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Rodríguez-Frade JM, González-Granado LI, Santiago CA, Mellado M. The complex nature of CXCR4 mutations in WHIM syndrome. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1406532. [PMID: 39035006 PMCID: PMC11257845 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1406532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous autosomal dominant mutations in the CXCR4 gene cause WHIM syndrome, a severe combined immunodeficiency disorder. The mutations primarily affect the C-terminal region of the CXCR4 chemokine receptor, specifically several potential phosphorylation sites critical for agonist (CXCL12)-mediated receptor internalization and desensitization. Mutant receptors have a prolonged residence time on the cell surface, leading to hyperactive signaling that is responsible for some of the symptoms of WHIM syndrome. Recent studies have shown that the situation is more complex than originally thought, as mutant WHIM receptors and CXCR4 exhibit different dynamics at the cell membrane, which also influences their respective cellular functions. This review examines the functional mechanisms of CXCR4 and the impact of WHIM mutations in both physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Miguel Rodríguez-Frade
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, Chemokine Signaling Group, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Ignacio González-Granado
- Department of Pediatrics, 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Public Health School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - César A. Santiago
- X-ray Crystallography Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Mellado
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, Chemokine Signaling Group, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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Virgili AC, Salazar J, Gallardo A, López-Pousa A, Terés R, Bagué S, Orellana R, Fumagalli C, Mangues R, Alba-Castellón L, Unzueta U, Casanova I, Sebio A. CXCR4 Expression as a Prognostic Biomarker in Soft Tissue Sarcomas. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:1195. [PMID: 38893721 PMCID: PMC11172351 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14111195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Poor long-term survival in localized high-risk soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) of the extremities and trunk highlights the need to identify new prognostic factors. CXCR4 is a chemokine receptor involved in tumor progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between CXCR4 expression in tumor tissue and survival in STSs patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy. CXCR4 expression was retrospectively determined by immunohistochemical analysis in serial specimens including initial biopsies, tumors post-neoadjuvant treatment, and tumors after relapse. We found that a positive cytoplasmatic expression of CXCR4 in tumors after neoadjuvant treatment was a predictor of poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.003) and overall survival (p = 0.019) in synovial sarcomas. We also found that positive nuclear CXCR4 expression in the initial biopsies was associated with poor RFS (p = 0.022) in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas. In conclusion, our study adds to the evidence that CXCR4 expression in tumor tissue is a promising prognostic factor for STSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Virgili
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.C.V.); (A.L.-P.); (R.T.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juliana Salazar
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Gallardo
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.G.); (S.B.); (R.O.); (C.F.)
| | - Antonio López-Pousa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.C.V.); (A.L.-P.); (R.T.)
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raúl Terés
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.C.V.); (A.L.-P.); (R.T.)
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Bagué
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.G.); (S.B.); (R.O.); (C.F.)
| | - Ruth Orellana
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.G.); (S.B.); (R.O.); (C.F.)
| | - Caterina Fumagalli
- Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.G.); (S.B.); (R.O.); (C.F.)
| | - Ramon Mangues
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (R.M.); (L.A.-C.); (U.U.); (I.C.)
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Lorena Alba-Castellón
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (R.M.); (L.A.-C.); (U.U.); (I.C.)
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Ugutz Unzueta
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (R.M.); (L.A.-C.); (U.U.); (I.C.)
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Isolda Casanova
- Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (R.M.); (L.A.-C.); (U.U.); (I.C.)
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Ana Sebio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain; (A.C.V.); (A.L.-P.); (R.T.)
- Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
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Liang J, Seghiri M, Singh PK, Seo HG, Lee JY, Jo Y, Song YB, Park C, Zalicki P, Jeong JY, Huh WK, Caculitan NG, Smith AW. The β2-adrenergic receptor associates with CXCR4 multimers in human cancer cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2304897121. [PMID: 38547061 PMCID: PMC10998613 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304897121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
While the existence and functional role of class C G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) dimers is well established, there is still a lack of consensus regarding class A and B GPCR multimerization. This lack of consensus is largely due to the inherent challenges of demonstrating the presence of multimeric receptor complexes in a physiologically relevant cellular context. The C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a class A GPCR that is a promising target of anticancer therapy. Here, we investigated the potential of CXCR4 to form multimeric complexes with other GPCRs and characterized the relative size of the complexes in a live-cell environment. Using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay, we identified the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) as an interaction partner. To investigate the molecular scale details of CXCR4-β2AR interactions, we used a time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy method called pulsed-interleaved excitation fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (PIE-FCCS). PIE-FCCS can resolve membrane protein density, diffusion, and multimerization state in live cells at physiological expression levels. We probed CXCR4 and β2AR homo- and heteromultimerization in model cell lines and found that CXCR4 assembles into multimeric complexes larger than dimers in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and in HCC4006 human lung cancer cells. We also found that β2AR associates with CXCR4 multimers in MDA-MB-231 and HCC4006 cells to a higher degree than in COS-7 and CHO cells and in a ligand-dependent manner. These results suggest that CXCR4-β2AR heteromers are present in human cancer cells and that GPCR multimerization is significantly affected by the plasma membrane environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyi Liang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, Akron, OH44325
| | - Mohamed Seghiri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, Akron, OH44325
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX79409
| | - Pradeep Kumar Singh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, Akron, OH44325
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX79409
| | - Hyeon Gyu Seo
- GPCR Therapeutics Inc., Gwanak-gu, Seoul08790, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Yeong Lee
- GPCR Therapeutics Inc., Gwanak-gu, Seoul08790, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonjung Jo
- GPCR Therapeutics Inc., Gwanak-gu, Seoul08790, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Bhum Song
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Chulo Park
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Piotr Zalicki
- GPCR Therapeutics Inc., Gwanak-gu, Seoul08790, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yeon Jeong
- GPCR Therapeutics Inc., Gwanak-gu, Seoul08790, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ki Huh
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul08826, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Adam W. Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, Akron, OH44325
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX79409
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Chong ZX, Yong CY, Ong AHK, Yeap SK, Ho WY. Deciphering the roles of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in regulating carcinogenesis. Toxicology 2023; 495:153596. [PMID: 37480978 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-dependent receptor that belongs to the superfamily of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors. The activation of the canonical AHR signaling pathway is known to induce the expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes, facilitating the detoxification metabolism in the human body. Additionally, AHR could interact with various signaling pathways such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), nuclear factor ekappa B (NF-κβ), estrogen receptor (ER), and androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathways. Over the past 30 years, several studies have reported that various chemical, physical, or biological agents, such as tobacco, hydrocarbon compounds, industrial and agricultural chemical wastes, drugs, UV, viruses, and other toxins, could affect AHR expression or activity, promoting cancer development. Thus, it is valuable to overview how these factors regulate AHR-mediated carcinogenesis. Current findings have reported that many compounds could act as AHR ligands to drive the expressions of AHR-target genes, such as CYP1A1, CYP1B1, MMPs, and AXL, and other targets that exert a pro-proliferation or anti-apoptotic effect, like XIAP. Furthermore, some other physical and chemical agents, such as UV and 3-methylcholanthrene, could promote AHR signaling activities, increasing the signaling activities of a few oncogenic pathways, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathways. Understanding how various factors regulate AHR-mediated carcinogenesis processes helps clinicians and scientists plan personalized therapeutic strategies to improve anti-cancer treatment efficacy. As many studies that have reported the roles of AHR in regulating carcinogenesis are preclinical or observational clinical studies that did not explore the detailed mechanisms of how different chemical, physical, or biological agents promote AHR-mediated carcinogenesis processes, future studies should focus on conducting large-scale and functional studies to unravel the underlying mechanism of how AHR interacts with different factors in regulating carcinogenesis processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Xiong Chong
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chean Yeah Yong
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, 43900 Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Alan Han Kiat Ong
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Kajang, Malaysia
| | - Swee Keong Yeap
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, 43900 Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Wan Yong Ho
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Gaonkar RH, Schmidt YT, Mansi R, Almeida-Hernanadez Y, Sanchez-Garcia E, Harms M, Münch J, Fani M. Development of a New Class of CXCR4-Targeting Radioligands Based on the Endogenous Antagonist EPI-X4 for Oncological Applications. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37328158 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The peptide fragment of human serum albumin that was identified as an inhibitor of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), termed EPI-X4, was investigated as a scaffold for the development of CXCR4-targeting radio-theragnostics. Derivatives of its truncated version JM#21 (ILRWSRKLPCVS) were conjugated to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and tested in Jurkat and Ghost-CXCR4 cells. Ligand-1, -2, -5, -6, -7, -8, and -9 were selected for radiolabeling. Molecular modeling indicated that 177Lu-DOTA incorporation C-terminally did not interfere with the CXCR4 binding. Lipophilicity, in vitro plasma stability, and cellular uptake hinted 177Lu-7 as superior. In Jurkat xenografts, all radioligands showed >90% washout from the body within an hour, with the exception of 177Lu-7 and 177Lu-9. 177Lu-7 demonstrated best CXCR4-tumor targeting. Ex vivo biodistribution and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/positron emission tomography (PET)/CT imaging of 177Lu-7/68Ga-7 showed the same distribution profile for both radioligands, characterized by very low uptake in all nontargeted organs except the kidneys. The data support the feasibility of CXCR4-targeting with EPI-X4-based radioligands and designate ligand-7 as a lead candidate for further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghuvir Haridas Gaonkar
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, Department Theragnostics, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Yannik Tim Schmidt
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, Department Theragnostics, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Rosalba Mansi
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, Department Theragnostics, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Yasser Almeida-Hernanadez
- Computational Biochemistry, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45117, Germany
- Computational Bioengineering, Faculty of Bio- and Chemical Engineering, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Elsa Sanchez-Garcia
- Computational Biochemistry, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45117, Germany
- Computational Bioengineering, Faculty of Bio- and Chemical Engineering, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Mirja Harms
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Jan Münch
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
- Core Facility Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Melpomeni Fani
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, Department Theragnostics, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
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Hartrampf PE, Kosmala A, Serfling SE, Bundschuh L, Higuchi T, Lapa C, Rowe SP, Matsusaka Y, Weich A, Buck AK, Bundschuh RA, Werner RA. Interobserver Agreement Rates on C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 4-Directed Molecular Imaging and Therapy. Clin Nucl Med 2023; 48:483-488. [PMID: 36947793 PMCID: PMC10184817 DOI: 10.1097/rlu.0000000000004629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to evaluate the interobserver agreement rates in patients scanned with C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4)-directed PET/CT, including the rate of patients eligible for CXCR4-targeted radioligand therapy (RLT) based on scan results. METHODS Four independent observers reviewed 50 CXCR4-targeted [ 68 Ga]pentixafor PET/CT of patients with various solid cancers. On a visual level, the following items were assessed by each reader: overall scan impression, number of organ and lymph node (LN) metastases and number of affected organs and LN regions. For a quantitative investigation, readers had to choose a maximum of 3 target lesions, defined as largest in size and/or most intense uptake per organ compartment. Reference tissues were also quantified, including unaffected hepatic parenchyma and blood pool. Last, all observers had to decide whether patients were eligible for CXCR4-targeted RLT. Concordance rates were tested using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). For interpretation, we applied the definition of Cicchetti (with 0.4-0.59 indicating fair; 0.6-0.74, good; 0.75-1, excellent agreement). RESULTS On a visual level, fair agreement was achieved for an overall scan impression (ICC, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.71). Organ and LN involvement (ICC, ≥0.4) demonstrated fair, whereas CXCR4 density and number of LN and organ metastases showed good agreement rates (ICC, ≥0.65). Number of affected organs and affected LN areas, however, showed excellent concordance (ICC, ≥0.76). Quantification in LN and organ lesions also provided excellent agreement rates (ICC, ≥0.92), whereas quantified uptake in reference organs provided fair concordance (ICC, ≥0.54). Again, excellent agreement rates were observed when deciding on patients eligible for CXCR4-RLT (ICC, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-0.95). CONCLUSIONS In patients scanned with CXCR4-targeted PET/CT, we observed fair to excellent agreement rates for both molecular imaging and therapy parameters, thereby favoring a more widespread adoption of [ 68 Ga]pentixafor in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleksander Kosmala
- From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg
| | | | - Lena Bundschuh
- Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Takahiro Higuchi
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Constantin Lapa
- Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Steven P. Rowe
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, The Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Baltimore, MD
| | - Yohji Matsusaka
- From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg
| | - Alexander Weich
- Internal Medicine II, Gastroenterology, University Hospital Würzburg
- NET-Zentrum Würzburg, European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society Center of Excellence (ENETS CoE), University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas K. Buck
- From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg
| | - Ralph A. Bundschuh
- Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Rudolf A. Werner
- From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, The Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Baltimore, MD
- NET-Zentrum Würzburg, European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society Center of Excellence (ENETS CoE), University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Rozenberg JM, Buzdin AA, Mohammad T, Rakitina OA, Didych DA, Pleshkan VV, Alekseenko IV. Molecules promoting circulating clusters of cancer cells suggest novel therapeutic targets for treatment of metastatic cancers. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1099921. [PMID: 37006265 PMCID: PMC10050392 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1099921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of metastatic disease remains among the most challenging tasks in oncology. One of the early events that predicts a poor prognosis and precedes the development of metastasis is the occurrence of clusters of cancer cells in the blood flow. Moreover, the presence of heterogeneous clusters of cancerous and noncancerous cells in the circulation is even more dangerous. Review of pathological mechanisms and biological molecules directly involved in the formation and pathogenesis of the heterotypic circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters revealed their common properties, which include increased adhesiveness, combined epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype, CTC-white blood cell interaction, and polyploidy. Several molecules involved in the heterotypic CTC interactions and their metastatic properties, including IL6R, CXCR4 and EPCAM, are targets of approved or experimental anticancer drugs. Accordingly, analysis of patient survival data from the published literature and public datasets revealed that the expression of several molecules affecting the formation of CTC clusters predicts patient survival in multiple cancer types. Thus, targeting of molecules involved in CTC heterotypic interactions might be a valuable strategy for the treatment of metastatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian M. Rozenberg
- Laboratory of Translational Bioinformatics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Anton A. Buzdin
- Laboratory of Translational Bioinformatics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
- PathoBiology Group, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Brussels, Belgium
- Group for Genomic Analysis of Cell Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory for Clinical Genomic Bioinformatics, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- *Correspondence: Anton Buzdin,
| | - Tharaa Mohammad
- Laboratory of Translational Bioinformatics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Olga A. Rakitina
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry A. Didych
- Laboratory of human genes structure and functions, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victor V. Pleshkan
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Gene oncotherapy sector, Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre (Kurchatov Institute), Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina V. Alekseenko
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Gene oncotherapy sector, Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre (Kurchatov Institute), Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Oncogynecology and Mammology, National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
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Phenotypic Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells Isolated from Non-Small and Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010171. [PMID: 36612166 PMCID: PMC9818148 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we evaluated the expression of JUNB and CXCR4 in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of lung cancer patients and investigated whether these proteins have prognostic clinical relevance. Peripheral blood from 30 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was filtered using ISET membranes, and cytospins from 37 patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) were analyzed using confocal and VyCAP microscopy. Both JUNB and CXCR4 were expressed in the vast majority of lung cancer patients. Interestingly, the phenotypic patterns differed between NSCLC and SCLC patients; the (CK+/JUNB+/CXCR4+) phenotype was present in 50% of NSCLC vs. 71% of SCLC patients. Similarly, the (CK+/JUNB+/CXCR4−) was present in 44% vs. 71%, the (CK+/JUNB−/CXCR4+) in 6% vs. 71%, and the (CK+/JUNB−/CXCR4−) phenotype in 38% vs. 84%. In NSCLC, the presence of ≥1 CTCs with the (CK+/JUNB+/CXCR4+) phenotype was associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.007, HR = 5.21) while ≥2 with poorer overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001, HR = 2.16). In extensive stage SCLC patients, the presence of ≥4 CXCR4-positive CTCs was associated with shorter OS (p = 0.041, HR = 5.01). Consequently, JUNB and CXCR4 were expressed in CTCs from lung cancer patients, and associated with patients’ survival, underlying their key role in tumor progression.
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Nengroo MA, Khan MA, Verma A, Datta D. Demystifying the CXCR4 conundrum in cancer biology: Beyond the surface signaling paradigm. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188790. [PMID: 36058380 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The oncogenic chemokine duo CXCR4-CXCL12/SDF-1 (C-X-C Receptor 4-C-X-C Ligand 12/ Stromal-derived factor 1) has been the topic of intense scientific disquisitions since Muller et al., in her ground-breaking research, described this axis as a critical determinant of organ-specific metastasis in breast cancer. Elevated CXCR4 levels correlate with distant metastases, poor prognosis, and unfavourable outcomes in most solid tumors. Therapeutic impediment of the axis in clinics with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved inhibitors like AMD3100 or Plerixafor yield dubious results, contrary to pre-clinical developments. Clinical trials entailing inhibition of CXCR7 (C-X-C Receptor 7), another convicted chemokine receptor that exhibits affinity for CXCL12, reveal outcomes analogous to that of CXCR4-CXCL12 axis blockade. Of note, the cellular CXCR4 knockout phenotype varies largely from that of inhibitor treatments. These shaky findings pique great curiosity to delve further into the realm of this infamous chemokine receptor to provide a probable explanation. A multitude of recent reports suggests the presence of an increased intracellular CXCR4 pool in various cancers, both cytoplasmic and nuclear. This intracellular CXCR4 protein reserve seems active as it correlates with vital tumor attributes, viz. prognosis, aggressiveness, metastasis, and disease-free survival. Diminishing this entire intracellular CXCR4 load apart from the surface signals looks encouraging from a therapeutic point of view. Transcending beyond the classically accepted concept of ligand-mediated surface signaling, this review sheds new light on plausible associations of intracellularly compartmentalised CXCR4 with various aspects of tumorigenesis. Besides, this review also puts forward a comprehensive account of CXCR4 regulation in different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mushtaq Ahmad Nengroo
- Division of Cancer Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow-226031, India
| | - Muqtada Ali Khan
- Division of Cancer Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow-226031, India
| | - Ayushi Verma
- Division of Cancer Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow-226031, India
| | - Dipak Datta
- Division of Cancer Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow-226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India.
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