1
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Nagai T, Sato M, Nishita M. miR-200c-141 induces a hybrid E/M state and promotes collective cell migration in MDA-MB-231 cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 709:149829. [PMID: 38552553 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149829] [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: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The microRNA-200 (miR-200) family is a potent suppressor of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). While its role as a tumor suppressor has been well documented, recent studies suggested that it can promote cancer progression in several stages. In this study, we investigated whether the miR-200 family members play a role in the acquisition of a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) state, which is reported to be associated with cancer malignancy, in mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 cells. Our results demonstrated that the induction of miR-200c-141, a cluster of the miR-200 family member, can induce the expression of epithelial gene and cell-cell junction while mesenchymal markers are retained. Moreover, induction of miR-200c-141 promoted collective migration accompanied by the formation of F-actin cables anchored by adherens junction. These results suggest that the miR-200 family can induce a hybrid E/M state and endows with the ability of collective cell migration in mesenchymal cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoaki Nagai
- Department of Biochemistry, Fukushima Medical University, School of Medicine, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
| | - Misa Sato
- Department of Biochemistry, Fukushima Medical University, School of Medicine, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Michiru Nishita
- Department of Biochemistry, Fukushima Medical University, School of Medicine, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
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2
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Suzuki T, Conant A, Jung Y, Bax R, Antonissen A, Chen W, Yu G, Ioffe YJ, Wang C, Unternaehrer JJ. A Stem-like Patient-Derived Ovarian Cancer Model of Platinum Resistance Reveals Dissociation of Stemness and Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3843. [PMID: 38612653 PMCID: PMC11011340 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073843] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
To understand chemoresistance in the context of cancer stem cells (CSC), a cisplatin resistance model was developed using a high-grade serous ovarian cancer patient-derived, cisplatin-sensitive sample, PDX4. As a molecular subtype-specific stem-like cell line, PDX4 was selected for its representative features, including its histopathological and BRCA2 mutation status, and exposed to cisplatin in vitro. In the cisplatin-resistant cells, transcriptomics were carried out, and cell morphology, protein expression, and functional status were characterized. Additionally, potential signaling pathways involved in cisplatin resistance were explored. Our findings reveal the presence of distinct molecular signatures and phenotypic changes in cisplatin-resistant PDX4 compared to their sensitive counterparts. Surprisingly, we observed that chemoresistance was not inherently linked with increased stemness. In fact, although resistant cells expressed a combination of EMT and stemness markers, functional assays revealed that they were less proliferative, migratory, and clonogenic-features indicative of an underlying complex mechanism for cell survival. Furthermore, DNA damage tolerance and cellular stress management pathways were enriched. This novel, syngeneic model provides a valuable platform for investigating the underlying mechanisms of cisplatin resistance in a clinically relevant context, contributing to the development of targeted therapies tailored to combat resistance in stem-like ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tise Suzuki
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Ashlyn Conant
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Yeonkyu Jung
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Department of Biology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
| | - Ryan Bax
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Ashley Antonissen
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Department of Biology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
| | - Wanqiu Chen
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Center for Genomics, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Gary Yu
- Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yevgeniya J Ioffe
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Charles Wang
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Center for Genomics, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
| | - Juli J Unternaehrer
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
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3
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De Blander H, Tonon L, Fauvet F, Pommier RM, Lamblot C, Benhassoun R, Angileri F, Gibert B, Rodriguez R, Ouzounova M, Morel AP, Puisieux A. Cooperative pro-tumorigenic adaptation to oncogenic RAS through epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi1736. [PMID: 38354248 PMCID: PMC10866563 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi1736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
In breast cancers, aberrant activation of the RAS/MAPK pathway is strongly associated with mesenchymal features and stemness traits, suggesting an interplay between this mitogenic signaling pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). By using inducible models of human mammary epithelial cells, we demonstrate herein that the oncogenic activation of RAS promotes ZEB1-dependent EMP, which is necessary for malignant transformation. Notably, EMP is triggered by the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines from neighboring RAS-activated senescent cells, with a prominent role for IL-6 and IL-1α. Our data contrast with the common view of cellular senescence as a tumor-suppressive mechanism and EMP as a process promoting late stages of tumor progression in response to signals from the tumor microenvironment. We highlighted here a pro-tumorigenic cooperation of RAS-activated mammary epithelial cells, which leverages on oncogene-induced senescence and EMP to trigger cellular reprogramming and malignant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrien De Blander
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Laurie Tonon
- Synergie Lyon Cancer, Plateforme de Bioinformatique ‘Gilles Thomas’, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Frédérique Fauvet
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Roxane M. Pommier
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
- Synergie Lyon Cancer, Plateforme de Bioinformatique ‘Gilles Thomas’, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Christelle Lamblot
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Rahma Benhassoun
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Francesca Angileri
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Benjamin Gibert
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
- Gastroenterology and Technologies for Health Group, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS5286, Université Lyon 1, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Raphaël Rodriguez
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, CNRS UMR 3666, INSERM U1143, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Maria Ouzounova
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Anne-Pierre Morel
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 69008, Lyon, France
- LabEx DEVweCAN, Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, France
| | - Alain Puisieux
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, CNRS UMR 3666, INSERM U1143, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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4
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Jain P, Corbo S, Mohammad K, Sahoo S, Ranganathan S, George JT, Levine H, Taube J, Toneff M, Jolly MK. Epigenetic memory acquired during long-term EMT induction governs the recovery to the epithelial state. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20220627. [PMID: 36628532 PMCID: PMC9832289 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its reverse mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) are critical during embryonic development, wound healing and cancer metastasis. While phenotypic changes during short-term EMT induction are reversible, long-term EMT induction has been often associated with irreversibility. Here, we show that phenotypic changes seen in MCF10A cells upon long-term EMT induction by TGFβ need not be irreversible, but have relatively longer time scales of reversibility than those seen in short-term induction. Next, using a phenomenological mathematical model to account for the chromatin-mediated epigenetic silencing of the miR-200 family by ZEB family, we highlight how the epigenetic memory gained during long-term EMT induction can slow the recovery to the epithelial state post-TGFβ withdrawal. Our results suggest that epigenetic modifiers can govern the extent and time scale of EMT reversibility and advise caution against labelling phenotypic changes seen in long-term EMT induction as 'irreversible'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paras Jain
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA
| | - Kulsoom Mohammad
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA
| | - Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | | | - Jason T. George
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 76798, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics and Departments of Physics and Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joseph Taube
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Michael Toneff
- Department of Biology, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
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5
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Mendez MJ, Hoffman MJ, Cherry EM, Lemmon CA, Weinberg SH. A data-assimilation approach to predict population dynamics during epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Biophys J 2022; 121:3061-3080. [PMID: 35836379 PMCID: PMC9463646 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.07.014] [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: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process that plays a central role in embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and cancer metastasis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inducer of this cellular transition, comprising transitions from an epithelial state to partial or hybrid EMT state(s), to a mesenchymal state. Recent experimental studies have shown that, within a population of epithelial cells, heterogeneous phenotypical profiles arise in response to different time- and TGFβ dose-dependent stimuli. This offers a challenge for computational models, as most model parameters are generally obtained to represent typical cell responses, not necessarily specific responses nor to capture population variability. In this study, we applied a data-assimilation approach that combines limited noisy observations with predictions from a computational model, paired with parameter estimation. Synthetic experiments mimic the biological heterogeneity in cell states that is observed in epithelial cell populations by generating a large population of model parameter sets. Analysis of the parameters for virtual epithelial cells with biologically significant characteristics (e.g., EMT prone or resistant) illustrates that these sub-populations have identifiable critical model parameters. We perform a series of in silico experiments in which a forecasting system reconstructs the EMT dynamics of each virtual cell within a heterogeneous population exposed to time-dependent exogenous TGFβ dose and either an EMT-suppressing or EMT-promoting perturbation. We find that estimating population-specific critical parameters significantly improved the prediction accuracy of cell responses. Thus, with appropriate protocol design, we demonstrate that a data-assimilation approach successfully reconstructs and predicts the dynamics of a heterogeneous virtual epithelial cell population in the presence of physiological model error and parameter uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario J Mendez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Matthew J Hoffman
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York
| | - Elizabeth M Cherry
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York; School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher A Lemmon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Seth H Weinberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia; The Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
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6
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Cancer: More than a geneticist’s Pandora’s box. J Biosci 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-022-00254-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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7
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Tiwari A, Chaskar J, Ali A, Arivarasan VK, Chaskar AC. Role of Sensor Technology in Detection of the Breast Cancer. BIONANOSCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12668-021-00921-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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8
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Johnson KS, Hussein S, Chakraborty P, Muruganantham A, Mikhail S, Gonzalez G, Song S, Jolly MK, Toneff MJ, Benton ML, Lin YC, Taube JH. CTCF Expression and Dynamic Motif Accessibility Modulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Gene Expression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14010209. [PMID: 35008373 PMCID: PMC8750563 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its reversal, mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) drive tissue reorganization critical for early development. In carcinomas, processing through EMT, MET, or partial states promotes migration, invasion, dormancy, and metastatic colonization. As a reversible process, EMT is inherently regulated at epigenetic and epigenomic levels. To understand the epigenomic nature of reversible EMT and its partial states, we characterized chromatin accessibility dynamics, transcriptomic output, protein expression, and cellular phenotypes during stepwise reversible EMT. We find that the chromatin insulating protein machinery, including CTCF, is suppressed and re-expressed, coincident with broad alterations in chromatin accessibility, during EMT/MET, and is lower in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines with EMT features. Through an analysis of chromatin accessibility using ATAC-seq, we identify that early phases of EMT are characterized by enrichment for AP-1 family member binding motifs, but also by a diminished enrichment for CTCF binding motifs. Through a loss-of-function analysis, we demonstrate that the suppression of CTCF alters cellular plasticity, strengthening the epithelial phenotype via the upregulation of epithelial markers E-cadherin/CDH1 and downregulation of N-cadherin/CDH2. Conversely, the upregulation of CTCF leads to the upregulation of EMT gene expression and an increase in mesenchymal traits. These findings are indicative of a role of CTCF in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey S. Johnson
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; (K.S.J.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (G.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Shaimaa Hussein
- Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Baylor Scott & White, Dallas, TX 75246, USA; (S.H.); (Y.C.L.)
| | - Priyanka Chakraborty
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (P.C.); (M.K.J.)
| | - Arvind Muruganantham
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; (K.S.J.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (G.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Sheridan Mikhail
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; (K.S.J.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (G.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Giovanny Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; (K.S.J.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (G.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Shuxuan Song
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; (K.S.J.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (G.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (P.C.); (M.K.J.)
| | | | | | - Yin C. Lin
- Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Baylor Scott & White, Dallas, TX 75246, USA; (S.H.); (Y.C.L.)
| | - Joseph H. Taube
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; (K.S.J.); (A.M.); (S.M.); (G.G.); (S.S.)
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Houston, TX 76706, USA
- Correspondence:
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9
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Padhye A, Konen JM, Rodriguez BL, Fradette JJ, Ochieng JK, Diao L, Wang J, Lu W, Solis LS, Batra H, Raso MG, Peoples MD, Minelli R, Carugo A, Bristow CA, Gibbons DL. Targeting CDK4 overcomes EMT-mediated tumor heterogeneity and therapeutic resistance in KRAS mutant lung cancer. JCI Insight 2021; 6:e148392. [PMID: 34309585 PMCID: PMC8492319 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.148392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lack of sustained response to therapeutic agents in patients with KRAS-mutant lung cancer poses a major challenge and arises partly due to intratumor heterogeneity that defines phenotypically distinct tumor subpopulations. To attain better therapeutic outcomes, it is important to understand the differential therapeutic sensitivities of tumor cell subsets. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is a biological phenomenon that can alter the state of cells along a phenotypic spectrum and cause transcriptional rewiring to produce distinct tumor cell subpopulations. We utilized functional shRNA screens, in in vitro and in vivo models, to identify and validate an increased dependence of mesenchymal tumor cells on cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) for survival, as well as a mechanism of resistance to MEK inhibitors. High zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 levels in mesenchymal tumor cells repressed p21, leading to perturbed CDK4 pathway activity. Increased dependence on CDK4 rendered mesenchymal cancer cells particularly vulnerable to selective CDK4 inhibitors. Coadministration of CDK4 and MEK inhibitors in heterogeneous tumors effectively targeted different tumor subpopulations, subverting the resistance to either single-agent treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Padhye
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Jessica M Konen
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - B Leticia Rodriguez
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Jared J Fradette
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Joshua K Ochieng
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Lixia Diao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Luisa S Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Harsh Batra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Maria G Raso
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Michael D Peoples
- TRACTION Platform, Division of Therapeutics Development, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Rosalba Minelli
- TRACTION Platform, Division of Therapeutics Development, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Carugo
- TRACTION Platform, Division of Therapeutics Development, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Christopher A Bristow
- TRACTION Platform, Division of Therapeutics Development, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
| | - Don L Gibbons
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States of America
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10
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Zhao N, Powell RT, Yuan X, Bae G, Roarty KP, Stossi F, Strempfl M, Toneff MJ, Johnson HL, Mani SA, Jones P, Stephan CC, Rosen JM. Morphological screening of mesenchymal mammary tumor organoids to identify drugs that reverse epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4262. [PMID: 34253738 PMCID: PMC8275587 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24545-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in conferring stem cell properties and therapeutic resistance to cancer cells. Therefore, identification of drugs that can reprogram EMT may provide new therapeutic strategies. Here, we report that cells derived from claudin-low mammary tumors, a mesenchymal subtype of triple-negative breast cancer, exhibit a distinctive organoid structure with extended "spikes" in 3D matrices. Upon a miR-200 induced mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), the organoids switch to a smoother round morphology. Based on these observations, we developed a morphological screening method with accompanying analytical pipelines that leverage deep neural networks and nearest neighborhood classification to screen for EMT-reversing drugs. Through screening of a targeted epigenetic drug library, we identified multiple class I HDAC inhibitors and Bromodomain inhibitors that reverse EMT. These data support the use of morphological screening of mesenchymal mammary tumor organoids as a platform to identify drugs that reverse EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Reid T Powell
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xueying Yuan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Goeun Bae
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kevin P Roarty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fabio Stossi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Hannah L Johnson
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sendurai A Mani
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Philip Jones
- Institute of Applied Cancer Science (IACS), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Clifford C Stephan
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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11
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Konen JM, Rodriguez BL, Padhye A, Ochieng JK, Gibson L, Diao L, Fowlkes NW, Fradette JJ, Peng DH, Cardnell RJ, Kovacs JJ, Wang J, Byers LA, Gibbons DL. Dual Inhibition of MEK and AXL Targets Tumor Cell Heterogeneity and Prevents Resistant Outgrowth Mediated by the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in NSCLC. Cancer Res 2021; 81:1398-1412. [PMID: 33402388 PMCID: PMC8026531 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic epigenetic reprogramming event that occurs in a subset of tumor cells and is an initiating step toward invasion and distant metastasis. The process is reversible and gives plasticity to cancer cells to survive under variable conditions, with the acquisition of cancer stem cell-like characteristics and features such as drug resistance. Therefore, understanding survival dependencies of cells along the phenotypic spectrum of EMT will provide better strategies to target the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of tumors and prevent their ability to bypass single-inhibitor treatment strategies. To address this, we integrated the data from a selective drug screen in epithelial and mesenchymal KRAS/p53 (KP)-mutant lung tumor cells with separate datasets including reverse-phase protein array and an in vivo shRNA dropout screen. These orthogonal approaches identified AXL and MEK as potential mesenchymal and epithelial cell survival dependencies, respectively. To capture the dynamicity of EMT, incorporation of a dual fluorescence EMT sensor system into murine KP lung cancer models enabled real-time analysis of the epigenetic state of tumor cells and assessment of the efficacy of single agent or combination treatment with AXL and MEK inhibitors. Both two- and three-dimensional culture systems and in vivo models revealed that this combination treatment strategy of MEK plus AXL inhibition synergistically killed lung cancer cells by specifically targeting each phenotypic subpopulation. In conclusion, these results indicate that cotargeting the specific vulnerabilities of EMT subpopulations can prevent EMT-mediated drug resistance, effectively controlling tumor cell growth and metastasis. SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that a novel combination of MEK and AXL inhibitors effectively bypasses EMT-mediated drug resistance in KRAS/p53-mutant non-small cell lung cancer by targeting EMT subpopulations, thereby preventing tumor cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Konen
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - B Leticia Rodriguez
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Aparna Padhye
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Joshua K Ochieng
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Laura Gibson
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Lixia Diao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Natalie W Fowlkes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jared J Fradette
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - David H Peng
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Oncology & Angiogenesis, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, New York
| | - Robert J Cardnell
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey J Kovacs
- TRACTION, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Lauren A Byers
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Don L Gibbons
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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12
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Development, characterization, and applications of multi-material stereolithography bioprinting. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3171. [PMID: 33542283 PMCID: PMC7862383 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82102-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As a 3D bioprinting technique, hydrogel stereolithography has historically been limited in its ability to capture the spatial heterogeneity that permeates mammalian tissues and dictates structure-function relationships. This limitation stems directly from the difficulty of preventing unwanted material mixing when switching between different liquid bioinks. Accordingly, we present the development, characterization, and application of a multi-material stereolithography bioprinter that provides controlled material selection, yields precise regional feature alignment, and minimizes bioink mixing. Fluorescent tracers were first used to highlight the broad design freedoms afforded by this fabrication strategy, complemented by morphometric image analysis to validate architectural fidelity. To evaluate the bioactivity of printed gels, 344SQ lung adenocarcinoma cells were printed in a 3D core/shell architecture. These cells exhibited native phenotypic behavior as evidenced by apparent proliferation and formation of spherical multicellular aggregates. Cells were also printed as pre-formed multicellular aggregates, which appropriately developed invasive protrusions in response to hTGF-β1. Finally, we constructed a simplified model of intratumoral heterogeneity with two separate sub-populations of 344SQ cells, which together grew over 14 days to form a dense regional interface. Together, these studies highlight the potential of multi-material stereolithography to probe heterotypic interactions between distinct cell types in tissue-specific microenvironments.
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13
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Mendez MJ, Hoffman MJ, Cherry EM, Lemmon CA, Weinberg SH. Cell Fate Forecasting: A Data-Assimilation Approach to Predict Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Biophys J 2020; 118:1749-1768. [PMID: 32101715 PMCID: PMC7136288 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental biological process that plays a central role in embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and cancer metastasis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a potent inducer of this cellular transition, which is composed of transitions from an epithelial state to intermediate or partial EMT state(s) to a mesenchymal state. Using computational models to predict cell state transitions in a specific experiment is inherently difficult for reasons including model parameter uncertainty and error associated with experimental observations. In this study, we demonstrate that a data-assimilation approach using an ensemble Kalman filter, which combines limited noisy observations with predictions from a computational model of TGFβ-induced EMT, can reconstruct the cell state and predict the timing of state transitions. We used our approach in proof-of-concept “synthetic” in silico experiments, in which experimental observations were produced from a known computational model with the addition of noise. We mimic parameter uncertainty in in vitro experiments by incorporating model error that shifts the TGFβ doses associated with the state transitions and reproduces experimentally observed variability in cell state by either shifting a single parameter or generating “populations” of model parameters. We performed synthetic experiments for a wide range of TGFβ doses, investigating different cell steady-state conditions, and conducted parameter studies varying properties of the data-assimilation approach including the time interval between observations and incorporating multiplicative inflation, a technique to compensate for underestimation of the model uncertainty and mitigate the influence of model error. We find that cell state can be successfully reconstructed and the future cell state predicted in synthetic experiments, even in the setting of model error, when experimental observations are performed at a sufficiently short time interval and incorporate multiplicative inflation. Our study demonstrates the feasibility and utility of a data-assimilation approach to forecasting the fate of cells undergoing EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario J Mendez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Matthew J Hoffman
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York
| | - Elizabeth M Cherry
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York; School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher A Lemmon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Seth H Weinberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia; The Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
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14
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Wu HT, Zhong HT, Li GW, Shen JX, Ye QQ, Zhang ML, Liu J. Oncogenic functions of the EMT-related transcription factor ZEB1 in breast cancer. J Transl Med 2020; 18:51. [PMID: 32014049 PMCID: PMC6998212 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02240-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1, also termed TCF8 and δEF1) is a crucial member of the zinc finger-homeodomain transcription factor family, originally identified as a binding protein of the lens-specific δ1-crystalline enhancer and is a pivotal transcription factor in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. ZEB1 also plays a vital role in embryonic development and cancer progression, including breast cancer progression. Increasing evidence suggests that ZEB1 stimulates tumor cells with mesenchymal traits and promotes multidrug resistance, proliferation, and metastasis, indicating the importance of ZEB1-induced EMT in cancer development. ZEB1 expression is regulated by multiple signaling pathways and components, including TGF-β, β-catenin, miRNA and other factors. Here, we summarize the recent discoveries of the functions and mechanisms of ZEB1 to understand the role of ZEB1 in EMT regulation in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Tao Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Hui-Ting Zhong
- Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Guan-Wu Li
- Open Laboratory for Tumor Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry, The Key Lab of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Xin Shen
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian-Qian Ye
- Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- Department of Physiology/Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Man-Li Zhang
- Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China.
- Department of Physiology/Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China.
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15
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Tripathi S, Levine H, Jolly MK. The Physics of Cellular Decision Making During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Annu Rev Biophys 2020; 49:1-18. [PMID: 31913665 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-121219-081557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which cells lose epithelial traits, such as cell-cell adhesion and apico-basal polarity, and acquire migratory and invasive traits. EMT is crucial to embryonic development and wound healing. Misregulated EMT has been implicated in processes associated with cancer aggressiveness, including metastasis. Recent experimental advances such as single-cell analysis and temporal phenotypic characterization have established that EMT is a multistable process wherein cells exhibit and switch among multiple phenotypic states. This is in contrast to the classical perception of EMT as leading to a binary choice. Mathematical modeling has been at the forefront of this transformation for the field, not only providing a conceptual framework to integrate and analyze experimental data, but also making testable predictions. In this article, we review the key features and characteristics of EMT dynamics, with a focus on the mathematical modeling approaches that have been instrumental to obtaining various useful insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubham Tripathi
- PhD Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.,Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA; .,Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA; .,Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India;
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16
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Kiełbus M, Czapiński J, Kałafut J, Woś J, Stepulak A, Rivero-Müller A. Genetically Engineered Lung Cancer Cells for Analyzing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Cells 2019; 8:E1644. [PMID: 31847480 PMCID: PMC6953058 DOI: 10.3390/cells8121644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell plasticity, defined as the ability to undergo phenotypical transformation in a reversible manner, is a physiological process that also exerts important roles in disease progression. Two forms of cellular plasticity are epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its inverse process, mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). These processes have been correlated to the poor outcome of different types of neoplasias as well as drug resistance development. Since EMT/MET are transitional processes, we generated and validated a reporter cell line. Specifically, a far-red fluorescent protein was knocked-in in-frame with the mesenchymal gene marker VIMENTIN (VIM) in H2170 lung cancer cells. The vimentin reporter cells (VRCs) are a reliable model for studying EMT and MET showing cellular plasticity upon a series of stimulations. These cells are a robust platform to dissect the molecular mechanisms of these processes, and for drug discovery in vitro and in vivo in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Kiełbus
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.K.); (J.C.); (J.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Jakub Czapiński
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.K.); (J.C.); (J.K.); (A.S.)
- Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Kałafut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.K.); (J.C.); (J.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Justyna Woś
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Andrzej Stepulak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.K.); (J.C.); (J.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Adolfo Rivero-Müller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.K.); (J.C.); (J.K.); (A.S.)
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland
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17
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Francou A, Anderson KV. The Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Development and Cancer. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY-SERIES 2019; 4:197-220. [PMID: 34113749 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-030518-055425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) are complex cellular processes where cells undergo dramatic changes in signaling, transcriptional programming, and cell shape, while directing the exit of cells from the epithelium and promoting migratory properties of the resulting mesenchyme. EMTs are essential for morphogenesis during development and are also a critical step in cancer progression and metastasis formation. Here we provide an overview of the molecular regulation of the EMT process during embryo development, focusing on chick and mouse gastrulation and neural crest development. We go on to describe how EMT regulators participate in the progression of pancreatic and breast cancer in mouse models, and discuss the parallels with developmental EMTs and how these help to understand cancer EMTs. We also highlight the differences between EMTs in tumor and in development to arrive at a broader view of cancer EMT. We conclude by discussing how further advances in the field will rely on in vivo dynamic imaging of the cellular events of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Francou
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York NY 10065 USA
| | - Kathryn V Anderson
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York NY 10065 USA
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18
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Jolly MK, Celià-Terrassa T. Dynamics of Phenotypic Heterogeneity Associated with EMT and Stemness during Cancer Progression. J Clin Med 2019; 8:E1542. [PMID: 31557977 PMCID: PMC6832750 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8101542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity contribute to the generation of diverse tumor cell populations, thus enhancing cancer aggressiveness and therapy resistance. Compared to genetic heterogeneity, a consequence of mutational events, phenotypic heterogeneity arises from dynamic, reversible cell state transitions in response to varying intracellular/extracellular signals. Such phenotypic plasticity enables rapid adaptive responses to various stressful conditions and can have a strong impact on cancer progression. Herein, we have reviewed relevant literature on mechanisms associated with dynamic phenotypic changes and cellular plasticity, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness, which have been reported to facilitate cancer metastasis. We also discuss how non-cell-autonomous mechanisms such as cell-cell communication can lead to an emergent population-level response in tumors. The molecular mechanisms underlying the complexity of tumor systems are crucial for comprehending cancer progression, and may provide new avenues for designing therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - Toni Celià-Terrassa
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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19
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Jia W, Deshmukh A, Mani SA, Jolly MK, Levine H. A possible role for epigenetic feedback regulation in the dynamics of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Phys Biol 2019; 16:066004. [PMID: 31342918 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ab34df] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) often plays a critical role in cancer metastasis and chemoresistance, and decoding its dynamics is crucial to design effective therapeutics. EMT is regulated at multiple levels-transcriptional, translational, protein stability and epigenetics; the mechanisms by which epigenetic regulation can alter the dynamics of EMT remain elusive. Here, to identify the possible effects of epigenetic regulation in EMT, we incorporate a feedback term in our previously proposed model of EMT regulation of the miR-200/ZEB/miR-34/SNAIL circuit. This epigenetic feedback that stabilizes long-term transcriptional activity can alter the relative stability and distribution of states in a given cell population, particularly when incorporated in the inhibitory effect on miR-200 from ZEB. This feedback can stabilize the mesenchymal state, thus making transitions out of that state difficult. Conversely, epigenetic regulation of the self-activation of ZEB has only minor effects. Our model predicts that this effect could be seen in experiments, when epithelial cells are treated with an external EMT-inducing signal for a sufficiently long period of time and then allowed to recover. Our preliminary experimental data indicates that a chronic TGF-β exposure gives rise to irreveversible EMT state; i.e. unable to reverse back to the epithelial state. Thus, this integrated theoretical-experimental approach yields insights into how an epigenetic feedback may alter the dynamics of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jia
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, United States of America. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, United States of America. These authors contributed equally
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20
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Immuno-subtyping of breast cancer reveals distinct myeloid cell profiles and immunotherapy resistance mechanisms. Nat Cell Biol 2019; 21:1113-1126. [PMID: 31451770 PMCID: PMC6726554 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-019-0373-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-induced immune responses affect tumour progression and therapeutic response. In multiple murine models and clinical datasets, we identified large variations of neutrophils and macrophages that define 'immune subtypes' of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), including neutrophil-enriched (NES) and macrophage-enriched subtypes (MES). Different tumour-intrinsic pathways and mutual regulation between macrophages (or monocytes) and neutrophils contribute to the development of a dichotomous myeloid compartment. MES contains predominantly macrophages that are CCR2-dependent and exhibit variable responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). NES exhibits systemic and local accumulation of immunosuppressive neutrophils (or granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells), is resistant to ICB, and contains a minority of macrophages that seem to be unaffected by CCR2 knockout. A MES-to-NES conversion mediated acquired ICB resistance of initially sensitive MES models. Our results demonstrate diverse myeloid cell frequencies, functionality and potential roles in immunotherapies, and highlight the need to better understand the inter-patient heterogeneity of the myeloid compartment.
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21
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Kumar N, Cramer GM, Dahaj SAZ, Sundaram B, Celli JP, Kulkarni RV. Stochastic modeling of phenotypic switching and chemoresistance in cancer cell populations. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10845. [PMID: 31350465 PMCID: PMC6659620 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46926-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic heterogeneity in cancer cells is widely observed and is often linked to drug resistance. In several cases, such heterogeneity in drug sensitivity of tumors is driven by stochastic and reversible acquisition of a drug tolerant phenotype by individual cells even in an isogenic population. Accumulating evidence further suggests that cell-fate transitions such as the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) are associated with drug resistance. In this study, we analyze stochastic models of phenotypic switching to provide a framework for analyzing cell-fate transitions such as EMT as a source of phenotypic variability in drug sensitivity. Motivated by our cell-culture based experimental observations connecting phenotypic switching in EMT and drug resistance, we analyze a coarse-grained model of phenotypic switching between two states in the presence of cytotoxic stress from chemotherapy. We derive analytical results for time-dependent probability distributions that provide insights into the rates of phenotypic switching and characterize initial phenotypic heterogeneity of cancer cells. The results obtained can also shed light on fundamental questions relating to adaptation and selection scenarios in tumor response to cytotoxic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niraj Kumar
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA
| | - Gwendolyn M Cramer
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Seyed Alireza Zamani Dahaj
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.,School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Bala Sundaram
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA
| | - Jonathan P Celli
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA
| | - Rahul V Kulkarni
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
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22
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Zañudo JGT, Guinn MT, Farquhar K, Szenk M, Steinway SN, Balázsi G, Albert R. Towards control of cellular decision-making networks in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Phys Biol 2019; 16:031002. [PMID: 30654341 PMCID: PMC6405305 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/aaffa1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We present the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) from two perspectives: experimental/technological and theoretical. We review the state of the current understanding of the regulatory networks that underlie EMT in three physiological contexts: embryonic development, wound healing, and metastasis. We describe the existing experimental systems and manipulations used to better understand the molecular participants and factors that influence EMT and metastasis. We review the mathematical models of the regulatory networks involved in EMT, with a particular emphasis on the network motifs (such as coupled feedback loops) that can generate intermediate hybrid states between the epithelial and mesenchymal states. Ultimately, the understanding gained about these networks should be translated into methods to control phenotypic outcomes, especially in the context of cancer therapeutic strategies. We present emerging theories of how to drive the dynamics of a network toward a desired dynamical attractor (e.g. an epithelial cell state) and emerging synthetic biology technologies to monitor and control the state of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Gómez Tejeda Zañudo
- Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - M. Tyler Guinn
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Stony Brook Medical Scientist Training Program, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Kevin Farquhar
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Mariola Szenk
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Steven N. Steinway
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Gábor Balázsi
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Réka Albert
- Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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23
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Vijay GV, Zhao N, Den Hollander P, Toneff MJ, Joseph R, Pietila M, Taube JH, Sarkar TR, Ramirez-Pena E, Werden SJ, Shariati M, Gao R, Sobieski M, Stephan CC, Sphyris N, Miura N, Davies P, Chang JT, Soundararajan R, Rosen JM, Mani SA. GSK3β regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell properties in triple-negative breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2019; 21:37. [PMID: 30845991 PMCID: PMC6407242 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-019-1125-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), which lack receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and amplification of epidermal growth factor receptor 2, are highly aggressive. Consequently, patients diagnosed with TNBCs have reduced overall and disease-free survival rates compared to patients with other subtypes of breast cancer. TNBCs are characterized by the presence of cancer cells with mesenchymal properties, indicating that the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a major role in the progression of this disease. The EMT program has also been implicated in chemoresistance, tumor recurrence, and induction of cancer stem cell (CSC) properties. Currently, there are no targeted therapies for TNBC, and hence, it is critical to identify the novel targets to treat TNBC. METHODS A library of compounds was screened for their ability to inhibit EMT in cells with mesenchymal phenotype as assessed using the previously described Z-cad reporters. Of the several drugs tested, GSK3β inhibitors were identified as EMT inhibitors. The effects of GSK3β inhibitors on the properties of TNBC cells with a mesenchymal phenotype were assessed using qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, western blot, mammosphere, and migration and cell viability assays. Publicly available datasets also were analyzed to examine if the expression of GSK3β correlates with the overall survival of breast cancer patients. RESULTS We identified a GSK3β inhibitor, BIO, in a drug screen as one of the most potent inhibitors of EMT. BIO and two other GSK3β inhibitors, TWS119 and LiCl, also decreased the expression of mesenchymal markers in several different cell lines with a mesenchymal phenotype. Further, inhibition of GSK3β reduced EMT-related migratory properties of cells with mesenchymal properties. To determine if GSK3β inhibitors target mesenchymal-like cells by affecting the CSC population, we employed mammosphere assays and profiled the stem cell-related cell surface marker CD44+/24- in cells after exposure to GSK3β inhibitors. We found that GSK3β inhibitors indeed decreased the CSC properties of cell types with mesenchymal properties. We treated cells with epithelial and mesenchymal properties with GSK3β inhibitors and found that GSK3β inhibitors selectively kill cells with mesenchymal attributes while sparing cells with epithelial properties. We analyzed patient data to identify genes predictive of poor clinical outcome that could serve as novel therapeutic targets for TNBC. The Wnt signaling pathway is critical to EMT, but among the various factors known to be involved in Wnt signaling, only the higher expression of GSK3β correlated with poorer overall patient survival. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data demonstrate that GSK3β is a potential target for TNBCs and suggest that GSK3β inhibitors could serve as selective inhibitors of EMT and CSC properties for the treatment of a subset of aggressive TNBC. GSK3β inhibitors should be tested for use in combination with standard-of-care drugs in preclinical TNBC models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Vidhya Vijay
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Na Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Petra Den Hollander
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Mike J. Toneff
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Robiya Joseph
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Mika Pietila
- Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | | | - Tapasree R. Sarkar
- Center for Statistical Bioinformatics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Esmeralda Ramirez-Pena
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Steven J. Werden
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Maryam Shariati
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Ruli Gao
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Mary Sobieski
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX USA
| | - Clifford C. Stephan
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX USA
| | - Nathalie Sphyris
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Noayuki Miura
- Department of Biochemistry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Peter Davies
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX USA
| | - Jeffrey T. Chang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, UT Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
| | - Rama Soundararajan
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Sendurai A. Mani
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
- Metastasis Research Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX USA
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Lustig M, Feng Q, Payan Y, Gefen A, Benayahu D. Noninvasive Continuous Monitoring of Adipocyte Differentiation: From Macro to Micro Scales. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2019; 25:119-128. [PMID: 30712528 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927618015520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
3T3-L1 cells serve as model systems for studying adipogenesis and research of adipose tissue-related diseases, e.g. obesity and diabetes. Here, we present two novel and complementary nondestructive methods for adipogenesis analysis of living cells which facilitate continuous monitoring of the same culture over extended periods of time, and are applied in parallel at the macro- and micro-scales. At the macro-scale, we developed visual differences mapping (VDM), a novel method which allows to determine level of adipogenesis (LOA)-a numerical index which quantitatively describes the extent of differentiation in the whole culture, and percentage area populated by adipocytes (PAPBA) across a whole culture, based on the apparent morphological differences between preadipocytes and adipocytes. At the micro-scale, we developed an improved version of our previously published image-processing algorithm, which now provides data regarding single-cell morphology and lipid contents. Both methods were applied here synergistically for measuring differentiation levels in cultures over multiple weeks. VDM revealed that the mean LOA value reached 1.11 ± 0.06 and the mean PAPBA value reached >60%. Micro-scale analysis revealed that during differentiation, the cells transformed from a fibroblast-like shape to a circular shape with a build-up of lipid droplets. We predict a vast potential for implementation of these methods in adipose-related pharmacological research, such as in metabolic-syndrome studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Lustig
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,Tel Aviv University,Tel Aviv 6997801,Israel
| | - Qingling Feng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Ministry of Education of China,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University,Beijing 100084,China
| | - Yohan Payan
- CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, University of Grenoble Alpes,Grenoble F-38000,France
| | - Amit Gefen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,Tel Aviv University,Tel Aviv 6997801,Israel
| | - Dafna Benayahu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University,Tel Aviv 6997801,Israel
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25
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Matsunuma R, Chan DW, Kim BJ, Singh P, Han A, Saltzman AB, Cheng C, Lei JT, Wang J, Roberto da Silva L, Sahin E, Leng M, Fan C, Perou CM, Malovannaya A, Ellis MJ. DPYSL3 modulates mitosis, migration, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in claudin-low breast cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E11978-E11987. [PMID: 30498031 PMCID: PMC6305012 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1810598115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) proteogenomic analysis prioritized dihydropyrimidinase-like-3 (DPYSL3) as a multilevel (RNA/protein/phosphoprotein) expression outlier specific to the claudin-low (CLOW) subset of triple-negative breast cancers. A PubMed informatics tool indicated a paucity of data in the context of breast cancer, which further prioritized DPYSL3 for study. DPYSL3 knockdown in DPYSL3-positive ([Formula: see text]) CLOW cell lines demonstrated reduced proliferation, yet enhanced motility and increased expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, suggesting that DPYSL3 is a multifunctional signaling modulator. Slower proliferation in DPYSL3-negative ([Formula: see text]) CLOW cells was associated with accumulation of multinucleated cells, indicating a mitotic defect that was associated with a collapse of the vimentin microfilament network and increased vimentin phosphorylation. DPYSL3 also suppressed the expression of EMT regulators SNAIL and TWIST and opposed p21 activated kinase 2 (PAK2)-dependent migration. However, these EMT regulators in turn induce DPYSL3 expression, suggesting that DPYSL3 participates in negative feedback on EMT. In conclusion, DPYSL3 expression identifies CLOW tumors that will be sensitive to approaches that promote vimentin phosphorylation during mitosis and inhibitors of PAK signaling during migration and EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoichi Matsunuma
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- First Department of Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hamamatsu Oncology Center, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 430-0929, Japan
| | - Doug W Chan
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Beom-Jun Kim
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Purba Singh
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Airi Han
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 220-701, Korea
| | - Alexander B Saltzman
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jonathan T Lei
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Junkai Wang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Leonardo Roberto da Silva
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Science, State University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Ergun Sahin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Mei Leng
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Cheng Fan
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Charles M Perou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Anna Malovannaya
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Matthew J Ellis
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030;
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26
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Burmistrova OA, Nikulin SV, Zakharova GS, Fomicheva KA, Alekseev BY, Shkurnikov MY. New Fluorescent Reporter Systems for Evaluation of the Expression of E- and N-Cadherins. Bull Exp Biol Med 2018; 165:88-93. [DOI: 10.1007/s10517-018-4106-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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27
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Wei Z, Shan Z, Shaikh ZA. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast epithelial cells treated with cadmium and the role of Snail. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 344:46-55. [PMID: 29501589 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological and experimental studies have implicated cadmium (Cd) with breast cancer. In breast epithelial MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cells, Cd has been shown to promote cell growth. The present study examined whether Cd also promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a hallmark of cancer progression. Human breast epithelial cells consisting of non-cancerous MCF10A, non-metastatic HCC 1937 and HCC 38, and metastatic MDA-MB-231 were treated with 1 or 3 μM Cd for 4 weeks. The MCF10A epithelial cells switched to a more mesenchymal-like morphology, which was accompanied by a decrease in the epithelial marker E-cadherin and an increase in the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin. In both non-metastatic HCC 1937 and HCC 38 cells, treatment with Cd decreased the epithelial marker claudin-1. In addition, E-cadherin also decreased in the HCC 1937 cells. Even the mesenchymal-like MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited an increase in the mesenchymal marker vimentin. These changes indicated that prolonged treatment with Cd resulted in EMT in both normal and cancer-derived breast epithelial cells. Furthermore, both the MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cells labeled with Zcad, a dual sensor for tracking EMT, demonstrated a decrease in the epithelial marker E-cadherin and an increase in the mesenchymal marker ZEB-1. Treatment of cells with Cd significantly increased the level of Snail, a transcription factor involved in the regulation of EMT. However, the Cd-induced Snail expression was completely abolished by actinomycin D. Luciferase reporter assay indicated that the expression of Snail was regulated by Cd at the promotor level. Snail was essential for Cd-induced promotion of EMT in the MDA-MB-231 cells, as knockdown of Snail expression blocked Cd-induced cell migration. Together, these results indicate that Cd promotes EMT in breast epithelial cells and does so by modulating the transcription of Snail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengxi Wei
- Center for Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Zhongguo Shan
- Center for Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Zahir A Shaikh
- Center for Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
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28
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Jolly MK, Tripathi SC, Somarelli JA, Hanash SM, Levine H. Epithelial/mesenchymal plasticity: how have quantitative mathematical models helped improve our understanding? Mol Oncol 2017; 11:739-754. [PMID: 28548388 PMCID: PMC5496493 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of cells to reversibly alter their phenotypes in response to signals, presents a significant clinical challenge to treating solid tumors. Tumor cells utilize phenotypic plasticity to evade therapies, metastasize, and colonize distant organs. As a result, phenotypic plasticity can accelerate tumor progression. A well‐studied example of phenotypic plasticity is the bidirectional conversions among epithelial, mesenchymal, and hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotype(s). These conversions can alter a repertoire of cellular traits associated with multiple hallmarks of cancer, such as metabolism, immune evasion, invasion, and metastasis. To tackle the complexity and heterogeneity of these transitions, mathematical models have been developed that seek to capture the experimentally verified molecular mechanisms and act as ‘hypothesis‐generating machines’. Here, we discuss how these quantitative mathematical models have helped us explain existing experimental data, guided further experiments, and provided an improved conceptual framework for understanding how multiple intracellular and extracellular signals can drive E/M plasticity at both the single‐cell and population levels. We also discuss the implications of this plasticity in driving multiple aggressive facets of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Satyendra C Tripathi
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason A Somarelli
- Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Samir M Hanash
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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