1
|
Hay ZL, Kim DD, Cimons JM, Knapp JR, Kohler ME, Quansah M, Zúñiga TM, Camp FA, Fujita M, Wang XJ, O’Connor BP, Slansky JE. Granzyme F: Exhaustion Marker and Modulator of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:1381-1391. [PMID: 38416029 PMCID: PMC10984789 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Granzymes are a family of proteases used by CD8 T cells to mediate cytotoxicity and other less-defined activities. The substrate and mechanism of action of many granzymes are unknown, although they diverge among the family members. In this study, we show that mouse CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) express a unique array of granzymes relative to CD8 T cells outside the tumor microenvironment in multiple tumor models. Granzyme F was one of the most highly upregulated genes in TILs and was exclusively detected in PD1/TIM3 double-positive CD8 TILs. To determine the function of granzyme F and to improve the cytotoxic response to leukemia, we constructed chimeric Ag receptor T cells to overexpress a single granzyme, granzyme F or the better-characterized granzyme A or B. Using these doubly recombinant T cells, we demonstrated that granzyme F expression improved T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against target leukemia cells and induced a form of cell death other than chimeric Ag receptor T cells expressing only endogenous granzymes or exogenous granzyme A or B. However, increasing expression of granzyme F also had a detrimental impact on the viability of the host T cells, decreasing their persistence in circulation in vivo. These results suggest a unique role for granzyme F as a marker of terminally differentiated CD8 T cells with increased cytotoxicity, but also increased self-directed cytotoxicity, suggesting a potential mechanism for the end of the terminal exhaustion pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L.Z. Hay
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dale D. Kim
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Cimons
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Knapp
- Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, 80206, USA
| | - M. Eric Kohler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mary Quansah
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tiffany M. Zúñiga
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Faye A. Camp
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mayumi Fujita
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA, and since moved to Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian P. O’Connor
- Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, 80206, USA
| | - Jill E. Slansky
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang N, Xu X, Guan F, Zheng Y, Shou Y, Xu T, Shen G, Chen H, Lin Y, Cong W, Jin L, Zhu Z. α-Catenin promotes dermal fibroblasts proliferation and migration during wound healing via FAK/YAP activation. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23410. [PMID: 38193545 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302251r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Skin wound healing is a complex and organized biological process, and the dermal fibroblasts play a crucial role. α-Catenin is known to be involved in regulating various cellular signals, and its role in wound healing remains unclear. Here, we have identified the pivotal role of the α-catenin/FAK/YAP signaling axis in the proliferation and migration of dermal fibroblasts, which contributes to the process of skin wound healing. Briefly, when α-catenin was knocked down specifically in dermal fibroblasts, the wound healing rate is significantly delayed. Moreover, interfering with α-catenin can impede the proliferation and migration of dermal fibroblasts both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the overexpression of α-catenin upregulates the nuclear accumulation of YAP and transcription of downstream target genes, resulting in enhanced the proliferation and migration of dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, the FAK Tyr397 phosphorylation inhibitor blocked the promoting effects of α-catenin on YAP activation. Importantly, the continuous phosphorylation mutation of FAK Tyr397 reversed the retardatory effects of α-catenin knockdown on wound healing, by increasing the vitality of fibroblasts. Likewise, α-catenin/FAK was validated as a therapeutic target for wound healing in the db/db chronic trauma model. In summary, our findings have revealed a novel mechanism by which α-catenin facilitates the function of fibroblasts through the activity of the FAK/YAP signaling axis. These findings define a promising therapeutic strategy for accelerating the wound healing process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xiejun Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Fangqian Guan
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yeyi Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yanni Shou
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Tianpeng Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Guoxiu Shen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Hui Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yifan Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Weitao Cong
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Litai Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhongxin Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cazzola A, Calzón Lozano D, Menne DH, Dávila Pedrera R, Liu J, Peña-Jiménez D, Fontenete S, Halin C, Perez-Moreno M. Lymph Vessels Associate with Cancer Stem Cells from Initiation to Malignant Stages of Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13615. [PMID: 37686421 PMCID: PMC10488284 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated lymph vessels and lymph node involvement are critical staging criteria in several cancers. In skin squamous cell carcinoma, lymph vessels play a role in cancer development and metastatic spread. However, their relationship with the cancer stem cell niche at early tumor stages remains unclear. To address this gap, we studied the lymph vessel localization at the cancer stem cell niche and observed an association from benign skin lesions to malignant stages of skin squamous cell carcinoma. By co-culturing lymphatic endothelial cells with cancer cell lines representing the initiation and promotion stages, and conducting RNA profiling, we observed a reciprocal induction of cell adhesion, immunity regulation, and vessel remodeling genes, suggesting dynamic interactions between lymphatic and cancer cells. Additionally, imaging analyses of the cultured cells revealed the establishment of heterotypic contacts between cancer cells and lymph endothelial cells, potentially contributing to the observed distribution and maintenance at the cancer stem cell niche, inducing downstream cellular responses. Our data provide evidence for an association of lymph vessels from the early stages of skin squamous cell carcinoma development, opening new avenues for better comprehending their involvement in cancer progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Cazzola
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David Calzón Lozano
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dennis Hirsch Menne
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Raquel Dávila Pedrera
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jingcheng Liu
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Peña-Jiménez
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (UAX), Avenida de la Universidad 1, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28691 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Fontenete
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cornelia Halin
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Mirna Perez-Moreno
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nguyen KA, DePledge LN, Bian L, Ke Y, Samedi V, Berning AA, Owens P, Wang XJ, Young CD. Polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase gamma are critical to tobacco-mimicking oral carcinogenesis in mice. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007110. [PMID: 37734878 PMCID: PMC10514604 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a devastating disease most often associated with tobacco consumption that induces a field of mutations from which a tumor arises. Identification of ways to prevent the emergence of cancer in high-risk patients is an ultimate goal for combatting all types of cancer, including OSCC. METHODS Our study employs a mouse model of tongue carcinogenesis induced by tobacco carcinogen mimetic, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO), to establish tongue dysplasia and OSCC. We use conventional histology, immunohistochemistry, multispectral imaging, mass cytometry, novel cell lines, pharmaceutical inhibition of PI3Kγ, T-cell suppression assays and mouse transplant models in our functional experimentation. RESULTS In our study, we identify Ly6G+ granulocytes as the most abundant immune cell type in a model of tongue carcinogenesis induced by tobacco carcinogen mimetic 4NQO. Targeting Ly6G+ granulocytes with a pharmacologic inhibitor of PI3Kγ, an isoform of PI3K exclusively expressed by myeloid cells, resulted in reduced tongue dysplasia severity, and reduced rates of OSCC. Importantly, we performed functional assays with the Ly6G+ granulocytes induced in cell line models of 4NQO carcinogenesis to demonstrate that these granulocytes have increased polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) activity against T-cell proliferation and these PMN-MDSCs play a functional role in promoting tumor formation by inhibiting tumor regression in a PI3Kγ-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our data suggest that recruitment of PMN-MDSCs to sites of dysplasia is critical to immune suppression of CD8 T cells, thereby permitting malignancy, and PI3Kγ inhibitors are one mechanism to reduce PMN-MDSC recruitment, immunosuppression and tumorigenesis in OSCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khoa A Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Lisa N DePledge
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Li Bian
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Yao Ke
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Von Samedi
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Amber A Berning
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Philip Owens
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Christian D Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li X, Ke Y, Hernandez AL, Yu J, Bian L, Hall SC, Nolan K, Wang JH, Young CD, Wang XJ. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-activated Cxcr2 signaling in myeloid cells promotes TGFβ-dependent squamous cell carcinoma lung metastasis. Cancer Lett 2023; 570:216330. [PMID: 37524225 PMCID: PMC10530117 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) activity is linked to metastasis in many cancer types, but whether TGFβ activity is necessary for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lung metastasis has not been studied. Here we used a lung metastatic SCC model derived from keratin 15 (K15). KrasG12D.Smad4-/- SCC and human SCC specimens to identify metastasis drivers and test therapeutic interventions. We demonstrated that a TGFβ receptor (TGFβR) inhibitor reduced lung metastasis in mouse SCC correlating with reduced CD11b+/Ly6G+ myeloid cells positive for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Further, TGFβ activity and iNOS were higher in primary human oral SCCs with metastasis than SCCs without metastasis. Consistently, either depleting myeloid cells with anti-Gr1 antibody or inhibiting iNOS with L-N6-(1-iminoethyl)-l-lysine (L-NIL) reduced SCC lung metastasis. L-NIL treated tumor-bearing mice exhibited reductions in tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells and in plasma Cxcl5 levels, and attenuated primary tumor growth with increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation. Blocking Cxcl5 with an antagonist of its receptor Cxcr2, SB225002, also reduced SCC lung metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xing Li
- Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, PR China; Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Yao Ke
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ariel L Hernandez
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jingjing Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Li Bian
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Spencer C Hall
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kyle Nolan
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jing H Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Christian D Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA; Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Liu X, Qi M, Li X, Wang J, Wang M. Curcumin: a natural organic component that plays a multi-faceted role in ovarian cancer. J Ovarian Res 2023; 16:47. [PMID: 36859398 PMCID: PMC9976389 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-023-01120-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Curcumin, a natural organic component obtained from Curcuma longa's rhizomes, shows abundant anti-tumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pharmacological activities, among others. Notably the anti-tumor activity has aroused widespread attention from scholars worldwide. Numerous studies have reported that curcumin can delay ovarian cancer (OC), increase its sensitivity to chemotherapy, and reduce chemotherapy drugs' side effects. It has been shown considerable anticancer potential by promoting cell apoptosis, suppressing cell cycle progression, inducing autophagy, inhibiting tumor metastasis, and regulating enzyme activity. With an in-depth study of curcumin's anti-OC mechanism, its clinical application will have broader prospects. This review summarizes the latest studies on curcumin's anti-OC activities, and discusses the specific mechanism, hoping to provide references for further research and applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Liu
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of gynaecology and obstetrics, the Affiliated Zhuzhou Hospital Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, 412000 Zhuzhou, Hunan China
| | - Mingming Qi
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of gynaecology and obstetrics, the Affiliated Zhuzhou Hospital Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, 412000 Zhuzhou, Hunan China
| | - Xidie Li
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of gynaecology and obstetrics, the Affiliated Zhuzhou Hospital Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, 412000 Zhuzhou, Hunan China
| | - Jingjin Wang
- Department of gynaecology and obstetrics, the Affiliated Zhuzhou Hospital Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, 412000, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China.
| | - Mingyuan Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Department of Geriatric Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Extra-Cellular Vesicles Derived from Thyroid Cancer Cells Promote the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and the Transfer of Malignant Phenotypes through Immune Mediated Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032754. [PMID: 36769076 PMCID: PMC9917007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer, and its incidence is increasing in many countries around the world. Among thyroid cancers, the papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) histotype is particularly prevalent. A small percentage of papillary tumors is associated with metastases and aggressive behavior due to de-differentiation obtained through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by which epithelial thyroid cells acquire a fibroblast-like morphology, reduce cellular adhesion, increase motility and expression of mesenchymal proteins. The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in promoting an aggressive phenotype through hypoxia and the secretion of HMGB1 and other factors. Hypoxia has been shown to drastically change the tumor cell phenotype and has been associated with increasing metastatic and migratory behavior. Cells transfer information to neighboring cells or distant locations by releasing extracellular membrane vesicles (EVs) that contain key molecules, such as mRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and proteins, that are able to modify protein expression in recipient cells. In this study, we investigated the potential role of EVs released by the anaplastic cancer cell line CAL-62 in inducing a malignant phenotype in a papillary cancer cell line (BCPAP).
Collapse
|
8
|
Darragh LB, Gadwa J, Pham TT, Van Court B, Neupert B, Olimpo NA, Nguyen K, Nguyen D, Knitz MW, Hoen M, Corbo S, Joshi M, Zhuang Y, Amann M, Wang XJ, Dow S, Kedl RM, Samedi V, Boss MK, Karam SD. Elective nodal irradiation mitigates local and systemic immunity generated by combination radiation and immunotherapy in head and neck tumors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7015. [PMID: 36385142 PMCID: PMC9668826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34676-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the setting of conventional radiation therapy, even when combined with immunotherapy, head and neck cancer often recurs locally and regionally. Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) is commonly employed to decrease regional recurrence. Given our developing understanding that immune cells are radio-sensitive, and that T cell priming occurs in the draining lymph nodes (DLNs), we hypothesize that radiation therapy directed at the primary tumor only will increase the effectiveness of immunotherapies. We find that ENI increases local, distant, and metastatic tumor growth. Multi-compartmental analysis of the primary/distant tumor, the DLNs, and the blood shows that ENI decreases the immune response systemically. Additionally, we find that ENI decreases antigen-specific T cells and epitope spreading. Treating the primary tumor with radiation and immunotherapy, however, fails to reduce regional recurrence, but this is reversed by either concurrent sentinel lymph node resection or irradiation. Our data support using lymphatic sparing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tiffany T Pham
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brooke Neupert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas A Olimpo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Maureen Hoen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Molishree Joshi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Yonghua Zhuang
- Department of Pediatrics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Maria Amann
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED) Schlieren, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Steven Dow
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ross M Kedl
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Von Samedi
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mary-Keara Boss
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
John J, Woolaver RA, Popolizio V, Chen SMY, Ge H, Krinsky AL, Vashisht M, Kramer Y, Chen Z, Wang JH. Divergent outcomes of anti-PD-L1 treatment coupled with host-intrinsic differences in TCR repertoire and distinct T cell activation states in responding versus non-responding tumors. Front Immunol 2022; 13:992630. [PMID: 36330507 PMCID: PMC9624473 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.992630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Differential responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) may be attributed to tumor-intrinsic factors or environmental cues; however, these mechanisms cannot fully explain the variable ICI responses in different individuals. Here, we investigate the potential contribution of immunological heterogeneity with a focus on differences in T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire to ICI responses, which has not been defined previously. To reveal additional factors underlying heterogeneous responses to ICI, we employed a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) mouse model in which tumor-bearing recipients unambiguously diverged into responders (R) or non-responders (NR) upon anti-PD-L1 treatment. Treatment efficacy absolutely required CD8 T-cells and correlated positively with effector functions of CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We showed that TCR repertoires exhibited a similar magnitude of clonal expansion in R vs. NR CD8 TILs. However, the top expanded TCR clonotypes appeared to be mutually exclusive between R and NR CD8 TILs, which also occurred in a recipient-specific manner, demonstrating preferential expansion of distinct TCR clonotypes against the same SCC tumor. Unexpectedly, R vs. NR CD8 TILs reached all activation clusters and did not exhibit substantial global differences in transcriptomes. By linking single-cell transcriptomic data with unique TCR clonotypes, CD8 TILs harboring top TCR clonotypes were found to occupy distinct activation clusters and upregulate genes favoring anti-tumor immunity to different extents in R vs. NR. We conclude that stochastic differences in CD8 TIL TCR repertoire and distinct activation states of top TCR clonotypes may contribute to differential anti-PD-L1 responses. Our study suggests that host-intrinsic immunological heterogeneity may offer a new explanation for differential ICI responses in different individuals, which could impact on strategies for personalized cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessy John
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rachel A. Woolaver
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Vince Popolizio
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Samantha M. Y. Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alexandra L. Krinsky
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Yonatan Kramer
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Chen Z, John J, Wang JH. Why responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors are heterogeneous in head and neck cancers: Contributions from tumor-intrinsic and host-intrinsic factors. Front Oncol 2022; 12:995434. [PMID: 36330485 PMCID: PMC9623029 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.995434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment including in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs); however, only a fraction of HNSCC patients respond to ICI, whereas the majority fail to do so. The mechanisms underlying such variable responses remain incompletely understood. A better understanding of such mechanisms may broaden the spectrum of responding patients and enhance the rate of ICI response. HNSCCs exhibit a high level of genetic heterogeneity, manifested as mutations or amplifications of oncogenes (e.g., PIK3CA) and mutations of tumor suppressor genes (e.g., TP53). The immune tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCCs also varies significantly in composition and in relative abundance of distinct immune subsets such as CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) or tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which represents a high degree of immunological heterogeneity. Here, we briefly discuss how heterogeneous ICI responses may be attributed to tumor-intrinsic factors, including genetic, transcriptional, and functional variations in tumor cells, and host-intrinsic factors, including cellular composition of the TME (e.g., CD8 TILs and TAMs), and host-intrinsic differences in the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of CD8 TILs. We also discuss the potential impact of these factors on designing strategies for personalized immunotherapy of HNSCCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhangguo Chen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jessy John
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jing H. Wang,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kwon AY, Jeong JY, Park H, Hwang S, Kim G, Kang H, Heo JH, Lee HJ, Kim TH, An HJ. miR-22-3p and miR-30e-5p Are Associated with Prognosis in Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5623. [PMID: 35628433 PMCID: PMC9144648 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alteration in expression of miRNAs can cause various malignant changes and the metastatic process. Our aim was to identify the miRNAs involved in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) and metastasis, and to test their utility as indicators of metastasis and survival. Using microarray technology, we performed miRNA expression profiling on primary cervical SqCC tissue (n = 6) compared with normal control (NC) tissue and compared SqCC that had (SqC-M; n = 3) and had not (SqC-NM; n = 3) metastasized. Four miRNAs were selected for validation by qRT-PCR on 29 SqC-NM and 27 SqC-M samples, and nine metastatic lesions (ML-SqC), from a total of 56 patients. Correlation of miRNA expression and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed to evaluate the clinical impact of candidate miRNAs. We found 40 miRNAs differentially altered in cervical SqCC tissue: 21 miRNAs were upregulated and 19 were downregulated (≥2-fold, p < 0.05). Eight were differentially altered in SqC-M compared with SqC-NM samples: four were upregulated (miR-494, miR-92a-3p, miR-205-5p, and miR-221-3p), and four were downregulated (miR-574-3p, miR-4769-3p, miR-1281, and miR-1825) (≥1.5-fold, p < 0.05). MiR-22-3p might be a metastamiR, which was gradually further downregulated in SqC-NM > SqC-M > ML-SqC. Downregulation of miR-30e-5p significantly correlated with high stage, lymph node metastasis, and low survival rate, suggesting an independent poor prognostic factor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ah-Young Kwon
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Ju-Yeon Jeong
- CHA Future Medical Research Institute, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea;
| | - Hyun Park
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea;
| | - Sohyun Hwang
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Gwangil Kim
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Haeyoun Kang
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Jin-Hyung Heo
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Hye Jin Lee
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
| | - Tae-Heon Kim
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Hee Jung An
- Department of Pathology, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (A.-Y.K.); (S.H.); (G.K.); (H.K.); (J.-H.H.); (H.J.L.); (T.-H.K.)
- Institute of Clinical Research, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhao X, Zhou M, Yang Y, Luo M. The ubiquitin hydrolase OTUB1 promotes glioma cell stemness via suppressing ferroptosis through stabilizing SLC7A11 protein. Bioengineered 2021; 12:12636-12645. [PMID: 34927544 PMCID: PMC8810032 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2011633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin hydrolase OTUB1 has been elucidated to be highly expressed in tumors, however, its roles in glioma progression are still confusing. Here, via analyzing several online datasets, OTUB1 expression was shown to be remarkably increased in glioma tissues compared to that in the adjacent tissues, and predicted a poor overall survival of glioma patients. Then OTUB1 was knocked down in glioma cells and it was found that OTUB1 knockdown significantly reduced glioma cell stemness by detecting sphere-formation ability, stemness marker expression, and ALDH activity. Mechanistic experiments revealed that OTUB1 stabilized SLC7A11 protein via directly interacting with SLC7A11, which is a key suppressor of ferripotosis. Indeed, OTUB1 knockdown triggered ferroptosis dependent on SLC7A11 expression. Notably, ectopic expression of SLC7A11 attenuated the inhibition of OTUB1 knockdown on the stemenss of glioma cells. Finally, we found a positive correlation between OTUB1 and SLC7A11 expression in clinical samples. Taken together, this work identifies a novel OTUB1/SLC7A11 axis contributing to glioma cell stemness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinde Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Zhou
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minjie Luo
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Liu Y, Zhao Q, Xi T, Zheng L, Li X. MicroRNA-9 as a paradoxical but critical regulator of cancer metastasis: Implications in personalized medicine. Genes Dis 2021; 8:759-768. [PMID: 34522706 PMCID: PMC8427239 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis, is a development of secondary tumor growths at a distance from the primary site, and closely related to poor prognosis and mortality. However, there is still no effective treatment for metastatic cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find an effective therapy for cancer metastasis. Plenty of evidence indicates that miR-9 can function as a promoter or suppressor in cancer metastasis and coordinate multistep of metastatic process. In this review, we summarize the different roles of miR-9 with the corresponding molecular mechanisms in metastasis of twelve common cancers and the multiple mechanisms underlying miR-9-mediated regulation of metastasis, benefiting the further research of miR-9 and metastasis, and hoping to bridge it with clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210023, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 211198, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 211198, PR China
| | - Tao Xi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 211198, PR China
| | - Lufeng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 211198, PR China
| | - Xiaoman Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210023, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Shi X, Luo J, Weigel KJ, Hall SC, Du D, Wu F, Rudolph MC, Zhou H, Young CD, Wang XJ. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Facilitate Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Metastasis in Mice by Providing TGFβ-Mediated Cancer Stem Cell Niche. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:668164. [PMID: 34527666 PMCID: PMC8435687 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.668164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been shown to enhance squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) growth, but it is unclear whether they promote SCC lung metastasis. We generated CAFs from K15.KrasG12D.Smad4-/- mouse SCCs. RNA expression analyses demonstrated that CAFs had enriched transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) signaling compared to normal tissue-associated fibroblasts (NAFs), therefore we assessed how TGFβ-enriched CAFs impact SCC metastasis. We co-injected SCC cells with CAFs to the skin, tail vein, or the lung to mimic sequential steps of lung metastasis. CAFs increased SCC volume only in lung co-transplantations, characterized with increased proliferation and angiogenesis and decreased apoptosis compared to NAF co-transplanted SCCs. These CAF effects were attenuated by a clinically relevant TGFβ receptor inhibitor, suggesting that CAFs facilitated TGFβ-dependent SCC cell seeding and survival in the lung. CAFs also increased tumor volume when co-transplanted to the lung with limiting numbers of SCC cancer stem cells (CSCs). In vitro, CSC sphere formation and invasion were increased either with co-cultured CAFs or with CAF conditioned media (which contains the highest TGFβ1 concentration) and these CAF effects were blocked by TGFβ inhibition. Further, TGFβ activation was higher in primary human oral SCCs with lung metastasis than SCCs without lung metastasis. Similarly, TGFβ activation was detected in the lungs of mice with micrometastasis. Our data suggest that TGFβ-enriched CAFs play a causal role in CSC seeding and expansion in the lung during SCC metastasis, providing a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for SCC lung metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueke Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jingjing Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Kelsey J. Weigel
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Spencer C. Hall
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Danfeng Du
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Fanglong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Michael C. Rudolph
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Christian D. Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Strait AA, Woolaver RA, Hall SC, Young CD, Karam SD, Jimeno A, Lan Y, Raben D, Wang JH, Wang XJ. Distinct immune microenvironment profiles of therapeutic responders emerge in combined TGFβ/PD-L1 blockade-treated squamous cell carcinoma. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1005. [PMID: 34433873 PMCID: PMC8387430 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02522-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are often overproduced in refractory squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We examined spatial patterns of PD-L1+ cells in mouse and human SCCs and found that PD-L1 was primarily expressed on infiltrating leukocytes. Although combined TGFβ and PD-L1 blockade are undergoing cancer clinical trials, there are no predictive markers for therapeutic responders. To address this, we used both a small molecule TGFβ inhibitor in combination with anti-PD-L1 and a bifunctional fusion protein targeting both TGFβ and PD-L1 to treat mouse SCCs and found TGFβ inhibition enhanced PD-L1 blockade-induced tumor eradication in multiple tumor models. Furthermore, we identified distinct cell populations of responders and non-responders to bintrafusp alfa, with responders showing a shift toward a more immune-permissive microenvironment. The cellular and molecular signatures of responders versus non-responders to combined TGFβ and PD-L1 blockade provide important insights into future personalized immunotherapy in SCC. Strait et al describe distinct immune microenvironment profiles of responders versus non-responders to combined TGF-β/PD-L1 blockade in mouse models of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The results emphasize the potential of combined TGF-β/PD-L1 targeting and provide important clues to guide personalized SCC immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Strait
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rachel A Woolaver
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Spencer C Hall
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Christian D Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Yan Lan
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., Billerica, MA, USA.,a business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - David Raben
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jing H Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA. .,Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA. .,Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Meyer T, Sand M, Schmitz L, Stockfleth E. The Role of Circular RNAs in Keratinocyte Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164240. [PMID: 34439394 PMCID: PMC8392367 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Keratinocyte carcinomas (KC) include basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) and represents the most common cancer in Europe and North America. Both entities are characterized by a very high mutational burden, mainly UV signature mutations. Predominately mutated genes in BCC belong to the sonic hedgehog pathway, whereas, in cSCC, TP53, CDKN2A, NOTCH1/2 and others are most frequently mutated. In addition, the dysregulation of factors associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) was shown in invasive cSCC. The expression of factors associated with tumorigenesis can be controlled in several ways and include non-coding RNA molecules, such as micro RNAs (miRNA) long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) and circular RNAs (circRNA). To update findings on circRNA in KC, we reviewed 13 papers published since 2016, identified in a PubMed search. In both BCC and cSCC, numerous circRNAs were identified that were differently expressed compared to healthy skin. Some of them were shown to target miRNAs that are also dysregulated in KC. Moreover, some studies confirmed the biological functions of individual circRNAs involved in cancer development. Thus, circRNAs may be used as biomarkers of disease and disease progression and represent potential targets of new therapeutic approaches for KC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Meyer
- Department of Dermatology St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-234-5096014
| | - Michael Sand
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital, Heidbergweg 22–24, 45257 Essen, Germany;
| | - Lutz Schmitz
- Institute of Dermatopathology, MVZ Corius DermPath Bonn, GmbH, Trierer Strasse 70–72, 53115 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Eggert Stockfleth
- Department of Dermatology St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sahranavardfard P, Madjd Z, Emami Razavi AN, Ghanadan AR, Firouzi J, Khosravani P, Ghavami S, Ebrahimie E, Ebrahimi M. An Integrative Analysis of The Micro-RNAs Contributing in Stemness, Metastasis and B-Raf Pathways in Malignant Melanoma and Melanoma Stem Cell. CELL JOURNAL 2021; 23:261-272. [PMID: 34308569 PMCID: PMC8286452 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2021.7311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the stemness potency in association with BRAF mutation are
in dispensable to the progression of melanoma. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been introduced as the regulator
of a multitude of oncogenic functions in most of tumors. Therefore identifying and interpreting the expression patterns of
these miRNAs is essential. The present study sought to find common miRNAs regulating all three important pathways
in melanoma development.
Materials and Methods In this experimental study, 18 miRNAs that importantly contribute to EMT and have a role
in regulating self-renewal and the BRAF pathway were selected based on current literature and cross-analysis with
available databases. Subsequently, their expression patterns were evaluated in 20 melanoma patients, normal tissues,
serum from patients and control subjects, and melanospheres. Pattern discovery and integrative regulatory network
analysis were used to find the most important miRNAs in melanoma progression.
Results Among 18 selected miRNAs, miR-205, -141, -203, -15b, and -9 were differentially expressed in tumor samples
than normal tissues. Among them, miR-205, -15b, and -9 significantly expressed in serum samples and healthy donors.
Attribute Weighting and decision trees (DT) analysis presented evidence that the combination of miR-205, -203, -9, and
-15b can regulate self-renewal and EMT process, by affecting CDH1, CCND1, and VEGF expression.
Conclusion We suggested here that miR-205, -15b, -203, -9 pattern as the key miRNAs linked to melanoma status,
the pluripotency, proliferation, and motility of malignant cells. However, further investigations are required to find the
mechanisms underlying the combinatory effects of the above mentioned miRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Sahranavardfard
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Department of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Nader Emami Razavi
- Iran National Tumor Bank, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Reza Ghanadan
- Iran National Tumor Bank, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Dermatopathology, Razi Skin Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Firouzi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pardis Khosravani
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada. .,Biology of Breathing, Children Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Research Institute in Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. .,Genomics Research Platform, School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Marzieh Ebrahimi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Citron F, Segatto I, Musco L, Pellarin I, Rampioni Vinciguerra GL, Franchin G, Fanetti G, Miccichè F, Giacomarra V, Lupato V, Favero A, Concina I, Srinivasan S, Avanzo M, Castiglioni I, Barzan L, Sulfaro S, Petrone G, Viale A, Draetta GF, Vecchione A, Belletti B, Baldassarre G. miR-9 modulates and predicts the response to radiotherapy and EGFR inhibition in HNSCC. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e12872. [PMID: 34062049 PMCID: PMC8261495 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) plus the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody Cetuximab (CTX) is an effective combination therapy for a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. However, predictive markers of efficacy are missing, resulting in many patients treated with disappointing results and unnecessary toxicities. Here, we report that activation of EGFR upregulates miR-9 expression, which sustains the aggressiveness of HNSCC cells and protects from RT-induced cell death. Mechanistically, by targeting KLF5, miR-9 regulates the expression of the transcription factor Sp1 that, in turn, stimulates tumor growth and confers resistance to RT+CTX in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, high miR-9 levels have no effect on the sensitivity of HNSCC cells to cisplatin. In primary HNSCC, miR-9 expression correlated with Sp1 mRNA levels and high miR-9 expression predicted poor prognosis in patients treated with RT+CTX. Overall, we have discovered a new signaling axis linking EGFR activation to Sp1 expression that dictates the response to combination treatments in HNSCC. We propose that miR-9 may represent a valuable biomarker to select which HNSCC patients might benefit from RT+CTX therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Citron
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
- Department of Genomic MedicineThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTXUSA
| | - Ilenia Segatto
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Lorena Musco
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Ilenia Pellarin
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Gian Luca Rampioni Vinciguerra
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
- Faculty of Medicine and PsychologyDepartment of Clinical and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Rome “Sapienza”Santo Andrea HospitalRomeItaly
| | - Giovanni Franchin
- Oncologic Radiotherapy UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Giuseppe Fanetti
- Oncologic Radiotherapy UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Francesco Miccichè
- Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreFondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino GemelliPolo Scienze Oncologiche ed EmatologicheRomeItaly
| | - Vittorio Giacomarra
- Division of OtorhinolaryngologyAzienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli AngeliPordenoneItaly
| | - Valentina Lupato
- Division of OtorhinolaryngologyAzienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli AngeliPordenoneItaly
| | - Andrea Favero
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Isabella Concina
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Sanjana Srinivasan
- Department of Genomic MedicineThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTXUSA
| | - Michele Avanzo
- Medical Physics UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Isabella Castiglioni
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and PhysiologyNational Research Council (IBFM‐CNR)MilanItaly
- Department of PhysicsUniversità degli Studi di Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Luigi Barzan
- Division of OtorhinolaryngologyAzienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli AngeliPordenoneItaly
| | - Sandro Sulfaro
- Division of PathologyAzienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli AngeliPordenoneItaly
| | - Gianluigi Petrone
- Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreFondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino GemelliPolo Scienze Oncologiche ed EmatologicheRomeItaly
- Present address:
Centro Diagnostica MINERVARomeItaly
| | - Andrea Viale
- Department of Genomic MedicineThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTXUSA
| | - Giulio F Draetta
- Department of Genomic MedicineThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTXUSA
| | - Andrea Vecchione
- Faculty of Medicine and PsychologyDepartment of Clinical and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Rome “Sapienza”Santo Andrea HospitalRomeItaly
| | - Barbara Belletti
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| | - Gustavo Baldassarre
- Molecular Oncology UnitCentro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO)IRCCSNational Cancer InstituteAvianoItaly
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ishikawa M, Iwasaki M, Sakamoto A, Ma D. Anesthetics may modulate cancer surgical outcome: a possible role of miRNAs regulation. BMC Anesthesiol 2021; 21:71. [PMID: 33750303 PMCID: PMC7941705 DOI: 10.1186/s12871-021-01294-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background microRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded and noncoding RNA molecules that control post-transcriptional gene regulation. miRNAs can be tumor suppressors or oncogenes through various mechanism including cancer cell biology, cell-to-cell communication, and anti-cancer immunity. Main Body Anesthetics can affect cell biology through miRNA-mediated regulation of messenger RNA (mRNA). Indeed, sevoflurane was reported to upregulate miR-203 and suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation. Propofol reduces matrix metalloproteinase expression through its impact on miRNAs, leading to anti-cancer microenvironmental changes. Propofol also modifies miRNA expression profile in circulating extracellular vesicles with their subsequent anti-cancer effects via modulating cell-to-cell communication. Conclusion Inhalational and intravenous anesthetics can alter cancer cell biology through various cellular signaling pathways induced by miRNAs’ modification. However, this area of research is insufficient and further study is needed to figure out optimal anesthesia regimens for cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Ishikawa
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5, Sendagi, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8603, Japan. .,Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Rd, London, SW10 9NH, UK.
| | - Masae Iwasaki
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5, Sendagi, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8603, Japan.,Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Rd, London, SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Atsuhiro Sakamoto
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5, Sendagi, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8603, Japan
| | - Daqing Ma
- Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Rd, London, SW10 9NH, UK
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Woolaver RA, Wang X, Krinsky AL, Waschke BC, Chen SMY, Popolizio V, Nicklawsky AG, Gao D, Chen Z, Jimeno A, Wang XJ, Wang JH. Differences in TCR repertoire and T cell activation underlie the divergent outcomes of antitumor immune responses in tumor-eradicating versus tumor-progressing hosts. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2020-001615. [PMID: 33414263 PMCID: PMC7797305 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Antitumor immunity is highly heterogeneous between individuals; however, underlying mechanisms remain elusive, despite their potential to improve personalized cancer immunotherapy. Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) vary significantly in immune infiltration and therapeutic responses between patients, demanding a mouse model with appropriate heterogeneity to investigate mechanistic differences. Methods We developed a unique HNSCC mouse model to investigate underlying mechanisms of heterogeneous antitumor immunity. This model system may provide a better control for tumor-intrinsic and host-genetic variables, thereby uncovering the contribution of the adaptive immunity to tumor eradication. We employed single-cell T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing to identify the difference in TCR repertoire of CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the unique activation states linked with different TCR clonotypes. Results We discovered that genetically identical wild-type recipient mice responded heterogeneously to the same squamous cell carcinoma tumors orthotopically transplanted into the buccal mucosa. While tumors initially grew in 100% of recipients and most developed aggressive tumors, ~25% of recipients reproducibly eradicated tumors without intervention. Heterogeneous antitumor responses were dependent on CD8 T cells. Consistently, CD8 TILs in regressing tumors were significantly increased and more activated. Single-cell TCR-sequencing revealed that CD8 TILs from both growing and regressing tumors displayed evidence of clonal expansion compared with splenic controls. However, top TCR clonotypes and TCR specificity groups appear to be mutually exclusive between regressing and growing TILs. Furthermore, many TCRα/TCRβ sequences only occur in one recipient. By coupling single-cell transcriptomic analysis with unique TCR clonotypes, we found that top TCR clonotypes clustered in distinct activation states in regressing versus growing TILs. Intriguingly, the few TCR clonotypes shared between regressors and progressors differed greatly in their activation states, suggesting a more dominant influence from tumor microenvironment than TCR itself on T cell activation status. Conclusions We reveal that intrinsic differences in the TCR repertoire of TILs and their different transcriptional trajectories may underlie the heterogeneous antitumor immune responses in different hosts. We suggest that antitumor immune responses are highly individualized and different hosts employ different TCR specificities against the same tumors, which may have important implications for developing personalized cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Woolaver
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Wang
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Alexandra L Krinsky
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Brittany C Waschke
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Samantha M Y Chen
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Vince Popolizio
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Andrew G Nicklawsky
- Pediatrics, Biostatistics and Informatics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Dexiang Gao
- Pediatrics, Biostatistics and Informatics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Jing Hong Wang
- Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
TGFβ Signaling in Photoaging and UV-Induced Skin Cancer. J Invest Dermatol 2021; 141:1104-1110. [PMID: 33358021 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
UVR is a major etiology for premature skin aging that leads to photoaging and UV-induced skin cancers. In the skin, TGFβ signaling is a growth inhibitor for keratinocytes and a profibrotic factor in the dermis. It exerts context-dependent effects on tumor progression. Chronic UV exposure likely causes TGFβ1/SMAD3 signaling activation and contributes to metalloproteinase-induced collagen degradation and photoinflammation in photoaging. UV irradiation also causes gene mutations in key elements of the TGFβ pathway, including TGFβRI, TGFβRII, SMAD2, and SMAD4. These mutations enable tumor cells to escape from TGFβ-induced growth inhibition and induce genomic instability and cancer stem cells, leading to the initiation, progression, invasion, and metastasis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Furthermore, UV-induced mutations cause TGFβ overexpression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of cSCC, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and cutaneous melanoma, resulting in inflammation, angiogenesis, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune inhibition, supporting cancer survival, immune evasion, and metastasis. The pleiotropic effects of TGFβ provide possible treatment options for photoaging and skin cancer. Given the high UV-induced mutational burden and immune-repressive TME seen in cSCC, BCC, and cutaneous melanoma, treatment with the combination of a TGFβ signaling inhibitor and immune checkpoint blockade could reverse immune evasion to reduce tumor growth.
Collapse
|
22
|
Grzywa TM, Klicka K, Włodarski PK. Regulators at Every Step-How microRNAs Drive Tumor Cell Invasiveness and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3709. [PMID: 33321819 PMCID: PMC7763175 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis are the main causes of mortality in cancer. Tumor progression is composed of many steps, including primary tumor growth, local invasion, intravasation, survival in the circulation, pre-metastatic niche formation, and metastasis. All these steps are strictly controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs can act as oncomiRs that promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis or as tumor suppressor miRNAs that inhibit tumor progression. These miRNAs regulate the actin cytoskeleton, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors including integrins and ECM-remodeling enzymes comprising matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hence modulating cell migration and invasiveness. Moreover, miRNAs regulate angiogenesis, the formation of a pre-metastatic niche, and metastasis. Thus, miRNAs are biomarkers of metastases as well as promising targets of therapy. In this review, we comprehensively describe the role of various miRNAs in tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz M. Grzywa
- Department of Methodology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland; (T.M.G.); (K.K.)
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudia Klicka
- Department of Methodology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland; (T.M.G.); (K.K.)
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł K. Włodarski
- Department of Methodology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland; (T.M.G.); (K.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Regulators at Every Step—How microRNAs Drive Tumor Cell Invasiveness and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123709
expr 991289423 + 939431153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis are the main causes of mortality in cancer. Tumor progression is composed of many steps, including primary tumor growth, local invasion, intravasation, survival in the circulation, pre-metastatic niche formation, and metastasis. All these steps are strictly controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs can act as oncomiRs that promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis or as tumor suppressor miRNAs that inhibit tumor progression. These miRNAs regulate the actin cytoskeleton, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors including integrins and ECM-remodeling enzymes comprising matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and regulate epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), hence modulating cell migration and invasiveness. Moreover, miRNAs regulate angiogenesis, the formation of a pre-metastatic niche, and metastasis. Thus, miRNAs are biomarkers of metastases as well as promising targets of therapy. In this review, we comprehensively describe the role of various miRNAs in tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis.
Collapse
|
24
|
Chen SMY, Bian L, Nicklawsky AG, Krinsky AL, Brunetti T, Woolaver RA, Wang X, Chen Z, Young CD, Gao D, Wang XJ, Wang JH. Deletion of p53 and Hyper-Activation of PIK3CA in Keratin-15 + Stem Cells Lead to the Development of Spontaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6585. [PMID: 32916850 PMCID: PMC7554792 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second commonest type of skin cancer, and SCCs make up about 90% of head and neck cancers (HNSCCs). HNSCCs harbor two frequent molecular alterations, namely, gain-of-function alterations of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) and loss-of-function mutations of tumor protein p53 (TP53). However, it remains poorly understood whether HNSCCs harboring different genetic alterations exhibit differential immune tumor microenvironments (TME). It also remains unknown whether PIK3CA hyperactivation and TP53 deletion can lead to SCC development spontaneously. Here, we analyzed the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets of HNSCCs and found that patients with both PIK3CA and TP53 alterations exhibited worse survival, significantly lower CD8 tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and higher M0 macrophages than other controls. To better model human tumorigenesis, we deleted TP53 and constitutively activated PIK3CA in mouse keratin-15-expressing stem cells, which leads to the spontaneous development of multilineage tumors including SCCs, termed Keratin-15-p53-PIK3CA (KPPA) tumors. KPPA tumors were heavily infiltrated with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), with a drastically increased ratio of polymorphonuclear-MDSC (PMN-MDSC) versus monocytic-MDSC (M-MDSC). CD8 TILs expressed more PD-1 and reduced their polyfunctionality. Overall, we established a genetic model to mimic human HNSCC pathogenesis, manifested with an immunosuppressive TME, which may help further elucidate immune evasion mechanisms and develop more effective immunotherapies for HNSCCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Y. Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Li Bian
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (L.B.); (C.D.Y.)
| | - Andrew G. Nicklawsky
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (A.G.N.); (D.G.)
| | - Alexandra L. Krinsky
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Tonya Brunetti
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Rachel A. Woolaver
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Xiaoguang Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Christian D. Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (L.B.); (C.D.Y.)
| | - Dexiang Gao
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (A.G.N.); (D.G.)
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (L.B.); (C.D.Y.)
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jing H. Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (S.M.Y.C.); (A.L.K.); (T.B.); (R.A.W.); (X.W.); (Z.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gomez KE, Wu F, Keysar SB, Morton JJ, Miller B, Chimed TS, Le PN, Nieto C, Chowdhury FN, Tyagi A, Lyons TR, Young CD, Zhou H, Somerset HL, Wang XJ, Jimeno A. Cancer Cell CD44 Mediates Macrophage/Monocyte-Driven Regulation of Head and Neck Cancer Stem Cells. Cancer Res 2020; 80:4185-4198. [PMID: 32816856 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) cooperate with cancer stem cells (CSC) to maintain stemness. We recently identified cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) as a surface marker defining head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) CSC. PI3K-4EBP1-SOX2 activation and signaling regulate CSC properties, yet the upstream molecular control of this pathway and the mechanisms underlying cross-talk between TAM and CSC in HNSCC remain largely unknown. Because CD44 is a molecular mediator in the TME, we propose here that TAM-influenced CD44 signaling could mediate stemness via the PI3K-4EBP1-SOX2 pathway, possibly by modulating availability of hyaluronic acid (HA), the main CD44 ligand. HNSCC IHC was used to identify TAM/CSC relationships, and in vitro coculture spheroid models and in vivo mouse models were used to identify the influence of TAMs on CSC function via CD44. Patient HNSCC-derived TAMs were positively and negatively associated with CSC marker expression at noninvasive and invasive edge regions, respectively. TAMs increased availability of HA and increased cancer cell invasion. HA binding to CD44 increased PI3K-4EBP1-SOX2 signaling and the CSC fraction, whereas CD44-VCAM-1 binding promoted invasive signaling by ezrin/PI3K. In vivo, targeting CD44 decreased PI3K-4EBP1-SOX2 signaling, tumor growth, and CSC. TAM depletion in syngeneic and humanized mouse models also diminished growth and CSC numbers. Finally, a CD44 isoform switch regulated epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity as standard form of CD44 and CD44v8-10 determined invasive and tumorigenic phenotypes, respectively. We have established a mechanistic link between TAMs and CSCs in HNSCC that is mediated by CD44 intracellular signaling in response to extracellular signals. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings establish a mechanistic link between tumor cell CD44, TAM, and CSC properties at the tumor-stroma interface that can serve as a vital area of focus for target and drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karina E Gomez
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - FangLong Wu
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Stephen B Keysar
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - J Jason Morton
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Bettina Miller
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Tugs-Saikhan Chimed
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Phuong N Le
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Cera Nieto
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Farshad N Chowdhury
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Anit Tyagi
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Traci R Lyons
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Christian D Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hilary L Somerset
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado. .,Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Yao X, Xie L, Zeng Y. MiR-9 Promotes Angiogenesis via Targeting on Sphingosine-1- Phosphate Receptor 1. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:755. [PMID: 32850858 PMCID: PMC7426628 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that vascular endothelial cells released VEGF-enriched exosomes to promote the tumor vasculogenesis and progression after anti-angiogenic therapies (AATs). To clarify how microRNA (miR)-9 promoted the angiogenesis of tumor-associated endothelial cells, in the present study, we investigated the association between miR-9 and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors in angiogenesis. The levels of miR-9 and S1P receptors in normal and tumor endothelial cells were compared with EndoDB database and their correlations were analyzed. The levels of S1P1, S1P2, and S1P3 were detected in miR-9 overexpressing endothelial cells by qRT-PCR and western blot. The binding sites of miR-9 on S1P1 and S1P3 were predicted and tested by dual-luciferase reporter assays. Then, angiogenesis in endothelial cells overexpressing both S1P1 and miR-9 was detected. The results showed that miR-9 is overexpressed in ECs from medulloblastoma and glioblastoma xenograft, which is negatively associated with S1P1 and S1P3. Overexpression of miR-9 significantly inhibited S1P1 and S1P3 in both mRNA and protein levels. We predicted that binding sites exist between miR-9 and S1P1, S1P3, but only S1P1 was directly targeted by miR-9. Overexpression of S1P1 significantly suppressed the miR-9-induced angiogenesis. Therefore, miR-9 induces angiogenesis via targeting on S1P1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinghong Yao
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, School of Medicine of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Linshen Xie
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ye Zeng
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Electric Field Based Dressing Disrupts Mixed-Species Bacterial Biofilm Infection and Restores Functional Wound Healing. Ann Surg 2020; 269:756-766. [PMID: 29099398 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was designed to employ electroceutical principles, as an alternative to pharmacological intervention, to manage wound biofilm infection. Mechanism of action of a United States Food and Drug Administration-cleared wireless electroceutical dressing (WED) was tested in an established porcine chronic wound polymicrobial biofilm infection model involving inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Acinetobacter baumannii 19606. BACKGROUND Bacterial biofilms represent a major wound complication. Resistance of biofilm toward pharmacologic interventions calls for alternative therapeutic strategies. Weak electric field has anti-biofilm properties. We have previously reported the development of WED involving patterned deposition of Ag and Zn on fabric. When moistened, WED generates a weak electric field without any external power supply and can be used as any other disposable dressing. METHODS WED dressing was applied within 2 hours of wound infection to test its ability to prevent biofilm formation. Alternatively, WED was applied after 7 days of infection to study disruption of established biofilm. Wounds were treated with placebo dressing or WED twice a week for 56 days. RESULTS Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that WED prevented and disrupted wound biofilm aggregates. WED accelerated functional wound closure by restoring skin barrier function. WED blunted biofilm-induced expression of (1) P. aeruginosa quorum sensing mvfR (pqsR), rhlR and lasR genes, and (2) miR-9 and silencing of E-cadherin. E-cadherin is critically required for skin barrier function. Furthermore, WED rescued against biofilm-induced persistent inflammation by circumventing nuclear factor kappa B activation and its downstream cytokine responses. CONCLUSION This is the first pre-clinical porcine mechanistic study to recognize the potential of electroceuticals as an effective platform technology to combat wound biofilm infection.
Collapse
|
28
|
Palacios-García J, Sanz-Flores M, Asensio A, Alvarado R, Rojo-Berciano S, Stamatakis K, Paramio JM, Cano A, Nieto MÁ, García-Escudero R, Mayor F, Ribas C. G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 safeguards epithelial phenotype in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:218-229. [PMID: 31850518 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) arises from the mucosal lining of the upper aerodigestive tract and display few treatment options in advanced stages. Despite increased knowledge of HNSCC molecular biology, the identification of new players involved in triggering HNSCC recurrence and metastatic disease is needed. We uncover that G-protein-coupled receptor kinase-2 (GRK2) expression is reduced in undifferentiated, high-grade human HNSCC tumors, whereas its silencing in model human HNSCC cells is sufficient to trigger epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotypic features, an EMT-like transcriptional program and enhanced lymph node colonization from orthotopic tongue tumors in mice. Conversely, enhancing GRK2 expression counteracts mesenchymal cells traits by mechanisms involving phosphorylation and decreased functionality of the key EMT inducer Snail1. Our results suggest that GRK2 safeguards the epithelial phenotype, whereas its downregulation contributes to the activation of EMT programs in HNSCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Palacios-García
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Sanz-Flores
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Asensio
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Alvarado
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Rojo-Berciano
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, ISCIII (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Konstantinos Stamatakis
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús M Paramio
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Institute I+12, University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Amparo Cano
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioquímica e Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Ángela Nieto
- Unidad de Neurobiología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC-UMH, Alicante, Spain
| | - Ramón García-Escudero
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Institute I+12, University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), and Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Federico Mayor
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, ISCIII (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Catalina Ribas
- Departamento de Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, ISCIII (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Bigoni-Ordóñez GD, Czarnowski D, Parsons T, Madlambayan GJ, Villa-Diaz LG. Integrin α6 (CD49f), The Microenvironment and Cancer Stem Cells. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 14:428-436. [PMID: 30280675 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x13666181002151330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is a highly prevalent and potentially terminal disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Here, we review the literature exploring the intricacies of stem cells bearing tumorigenic characteristics and collect evidence demonstrating the importance of integrin α6 (ITGA6, also known as CD49f) in cancer stem cell (CSC) activity. ITGA6 is commonly used to identify CSC populations in various tissues and plays an important role sustaining the self-renewal of CSCs by interconnecting them with the tumorigenic microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele D Bigoni-Ordóñez
- Division de Investigacion Basica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Secretaria de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico.,Programa de Maestría y Doctorado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, Facultad de Química, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Daniel Czarnowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, United States
| | - Tyler Parsons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, United States
| | - Gerard J Madlambayan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, United States
| | - Luis G Villa-Diaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, United States
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Essers PBM, van der Heijden M, Verhagen CVM, Ploeg EM, de Roest RH, Leemans CR, Brakenhoff RH, van den Brekel MWM, Bartelink H, Verheij M, Vens C. Drug Sensitivity Prediction Models Reveal a Link between DNA Repair Defects and Poor Prognosis in HNSCC. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5597-5611. [PMID: 31515237 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is characterized by the frequent manifestation of DNA crosslink repair defects. We established novel expression-based DNA repair defect markers to determine the clinical impact of such repair defects. Using hypersensitivity to the DNA crosslinking agents, mitomycin C and olaparib, as proxies for functional DNA repair defects in a panel of 25 HNSCC cell lines, we applied machine learning to define gene expression models that predict repair defects. The expression profiles established predicted hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging agents and were associated with mutations in crosslink repair genes, as well as downregulation of DNA damage response and repair genes, in two independent datasets. The prognostic value of the repair defect prediction profiles was assessed in two retrospective cohorts with a total of 180 patients with advanced HPV-negative HNSCC, who were treated with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy. DNA repair defects, as predicted by the profiles, were associated with poor outcome in both patient cohorts. The poor prognosis association was particularly strong in normoxic tumor samples and was linked to an increased risk of distant metastasis. In vitro, only crosslink repair-defective HNSCC cell lines are highly migratory and invasive. This phenotype could also be induced in cells by inhibiting rad51 in repair competent and reduced by DNA-PK inhibition. In conclusion, DNA crosslink repair prediction expression profiles reveal a poor prognosis association in HNSCC. SIGNIFICANCE: This study uses innovative machine learning-based approaches to derive models that predict the effect of DNA repair defects on treatment outcome in HNSCC.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/79/21/5597/F1.large.jpg.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul B M Essers
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn van der Heijden
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Head and Neck Oncology and Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline V M Verhagen
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Emily M Ploeg
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Reinout H de Roest
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - C René Leemans
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ruud H Brakenhoff
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel W M van den Brekel
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology and Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Harry Bartelink
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel Verheij
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Conchita Vens
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. .,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Wu FL, Nolan K, Strait AA, Bian L, Nguyen KA, Wang JH, Jimeno A, Zhou HM, Young CD, Wang XJ. Macrophages Promote Growth of Squamous Cancer Independent of T cells. J Dent Res 2019; 98:896-903. [PMID: 31189369 DOI: 10.1177/0022034519854734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral cancers, primarily squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), progress either slowly or aggressively. Here we assessed the role of macrophages in SCC behavior. We used mouse SCC cells derived from tumors harboring a KrasG12D activation mutation and Smad4 deletion in keratin 15-positive stem cells and a human oral SCC cell line, FaDu, which has NRAS amplification and SMAD4 deletion. SCC cells were transplanted into immune-compromised or immune-competent (syngeneic) recipients. After tumors were established, we used clodronate liposomes to ablate macrophages. We found that the number of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) was not affected by the presence of T cells but differed considerably among tumors derived from different SCC lines. Clodronate significantly reduced TAMs and splenic macrophages, resulting in reduced SCC volumes. Tumors with clodronate treatment did not show decreased proliferation but did exhibit increased apoptosis and reduced vascular density. FLIP (Fas-associated via death domain-like interleukin 1β-converting enzyme inhibitory protein), an apoptosis inhibitor abundantly produced in tumor cells and TAMs, was reduced in tumor cells of clodronate-treated mice. Reduced FLIP levels correlated with reductions in phosphorylated nuclear NFκB p65 and NFκB inhibitor attenuated FLIP protein levels in SCC cells. Furthermore, TGFβ1 serum levels and pSmad3 were reduced in clodronate-treated mice, but their reductions were insufficient to reverse epithelial-mesenchymal transition or TGFβ-mediated angiogenesis in endothelial cells. Consequently, metastasis was not significantly reduced by macrophage reduction. However, reduced pSmad3 correlated with reduction of its transcriptional target, vascular endothelial growth factor A, in clodronate-treated tumor cells, which correlated with reduced vascular density in clodronate-treated tumors. Taken together, our study revealed that macrophages contribute to SCC expansion through interactions with tumor cells but are dispensable for SCC metastasis. Our study provides novel insights into understanding the contributions and limitations of TAMs in SCC progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F L Wu
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - K Nolan
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - A A Strait
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - L Bian
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - K A Nguyen
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J H Wang
- 3 Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - A Jimeno
- 4 Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - H M Zhou
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - C D Young
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - X J Wang
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,5 Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Hernandez AL, Young CD, Wang JH, Wang XJ. Lessons learned from SMAD4 loss in squamous cell carcinomas. Mol Carcinog 2019; 58:1648-1655. [PMID: 31140647 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
SMAD4 is a potent tumor suppressor and a central mediator of the TGFß signaling pathway. SMAD4 genetic loss is frequent in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Reports of SMAD4 expression in SCCs vary significantly possibly due to inter-tumor heterogeneity or technical reasons. SMAD4 loss is an initiation event for SCCs. In tumor epithelial cells, SMAD4 loss causes increased proliferation, decreased apoptosis, and "Brca-like" genomic instability associated with DNA repair defects. SMAD4 loss also plays a role in the expansion of cancer stem cells. Epithelial SMAD4 loss causes overexpression of TGFß that is released into the tumor microenvironment and contributes to SCC progression through proinflammatory and immune evasive mechanisms. SMAD4 loss, while not a direct therapeutic target, is associated with multiple targetable pathways that require further therapeutic studies. Altogether, SMAD4 loss is a potential biomarker in SCCs that should be further studied for its values in prognostic and therapeutic predictions. Such information will potentially guide future biomarker-driven clinical trial designs and improve SCC patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L Hernandez
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Christian D Young
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jing H Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado.,Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Hu J, Mirshahidi S, Simental A, Lee SC, De Andrade Filho PA, Peterson NR, Duerksen-Hughes P, Yuan X. Cancer stem cell self-renewal as a therapeutic target in human oral cancer. Oncogene 2019; 38:5440-5456. [PMID: 30936460 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0800-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tumor recurrence following treatment remains a major clinical challenge in oral cavity cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been isolated from human oral cancers and been considered as the driving force of tumor recurrence and metastasis. However, it still remains unclear whether targeting CSCs in oral cancer is a clinically relevant strategy to combat cancer recurrence and metastasis. Here, using clinical cancer specimens and patient-derived xenografts, we show that the self-renewal regulator BMI1 is highly expressed in CSCs of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Inhibition of BMI1 decreases oral CSCs' self-renewal and tumor-initiating potential. Treatment of pre-established human oral cancer xenografts with a BMI1 inhibitor resulted in abrogation of tumor progression and reduced the frequency of CSCs in the xenografts. Remarkably, the BMI1 inhibitor has therapeutic effects in cisplatin-resistant tumors and can reduce metastases initiated by circulating CSCs. Mechanistically, BMI1-inhibition leads to oral CSC necroptotic cell death, which underlies the self-renewal impairment after inhibiting BMI1. Our data provide a pre-clinical proof-of-concept that targeting BMI1-related CSC self-renewal is a clinically relevant anti-cancer therapy in human oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinwei Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA.,Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fontana Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Fontana, CA, 92335, USA
| | - Saied Mirshahidi
- Cancer Center Biospecimen Laboratory, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA.,Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA
| | - Alfred Simental
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA
| | - Steve C Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA
| | - Pedro A De Andrade Filho
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA
| | - Nathaniel R Peterson
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA
| | - Penelope Duerksen-Hughes
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA
| | - Xiangpeng Yuan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA. .,Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
PDGFR-induced autocrine SDF-1 signaling in cancer cells promotes metastasis in advanced skin carcinoma. Oncogene 2019; 38:5021-5037. [PMID: 30874597 PMCID: PMC6756210 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0773-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Advanced and undifferentiated skin squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) exhibit aggressive growth and enhanced metastasis capability, which is associated in mice with an expansion of the cancer stem-like cell (CSC) population and with changes in the regulatory mechanisms that control the proliferation and invasion of these cells. Indeed, autocrine activation of PDGFRα induces CSC invasion and promotes distant metastasis in advanced SCCs. However, the mechanisms involved in this process were unclear. Here, we show that CSCs of mouse advanced SCCs (L-CSCs) express CXCR4 and CXCR7, both receptors of SDF-1. PDGFRα signaling induces SDF-1 expression and secretion, and the autocrine activation of this pathway in L-CSCs. Autocrine SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling induces L-CSC proliferation and survival, and mediates PDGFRα-induced invasion, promoting in vivo lung metastasis. Validation of these findings in patient samples of skin SCCs shows a strong correlation between the expression of SDF1, PDGFRA, and PDGFRB, which is upregulated, along CXCR4 in tumor cells of advanced SCCs. Furthermore, PDGFR regulates SDF-1 expression and inhibition of SDF-1/CXCR4 and PDGFR pathways blocks distant metastasis of human PD/S-SCCs. Our results indicate that functional crosstalk between PDGFR/SDF-1 signaling regulates tumor cell invasion and metastasis in human and mouse advanced SCCs, and suggest that CXCR4 and/or PDGFR inhibitors could be used to block metastasis of these aggressive tumors.
Collapse
|
35
|
Li JH, McMillan RH, Begum A, Gocke CB, Matsui W. IQGAP1 Maintains Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Clonogenic Growth and Metastasis. Pancreas 2019; 48:94-98. [PMID: 30540680 PMCID: PMC6293988 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000001198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES IQ motif containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) acts as a scaffold for aberrant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling driven by KRAS mutations in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We determined the role of IQGAP1 in clonogenic growth and metastasis in PDAC. METHODS We inhibited IQGAP1 expression using shRNA and assessed clonogenic growth, cell migration, and MAPK signaling in vitro and tumor initiation and metastasis in vivo. The efficacy of a peptide mimicking the IQGAP1 WW domain that binds and inhibits ERK1/2 was determined in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS IQGAP1 loss inhibited clonogenic growth and migration of KRAS-dependent PDAC cells by disrupting MAPK signaling. In mice, IQGAP1 knockdown decreased tumor-initiating cell frequency and metastasis. WW peptide treatment inhibited clonogenic growth and in vivo tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma clonogenic growth, metastasis, and tumor initiation are dependent on MAPK signaling via IQGAP1. Treatment with a WW peptide disrupts IQGAP1 function and represents a novel targeting strategy for PDAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joey H Li
- From the Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Le PN, Keysar SB, Miller B, Eagles JR, Chimed TS, Reisinger J, Gomez KE, Nieto C, Jackson BC, Somerset HL, Morton JJ, Wang XJ, Jimeno A. Wnt signaling dynamics in head and neck squamous cell cancer tumor-stroma interactions. Mol Carcinog 2018; 58:398-410. [PMID: 30378175 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Wnt pathway activation maintains the cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype and promotes tumor progression, making it an attractive target for anti-cancer therapy. Wnt signaling at the tumor and tumor microenvironment (TME) front have not been investigated in depth in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In a cohort of 48 HNSCCs, increased Wnt signaling, including Wnt genes (AXIN2, LGR6, WISP1) and stem cell factors (RET, SOX5, KIT), were associated with a more advanced clinical stage. Key Wnt pathway proteins were most abundant at the cancer epithelial-stromal boundary. To investigate these observations, we generated three pairs of cancer-cancer associated fibroblast (CAF) cell lines derived from the same HNSCC patients. 3D co-culture of cancer spheres and CAFs mimicked these in vivo interactions, and using these we observed increased expression of Wnt genes (eg, WNT3A, WNT7A, WNT16) in both compartments. Of these Wnt ligands, we found Wnt3a, and less consistently Wnt16, activated Wnt signaling in both cancer cells and CAFs. Wnt activation increased CSC characteristics like sphere formation and invasiveness, which was further regulated by the presence of CAFs. Time lapse microscopy also revealed preferential Wnt activation of cancer cells. Wnt inhibitors, OMP-18R5 and OMP-54F28, significantly reduced growth of HNSCC patient-derived xenografts and suppressed Wnt activation at the tumor epithelial-stromal boundary. Taken together, our findings suggest that Wnt signaling is initiated in cancer cells which then activate CAFs, and in turn perpetuate a paracrine signaling loop. This suggests that targeting Wnt signaling in the TME is essential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phuong N Le
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Stephen B Keysar
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Bettina Miller
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Justin R Eagles
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Tugs-Saikhan Chimed
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Julie Reisinger
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Karina E Gomez
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Cera Nieto
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Brian C Jackson
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - John J Morton
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, UCDSOM, Aurora, Colorado.,Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, UCDSOM, Aurora, Colorado.,Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Antonio Jimeno
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM), Aurora, Colorado.,Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, UCDSOM, Aurora, Colorado
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Hersi HM, Raulf N, Gaken J, Folarin N, Tavassoli M. MicroRNA-9 inhibits growth and invasion of head and neck cancer cells and is a predictive biomarker of response to plerixafor, an inhibitor of its target CXCR4. Mol Oncol 2018; 12:2023-2041. [PMID: 29959873 PMCID: PMC6275261 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are associated with poor morbidity and mortality. Current treatment strategies are highly toxic and do not benefit over 50% of patients. There is therefore a crucial need for predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers to allow treatment stratification for individual patients. One class of biomarkers that has recently gained importance are microRNA (miRNA). MiRNA are small, noncoding molecules which regulate gene expression post‐transcriptionally. We performed miRNA expression profiling of a cohort of head and neck tumours with known clinical outcomes. The results showed miR‐9 to be significantly downregulated in patients with poor treatment outcome, indicating its role as a potential biomarker in HNSCC. Overexpression of miR‐9 in HNSCC cell lines significantly decreased cellular proliferation and inhibited colony formation in soft agar. Conversely, miR‐9 knockdown significantly increased both these features. Importantly, endogenous CXCR4 expression levels, a known target of miR‐9, inversely correlated with miR‐9 expression in a panel of HNSCC cell lines tested. Induced overexpression of CXCR4 in low expressing cells increased proliferation, colony formation and cell cycle progression. Moreover, CXCR4‐specific ligand, CXCL12, enhanced cellular proliferation, migration, colony formation and invasion in CXCR4‐overexpressing and similarly in miR‐9 knockdown cells. CXCR4‐specific inhibitor plerixafor abrogated the oncogenic phenotype of CXCR4 overexpression as well as miR‐9 knockdown. Our data demonstrate a clear role for miR‐9 as a tumour suppressor microRNA in HNSCC, and its role seems to be mediated through CXCR4 suppression. MiR‐9 knockdown, similar to CXCR4 overexpression, significantly promoted aggressive HNSCC tumour cell characteristics. Our results suggest CXCR4‐specific inhibitor plerixafor as a potential therapeutic agent, and miR‐9 as a possible predictive biomarker of treatment response in HNSCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nina Raulf
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King's College London, UK
| | - Joop Gaken
- Department of Haematological Medicine, The Rayne Institute, King's College London, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Dai WJ, Qiu J, Sun J, Ma CL, Huang N, Jiang Y, Zeng J, Ren BC, Li WC, Li YH. Downregulation of microRNA-9 reduces inflammatory response and fibroblast proliferation in mice with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis through the ANO1-mediated TGF-β-Smad3 pathway. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:2552-2565. [PMID: 30144053 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease with increasing occurrence, high death rates and unfavorable treatment regimens. In the current study, we identified the expression of microRNA-9 (miR-9) and anoctamin-1 (ANO1) in IPF mouse models induced by bleomycin, and their effects on inflammation and fibroblast proliferation through the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-Smad3 pathway. To verify the targeting relationship between miR-9 and ANO1, we used bioinformatics prediction and conducted a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of miR-9 and the target gene ANO1 were investigated mainly with the treatment of miR-9 mimic, miR-9 inhibitor, or siRNA against ANO1 in fibroblasts isolated from IPF mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to investigate the effect of miR-9 or ANO1 on inflammatory factors. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry were used to detect fibroblast proliferation and apoptosis. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were applied to measure the expression of the TGF-β-Smad3 pathway-related genes. The determination of luciferase activity suggested that miR-9 targets ANO1. Upregulation of miR-9 or silencing of ANO1 intensified inflammation in IPF, promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptotic ability of lung fibroblasts. MiR-9 negatively modulated ANO1, and thus activated the TGF-β-Smad3 pathway. These findings suggest that miR-9 can indirectly activate the TGF-β-Smad3 pathway by inhibiting the expression of ANO1, thereby aggravating inflammation, promotes proliferation and suppressing apoptosis of lung fibroblasts in mice models of IPF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jing Dai
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Qiu
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Chun-Lan Ma
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Na Huang
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Zeng
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo-Chen Ren
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Wan-Cheng Li
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yun-Hui Li
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Dionne LK, Peterman E, Schiel J, Gibieža P, Skeberdis VA, Jimeno A, Wang XJ, Prekeris R. FYCO1 regulates accumulation of post-mitotic midbodies by mediating LC3-dependent midbody degradation. J Cell Sci 2018; 130:4051-4062. [PMID: 29196475 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.208983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The post-mitotic midbody (MB) is a remnant of cytokinesis that can be asymmetrically inherited by one of the daughter cells following cytokinesis. Until recently, the MB was thought to be degraded immediately following cytokinesis. However, recent evidence suggests that the MB is a protein-rich organelle that accumulates in stem cell and cancer cell populations, indicating that it may have post-mitotic functions. Here, we investigate the role of FYCO1, an LC3-binding protein (herein, LC3 refers to MAP1LC3B), and its function in regulating the degradation of post-mitotic MBs. We show that FYCO1 is responsible for formation of LC3-containing membrane around the post-mitotic MB and that FYCO1 knockdown increases MB accumulation. Although MBs accumulate in the stem-cell-like population of squamous cell carcinomas, FYCO1 depletion does not affect the clonogenicity of these cells. Instead, MB accumulation leads to an increase in anchorage-independent growth and invadopodia formation in HeLa cells and squamous carcinoma cells. Collectively, our data suggest that FYCO1 regulates MB degradation, and we present the first evidence that cancer invasiveness is a feature that can be modulated by the accumulation of MBs in cancer stem cells.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lai Kuan Dionne
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Eric Peterman
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - John Schiel
- GE Healthcare Dharmacon Inc., 2650 Crescent Drive, Suite 100, Lafayette, CO 80026, USA
| | - Paulius Gibieža
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas 50161, Lithuania
| | | | - Antonio Jimeno
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Rytis Prekeris
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Nowek K, Wiemer EA, Jongen-Lavrencic M. The versatile nature of miR-9/9 * in human cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 9:20838-20854. [PMID: 29755694 PMCID: PMC5945517 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
miR-9 and miR-9* (miR-9/9*) were first shown to be expressed in the nervous system and to function as versatile regulators of neurogenesis. The variable expression levels of miR-9/9* in human cancer prompted researchers to investigate whether these small RNAs may also have an important role in the deregulation of physiological and biochemical networks in human disease. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the involvement of miR-9/9* in various human malignancies focusing on their opposing roles in supporting or suppressing tumor development and metastasis. Importantly, it is shown that the capacity of miR-9/9* to impact tumor formation is independent from their influence on the metastatic potential of tumor cells. Moreover, data suggest that miR-9/9* may increase malignancy of one cancer cell population at the expense of another. The functional versatility of miR-9/9* emphasizes the complexity of studying miRNA function and the importance to perform functional studies of both miRNA strands in a relevant cellular context. The possible application of miR-9/9* as targets for miRNA-based therapies is discussed, emphasizing the need to obtain a better understanding of the functional properties of these miRNAs and to develop safe delivery methods to target specific cell populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Nowek
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik A.C. Wiemer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mojca Jongen-Lavrencic
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Luo JJ, Young CD, Zhou HM, Wang XJ. Mouse Models for Studying Oral Cancer: Impact in the Era of Cancer Immunotherapy. J Dent Res 2018; 97:683-690. [PMID: 29649368 DOI: 10.1177/0022034518767635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Model systems for oral cancer research have progressed from tumor epithelial cell cultures to in vivo systems that mimic oral cancer genetics, pathological characteristics, and tumor-stroma interactions of oral cancer patients. In the era of cancer immunotherapy, it is imperative to use model systems to test oral cancer prevention and therapeutic interventions in the presence of an immune system and to discover mechanisms of stromal contributions to oral cancer carcinogenesis. Here, we review in vivo mouse model systems commonly used for studying oral cancer and discuss the impact these models are having in advancing basic mechanisms, chemoprevention, and therapeutic intervention of oral cancer while highlighting recent discoveries concerning the role of immune cells in oral cancer. Improvements to in vivo model systems that highly recapitulate human oral cancer hold the key to identifying features of oral cancer initiation, progression, and invasion as well as molecular and cellular targets for prevention, therapeutic response, and immunotherapy development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J J Luo
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - C D Young
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - H M Zhou
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - X J Wang
- 2 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Lima JF, Cerqueira L, Figueiredo C, Oliveira C, Azevedo NF. Anti-miRNA oligonucleotides: A comprehensive guide for design. RNA Biol 2018; 15:338-352. [PMID: 29570036 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2018.1445959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. As a consequence of their function towards mRNA, miRNAs are widely associated with the pathogenesis of several human diseases, making miRNAs a target for new therapeutic strategies based on the control of their expression. Indeed, numerous works were published in the past decades showing the potential use of antisense oligonucleotides to target aberrant miRNAs (AMOs) involved in several human pathologies. New classes of chemical-modified-AMOs, including locked nucleic acid oligonucleotides, have recently proved their worth in silencing miRNAs. A correct design of a specific AMOs can help to improve their performance and potency towards the target miRNA by increasing for instance nuclease resistance and target affinity. This review outlines the technologies involved to suppress aberrant miRNAs. From the design strategies used in AMOs to its application in novel miRNA-based therapeutics and detection methodologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joana Filipa Lima
- a LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering , Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto , R. Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto , Portugal.,b Biomode 2, S. A., INL - Avda. Mestre José Veiga s/n, Braga , Portugal.,c i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto , R. Alfredo Allen, Porto , Portugal.,d IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, Porto , Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- a LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering , Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto , R. Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto , Portugal.,b Biomode 2, S. A., INL - Avda. Mestre José Veiga s/n, Braga , Portugal
| | - Ceu Figueiredo
- c i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto , R. Alfredo Allen, Porto , Portugal.,d IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, Porto , Portugal.,e FMUP, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto , Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto , Portugal
| | - Carla Oliveira
- c i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto , R. Alfredo Allen, Porto , Portugal.,d IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, Porto , Portugal.,e FMUP, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto , Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto , Portugal
| | - Nuno Filipe Azevedo
- a LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering , Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto , R. Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto , Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Mishra AK, Kadoishi T, Wang X, Driver E, Chen Z, Wang XJ, Wang JH. Squamous cell carcinomas escape immune surveillance via inducing chronic activation and exhaustion of CD8+ T Cells co-expressing PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibitory receptors. Oncotarget 2018; 7:81341-81356. [PMID: 27835902 PMCID: PMC5340255 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second commonest type of skin cancer. Moreover, about 90% of head and neck cancers are SCCs. SCCs develop at a significantly higher rate under chronic immunosuppressive conditions, implicating a role of immune surveillance in controlling SCCs. It remains largely unknown how SCCs evade immune recognition. Here, we established a mouse model by injecting tumor cells derived from primary SCCs harboring KrasG12D mutation and Smad4 deletion into wild-type (wt) or CD8−/− recipients. We found comparable tumor growth between wt and CD8−/− recipients, indicating a complete escape of CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses by these SCCs. Mechanistically, CD8+ T cells apparently were not defective in infiltrating tumors given their relatively increased percentage among tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). CD8+ TILs exhibited phenotypes of chronic activation and exhaustion, including overexpression of activation markers, co-expression of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), as well as TCRβ downregulation. Among CD4+ TILs, T regulatory cells (Tregs) were preferentially expanded. Contradictory to prior findings in melanoma, Treg expansion was independent of CD8+ T cells in our SCC model. Unexpectedly, CD8+ T cells were required for promoting NK cell infiltration within SCCs. Furthermore, we uncovered AKT-dependent lymphocyte-induced PD-L1 upregulation on SCCs, which was contributed greatly by combinatorial effects of CD8+ T and NK cells. Lastly, dual blockade of PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibited the tumor growth of SCCs. Thus, our findings identify novel immune evasion mechanisms of SCCs and suggest that immunosuppressive mechanisms operate in a cancer-type specific and context-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ameet K Mishra
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Tanya Kadoishi
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Emily Driver
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jing H Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The pathogenesis of lung cancer and pulmonary fibrotic disorders partially overlaps. This review focuses on the common features of the two disease categories, aimed at advancing our translational understanding of their pathobiology and at fostering the development of new therapies. RECENT FINDINGS Both malignant and collagen-producing lung cells display enhanced cellular proliferation, increased resistance to apoptosis, a propensity for invading and distorting the lung parenchyma, as well as stemness potential. These characteristics are reinforced by the tissue microenvironment and inflammation seems to play an important adjuvant role in both types of disorders. SUMMARY Unraveling the thread of the common and distinct characteristics of lung fibrosis and cancer might contribute to a more comprehensive approach of the pathobiology of both diseases and to a pathfinder for novel and personalized therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
45
|
S100A4 promotes lung tumor development through β-catenin pathway-mediated autophagy inhibition. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:277. [PMID: 29449540 PMCID: PMC5833421 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0319-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy has emerged as a critical pathway in tumor development. S100A4 plays important roles in tumor metastasis, but its role in regulating autophagy has not been well characterized. In this study, we found that S100A4 was significantly upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Clinical investigation demonstrated that high expression level of S100A4 was associated with tumor size and advanced tumor grades of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Moreover, our results revealed that extracellular S100A4 or overexpression of S100A4 inhibited starvation-induced autophagy and promoted cell proliferation in lung cancer cells in vitro; whereas small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated suppression of S100A4 increased autophagy and reduced cell viability in both A549 and LLC cells. Additionally, S100A4 inhibited starvation-induced autophagy to promote tumor cell viability via the Wnt pathway. Increased expression of β-catenin consistently led to a decreased LC3-II protein abundance. Further, the inhibitory effect of S100A4 on autophagy and its promotion role in cell proliferation was abolished in A549 and LLC cells using the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE)-specific inhibitor (FPS-ZM1). S100A4-deficient mice showed retarded tumor development. This effect was well correlated with increased expression of autophagy markers. Our findings demonstrate that S100A4 promotes lung tumor development through inhibiting autophagy in a β-catenin signaling and S100A4 receptor RAGE-dependent manner, which provides a novel mechanism of S100A4-associated promotion of tumor development.
Collapse
|
46
|
Cheng D, Zhao S, Tang H, Zhang D, Sun H, Yu F, Jiang W, Yue B, Wang J, Zhang M, Yu Y, Liu X, Sun X, Zhou Z, Qin X, Zhang X, Yan D, Wen Y, Peng Z. MicroRNA-20a-5p promotes colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis by downregulating Smad4. Oncotarget 2018; 7:45199-45213. [PMID: 27286257 PMCID: PMC5216716 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor metastasis is one of the leading causes of poor prognosis for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Loss of Smad4 contributes to aggression process in many human cancers. However, the underlying precise mechanism of aberrant Smad4 expression in CRC development is still little known. RESULTS miR-20a-5p negatively regulated Smad4 by directly targeting its 3'UTR in human colorectal cancer cells. miR-20a-5p not only promoted CRC cells aggression capacity in vitro and liver metastasis in vivo, but also promoted the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process by downregulating Smad4 expression. In addition, tissue microarray analysis obtained from 544 CRC patients' clinical characters showed that miR-20a-5p was upregulated in human CRC tissues, especially in the tissues with metastasis. High level of miR-20a-5p predicted poor prognosis in CRC patients. METHODS Five miRNA target prediction programs were applied to identify potential miRNA(s) that target(s) Smad4 in CRC. Luciferase reporter assay and transfection technique were used to validate the correlation between miR-20a-5p and Smad4 in CRC. Wound healing, transwell and tumorigenesis assays were used to explore the function of miR-20a-5p and Smad4 in CRC progression in vitro and in vivo. The association between miR-20a-5p expression and the prognosis of CRC patients was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate cox proportional hazard analyses based on tissue microarray data. CONCLUSIONS miR-20a-5p, as an onco-miRNA, promoted the invasion and metastasis ability by suppressing Smad4 expression in CRC cells, and high miR-20a-5p predicted poor prognosis for CRC patients, providing a novel and promising therapeutic target in human colorectal cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dantong Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Senlin Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Huamei Tang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongyuan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongcheng Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fudong Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiliang Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ben Yue
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingtao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Affiliated Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xisheng Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofeng Sun
- Department of Oncology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Zongguang Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuebin Qin
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dongwang Yan
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yugang Wen
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Zhihai Peng
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Wu F, Weigel KJ, Zhou H, Wang XJ. Paradoxical roles of TGF-β signaling in suppressing and promoting squamous cell carcinoma. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2018; 50:98-105. [PMID: 29206939 PMCID: PMC5846704 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmx127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling either promotes or inhibits tumor formation and/or progression of many cancer types including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Canonical TGF-β signaling is mediated by a number of downstream proteins including Smad family proteins. Alterations in either TGF-β or Smad signaling can impact cancer. For instance, defects in TGF-β type I and type II receptors (TGF-βRI and TGF-βRII) and in Smad2/3/4 could promote tumor development. Conversely, increased TGF-β1 and activated TGF-βRI and Smad3 have all been shown to have tumor-promoting effects in experimental systems of human and mouse SCCs. Among TGF-β/Smad signaling, only TGF-βRII or Smad4 deletion in mouse epithelium causes spontaneous SCC in the mouse model, highlighting the critical roles of TGF-βRII and Smad4 in tumor suppression. Herein, we review the dual roles of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and related mechanisms in SCC, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges of TGF-β/Smad-targeted therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanglong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kelsey J Weigel
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral Medicine, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Citron F, Armenia J, Franchin G, Polesel J, Talamini R, D'Andrea S, Sulfaro S, Croce CM, Klement W, Otasek D, Pastrello C, Tokar T, Jurisica I, French D, Bomben R, Vaccher E, Serraino D, Belletti B, Vecchione A, Barzan L, Baldassarre G. An Integrated Approach Identifies Mediators of Local Recurrence in Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:3769-3780. [PMID: 28174235 PMCID: PMC7309652 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-2814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) cause more than 300,000 deaths worldwide each year. Locoregional and distant recurrences represent worse prognostic events and accepted surrogate markers of patients' overall survival. No valid biomarker and salvage therapy exist to identify and treat patients at high-risk of recurrence. We aimed to verify if selected miRNAs could be used as biomarkers of recurrence in HNSCC.Experimental Design: A NanoString array was used to identify miRNAs associated with locoregional recurrence in 44 patients with HNSCC. Bioinformatic approaches validated the signature and identified potential miRNA targets. Validation experiments were performed using an independent cohort of primary HNSCC samples and a panel of HNSCC cell lines. In vivo experiments validated the in vitro results.Results: Our data identified a four-miRNA signature that classified HNSCC patients at high- or low-risk of recurrence. These miRNAs collectively impinge on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. In silico and wet lab approaches showed that miR-9, expressed at high levels in recurrent HNSCC, targets SASH1 and KRT13, whereas miR-1, miR-133, and miR-150, expressed at low levels in recurrent HNSCC, collectively target SP1 and TGFβ pathways. A six-gene signature comprising these targets identified patients at high risk of recurrences, as well. Combined pharmacological inhibition of SP1 and TGFβ pathways induced HNSCC cell death and, when timely administered, prevented recurrence formation in a preclinical model of HNSCC recurrence.Conclusions: By integrating different experimental approaches and competences, we identified critical mediators of recurrence formation in HNSCC that may merit to be considered for future clinical development. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3769-80. ©2017 AACR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Citron
- Division of Molecular Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Joshua Armenia
- Division of Molecular Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Franchin
- Oncologic Radiotherapy, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Jerry Polesel
- Cancer Epidemiology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Renato Talamini
- Cancer Epidemiology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Sara D'Andrea
- Division of Molecular Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Sandro Sulfaro
- Division of Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli Angeli, Pordenone, Italy
| | - Carlo M Croce
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics/CCC, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - William Klement
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Otasek
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chiara Pastrello
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tomas Tokar
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Igor Jurisica
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Medical Biophysics and Computer Science, University of Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Deborah French
- Faculty of Medicine and Psicology, Department of Clinical and molecular Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza," Santo Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Bomben
- Clinical and Experimental Onco-Hematology Unit, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Emanuela Vaccher
- Medical Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Diego Serraino
- Cancer Epidemiology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Barbara Belletti
- Division of Molecular Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy
| | - Andrea Vecchione
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics/CCC, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
- Faculty of Medicine and Psicology, Department of Clinical and molecular Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza," Santo Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Barzan
- Department of Surgery, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy.
| | - Gustavo Baldassarre
- Division of Molecular Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Chen D, Wu M, Li Y, Chang I, Yuan Q, Ekimyan-Salvo M, Deng P, Yu B, Yu Y, Dong J, Szymanski JM, Ramadoss S, Li J, Wang CY. Targeting BMI1 + Cancer Stem Cells Overcomes Chemoresistance and Inhibits Metastases in Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cell Stem Cell 2017; 20:621-634.e6. [PMID: 28285905 PMCID: PMC5419860 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2017.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck (HNSCC) is a common yet poorly understood cancer, with adverse clinical outcomes due to treatment resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. Putative cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in HNSCC, and BMI1 expression has been linked to these phenotypes, but optimal treatment strategies to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance and eliminate metastases have not yet been identified. Here we show through lineage tracing and genetic ablation that BMI1+ CSCs mediate invasive growth and cervical lymph node metastasis in a mouse model of HNSCC. This model and primary human HNSCC samples contain highly tumorigenic, invasive, and cisplatin-resistant BMI1+ CSCs, which exhibit increased AP-1 activity that drives invasive growth and metastasis of HNSCC. Inhibiting AP-1 or BMI1 sensitized tumors to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, and it eliminated lymph node metastases by targeting CSCs and the tumor bulk, suggesting potential regimens to overcome resistance to treatments and eradicate HNSCC metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Demeng Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mansi Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Insoon Chang
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Quan Yuan
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mari Ekimyan-Salvo
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Peng Deng
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Bo Yu
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yongxin Yu
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jiaqiang Dong
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - John M Szymanski
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sivakumar Ramadoss
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jiong Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Cun-Yu Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Birlea SA, Goldstein NB, Norris DA. Repigmentation through Melanocyte Regeneration in Vitiligo. Dermatol Clin 2017; 35:205-218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.det.2016.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|