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Ding FP, Tian JY, Wu J, Han DF, Zhao D. Identification of key genes as predictive biomarkers for osteosarcoma metastasis using translational bioinformatics. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:640. [PMID: 34856991 PMCID: PMC8638136 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Osteosarcoma (OS) metastasis is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality, however, no sufficient clinical biomarkers have been identified. In this study, we identified five genes to help predict metastasis at diagnosis. Methods We performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the most relevant gene modules associated with OS metastasis. An important machine learning algorithm, the support vector machine (SVM), was employed to predict key genes for classifying the OS metastasis phenotype. Finally, we investigated the clinical significance of key genes and their enriched pathways. Results Eighteen modules were identified in WGCNA, among which the pink, red, brown, blue, and turquoise modules demonstrated good preservation. In the five modules, the brown and red modules were highly correlated with OS metastasis. Genes in the two modules closely interacted in protein–protein interaction networks and were therefore chosen for further analysis. Genes in the two modules were primarily enriched in the biological processes associated with tumorigenesis and development. Furthermore, 65 differentially expressed genes were identified as common hub genes in both WGCNA and protein–protein interaction networks. SVM classifiers with the maximum area under the curve were based on 30 and 15 genes in the brown and red modules, respectively. The clinical significance of the 45 hub genes was analyzed. Of the 45 genes, 17 were found to be significantly correlated with survival time. Finally, 5/17 genes, including ADAP2 (P = 0.0094), LCP2 (P = 0.013), ARHGAP25 (P = 0.0049), CD53 (P = 0.016), and TLR7 (P = 0.04) were significantly correlated with the metastatic phenotype. In vitro verification, western blotting, wound healing analyses, transwell invasion assays, proliferation assays, and colony formation assays indicated that ARHGAP25 promoted OS cell migration, invasion, proliferation, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Conclusion We identified five genes, namely ADAP2, LCP2, ARHGAP25, CD53, and TLR7, as candidate biomarkers for the prediction of OS metastasis; ARHGAP25 inhibits MG63 OS cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro, indicating that ARHGAP25 can serve as a promising specific and prognostic biomarker for OS metastasis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02308-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Peng Ding
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jia-Yi Tian
- Department of Reproductive Medicine and Center for Prenatal Diagnosis, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of General Practice, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, China
| | - Dong-Feng Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Ding Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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Kammerud SC, Metge BJ, Elhamamsy AR, Weeks SE, Alsheikh HA, Mattheyses AL, Shevde LA, Samant RS. Novel role of the dietary flavonoid fisetin in suppressing rRNA biogenesis. J Transl Med 2021; 101:1439-1448. [PMID: 34267320 PMCID: PMC8510891 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-021-00642-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleolus of a cell is a critical cellular compartment that is responsible for ribosome biogenesis and plays a central role in tumor progression. Fisetin, a nutraceutical, is a naturally occurring flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols that has anti-cancer effects. Fisetin negatively impacts several signaling pathways that support tumor progression. However, effect of fisetin on the nucleolus and its functions were unknown. We observed that fisetin is able to physically enter the nucleolus. In the nucleolus, RNA polymerase I (RNA Pol I) mediates the biogenesis of ribosomal RNA. Thus, we investigated the impacts of fisetin on the nucleolus. We observed that breast tumor cells treated with fisetin show a 20-30% decreased nucleolar abundance per cell and a 30-60% downregulation of RNA Pol I transcription activity, as well as a 50-70% reduction in nascent rRNA synthesis, depending on the cell line. Our studies show that fisetin negatively influences MAPK/ERK pathway to impair RNA Pol I activity and rRNA biogenesis. Functionally, we demonstrate that fisetin acts synergistically (CI = 0.4) with RNA Pol I inhibitor, BMH-21 and shows a noteworthy negative impact (60% decrease) on lung colonization of breast cancer cells. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) biogenesis as a target for secondary prevention and possible treatment of metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Kammerud
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Brandon J Metge
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Amr R Elhamamsy
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Shannon E Weeks
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Heba A Alsheikh
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alexa L Mattheyses
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Lalita A Shevde
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rajeev S Samant
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Scopim-Ribeiro R, Lizardo MM, Zhang HF, Dhez AC, Hughes CS, Sorensen PH. NSG Mice Facilitate ex vivo Characterization of Ewing Sarcoma Lung Metastasis Using the PuMA Model. Front Oncol 2021; 11:645757. [PMID: 33828989 PMCID: PMC8019912 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.645757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a highly malignant bone and soft tissue tumor primarily affecting children and young adults. While most patients initially respond well to conventional front-line therapy, frequent metastasis results in poor 5-year overall survival rates for this disease. Accordingly, there is a critical need to develop better models to understand EwS metastasis. We and others previously used the ex vivo pulmonary metastasis assay (PuMA) to study lung metastasis in solid tumors including osteosarcoma (OS), but this technique has to date not been achievable for EwS. PuMA involves tail vein injection of fluorescent tumor cells into NOD-SCID mice, followed by their visualization in long-term cultures of tumor-bearing lung explants. Here we demonstrate successful implementation of PuMA for EwS cells using NOD-SCID-IL2 receptor gamma null (NSG) immunocompromised mice, which demonstrated high engraftment of EwS cell lines compared to NOD-SCID mice. This may be linked to immune permissiveness required by EwS cells, as increased basal cytotoxicity of EwS cells was observed in NOD-SCID compared to NSG lung sections, possibly due to the absence of natural killer (NK) cell activity in the latter. Together, our data demonstrate the utility of NSG mice for PuMA modeling of EwS lung metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hai-Feng Zhang
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anne-Chloé Dhez
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Poul H Sorensen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Targetable Intercellular Signaling Pathways Facilitate Lung Colonization in Osteosarcoma. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 32767237 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-43085-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Outcomes for young people diagnosed with osteosarcoma hinge almost exclusively on whether they develop lung metastasis. The striking predilection that osteosarcoma shows for metastatic spread to lung suggests properties and/or lung interactions that generate tissue-specific survival and proliferation advantages. While these mechanisms remain overall poorly defined, studies have begun to describe biological elements important to metastasis. Mechanisms described to date include both cell-autonomous adaptations that allow disseminated tumor cells to survive the stressors imposed by metastasis and intercellular signaling networks that tumor cells exploit to pirate needed signals from surrounding tissues or to recruit other cells that create a more favorable niche. Evidence suggests that cell-autonomous changes are largely driven by epigenetic reprogramming of disseminated tumor cells that facilitates resistance to late apoptosis, manages endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stressors, promotes translation of complex transcripts, and activates clotting pathways. Tumor-host signaling pathways important for lung colonization drive interactions with lung epithelium, mesenchymal stem cells, and mediators of innate and adaptive immunity. In this chapter, we highlight one particular pathway that integrates cell-autonomous adaptations with lung-specific tumor-host interactions. In this mechanism, aberrant ΔNp63 expression primes tumor cells to produce IL6 and CXCL8 upon interaction with lung epithelial cells. This tumor-derived IL6 and CXCL8 then initiates autocrine, osteosarcoma-lung paracrine, and osteosarcoma-immune paracrine interactions that facilitate metastasis. Importantly, many of these pathways appear targetable with clinically feasible therapeutics. Ongoing work to better understand metastasis is driving efforts to improve outcomes by targeting the most devastating complication of this disease.
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Nomura M, Rainusso N, Lee YC, Dawson B, Coarfa C, Han R, Larson JL, Shuck R, Kurenbekova L, Yustein JT. Tegavivint and the β-Catenin/ALDH Axis in Chemotherapy-Resistant and Metastatic Osteosarcoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 2020; 111:1216-1227. [PMID: 30793158 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djz026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is closely associated with osteosarcoma (OS) development and metastatic progression. We investigated the antitumor activity of Tegavivint, a novel β-catenin/transducin β-like protein 1 (TBL1) inhibitor, against OS employing in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo cell line and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models that recapitulate high risk disease. METHODS The antitumor efficacy of Tegavivint was evaluated in vitro using established OS and PDX-derived cell lines. Use of an ex vivo three-dimensional pulmonary metastasis assay assessed targeting of β-catenin activity during micro- and macrometastatic development. The in vivo activity of Tegavivint was evaluated using chemoresistant and metastatic OS PDX models. Gene and protein expression were quantified by quantitative Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or immunoblot analysis. Bone integrity was determined via microCT. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Tegavivint exhibited antiproliferative activity against OS cells in vitro and actively reduced micro- and macrometastatic development ex vivo. Multiple OS PDX tumors (n = 3), including paired patient primary and lung metastatic tumors with inherent chemoresistance, were suppressed by Tegavivint in vivo. We identified that metastatic lung OS cell lines (n = 2) exhibited increased stem cell signatures, including enhanced concomitant aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1) and β-catenin expression and downstream activity, which were suppressed by Tegavivint (ALDH1: control group, mean relative mRNA expression = 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.68 to 1.22 vs Tegavivint group, mean = 0.011, 95% CI = 0.0012 to 0.056, P < .001; β-catenin: control group, mean relative mRNA expression = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.71 to 1.36 vs Tegavivint group, mean = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.36 to 0.52, P < .001). ALDH1high PDX-derived lung OS cells, which demonstrated enhanced metastatic potential compared with ALDHlow cells in vivo, were sensitive to Tegavivint. Toxicity studies revealed decreased bone density in male Tegavivint-treated mice (n = 4 mice per group). CONCLUSIONS Tegavivint is a promising therapeutic agent for advanced stages of OS via its targeting of the β-catenin/ALDH1 axis.
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Tavsan Z, Kayali HA. Protein Kinase C regulates the complex between cell membrane molecules in ovarian cancer. Process Biochem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2020.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Qin Y, Chen W, Jiang G, Zhou L, Yang X, Li H, He X, Wang HL, Zhou YB, Huang S, Liu S. Interfering MSN-NONO complex-activated CREB signaling serves as a therapeutic strategy for triple-negative breast cancer. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaw9960. [PMID: 32128390 PMCID: PMC7030932 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw9960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is life-threatening because of limited therapies and lack of effective therapeutic targets. Here, we found that moesin (MSN) was significantly overexpressed in TNBC compared with other subtypes of breast cancer and was positively correlated with poor overall survival. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of MSN in TNBC. We found that MSN significantly stimulated breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, requiring the phosphorylation of MSN and a nucleoprotein NONO-assisted nuclear localization of phosphorylated MSN with protein kinase C (PKC) and then the phosphorylation activation of CREB signaling by PKC. Our study also demonstrated that targeting MSN, NONO, or CREB significantly inhibited breast tumor growth in vivo. These results introduce a new understanding of MSN function in breast cancer and provide favorable evidence that MSN or its downstream molecules might serve as new targets for TNBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Qin
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- School of Life Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Weilong Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- School of Life Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Guojuan Jiang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- School of Life Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Xiaoli Yang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hongqi Li
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueyan He
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Han-lin Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai 201203, China
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yu-bo Zhou
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shenglin Huang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Suling Liu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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Fan TM, Roberts RD, Lizardo MM. Understanding and Modeling Metastasis Biology to Improve Therapeutic Strategies for Combating Osteosarcoma Progression. Front Oncol 2020; 10:13. [PMID: 32082995 PMCID: PMC7006476 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a malignant primary tumor of bone, arising from transformed progenitor cells with osteoblastic differentiation and osteoid production. While categorized as a rare tumor, most patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma are adolescents in their second decade of life and underscores the potential for life changing consequences in this vulnerable population. In the setting of localized disease, conventional treatment for osteosarcoma affords a cure rate approaching 70%; however, survival for patients suffering from metastatic disease remain disappointing with only 20% of individuals being alive past 5 years post-diagnosis. In patients with incurable disease, pulmonary metastases remain the leading cause for osteosarcoma-associated mortality; yet identifying new strategies for combating metastatic progression remains at a scientific and clinical impasse, with no significant advancements for the past four decades. While there is resonating clinical urgency for newer and more effective treatment options for managing osteosarcoma metastases, the discovery of druggable targets and development of innovative therapies for inhibiting metastatic progression will require a deeper and more detailed understanding of osteosarcoma metastasis biology. Toward the goal of illuminating the processes involved in cancer metastasis, a convergent science approach inclusive of diverse disciplines spanning the biology and physical science domains can offer novel and synergistic perspectives, inventive, and sophisticated model systems, and disruptive experimental approaches that can accelerate the discovery and characterization of key processes operative during metastatic progression. Through the lens of trans-disciplinary research, the field of comparative oncology is uniquely positioned to advance new discoveries in metastasis biology toward impactful clinical translation through the inclusion of pet dogs diagnosed with metastatic osteosarcoma. Given the spontaneous course of osteosarcoma development in the context of real-time tumor microenvironmental cues and immune mechanisms, pet dogs are distinctively valuable in translational modeling given their faithful recapitulation of metastatic disease progression as occurs in humans. Pet dogs can be leveraged for the exploration of novel therapies that exploit tumor cell vulnerabilities, perturb local microenvironmental cues, and amplify immunologic recognition. In this capacity, pet dogs can serve as valuable corroborative models for realizing the science and best clinical practices necessary for understanding and combating osteosarcoma metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Fan
- Comparative Oncology Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Ryan D Roberts
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Michael M Lizardo
- Poul Sorensen Laboratory, Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Part of the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Sreekumar R, Emaduddin M, Al-Saihati H, Moutasim K, Chan J, Spampinato M, Bhome R, Yuen HM, Mescoli C, Vitale A, Cillo U, Rugge M, Primrose J, Hilal MA, Thirdborough S, Tulchinsky E, Thomas G, Mirnezami A, Sayan AE. Protein kinase C inhibitors override ZEB1-induced chemoresistance in HCC. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:703. [PMID: 31543517 PMCID: PMC6755133 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1885-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which tumour cells lose epithelial characteristics, become mesenchymal and highly motile. EMT pathways also induce stem cell features and resistance to apoptosis. Identifying and targeting this pool of tumour cells is a major challenge. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition has been shown to eliminate breast cancer stem cells but has never been assessed in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). We investigated ZEB family of EMT inducer expression as a biomarker for metastatic HCC and evaluated the efficacy of PKC inhibitors for HCC treatment. We showed that ZEB1 positivity predicted patient survival in multiple cohorts and also validated as an independent biomarker of HCC metastasis. ZEB1-expressing HCC cell lines became resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic agents and were enriched in CD44high/CD24low cell population. ZEB1- or TGFβ-induced EMT increased PKCα abundance. Probing public databases ascertained a positive association of ZEB1 and PKCα expression in human HCC tumours. Inhibition of PKCα activity by small molecule inhibitors or by PKCA knockdown reduced viability of mesenchymal HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that ZEB1 expression predicts survival and metastatic potential of HCC. Chemoresistant/mesenchymal HCC cells become addicted to PKC pathway and display sensitivity to PKC inhibitors such as UCN-01. Stratifying patients according to ZEB1 and combining UCN-01 with conventional chemotherapy may be an advantageous chemotherapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Sreekumar
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
- Department of Surgery, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Muhammad Emaduddin
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Hajir Al-Saihati
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Karwan Moutasim
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
| | - James Chan
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Marcello Spampinato
- HPB Unit, Department of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Policlinico of Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
| | - Rahul Bhome
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
- Department of Surgery, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Ho Ming Yuen
- Primary Care and Population Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Alessandro Vitale
- Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplantation Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Umberto Cillo
- Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplantation Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Massimo Rugge
- Department of Pathology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - John Primrose
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
- Department of Surgery, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Mohammad Abu Hilal
- Department of Surgery, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Stephen Thirdborough
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Eugene Tulchinsky
- Cancer Sciences and Molecular Medicine Department, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudnuy, Moscow region, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Gareth Thomas
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Alex Mirnezami
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK
- Department of Surgery, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - A Emre Sayan
- University of Southampton Cancer Sciences Division, Somers Cancer Research Building, Southampton University, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK.
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Lizardo MM, Sorensen PH. Practical Considerations in Studying Metastatic Lung Colonization in Osteosarcoma Using the Pulmonary Metastasis Assay. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29578500 DOI: 10.3791/56332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pulmonary metastasis assay (PuMA) is an ex vivo lung explant and closed cell culture system that permits researchers to study the biology of lung colonization in osteosarcoma (OS) by fluorescence microscopy. This article provides a detailed description of the protocol, and discusses examples of obtaining image data on metastatic growth using widefield or confocal fluorescence microscopy platforms. The flexibility of the PuMA model permits researchers to study not only the growth of OS cells in the lung microenvironment, but also to assess the effects of anti-metastatic therapeutics over time. Confocal microscopy allows for unprecedented, high-resolution imaging of OS cell interactions with the lung parenchyma. Moreover, when the PuMA model is combined with fluorescent dyes or fluorescent protein genetic reporters, researchers can study the lung microenvironment, cellular and subcellular structures, gene function, and promoter activity in metastatic OS cells. The PuMA model provides a new tool for osteosarcoma researchers to discover new metastasis biology and assess the activity of novel anti-metastatic, targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Lizardo
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health; BC Cancer Agency, Provincial Health Services Authority
| | - Poul H Sorensen
- BC Cancer Agency, Provincial Health Services Authority; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia;
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Saraf AJ, Fenger JM, Roberts RD. Osteosarcoma: Accelerating Progress Makes for a Hopeful Future. Front Oncol 2018; 8:4. [PMID: 29435436 PMCID: PMC5790793 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients who develop osteosarcoma in 2017 receive treatment that remains essentially unchanged since the 1970s. Outcomes likewise remain largely unimproved. Large, collaborative, multinational efforts to improve therapy have evaluated strategies leveraging both cytotoxic intensification and immunomodulatory agents. While these have confirmed our capacity to conduct such trials, results have proved largely disappointing. This has motivated efforts to focus on the basic biology of osteosarcoma, where understanding remains poor but has improved significantly. Recent advances have identified characteristic genetic features of osteosarcoma, including profound chromosomal disruption, marked patient-patient heterogeneity, and a paucity of recurrent mutations. Analyses suggest genesis in early catastrophic genetic events, although the nature of the inciting events remains unclear. While p53 and Rb inactivation occurs in most osteosarcomas, the landscape of associated driver mutations has proved extensive. Few mutations recur with high frequency, though patterns continue to emerge that suggest recurrent alterations within specific pathways. Biological pathways implicated in osteosarcoma biology through genetic and other preclinical studies include PI3K/mTOR, WNT/βcatenin, TGFβ, RANKL/NF-κB, and IGF. Unfortunately, clinical studies evaluating targeted agents have to date yielded disappointing results, as have studies examining modern immunotherapeutics. It remains unclear whether this pattern of clinical failures exposes inadequacies of our preclinical models, unrealistic expectations for single-agent responses in heavily pretreated patients, or biology less relevant than suggested. Nearly all patients who succumb to osteosarcoma develop lung metastases, which exhibit marked chemoresistance. Much scientific effort has recently sought to enhance our mechanistic understanding of metastasis biology. This research has potential to reveal novel targets for preventing and treating metastasis and for uncovering key vulnerabilities of osteosarcoma cells. Efforts to implement drug development strategies that leverage clinical studies in veterinary patients have potential to accelerate the translation of novel experimental regimens toward human studies. These could reduce costs and development timelines, prioritize agents, and refine regimens prior to human clinical trials. The rise of philanthropic groups focused on osteosarcoma has enhanced cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional focus and provided much needed resources. Transformative new therapies will likely arise from collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts that extend our understanding of osteosarcoma's most basic inner workings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J. Saraf
- Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and BMT, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Joelle M. Fenger
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ryan D. Roberts
- Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
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12
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Deka SJ, Roy A, Ramakrishnan V, Manna D, Trivedi V. Danazol has potential to cause PKC translocation, cell cycle dysregulation, and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Chem Biol Drug Des 2017; 89:953-963. [DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2016] [Revised: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Suman Jyoti Deka
- Malaria Research Group; Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering; Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati; Guwahati Assam India
| | - Ashalata Roy
- Department of Chemistry; Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati; Guwahati Assam India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Molecular Informatics & Design Laboratory; Department of Biotechnology; Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati; Guwahati Assam India
| | - Debasis Manna
- Department of Chemistry; Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati; Guwahati Assam India
| | - Vishal Trivedi
- Malaria Research Group; Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering; Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati; Guwahati Assam India
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13
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14
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Lizardo MM, Morrow JJ, Miller TE, Hong ES, Ren L, Mendoza A, Halsey CH, Scacheri PC, Helman LJ, Khanna C. Upregulation of Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 in Metastatic Cancer Cells Is Necessary for Lung Metastasis Progression. Neoplasia 2016; 18:699-710. [PMID: 27973325 PMCID: PMC5094383 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2016.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Revised: 09/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is the cause of more than 90% of all cancer deaths. Despite this fact, most anticancer therapeutics currently in clinical use have limited efficacy in treating established metastases. Here, we identify the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone protein, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), as a metastatic dependency in several highly metastatic cancer cell models. We find that GRP78 is consistently upregulated when highly metastatic cancer cells colonize the lung microenvironment and that mitigation of GRP78 upregulation via short hairpin RNA or treatment with the small molecule IT-139, which is currently under clinical investigation for the treatment of primary tumors, inhibits metastatic growth in the lung microenvironment. Inhibition of GRP78 upregulation and an associated reduction in metastatic potential have been shown in four highly metastatic cell line models: three human osteosarcomas and one murine mammary adenocarcinoma. Lastly, we show that downmodulation of GRP78 in highly metastatic cancer cells significantly increases median survival times in our in vivo animal model of experimental metastasis. Collectively, our data indicate that GRP78 is an attractive target for the development of antimetastatic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Lizardo
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - James J Morrow
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Tyler E Miller
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ellen S Hong
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ling Ren
- Comparative Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Arnulfo Mendoza
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Charles H Halsey
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter C Scacheri
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Lee J Helman
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chand Khanna
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Ethos Discovery in Washington DC and Ethos Veterinary Health, Wolburn MA, USA.
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15
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Morrow JJ, Mendoza A, Koyen A, Lizardo MM, Ren L, Waybright TJ, Hansen RJ, Gustafson DL, Zhou M, Fan TM, Scacheri PC, Khanna C. mTOR Inhibition Mitigates Enhanced mRNA Translation Associated with the Metastatic Phenotype of Osteosarcoma Cells In Vivo. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 22:6129-6141. [PMID: 27342399 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-0326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To successfully metastasize, tumor cells must respond appropriately to biological stressors encountered during metastatic progression. We sought to test the hypothesis that enhanced efficiency of mRNA translation during periods of metastatic stress is required for metastatic competence of osteosarcoma and that this metastasis-specific adaptation is amenable to therapeutic intervention. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We employ novel reporter and proteomic systems that enable tracking of mRNA translation efficiency and output in metastatic osteosarcoma cells as they colonize the lungs. We test the potential to target mRNA translation as an antimetastatic therapeutic strategy through pharmacokinetic studies and preclinical assessment of the prototypic mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, across multiple models of metastasis. RESULTS Metastatic osteosarcoma cells translate mRNA more efficiently than nonmetastatic cells during critical stressful periods of metastatic colonization of the lung. Rapamycin inhibits translational output during periods of metastatic stress, mitigates lung colonization, and prolongs survival. mTOR-inhibiting exposures of rapamycin are achievable in mice using treatment schedules that correspond to human doses well below the MTDs defined in human patients, and as such are very likely to be tolerated over long exposures alone and in combination with other agents. CONCLUSIONS Metastatic competence of osteosarcoma cells is dependent on efficient mRNA translation during stressful periods of metastatic progression, and the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, can mitigate this translation and inhibit metastasis in vivo Our data suggest that mTOR pathway inhibitors should be reconsidered in the clinic using rationally designed dosing schedules and clinical metrics related to metastatic progression. Clin Cancer Res; 22(24); 6129-41. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Morrow
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.,Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Arnulfo Mendoza
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Allyson Koyen
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael M Lizardo
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ling Ren
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Timothy J Waybright
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ryan J Hansen
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.,Pharmacology Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Daniel L Gustafson
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.,Pharmacology Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ming Zhou
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland
| | - Timothy M Fan
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Peter C Scacheri
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Chand Khanna
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
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16
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Yan HH, Jiang J, Pang Y, Achyut BR, Lizardo M, Liang X, Hunter K, Khanna C, Hollander C, Yang L. CCL9 Induced by TGFβ Signaling in Myeloid Cells Enhances Tumor Cell Survival in the Premetastatic Organ. Cancer Res 2015; 75:5283-98. [PMID: 26483204 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-2282-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cell survival in the hostile distant organ is a rate-limiting step in cancer metastasis. Bone marrow-derived myeloid cells can form a premetastatic niche and provide a tumor-promoting microenvironment. However, it is unclear whether these myeloid cells in the premetastatic site have any direct effect on tumor cell survival. Here, we report that chemokine CCL9 was highly induced in Gr-1(+)CD11b(+) immature myeloid cells and in premetastatic lung in tumor-bearing mice. Knockdown of CCL9 in myeloid cells decreased tumor cell survival and metastasis. Importantly, CCL9 overexpression in myeloid cells lacking TGFβ signaling rescued the tumor metastasis defect observed in mice with myeloid-specific Tgfbr2 deletion. The expression level of CCL23, the human orthologue for CCL9, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlated with progression and survival of cancer patients. Our study demonstrates that CCL9 could serve as a good candidate for anti-metastasis treatment by targeting the rate-limiting step of cancer cell survival. In addition, targeting CCL9 may avoid the adverse effects of TGFβ-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangyi H Yan
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jian Jiang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Yanli Pang
- Department of Physiology & Pathophysiology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - B R Achyut
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael Lizardo
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Xinhua Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Kent Hunter
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Chand Khanna
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Christine Hollander
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Li Yang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
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Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy of bone, typically presenting in the first or second decade of life. Unfortunately, clinical outcomes for osteosarcoma patients have not substantially improved in over 30 years. This stagnation in therapeutic advances is perhaps explained by the genetic, epigenetic, and biological complexities of this rare tumor. In this review we provide a general background on the biology of osteosarcoma and the clinical status quo. We go on to enumerate the genetic and epigenetic defects identified in osteosarcoma. Finally, we discuss ongoing large-scale studies in the field and potential new therapies that are currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J. Morrow
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Chand Khanna
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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18
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Cancer subclonal genetic architecture as a key to personalized medicine. Neoplasia 2014; 15:1410-20. [PMID: 24403863 DOI: 10.1593/neo.131972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Revised: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The future of personalized oncological therapy will likely rely on evidence-based medicine to integrate all of the available evidence to delineate the most efficacious treatment option for the patient. To undertake evidence-based medicine through use of targeted therapy regimens, identification of the specific underlying causative mutation(s) driving growth and progression of a patient's tumor is imperative. Although molecular subtyping is important for planning and treatment, intraclonal genetic diversity has been recently highlighted as having significant implications for biopsy-based prognosis. Overall, delineation of the clonal architecture of a patient's cancer and how this will impact on the selection of the most efficacious therapy remain a topic of intense interest.
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Ren L, Khanna C. Role of ezrin in osteosarcoma metastasis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2014; 804:181-201. [PMID: 24924175 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-04843-7_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The cause of death for the vast majority of cancer patients is the development of metastases at sites distant from that of the primary tumor. For most pediatric sarcoma patients such as those with osteosarcoma (OS), despite successful management of the primary tumor through multimodality approaches, the development of metastases, commonly to the lungs, is the cause of death. Significant improvements in long-term outcome for these patients have not been seen in more than 30 years. Furthermore, the long-term outcome for patients who present with metastatic disease is grave [1-5]. New treatment options are needed.Opportunities to improve outcomes for patients who present with metastases and those at-risk for progression and metastasis require an improved understanding of cancer progression and metastasis. With this goal in mind we and others have identified ezrin as a metastasis-associated protein that associated with OS and other cancers. Ezrin is the prototypical ERM (Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin) protein family member. ERMs function as linker proteins connecting the actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane. Since our initial identification of ezrin in pediatric sarcoma, an increasing understanding the role of ezrin in metastasis has emerged. Briefly, ezrin appears to allow metastatic cells to overcome a number of stresses experienced during the metastatic cascade, most notably the stress experienced as cells interact with the microenvironment of the secondary site. Cells must rapidly adapt to this environment in order to survive. Evidence now suggests a connection between ezrin expression and a variety of mechanisms linked to this important cellular adaptation including the ability of metastatic cells to initiate the translation of new proteins and to allow the efficient generation of ATP through a variety of sources. This understanding of the role of ezrin in the biology of metastasis is now sufficient to consider ezrin as an important therapeutic target in osteosarcoma patients. This chapter reviews our understanding of ezrin and the related ERM proteins in normal tissues and physiology, summarizes the expression of ezrin in human cancers and associations with clinical parameters of disease progression, reviews reports that detail a biological understanding of ezrin's role in metastatic progression, and concludes with a rationale that may be considered to target ezrin and ezrin biology in osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ren
- Molecular Oncology Section - Metastasis Biology Group, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Dr., Rm 2144, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA,
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20
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Overcoming intratumor heterogeneity of polygenic cancer drug resistance with improved biomarker integration. Neoplasia 2013; 14:1278-89. [PMID: 23308059 DOI: 10.1593/neo.122096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 12/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Improvements in technology and resources are helping to advance our understanding of cancer-initiating events as well as factors involved with tumor progression, adaptation, and evasion of therapy. Tumors are well known to contain diverse cell populations and intratumor heterogeneity affords neoplasms with a diverse set of biologic characteristics that can be used to evolve and adapt. Intratumor heterogeneity has emerged as a major hindrance to improving cancer patient care. Polygenic cancer drug resistance necessitates reconsidering drug designs to include polypharmacology in pursuit of novel combinatorial agents having multitarget activity to overcome the diverse and compensatory signaling pathways in which cancer cells use to survive and evade therapy. Advances will require integration of different biomarkers such as genomics and imaging to provide for more adequate elucidation of the spatially varying location, type, and extent of diverse intratumor signaling molecules to provide for a rationale-based personalized cancer medicine strategy.
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