1
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Fey SK, Vaquero-Siguero N, Jackstadt R. Dark force rising: Reawakening and targeting of fetal-like stem cells in colorectal cancer. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114270. [PMID: 38787726 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114270] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Stem cells play pivotal roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, orchestrating regeneration, and in key steps of colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression. Intriguingly, adult stem cells are reduced during many of these processes. On the contrary, primitive fetal programs, commonly detected in development, emerge during tissue repair, CRC metastasis, and therapy resistance. Recent findings indicate a dynamic continuum between adult and fetal stem cell programs. We discuss critical mechanisms facilitating the plasticity between stem cell states and highlight the heterogeneity observed upon the appearance of fetal-like states. We focus on therapeutic opportunities that arise by targeting fetal-like CRC cells and how those concepts can be translated into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid K Fey
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nuria Vaquero-Siguero
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rene Jackstadt
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Core Center Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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2
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Sánchez Rivera FJ, Dow LE. How CRISPR Is Revolutionizing the Generation of New Models for Cancer Research. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041384. [PMID: 37487630 PMCID: PMC11065179 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Cancers arise through acquisition of mutations in genes that regulate core biological processes like cell proliferation and cell death. Decades of cancer research have led to the identification of genes and mutations causally involved in disease development and evolution, yet defining their precise function across different cancer types and how they influence therapy responses has been challenging. Mouse models have helped define the in vivo function of cancer-associated alterations, and genome-editing approaches using CRISPR have dramatically accelerated the pace at which these models are developed and studied. Here, we highlight how CRISPR technologies have impacted the development and use of mouse models for cancer research and discuss the many ways in which these rapidly evolving platforms will continue to transform our understanding of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Sánchez Rivera
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, USA
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3
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Yang Y, Chen J, Peng H, Xiao Z, Xu W, Zheng M, Li Z, Cao P. Mutational profile evaluates metastatic capacity of Chinese colorectal cancer patients, revealed by whole-exome sequencing. Genomics 2024; 116:110809. [PMID: 38492821 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110809] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the prevalence rate of CRC is increasing in the China. In this study, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on primary tissues of 47 CRC Chinese patients including 22 metastatic and 25 non-metastatic patients. By comparison with data from western colorectal cancer patients in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we identified a number of genes that are more likely to be mutated in Chinese colorectal cancer patients, such as MUC12, MUC12, MUC2, MUC4, HYDIN and KMT2C. Interestingly, MUC family genes including MUC12, MUC2 and MUC4, have mutation rates of >20%, while the mutation frequency was extremely low in western colorectal cancer patients, which were <3% in TCGA and 0% in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). We detected metastasis-specific mutated genes including TCF7L2, MST1L, HRNR and SMAD4, while MUC4, NEB, FLG and RFPL4A alteration is more prevalent in the non-metastasis group. Further analysis reveals mutation genes in metastasis group are more focus in the Wnt and Hippo signaling pathway. APC, SMAD4 and TCF7L2 accounted for the major genetic abnormalities in this pathway. In conclusion, this study identified the unique characteristics of gene mutations in Chinese patients with colorectal cancer, and is a valuable reference for personalized treatment in Chinese CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yian Yang
- Department of Oncology, the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Jiawei Chen
- Department of Oncology, the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Honghua Peng
- Department of Oncology, the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Zhigang Xiao
- Department of General Surgery, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingchuan Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Zheng Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Peiguo Cao
- Department of Oncology, the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha 410013, China.
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4
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Ahmad Zawawi SS, Salleh EA, Musa M. Spheroids and organoids derived from colorectal cancer as tools for in vitro drug screening. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2024; 5:409-431. [PMID: 38745769 PMCID: PMC11090692 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2024.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture employing cell lines was developed to study the molecular properties of CRC in vitro. Although these cell lines which are isolated from the tumor niche in which cancer develop, the translation to human model such as studying drug response is often hindered by the inability of cell lines to recapture original tumor features and the lack of heterogeneous clinical tumors represented by this 2D model, differed from in vivo condition. These limitations which may be overcome by utilizing three-dimensional (3D) culture consisting of spheroids and organoids. Over the past decade, great advancements have been made in optimizing culture method to establish spheroids and organoids of solid tumors including of CRC for multiple purposes including drug screening and establishing personalized medicine. These structures have been proven to be versatile and robust models to study CRC progression and deciphering its heterogeneity. This review will describe on advances in 3D culture technology and the application as well as the challenges of CRC-derived spheroids and organoids as a mode to screen for anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elyn Amiela Salleh
- Human Genome Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
| | - Marahaini Musa
- Human Genome Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
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5
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Chu K, Dow LE. Adding New Dimensions to 3D Cancer Models. Cancer Res 2024; 84:798-799. [PMID: 38335538 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-24-0490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Understanding patient-specific responses to anticancer therapies and how individual tumors interact with their tumor microenvironment (TME) is a challenging task. To measure the impact of the TME on diverse and clinically relevant treatments, Ramos Zapatero and colleagues coupled patient-derived organoid (PDO) and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) cocultures with high-throughput mass cytometry-based assessment of cell state. Using a newly developed "Trellis" algorithm enabled integration and analysis of highly complex, multidimensional treatment response data. This work showed that tumor cell response to chemotherapy was associated with both intrinsic and nonintrinsic signaling states, whereby proliferative rate, growth factor signaling, and CAFs interaction influenced chemoprotection. Furthermore, the work suggests a potential role for the TME in promoting lineage plasticity associated with drug resistance. In all, the pipeline described provides a blueprint for exploring the intricate interplay of factors influencing cancer treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevan Chu
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
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6
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Goto N, Westcott PMK, Goto S, Imada S, Taylor MS, Eng G, Braverman J, Deshpande V, Jacks T, Agudo J, Yilmaz ÖH. SOX17 enables immune evasion of early colorectal adenomas and cancers. Nature 2024; 627:636-645. [PMID: 38418875 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07135-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
A hallmark of cancer is the avoidance of immune destruction. This process has been primarily investigated in locally advanced or metastatic cancer1-3; however, much less is known about how pre-malignant or early invasive tumours evade immune detection. Here, to understand this process in early colorectal cancers (CRCs), we investigated how naive colon cancer organoids that were engineered in vitro to harbour Apc-null, KrasG12D and Trp53-null (AKP) mutations adapted to the in vivo native colonic environment. Comprehensive transcriptomic and chromatin analyses revealed that the endoderm-specifying transcription factor SOX17 became strongly upregulated in vivo. Notably, whereas SOX17 loss did not affect AKP organoid propagation in vitro, its loss markedly reduced the ability of AKP tumours to persist in vivo. The small fraction of SOX17-null tumours that grew displayed notable interferon-γ (IFNγ)-producing effector-like CD8+ T cell infiltrates in contrast to the immune-suppressive microenvironment in wild-type counterparts. Mechanistically, in both endogenous Apc-null pre-malignant adenomas and transplanted organoid-derived AKP CRCs, SOX17 suppresses the ability of tumour cells to sense and respond to IFNγ, preventing anti-tumour T cell responses. Finally, SOX17 engages a fetal intestinal programme that drives differentiation away from LGR5+ tumour cells to produce immune-evasive LGR5- tumour cells with lower expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I). We propose that SOX17 is a transcription factor that is engaged during the early steps of colon cancer to orchestrate an immune-evasive programme that permits CRC initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norihiro Goto
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peter M K Westcott
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Saori Goto
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shinya Imada
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martin S Taylor
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George Eng
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Braverman
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tyler Jacks
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Judith Agudo
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, MA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- New York Stem Cell Foundation-Robertson Investigator, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ömer H Yilmaz
- Department of Biology, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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7
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Qin X, Tape CJ. Functional analysis of cell plasticity using single-cell technologies. Trends Cell Biol 2024:S0962-8924(24)00006-0. [PMID: 38355348 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Metazoan organisms are heterocellular systems composed of hundreds of different cell types, which arise from an isogenic genome through differentiation. Cellular 'plasticity' further enables cells to alter their fate in response to exogenous cues and is involved in a variety of processes, such as wound healing, infection, and cancer. Recent advances in cellular model systems, high-dimensional single-cell technologies, and lineage tracing have sparked a renaissance in plasticity research. Here, we discuss the definition of cell plasticity, evaluate state-of-the-art model systems and techniques to study cell-fate dynamics, and explore the application of single-cell technologies to obtain functional insights into cell plasticity in healthy and diseased tissues. The integration of advanced biomimetic model systems, single-cell technologies, and high-throughput perturbation studies is enabling a new era of research into non-genetic plasticity in metazoan systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Qin
- MRC Translational Immune Discovery Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK.
| | - Christopher J Tape
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6DD, UK.
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8
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Peters L, Venkatachalam A, Ben-Neriah Y. Tissue-Predisposition to Cancer Driver Mutations. Cells 2024; 13:106. [PMID: 38247798 PMCID: PMC10814991 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Driver mutations are considered the cornerstone of cancer initiation. They are defined as mutations that convey a competitive fitness advantage, and hence, their mutation frequency in premalignant tissue is expected to exceed the basal mutation rate. In old terms, that translates to "the survival of the fittest" and implies that a selective process underlies the frequency of cancer driver mutations. In that sense, each tissue is its own niche that creates a molecular selective pressure that may favor the propagation of a mutation or not. At the heart of this stands one of the biggest riddles in cancer biology: the tissue-predisposition to cancer driver mutations. The frequency of cancer driver mutations among tissues is non-uniform: for instance, mutations in APC are particularly frequent in colorectal cancer, and 99% of chronic myeloid leukemia patients harbor the driver BCR-ABL1 fusion mutation, which is rarely found in solid tumors. Here, we provide a mechanistic framework that aims to explain how tissue-specific features, ranging from epigenetic underpinnings to the expression of viral transposable elements, establish a molecular basis for selecting cancer driver mutations in a tissue-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yinon Ben-Neriah
- Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research (IMRIC), The Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (L.P.); (A.V.)
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9
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Tong K, Bandari M, Carrick JN, Zenkevich A, Kothari OA, Shamshad E, Stefanik K, Haro KS, Perekatt AO, Verzi MP. In Vitro Organoid-Based Assays Reveal SMAD4 Tumor-Suppressive Mechanisms for Serrated Colorectal Cancer Invasion. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5820. [PMID: 38136364 PMCID: PMC10742020 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer is the third most prominent cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Up to 20% of colon cancers follow the serrated tumor pathway driven by mutations in the MAPK pathway. Loss of SMAD4 function occurs in the majority of late-stage colon cancers and is associated with aggressive cancer progression. Therefore, it is important to develop technology to accurately model and better understand the genetic mechanisms behind cancer invasion. Organoids derived from tumors found in the Smad4KO BRAFV600E/+ mouse model present multiple phenotypes characteristic of invasion both in ex vivo and in vivo systems. Smad4KO BRAFV600E/+ tumor organoids can migrate through 3D culture and infiltrate through transwell membranes. This invasive behavior can be suppressed when SMAD4 is re-expressed in the tumor organoids. RNA-Seq analysis reveals that SMAD4 expression in organoids rapidly regulates transcripts associated with extracellular matrix and secreted proteins, suggesting that the mechanisms employed by SMAD4 to inhibit invasion are associated with regulation of extracellular matrix and secretory pathways. These findings indicate new models to study SMAD4 regulation of tumor invasion and an additional layer of complexity in the tumor-suppressive function of the SMAD4/Tgfβ pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Tong
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian Health School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Manisha Bandari
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
| | - Jillian N. Carrick
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Anastasia Zenkevich
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Om A. Kothari
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
| | - Eman Shamshad
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
| | - Katarina Stefanik
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
- Department of Biology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing Township, NJ 08618, USA
| | - Katherine S. Haro
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
| | - Ansu O. Perekatt
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
| | - Michael P. Verzi
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (A.O.P.)
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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10
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Zhao H, Han R, Wang Z, Xian J, Bai X. Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells and Targeted Agents. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2763. [PMID: 38140103 PMCID: PMC10748092 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15122763] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Since their discovery, cancer stem cells have become a hot topic in cancer therapy research. These cells possess stem cell-like self-renewal and differentiation capacities and are important factors that dominate cancer metastasis, therapy-resistance and recurrence. Worse, their inherent characteristics make them difficult to eliminate. Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Targeting colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs) can inhibit colorectal cancer metastasis, enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce recurrence. Here, we introduced the origin, biomarker proteins, identification, cultivation and research techniques of CR-CSCs, and we summarized the signaling pathways that regulate the stemness of CR-CSCs, such as Wnt, JAK/STAT3, Notch and Hh signaling pathway. In addition to these, we also reviewed recent anti-CR-CSC drugs targeting signaling pathways, biomarkers and other regulators. These will help researchers gain insight into the current agents targeting to CR-CSCs, explore new cancer drugs and propose potential therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haobin Zhao
- Department of General Practice, People’s Hospital of Longhua, 38 Jinglong Jianshe Road, Shenzhen 518109, China; (H.Z.); (J.X.)
- Endocrinology Department, People’s Hospital of Longhua, 38 Jinglong Jianshe Road, Shenzhen 518109, China
| | - Ruining Han
- Obstetric Department, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China;
| | - Zhankun Wang
- Emergency Department, People’s Hospital of Longhua, 38 Jinglong Jianshe Road, Shenzhen 518109, China;
| | - Junfang Xian
- Department of General Practice, People’s Hospital of Longhua, 38 Jinglong Jianshe Road, Shenzhen 518109, China; (H.Z.); (J.X.)
| | - Xiaosu Bai
- Endocrinology Department, People’s Hospital of Longhua, 38 Jinglong Jianshe Road, Shenzhen 518109, China
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11
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Ramos Zapatero M, Tong A, Opzoomer JW, O'Sullivan R, Cardoso Rodriguez F, Sufi J, Vlckova P, Nattress C, Qin X, Claus J, Hochhauser D, Krishnaswamy S, Tape CJ. Trellis tree-based analysis reveals stromal regulation of patient-derived organoid drug responses. Cell 2023; 186:5606-5619.e24. [PMID: 38065081 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) can model personalized therapy responses; however, current screening technologies cannot reveal drug response mechanisms or how tumor microenvironment cells alter therapeutic performance. To address this, we developed a highly multiplexed mass cytometry platform to measure post-translational modification (PTM) signaling, DNA damage, cell-cycle activity, and apoptosis in >2,500 colorectal cancer (CRC) PDOs and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in response to clinical therapies at single-cell resolution. To compare patient- and microenvironment-specific drug responses in thousands of single-cell datasets, we developed "Trellis"-a highly scalable, tree-based treatment effect analysis method. Trellis single-cell screening revealed that on-target cell-cycle blockage and DNA-damage drug effects are common, even in chemorefractory PDOs. However, drug-induced apoptosis is rarer, patient-specific, and aligns with cancer cell PTM signaling. We find that CAFs can regulate PDO plasticity-shifting proliferative colonic stem cells (proCSCs) to slow-cycling revival colonic stem cells (revCSCs) to protect cancer cells from chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Ramos Zapatero
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Alexander Tong
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Mila - Quebec AI Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - James W Opzoomer
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Rhianna O'Sullivan
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Ferran Cardoso Rodriguez
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Jahangir Sufi
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Petra Vlckova
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Callum Nattress
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Xiao Qin
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Jeroen Claus
- Phospho Biomedical Animation, The Greenhouse Studio 6, London N17 9QU, UK
| | - Daniel Hochhauser
- Drug-DNA Interactions Group, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Smita Krishnaswamy
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Program for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Program for Applied Math, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Wu-Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Christopher J Tape
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK.
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12
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Qin X, Cardoso Rodriguez F, Sufi J, Vlckova P, Claus J, Tape CJ. An oncogenic phenoscape of colonic stem cell polarization. Cell 2023; 186:5554-5568.e18. [PMID: 38065080 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells are regulated by oncogenic mutations and microenvironmental signals, yet these processes are often studied separately. To functionally map how cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic cues co-regulate cell fate, we performed a systematic single-cell analysis of 1,107 colonic organoid cultures regulated by (1) colorectal cancer (CRC) oncogenic mutations, (2) microenvironmental fibroblasts and macrophages, (3) stromal ligands, and (4) signaling inhibitors. Multiplexed single-cell analysis revealed a stepwise epithelial differentiation phenoscape dictated by combinations of oncogenes and stromal ligands, spanning from fibroblast-induced Clusterin (CLU)+ revival colonic stem cells (revCSCs) to oncogene-driven LRIG1+ hyper-proliferative CSCs (proCSCs). The transition from revCSCs to proCSCs is regulated by decreasing WNT3A and TGF-β-driven YAP signaling and increasing KRASG12D or stromal EGF/Epiregulin-activated MAPK/PI3K flux. We find that APC loss and KRASG12D collaboratively limit access to revCSCs and disrupt stromal-epithelial communication-trapping epithelia in the proCSC fate. These results reveal that oncogenic mutations dominate homeostatic differentiation by obstructing cell-extrinsic regulation of cell-fate plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Qin
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Ferran Cardoso Rodriguez
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Jahangir Sufi
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Petra Vlckova
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Jeroen Claus
- Phospho Biomedical Animation, The Greenhouse Studio 6, London N17 9QU, UK
| | - Christopher J Tape
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK.
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13
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Chen L, Qiu X, Dupre A, Pellon-Cardenas O, Fan X, Xu X, Rout P, Walton KD, Burclaff J, Zhang R, Fang W, Ofer R, Logerfo A, Vemuri K, Bandyopadhyay S, Wang J, Barbet G, Wang Y, Gao N, Perekatt AO, Hu W, Magness ST, Spence JR, Verzi MP. TGFB1 induces fetal reprogramming and enhances intestinal regeneration. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:1520-1537.e8. [PMID: 37865088 PMCID: PMC10841757 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
The gut epithelium has a remarkable ability to recover from damage. We employed a combination of high-throughput sequencing approaches, mouse genetics, and murine and human organoids and identified a role for TGFB signaling during intestinal regeneration following injury. At 2 days following irradiation (IR)-induced damage of intestinal crypts, a surge in TGFB1 expression is mediated by monocyte/macrophage cells at the location of damage. The depletion of macrophages or genetic disruption of TGFB signaling significantly impaired the regenerative response. Intestinal regeneration is characterized by the induction of a fetal-like transcriptional signature during repair. In organoid culture, TGFB1 treatment was necessary and sufficient to induce the fetal-like/regenerative state. Mesenchymal cells were also responsive to TGFB1 and enhanced the regenerative response. Mechanistically, pro-regenerative factors, YAP/TEAD and SOX9, are activated in the epithelium exposed to TGFB1. Finally, pre-treatment with TGFB1 enhanced the ability of primary epithelial cultures to engraft into damaged murine colon, suggesting promise for cellular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
| | - Xia Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Abigail Dupre
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Oscar Pellon-Cardenas
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Xiaojiao Fan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xiaoting Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Prateeksha Rout
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Katherine D Walton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Joseph Burclaff
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC 27695, USA; Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ruolan Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Wenxin Fang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Rachel Ofer
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Alexandra Logerfo
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Kiranmayi Vemuri
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA
| | - Sheila Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Jianming Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Gaetan Barbet
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Yan Wang
- Center for Translation Medicine Research and Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Nan Gao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Ansu O Perekatt
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
| | - Wenwei Hu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Scott T Magness
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC 27695, USA; Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jason R Spence
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Michael P Verzi
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 00854, USA; Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA; Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Exposures and Disease (CEED), Rutgers EOHSI, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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14
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Berková L, Fazilaty H, Yang Q, Kubovčiak J, Stastna M, Hrckulak D, Vojtechova M, Dalessi T, Brügger MD, Hausmann G, Liberali P, Korinek V, Basler K, Valenta T. Terminal differentiation of villus tip enterocytes is governed by distinct Tgfβ superfamily members. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56454. [PMID: 37493498 PMCID: PMC10481656 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202256454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The protective and absorptive functions of the intestinal epithelium rely on differentiated enterocytes in the villi. The differentiation of enterocytes is orchestrated by sub-epithelial mesenchymal cells producing distinct ligands along the villus axis, in particular Bmps and Tgfβ. Here, we show that individual Bmp ligands and Tgfβ drive distinct enterocytic programs specific to villus zonation. Bmp4 is expressed from the centre to the upper part of the villus and activates preferentially genes connected to lipid uptake and metabolism. In contrast, Bmp2 is produced by villus tip mesenchymal cells and it influences the adhesive properties of villus tip epithelial cells and the expression of immunomodulators. Additionally, Tgfβ induces epithelial gene expression programs similar to those triggered by Bmp2. Bmp2-driven villus tip program is activated by a canonical Bmp receptor type I/Smad-dependent mechanism. Finally, we establish an organoid cultivation system that enriches villus tip enterocytes and thereby better mimics the cellular composition of the intestinal epithelium. Our data suggest that not only a Bmp gradient but also the activity of individual Bmp drives specific enterocytic programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Berková
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Hassan Fazilaty
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Qiutan Yang
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI)BaselSwitzerland
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative MedicineBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jan Kubovčiak
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioinformaticsInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Monika Stastna
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Dusan Hrckulak
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Martina Vojtechova
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Tosca Dalessi
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - George Hausmann
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Prisca Liberali
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI)BaselSwitzerland
| | - Vladimir Korinek
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Molecular Life SciencesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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15
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Liu L, Wang Y, Yu S, Liu H, Li Y, Hua S, Chen Y. Transforming Growth Factor Beta Promotes Inflammation and Tumorigenesis in Smad4-Deficient Intestinal Epithelium in a YAP-Dependent Manner. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300708. [PMID: 37261975 PMCID: PMC10427365 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300708] [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] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), a multifunctional cytokine, plays critical roles in immune responses. However, the precise role of TGF-β in colitis and colitis-associated cancer remains poorly defined. Here, it is demonstrated that TGF-β promotes the colonic inflammation and related tumorigenesis in the absence of Smad family member 4 (Smad4). Smad4 loss in intestinal epithelium aggravates colitis and colitis-associated neoplasia induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS), leading to over-activated immune responses and increased TGF-β1 levels. In Smad4-deficient organoids, TGF-β1 stimulates spheroid formation and impairs intestinal stem cell proliferation and lineage specification. YAP, whose expression is directly upregulated by TGF-β1 after Smad4 deletion, mediates the effect of TGF-β1 by interacting with Smad2/3. Attenuation of YAP/TAZ prevents TGF-β1-induced spheroid formation in Smad4-/- organoids and alleviates colitis and colitis-associated cancer in Smad4-deficient mice. Collectively, these results highlight an integral role of the TGF-β/Smad4 axis in restraining intestinal inflammation and tumorigenesis and suggest TGF-β or YAP signaling as therapeutic targets for these gastrointestinal diseases intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liansheng Liu
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and HealthUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhou510530China
- Guangzhou LaboratoryGuangzhou510700China
| | - Yalong Wang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and HealthUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhou510530China
- Guangzhou LaboratoryGuangzhou510700China
| | - Shicheng Yu
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and HealthUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhou510530China
- Guangzhou LaboratoryGuangzhou510700China
| | - Huidong Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Membrane BiologyTsinghua‐Peking Center for Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China
| | - Yehua Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Membrane BiologyTsinghua‐Peking Center for Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China
| | - Shan Hua
- Guangzhou LaboratoryGuangzhou510700China
- Center for Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesYunnan UniversityKunming650500China
| | - Ye‐Guang Chen
- Guangzhou LaboratoryGuangzhou510700China
- The State Key Laboratory of Membrane BiologyTsinghua‐Peking Center for Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China
- Jiangxi Medical CollegeNanchang UniversityNanchang330031China
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16
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Pérez-González A, Bévant K, Blanpain C. Cancer cell plasticity during tumor progression, metastasis and response to therapy. NATURE CANCER 2023; 4:1063-1082. [PMID: 37537300 PMCID: PMC7615147 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00595-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Cell plasticity represents the ability of cells to be reprogrammed and to change their fate and identity, enabling homeostasis restoration and tissue regeneration following damage. Cell plasticity also contributes to pathological conditions, such as cancer, enabling cells to acquire new phenotypic and functional features by transiting across distinct cell states that contribute to tumor initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to therapy. Here, we review the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms driving cell plasticity that promote tumor growth and proliferation as well as metastasis and drug tolerance. Finally, we discuss how cell plasticity could be exploited for anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pérez-González
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin Bévant
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cédric Blanpain
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
- WELBIO, ULB, Bruxelles, Belgium.
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17
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Betge J, Jackstadt R. From organoids to bedside: Advances in modeling, decoding and targeting of colorectal cancer. Int J Cancer 2023; 152:1304-1313. [PMID: 36121667 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Patient derived organoids closely resemble the biology of tissues and tumors. They are enabling ex vivo modeling of human diseases and dissecting key features of tumor biology like anatomical diversity or inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. In the last years, organoids were established as models for drug discovery and explored to guide clinical decision making. In this review, we discuss the recent developments in organoid based research, elaborating on the developments in colorectal cancer as a prime example. We focus our review on the role of organoids to decode cancer cell dynamics and tumor microenvironmental complexity with the underlying bi-directional crosstalk. Additionally, advancements in the development of living biobanks, screening approaches, organoid based precision medicine and challenges of co-clinical trials are highlighted. We discuss ongoing efforts to overcome challenges that the field faces and indicate potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Betge
- Junior Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Gastrointestinal Oncology and Preclinical Models, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rene Jackstadt
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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18
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Chen L, Dupre A, Qiu X, Pellon-Cardenas O, Walton KD, Wang J, Perekatt AO, Hu W, Spence JR, Verzi MP. TGFB1 Induces Fetal Reprogramming and Enhances Intestinal Regeneration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.13.523825. [PMID: 36711781 PMCID: PMC9882197 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.13.523825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The adult gut epithelium has a remarkable ability to recover from damage. To achieve cellular therapies aimed at restoring and/or replacing defective gastrointestinal tissue, it is important to understand the natural mechanisms of tissue regeneration. We employed a combination of high throughput sequencing approaches, mouse genetic models, and murine and human organoid models, and identified a role for TGFB signaling during intestinal regeneration following injury. At 2 days following irradiation (IR)-induced damage of intestinal crypts, a surge in TGFB1 expression is mediated by monocyte/macrophage cells at the location of damage. Depletion of macrophages or genetic disruption of TGFB-signaling significantly impaired the regenerative response following irradiation. Murine intestinal regeneration is also characterized by a process where a fetal transcriptional signature is induced during repair. In organoid culture, TGFB1-treatment was necessary and sufficient to induce a transcriptomic shift to the fetal-like/regenerative state. The regenerative response was enhanced by the function of mesenchymal cells, which are also primed for regeneration by TGFB1. Mechanistically, integration of ATAC-seq, scRNA-seq, and ChIP-seq suggest that a regenerative YAP-SOX9 transcriptional circuit is activated in epithelium exposed to TGFB1. Finally, pre-treatment with TGFB1 enhanced the ability of primary epithelial cultures to engraft into damaged murine colon, suggesting promise for the application of the TGFB-induced regenerative circuit in cellular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Abigail Dupre
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Xia Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Oscar Pellon-Cardenas
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Katherine D. Walton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jianming Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Ansu O. Perekatt
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA
| | - Wenwei Hu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jason R. Spence
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Michael P. Verzi
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition & Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Member of the NIEHS Center for Environmental Exposures and Disease (CEED), Rutgers EOHSI Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Lead Contact
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19
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Fröhlich J, Rose K, Hecht A. Transcriptional activity mediated by β-CATENIN and TCF/LEF family members is completely dispensable for survival and propagation of multiple human colorectal cancer cell lines. Sci Rep 2023; 13:287. [PMID: 36609428 PMCID: PMC9822887 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27261-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Unrestrained transcriptional activity of β-CATENIN and its binding partner TCF7L2 frequently underlies colorectal tumor initiation and is considered an obligatory oncogenic driver throughout intestinal carcinogenesis. Yet, the TCF7L2 gene carries inactivating mutations in about 10% of colorectal tumors and is non-essential in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. To determine whether CRC cells acquire TCF7L2-independence through cancer-specific compensation by other T-cell factor (TCF)/lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (LEF) family members, or rather lose addiction to β-CATENIN/TCF7L2-driven gene expression altogether, we generated multiple CRC cell lines entirely negative for TCF/LEF or β-CATENIN expression. Survival of these cells and the ability to propagate them demonstrate their complete β-CATENIN- and TCF/LEF-independence. Nonetheless, one β-CATENIN-deficient cell line eventually became senescent, and absence of TCF/LEF proteins and β-CATENIN consistently impaired CRC cell proliferation, reminiscent of mitogenic effects of WNT/β-CATENIN signaling in the healthy intestine. Despite this common phenotype, β-CATENIN-deficient cells exhibited highly cell-line-specific gene expression changes with little overlap between β-CATENIN- and TCF7L2-dependent transcriptomes. Apparently, β-CATENIN and TCF7L2 independently control sizeable fractions of their target genes. The observed divergence of β-CATENIN and TCF7L2 transcriptional programs, and the finding that neither β-CATENIN nor TCF/LEF activity is strictly required for CRC cell survival has important implications when evaluating these factors as potential drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna Fröhlich
- grid.5963.9Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 17, 79104 Freiburg, Germany ,grid.5963.9Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katja Rose
- grid.5963.9Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 17, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Hecht
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 17, 79104, Freiburg, Germany. .,Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany. .,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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20
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Yu S, Zhang M, Ye Z, Wang Y, Wang X, Chen YG. Development of a 32-gene signature using machine learning for accurate prediction of inflammatory bowel disease. CELL REGENERATION (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 12:8. [PMID: 36600111 PMCID: PMC9813306 DOI: 10.1186/s13619-022-00143-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition caused by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Numerous genes are implicated in the etiology of IBD, but the diagnosis of IBD is challenging. Here, XGBoost, a machine learning prediction model, has been used to distinguish IBD from healthy cases following elaborative feature selection. Using combined unsupervised clustering analysis and the XGBoost feature selection method, we successfully identified a 32-gene signature that can predict IBD occurrence in new cohorts with 0.8651 accuracy. The signature shows enrichment in neutrophil extracellular trap formation and cytokine signaling in the immune system. The probability threshold of the XGBoost-based classification model can be adjusted to fit personalized lifestyle and health status. Therefore, this study reveals potential IBD-related biomarkers that facilitate an effective personalized diagnosis of IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicheng Yu
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 190 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou Science Park, Luogang District, Guangzhou, 510530 China ,Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510700 China
| | - Mengxian Zhang
- grid.12527.330000 0001 0662 3178The State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
| | - Zhaofeng Ye
- grid.12527.330000 0001 0662 3178School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
| | - Yalong Wang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 190 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou Science Park, Luogang District, Guangzhou, 510530 China ,Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510700 China
| | - Xu Wang
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510700 China
| | - Ye-Guang Chen
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510700 China ,grid.12527.330000 0001 0662 3178The State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China ,grid.260463.50000 0001 2182 8825School of Basic Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031 China
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21
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Villanueva JW, Kwong L, Han T, Martinez SA, Shanahan MT, Kanke M, Dow LE, Danko CG, Sethupathy P. Comprehensive microRNA analysis across genome-edited colorectal cancer organoid models reveals miR-24 as a candidate regulator of cell survival. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:792. [DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-09018-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractSomatic mutations drive colorectal cancer (CRC) by disrupting gene regulatory mechanisms. Distinct combinations of mutations can result in unique changes to regulatory mechanisms leading to variability in the efficacy of therapeutics. MicroRNAs are important regulators of gene expression, and their activity can be altered by oncogenic mutations. However, it is unknown how distinct combinations of CRC-risk mutations differentially affect microRNAs. Here, using genetically-modified mouse intestinal organoid (enteroid) models, we identify 12 different modules of microRNA expression patterns across different combinations of mutations common in CRC. We also show that miR-24-3p is aberrantly upregulated in genetically-modified mouse enteroids irrespective of mutational context. Furthermore, we identify an enrichment of miR-24-3p predicted targets in downregulated gene lists from various mutational contexts compared to WT. In follow-up experiments, we demonstrate that miR-24-3p promotes CRC cell survival in multiple cell contexts. Our novel characterization of genotype-specific patterns of miRNA expression offer insight into the mechanisms that drive inter-tumor heterogeneity and highlight candidate microRNA therapeutic targets for the advancement of precision medicine for CRC.
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22
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Metastatic recurrence in colorectal cancer arises from residual EMP1+ cells. Nature 2022; 611:603-613. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05402-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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23
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The role of transcription factors in the acquisition of the four latest proposed hallmarks of cancer and corresponding enabling characteristics. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:1203-1215. [PMID: 36244529 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
With the recent description of the molecular and cellular characteristics that enable acquisition of both core and new hallmarks of cancer, the consequences of transcription factor dysregulation in the hallmarks scheme has become increasingly evident. Dysregulation or mutation of transcription factors has long been recognized in the development of cancer where alterations in these key regulatory molecules can result in aberrant gene expression and consequential blockade of normal cellular differentiation. Here, we provide an up-to-date review of involvement of dysregulated transcription factor networks with the most recently reported cancer hallmarks and enabling characteristic properties. We present some illustrative examples of the impact of dysregulated transcription factors, specifically focusing on the characteristics of phenotypic plasticity, non-mutational epigenetic reprogramming, polymorphic microbiomes, and senescence. We also discuss how new insights into transcription factor dysregulation in cancer is contributing to addressing current therapeutic challenges.
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24
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Torborg SR, Li Z, Chan JE, Tammela T. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of plasticity in cancer. Trends Cancer 2022; 8:735-746. [PMID: 35618573 PMCID: PMC9388572 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cells are plastic - they can assume a wide range of distinct phenotypes. Plasticity is integral to cancer initiation and progression, as well as to the emergence and maintenance of intratumoral heterogeneity. Furthermore, plastic cells can rapidly adapt to and evade therapy, which poses a challenge for effective cancer treatment. As such, targeting plasticity in cancer holds tremendous promise. Yet, the principles governing plasticity in cancer cells remain poorly understood. Here, we provide an overview of the fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie plasticity in cancer and in other biological contexts, including development and regeneration. We propose a key role for high-plasticity cell states (HPCSs) as crucial nodes for cell state transitions and enablers of intra-tumoral heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan R Torborg
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Zhuxuan Li
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jason E Chan
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Tuomas Tammela
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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25
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Álvarez-Varela A, Novellasdemunt L, Barriga FM, Hernando-Momblona X, Cañellas-Socias A, Cano-Crespo S, Sevillano M, Cortina C, Stork D, Morral C, Turon G, Slebe F, Jiménez-Gracia L, Caratù G, Jung P, Stassi G, Heyn H, Tauriello DVF, Mateo L, Tejpar S, Sancho E, Stephan-Otto Attolini C, Batlle E. Mex3a marks drug-tolerant persister colorectal cancer cells that mediate relapse after chemotherapy. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:1052-1070. [PMID: 35773527 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00402-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) patient-derived organoids predict responses to chemotherapy. Here we used them to investigate relapse after treatment. Patient-derived organoids expand from highly proliferative LGR5+ tumor cells; however, we discovered that lack of optimal growth conditions specifies a latent LGR5+ cell state. This cell population expressed the gene MEX3A, is chemoresistant and regenerated the organoid culture after treatment. In CRC mouse models, Mex3a+ cells contributed marginally to metastatic outgrowth; however, after chemotherapy, Mex3a+ cells produced large cell clones that regenerated the disease. Lineage-tracing analysis showed that persister Mex3a+ cells downregulate the WNT/stem cell gene program immediately after chemotherapy and adopt a transient state reminiscent to that of YAP+ fetal intestinal progenitors. In contrast, Mex3a-deficient cells differentiated toward a goblet cell-like phenotype and were unable to resist chemotherapy. Our findings reveal that adaptation of cancer stem cells to suboptimal niche environments protects them from chemotherapy and identify a candidate cell of origin of relapse after treatment in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Álvarez-Varela
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Novellasdemunt
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco M Barriga
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xavier Hernando-Momblona
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrià Cañellas-Socias
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Cano-Crespo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Sevillano
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Cortina
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Stork
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Morral
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Turon
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felipe Slebe
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Jiménez-Gracia
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ginevra Caratù
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peter Jung
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Munich, Institute of Pathology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Giorgio Stassi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Holger Heyn
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniele V F Tauriello
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Lidia Mateo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sabine Tejpar
- Molecular Digestive Oncology, Department of Oncology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elena Sancho
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Camille Stephan-Otto Attolini
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduard Batlle
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain.
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26
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Chun SK, Fortin BM, Fellows RC, Habowski AN, Verlande A, Song WA, Mahieu AL, Lefebvre AEYT, Sterrenberg JN, Velez LM, Digman MA, Edwards RA, Pannunzio NR, Seldin MM, Waterman ML, Masri S. Disruption of the circadian clock drives Apc loss of heterozygosity to accelerate colorectal cancer. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo2389. [PMID: 35947664 PMCID: PMC9365282 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo2389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
An alarming rise in young onset colorectal cancer (CRC) has been reported; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains undefined. Suspected risk factors of young onset CRC include environmental aspects, such as lifestyle and dietary factors, which are known to affect the circadian clock. We find that both genetic disruption and environmental disruption of the circadian clock accelerate Apc-driven CRC pathogenesis in vivo. Using an intestinal organoid model, we demonstrate that clock disruption promotes transformation by driving Apc loss of heterozygosity, which hyperactivates Wnt signaling. This up-regulates c-Myc, a known Wnt target, which drives heightened glycolytic metabolism. Using patient-derived organoids, we show that circadian rhythms are lost in human tumors. Last, we identify that variance between core clock and Wnt pathway genes significantly predicts the survival of patients with CRC. Overall, our findings demonstrate a previously unidentified mechanistic link between clock disruption and CRC, which has important implications for young onset cancer prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Kook Chun
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Bridget M. Fortin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Rachel C. Fellows
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amber N. Habowski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amandine Verlande
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Wei A. Song
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Alisa L. Mahieu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | | | | | - Leandro M. Velez
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Michelle A. Digman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | | | - Marcus M. Seldin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Marian L. Waterman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Selma Masri
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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27
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Gil Vazquez E, Nasreddin N, Valbuena GN, Mulholland EJ, Belnoue-Davis HL, Eggington HR, Schenck RO, Wouters VM, Wirapati P, Gilroy K, Lannagan TR, Flanagan DJ, Najumudeen AK, Omwenga S, McCorry AM, Easton A, Koelzer VH, East JE, Morton D, Trusolino L, Maughan T, Campbell AD, Loughrey MB, Dunne PD, Tsantoulis P, Huels DJ, Tejpar S, Sansom OJ, Leedham SJ. Dynamic and adaptive cancer stem cell population admixture in colorectal neoplasia. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:1213-1228.e8. [PMID: 35931031 PMCID: PMC9592560 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Intestinal homeostasis is underpinned by LGR5+ve crypt-base columnar stem cells (CBCs), but following injury, dedifferentiation results in the emergence of LGR5-ve regenerative stem cell populations (RSCs), characterized by fetal transcriptional profiles. Neoplasia hijacks regenerative signaling, so we assessed the distribution of CBCs and RSCs in mouse and human intestinal tumors. Using combined molecular-morphological analysis, we demonstrate variable expression of stem cell markers across a range of lesions. The degree of CBC-RSC admixture was associated with both epithelial mutation and microenvironmental signaling disruption and could be mapped across disease molecular subtypes. The CBC-RSC equilibrium was adaptive, with a dynamic response to acute selective pressure, and adaptability was associated with chemoresistance. We propose a fitness landscape model where individual tumors have equilibrated stem cell population distributions along a CBC-RSC phenotypic axis. Cellular plasticity is represented by position shift along this axis and is influenced by cell-intrinsic, extrinsic, and therapeutic selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Gil Vazquez
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nadia Nasreddin
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gabriel N. Valbuena
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Eoghan J. Mulholland
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Holly R. Eggington
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ryan O. Schenck
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Valérie M. Wouters
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, the Netherlands,Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pratyaksha Wirapati
- Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Sulochana Omwenga
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Amy M.B. McCorry
- Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Alistair Easton
- Department of Oncology, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Viktor H. Koelzer
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University and University Hospital Zürich, Rämistrasse 100, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - James E. East
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, and Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Dion Morton
- Academic Department of Surgery, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Livio Trusolino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Torino, Italy
| | - Timothy Maughan
- Department of Oncology, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Maurice B. Loughrey
- Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Philip D. Dunne
- Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Petros Tsantoulis
- University of Geneva and Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David J. Huels
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, the Netherlands,Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sabine Tejpar
- Molecular Digestive Oncology Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Owen J. Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Glasgow, UK
| | - Simon J. Leedham
- Wellcome Centre Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Translational Gastroenterology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, and Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK,Corresponding author
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28
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Ribosome impairment regulates intestinal stem cell identity via ZAKɑ activation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4492. [PMID: 35918345 PMCID: PMC9345940 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32220-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The small intestine is a rapidly proliferating organ that is maintained by a small population of Lgr5-expressing intestinal stem cells (ISCs). However, several Lgr5-negative ISC populations have been identified, and this remarkable plasticity allows the intestine to rapidly respond to both the local environment and to damage. However, the mediators of such plasticity are still largely unknown. Using intestinal organoids and mouse models, we show that upon ribosome impairment (driven by Rptor deletion, amino acid starvation, or low dose cyclohexamide treatment) ISCs gain an Lgr5-negative, fetal-like identity. This is accompanied by a rewiring of metabolism. Our findings suggest that the ribosome can act as a sensor of nutrient availability, allowing ISCs to respond to the local nutrient environment. Mechanistically, we show that this phenotype requires the activation of ZAKɑ, which in turn activates YAP, via SRC. Together, our data reveals a central role for ribosome dynamics in intestinal stem cells, and identify the activation of ZAKɑ as a critical mediator of stem cell identity. Intestinal stem cells are responsible for replenishing cells within the high-turnover intestinal epithelium. Here they show that ribosome dynamics affect intestinal stem cell identity through a mechanism that is triggered by changes in nutrient availability.
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29
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Imkeller K, Ambrosi G, Klemm N, Claveras Cabezudo A, Henkel L, Huber W, Boutros M. Metabolic balance in colorectal cancer is maintained by optimal Wnt signaling levels. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e10874. [PMID: 35904277 PMCID: PMC9336172 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110874] [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: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt pathways are important for the modulation of tissue homeostasis, and their deregulation is linked to cancer development. Canonical Wnt signaling is hyperactivated in many human colorectal cancers due to genetic alterations of the negative Wnt regulator APC. However, the expression levels of Wnt-dependent targets vary between tumors, and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis concomitant with this Wnt signaling dosage have not been understood. In this study, we integrate whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9 screens with large-scale multi-omic data to delineate functional subtypes of cancer. We engineer APC loss-of-function mutations and thereby hyperactivate Wnt signaling in cells with low endogenous Wnt activity and find that the resulting engineered cells have an unfavorable metabolic equilibrium compared with cells which naturally acquired Wnt hyperactivation. We show that the dosage level of oncogenic Wnt hyperactivation impacts the metabolic equilibrium and the mitochondrial phenotype of a given cell type in a context-dependent manner. These findings illustrate the impact of context-dependent genetic interactions on cellular phenotypes of a central cancer driver mutation and expand our understanding of quantitative modulation of oncogenic signaling in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Imkeller
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Giulia Ambrosi
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nancy Klemm
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Ainara Claveras Cabezudo
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luisa Henkel
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Huber
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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30
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Zhong Z, Harmston N, Wood KC, Madan B, Virshup DM. A p300/GATA6 axis determines differentiation and Wnt dependency in pancreatic cancer models. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:e156305. [PMID: 35536676 PMCID: PMC9197518 DOI: 10.1172/jci156305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling regulates the balance between stemness and differentiation in multiple tissues and in cancer. RNF43-mutant pancreatic cancers are dependent on Wnt production, and pharmacologic blockade of the pathway, e.g., by PORCN inhibitors, leads to tumor differentiation. However, primary resistance to these inhibitors has been observed. To elucidate potential mechanisms, we performed in vivo CRISPR screens in PORCN inhibitor-sensitive RNF43-mutant pancreatic cancer xenografts. As expected, genes in the Wnt pathway whose loss conferred drug resistance were identified, including APC, AXIN1, and CTNNBIP1. Unexpectedly, the screen also identified the histone acetyltransferase EP300 (p300), but not its paralog, CREBBP (CBP). We found that EP300 is silenced due to genetic alterations in all the existing RNF43-mutant pancreatic cancer cell lines that are resistant to PORCN inhibitors. Mechanistically, loss of EP300 directly downregulated GATA6 expression, thereby silencing the GATA6-regulated differentiation program and leading to a phenotypic transition from the classical subtype to the dedifferentiated basal-like/squamous subtype of pancreatic cancer. EP300 mutation and loss of GATA6 function bypassed the antidifferentiation activity of Wnt signaling, rendering these cancer cells resistant to Wnt inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhong
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke–NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nathan Harmston
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke–NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Science Division, Yale–NUS College, Singapore
| | - Kris C. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and
| | - Babita Madan
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke–NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - David M. Virshup
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke–NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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31
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Tang F, Xu D, Wang S, Wong CK, Martinez-Fundichely A, Lee CJ, Cohen S, Park J, Hill CE, Eng K, Bareja R, Han T, Liu EM, Palladino A, Di W, Gao D, Abida W, Beg S, Puca L, Meneses M, De Stanchina E, Berger MF, Gopalan A, Dow LE, Mosquera JM, Beltran H, Sternberg CN, Chi P, Scher HI, Sboner A, Chen Y, Khurana E. Chromatin profiles classify castration-resistant prostate cancers suggesting therapeutic targets. Science 2022; 376:eabe1505. [PMID: 35617398 PMCID: PMC9299269 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe1505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the loss of androgen receptor (AR) dependence leads to clinically aggressive tumors with few therapeutic options. We used ATAC-seq (assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing), RNA-seq, and DNA sequencing to investigate 22 organoids, six patient-derived xenografts, and 12 cell lines. We identified the well-characterized AR-dependent and neuroendocrine subtypes, as well as two AR-negative/low groups: a Wnt-dependent subtype, and a stem cell-like (SCL) subtype driven by activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factors. We used transcriptomic signatures to classify 366 patients, which showed that SCL is the second most common subtype of CRPC after AR-dependent. Our data suggest that AP-1 interacts with the YAP/TAZ and TEAD proteins to maintain subtype-specific chromatin accessibility and transcriptomic landscapes in this group. Together, this molecular classification reveals drug targets and can potentially guide therapeutic decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanying Tang
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Duo Xu
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Shangqian Wang
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Urology department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211116, China
| | - Chen Khuan Wong
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alexander Martinez-Fundichely
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Cindy J. Lee
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sandra Cohen
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jane Park
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Corinne E. Hill
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kenneth Eng
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Rohan Bareja
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Teng Han
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric Minwei Liu
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Computational Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ann Palladino
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Wei Di
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Dong Gao
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Wassim Abida
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shaham Beg
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Loredana Puca
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Maximiliano Meneses
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Elisa De Stanchina
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michael F. Berger
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anuradha Gopalan
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lukas E. Dow
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Juan Miguel Mosquera
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Himisha Beltran
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Cora N. Sternberg
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Ping Chi
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Howard I. Scher
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Biomarker Development Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Andrea Sboner
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Corresponding authors. (E.K.); (Y.C.)
| | - Ekta Khurana
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021 USA.,Corresponding authors. (E.K.); (Y.C.)
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Abstract
Over the past decade, CRISPR has become as much a verb as it is an acronym, transforming biomedical research and providing entirely new approaches for dissecting all facets of cell biology. In cancer research, CRISPR and related tools have offered a window into previously intractable problems in our understanding of cancer genetics, the noncoding genome and tumour heterogeneity, and provided new insights into therapeutic vulnerabilities. Here, we review the progress made in the development of CRISPR systems as a tool to study cancer, and the emerging adaptation of these technologies to improve diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyna Katti
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Science, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bianca J Diaz
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Science, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina M Caragine
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neville E Sanjana
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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33
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Swoboda J, Mittelsdorf P, Chen Y, Weiskirchen R, Stallhofer J, Schüle S, Gassler N. Intestinal Wnt in the transition from physiology to oncology. World J Clin Oncol 2022; 13:168-185. [PMID: 35433295 PMCID: PMC8966512 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v13.i3.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult stem cells are necessary for self-renewal tissues and regeneration after damage. Especially in the intestine, which self-renews every few days, they play a key role in tissue homeostasis. Therefore, complex regulatory mechanisms are needed to prevent hyperproliferation, which can lead in the worst case to carcinogenesis or under-activation of stem cells, which can result in dysfunctional epithelial. One main regulatory signaling pathway is the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. It is a highly conserved pathway, with β-catenin, a transcription factor, as target protein. Translocation of β-catenin from cytoplasm to nucleus activates the transcription of numerous genes involved in regulating stem cell pluripo-tency, proliferation, cell differentiation and regulation of cell death. This review presents a brief overview of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, the regulatory mechanism of this pathway and its role in intestinal homeostasis. Additionally, this review highlights the molecular mechanisms and the histomorphological features of Wnt hyperactivation. Furthermore, the central role of the Wnt signaling pathway in intestinal carcinogenesis as well as its clinical relevance in colorectal carcinoma are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Swoboda
- Section Pathology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Patrick Mittelsdorf
- Section Pathology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Yuan Chen
- Section Pathology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen 52074, Germany
| | - Johannes Stallhofer
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Silke Schüle
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Gassler
- Section Pathology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
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34
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Miyahira AK, Zarif JC, Coombs CC, Flavell RR, Russo JW, Zaidi S, Zhao D, Zhao SG, Pienta KJ, Soule HR. Prostate cancer research in the 21st century; report from the 2021 Coffey-Holden prostate cancer academy meeting. Prostate 2022; 82:169-181. [PMID: 34734426 PMCID: PMC8688282 DOI: 10.1002/pros.24262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 2021 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Prostate Cancer Research in the 21st Century," was held virtually, from June 24-25, 2021. METHODS The CHPCA Meeting is organized by the Prostate Cancer Foundation as a unique discussion-oriented meeting focusing on critical topics in prostate cancer research envisioned to bridge the next major advances in prostate cancer biology and treatment. The 2021 CHPCA Meeting was virtually attended by 89 investigators and included 31 talks over nine sessions. RESULTS Major topic areas discussed at the meeting included: cancer genomics and sequencing, functional genomic approaches to studying mediators of plasticity, emerging signaling pathways in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer, Wnt signaling biology and the challenges of targeted therapy, clonal hematopoiesis, neuroendocrine cell plasticity and antitumor immunity, cancer immunotherapy and its synergizers, and imaging the tumor microenvironment and metabolism. DISCUSSION This meeting report summarizes the research presented at the 2021 CHPCA Meeting. We hope that publication of this knowledge will accelerate new understandings and the development of new biomarkers and treatments for prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jelani C. Zarif
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD
- Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Catherine C. Coombs
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Robert R. Flavell
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Joshua W. Russo
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Samir Zaidi
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Di Zhao
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Shuang G. Zhao
- Department of Human Oncology, Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Kenneth J. Pienta
- The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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35
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Kanda Y, Ohata H, Miyazaki T, Sakai H, Mori Y, Shiokawa D, Yokoi A, Owa T, Ochiai A, Okamoto K. NF-κB suppression synergizes with E7386, an inhibitor of CBP/β-catenin interaction, to block proliferation of patient-derived colon cancer spheroids. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 586:93-99. [PMID: 34837838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.11.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulated activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway is essential for the initiation and development of various cancers. E7386, a small-molecule compound, attenuates WNT signaling by blocking the interaction between β-catenin and CREB-binding protein (CBP); hence, it is regarded as a therapeutic candidate for cancers with activated WNT signaling. In the present study, we evaluated the biological characteristics associated with E7386 sensitivity by using a panel of patient-derived colon cancer spheroids. An integrative approach that combined E7386 sensitivity and gene expression profiles revealed that the resistance of the cancer spheroids to E7386 was associated with the activation of the NF-κB pathway. NF-κB pathway inhibitors acted synergistically with E7386 to block proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest in E7386-resistant spheroids. These findings suggest a possibility that a combination of E7386 and NF-κB inhibition may effectively block the proliferation of a subset of colon cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Kanda
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Ohata
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Miyazaki
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Sakai
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Yutaro Mori
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Daisuke Shiokawa
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | | | | | - Atsushi Ochiai
- Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan
| | - Koji Okamoto
- Division of Cancer Differentiation, National Cancer Center Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
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36
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Chen B, Scurrah CR, McKinley ET, Simmons AJ, Ramirez-Solano MA, Zhu X, Markham NO, Heiser CN, Vega PN, Rolong A, Kim H, Sheng Q, Drewes JL, Zhou Y, Southard-Smith AN, Xu Y, Ro J, Jones AL, Revetta F, Berry LD, Niitsu H, Islam M, Pelka K, Hofree M, Chen JH, Sarkizova S, Ng K, Giannakis M, Boland GM, Aguirre AJ, Anderson AC, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Regev A, Hacohen N, Kawasaki K, Sato T, Goettel JA, Grady WM, Zheng W, Washington MK, Cai Q, Sears CL, Goldenring JR, Franklin JL, Su T, Huh WJ, Vandekar S, Roland JT, Liu Q, Coffey RJ, Shrubsole MJ, Lau KS. Differential pre-malignant programs and microenvironment chart distinct paths to malignancy in human colorectal polyps. Cell 2021; 184:6262-6280.e26. [PMID: 34910928 PMCID: PMC8941949 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancers (CRCs) arise from precursor polyps whose cellular origins, molecular heterogeneity, and immunogenic potential may reveal diagnostic and therapeutic insights when analyzed at high resolution. We present a single-cell transcriptomic and imaging atlas of the two most common human colorectal polyps, conventional adenomas and serrated polyps, and their resulting CRC counterparts. Integrative analysis of 128 datasets from 62 participants reveals adenomas arise from WNT-driven expansion of stem cells, while serrated polyps derive from differentiated cells through gastric metaplasia. Metaplasia-associated damage is coupled to a cytotoxic immune microenvironment preceding hypermutation, driven partly by antigen-presentation differences associated with tumor cell-differentiation status. Microsatellite unstable CRCs contain distinct non-metaplastic regions where tumor cells acquire stem cell properties and cytotoxic immune cells are depleted. Our multi-omic atlas provides insights into malignant progression of colorectal polyps and their microenvironment, serving as a framework for precision surveillance and prevention of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob Chen
- Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cherie' R Scurrah
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Eliot T McKinley
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Alan J Simmons
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Marisol A Ramirez-Solano
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Xiangzhu Zhu
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nicholas O Markham
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cody N Heiser
- Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paige N Vega
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Andrea Rolong
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hyeyon Kim
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Quanhu Sheng
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Julia L Drewes
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Austin N Southard-Smith
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yanwen Xu
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - James Ro
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Angela L Jones
- Vanderbilt Technologies for Advanced Genomics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Frank Revetta
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lynne D Berry
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hiroaki Niitsu
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mirazul Islam
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Karin Pelka
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matan Hofree
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan H Chen
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Siranush Sarkizova
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kimmie Ng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marios Giannakis
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Genevieve M Boland
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew J Aguirre
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana C Anderson
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Aviv Regev
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nir Hacohen
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenta Kawasaki
- Department of Organoid Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiro Sato
- Department of Organoid Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jeremy A Goettel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - William M Grady
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Gastroenterology Division, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - M Kay Washington
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Qiuyin Cai
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cynthia L Sears
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James R Goldenring
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Franklin
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Timothy Su
- Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Won Jae Huh
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Simon Vandekar
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Joseph T Roland
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Robert J Coffey
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Martha J Shrubsole
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Ken S Lau
- Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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37
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Menche C, Farin HF. Strategies for genetic manipulation of adult stem cell-derived organoids. Exp Mol Med 2021; 53:1483-1494. [PMID: 34663937 PMCID: PMC8569115 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-021-00609-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Organoid technology allows the expansion of primary epithelial cells from normal and diseased tissues, providing a unique model for human (patho)biology. In a three-dimensional environment, adult stem cells self-organize and differentiate to gain tissue-specific features. Accessibility to genetic manipulation enables the investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying cell fate regulation, cell differentiation and cell interactions. In recent years, powerful methodologies using lentiviral transgenesis, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and single-cell readouts have been developed to study gene function and carry out genetic screens in organoids. However, the multicellularity and dynamic nature of stem cell-derived organoids also present challenges for genetic experimentation. In this review, we focus on adult gastrointestinal organoids and summarize the state-of-the-art protocols for successful transgenesis. We provide an outlook on emerging genetic techniques that could further increase the applicability of organoids and enhance the potential of organoid-based techniques to deepen our understanding of gene function in tissue biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin Menche
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Henner F Farin
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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38
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Parsons MJ, Tammela T, Dow LE. WNT as a Driver and Dependency in Cancer. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:2413-2429. [PMID: 34518209 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-0190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The WNT signaling pathway is a critical regulator of development and adult tissue homeostasis and becomes dysregulated in many cancer types. Although hyperactivation of WNT signaling is common, the type and frequency of genetic WNT pathway alterations can vary dramatically between different cancers, highlighting possible cancer-specific mechanisms for WNT-driven disease. In this review, we discuss how WNT pathway disruption contributes to tumorigenesis in different organs and how WNT affects the tumor cell and immune microenvironment. Finally, we describe recent and ongoing efforts to target oncogenic WNT signaling as a therapeutic strategy. SIGNIFICANCE: WNT signaling is a fundamental regulator of tissue homeostasis and oncogenic driver in many cancer types. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of WNT signaling in cancer, particularly the complexities of WNT activation in distinct cancer types, its role in immune evasion, and the challenge of targeting the WNT pathway as a therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie J Parsons
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Tuomas Tammela
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York. .,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
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Li SZ, Ren KX, Zhao J, Wu S, Li J, Zang J, Fei Z, Zhao JL. miR-139/PDE2A-Notch1 feedback circuit represses stemness of gliomas by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:3508-3521. [PMID: 34512162 PMCID: PMC8416740 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.62858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: The malignant phenotypes of glioblastomas (GBMs) are primarily attributed to glioma stem cells (GSCs). Our previous study and other reports have suggested that both miR-139 and its host gene PDE2A are putative antitumor genes in various cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles and mechanisms of miR-139/PDE2A in GSC modulation. Methods: Clinical samples were used to determine miR-139/PDE2A expression. Patient-derived glioma stem-like cells (PD-GSCs) were stimulated for immunofluorescent staining, sphere formation assays and orthotopic GBM xenograft models. Bioinformatic analysis and further in vitro experiments demonstrated the downstream molecular mechanisms of miR-139 and PDE2A. OX26/CTX-conjugated PEGylated liposome (OCP) was constructed to deliver miR-139 or PDE2A into glioma tissue specifically. Results: We demonstrated that miR-139 was concomitantly transcribed with its host gene PDE2A. Both PDE2A and miR-139 indicated better prognosis of gliomas and were inversely correlated with GSC stemness. PDE2A or miR-139 overexpression suppressed the stemness of PD-GSCs. FZD3 and β-catenin, which induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation, were identified as targets of miR-139 and mediated the effects of miR-139 on GSCs. Meanwhile, PDE2A suppressed Wnt/β-catenin signaling by inhibiting cAMP accumulation and GSK-3β phosphorylation, thereby modulating the self-renewal of PD-GSCs. Notably, Notch1, which is also a target of miR-139, suppressed PDE2A/miR-139 expression directly via downstream Hes1, indicating that miR-139 promoted its own expression by the miR-139-Notch1/Hes1 feedback circuit. Expectedly, targeted overexpression miR-139 or PDE2A in glioma with OCP system significantly repressed the stemness and decelerated glioma progression. Conclusions: Our findings elaborate on the inhibitory functions of PDE2A and miR-139 on GSC stemness and tumorigenesis, which may provide new prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for GBMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- San-Zhong Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Kai-Xi Ren
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Shuang Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jian Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Zhou Fei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jun-Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
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40
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Fazilaty H, Brügger MD, Valenta T, Szczerba BM, Berkova L, Doumpas N, Hausmann G, Scharl M, Basler K. Tracing colonic embryonic transcriptional profiles and their reactivation upon intestinal damage. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109484. [PMID: 34348153 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We lack a holistic understanding of the genetic programs orchestrating embryonic colon morphogenesis and governing damage response in the adult. A window into these programs is the transcriptomes of the epithelial and mesenchymal cell populations in the colon. Performing unbiased single-cell transcriptomic analyses of the developing mouse colon at different embryonic stages (embryonic day 14.5 [E14.5], E15.5, and E18.5), we capture cellular and molecular profiles of the stages before, during, and after the appearance of crypt structures, as well as in a model of adult colitis. The data suggest most adult lineages are established by E18.5. We find embryonic-specific gene expression profiles and cell populations that reappear in response to tissue damage. Comparison of the datasets from mice and human colitis suggests the processes are conserved. In this study, we provide a comprehensive single-cell atlas of the developing mouse colon and evidence for the reactivation of embryonic genes in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Fazilaty
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael David Brügger
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Barbara M Szczerba
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Linda Berkova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Nikolaos Doumpas
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - George Hausmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Scharl
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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41
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Qin X, Tape CJ. Deciphering Organoids: High-Dimensional Analysis of Biomimetic Cultures. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 39:774-787. [PMID: 33279281 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Organoids are self-organising stem cell-derived ex vivo cultures widely adopted as biomimetic models of healthy and diseased tissues. Traditional low-dimensional experimental methods such as microscopy and bulk molecular analysis have generated remarkable biological insights from organoids. However, as complex heterocellular systems, organoids are especially well-positioned to take advantage of emerging high-dimensional technologies. In particular, single-cell methods offer considerable opportunities to analyse organoids at unprecedented scale and depth, enabling comprehensive characterisation of cellular processes and spatial organisation underpinning organoid heterogeneity. This review evaluates state-of-the-art analytical methods applied to organoids, discusses the latest advances in single-cell technologies, and speculates on the integration of these two rapidly developing fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Qin
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Christopher J Tape
- Cell Communication Lab, Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK.
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42
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Leach JDG, Vlahov N, Tsantoulis P, Ridgway RA, Flanagan DJ, Gilroy K, Sphyris N, Vázquez EG, Vincent DF, Faller WJ, Hodder MC, Raven A, Fey S, Najumudeen AK, Strathdee D, Nixon C, Hughes M, Clark W, Shaw R, van Hooff SR, Huels DJ, Medema JP, Barry ST, Frame MC, Unciti-Broceta A, Leedham SJ, Inman GJ, Jackstadt R, Thompson BJ, Campbell AD, Tejpar S, Sansom OJ. Oncogenic BRAF, unrestrained by TGFβ-receptor signalling, drives right-sided colonic tumorigenesis. Nat Commun 2021. [PMID: 34103493 DOI: 10.1038/s41467‐021‐23717‐5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Right-sided (proximal) colorectal cancer (CRC) has a poor prognosis and a distinct mutational profile, characterized by oncogenic BRAF mutations and aberrations in mismatch repair and TGFβ signalling. Here, we describe a mouse model of right-sided colon cancer driven by oncogenic BRAF and loss of epithelial TGFβ-receptor signalling. The proximal colonic tumours that develop in this model exhibit a foetal-like progenitor phenotype (Ly6a/Sca1+) and, importantly, lack expression of Lgr5 and its associated intestinal stem cell signature. These features are recapitulated in human BRAF-mutant, right-sided CRCs and represent fundamental differences between left- and right-sided disease. Microbial-driven inflammation supports the initiation and progression of these tumours with foetal-like characteristics, consistent with their predilection for the microbe-rich right colon and their antibiotic sensitivity. While MAPK-pathway activating mutations drive this foetal-like signature via ERK-dependent activation of the transcriptional coactivator YAP, the same foetal-like transcriptional programs are also initiated by inflammation in a MAPK-independent manner. Importantly, in both contexts, epithelial TGFβ-receptor signalling is instrumental in suppressing the tumorigenic potential of these foetal-like progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D G Leach
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Petros Tsantoulis
- Department of Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Ester G Vázquez
- Gastrointestinal Stem Cell Biology Lab, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - William J Faller
- Division of Oncogenomics, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael C Hodder
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Sigrid Fey
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | - Colin Nixon
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mark Hughes
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Robin Shaw
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Sander R van Hooff
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM) and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David J Huels
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM) and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Paul Medema
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM) and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simon T Barry
- Bioscience, Early Oncology, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Margaret C Frame
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Asier Unciti-Broceta
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon J Leedham
- Gastrointestinal Stem Cell Biology Lab, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gareth J Inman
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Barry J Thompson
- EMBL Australia, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Sabine Tejpar
- Molecular Digestive Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK. .,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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43
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Leach JDG, Vlahov N, Tsantoulis P, Ridgway RA, Flanagan DJ, Gilroy K, Sphyris N, Vázquez EG, Vincent DF, Faller WJ, Hodder MC, Raven A, Fey S, Najumudeen AK, Strathdee D, Nixon C, Hughes M, Clark W, Shaw R, van Hooff SR, Huels DJ, Medema JP, Barry ST, Frame MC, Unciti-Broceta A, Leedham SJ, Inman GJ, Jackstadt R, Thompson BJ, Campbell AD, Tejpar S, Sansom OJ. Oncogenic BRAF, unrestrained by TGFβ-receptor signalling, drives right-sided colonic tumorigenesis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3464. [PMID: 34103493 PMCID: PMC8187652 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23717-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Right-sided (proximal) colorectal cancer (CRC) has a poor prognosis and a distinct mutational profile, characterized by oncogenic BRAF mutations and aberrations in mismatch repair and TGFβ signalling. Here, we describe a mouse model of right-sided colon cancer driven by oncogenic BRAF and loss of epithelial TGFβ-receptor signalling. The proximal colonic tumours that develop in this model exhibit a foetal-like progenitor phenotype (Ly6a/Sca1+) and, importantly, lack expression of Lgr5 and its associated intestinal stem cell signature. These features are recapitulated in human BRAF-mutant, right-sided CRCs and represent fundamental differences between left- and right-sided disease. Microbial-driven inflammation supports the initiation and progression of these tumours with foetal-like characteristics, consistent with their predilection for the microbe-rich right colon and their antibiotic sensitivity. While MAPK-pathway activating mutations drive this foetal-like signature via ERK-dependent activation of the transcriptional coactivator YAP, the same foetal-like transcriptional programs are also initiated by inflammation in a MAPK-independent manner. Importantly, in both contexts, epithelial TGFβ-receptor signalling is instrumental in suppressing the tumorigenic potential of these foetal-like progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D G Leach
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Petros Tsantoulis
- Department of Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Ester G Vázquez
- Gastrointestinal Stem Cell Biology Lab, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - William J Faller
- Division of Oncogenomics, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael C Hodder
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Sigrid Fey
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | - Colin Nixon
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mark Hughes
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Robin Shaw
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sander R van Hooff
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM) and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David J Huels
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM) and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Paul Medema
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine (CEMM) and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simon T Barry
- Bioscience, Early Oncology, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Margaret C Frame
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Asier Unciti-Broceta
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon J Leedham
- Gastrointestinal Stem Cell Biology Lab, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gareth J Inman
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Barry J Thompson
- EMBL Australia, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Sabine Tejpar
- Molecular Digestive Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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44
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Zafra MP, Dow LE. Revealing ARID1A Function in Gastric Cancer from the Bottom Up. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:1327-1329. [PMID: 34078662 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-0271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Lo and colleagues use CRISPR-based genome engineering in primary human gastric organoids to reveal the functional consequences of ARID1A loss in the early stages of gastric cancer. They show that ARID1A disruption is not tolerated in wild-type organoids, but in the context of TP53 loss, leads to WNT suppression, mucinous metaplasia, enhanced tumorigenicity, and selectively toxicity to BIRC5/Survivin inhibition.See related article by Lo et al., p. 1562.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paz Zafra
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York. .,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
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45
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Massagué J, Ganesh K. Metastasis-Initiating Cells and Ecosystems. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:971-994. [PMID: 33811127 PMCID: PMC8030695 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is initiated and sustained through therapy by cancer cells with stem-like and immune-evasive properties, termed metastasis-initiating cells (MIC). Recent progress suggests that MICs result from the adoption of a normal regenerative progenitor phenotype by malignant cells, a phenotype with intrinsic programs to survive the stresses of the metastatic process, undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transitions, enter slow-cycling states for dormancy, evade immune surveillance, establish supportive interactions with organ-specific niches, and co-opt systemic factors for growth and recurrence after therapy. Mechanistic understanding of the molecular mediators of MIC phenotypes and host tissue ecosystems could yield cancer therapeutics to improve patient outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding the origins, traits, and vulnerabilities of progenitor cancer cells with the capacity to initiate metastasis in distant organs, and the host microenvironments that support the ability of these cells to evade immune surveillance and regenerate the tumor, is critical for developing strategies to improve the prevention and treatment of advanced cancer. Leveraging recent progress in our understanding of the metastatic process, here we review the nature of MICs and their ecosystems and offer a perspective on how this knowledge is informing innovative treatments of metastatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Massagué
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York.
| | - Karuna Ganesh
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York.
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
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46
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Sphyris N, Hodder MC, Sansom OJ. Subversion of Niche-Signalling Pathways in Colorectal Cancer: What Makes and Breaks the Intestinal Stem Cell. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1000. [PMID: 33673710 PMCID: PMC7957493 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The intestinal epithelium fulfils pleiotropic functions in nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and immune surveillance while also forming a barrier against luminal toxins and gut-resident microbiota. Incessantly barraged by extraneous stresses, the intestine must continuously replenish its epithelial lining and regenerate the full gamut of specialized cell types that underpin its functions. Homeostatic remodelling is orchestrated by the intestinal stem cell (ISC) niche: a convergence of epithelial- and stromal-derived cues, which maintains ISCs in a multipotent state. Following demise of homeostatic ISCs post injury, plasticity is pervasive among multiple populations of reserve stem-like cells, lineage-committed progenitors, and/or fully differentiated cell types, all of which can contribute to regeneration and repair. Failure to restore the epithelial barrier risks seepage of toxic luminal contents, resulting in inflammation and likely predisposing to tumour formation. Here, we explore how homeostatic niche-signalling pathways are subverted in tumorigenesis, enabling ISCs to gain autonomy from niche restraints ("ISC emancipation") and transform into cancer stem cells capable of driving tumour initiation, progression, and therapy resistance. We further consider the implications of the pervasive plasticity of the intestinal epithelium for the trajectory of colorectal cancer, the emergence of distinct molecular subtypes, the propensity to metastasize, and the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Sphyris
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK; (N.S.); (M.C.H.)
| | - Michael C. Hodder
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK; (N.S.); (M.C.H.)
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Owen J. Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK; (N.S.); (M.C.H.)
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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Lähde M, Heino S, Högström J, Kaijalainen S, Anisimov A, Flanagan D, Kallio P, Leppänen VM, Ristimäki A, Ritvos O, Wu K, Tammela T, Hodder M, Sansom OJ, Alitalo K. Expression of R-Spondin 1 in Apc Min/+ Mice Suppresses Growth of Intestinal Adenomas by Altering Wnt and Transforming Growth Factor Beta Signaling. Gastroenterology 2021; 160:245-259. [PMID: 32941878 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Mutations in the APC gene and other genes in the Wnt signaling pathway contribute to development of colorectal carcinomas. R-spondins (RSPOs) are secreted proteins that amplify Wnt signaling in intestinal stem cells. Alterations in RSPO genes have been identified in human colorectal tumors. We studied the effects of RSPO1 overexpression in ApcMin/+ mutant mice. METHODS An adeno associated viral vector encoding RSPO1-Fc fusion protein, or control vector, was injected into ApcMin/+mice. Their intestinal crypts were isolated and cultured as organoids. which were incubated with or without RSPO1-Fc and an inhibitor of transforming growth factor beta receptor (TGFBR). Livers were collected from mice and analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Organoids and adenomas were analyzed by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR, single cell RNA sequencing, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Intestines from Apc+/+ mice injected with the vector encoding RSPO1-Fc had significantly deeper crypts, longer villi, with increased EdU labeling, indicating increased proliferation of epithelial cells, in comparison to mice given control vector. AAV-RSPO1-Fc-transduced ApcMin/+ mice also developed fewer and smaller intestinal tumors and had significantly longer survival times. Adenomas of ApcMin/+ mice injected with the RSPO1-Fc vector showed a rapid increase in apoptosis and in the expression of Wnt target genes, followed by reduced expression of messenger RNAs and proteins regulated by the Wnt pathway, reduced cell proliferation, and less crypt branching than adenomas of mice given the control vector. Addition of RSPO1 reduced the number of adenoma organoids derived from ApcMin/+ mice and suppressed expression of Wnt target genes but increased phosphorylation of SMAD2 and transcription of genes regulated by SMAD. Inhibition of TGFBR signaling in organoids stimulated with RSPO1-Fc restored organoid formation and expression of genes regulated by Wnt. The TGFBR inhibitor restored apoptosis in adenomas from ApcMin/+ mice expressing RSPO1-Fc back to the same level as in the adenomas from mice given the control vector. CONCLUSIONS Expression of RSPO1 in ApcMin/+ mice increases apoptosis and reduces proliferation and Wnt signaling in adenoma cells, resulting in development of fewer and smaller intestinal tumors and longer mouse survival. Addition of RSPO1 to organoids derived from adenomas inhibits their growth and promotes proliferation of intestinal stem cells that retain the APC protein; these effects are reversed by TGFB inhibitor. Strategies to increase the expression of RSPO1 might be developed for the treatment of intestinal adenomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Lähde
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sarika Heino
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jenny Högström
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Seppo Kaijalainen
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrey Anisimov
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dustin Flanagan
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Pauliina Kallio
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Veli-Matti Leppänen
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ari Ristimäki
- Department of Pathology, HUSLAB, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital; Medicum and Applied Tumor Genomics, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Ritvos
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katherine Wu
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Tuomas Tammela
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Michael Hodder
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Kari Alitalo
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Reischmann N, Andrieux G, Griffin R, Reinheckel T, Boerries M, Brummer T. BRAF V600E drives dedifferentiation in small intestinal and colonic organoids and cooperates with mutant p53 and Apc loss in transformation. Oncogene 2020; 39:6053-6070. [PMID: 32792685 PMCID: PMC7498370 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01414-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BRAFV600E confers poor prognosis and is associated with a distinct subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC). Little is known, however, about the genetic events driving the initiation and progression of BRAFV600E mutant CRCs. Recent genetic analyses of CRCs indicate that BRAFV600E often coexists with alterations in the WNT- and p53 pathways, but their cooperation remains ill-defined. Therefore, we systematically compared small and large intestinal organoids from mice harboring conditional BraffloxV600E, Trp53LSL-R172H, and/or Apcflox/flox alleles. Using these isogenic models, we observe tissue-specific differences toward sudden BRAFV600E expression, which can be attributed to different ERK-pathway ground states in small and large intestinal crypts. BRAFV600E alone causes transient proliferation and suppresses epithelial organization, followed by organoid disintegration. Moreover, BRAFV600E induces a fetal-like dedifferentiation transcriptional program in colonic organoids, which resembles human BRAFV600E-driven CRC. Co-expression of p53R172H delays organoid disintegration, confers anchorage-independent growth, and induces invasive properties. Interestingly, p53R172H cooperates with BRAFV600E to modulate the abundance of transcripts linked to carcinogenesis, in particular within colonic organoids. Remarkably, WNT-pathway activation by Apc deletion fully protects organoids against BRAFV600E-induced disintegration and confers growth/niche factor independence. Still, Apc-deficient BRAFV600E-mutant organoids remain sensitive toward the MEK inhibitor trametinib, albeit p53R172H confers partial resistance against this clinically relevant compound. In summary, our systematic comparison of the response of small and large intestinal organoids to oncogenic alterations suggests colonic organoids to be better suited to model the human situation. In addition, our work on BRAF-, p53-, and WNT-pathway mutations provides new insights into their cooperation and for the design of targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Reischmann
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Geoffroy Andrieux
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Freiburg; and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Griffin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Reinheckel
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Freiburg; and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Centre Freiburg (CCCF), University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies BIOSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Boerries
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Freiburg; and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Centre Freiburg (CCCF), University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tilman Brummer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Freiburg; and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. .,Comprehensive Cancer Centre Freiburg (CCCF), University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. .,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies BIOSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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