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Arndt P, Turkowski K, Cekay M, Eul B, Grimminger F, Savai R. Endothelin and the tumor microenvironment: a finger in every pie. Clin Sci (Lond) 2024; 138:617-634. [PMID: 38785410 PMCID: PMC11130555 DOI: 10.1042/cs20240426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a central role in the development of cancer. Within this complex milieu, the endothelin (ET) system plays a key role by triggering epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, causing degradation of the extracellular matrix and modulating hypoxia response, cell proliferation, composition, and activation. These multiple effects of the ET system on cancer progression have prompted numerous preclinical studies targeting the ET system with promising results, leading to considerable optimism for subsequent clinical trials. However, these clinical trials have not lived up to the high expectations; in fact, the clinical trials have failed to demonstrate any substantiated benefit of targeting the ET system in cancer patients. This review discusses the major and recent advances of the ET system with respect to TME and comments on past and ongoing clinical trials of the ET system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp F. Arndt
- Lung Microenvironmental Niche in Cancerogenesis, Institute for Lung Health (ILH), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Centre (UGMLC), Member of the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), Giessen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Member of the DZL, Member of the CPI, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Kati Turkowski
- Lung Microenvironmental Niche in Cancerogenesis, Institute for Lung Health (ILH), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Member of the DZL, Member of the CPI, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Michael J. Cekay
- Lung Microenvironmental Niche in Cancerogenesis, Institute for Lung Health (ILH), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Centre (UGMLC), Member of the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), Giessen, Germany
| | - Bastian Eul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Centre (UGMLC), Member of the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), Giessen, Germany
| | - Friedrich Grimminger
- Lung Microenvironmental Niche in Cancerogenesis, Institute for Lung Health (ILH), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Centre (UGMLC), Member of the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), Giessen, Germany
| | - Rajkumar Savai
- Lung Microenvironmental Niche in Cancerogenesis, Institute for Lung Health (ILH), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Centre (UGMLC), Member of the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), Giessen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Member of the DZL, Member of the CPI, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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IRF4 modulates the response to BCR activation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia regulating IKAROS and SYK. Leukemia 2021; 35:1330-1343. [PMID: 33623139 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01178-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a transcriptional regulator of immune system development and function. Here, we investigated the role of IRF4 in controlling responsiveness to B-cell receptor (BCR) stimulation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We modulated IRF4 levels by transfecting CLL cells with an IRF4 vector or by silencing using small-interfering RNAs. Higher IRF4 levels attenuated BCR signaling by reducing AKT and ERK phosphorylation and calcium release. Conversely, IRF4 reduction improved the strength of the intracellular cascade activated by BCR engagement. Our results also indicated that IRF4 negatively regulates the expression of the spleen tyrosine kinase SYK, a crucial protein for propagation of BCR signaling, and the zinc finger DNA-binding protein IKAROS. We modulated IKAROS protein levels both by genetic manipulation and pharmacologically by treating CLL cells with lenalidomide and avadomide (IMIDs). IKAROS promoted BCR signaling by reducing the expression of inositol 5-phosphatase SHIP1. Lastly, IMIDs induced IRF4 expression, while down-regulating IKAROS and interfered with survival advantage mediated by BCR triggering, also in combination with ibrutinib. Overall, our findings elucidate the mechanism by which IRF4 tunes BCR signaling in CLL cells. Low IRF4 levels allow an efficient transmission of BCR signal throughout the accumulation of SYK and IKAROS.
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Schäfer A, Haenig B, Erupathil J, Strickner P, Sabato D, Welford RWD, Klaeylé L, Simon E, Krepler C, Brafford P, Xiao M, Herlyn M, Gstaiger M, Lehembre F, Renz I. Inhibition of endothelin-B receptor signaling synergizes with MAPK pathway inhibitors in BRAF mutated melanoma. Oncogene 2021; 40:1659-1673. [PMID: 33500549 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01628-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The clinical benefit of MAPK pathway inhibition in melanoma patients carrying BRAF mutations is temporal. After the initial response to treatment, the majority of tumors will develop resistance and patients will relapse. Here we demonstrate that the endothelin-endothelin receptor B (ETBR) signaling pathway confers resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors in BRAF mutated melanoma. MAPK blockade, in addition to being anti-proliferative, induces a phenotypic change which is characterized by increased expression of melanocyte-specific genes including ETBR. In the presence of MAPK inhibitors, activation of ETBR by endothelin enables the sustained proliferation of melanoma cells. In mouse models of melanoma, including patient-derived xenograft models, concurrent inhibition of the MAPK pathway and ETBR signaling resulted in a more effective anti-tumor response compared to MAPK pathway inhibition alone. The combination treatment significantly reduced tumor growth and prolonged survival compared to therapies with MAPK pathway inhibitors alone. The phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that ETBR signaling did not induce resistance towards MAPK pathway inhibitors by restoring MAPK activity, but instead via multiple alternative signaling pathways downstream of the small G proteins GNAq/11. Together these data indicate that a combination of MAPK pathway inhibitors with ETBR antagonists could have a synergistically beneficial effect in melanoma patients with hyperactivated MAPK signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Schäfer
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland.,Swiss BioQuant AG, 4153, Reinach, Switzerland
| | - Benedicte Haenig
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Julie Erupathil
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Panja Strickner
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Sabato
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Richard W D Welford
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Lhéanna Klaeylé
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Elise Simon
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.,Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Krepler
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Merck, North Wales, PA, 19454, USA
| | - Patricia Brafford
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Min Xiao
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Meenhard Herlyn
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Matthias Gstaiger
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Francois Lehembre
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Imke Renz
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
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Kappes L, Amer RL, Sommerlatte S, Bashir G, Plattfaut C, Gieseler F, Gemoll T, Busch H, Altahrawi A, Al-Sbiei A, Haneefa SM, Arafat K, Schimke LF, Khawanky NE, Schulze-Forster K, Heidecke H, Kerstein-Staehle A, Marschner G, Pitann S, Ochs HD, Mueller A, Attoub S, Fernandez-Cabezudo MJ, Riemekasten G, Al-Ramadi BK, Cabral-Marques O. Ambrisentan, an endothelin receptor type A-selective antagonist, inhibits cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15931. [PMID: 32985601 PMCID: PMC7522204 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72960-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies reported a central role of the endothelin type A receptor (ETAR) in tumor progression leading to the formation of metastasis. Here, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects of the FDA-approved ETAR antagonist, Ambrisentan, which is currently used to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In vitro, Ambrisentan inhibited both spontaneous and induced migration/invasion capacity of different tumor cells (COLO-357 metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, OvCar3 ovarian carcinoma, MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma, and HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia). Whole transcriptome analysis using RNAseq indicated Ambrisentan's inhibitory effects on the whole transcriptome of resting and PAR2-activated COLO-357 cells, which tended to normalize to an unstimulated profile. Finally, in a pre-clinical murine model of metastatic breast cancer, treatment with Ambrisentan was effective in decreasing metastasis into the lungs and liver. Importantly, this was associated with a significant enhancement in animal survival. Taken together, our work suggests a new therapeutic application for Ambrisentan in the treatment of cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Kappes
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ruba L Amer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sabine Sommerlatte
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ghada Bashir
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Corinna Plattfaut
- Section Experimental Oncology, University Hospital and Medical School (UKSH), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Frank Gieseler
- Section Experimental Oncology, University Hospital and Medical School (UKSH), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Timo Gemoll
- Section for Translational Surgical Oncology and Biobanking, Department of Surgery, University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hauke Busch
- Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology (LIED) and Institute of Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Abeer Altahrawi
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ashraf Al-Sbiei
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shoja M Haneefa
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kholoud Arafat
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Lena F Schimke
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Nadia El Khawanky
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kai Schulze-Forster
- CellTrend GmbH, Luckenwalde, Brandenburg, Germany
- Department of Urology, Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Anja Kerstein-Staehle
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Gabriele Marschner
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Silke Pitann
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hans D Ochs
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, and Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Antje Mueller
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Samir Attoub
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Maria J Fernandez-Cabezudo
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gabriela Riemekasten
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Basel K Al-Ramadi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Otavio Cabral-Marques
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Lineu Prestes Avenue, 1730, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy, and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), São Paulo, Brazil.
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Antiapoptotic Proteins mcl-1 and bcl-2 as well as Growth Factors FGF and VEGF Influence Survival of Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells. SERBIAN JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.2478/sjecr-2018-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Apoptosis inhibition in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is one of the most important mechanism in the disease onset, progression and therapy response and is dependent of interaction with different microenvironments.
Aim of our paper is to determine expression of antiapoptoic proteins mcl-1 and bcl-2 in CLL cells isolated from two different compartments (peripheral blood and bone marrow) and its relation to percent of apoptotic cells and concentration of growth factors (FGF and VEGF).
Our results showed that peripheral blood CLL lymphocytes have lower apoptotic rate then those isolated from bone marrow, though bone marrow CLL lymphocytes express higher levels of antipoptotic proteins bcl-2 and mcl-1. In bone marrow FGF concentration is 10-fold higher then in patients plasma but has an limited impact on mcl-1 expression. In contrary, VEGF concentration is higher in peripheral blood and corelate with percent of apoptotic cells and mcl-1 expression in this compartment.
CLL cells derived from two different microenvironmets acts differently when tested for apoptosis „ex vivo“. In peripheral blood apoptosis is strongly connected with expression of antiapoptoic proteins (mcl-1 and bcl-2) and growth factors, but not in bone marrow.
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Russignan A, Spina C, Tamassia N, Cassaro A, Rigo A, Bagnato A, Rosanò L, Bonalumi A, Gottardi M, Zanatta L, Giacomazzi A, Scupoli MT, Tinelli M, Salvadori U, Mosna F, Zamò A, Cassatella MA, Vinante F, Tecchio C. In reply to Schäfer et al: new evidence on the role of endothelin-1 axis as a potential therapeutic target in multiple myeloma. Br J Haematol 2018; 184:1052-1055. [PMID: 29726006 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.15240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Russignan
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Cecilia Spina
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicola Tamassia
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Adriana Cassaro
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonella Rigo
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Anna Bagnato
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Rosanò
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Bonalumi
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Zanatta
- Pathology Unit, Ospedale Regionale Cà Foncello, Treviso, Italy
| | - Alice Giacomazzi
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Maria T Scupoli
- Inderdepartmental Laboratory for Medical Research (LURM), Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Martina Tinelli
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Ugo Salvadori
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Federico Mosna
- Haematology, Ospedale Regionale Cà Foncello, Treviso, Italy
| | - Alberto Zamò
- Section of Pathology, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Marco A Cassatella
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vinante
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristina Tecchio
- Haematology and Bone-Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Verona University, Verona, Italy
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