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Ibrahim R, Assi T, Khoury R, Ngo C, Faron M, Verret B, Lévy A, Honoré C, Hénon C, Le Péchoux C, Bahleda R, Le Cesne A. Desmoid-type fibromatosis: Current therapeutic strategies and future perspectives. Cancer Treat Rev 2024; 123:102675. [PMID: 38159438 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102675] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Desmoid tumors (DT) are rare, slow-growing, locally invasive soft tissue tumors that often pose significant therapeutic challenges. Traditional management strategies including active surveillance, surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy which are associated with varying recurrence rates and high morbidity. Given the challenging nature of DT and the modest outcomes associated with current treatment strategies, there has been a growing interest in the field of γ-secretase inhibitors as a result of its action on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this review article, we will shed the light on the pathogenesis and molecular biology of DT, discuss its symptoms and diagnosis, and provide a comprehensive review of the traditional therapeutic approaches. We will also delve into the mechanisms of action of γ-secretase inhibitors, its efficacy, and the existing preclinical and clinical data available to date on the use of these agents, as well as the potential challenges and future prospects in the treatment landscape of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Ibrahim
- Division of International Patients Care, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Tarek Assi
- Division of International Patients Care, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France; Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.
| | - Rita Khoury
- Division of International Patients Care, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Carine Ngo
- Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Matthieu Faron
- Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Benjamin Verret
- Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Antonin Lévy
- Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Charles Honoré
- Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Clémence Hénon
- Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | | | | | - Axel Le Cesne
- Division of International Patients Care, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France; Sarcoma Unit, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
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2
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Paniri A, Hosseini MM, Amjadi-Moheb F, Tabaripour R, Soleimani E, Langroudi MP, Zafari P, Akhavan-Niaki H. The epigenetics orchestra of Notch signaling: a symphony for cancer therapy. Epigenomics 2023; 15:1337-1358. [PMID: 38112013 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0270] [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] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The aberrant regulation of the Notch signaling pathway, which is a fundamental developmental pathway, has been implicated in a wide range of human cancers. The Notch pathway can be activated by both canonical and noncanonical Notch ligands, and its role can switch between acting as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor depending on the context. Epigenetic modifications have the potential to modulate Notch and its ligands, thereby influencing Notch signal transduction. Consequently, the utilization of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms may present novel therapeutic opportunities for both single and combined therapeutics targeted at the Notch signaling pathway. This review offers insights into the mechanisms governing the regulation of Notch signaling and explores their therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Paniri
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745,Iran
- Zoonoses Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, 4619332976, Amol, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Amjadi-Moheb
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745,Iran
| | - Reza Tabaripour
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, 4747137381, Iran
| | - Elnaz Soleimani
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745,Iran
| | | | - Parisa Zafari
- Ramsar Campus, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Ramsar, 4691786953, Iran
| | - Haleh Akhavan-Niaki
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4717647745,Iran
- Zoonoses Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, 4619332976, Amol, Iran
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3
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Song C, Zhang J, Xu C, Gao M, Li N, Geng Q. The critical role of γ-secretase and its inhibitors in cancer and cancer therapeutics. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:5089-5103. [PMID: 37928268 PMCID: PMC10620818 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.87334] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a multi-substrate transmembrane protease, γ-secretase exists widely in various cells. It controls multiple important cellular activities through substrate cleavage. γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) play a role in cancer inhibition by blocking Notch cleavage, and are considered as potential therapeutic strategies for cancer. Currently, GSIs have encouraging performance in preclinical models, yet this success does not translate well in clinical trials. In recent years, a number of breakthrough discoveries have shown us the promise of targeting γ-secretase for the treatment of cancer. Here, we integrate a large amount of data from γ-secretase and its inhibitors and cancer in nearly 30 years, comb and discuss the close connection between γ-secretase and cancer, as well as the potential and problems of current GSIs in cancer treatment. We analyze the possible reasons for the failure performance of current GSIs in clinical trials, and make recommendations for future research areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congkuan Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinjin Zhang
- Department of Emergency, Taihe Hospital, Shiyan, China
| | - Chenzhen Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Minglang Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Geng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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4
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Sen P, Ghosh SS. The Intricate Notch Signaling Dynamics in Therapeutic Realms of Cancer. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:651-670. [PMID: 37200816 PMCID: PMC10186364 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The Notch pathway is remarkably simple without the interventions of secondary messengers. It possesses a unique receptor-ligand interaction that imparts signaling upon cleavage of the receptor followed by the nuclear localization of its cleaved intracellular domain. It is found that the transcriptional regulator of the Notch pathway lies at the intersection of multiple signaling pathways that enhance the aggressiveness of cancer. The preclinical and clinical evidence supports the pro-oncogenic function of Notch signaling in various tumor subtypes. Owing to its oncogenic role, the Notch signaling pathway assists in enhanced tumorigenesis by facilitating angiogenesis, drug resistance, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, etc., which is also attributed to the poor outcome in patients. Therefore, it is extremely vital to discover a suitable inhibitor to downregulate the signal-transducing ability of Notch. The Notch inhibitory agents, such as receptor decoys, protease (ADAM and γ-secretase) inhibitors, and monoclonal/bispecific antibodies, are being investigated as candidate therapeutic agents. Studies conducted by our group exemplify the promising results in ablating tumorigenic aggressiveness by inhibiting the constituents of the Notch pathway. This review deals with the detailed mechanism of the Notch pathways and their implications in various malignancies. It also bestows us with the recent therapeutic advances concerning Notch signaling in the context of monotherapy and combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plaboni Sen
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Siddhartha Sankar Ghosh
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
- Centre
for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of
Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
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5
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Park BS, Jeon H, Chi SG, Kim T. Efficient prioritization of CRISPR screen hits by accounting for targeting efficiency of guide RNA. BMC Biol 2023; 21:45. [PMID: 36829149 PMCID: PMC9960226 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01536-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CRISPR-based screens are revolutionizing drug discovery as tools to identify genes whose ablation induces a phenotype of interest. For instance, CRISPR-Cas9 screening has been successfully used to identify novel therapeutic targets in cancer where disruption of genes leads to decreased viability of malignant cells. However, low-activity guide RNAs may give rise to variable changes in phenotype, preventing easy identification of hits and leading to false negative results. Therefore, correcting the effects of bias due to differences in guide RNA efficiency in CRISPR screening data can improve the efficiency of prioritizing hits for further validation. Here, we developed an approach to identify hits from negative CRISPR screens by correcting the fold changes (FC) in gRNA frequency by the actual, observed frequency of indel mutations generated by gRNA. RESULTS Each gRNA was coupled with the "reporter sequence" that can be targeted by the same gRNA so that the frequency of mutations in the reporter sequence can be used as a proxy for the endogenous target gene. The measured gRNA activity was used to correct the FC. We identified indel generation efficiency as the dominant factor contributing significant bias to screening results, and our method significantly removed such bias and was better at identifying essential genes when compared to conventional fold change analysis. We successfully applied our gRNA activity data to previously published gRNA screening data, and identified novel genes whose ablation could synergize with vemurafenib in the A375 melanoma cell line. Our method identified nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase B, and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 as synergistic targets whose ablation sensitized A375 cells to vemurafenib. CONCLUSIONS We identified the variations in target cleavage efficiency, even in optimized sgRNA libraries, that pose a strong bias in phenotype and developed an analysis method that corrects phenotype score by the measured differences in the targeting efficiency among sgRNAs. Collectively, we expect that our new analysis method will more accurately identify genes that confer the phenotype of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung-Sun Park
- grid.35541.360000000121053345Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792 Republic of Korea ,grid.222754.40000 0001 0840 2678Department of Biological Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841 Republic of Korea
| | - Heeju Jeon
- grid.35541.360000000121053345Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792 Republic of Korea ,grid.222754.40000 0001 0840 2678Department of Biological Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841 Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Gil Chi
- grid.222754.40000 0001 0840 2678Department of Biological Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841 Republic of Korea
| | - Tackhoon Kim
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea. .,Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, Korea University of Science and Technology, 217 GajeongRo YuseongGu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Manni W, Min W. Signaling pathways in the regulation of cancer stem cells and associated targeted therapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e176. [PMID: 36226253 PMCID: PMC9534377 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are defined as a subpopulation of malignant tumor cells with selective capacities for tumor initiation, self-renewal, metastasis, and unlimited growth into bulks, which are believed as a major cause of progressive tumor phenotypes, including recurrence, metastasis, and treatment failure. A number of signaling pathways are involved in the maintenance of stem cell properties and survival of CSCs, including well-established intrinsic pathways, such as the Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog signaling, and extrinsic pathways, such as the vascular microenvironment and tumor-associated immune cells. There is also intricate crosstalk between these signal cascades and other oncogenic pathways. Thus, targeting pathway molecules that regulate CSCs provides a new option for the treatment of therapy-resistant or -refractory tumors. These treatments include small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies that target key signaling in CSCs, as well as CSC-directed immunotherapies that harness the immune systems to target CSCs. This review aims to provide an overview of the regulating networks and their immune interactions involved in CSC development. We also address the update on the development of CSC-directed therapeutics, with a special focus on those with application approval or under clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Manni
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduP. R. China
| | - Wu Min
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of North DakotaGrand ForksNorth DakotaUSA
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7
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Swati K, Agrawal K, Raj S, Kumar R, Prakash A, Kumar D. Molecular mechanism(s) of regulations of cancer stem cell in brain cancer propagation. Med Res Rev 2022; 43:441-463. [PMID: 36205299 DOI: 10.1002/med.21930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Brain tumors are most often diagnosed with solid neoplasms and are the primary reason for cancer-related deaths in both children and adults worldwide. With recent developments in the progression of novel targeted chemotherapies, the prognosis of malignant glioma remains dismal. However, the high recurrence rate and high mortality rate remain unresolved and are closely linked to the biological features of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Research on tumor biology has reached a new age with more understanding of CSC features. CSCs, a subpopulation of whole tumor cells, are now regarded as candidate therapeutic targets. Therefore, in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors, recognizing the biological properties of CSCs is of considerable significance. Here, we have discussed the concept of CSCs and their significant role in brain cancer growth and propagation. We have also discussed personalized therapeutic development and immunotherapies for brain cancer by specifically targeting CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumari Swati
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India
| | - Kirti Agrawal
- School of Health Sciences and Technology (SoHST), UPES University, Dehradun, India.,Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Sibi Raj
- School of Health Sciences and Technology (SoHST), UPES University, Dehradun, India.,Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Rajeev Kumar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Anand Prakash
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India
| | - Dhruv Kumar
- School of Health Sciences and Technology (SoHST), UPES University, Dehradun, India.,Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
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8
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Javadi A, Keighobadi F, Nekoukar V, Ebrahimi M. Finite-Set Model Predictive Control of Melanoma Cancer Treatment Using Signaling Pathway Inhibitor of Cancer Stem Cell. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 18:1504-1511. [PMID: 31514151 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2019.2940658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Drug delivery is one of the most important issues in the treatment of cancer and surviving the patient. Recently, with a combination of mathematical models of the tumor growth and control theory, optimal drug delivery can be planned, individually. The goal is reducing the tumor volume with minimum side effects on the patient. One of the most important challenges of the modeling is considering the drug resistance, which may lead to failure of the treatment. In this paper, a mathematical model is proposed for describing the growth dynamics of the melanoma tumor cells. It is assumed that the melanoma cancer is treated with Notch signaling pathway inhibitors of the cancer stem cells. The model parameters are identified based on experimental data obtained from 13 male nude mice with an induced melanoma cancer involved in a dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) program. The mathematical model is used to determine if DAPT can reduce the growth rate of the tumor. Then an optimal drug delivery plan for the treatment of every animal model is presented, individually using finite-set model predictive control method. The results show that the proposed model can estimate the drug's effect on the treatment of melanoma cancer.
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9
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Fontana F, Haack T, Reichenbach M, Knaus P, Puceat M, Abdelilah-Seyfried S. Antagonistic Activities of Vegfr3/Flt4 and Notch1b Fine-tune Mechanosensitive Signaling during Zebrafish Cardiac Valvulogenesis. Cell Rep 2021; 32:107883. [PMID: 32668254 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of cardiac valves depends on mechanical forces exerted by blood flow. Endocardial cells lining the interior of the heart are sensitive to these stimuli and respond by rearranging into luminal cells subjected to shear stress and abluminal cells not exposed to it. The mechanisms by which endocardial cells sense these dynamic biomechanical stimuli and how they evoke different cellular responses are largely unknown. Here, we show that blood flow activates two parallel mechanosensitive pathways, one mediated by Notch and the other by Klf2a. Both pathways negatively regulate the angiogenesis receptor Vegfr3/Flt4, which becomes restricted to abluminal endocardial cells. Its loss disrupts valve morphogenesis and results in the occurrence of Notch signaling within abluminal endocardial cells. Our work explains how antagonistic activities by Vegfr3/Flt4 on the abluminal side and by Notch on the luminal side shape cardiac valve leaflets by triggering unique differences in the fates of endocardial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Fontana
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, D-14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Timm Haack
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Maria Reichenbach
- Institute of Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Petra Knaus
- Institute of Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michel Puceat
- INSERM U-1251, MMG, Aix-Marseille University, 13885 Marseille, France
| | - Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, D-14476 Potsdam, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hannover, Germany.
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10
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McCaw TR, Inga E, Chen H, Jaskula‐Sztul R, Dudeja V, Bibb JA, Ren B, Rose JB. Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Cancer: A Current Perspective on Clinical Performance. Oncologist 2021; 26:e608-e621. [PMID: 33284507 PMCID: PMC8018325 DOI: 10.1002/onco.13627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gamma secretase inhibitors (GSIs), initially developed as Alzheimer's therapies, have been repurposed as anticancer agents given their inhibition of Notch receptor cleavage. The success of GSIs in preclinical models has been ascribed to induction of cancer stem-like cell differentiation and apoptosis, while also impairing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and sensitizing cells to traditional chemoradiotherapies. The promise of these agents has yet to be realized in the clinic, however, as GSIs have failed to demonstrate clinical benefit in most solid tumors with the notable exceptions of CNS malignancies and desmoid tumors. Disappointing clinical performance to date reflects important questions that remain to be answered. For example, what is the net impact of these agents on antitumor immune responses, and will they require concurrent targeting of tumor-intrinsic compensatory pathways? Addressing these limitations in our current understanding of GSI mechanisms will undoubtedly facilitate their rational incorporation into combinatorial strategies and provide a valuable tool with which to combat Notch-dependent cancers. In the present review, we provide a current understanding of GSI mechanisms, discuss clinical performance to date, and suggest areas for future investigation that might maximize the utility of these agents. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The performance of gamma secretase inhibitors (GSIs) in clinical trials generally has not reflected their encouraging performance in preclinical studies. This review provides a current perspective on the clinical performance of GSIs across various solid tumor types alongside putative mechanisms of antitumor activity. Through exploration of outstanding gaps in knowledge as well as reasons for success in certain cancer types, the authors identify areas for future investigation that will likely enable incorporation of GSIs into rational combinatorial strategies for superior tumor control and patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R. McCaw
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Evelyn Inga
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Herbert Chen
- Breast & Endocrine Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Renata Jaskula‐Sztul
- Breast & Endocrine Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Vikas Dudeja
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - James A. Bibb
- Gastrointestinal Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Bin Ren
- Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - J. Bart Rose
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
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11
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Thippu Jayaprakash K, Hussein M, Shaffer R, Michael A, Nisbet A, Ajaz M. In Vitro Evaluation of Notch Inhibition to Enhance Efficacy of Radiation Therapy in Melanoma. Adv Radiat Oncol 2021; 6:100622. [PMID: 33732959 PMCID: PMC7940786 DOI: 10.1016/j.adro.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The scope of radiation therapy is limited in melanoma. Using in vitro melanoma models, we investigated a Notch signaling inhibitor as a radiosensitizer to explore its potential to improve the efficacy of radiation therapy to widen the clinical application of radiation therapy in melanoma. Methods and Materials Melanoma cell lines A375, SKMEL28, and G361 were grown using standard tissue culture methods. Radiation was delivered with a clinical x-ray unit, and a gamma secretase inhibitor RO4929097 was used to inhibit Notch signaling. Cell viability signal was used to calculate Loewe's combination index to assess the interaction between radiation and RO4929097 and also the effect of scheduling of radiation and RO4929097 on synergy. Clonogenic assays were used to assess the clonogenic potential. An in vitro 3-dimensional culture model, γ-H2AX, and notch intracellular domain assays were used to interrogate potential underlying biological mechanisms of this approach. Scratch and transwell migration assays were used to assess cell migration. Results A375 and SKMEL28 cell lines showed consistent synergy for most single radiation doses examined, with a tendency for better synergy with the radiation-first schedule (irradiation performed 24 hours before RO4929097 exposure). Clonogenic assays showed dose-dependent reduction in colony numbers. Both radiation and RO4929097 reduced the size of melanospheres grown in 3-dimensional culture in vitro, where RO4929097 demonstrated a significant effect on the size of A375 and SKMEL28 melanospheres, indicating potential modulation of stem cell phenotype. Radiation induced γ-H2AX foci signal levels were reduced after exposure to RO4929097 with a tendency toward reduction in notch intracellular domain levels for all 3 cell lines. RO4929097 impaired both de novo and radiation-enhanced cell migration. Conclusions We demonstrate Notch signaling inhibition with RO4929097 as a promising strategy to potentially improve the efficacy of radiation therapy in melanoma. This strategy warrants further validation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamalram Thippu Jayaprakash
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Leggett Building, Manor Park, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Department of Oncology, St. Luke's Cancer Centre, Royal Surrey Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Oncology Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, King's Lynn, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad Hussein
- Department of Medical Physics, St. Luke's Cancer Centre, Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Shaffer
- GenesisCare UK, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Agnieszka Michael
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Leggett Building, Manor Park, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Department of Oncology, St. Luke's Cancer Centre, Royal Surrey Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Nisbet
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mazhar Ajaz
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Leggett Building, Manor Park, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Department of Oncology, St. Luke's Cancer Centre, Royal Surrey Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom
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12
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Advani D, Sharma S, Kumari S, Ambasta RK, Kumar P. Precision Oncology, Signaling and Anticancer Agents in Cancer Therapeutics. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:433-468. [PMID: 33687887 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210308101029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global alliance for genomics and healthcare facilities provides innovational solutions to expedite research and clinical practices for complex and incurable health conditions. Precision oncology is an emerging field explicitly tailored to facilitate cancer diagnosis, prevention and treatment based on patients' genetic profile. Advancements in "omics" techniques, next-generation sequencing, artificial intelligence and clinical trial designs provide a platform for assessing the efficacy and safety of combination therapies and diagnostic procedures. METHOD Data were collected from Pubmed and Google scholar using keywords: "Precision medicine", "precision medicine and cancer", "anticancer agents in precision medicine" and reviewed comprehensively. RESULTS Personalized therapeutics including immunotherapy, cancer vaccines, serve as a groundbreaking solution for cancer treatment. Herein, we take a measurable view of precision therapies and novel diagnostic approaches targeting cancer treatment. The contemporary applications of precision medicine have also been described along with various hurdles identified in the successful establishment of precision therapeutics. CONCLUSION This review highlights the key breakthroughs related to immunotherapies, targeted anticancer agents, and target interventions related to cancer signaling mechanisms. The success story of this field in context to drug resistance, safety, patient survival and in improving quality of life is yet to be elucidated. We conclude that, in the near future, the field of individualized treatments may truly revolutionize the nature of cancer patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dia Advani
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Sudhanshu Sharma
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Smita Kumari
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Rashmi K Ambasta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
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13
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Sangiuliano LDC, de Oliveira Filho RS, de Oliveira DA, Gomes HC, Ferreira LM. Identification and quantification of notch receptors in human cutaneous melanoma using molecular biology techniques: literature review. SURGICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s42047-020-00069-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The Notch signaling pathway and its modulators are directly related to growth, verticalization and metastasis in melanoma, being a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of this type of cancer. There are several methods of molecular biology to identify and quantify Notch receptors and it is essential to study them for understanding the different results, advantages and disadvantages of each.
Main body
The present study brings a bibliographic review on the molecular biology methods used in the identification and quantification of these molecules, aiming to facilitate research involving Notch receptors in human melanoma. We identified as main methods of molecular biology Western Blotting, Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and DNA microarrays. A brief description of these methodologies is made and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. Results concerning the function of this pathway are also discussed.
Short conclusion
It is known that the activation of Notch receptors is tumorigenic in most cases, however, depending on the microenvironment, it can provide tumor suppression. The adequate choice and use of the methodology for identification and quantification of Notch receptors is essential for the progress of knowledge of this important signaling pathway, which, certainly, will allow advances in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma.
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14
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Keyghobadi F, Mehdipour M, Nekoukar V, Firouzi J, Kheimeh A, Nobakht Lahrood F, Azimian Zavareh V, Azimi M, Mohammadi M, Sodeifi N, Ebrahimi M. Long-Term Inhibition of Notch in A-375 Melanoma Cells Enhances Tumor Growth Through the Enhancement of AXIN1, CSNK2A3, and CEBPA2 as Intermediate Genes in Wnt and Notch Pathways. Front Oncol 2020; 10:531. [PMID: 32695658 PMCID: PMC7338939 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Notch suppression by gamma-secretase inhibitors is a valid approach against melanoma. However, most of studies have evaluated the short-term effect of DAPT on tumor cells or even cancer stem cells. In the present study, we surveyed the short-term and long-term effects of DAPT on the stem cell properties of A375 and NA8 as melanoma cell lines. The effects of DAPT were tested both in vitro and in vivo using xenograft models. In A375 with B-raf mutation, DAPT decreased the level of NOTCH1, NOTH2, and HES1 as downstream genes of the Notch pathway. This was accompanied by enhanced apoptosis after 24 h treatment, arrest in the G2−M phase, and impaired ability of colony and melanosphere formation at the short term. Moreover, tumor growth also reduced during 13 days of treatment. However, long-term treatment of DAPT promoted tumor growth in the xenograft model and enhanced the number and size of colonies and spheroids in vitro. The gene expression studies confirmed the up-regulation of Wnt and Notch downstream genes as well as AXIN1, CSNK2A3, and CEBPA2 following the removal of Notch inhibitor in vitro and in the xenograft model. Moreover, the Gompertz-based mathematical model determined a new drug resistance term in the present study. Our data supported that the long-term and not short-term inhibition of Notch by DAPT may enhance tumor growth and motility through up-regulation of AXIN1, CSNK2A3, and CEBPA2 genes in B-raf mutated A375 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Keyghobadi
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Mehdipour
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahab Nekoukar
- School of Electrical Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Firouzi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Kheimeh
- Animal Core Facility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Nobakht Lahrood
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vajihe Azimian Zavareh
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Azimi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Mohammadi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Niloofar Sodeifi
- Department of Pathology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marzieh Ebrahimi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
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15
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Moore G, Annett S, McClements L, Robson T. Top Notch Targeting Strategies in Cancer: A Detailed Overview of Recent Insights and Current Perspectives. Cells 2020; 9:cells9061503. [PMID: 32575680 PMCID: PMC7349363 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved Notch plays a critical role in embryonic development and cellular self-renewal. It has both tumour suppressor and oncogenic activity, the latter of which is widely described. Notch-activating mutations are associated with haematological malignancies and several solid tumours including breast, lung and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Moreover, upregulation of Notch receptors and ligands and aberrant Notch signalling is frequently observed in cancer. It is involved in cancer hallmarks including proliferation, survival, migration, angiogenesis, cancer stem cell renewal, metastasis and drug resistance. It is a key component of cell-to-cell interactions between cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment, such as endothelial cells, immune cells and fibroblasts. Notch displays diverse crosstalk with many other oncogenic signalling pathways, and may drive acquired resistance to targeted therapies as well as resistance to standard chemo/radiation therapy. The past 10 years have seen the emergence of different classes of drugs therapeutically targeting Notch including receptor/ligand antibodies, gamma secretase inhibitors (GSI) and most recently, the development of Notch transcription complex inhibitors. It is an exciting time for Notch research with over 70 cancer clinical trials registered and the first-ever Phase III trial of a Notch GSI, nirogacestat, currently at the recruitment stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Moore
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; (G.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Stephanie Annett
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; (G.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Lana McClements
- The School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Tracy Robson
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; (G.M.); (S.A.)
- Correspondence:
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16
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Venkatesh V, Nataraj R, Thangaraj GS, Karthikeyan M, Gnanasekaran A, Kaginelli SB, Kuppanna G, Kallappa CG, Basalingappa KM. Targeting Notch signalling pathway of cancer stem cells. Stem Cell Investig 2018; 5:5. [PMID: 29682512 DOI: 10.21037/sci.2018.02.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been defined as cells within tumor that possess the capacity to self-renew and to cause the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the tumor. CSCs have been increasingly identified in blood cancer, prostate, ovarian, lung, melanoma, pancreatic, colon, brain and many more malignancies. CSCs have slow growth rate and are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy that lead to the failure of traditional current therapy. Eradicating the CSCs and recurrence, is promising aspect for the cure of cancer. The CSCs like any other stem cells activate the signal transduction pathways that involve the development and tissue homeostasis, which include Notch signaling pathway. The new treatment targets these pathway that control stem-cell replication, survival and differentiation that are under development. Notch inhibitors either single or in combination with chemotherapy drugs have been developed to treat cancer and its recurrence. This approach of targeting signaling pathway of CSCs represents a promising future direction for the therapeutic strategy to cure cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandana Venkatesh
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, (Deemed to be University), Mysuru, India
| | - Raghu Nataraj
- Division of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, (Deemed to be University), Mysuru, India
| | - Gopenath S Thangaraj
- Division of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, (Deemed to be University), Mysuru, India
| | - Murugesan Karthikeyan
- Senior Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Quest International University Perak, Malaysia
| | - Ashok Gnanasekaran
- Senior Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Quest International University Perak, Malaysia
| | - Shanmukhappa B Kaginelli
- Division of Medical Physics, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, (Deemed to be University), Mysuru, India
| | - Gobianand Kuppanna
- Department of Microbiology, Vivekanandha College of Arts and Sciences for Women, Elayampalayam, Tiruchengode. Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Kanthesh M Basalingappa
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, (Deemed to be University), Mysuru, India
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17
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Mukherjee N, Almeida A, Partyka KA, Lu Y, Schwan JV, Lambert K, Rogers M, Robinson WA, Robinson SE, Applegate AJ, Amato CM, Luo Y, Fujita M, Norris DA, Shellman YG. Combining a GSI and BCL-2 inhibitor to overcome melanoma's resistance to current treatments. Oncotarget 2018; 7:84594-84607. [PMID: 27829238 PMCID: PMC5356684 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Major limitations of current melanoma treatments are for instances of relapse and the lack of therapeutic options for BRAF wild-type patients who do not respond to immunotherapy. Many studies therefore focus on killing resistant subpopulations, such as Melanoma Initiating Cells (MICs) to prevent relapse. Here we examined whether combining a GSI (γ-Secretase Inhibitor) with ABT-737 (a small molecule BCL-2/BCL-XL/BCL-W inhibitor) can kill both the non-MICs (bulk of melanoma) and MICs. To address the limitations of melanoma therapies, we included multiple tumor samples of patients relapsed from current treatments, with a diverse genetic background (with or without the common BRAF, NRAS or NF1 mutations) in these studies. Excitingly, the combination treatment reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis of the non-MICs; disrupted primary spheres, decreased the ALDH+ cells, and inhibited the self-renewability of the MICs in multiple melanoma cell lines and relapsed patient samples. Using a low-cell-number mouse xenograft model, we demonstrated that the combination significantly reduced the tumor initiating ability of MIC-enriched cultures from relapsed patient samples. Mechanistic studies also indicate that cell death is NOXA-dependent. In summary, this combination may be a promising strategy to address treatment relapse and for triple wild-type patients who do not respond to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabanita Mukherjee
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Adam Almeida
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Katie A Partyka
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Yan Lu
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Josianna V Schwan
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Karoline Lambert
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Madison Rogers
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - William A Robinson
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Steven E Robinson
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Allison J Applegate
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Carol M Amato
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Yuchun Luo
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Mayumi Fujita
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - David A Norris
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dermatology Section, Denver, CO 80220, USA
| | - Yiqun G Shellman
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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18
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Krepler C, Xiao M, Samanta M, Vultur A, Chen HY, Brafford P, Reyes-Uribe PI, Halloran M, Chen T, He X, Hristova D, Liu Q, Samatar AA, Davies MA, Nathanson KL, Fukunaga-Kalabis M, Herlyn M, Villanueva J. Targeting Notch enhances the efficacy of ERK inhibitors in BRAF-V600E melanoma. Oncotarget 2018; 7:71211-71222. [PMID: 27655717 PMCID: PMC5342073 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of activating BRAF mutations in approximately 50% of melanomas has led to the development of MAPK pathway inhibitors, which have transformed melanoma therapy. However, not all BRAF-V600E melanomas respond to MAPK inhibition. Therefore, it is important to understand why tumors with the same oncogenic driver have variable responses to MAPK inhibitors. Here, we show that concurrent loss of PTEN and activation of the Notch pathway is associated with poor response to the ERK inhibitor SCH772984, and that co-inhibition of Notch and ERK decreased viability in BRAF-V600E melanomas. Additionally, patients with low PTEN and Notch activation had significantly shorter progression free survival when treated with BRAF inhibitors. Our studies provide a rationale to further develop combination strategies with Notch antagonists to maximize the efficacy of MAPK inhibition in melanoma. Our findings should prompt the evaluation of combinations co-targeting MAPK/ERK and Notch as a strategy to improve current therapies and warrant further evaluation of co-occurrence of aberrant PTEN and Notch activation as predictive markers of response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Krepler
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Min Xiao
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Minu Samanta
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adina Vultur
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hsin-Yi Chen
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patricia Brafford
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Molly Halloran
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Chen
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xu He
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Denitsa Hristova
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qin Liu
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ahmed A Samatar
- Discovery Oncology Merck Research Laboratories, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael A Davies
- Melanoma Medical Oncology and Systems Biology University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katherine L Nathanson
- Division of Medical Genetics and The Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia PA, USA
| | | | - Meenhard Herlyn
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessie Villanueva
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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19
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Notch3 signaling-mediated melanoma-endothelial crosstalk regulates melanoma stem-like cell homeostasis and niche morphogenesis. J Transl Med 2017; 97:725-736. [PMID: 28165469 PMCID: PMC5446297 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is among the most virulent cancers, owing to its propensity to metastasize and its resistance to current therapies. The treatment failure is largely attributed to tumor heterogeneity, particularly subpopulations possessing stem cell-like properties, ie, melanoma stem-like cells (MSLCs). Evidence indicates that the MSLC phenotype is malleable and may be acquired by non-MSLCs through phenotypic switching upon appropriate stimuli, the so-called 'dynamic stemness'. Since the phenotypic characteristics and functional integrity of MSLCs depend on their vascular niche, using a two-dimensional (2D) melanoma-endothelium co-culture model, where the MSLC niche is recapitulated in vitro, we identified Notch3 signaling pathway as a micro-environmental cue governing MSLC phenotypic plasticity via pathway-specific gene expression arrays. Accordingly, lentiviral shRNA-mediated Notch3 knockdown (KD) in melanoma cell lines exhibiting high levels of endogenous Notch3 led to retarded/abolished tumorigenicity in vivo through both depleting MSLC fractions, evinced by MSLC marker downregulation (eg, CD133 and CD271); and impeding the MSLC niche, corroborated by the attenuated tumor angiogenesis as well as vasculogenic mimicry. In contrast, Notch3 KD affected neither tumor growth nor MSLC subsets in a melanoma cell line with relatively low endogenous Notch3 expression. Thus, Notch3 signaling may facilitate MSLC plasticity and niche morphogenesis in a cell context-dependent manner. Our findings illustrate Notch3 as a molecular switch driving melanoma heterogeneity, and provide the biological rationale for Notch inhibition as a promising therapeutic option.
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20
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Gu K, Li Q, Lin H, Zhu J, Mo J, He S, Lu X, Jiang X, Sun H. Gamma secretase inhibitors: a patent review (2013 - 2015). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2017; 27:851-866. [PMID: 28350212 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2017.1313231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gamma secretase (GS) is an intricate and multi-subunits complex, and it can cut various transmembrane proteins. Now it is a therapeutic target for a number of diseases. However, due to some side effects, the clinical development of GSI is not successful. Therefore, searching for effective GSIs has become a key point in drug discovery. Areas covered: This review discusses the structure and function of GS and various types of GSIs. And this article seeks to give an overview of the patents or applications published from 2013 to 2015 in which novel chemical classes are claimed to inhibit the GS. Expert opinion: Firstly, further understanding the structure and function of GS to elucidate the disease mechanism and develop AD therapies is urgent. Secondly, if the bioequivalence, pharmacokinetics and selectivity can be improved greatly, some failed clinical inhibitors still can become the promising compounds for clinical trials. Thirdly, some weaknesses are exposed during the development of GSI, especially the insufficient potency, low brain penetration and poor selectivity. Finally, to find potent and selective GSI is the major direction in future. Moreover, to find new indications and dosing regimens in a trial of GSIs also can be seen as new ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Gu
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Qi Li
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Hongzhi Lin
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Jie Zhu
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Jun Mo
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Siyu He
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Xin Lu
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Xueyang Jiang
- b Key Laboratory of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Science , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
| | - Haopeng Sun
- a Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China
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21
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Abstract
The link between inflammation, immunity and cancer is well established. In the last decade, there has been considerable excitement over cancer stem cells, believed to be a subset of tumour cells responsible for their initiation, propagation and resistance to conventional chemoradiotherapy. In this review, we discuss the characterization of cancer stem cells and describe their modulation by inflammation with a focus on melanoma.
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22
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Rosa R, D'Amato V, De Placido S, Bianco R. Approaches for targeting cancer stem cells drug resistance. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2016; 11:1201-1212. [PMID: 27700193 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2016.1243525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several reports have suggested that a population of undifferentiated cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), is responsible for cancer formation and maintenance. In the last decade, the presence of CSCs in solid cancers have been reported. Areas covered: This review summarizes the main approaches for targeting CSCs drug resistance. It is indeed known that CSCs may contribute to resistance to conventional chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted agents. Among the mechanisms by which CSCs escape anticancer therapies, removal of therapeutic agents by drug efflux pumps, enhanced DNA damage repair, activation of mitogenic/anti-apoptotic pathways; the main features of CSCs, stemness and EMT, are involved, as well as the capability to evade immune response. Expert opinion: Different approaches are suitable to target CSCs mediated drug resistance. Some of them are currently under clinical evaluation in different cancer types. A better understanding of CSC biology, as well as more accurate study design, may maximize the therapeutic effects of these agents. In this respect, it is important to establish: (i) which molecules should be targeted; (ii) what drug combinations may be suitable; (iii) which patient settings will CSC targeting offer the highest clinical benefit; and (iv) how to integrate therapeutic approaches targeting CSCs with standard cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Rosa
- a Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia , Università di Napoli Federico II , Napoli , Italy
| | - Valentina D'Amato
- a Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia , Università di Napoli Federico II , Napoli , Italy
| | - Sabino De Placido
- a Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia , Università di Napoli Federico II , Napoli , Italy
| | - Roberto Bianco
- a Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia , Università di Napoli Federico II , Napoli , Italy
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23
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Abstract
The main aim of oncologists worldwide is to understand and then intervene in the primary tumor initiation and propagation mechanisms. This is essential to allow targeted elimination of cancer cells without altering normal mitotic cells. Currently, there are two main rival theories describing the process of tumorigenesis. According to the Stochastic Model, potentially any cell, once defunct, is capable of initiating carcinogenesis. Alternatively the Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) Model posits that only a small fraction of undifferentiated tumor cells are capable of triggering carcinogenesis. Like healthy stem cells, CSCs are also characterized by a capacity for self-renewal and the ability to generate differentiated progeny, possibly mediating treatment resistance, thus leading to tumor recurrence and metastasis. Moreover, molecular signaling profiles are similar between CSCs and normal stem cells, including Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog pathways. Therefore, development of novel chemotherapeutic agents and proteins (e.g., enzymes and antibodies) specifically targeting CSCs are attractive pharmaceutical candidates. This article describes small molecule inhibitors of stem cell pathways Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog, and their recent chemotherapy clinical trials.
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24
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Marcucci F, Rumio C, Lefoulon F. Anti-Cancer Stem-like Cell Compounds in Clinical Development - An Overview and Critical Appraisal. Front Oncol 2016; 6:115. [PMID: 27242955 PMCID: PMC4861739 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2016.00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) represent a subpopulation of tumor cells with elevated tumor-initiating potential. Upon differentiation, they replenish the bulk of the tumor cell population. Enhanced tumor-forming capacity, resistance to antitumor drugs, and metastasis-forming potential are the hallmark traits of CSCs. Given these properties, it is not surprising that CSCs have become a therapeutic target of prime interest in drug discovery. In fact, over the last few years, an enormous number of articles describing compounds endowed with anti-CSC activities have been published. In the meanwhile, several of these compounds and also approaches that are not based on the use of pharmacologically active compounds (e.g., vaccination, radiotherapy) have progressed into clinical studies. This article gives an overview of these compounds, proposes a tentative classification, and describes their biological properties and their developmental stage. Eventually, we discuss the optimal clinical setting for these compounds, the need for biomarkers allowing patient selection, the redundancy of CSC signaling pathways and the utility of employing combinations of anti-CSC compounds and the therapeutic limitations posed by the plasticity of CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Marcucci
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - Cristiano Rumio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan , Milan , Italy
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25
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Kumar R, Juillerat-Jeanneret L, Golshayan D. Notch Antagonists: Potential Modulators of Cancer and Inflammatory Diseases. J Med Chem 2016; 59:7719-37. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar
- Transplantation
Center and Transplantation Immunopathology Laboratory, Department
of Medicine and ‡University Institute of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lucienne Juillerat-Jeanneret
- Transplantation
Center and Transplantation Immunopathology Laboratory, Department
of Medicine and ‡University Institute of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dela Golshayan
- Transplantation
Center and Transplantation Immunopathology Laboratory, Department
of Medicine and ‡University Institute of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
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26
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Pisklakova A, Grigson E, Ozerova M, Chen F, Sullivan DM, Nefedova Y. Anti-myeloma effect of pharmacological inhibition of Notch/gamma-secretase with RO4929097 is mediated by modulation of tumor microenvironment. Cancer Biol Ther 2016; 17:477-85. [PMID: 26934342 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2016.1156261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM), a blood cancer characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of plasma cells, remains incurable by current therapy. Notch signaling has been implicated in the growth and chemoresistance of various cancer types including MM, and therefore we hypothesized that targeting the Notch pathway could be beneficial for the treatment of this disease. Here, we report an anti-tumor effect of Notch/γ-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 in a pre-clinical model of MM. We demonstrate that this effect was associated with decreased angiogenesis and significant down-regulation of TGF-β1. In addition, we also show that treatment with RO4929097 results in decreased number and functional activity of osteoclasts. Taken together, our data indicate that targeting Notch may be considered as a new strategy to be tested for MM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eileen Grigson
- a H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute , Tampa , FL , USA.,b The Wistar Institute , Philadelphia , PA , USA
| | - Maria Ozerova
- a H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute , Tampa , FL , USA
| | - Feng Chen
- a H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute , Tampa , FL , USA
| | - Daniel M Sullivan
- a H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute , Tampa , FL , USA
| | - Yulia Nefedova
- a H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute , Tampa , FL , USA.,b The Wistar Institute , Philadelphia , PA , USA
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Abstract
Chemoresistant metastatic relapse of minimal residual disease plays a significant role for poor prognosis of cancer. Growing evidence supports a critical role of cancer stem cell (CSC) behind the mechanisms for this deadly disease. This review briefly introduces the basics of the conventional chemotherapies, updates the CSC theories, highlights the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which CSC smartly designs and utilizes multiple lines of self-defense to avoid being killed by chemotherapy, and concisely summarizes recent progress in studies on CSC-targeted therapies in the end, with the hope to help guide future research toward developing more effective therapeutic strategies to eradicate tumor cells in the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihe Zhao
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6900 Lake Nona Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
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Silva IP, Salhi A, Giles KM, Vogelsang M, Han SW, Ismaili N, Lui KP, Robinson EM, Wilson MA, Shapiro RL, Pavlick A, Zhong J, Kirchhoff T, Osman I. Identification of a Novel Pathogenic Germline KDR Variant in Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 22:2377-85. [PMID: 26631613 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-1811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The application of pan-cancer next-generation sequencing panels in the clinical setting has facilitated the identification of low frequency somatic mutations and the testing of new therapies in solid tumors using the "basket trial" scheme. However, little consideration has been given to the relevance of nonsynonymous germline variants, which are likely to be uncovered in tumors and germline and which may be relevant to prognostication and prediction of treatment response. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We analyzed matched tumor and normal DNA from 34 melanoma patients using an Ion Torrent cancer-associated gene panel. We elected to study the germline variant Q472H in the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), which was identified in 35% of melanoma patients in both a pilot and an independent 1,223 patient cohort. Using patient-derived melanoma cell lines and human samples, we assessed proliferation, invasion, VEGF levels, and angiogenesis by analyzing tumor microvessel density (MVD) using anti-CD34 antibody. RESULTS Serum VEGF levels and tumor MVD were significantly higher in Q472H versus KDR wild-type (WD) patients. Primary cultures derived from melanomas harboring the KDR variant were more proliferative and invasive than KDR wild type. Finally, using a VEGFR2 antibody, we showed that KDR Q472H cells were sensitive to targeted inhibition of VEGFR2, an effect that was not observed in KDR WT cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data support the integration of germline analysis into personalized treatment decision-making and suggest that patients with germline KDR variant might benefit from antiangiogenesis treatment. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2377-85. ©2015 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines P Silva
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York, New York. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Amel Salhi
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York, New York. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Keith M Giles
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York, New York. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Matjaz Vogelsang
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. Departments of Population Health and Environmental Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Sung W Han
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. NYU Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York, New York
| | | | - Kevin P Lui
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York, New York. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Eric M Robinson
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York, New York. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Melissa A Wilson
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. Department of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Richard L Shapiro
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. Department of Surgery, New York, New York
| | - Anna Pavlick
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. Department of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Judy Zhong
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. NYU Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York, New York
| | - Tomas Kirchhoff
- The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York. Departments of Population Health and Environmental Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Iman Osman
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York, New York. The Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York.
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Abetov D, Mustapova Z, Saliev T, Bulanin D, Batyrbekov K, Gilman CP. Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors of Cancer Stem Cell Signaling Pathways. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2015; 11:909-918. [DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12015-015-9612-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
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González-Cao M, Rodón J, Karachaliou N, Sánchez J, Santarpia M, Viteri S, Pilotto S, Teixidó C, Riso A, Rosell R. Other targeted drugs in melanoma. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2015; 3:266. [PMID: 26605312 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.08.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Targeted therapy drugs are developed against specific molecular alterations on cancer cells. Because they are "targeted" to the tumor, these therapies are more effective and better tolerated than conventional therapies such as chemotherapy. In the last decade, great advances have been made in understanding of melanoma biology and identification of molecular mechanisms involved in malignant transformation of cells. The identification of oncogenic mutated kinases involved in this process provides an opportunity for development of new target therapies. The dependence of melanoma on BRAF-mutant kinase has provided an opportunity for development of mutation-specific inhibitors with high activity and excellent tolerance that are now being used in clinical practice. This marked a new era in the treatment of metastatic melanoma and much research is now ongoing to identify other "druggable" kinases and transduction signaling networking. It is expected that in the near future the spectrum of target drugs for melanoma treatment will increase. Herein, we review the most relevant potential novel drugs for melanoma treatment based on preclinical data and the results of early clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- María González-Cao
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Rodón
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Niki Karachaliou
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Sánchez
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mariacarmela Santarpia
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Santiago Viteri
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Pilotto
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Teixidó
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aldo Riso
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Rosell
- 1 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; 2 Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ; 3 Immunology Department, CNICV, Madrid, Spain ; 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy ; 5 Department of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy ; 6 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona, Spain ; 7 Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain ; 8 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona, Spain
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Notch signaling: an emerging therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Cancer Lett 2015; 369:20-7. [PMID: 26341688 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2015.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 279] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Notch pathway is involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. The Notch signaling pathway is one of the most commonly activated signaling pathways in cancer. Alterations include activating mutations and amplification of the Notch pathway, which play key roles in the progression of cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that the pharmacological inhibition of this pathway can overcome chemoresistance. Efforts have been taken to develop Notch inhibitors as a single agent or in combination with clinically used chemotherapeutics to treat cancer. Some Notch inhibitors have been demonstrated to have therapeutic efficacy in preclinical studies. This review summarizes the recent studies and clinical evaluations of the Notch inhibitors in cancer.
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Agulnick AD, Ambruzs DM, Moorman MA, Bhoumik A, Cesario RM, Payne JK, Kelly JR, Haakmeester C, Srijemac R, Wilson AZ, Kerr J, Frazier MA, Kroon EJ, D'Amour KA. Insulin-Producing Endocrine Cells Differentiated In Vitro From Human Embryonic Stem Cells Function in Macroencapsulation Devices In Vivo. Stem Cells Transl Med 2015; 4:1214-22. [PMID: 26304037 DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2015-0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The PEC-01 cell population, differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), contains pancreatic progenitors (PPs) that, when loaded into macroencapsulation devices (to produce the VC-01 candidate product) and transplanted into mice, can mature into glucose-responsive insulin-secreting cells and other pancreatic endocrine cells involved in glucose metabolism. We modified the protocol for making PEC-01 cells such that 73%-80% of the cell population consisted of PDX1-positive (PDX1+) and NKX6.1+ PPs. The PPs were further differentiated to islet-like cells (ICs) that reproducibly contained 73%-89% endocrine cells, of which approximately 40%-50% expressed insulin. A large fraction of these insulin-positive cells were single hormone-positive and expressed the transcription factors PDX1 and NKX6.1. To preclude a significant contribution of progenitors to the in vivo function of ICs, we used a simple enrichment process to remove remaining PPs, yielding aggregates that contained 93%-98% endocrine cells and 1%-3% progenitors. Enriched ICs, when encapsulated and implanted into mice, functioned similarly to the VC-01 candidate product, demonstrating conclusively that in vitro-produced hESC-derived insulin-producing cells can mature and function in vivo in devices. A scaled version of our suspension culture was used, and the endocrine aggregates could be cryopreserved and retain functionality. Although ICs expressed multiple important β cell genes, the cells contained relatively low levels of several maturity-associated markers. Correlating with this, the time to function of ICs was similar to PEC-01 cells, indicating that ICs required cell-autonomous maturation after delivery in vivo, which would occur concurrently with graft integration into the host. SIGNIFICANCE Type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects approximately 1.25 million people in the U.S. alone and is deadly if not managed with insulin injections. This paper describes the production of insulin-producing cells in vitro and a new protocol for producing the cells, representing another potential cell source for a diabetes cell therapy. These cells can be loaded into a protective device that is implanted under the skin. The device is designed to protect the cells from immune rejection by the implant recipient. The implant can engraft and respond to glucose by secreting insulin, thus potentially replacing the β cells lost in patients with T1D.
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Mozūraitienė J, Bielskienė K, Atkočius V, Labeikytė D. Molecular alterations in signal pathways of melanoma and new personalized treatment strategies: Targeting of Notch. MEDICINA-LITHUANIA 2015; 51:133-145. [PMID: 28705475 DOI: 10.1016/j.medici.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite modern achievements in therapy of malignant melanomas new treatment strategies are welcomed in clinics for survival of patients. Now it is supposed that personalized molecular therapies for each patient are needed concerning a specificity of molecular alterations in patient's tumors. In human melanoma, Notch signaling interacts with other pathways, including MAPK, PI3K-AKT, NF-kB, and p53. This article discusses mutated genes and leading aberrant signal pathways in human melanoma which are of interest concerning to their perspective for personalized treatment strategies in melanoma. We speculate that E3 ubiquitin ligases MDM2 and MDM4 can be attractive therapeutic target for p53 and Notch signaling pathways in malignant melanoma by using small molecule inhibitors. It is possible that restoration of p53-MDM2-NUMB complexes in melanoma can restore wild type p53 function and positively modulate Notch pathway. In this review we summarize recent data about novel US Food and Drug Administration approved target drugs for metastatic melanoma treatment, and suppose model for treatment strategy by targeting Notch.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristina Bielskienė
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | | | - Danutė Labeikytė
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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34
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Bolós V, Mira E, Martínez-Poveda B, Luxán G, Cañamero M, Martínez-A C, Mañes S, de la Pompa JL. Notch activation stimulates migration of breast cancer cells and promotes tumor growth. Breast Cancer Res 2014; 15:R54. [PMID: 23826634 PMCID: PMC3978930 DOI: 10.1186/bcr3447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2012] [Revised: 05/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dysregulated NOTCH receptor activity has been implicated in breast cancer but the mechanisms by which NOTCH contributes to transformation are not yet clear, as it has context-dependent effects on the properties of transformed cells. METHODS We have used various in vitro and in vivo carcinogenic models to analyze the impact of Notch signaling in the onset and progression of breast tumors. RESULTS We found that ectopic expression of the Notch1 intracellular domain (N1ICD) in MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cell line caused reduction and delocalization of E-CADHERIN levels and increased migratory and invasive abilities. Notch inhibition in the invasive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 resulted in increased E-CADHERIN expression and a parallel reduction in their invasive capacity. The growth of subcutaneous xenografts produced with MCF-7 cells was boosted after N1ICD induction, in a cell autonomous manner. In vivo Notch1 activation in the mammary gland using the MMTV-Cre driver caused the formation of papillary tumors that showed increased Hes1 and Hey1 expression and delocalized E-cadherin staining. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm NOTCH1 as a signal triggering epithelial-mesenchymal transition in epithelial cancer cells, which may have implications in tumor dissemination, metastasis and proliferation in vivo. The identification of specific factors interacting with NOTCH signaling could thus be relevant to fully understanding the role of NOTCH in breast neoplasia.
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35
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Mimeault M, Batra SK. Altered gene products involved in the malignant reprogramming of cancer stem/progenitor cells and multitargeted therapies. Mol Aspects Med 2014; 39:3-32. [PMID: 23994756 PMCID: PMC3938987 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2013.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2013] [Revised: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies in the field of cancer stem cells have revealed that the alterations in key gene products involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program, altered metabolic pathways such as enhanced glycolysis, lipogenesis and/or autophagy and treatment resistance may occur in cancer stem/progenitor cells and their progenies during cancer progression. Particularly, the sustained activation of diverse developmental cascades such as hedgehog, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/TGF-βR receptors and/or stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) can play critical functions for high self-renewal potential, survival, invasion and metastases of cancer stem/progenitor cells and their progenies. It has also been observed that cancer cells may be reprogrammed to re-express different pluripotency-associated stem cell-like markers such as Myc, Oct-3/4, Nanog and Sox-2 along the EMT process and under stressful and hypoxic conditions. Moreover, the enhanced expression and/or activities of some drug resistance-associated molecules such as Bcl-2, Akt/molecular target of rapamycin (mTOR), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) multidrug transporters frequently occur in cancer cells during cancer progression and metastases. These molecular events may cooperate for the survival and acquisition of a more aggressive and migratory behavior by cancer stem/progenitor cells and their progenies during cancer transition to metastatic and recurrent disease states. Of therapeutic interest, these altered gene products may also be exploited as molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets to develop novel multitargeted strategies for improving current cancer therapies and preventing disease relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murielle Mimeault
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Cancer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA.
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Cancer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5870, USA.
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Xu X, Ayub B, Liu Z, Serna VA, Qiang W, Liu Y, Hernando E, Zabludoff S, Kurita T, Kong B, Wei JJ. Anti-miR182 reduces ovarian cancer burden, invasion, and metastasis: an in vivo study in orthotopic xenografts of nude mice. Mol Cancer Ther 2014; 13:1729-39. [PMID: 24825857 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-13-0982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is a fatal disease, and its grave outcome is largely because of widespread metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Current chemotherapies reduce tumor burden, but they do not provide long-term benefits for patients with cancer. The aggressive tumor growth and metastatic behavior characteristic of these tumors demand novel treatment options such as anti-microRNA treatment, which is emerging as a potential modality for cancer therapy. MicroRNA-182 (miR182) overexpression contributes to aggressive ovarian cancer, largely by its negative regulation of multiple tumor suppressor genes involved in tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and DNA instability. In this study, we examined the therapeutic potential of anti-miR182 utilizing the animal orthotopic model to mimic human ovarian cancer using ovarian cancer cells SKOV3 (intrabursal xenografts) and OVCAR3 (intraperitoneal injection). These models provide a valuable model system for the investigation of ovarian cancer therapy in vivo. Through a combination of imaging, histological, and molecular analyses, we found that anti-miR182 treatment can significantly reduce tumor burden (size), local invasion, and distant metastasis compared with its control in both models. The bases of anti-miR182 treatment are mainly through the restoration of miR182 target expression, including but not limited to BRCA1, FOXO3a, HMGA2, and MTSS1. Overall, our results strongly suggest that anti-miR182 can potentially be used as a therapeutic modality in treating HGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Xu
- Authors' Affiliations: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University; Pathology and
| | | | - Zhaojian Liu
- Institute of Genetics, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China; Departments of Pathology and
| | | | - Wenan Qiang
- Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Eva Hernando
- Department of Pathology, New York University, New York, New York; and
| | | | - Takeshi Kurita
- Obstetrics and Gynecology; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Beihua Kong
- Authors' Affiliations: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University;
| | - Jian-Jun Wei
- Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois;
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Sotiropoulou PA, Christodoulou MS, Silvani A, Herold-Mende C, Passarella D. Chemical approaches to targeting drug resistance in cancer stem cells. Drug Discov Today 2014; 19:1547-62. [PMID: 24819719 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2014.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells with high clonogenic capacity and ability to reform parental tumors upon transplantation. Resistance to therapy has been shown for several types of CSC and, therefore, they have been proposed as the cause of tumor relapse. Consequently, much effort has been made to design molecules that can target CSCs specifically and sensitize them to therapy. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying CSC resistance, the potential biological targets to overcome resistance and the chemical compounds showing activity against different types of CSC. The chemical compounds discussed here have been divided according to their origin: natural, natural-derived and synthetic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota A Sotiropoulou
- Interdisciplinary Research Institute (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 808 route de Lennik, BatC, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Michael S Christodoulou
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Silvani
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Christel Herold-Mende
- Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniele Passarella
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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Ntziachristos P, Lim JS, Sage J, Aifantis I. From fly wings to targeted cancer therapies: a centennial for notch signaling. Cancer Cell 2014; 25:318-34. [PMID: 24651013 PMCID: PMC4040351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2014.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 284] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2014] [Revised: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Since Notch phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster were first identified 100 years ago, Notch signaling has been extensively characterized as a regulator of cell-fate decisions in a variety of organisms and tissues. However, in the past 20 years, accumulating evidence has linked alterations in the Notch pathway to tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss the protumorigenic and tumor-suppressive functions of Notch signaling, and dissect the molecular mechanisms that underlie these functions in hematopoietic cancers and solid tumors. Finally, we link these mechanisms and observations to possible therapeutic strategies targeting the Notch pathway in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Ntziachristos
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; NYU Cancer Institute and Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Stem Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jing Shan Lim
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Julien Sage
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Iannis Aifantis
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; NYU Cancer Institute and Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Stem Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Opposing role of Notch1 and Notch2 in a Kras(G12D)-driven murine non-small cell lung cancer model. Oncogene 2014; 34:578-88. [PMID: 24509876 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2013.592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Revised: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Recently, we have shown that Notch1 inhibition resulted in substantial cell death of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells in vitro. New compounds targeting Notch signal transduction have been developed and are now being tested in clinical trials. However, the tumorigenic role of individual Notch receptors in vivo remains largely unclear. Using a Kras(G12D)-driven endogenous NSCLC mouse model, we analyzed the effect of conditional Notch1 and Notch2 receptor deletion on NSCLC tumorigenesis. Notch1 deficiency led to a reduced early tumor formation and lower activity of MAPK compared with the controls. Unexpectedly, Notch2 deletion resulted in a dramatically increased carcinogenesis and increased MAPK activity. These mice died significantly earlier due to rapidly growing tumor burden. We found that Notch1 regulates Ras/MAPK pathway via HES1-induced repression of the DUSP1 promoter encoding a phosphatase specifically suppressing pERK1/2. Interestingly, Notch1 but not Notch2 ablation leads to decreased HES1 and DUSP1 expression. However, Notch2-depleted tumors showed an appreciable increase in β-catenin expression, a known activator of HES1 and important lung cancer oncogene. Characteristically for β-catenin upregulation, we found that the majority of Notch2-deficient tumors revealed an undifferentiated phenotype as determined by their morphology, E-Cadherin and TTF1 expression levels. In addition, these carcinomas showed aggressive growth patterns with bronchus invasion and obstruction. Together, we show that Notch2 mediates differentiation and has tumor suppressor functions during lung carcinogenesis, whereas Notch1 promotes tumor initiation and progression. These data are further supported by immunohistochemical analysis of human NSCLC samples showing loss or downregulation of Notch2 compared with normal lung tissue. In conclusion, this is the first study characterizing the in vivo functions of Notch1 and Notch2 in Kras(G12D)-driven NSCLC tumorigenesis. These data highlight the clinical importance of a thorough understanding of Notch signaling especially with regard to Notch-targeted therapies.
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Abstract
The recent past has witnessed unprecedented clinical progress in the treatment of advanced malignant melanoma through targeting of mutant BRAF in approximately 50% of patients and immune check point blockade in all patients. As has been well documented, responses to targeted therapy are of limited duration, and rates of clinical benefit to immunotherapy are modest. Given these factors, palliation of patients with chemotherapy remains an essential aspect of melanoma oncology. Many chemotherapeutics (and combinations with other agents, such as immunotherapy) have been evaluated in melanoma, although no chemotherapy regimen has been documented to provide an overall survival benefit in a prospective, randomized, well-controlled phase III study. We provide an overview of the development of the most common chemotherapy regimens for melanoma, discuss the clinical trial evidence supporting and contrasting them, and highlight appropriate clinical situations in which they might be used. We also discuss the future of chemotherapy for melanoma, noting the potential for combinations of chemotherapy with either targeted or immunotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Luke
- Department of Medicine, Melanoma and Sarcoma Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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O’Reilly KE, Vega-Saenz de Miera E, Segura MF, Friedman E, Poliseno L, Han SW, Zhong J, Zavadil J, Pavlick A, Hernando E, Osman I. Hedgehog pathway blockade inhibits melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2013; 6:1429-50. [PMID: 24287465 PMCID: PMC3854019 DOI: 10.3390/ph6111429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Revised: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous reports have demonstrated a role for hedgehog signaling in melanoma progression, prompting us to explore the therapeutic benefit of targeting this pathway in melanoma. We profiled a panel of human melanoma cell lines and control melanocytes for altered expression of hedgehog pathway members and determined the consequences of both genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the hedgehog pathway activator Smoothened (SMO) in melanoma, both in vitro and in vivo. We also examined the relationship between altered expression of hedgehog pathway mediators and survival in a well-characterized cohort of metastatic melanoma patients with prospectively collected follow up information. Studies revealed that over 40% of the melanoma cell lines examined harbored significantly elevated levels of the hedgehog pathway mediators SMO, GLI2, and PTCH1 compared to melanocytes (p < 0.05). SMO inhibition using siRNA and the small molecule inhibitor, NVP-LDE-225, suppressed melanoma growth in vitro, particularly in those cell lines with moderate SMO and GLI2 expression. NVP-LDE-225 also induced apoptosis in vitro and inhibited melanoma growth in a xenograft model. Gene expression data also revealed evidence of compensatory up-regulation of two other developmental pathways, Notch and WNT, in response to hedgehog pathway inhibition. Pharmacological and genetic SMO inhibition also downregulated genes involved in human embryonic stem cell pluripotency. Finally, increased SMO expression and decreased expression of the hedgehog pathway repressor GLI3 correlated with shorter post recurrence survival in metastatic melanoma patients. Our data demonstrate that hedgehog pathway inhibition might be a promising targeted therapy in appropriately selected metastatic melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E. O’Reilly
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (K.E.O.); (E.V.-s.M.)
| | - Eleazar Vega-Saenz de Miera
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (K.E.O.); (E.V.-s.M.)
| | - Miguel F. Segura
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (M.F.S.); (J.Z.); (E.H.)
- Laboratory of Translational Research in Childhood Cancer, Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Erica Friedman
- Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Laura Poliseno
- Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Pisa 56124, Italy; E-Mail:
| | - Sung Won Han
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (S.W.H.); (J.Z.)
| | - Judy Zhong
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (S.W.H.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jiri Zavadil
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (M.F.S.); (J.Z.); (E.H.)
- NYU Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France
| | - Anna Pavlick
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Eva Hernando
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (M.F.S.); (J.Z.); (E.H.)
| | - Iman Osman
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mails: (K.E.O.); (E.V.-s.M.)
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; E-Mail:
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-212-263-9076; Fax: +1-212-263-9090
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Tumor reversion is the biological process by which highly tumorigenic cells lose at great extent or entirely their malignant phenotype. The purpose of our research is to understand the molecular program of tumor reversion and its clinical application. We first established biological models of reversion, which was done by deriving revertant cells from different tumors. Secondly, the molecular program that could override the malignant phenotype was assessed. Differential gene-expression profiling showed that at least 300 genes are implicated in this reversion process such as SIAH-1, PS1, TSAP6, and, most importantly, translationally controlled tumor protein (TPT1/TCTP). Decreasing TPT1/TCTP is key in reprogramming malignant cells, including cancer stem cells. RECENT FINDINGS Recent findings indicate that TPT1/TCTP regulates the P53-MDM2-Numb axis. Notably, TPT1/TCTP and p53 are implicated in a reciprocal negative-feedback loop. TPT1/TCTP is a highly significant prognostic factor in breast cancer. Sertraline and thioridazine interfere with this repressive feedback by targeting directly TPT1/TCTP and inhibiting its binding to MDM2, restoring wildtype p53 function. Combining sertraline with classical drugs such as Ara-C in acute myeloid leukemia may be also beneficial. SUMMARY In this review, we discuss some of these reversion pathways and how this approach could open a new route to cancer treatment.
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Münch J, González-Rajal A, de la Pompa JL. Notch regulates blastema proliferation and prevents differentiation during adult zebrafish fin regeneration. Development 2013; 140:1402-11. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.087346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish have the capacity to regenerate several organs, including the heart and fins. Fin regeneration is epimorphic, involving the formation at the amputation plane of a mass of undifferentiated, proliferating mesenchymal progenitor-like cells, called blastema. This tissue provides all the cell types that form the fin, so that after damage or amputation the fin pattern and structure are fully restored. How blastema cells remain in this progenitor-like state is poorly understood. Here, we show that the Notch pathway plays an essential role during fin regeneration. Notch signalling is activated during blastema formation and remains active throughout the regeneration process. Chemical inhibition or morpholino-mediated knockdown of Notch signalling impairs fin regeneration via decreased proliferation accompanied by reduced expression of Notch target genes in the blastema. Conversely, overexpression of a constitutively active form of the Notch1 receptor (N1ICD) in the regenerating fin leads to increased proliferation and to the expansion of the blastema cell markers msxe and msxb, as well as increased expression of the proliferation regulator aldh1a2. This blastema expansion prevents regenerative fin outgrowth, as indicated by the reduction in differentiating osteoblasts and the inhibition of bone regeneration. We conclude that Notch signalling maintains blastema cells in a plastic, undifferentiated and proliferative state, an essential requirement for fin regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Münch
- Program of Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro González-Rajal
- Program of Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis de la Pompa
- Program of Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Development and Repair, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Shekhani MT, Jayanthy AS, Maddodi N, Setaluri V. Cancer stem cells and tumor transdifferentiation: implications for novel therapeutic strategies. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF STEM CELLS 2013; 2:52-61. [PMID: 23671816 PMCID: PMC3636725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Highly malignant tumors mostly consist of rapidly proliferating cells. However, tumors also contain a few cells in a quiescent state that can be characterized as slow-cycling, expressing markers of stem cells and possessing the ability to initiate new tumors. These quiescent cells, now generally termed 'cancer stem cells' (CSC) (or 'cancer initiating cells'), are capable of regenerating the entire tumor--as it occurs in metastatic spread. This process of tumor initiation by stem-like cells presumably involves differentiation of quiescent CSC into rapidly proliferating tumor cells. An important implication of the presence of slow cycling, quiescent stem-like cells in the tumor and their ability to initiate tumors is that they contribute to the resistance to treatments by conventional chemo- and radiotherapy directed toward killing rapidly dividing cells. However, similar to normal stem cells, the CSC could also potentially transdifferentiate into cell lineages other than the original lineage from which the tumor arose. Therefore, transdifferentiation of CSC offers a possible therapeutic strategy which has not yet been fully exploited. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the concepts in tumor cell transdifferentiation and discuss the mechanisms of transdifferentiation with emphasis on their relevance to potential novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Talha Shekhani
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Department of Dermatology Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
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Zhavoronkov A, Smit-McBride Z, Guinan KJ, Litovchenko M, Moskalev A. Potential therapeutic approaches for modulating expression and accumulation of defective lamin A in laminopathies and age-related diseases. J Mol Med (Berl) 2012; 90:1361-89. [PMID: 23090008 PMCID: PMC3506837 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-012-0962-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2012] [Revised: 09/08/2012] [Accepted: 09/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Scientific understanding of the genetic components of aging has increased in recent years, with several genes being identified as playing roles in the aging process and, potentially, longevity. In particular, genes encoding components of the nuclear lamina in eukaryotes have been increasingly well characterized, owing in part to their clinical significance in age-related diseases. This review focuses on one such gene, which encodes lamin A, a key component of the nuclear lamina. Genetic variation in this gene can give rise to lethal, early-onset diseases known as laminopathies. Here, we analyze the literature and conduct computational analyses of lamin A signaling and intracellular interactions in order to examine potential mechanisms for altering or slowing down aberrant Lamin A expression and/or for restoring the ratio of normal to aberrant lamin A. The ultimate goal of such studies is to ameliorate or combat laminopathies and related diseases of aging, and we provide a discussion of current approaches in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Zhavoronkov
- Bioinformatics and Medical Information Technology Laboratory, Center for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, 119296 Russia
- The Biogerontology Research Foundation, Reading, UK
| | - Zeljka Smit-McBride
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Kieran J. Guinan
- The Biogerontology Research Foundation, Reading, UK
- BioAtlantis Ltd., Kerry Technology Park, Tralee, County Kerry Ireland
| | - Maria Litovchenko
- Bioinformatics and Medical Information Technology Laboratory, Center for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, 119296 Russia
| | - Alexey Moskalev
- The Biogerontology Research Foundation, Reading, UK
- Laboratory of Molecular Radiobiology and Gerontology, Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, 167982 Russia
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Sail V, Hadden MK. Notch Pathway Modulators as Anticancer Chemotherapeutics. ANNUAL REPORTS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY VOLUME 47 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-396492-2.00018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Dialysis encephalopathy: precipitating factors and improvement in prognosis. Clin Nephrol 1981; 13:60. [PMID: 32456660 PMCID: PMC7249421 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00901-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to the initiation, recurrence, and metastasis of cancer; however, there are still no drugs targeting CSCs in clinical application. There are several signaling pathways playing critical roles in CSC progression, such as the Wnt, Hedgehog, Notch, Hippo, and autophagy signaling pathways. Additionally, targeting the ferroptosis signaling pathway was recently shown to specifically kill CSCs. Therefore, targeting these pathways may suppress CSC progression. The structure of small-molecule drugs shows a good spatial dispersion, and its chemical properties determine its good druggability and pharmacokinetic properties. These characteristics make small-molecule drugs show a great advantage in drug development, which is increasingly popular in the market. Thus, in this review, we will summarize the current researches on the small-molecule compounds suppressing CSC progression, including inhibitors of Wnt, Notch, Hedgehog, and autophagy pathways, and activators of Hippo and ferroptosis pathways. These small-molecule compounds emphasize CSC importance in tumor progression and propose a new strategy to treat cancer in clinic via targeting CSCs.
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