti-AR therapies in BC clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ravaioli
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
- *Correspondence: Sara Ravaioli,
| | - Roberta Maltoni
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Barbara Pasculli
- Laboratorio di Oncologia, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Paola Parrella
- Laboratorio di Oncologia, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Giudetti
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Vergara
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Pirini
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Sara Bravaccini
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
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26
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Deger T, Mendelaar PAJ, Kraan J, Prager-van der Smissen WJC, van der Vlugt-Daane M, Bindels EMJ, Sieuwerts AM, Sleijfer S, Wilting SM, Hollestelle A, Martens JWM. A pipeline for copy number profiling of single circulating tumor cells to assess intra-patient tumor heterogeneity. Mol Oncol 2021; 16:2981-3000. [PMID: 34964258 PMCID: PMC9394233 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrapatient tumour heterogeneity is likely a major determinant of clinical outcome in cancer patients. To assess heterogeneity in a minimally invasive manner, methods to perform single circulating tumour cell (CTC) genomics at high resolution are necessary. However, due to the rarity of CTCs, development of such methods is challenging. Here, we developed a modular single CTC analysis pipeline to assess intrapatient heterogeneity by copy number (CN) profiling. To optimize this pipeline, spike‐in experiments using MCF‐7 breast cancer cells were performed. The VyCAP puncher system was used to isolate single cells. The quality of whole genome amplification (WGA) products generated by REPLI‐g and Ampli1™ methods, as well as the results from the Illumina Truseq and the Ampli1™ LowPass library preparation techniques, was compared. Moreover, a bioinformatic pipeline was designed to generate CN profiles from single CTCs. The optimal combination of Ampli1™ WGA and Illumina Truseq library preparation was successfully validated on patient‐derived CTCs. In conclusion, we developed a novel modular pipeline to isolate single CTCs and subsequently generate detailed patient‐derived CN profiles that allow assessment of intrapatient heterogeneity in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teoman Deger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pauline A J Mendelaar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jaco Kraan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Eric M J Bindels
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anieta M Sieuwerts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan Sleijfer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Saskia M Wilting
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - John W M Martens
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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27
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Forooshani MK, Scarpitta R, Fanelli GN, Miccoli M, Naccarato AG, Scatena C. Is it time to consider the Androgen receptor as a therapeutic target in breast cancer? Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:775-786. [PMID: 34852747 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666211201150818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease and the most prevalent malignant tumor in women worldwide. The majority of BC cases are positive for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR), both known to be involved in cancer pathogenesis, progression, and invasion. In line with this, hormonal deprivation therapy appears to be a useful tool and an effective treatment for these BC subtypes. Unfortunately, prognosis among patients with hormone-negative tumors or therapy-refractory and metastatic patients remains poor. Novel biomarkers are urgently needed in order to predict the course of the disease, make better therapy decisions and improve the overall survival of patients. In this respect, the androgen receptor (AR), a member of the hormonal nuclear receptor superfamily and ER and PgR, emerges as an interesting feature widely expressed in human BCs. Despite the advances, the precise tumorigenic mechanism of AR and the role of its endogenous ligands are yet not well-understood. In this review, we aim to elaborate on the prognostic impact of AR expression and current AR-targeting approaches based on previous studies investigating AR's role in different BC subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melika Kooshki Forooshani
- Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Rosa Scarpitta
- Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nicolò Fanelli
- Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Mario Miccoli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Antonio Giuseppe Naccarato
- Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Cristian Scatena
- Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
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28
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Tien AH, Sadar MD. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in combination with ralaniten analogues for the treatment of androgen receptor-positive prostate and breast cancers. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 21:294-309. [PMID: 34815359 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) has essential roles in the growth of prostate cancer and some breast cancers. Inhibition of AR transcriptional activity by targeting its N-terminal domain with ralaniten or an analogue such as EPI-7170 causes accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 with palbociclib also leads to accumulation of cells in the G1 phase. Here a combination of EPI-7170 with palbociclib attenuated the in vivo growth of human castration-resistant prostate cancer xenografts that are resistant to antiandrogens. Cell-cycle tracing experiments in cultured cells revealed that EPI-7170 targeted cells in S phase, possibly through inducing DNA damage or impairing the DNA damage response, whereas palbociclib targeted the G1-S transition to delay the cell cycle. Combination treatment prevented cells in G1 and G2/M from progressing in the cell cycle and caused a portion of cells in S phase to arrest which contributed to a two-fold increase in doubling time to >63 hours compared to 25 hours in control cells. Importantly, sequential combination treatments with palbociclib administered first then followed by EPI-7170, resulted in more cells accumulating in G1 and less cells in S phase than concomitant combination which was presumably because each inhibitor has a unique mechanism in modulating the cell cycle in cancer cells. Together these data support that the combination therapy was more effective than individual monotherapies to reduce tumor growth by targeting different phases of the cell cycle.
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29
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Hanamura T, Christenson JL, O'Neill KI, Rosas E, Spoelstra NS, Williams MM, Richer JK. Secreted indicators of androgen receptor activity in breast cancer pre-clinical models. Breast Cancer Res 2021; 23:102. [PMID: 34736512 PMCID: PMC8567567 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-021-01478-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Accumulating evidence has attracted attention to the androgen receptor (AR) as a biomarker and therapeutic target in breast cancer. We hypothesized that AR activity within the tumor has clinical implications and investigated whether androgen responsive serum factors might serve as a minimally invasive indicator of tumor AR activity. METHODS Based on a comprehensive gene expression analysis of an AR-positive, triple negative breast cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, 163 dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-responsive genes were defined as an androgen responsive gene set. Among them, we focused on genes that were DHT-responsive that encode secreted proteins, namely KLK3, AZGP1 and PIP, that encode the secreted factors prostate specific antigen (PSA), zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) and prolactin induced protein (PIP), respectively. Using AR-positive breast cancer cell lines representing all breast cancer subtypes, expression of candidate factors was assessed in response to agonist DHT and antagonist enzalutamide. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed on publically available gene expression datasets from breast cancer patients to analyze the relationship between genes encoding the secreted factors and other androgen responsive gene sets in each breast cancer subtype. RESULTS Anti-androgen treatment decreased proliferation in all cell lines tested representing various tumor subtypes. Expression of the secreted factors was regulated by AR activation in the majority of breast cancer cell lines. In GSEA, the candidate genes were positively correlated with an androgen responsive gene set across breast cancer subtypes. CONCLUSION KLK3, AZGP1 and PIP are AR regulated and reflect tumor AR activity. Further investigations are needed to examine the potential efficacy of these factors as serum biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toru Hanamura
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jessica L Christenson
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kathleen I O'Neill
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Emmanuel Rosas
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Nicole S Spoelstra
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Michelle M Williams
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jennifer K Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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Differential Expression of the Androgen Receptor, Splice Variants and Relaxin 2 in Renal Cancer. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080731. [PMID: 34440475 PMCID: PMC8402134 DOI: 10.3390/life11080731] [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: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The role of the androgen receptor (AR) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is unclear. We aimed to analyze the expression of AR and its splice variants (SVs) and their correlation with relaxin 2 (RLN2) and cytokines in RCC. Methods: We investigated the expression of RLN2 and AR variants in 25 clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and 9 papillary (pRCC) tumor tissues and the corresponding controls using quantitative PCR and serum RLN2, testosterone and cytokine levels in matched samples using ELISA and chemiluminescent immunometric assay, respectively. Results: ccRCC tissues but not pRCC tissues more frequently expressed AR and the SVs than did normal tissues. All pRCC samples expressed more AR than did ccRCC samples. The highest expression of all AR variants except AR-V12 was found in low-stage tumors, with dominant expression of AR-V7. In males in the ccRCC cohort, the expression of AR-FL, AR-V1 and AR-V3 was significantly correlated with that of RLN2. The secretion pattern of proinflammatory IL-6 was higher in ccRCC than in pRCC. Conclusions: The results highlight additional molecular differences between ccRCC and pRCC, suggesting the influence of external factors on the whole kidney or genetic predispositions to developing certain types of renal cancer, and may support further pathological analysis and studies of targeted hormone therapy.
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31
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Sun G, Li Z, Rong D, Zhang H, Shi X, Yang W, Zheng W, Sun G, Wu F, Cao H, Tang W, Sun Y. Single-cell RNA sequencing in cancer: Applications, advances, and emerging challenges. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 21:183-206. [PMID: 34027052 PMCID: PMC8131398 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has become one of the greatest threats to human health, and new technologies are urgently needed to further clarify the mechanisms of cancer so that better detection and treatment strategies can be developed. At present, extensive genomic analysis and testing of clinical specimens shape the insights into carcinoma. Nevertheless, carcinoma of humans is a complex ecosystem of cells, including carcinoma cells and immunity-related and stroma-related subsets, with accurate characteristics obscured by extensive genome-related approaches. A growing body of research shows that sequencing of single-cell RNA (scRNA-seq) is emerging to be an effective way for dissecting human tumor tissue at single-cell resolution, presenting one prominent way for explaining carcinoma biology. This review summarizes the research progress of scRNA-seq in the field of tumors, focusing on the application of scRNA-seq in tumor circulating cells, tumor stem cells, tumor drug resistance, the tumor microenvironment, and so on, which provides a new perspective for tumor research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Sun
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhouxiao Li
- Department of Hand Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Surgery, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Dawei Rong
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weijun Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wubin Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guoqiang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongyong Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yangbai Sun
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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32
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Zhang W, Bado IL, Hu J, Wan YW, Wu L, Wang H, Gao Y, Jeong HH, Xu Z, Hao X, Lege BM, Al-Ouran R, Li L, Li J, Yu L, Singh S, Lo HC, Niu M, Liu J, Jiang W, Li Y, Wong STC, Cheng C, Liu Z, Zhang XHF. The bone microenvironment invigorates metastatic seeds for further dissemination. Cell 2021; 184:2471-2486.e20. [PMID: 33878291 PMCID: PMC8087656 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis has been considered as the terminal step of tumor progression. However, recent genomic studies suggest that many metastases are initiated by further spread of other metastases. Nevertheless, the corresponding pre-clinical models are lacking, and underlying mechanisms are elusive. Using several approaches, including parabiosis and an evolving barcode system, we demonstrated that the bone microenvironment facilitates breast and prostate cancer cells to further metastasize and establish multi-organ secondary metastases. We uncovered that this metastasis-promoting effect is driven by epigenetic reprogramming that confers stem cell-like properties on cancer cells disseminated from bone lesions. Furthermore, we discovered that enhanced EZH2 activity mediates the increased stemness and metastasis capacity. The same findings also apply to single cell-derived populations, indicating mechanisms distinct from clonal selection. Taken together, our work revealed an unappreciated role of the bone microenvironment in metastasis evolution and elucidated an epigenomic reprogramming process driving terminal-stage, multi-organ metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Igor L Bado
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jingyuan Hu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Quantitative and Computational Biosciences Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ying-Wooi Wan
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ling Wu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hai Wang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yang Gao
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hyun-Hwan Jeong
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhan Xu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaoxin Hao
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bree M Lege
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rami Al-Ouran
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lucian Li
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jiasong Li
- Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering and Translational Biophotonics Laboratory, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Liqun Yu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Swarnima Singh
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hin Ching Lo
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Muchun Niu
- Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weiyu Jiang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yi Li
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Stephen T C Wong
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering and Translational Biophotonics Laboratory, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiang H-F Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; McNair Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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33
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Galardi F, De Luca F, Biagioni C, Migliaccio I, Curigliano G, Minisini AM, Bonechi M, Moretti E, Risi E, McCartney A, Benelli M, Romagnoli D, Cappadona S, Gabellini S, Guarducci C, Conti V, Biganzoli L, Di Leo A, Malorni L. Circulating tumor cells and palbociclib treatment in patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer: results from a translational sub-study of the TREnd trial. Breast Cancer Res 2021; 23:38. [PMID: 33761970 PMCID: PMC7992319 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-021-01415-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are prognostic in patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). However, no data exist about their use in patients treated with palbociclib. We analyzed the prognostic role of CTC counts in patients enrolled in the cTREnd study, a pre-planned translational sub-study of TREnd (NCT02549430), that randomized patients with ABC to palbociclib alone or palbociclib plus the endocrine therapy received in the prior line of treatment. Moreover, we evaluated RB1 gene expression on CTCs and explored its prognostic role within the cTREnd subpopulation. Methods Forty-six patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative ABC were analyzed. Blood samples were collected before starting palbociclib treatment (timepoint T0), after the first cycle of treatment (timepoint T1), and at disease progression (timepoint T2). CTCs were isolated and counted by CellSearch® System using the CellSearch™Epithelial Cell kit. Progression-free survival (PFS), clinical benefit (CB) during study treatment, and time to treatment failure (TTF) after study treatment were correlated with CTC counts. Samples with ≥ 5 CTCs were sorted by DEPArray system® (DA). RB1 and GAPDH gene expression levels were measured by ddPCR. Results All 46 patients were suitable for CTCs analysis. CTC count at T0 did not show significant prognostic value in terms of PFS and CB. Patients with at least one detectable CTC at T1 (n = 26) had a worse PFS than those with 0 CTCs (n = 16) (p = 0.02). At T1, patients with an increase of at least three CTCs showed reduced PFS compared to those with no increase (mPFS = 3 versus 9 months, (p = 0.004). Finally, patients with ≥ 5 CTCs at T2 (n = 6/23) who received chemotherapy as post-study treatment had a shorter TTF (p = 0.02). Gene expression data for RB1 were obtained from 19 patients. CTCs showed heterogeneous RB1 expression. Patients with detectable expression of RB1 at any timepoint showed better, but not statistically significant, outcomes than those with undetectable levels. Conclusions CTC count seems to be a promising modality in monitoring palbociclib response. Moreover, CTC count at the time of progression could predict clinical outcome post-palbociclib. RB1 expression analysis on CTCs is feasible and may provide additional prognostic information. Results should be interpreted with caution given the small studied sample size. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13058-021-01415-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Galardi
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Translational Research Unit, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Francesca De Luca
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Translational Research Unit, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | | | - Ilenia Migliaccio
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Translational Research Unit, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of Early Drug Development, Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Haematology and Haemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro M Minisini
- Department of Oncology, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria del Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy
| | - Martina Bonechi
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Translational Research Unit, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Erica Moretti
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Emanuela Risi
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Amelia McCartney
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy.,School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Silvia Cappadona
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Stefano Gabellini
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Cristina Guarducci
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Translational Research Unit, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA
| | - Valerio Conti
- Pediatric Neurology, Neurogenetics and Neurobiology Unit and Laboratories, Children's Hospital A. Meyer-University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Laura Biganzoli
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Angelo Di Leo
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy
| | - Luca Malorni
- "Sandro Pitigliani" Translational Research Unit, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy. .,"Sandro Pitigliani" Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Prato, Italy.
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Ghannoum S, Leoncio Netto W, Fantini D, Ragan-Kelley B, Parizadeh A, Jonasson E, Ståhlberg A, Farhan H, Köhn-Luque A. DIscBIO: A User-Friendly Pipeline for Biomarker Discovery in Single-Cell Transcriptomics. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031399. [PMID: 33573289 PMCID: PMC7866810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing attention toward the benefits of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is leading to a myriad of computational packages for the analysis of different aspects of scRNA-seq data. For researchers without advanced programing skills, it is very challenging to combine several packages in order to perform the desired analysis in a simple and reproducible way. Here we present DIscBIO, an open-source, multi-algorithmic pipeline for easy, efficient and reproducible analysis of cellular sub-populations at the transcriptomic level. The pipeline integrates multiple scRNA-seq packages and allows biomarker discovery with decision trees and gene enrichment analysis in a network context using single-cell sequencing read counts through clustering and differential analysis. DIscBIO is freely available as an R package. It can be run either in command-line mode or through a user-friendly computational pipeline using Jupyter notebooks. We showcase all pipeline features using two scRNA-seq datasets. The first dataset consists of circulating tumor cells from patients with breast cancer. The second one is a cell cycle regulation dataset in myxoid liposarcoma. All analyses are available as notebooks that integrate in a sequential narrative R code with explanatory text and output data and images. R users can use the notebooks to understand the different steps of the pipeline and will guide them to explore their scRNA-seq data. We also provide a cloud version using Binder that allows the execution of the pipeline without the need of downloading R, Jupyter or any of the packages used by the pipeline. The cloud version can serve as a tutorial for training purposes, especially for those that are not R users or have limited programing skills. However, in order to do meaningful scRNA-seq analyses, all users will need to understand the implemented methods and their possible options and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Ghannoum
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway; (A.P.); (H.F.)
- Correspondence: (S.G.); (A.K.-L.); Tel.: +46-76-5770129 (S.G.)
| | - Waldir Leoncio Netto
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway;
| | - Damiano Fantini
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
| | | | - Amirabbas Parizadeh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway; (A.P.); (H.F.)
| | - Emma Jonasson
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, SE-41390 Gothenburg, Sweden; (E.J.); (A.S.)
| | - Anders Ståhlberg
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, SE-41390 Gothenburg, Sweden; (E.J.); (A.S.)
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, SE-41390 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-41390 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Hesso Farhan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway; (A.P.); (H.F.)
| | - Alvaro Köhn-Luque
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway;
- Correspondence: (S.G.); (A.K.-L.); Tel.: +46-76-5770129 (S.G.)
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35
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Bersani F, Morena D, Picca F, Morotti A, Tabbò F, Bironzo P, Righi L, Taulli R. Future perspectives from lung cancer pre-clinical models: new treatments are coming? Transl Lung Cancer Res 2020; 9:2629-2644. [PMID: 33489823 PMCID: PMC7815341 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-20-189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer currently stands out as both the most common and the most lethal type of cancer, the latter feature being partly explained by the fact that the majority of lung cancer patients already display advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. In recent years, the development of specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for the therapeutic benefit of patients harboring certain molecular aberrations and the introduction of prospective molecular profiling in the clinical practice have revolutionized the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the identification of the best strategies to enhance treatment effectiveness and to avoid the critical phenomenon of drug tolerance and acquired resistance in patients with lung cancer still remains an unmet medical need. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) are two complementary approaches to define tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution in a non-invasive manner and to perform functional studies on metastatic cells. Finally, the recent discovery that the tumor microenvironment architecture can be faithfully recapitulated in vitro represents a novel pre-clinical frontier with the potential to optimize more effective immunology-based precision therapies that could rapidly move forward to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Bersani
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Deborah Morena
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies (CeRMS), AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Francesca Picca
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies (CeRMS), AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Morotti
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tabbò
- Thoracic Unit and Medical Oncology Division, Department of Oncology at San Luigi Hospital, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Paolo Bironzo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy.,Thoracic Unit and Medical Oncology Division, Department of Oncology at San Luigi Hospital, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Luisella Righi
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology at San Luigi Hospital, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Taulli
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Orbassano, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies (CeRMS), AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
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Williams MM, Spoelstra NS, Arnesen S, O'Neill KI, Christenson JL, Reese J, Torkko KC, Goodspeed A, Rosas E, Hanamura T, Sams SB, Li Z, Oesterreich S, Riggins RB, Jacobsen BM, Elias A, Gertz J, Richer JK. Steroid Hormone Receptor and Infiltrating Immune Cell Status Reveals Therapeutic Vulnerabilities of ESR1-Mutant Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2020; 81:732-746. [PMID: 33184106 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in ESR1 that confer constitutive estrogen receptor alpha (ER) activity in the absence of ligand are acquired by ≥40% of metastatic breast cancers (MBC) resistant to adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy. To identify targetable vulnerabilities in MBC, we examined steroid hormone receptors and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in metastatic lesions with or without ER mutations. ER and progesterone receptor (PR) were significantly lower in metastases with wild-type (WT) ER compared with those with mutant ER, suggesting that metastases that evade AI therapy by mechanism(s) other than acquiring ER mutations lose dependency on ER and PR. Metastases with mutant ER had significantly higher T regulatory and Th cells, total macrophages, and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)-positive immune-suppressive macrophages than those with WT ER. Breast cancer cells with CRISPR-Cas9-edited ER (D538G, Y537S, or WT) and patient-derived xenografts harboring mutant or WT ER revealed genes and proteins elevated in mutant ER cells, including androgen receptor (AR), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), and IFN-stimulated genes (ISG). Targeting these proteins blunted the selective advantage of ER-mutant tumor cells to survive estrogen deprivation, anchorage independence, and invasion. Thus, patients with mutant ER MBC might respond to standard-of-care fulvestrant or other selective ER degraders when combined with AR or CHI3L1 inhibition, perhaps with the addition of immunotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Targetable alterations in MBC, including AR, CHI3L1, and ISG, arise following estrogen-deprivation, and ER-mutant metastases may respond to immunotherapies due to elevated PD-L1+ macrophages.See related article by Arnesen et al., p. 539.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Williams
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Nicole S Spoelstra
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Spencer Arnesen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Kathleen I O'Neill
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jessica L Christenson
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jordan Reese
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kathleen C Torkko
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andrew Goodspeed
- Department of Pharmacology and University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Emmanuel Rosas
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Toru Hanamura
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sharon B Sams
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Zheqi Li
- Women's Cancer Research Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center (HCC), Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Steffi Oesterreich
- Women's Cancer Research Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center (HCC), Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Rebecca B Riggins
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Britta M Jacobsen
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Anthony Elias
- School of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jennifer K Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
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37
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Popper H. Primary tumor and metastasis-sectioning the different steps of the metastatic cascade. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2020; 9:2277-2300. [PMID: 33209649 PMCID: PMC7653118 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-20-175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Patients with lung cancer in the majority die of metastases. Treatment options include surgery, chemo- and radiotherapy, targeted therapy by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and immuno-oncologic treatment. Despite the success with these treatment options, cure of lung cancer is achieved in only a very small proportion of patients. In most patients’ recurrence and metastasis will occur, and finally kill the patient. Metastasis is a multistep procedure. It requires a change in adhesion of tumor cells for detachment from their neighboring cells. The next step is migration either as single cells [epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)], or as cell clusters (hybrid-EMT or bulk migration). A combination of genetic changes is required to facilitate migration. Then tumor cells have to orient themselves along matrix proteins, detect oxygen concentrations, prevent attacks by immune cells, and induce a tumor-friendly switch of stroma cells (macrophages, myofibroblasts, etc.). Having entered the blood stream tumor cells need to adapt to shear stress, avoid being trapped by coagulation, but also use coagulation in small veins for adherence to endothelia, and express homing molecules for extravasation. Within a metastatic site, tumor cells need a well-prepared niche to establish a metastatic focus. Tumor cells again have to establish a vascular net for maintaining nutrition and oxygen supply, communicate with stroma cells, grow out and set further metastases. In this review the different steps will be discussed with a focus on pulmonary carcinomas. The vast amount of research manuscripts published so far are not easy to analyze: in most reports’ single steps of the metastatic cascade are interpreted as evidence for the whole process; for example, migration is interpreted as evidence for metastasis. In lung cancer most often latency periods are shorter, in between 1–5 years. In other cases, despite widespread migration occurs, tumor cells die within the circulation and do not reach a metastatic site. Therefore, migration is a requisite, but does not necessarily predict metastasis. The intention of this review is to point to these different aspects and hopefully provoke research directed into a more functional analysis of the metastatic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Popper
- Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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38
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Li BB, Scott EY, Chamberlain MD, Duong BTV, Zhang S, Done SJ, Wheeler AR. Cell invasion in digital microfluidic microgel systems. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba9589. [PMID: 32832633 PMCID: PMC7439438 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba9589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic methods for studying cell invasion can be subdivided into those in which cells invade into free space and those in which cells invade into hydrogels. The former techniques allow straightforward extraction of subpopulations of cells for RNA sequencing, while the latter preserve key aspects of cell interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we introduce "cell invasion in digital microfluidic microgel systems" (CIMMS), which bridges the gap between them, allowing the stratification of cells on the basis of their invasiveness into hydrogels for RNA sequencing. In initial studies with a breast cancer model, 244 genes were found to be differentially expressed between invading and noninvading cells, including genes correlating with ECM-remodeling, chemokine/cytokine receptors, and G protein transducers. These results suggest that CIMMS will be a valuable tool for probing metastasis as well as the many physiological processes that rely on invasion, such as tissue development, repair, and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyu B. Li
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Erica Y. Scott
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - M. Dean Chamberlain
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Bill T. V. Duong
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Shuailong Zhang
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Susan J. Done
- Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth St., Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Aaron R. Wheeler
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
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Iyer A, Gupta K, Sharma S, Hari K, Lee YF, Ramalingam N, Yap YS, West J, Bhagat AA, Subramani BV, Sabuwala B, Tan TZ, Thiery JP, Jolly MK, Ramalingam N, Sengupta D. Integrative Analysis and Machine Learning based Characterization of Single Circulating Tumor Cells. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9041206. [PMID: 32331451 PMCID: PMC7230872 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9041206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
We collated publicly available single-cell expression profiles of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and showed that CTCs across cancers lie on a near-perfect continuum of epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) transition. Integrative analysis of CTC transcriptomes also highlighted the inverse gene expression pattern between PD-L1 and MHC, which is implicated in cancer immunotherapy. We used the CTCs expression profiles in tandem with publicly available peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptomes to train a classifier that accurately recognizes CTCs of diverse phenotype. Further, we used this classifier to validate circulating breast tumor cells captured using a newly developed microfluidic system for label-free enrichment of CTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arvind Iyer
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi 110020, India;
| | - Krishan Gupta
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi 110020, India; (K.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Shreya Sharma
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi 110020, India; (K.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Kishore Hari
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (K.H.); (M.K.J.)
| | - Yi Fang Lee
- Biolidics Limited, 81 Science Park Drive, 02-03 The Chadwick, Singapore 118257, Singapore; (Y.F.L.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Neevan Ramalingam
- Qualcomm Incorporated, 5775 Morehouse Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, USA;
| | - Yoon Sim Yap
- National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Dr, Singapore 169610, Singapore;
| | - Jay West
- Fluidigm Corporation, 2 Tower Place, Suite 2000, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
| | - Ali Asgar Bhagat
- Biolidics Limited, 81 Science Park Drive, 02-03 The Chadwick, Singapore 118257, Singapore; (Y.F.L.); (A.A.B.)
| | - Balaram Vishnu Subramani
- School of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram 695551, India;
| | - Burhanuddin Sabuwala
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India;
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Center for Translational Medicine, Singapore 117599, Singapore;
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health; Guangdong laboratory, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510530, China;
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (K.H.); (M.K.J.)
| | - Naveen Ramalingam
- Fluidigm Corporation, 2 Tower Place, Suite 2000, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
- Correspondence: (N.R.); (D.S.); Tel.: +91-11-26907446 (D.S.)
| | - Debarka Sengupta
- Department of Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi 110020, India;
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi 110020, India; (K.G.); (S.S.)
- Center for Artificial Intelligence, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi 110020, India
- Correspondence: (N.R.); (D.S.); Tel.: +91-11-26907446 (D.S.)
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Ebright RY, Lee S, Wittner BS, Niederhoffer KL, Nicholson BT, Bardia A, Truesdell S, Wiley DF, Wesley B, Li S, Mai A, Aceto N, Vincent-Jordan N, Szabolcs A, Chirn B, Kreuzer J, Comaills V, Kalinich M, Haas W, Ting DT, Toner M, Vasudevan S, Haber DA, Maheswaran S, Micalizzi DS. Deregulation of ribosomal protein expression and translation promotes breast cancer metastasis. Science 2020; 367:1468-1473. [PMID: 32029688 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay0939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are shed into the bloodstream from primary tumors, but only a small subset of these cells generates metastases. We conducted an in vivo genome-wide CRISPR activation screen in CTCs from breast cancer patients to identify genes that promote distant metastasis in mice. Genes coding for ribosomal proteins and regulators of translation were enriched in this screen. Overexpression of RPL15, which encodes a component of the large ribosomal subunit, increased metastatic growth in multiple organs and selectively enhanced translation of other ribosomal proteins and cell cycle regulators. RNA sequencing of freshly isolated CTCs from breast cancer patients revealed a subset with strong ribosome and protein synthesis signatures; these CTCs expressed proliferation and epithelial markers and correlated with poor clinical outcome. Therapies targeting this aggressive subset of CTCs may merit exploration as potential suppressors of metastatic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Y Ebright
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Sooncheol Lee
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Ben S Wittner
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Kira L Niederhoffer
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Benjamin T Nicholson
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Aditya Bardia
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Samuel Truesdell
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Devon F Wiley
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Benjamin Wesley
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Selena Li
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Andy Mai
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Nicole Vincent-Jordan
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Annamaria Szabolcs
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Brian Chirn
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Johannes Kreuzer
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Valentine Comaills
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Mark Kalinich
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Wilhelm Haas
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David T Ting
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Mehmet Toner
- Center for Bioengineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Shobha Vasudevan
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Daniel A Haber
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Shyamala Maheswaran
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. .,Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Douglas S Micalizzi
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Salvi S, Bonafè M, Bravaccini S. Androgen receptor in breast cancer: A wolf in sheep’s clothing? A lesson from prostate cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 60:132-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Abreu M, Cabezas-Sainz P, Pereira-Veiga T, Falo C, Abalo A, Morilla I, Curiel T, Cueva J, Rodríguez C, Varela-Pose V, Lago-Lestón R, Mondelo P, Palacios P, Moreno-Bueno G, Cano A, García-Caballero T, Pujana MÁ, Sánchez-Piñón L, Costa C, López R, Muinelo-Romay L. Looking for a Better Characterization of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Means of Circulating Tumor Cells. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E353. [PMID: 32012729 PMCID: PMC7074553 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9020353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, studies to address the characterization of mechanisms promoting tumor aggressiveness and progression have been focused only on primary tumor analyses, which could provide relevant information but have limitations to really characterize the more aggressive tumor population. To overcome these limitations, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent a noninvasive and valuable tool for real-time profiling of disseminated tumor cells. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the value of CTC enumeration and characterization to identify markers associated with the outcome and the aggressiveness of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). For that aim, the CTC population from 32 patients diagnosed with TNBC was isolated and characterized. This population showed important cell plasticity in terms of expression of epithelia/mesenchymal and stemness markers, suggesting the relevance of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) intermediate phenotypes for efficient tumor dissemination. Importantly, the CTC signature demonstrated prognostic value to predict the patients' outcome and pointed to a relevant role of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP1) and androgen receptor (AR) for TNBC biology. Furthermore, we also analyzed the usefulness of the AR and TIMP1 blockade to target TNBC proliferation and dissemination using in vitro and in vivo zebra fish and mouse models. Overall, the molecular characterization of CTCs from advanced TNBC patients identifies highly specific biomarkers with potential applicability as noninvasive prognostic markers and reinforced the value of TIMP1 and AR as potential therapeutic targets to tackle the most aggressive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Abreu
- Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.A.); (A.A.); (R.L.-L.); (P.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Pablo Cabezas-Sainz
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (L.S.-P.)
| | - Thais Pereira-Veiga
- Roche-CHUS Joint Unit, Oncomet, Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario de Santiago de Compostela, Trav. Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.P.-V.); (C.C.)
| | - Catalina Falo
- Department of Medical Oncology-Breast Cancer Unit, Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO)-Hospitalet-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain; (C.F.); (I.M.)
| | - Alicia Abalo
- Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.A.); (A.A.); (R.L.-L.); (P.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Idoia Morilla
- Department of Medical Oncology-Breast Cancer Unit, Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO)-Hospitalet-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain; (C.F.); (I.M.)
| | - Teresa Curiel
- Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.C.); (J.C.); (C.R.); (V.V.-P.); (P.P.)
| | - Juan Cueva
- Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.C.); (J.C.); (C.R.); (V.V.-P.); (P.P.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-B.); (A.C.)
| | - Carmela Rodríguez
- Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.C.); (J.C.); (C.R.); (V.V.-P.); (P.P.)
| | - Vanesa Varela-Pose
- Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.C.); (J.C.); (C.R.); (V.V.-P.); (P.P.)
| | - Ramón Lago-Lestón
- Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.A.); (A.A.); (R.L.-L.); (P.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Patricia Mondelo
- Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.A.); (A.A.); (R.L.-L.); (P.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Patricia Palacios
- Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.C.); (J.C.); (C.R.); (V.V.-P.); (P.P.)
| | - Gema Moreno-Bueno
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-B.); (A.C.)
- Fundación MD Anderson Internacional, C/Gómez Hemans 2, 28033 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Alberto Sols’ (CSIC-UAM), IdiPaz, Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Amparo Cano
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-B.); (A.C.)
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Alberto Sols’ (CSIC-UAM), IdiPaz, Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomás García-Caballero
- Departamento de Ciencias Morfológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Santiago, Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Miquel Ángel Pujana
- ProCURE, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Bellvitge Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), 08908 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Laura Sánchez-Piñón
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (L.S.-P.)
| | - Clotilde Costa
- Roche-CHUS Joint Unit, Oncomet, Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario de Santiago de Compostela, Trav. Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.P.-V.); (C.C.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-B.); (A.C.)
| | - Rafael López
- Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.A.); (A.A.); (R.L.-L.); (P.M.); (R.L.)
- Roche-CHUS Joint Unit, Oncomet, Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario de Santiago de Compostela, Trav. Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.P.-V.); (C.C.)
- Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (T.C.); (J.C.); (C.R.); (V.V.-P.); (P.P.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-B.); (A.C.)
| | - Laura Muinelo-Romay
- Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Translational Medical Oncology (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.A.); (A.A.); (R.L.-L.); (P.M.); (R.L.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-B.); (A.C.)
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Anestis A, Zoi I, Papavassiliou AG, Karamouzis MV. Androgen Receptor in Breast Cancer-Clinical and Preclinical Research Insights. Molecules 2020; 25:E358. [PMID: 31952272 PMCID: PMC7024330 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25020358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The Androgen Receptor (AR) is emerging as an important factor in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC), which is the most common malignancy among females worldwide. The concordance of more than 70% of AR expression in primary and metastatic breast tumors implies that AR may be a new marker and a potential therapeutic target among AR-positive breast cancer patients. Biological insight into AR-positive breast cancer reveals that AR may cross-talk with several vital signaling pathways, including key molecules and receptors. AR exhibits different behavior depending on the breast cancer subtype. Preliminary clinical research using AR-targeted drugs, which have already been FDA-approved for prostate cancer (PC), has given promising results for AR-positive breast cancer patients. However, since the prognostic and predictive value of AR positivity remains uncertain, it is difficult to identify and stratify patients that would benefit from AR-targeted therapies. Herein, through a review of preclinical studies, clinical studies, and clinical trials, we summarize the biology of AR, its prognostic and predictive value, as well as its therapeutic implications by breast cancer molecular subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aristomenis Anestis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.A.); (I.Z.); (A.G.P.)
| | - Ilianna Zoi
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.A.); (I.Z.); (A.G.P.)
| | - Athanasios G. Papavassiliou
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.A.); (I.Z.); (A.G.P.)
| | - Michalis V. Karamouzis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.A.); (I.Z.); (A.G.P.)
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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44
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Ross DS. Breast. Genomic Med 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-22922-1_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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45
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Rossi E, Zamarchi R. Single-Cell Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells: How Far Have We Come in the -Omics Era? Front Genet 2019; 10:958. [PMID: 31681412 PMCID: PMC6811661 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells detach from the primary tumor or metastatic sites and enter the peripheral blood, often causing metastasis. These cells, named Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs), display the same spatial and temporal heterogeneity as the primary tumor. Since CTCs are involved in tumor progression, they represent a privileged window to disclose mechanisms of metastases, while -omic analyses at the single-cell level allow dissection of the complex relationships between the tumor subpopulations and the surrounding normal tissue. However, in addition to reporting the proof of concept that we can query CTCs to reveal tumor evolution throughout the continuum of treatment for early detection of resistance to therapy, the scientific literature has also been highlighting the disadvantages of CTCs, which hampers a routine use of this approach in clinical practice. To date, an increasing number of CTC technologies, as well as -omics methods, have been employed, mostly lacking strong comparative analyses. The rarity of CTCs also represents a major challenge, because there is no consensus regarding the minimal criteria necessary and sufficient to define an event as CTC; moreover, we cannot often compare data from of one study with that of another. Finally, the availability of an individual tumor profile undermines the traditional histology-based treatment. Applying molecular data for patient benefit implies a collective effort by biologists, bioengineers, and clinicians, to create tools to interpret molecular data and manage precision medicine in every single patient. Herein, we focus on the most recent findings in CTC −omics to learn how far we have come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Rossi
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Rita Zamarchi
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy
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Keller L, Pantel K. Unravelling tumour heterogeneity by single-cell profiling of circulating tumour cells. Nat Rev Cancer 2019; 19:553-567. [PMID: 31455893 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-019-0180-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 353] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell technologies have contributed to unravelling tumour heterogeneity, now considered a hallmark of cancer and one of the main causes of tumour resistance to cancer therapies. Liquid biopsy (LB), defined as the detection and analysis of cells or cell products released by tumours into the blood, offers an appealing minimally invasive approach that allows the characterization and monitoring of tumour heterogeneity in individual patients. Here, we will review and discuss how circulating tumour cell (CTC) analysis at single-cell resolution provides unique insights into tumour heterogeneity that are not revealed by analysis of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) derived from LBs. The molecular analysis of CTCs provides complementary information to that of genomic aberrations determined using ctDNA to fully describe many different cellular components (for example, DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites) that can influence tumour heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Keller
- Department of Tumour Biology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Pantel
- Department of Tumour Biology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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47
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Temilola DO, Wium M, Coulidiati TH, Adeola HA, Carbone GM, Catapano CV, Zerbini LF. The Prospect and Challenges to the Flow of Liquid Biopsy in Africa. Cells 2019; 8:E862. [PMID: 31404988 PMCID: PMC6721679 DOI: 10.3390/cells8080862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy technologies have the potential to transform cancer patient management as it offers non-invasive diagnosis and real-time monitoring of disease progression and treatment responses. The use of liquid biopsy for non-invasive cancer diagnosis can have pivotal importance for the African continent where access to medical infrastructures is limited, as it eliminates the need for surgical biopsies. To apply liquid biopsy technologies in the African setting, the influence of environmental and population genetic factors must be known. In this review, we discuss the use of circulating tumor cells, cell-free nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles, protein, and other biomolecules in liquid biopsy technology for cancer management with special focus on African studies. We discussed the prospect, barriers, and other aspects that pose challenges to the use of liquid biopsy in the African continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dada Oluwaseyi Temilola
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Integrative Biomedical Sciences Division, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Martha Wium
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Tangbadioa Herve Coulidiati
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Training and Research unit in Sciences and Technology, University Norbert Zongo, P.O. Box 376, Koudougou 376, Burkina Faso
| | - Henry Ademola Adeola
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Giuseppina Maria Carbone
- Institute of Oncology Research, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Vincenzo Vela 6, CH-6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Carlo Vittorio Catapano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Vincenzo Vela 6, CH-6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luiz Fernando Zerbini
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
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Creevey L, Bleach R, Madden SF, Toomey S, Bane FT, Varešlija D, Hill AD, Young LS, McIlroy M. Altered Steroid Milieu in AI-Resistant Breast Cancer Facilitates AR Mediated Gene-Expression Associated with Poor Response to Therapy. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:1731-1743. [PMID: 31289138 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-18-0791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Divergent roles for androgen receptor (AR) in breast cancer have been reported. Following aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment, the conversion of circulating androgens into estrogens can be diminished by >99%. We wished to establish whether the steroid environment can dictate the role of AR and the implications of this for subsequent therapy. This study utilizes models of AI resistance to explore responsiveness to PI3K/mTOR and anti-AR therapy when cells are exposed to unconverted weak androgens. Transcriptomic alterations driven by androstenedione (4AD) were assessed by RNA-sequencing. AR and estrogen receptor (ER) recruitment to target gene promoters was evaluated using ChIP, and relevance to patient profiles was performed using publicly available data sets. Although BEZ235 showed decreased viability across AI-sensitive and -resistant cell lines, anti-AR treatment elicited a decrease in cell viability only in the AI-resistant model. Serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 3 (SGK3) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor β (PKIB) were confirmed to be regulated by 4AD and shown to be mediated by AR; crucially, reexposure to estradiol suppressed expression of these genes. Meta-analysis of transcript levels showed high expression of SGK3 and PKIB to be associated with poor response to endocrine therapy (HR = 2.551, P = 0.003). Furthermore, this study found levels of SGK3 to be sustained in patients who do not respond to AI therapy. This study highlights the importance of the tumor steroid environment. SGK3 and PKIB are associated with poor response to endocrine therapy and could have utility in tailoring therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Creevey
- Endocrine Oncology Research Group, Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rachel Bleach
- Endocrine Oncology Research Group, Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen F Madden
- Data Science Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sinead Toomey
- Department of Oncology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona T Bane
- Endocrine Oncology Research Group, Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Damir Varešlija
- Endocrine Oncology Research Group, Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Arnold D Hill
- Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Leonie S Young
- Endocrine Oncology Research Group, Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marie McIlroy
- Endocrine Oncology Research Group, Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland.
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SETD1A protects from senescence through regulation of the mitotic gene expression program. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2854. [PMID: 31253781 PMCID: PMC6599037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10786-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
SETD1A, a Set1/COMPASS family member maintaining histone-H3-lysine-4 (H3K4) methylation on transcriptionally active promoters, is overexpressed in breast cancer. Here, we show that SETD1A supports mitotic processes and consequentially, its knockdown induces senescence. SETD1A, through promoter H3K4 methylation, regulates several genes orchestrating mitosis and DNA-damage responses, and its depletion causes chromosome misalignment and segregation defects. Cell cycle arrest in SETD1A knockdown senescent cells is independent of mutations in p53, RB and p16, known senescence mediators; instead, it is sustained through transcriptional suppression of SKP2, which degrades p27 and p21. Rare cells escaping senescence by restoring SKP2 expression display genomic instability. In > 200 cancer cell lines and in primary circulating tumor cells, SETD1A expression correlates with genes promoting mitosis and cell cycle suggesting a broad role in suppressing senescence induced by aberrant mitosis. Thus, SETD1A is essential to maintain mitosis and proliferation and its suppression unleashes the tumor suppressive effects of senescence. SETD1A, a histone H3K4 methyltransferase that promotes gene expression, is required for embryonic development. Here, the authors show that SETD1A regulates the expression of mitotic genes and that SETD1A suppression induces senescence.
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Rossi G, Ignatiadis M. Promises and Pitfalls of Using Liquid Biopsy for Precision Medicine. Cancer Res 2019; 79:2798-2804. [PMID: 31109952 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
New sensitive assays are currently available for the detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTC). However, there remains a need for standardization of preanalytical issues and cross-platform comparison studies. Liquid biopsies are being evaluated for treatment selection, for monitoring disease response and resistance, for tracking minimal residual disease, and for cancer diagnosis. Multiple studies are underway to assess the clinical utility of CTC and ctDNA in different settings (treatment-naïve vs. resistant, adjuvant vs. metastatic) and for different treatment modalities (systemic therapy, surgery, radiation therapy). This review aims to map the challenges that remain to be addressed before liquid biopsies can be widely used for cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Rossi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Ospedale dell'Angelo, Mestre (Venice), Italy
| | - Michail Ignatiadis
- Department of Medical Oncology & Academic Trials Promoting Team, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
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