1
|
Shaban N, Raevskiy M, Zakharova G, Shipunova V, Deyev S, Suntsova M, Sorokin M, Buzdin A, Kamashev D. Human Blood Serum Counteracts EGFR/HER2-Targeted Drug Lapatinib Impact on Squamous Carcinoma SK-BR-3 Cell Growth and Gene Expression. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:487-506. [PMID: 38648768 DOI: 10.1134/s000629792403009x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Lapatinib is a targeted therapeutic inhibiting HER2 and EGFR proteins. It is used for the therapy of HER2-positive breast cancer, although not all the patients respond to it. Using human blood serum samples from 14 female donors (separately taken or combined), we found that human blood serum dramatically abolishes the lapatinib-mediated inhibition of growth of the human breast squamous carcinoma SK-BR-3 cell line. This antagonism between lapatinib and human serum was associated with cancelation of the drug induced G1/S cell cycle transition arrest. RNA sequencing revealed 308 differentially expressed genes in the presence of lapatinib. Remarkably, when combined with lapatinib, human blood serum showed the capacity of restoring both the rate of cell growth, and the expression of 96.1% of the genes expression of which were altered by the lapatinib treatment alone. Co-administration of EGF with lapatinib also restores the cell growth and cancels alteration of expression of 95.8% of the genes specific to lapatinib treatment of SK-BR-3 cells. Differential gene expression analysis also showed that in the presence of human serum or EGF, lapatinib was unable to inhibit the Toll-Like Receptor signaling pathway and alter expression of genes linked to the Gene Ontology term of Focal adhesion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Shaban
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- The National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology, Moscow, 117036, Russia
| | - Mikhail Raevskiy
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Galina Zakharova
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Victoria Shipunova
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Sergey Deyev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
- "Biomarker" Research Laboratory, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia
| | - Maria Suntsova
- The National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology, Moscow, 117036, Russia.
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Maksim Sorokin
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- PathoBiology Group, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Brussels, 1200, Belgium
| | - Anton Buzdin
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- The National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology, Moscow, 117036, Russia
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Dmitri Kamashev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
- The National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology, Moscow, 117036, Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
López-Méndez JA, Ventura-Gallegos JL, Camacho-Arroyo I, Lizano M, Cabrera-Quintero AJ, Romero-Córdoba SL, Martínez-Vázquez M, Jacobo-Herrera NJ, León-Del-Río A, Paredes-Villa AA, Zentella-Dehesa A. The inhibitory effect of trastuzumab on BT474 triple‑positive breast cancer cell viability is reversed by the combination of progesterone and estradiol. Oncol Lett 2024; 27:19. [PMID: 38034484 PMCID: PMC10688505 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.14152] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer expressing the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is known as triple-positive (TPBC). TPBC represents 9-11% of breast cancer cases worldwide and is a heterogeneous subtype. Notably, TPBC presents a therapeutic challenge due to the crosstalk between the hormonal (ER and PR) and HER2 pathways. Patients with TPBC are treated with trastuzumab (TTZ); however, several patients treated with TTZ tend to relapse. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the PR on inhibitory effect of TTZ on cell viability. BT474 cells (a model of TPBC) and BT474 PR-silenced cells were treated with either TTZ, progesterone (Pg), the PR antagonist mifepristone (RU486) or estradiol (E2) alone or in combination for 144 h (6 days). Cell viability assays and western blotting were subsequently performed. The results showed that Pg and E2 interfered with the inhibitory effect of TTZ on cell viability and this effect was potentiated when both hormones were combined. Pg was revealed to act through the PR, mainly activating the PR isoform B (PR-B) and inducing the protein expression levels of CDK4 and cyclin D1; however, it did not reactivate the HER2/Akt pathway. By contrast, E2 was able to increase PR isoform A (PR-A) expression, which was inhibited by Pg. Notably, in most of the experiments, RU486 did not antagonize the effects of Pg. In conclusion, Pg and E2 may interfere with the inhibitory effect of TTZ on cell viability through PR-B activation and PR-A inactivation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José A. López-Méndez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José L. Ventura-Gallegos
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa Institucional de Cáncer de Mama, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 11000 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marcela Lizano
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alberto J. Cabrera-Quintero
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Sandra L. Romero-Córdoba
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa Institucional de Cáncer de Mama, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mariano Martínez-Vázquez
- Departamento de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nadia J. Jacobo-Herrera
- Unidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alfonso León-Del-Río
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa Institucional de Cáncer de Mama, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adrian A. Paredes-Villa
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Zentella-Dehesa
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa Institucional de Cáncer de Mama, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México-Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 Mexico City, Mexico
- Cancer Center, American British Cowdray Medical Center, 01120 Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Najafzadeh M, Naeem P, Ghaderi N, Jafarinejad S, Karimi Z, Ghaderi M, Akhbari P, Ghaderi R, Farsi P, Wright A, Anderson D. Comparing P53 expression and genome-wide transcriptome profiling to Comet assay in lymphocytes from melanoma patients and healthy controls. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18858. [PMID: 37914759 PMCID: PMC10620420 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44965-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study compared the expression of TP53 in lymphocytes from malignant melanoma (MM) patients with positive sentinel nodes to healthy controls (HCs) following exposure to various doses of UVA radiation. The Lymphocyte Genome Sensitivity (LGS) assay indicated significant differences in DNA damage in lymphocytes between MM patients and HCs. qPCR data demonstrated an overall 3.4-fold increase in TP53 expression in lymphocytes from MM patients compared to healthy controls, following treatment with 0.5 mW/cm2 UVA radiation. Western blotting confirmed that p53 expression was increased in MM lymphocytes following UVA exposure compared to healthy individuals. Genome transcriptome profiling data displayed differences in gene expression between UVA-treated lymphocytes from MM patients and HCs. Peripheral lymphocytes from MM patients are more susceptible to the genotoxic effects of UVA compared to healthy individuals. Our previous studies showed that UVA exposure of various intensities caused significant differences in the levels of DNA damage between lymphocytes from cancer patients compared to HCs through the LGS assay. The present study's results provide further credibility to the LGS assay as a screening test for cancer detection. Peripheral lymphocytes could be a promising blood biopsy biomarker for staging of carcinomas and prevention of carcinoma progression at early stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Najafzadeh
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, West Yorkshire, UK.
| | - Parisa Naeem
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Nader Ghaderi
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, St Luke's Hospital, Little Horton Lane, BD5 0NA, UK
| | - Shohreh Jafarinejad
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Zahra Karimi
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Mehran Ghaderi
- Division of Pathology F46, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pouria Akhbari
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Rojan Ghaderi
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BX, UK
| | - Pedram Farsi
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew Wright
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, St Luke's Hospital, Little Horton Lane, BD5 0NA, UK
| | - Diana Anderson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP, West Yorkshire, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Martínez-Sáez O, Waks AG. Individualizing Curative-Intent Therapy in HER2-Positive Early-Stage Breast Cancer. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2023; 24:479-495. [PMID: 36995527 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-023-01070-7] [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] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancers have been historically considered an aggressive entity with high rates of recurrence and poor survival. However, during the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic change in prognosis due to the incorporation of different anti-HER2 therapies into the neo/adjuvant chemotherapy backbone. Neoadjuvant dual blockade with trastuzumab and pertuzumab has become the standard of care for women with stage II and III HER2+ breast cancer. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has been shown to improve outcomes if pathological complete response (pCR) is not achieved, and adjuvant extended therapy with neratinib has increased disease-free survival (DFS) and may have an impact in central nervous system (CNS) recurrences. However, these agents are both toxic for individual patients and costly for the overall healthcare system, and there are still patients that experience recurrence despite therapy improvements. At the same time, it has been shown that some patients with early-stage HER2+ breast cancer can be effectively treated with less intensive systemic therapy, using only taxane and trastuzumab, or that the chemotherapy backbone can be omitted completely. The current challenge is to properly identify which patients can receive a de-intensified regimen and which need new intensification strategies. Tumor size, nodal status, and pCR achievement after neoadjuvant treatment are well-known risk factors that can aid in making clinical decisions, but they do not accurately predict all patient outcomes. Various biomarkers have been proposed to better characterize the clinical and biological heterogeneity of HER2+ breast cancer. Immune infiltration, intrinsic subtype, intratumoral heterogeneity, and dynamic changes during treatment have been described as important prognostic and/or predictive features. The integration of all these factors will be key in the proper identification of the true risk, and individualized treatment strategy, for each patient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Martínez-Sáez
- Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi I Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adrienne G Waks
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Yawkey 1250, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bruce SF, Wu S, Ribeiro JR, Farrell A, Oberley MJ, Winer I, Erickson BK, Klc T, Jones NL, Thaker PH, Powell MA. HER2+ endometrioid endometrial cancer possesses distinct molecular and immunologic features associated with a more active immune microenvironment and worse prognosis. Gynecol Oncol 2023; 172:98-105. [PMID: 37003074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.03.008] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HER2 status is not routinely evaluated in endometrioid endometrial cancer (E-EMCA), though it is frequently overexpressed or amplified in high grade E-EMCA and uterine serous carcinoma. Defining characteristics and survival outcomes of HER2+ E-EMCA could reveal subsets of patients who may benefit from targeted therapies. METHODS 2927 E-EMCA tumors from the Caris Life Sciences database were analyzed by next-generation sequencing and whole exome sequencing, whole transcriptome sequencing, and immunohistochemistry for molecular and genomic features in a CLIA/CAP-certified laboratory (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ). HER2 status was determined by transcriptomic cutoff extrapolated from uterine serous carcinoma. The relationship between HER2 status and patient outcomes was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS HER2 positivity was detected in 5.47% of E-EMCA. Differences in molecular alterations based on HER2 status were most apparent in microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors, which displayed increased TP53 mutations and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and decreased PTEN and CTNNB1 mutations. HER2+ tumors had increased immune checkpoint gene expression and immune cell infiltration, particularly among MSS tumors. All HER2+ tumors displayed increased MAPK pathway activation scores (MPAS) and patients with HER2+ tumors experienced worse overall survival. CONCLUSIONS HER2 positivity in E-EMCA corresponds with a unique molecular landscape, particularly in MSS tumors. HER2+ tumors are also associated with increased MAPK pathway activation and exhibit features of a more active immune microenvironment. These findings suggest a potential benefit of HER2 and MAPK targeted therapies as well as immunotherapies in this patient population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaina F Bruce
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Sharon Wu
- Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ira Winer
- Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Britt K Erickson
- University of Minnesota, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Tenley Klc
- University of Minnesota, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nathaniel L Jones
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Premal H Thaker
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Moon SJ, Choi HJ, Kye YH, Jeong GY, Kim HY, Myung JK, Kong G. CTTN Overexpression Confers Cancer Stem Cell-like Properties and Trastuzumab Resistance via DKK-1/WNT Signaling in HER2 Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041168. [PMID: 36831511 PMCID: PMC9954024 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041168] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the therapeutic success of trastuzumab, HER2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer patients continue to face significant difficulties due to innate or acquired drug resistance. In this study we explored the potential role of CTTN in inducing trastuzumab resistance of HER2+ breast cancers. METHODS Genetic changes of CTTN and survival of HER2+ breast cancer patients were analyzed in multiple breast cancer patient cohorts (METABRIC, TCGA, Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter, and Hanyang University cohort). The effect of CTTN on cancer stem cell activity was assessed using the tumorsphere formation, ALDEFLUOR assay, and by in vivo xenograft experiments. CTTN-induced trastuzumab resistance was assessed by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, colony formation assays, and in vivo xenograft model. RNA-seq analysis was used to clarify the mechanism of trastuzumab resistance conferred by CTTN. RESULTS Survival analysis indicated that CTTN overexpression is related to a poor prognosis in HER2+ breast cancers (OS, p = 0.05 in the Hanyang University cohort; OS, p = 0.0014 in KM plotter; OS, p = 0.008 and DFS, p = 0.010 in METABRIC). CTTN overexpression-induced cancer stem cell-like characteristics in experiments of tumorsphere formation, ALDEFLUOR assays, and in vivo limiting dilution assays. CTTN overexpression resulted in trastuzumab resistance in SRB, colony formation assays, and in vivo xenograft models. Mechanistically, the mRNA and protein levels of DKK-1, a Wnt antagonist, were downregulated by CTTN. Treatment of the β-catenin/TCF inhibitor reversed CTTN-induced cancer stem cell-like properties in vitro. Combination treatment with trastuzumab and β-catenin/TCF inhibitor overcame trastuzumab resistance conferred by CTTN overexpression in in vitro colony formation assays. CONCLUSIONS CTTN activates DKK-1/Wnt/β-catenin signaling to induce trastuzumab resistance. We propose that CTTN is a novel biomarker indicating a poor prognosis and a possible therapeutic target for overcoming trastuzumab resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- So-Jeong Moon
- Department of HY-KIST Bio-Convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Jun Choi
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Hyeon Kye
- Department of HY-KIST Bio-Convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Ga-Young Jeong
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Yong Kim
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Kyung Myung
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Gu Kong
- Department of HY-KIST Bio-Convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2290-8251; Fax: +82-2-2295-1091
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
STARD3: A New Biomarker in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020362. [PMID: 36672312 PMCID: PMC9856516 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020362] [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: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) is an important prognostic factor in HER2-positive breast cancer. The majority of HER2-positive breast cancers are amplified at the HER2 gene locus, several genes are co-amplified with HER2, and a subset of them are co-expressed. The STARD3 gene belongs to the HER2 amplicon, and its role as a predictive marker was never addressed. The objective of this study was to investigate the predictive value of STARD3 protein expression on NST pathological response in HER2-positive breast cancer. In addition, we studied the prognostic value of this marker. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study between 2007 and 2020 on 112 patients with non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated by NST and then by surgery. We developed an immunohistochemistry assay for STARD3 expression and subcellular localization and determined a score for STARD3-positivity. As STARD3 is an endosomal protein, its expression was considered positive if the intracellular signal pattern was granular. RESULTS In this series, pCR was achieved in half of the patients. STARD3 was positive in 86.6% of cases and was significantly associated with pCR in univariate analysis (p = 0.013) and after adjustment on other known pathological parameters (p = 0.044). Performances on pCR prediction showed high sensitivity (96%) and negative predictive value (87%), while specificity was 23% and positive predictive value was 56%. Overall, specific, relapse-free, and distant metastasis-free survivals were similar among STARD3 positive and negative groups, independently of other prognosis factors. CONCLUSION NST is an opportunity for HER2-positive cancers. In this series of over a hundred HER2-positive and non-metastatic patients, a STARD3-negative score was associated with the absence of pathological complete response. This study suggests that determining STARD3 overexpression status on initial biopsies of HER2-positive tumors is an added value for the management of a subset of patients with high probability of no pathological response.
Collapse
|
8
|
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Immune Response in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246034. [PMID: 36551522 PMCID: PMC9776701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2-positive) breast cancer accounts for 15 to 25% of breast cancer cases. Although therapies based on the use of monoclonal anti-HER2 antibodies present clinical benefit for a subtype of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, more than 50% of them are unresponsive to targeted therapies or they eventually relapse. In recent years, reactivation of the adaptive immune system in patients with solid tumors has emerged as a therapeutic option with great potential for clinical benefit. Since the approval of the first treatment directed against HER2 as a therapeutic target, the range of clinical options has expanded greatly, and, in this sense, cellular immunotherapy with T cells relies on the cytotoxicity generated by these cells, which ultimately leads to antitumor activity. Lymphocytic infiltration of tumors encompasses a heterogeneous population of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment that exhibits distinct patterns of immune activation and exhaustion. The prevalence and prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) counts are associated with a favorable prognosis in HER2-positive breast cancers. This review discusses emerging findings that contribute to a better understanding of the role of immune infiltrates in HER2-positive breast cancer. In addition, it summarizes the most recent results in HER2-positive breast cancer immunotherapy and anticipates which therapeutic strategies could be applied in the immediate future.
Collapse
|
9
|
Triulzi T, Regondi V, Venturelli E, Gasparini P, Ghirelli C, Groppelli J, Di Modica M, Bianchi F, De Cecco L, Sfondrini L, Tagliabue E. HER2 mRNA Levels, Estrogen Receptor Activity and Susceptibility to Trastuzumab in Primary Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225650. [PMID: 36428742 PMCID: PMC9688101 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225650] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While the results thus far demonstrate the clinical benefit of trastuzumab in breast cancer (BC), some patients do not respond to this drug. HER2 mRNA, alone or combined with other genes/biomarkers, has been proven to be a powerful predictive marker in several studies. Here, we provide evidence of the association between HER2 mRNA levels and the response to anti-HER2 treatment in HER2-positive BC patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab and show that this association is independent of estrogen receptor (ER) tumor positivity. While HER2 mRNA expression was significantly correlated with HER2 protein levels in ER-negative tumors, no correlation was found in ER-positive tumors, and HER2 protein expression was not associated with relapse risk. Correlation analyses in the ER-positive subset identified ER activity as the pathway inversely associated with HER2 mRNA. Associations between HER2 levels and oncogene addiction, as well as between HER2 activation and trastuzumab sensitivity, were also observed in vitro in HER2-positive BC cell lines. In ER-positive but not ER-negative BC cells, HER2 transcription was increased by reducing ligand-dependent ER activity or inducing ER degradation. Accordingly, HER2 mRNA levels in patients were found to be inversely correlated with blood levels of estradiol, the natural ligand of ER that induces ER activation. Moreover, low estradiol levels were associated with a lower risk of relapse in HER2-positive BC patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab. Overall, we found that HER2 mRNA levels, but not protein levels, indicate the HER2 dependency of tumor cells and low estrogen-dependent ER activity in HER2-positive tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0223905121
| | - Viola Regondi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Venturelli
- Nutritional Research and Metabolomics, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Gasparini
- Genomic Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Ghirelli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Jessica Groppelli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Di Modica
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Bianchi
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Laboratorio Morfologia Umana Applicata, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, 20097 Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Molecular Mechanisms Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Sfondrini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Furrer D, Dragic D, Chang SL, Fournier F, Droit A, Jacob S, Diorio C. Association between genome-wide epigenetic and genetic alterations in breast cancer tissue and response to HER2-targeted therapies in HER2-positive breast cancer patients: new findings and a systematic review. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2022; 5:995-1015. [PMID: 36627894 PMCID: PMC9771759 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2022.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that genetic and epigenetic mechanisms might be associated with acquired resistance to cancer therapies. The aim of this study was to assess the association of genome-wide genetic and epigenetic alterations with the response to anti-HER2 agents in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. PubMed was screened for articles published until March 2021 on observational studies investigating the association of genome-wide genetic and epigenetic alterations, measured in breast cancer tissues or blood, with the response to targeted treatment in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Sixteen studies were included in the review along with ours, in which we compared the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern in breast tumor tissues of patients who acquired resistance to treatment (case group, n = 6) to that of patients who did not develop resistance (control group, n = 6). Among genes identified as differentially methylated between the breast cancer tissue of cases and controls, one of them, PRKACA, was also reported as differentially expressed in two studies included in the review. Although included studies were heterogeneous in terms of methodology and study population, our review suggests that genes of the PI3K pathway may play an important role in developing resistance to anti-HER2 agents in breast cancer patients. Genome-wide genetic and epigenetic alterations measured in breast cancer tissue or blood might be promising markers of resistance to anti-HER2 agents in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Furrer
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. ,Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Dzevka Dragic
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. ,Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP U1018, Exposome and Heredity Team, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif 94807, France
| | - Sue-Ling Chang
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada
| | - Frédéric Fournier
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. ,Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. ,Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Simon Jacob
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. ,Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Centre des Maladies du Sein, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada
| | - Caroline Diorio
- Centre de Recherche sur le cancer de l’Université Laval, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. ,Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.,Centre des Maladies du Sein, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada.,Correspondence to: Prof. Caroline Diorio, Axe Oncologie, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, 1050 chemin Ste-Foy, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Targeted immunotherapy against distinct cancer-associated fibroblasts overcomes treatment resistance in refractory HER2+ breast tumors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5310. [PMID: 36085201 PMCID: PMC9463158 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32782-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
About 50% of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ breast cancer patients do not benefit from HER2-targeted therapy and almost 20% of them relapse after treatment. Here, we conduct a detailed analysis of two independent cohorts of HER2+ breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance to anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies. In addition, we develop a fully humanized immunocompetent model of HER2+ breast cancer recapitulating ex vivo the biological processes that associate with patients’ response to treatment. Thanks to these two approaches, we uncover a population of TGF-beta-activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) specific from tumors resistant to therapy. The presence of this cellular subset related to previously described myofibroblastic (CAF-S1) and podoplanin+ CAF subtypes in breast cancer associates with low IL2 activity. Correspondingly, we find that stroma-targeted stimulation of IL2 pathway in unresponsive tumors restores trastuzumab anti-cancer efficiency. Overall, our study underscores the therapeutic potential of exploiting the tumor microenvironment to identify and overcome mechanisms of resistance to anti-cancer treatment. A substantial proportion of HER2+ breast cancer patients do not benefit from HER2-targeted therapy. Here, the authors identify a population of cancer-associated fibroblasts involved in the suppression of trastuzumab-induced ADCC that can be pharmacologically targeted to raise treatment effectiveness in unresponsive tumors.
Collapse
|
12
|
Triulzi T, Bianchini G, Di Cosimo S, Pienkowski T, Im Y, Bianchi GV, Galbardi B, Dugo M, De Cecco L, Tseng L, Liu M, Bermejo B, Semiglazov V, Viale G, de la Haba‐Rodriguez J, Oh D, Poirier B, Valagussa P, Gianni L, Tagliabue E. The TRAR gene classifier to predict response to neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive and ER-positive breast cancer patients: an explorative analysis from the NeoSphere trial. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:2355-2366. [PMID: 34816585 PMCID: PMC9208076 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
As most erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) patients currently receive dual HER2-targeting added to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, improved methods for identifying individual response, and assisting postsurgical salvage therapy, are needed. Herein, we evaluated the 41-gene classifier trastuzumab advantage risk model (TRAR) as a predictive marker for patients enrolled in the NeoSphere trial. TRAR scores were computed from RNA of 350 pre- and 166 post-treatment tumor specimens. Overall, TRAR score was significantly associated with pathological complete response (pCR) rate independently of other predictive clinico-pathological variables. Separate analyses according to estrogen receptor (ER) status showed a significant association between TRAR score and pCR in ER-positive specimens but not in ER-negative counterparts. Among ER-positive BC patients not achieving a pCR, those with TRAR-low scores in surgical specimens showed a trend for lower distant event-free survival. In conclusion, in HER2-positive/ER-positive BC, TRAR is an independent predictor of pCR and represents a promising tool to select patients responsive to anti-HER2-based neoadjuvant therapy and to assist treatment escalation and de-escalation strategies in this setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Triulzi
- Department of ResearchFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
| | | | | | - Tadeusz Pienkowski
- Oncology and Breast Diseases DepartmentPostgraduate Medical Education CenterWarsawPoland
| | - Young‐Hyuck Im
- Department of MedicineSamsung Medical CenterSeoulRepublic of Korea
| | | | - Barbara Galbardi
- Department of Medical OncologyIRCCS Ospedale San RaffaeleMilanItaly
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Department of Medical OncologyIRCCS Ospedale San RaffaeleMilanItaly
| | - Loris De Cecco
- DRASTFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
| | - Ling‐Ming Tseng
- Taipei‐Veterans General HospitalNational Yang‐Ming UniversityTaiwan
| | - Mei‐Ching Liu
- Koo Foundation Sun Yat‐Sen Cancer CenterTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Begoña Bermejo
- Hospital Clínico UniversitarioINCLIVA Biomedical Research InstituteValenciaSpain
| | | | - Giulia Viale
- Department of Medical OncologyIRCCS Ospedale San RaffaeleMilanItaly
| | | | - Do‐Youn Oh
- Division of Medical OncologySeoul National University Hospital Cancer Research InstituteSeoul National University College of MedicineRepublic of Korea
| | - Brigitte Poirier
- Centre des Maladies du seinHôpital du Saint‐SacrementCHU de QuébecCanada
| | | | - Luca Gianni
- Fondazione MichelangeloMilanItaly
- Fondazione Gianni BonadonnaMilanItaly
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Department of ResearchFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Majorini MT, Colombo MP, Lecis D. Few, but Efficient: The Role of Mast Cells in Breast Cancer and Other Solid Tumors. Cancer Res 2022; 82:1439-1447. [PMID: 35045983 PMCID: PMC9306341 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-3424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumor outcome is determined not only by cancer cell-intrinsic features but also by the interaction between cancer cells and their microenvironment. There is great interest in tumor-infiltrating immune cells, yet mast cells have been less studied. Recent work has highlighted the impact of mast cells on the features and aggressiveness of cancer cells, but the eventual effect of mast cell infiltration is still controversial. Here, we review multifaceted findings regarding the role of mast cells in cancer, with a particular focus on breast cancer, which is further complicated because of its classification into subtypes characterized by different biological features, outcome, and therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario Paolo Colombo
- Corresponding Authors: Daniele Lecis, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, Milano 20133, Italy. Phone: 022-390-2212; E-mail: ; and Mario Paolo Colombo,
| | - Daniele Lecis
- Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy.,Corresponding Authors: Daniele Lecis, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, Milano 20133, Italy. Phone: 022-390-2212; E-mail: ; and Mario Paolo Colombo,
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li JJ, Tsang JY, Tse GM. Tumor Microenvironment in Breast Cancer-Updates on Therapeutic Implications and Pathologic Assessment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164233. [PMID: 34439387 PMCID: PMC8394502 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) in breast cancer comprises local factors, cancer cells, immune cells and stromal cells of the local and distant tissues. The interaction between cancer cells and their microenvironment plays important roles in tumor proliferation, propagation and response to therapies. There is increasing research in exploring and manipulating the non-cancerous components of the TME for breast cancer treatment. As the TME is now increasingly recognized as a treatment target, its pathologic assessment has become a critical component of breast cancer management. The latest WHO classification of tumors of the breast listed stromal response pattern/fibrotic focus as a prognostic factor and includes recommendations on the assessment of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-1/PD-L1 expression, with therapeutic implications. This review dissects the TME of breast cancer, describes pathologic assessment relevant for prognostication and treatment decision, and details therapeutic options that interacts with and/or exploits the TME in breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gary M. Tse
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: 852-3505-2359; Fax: 852-2637-4858
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Jia L, Ling Y, Li K, Zhang L, Wang Y, Kang H. A 10-Gene Signature for Predicting the Response to Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab Therapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 2021; 21:e654-e664. [PMID: 34052107 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Dual-target therapy may increase the incidence of adverse events and cause economic burden to patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. It is necessary to identify the patients who could benefit greatly from a single-target neoadjuvant therapy in order to avoid overtreatment of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS The baseline transcriptome data and clinical characteristics of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who received neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analyses were used to construct the predictive model for pathologic complete response (pCR). RESULTS A 10-gene signature model for predicting pCR rate after neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy was constructed by LASSO regression. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves in the training set and validation set were 0.896 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8165-0.9758) and 0.775 (95% CI, 0.5402-1), respectively. The result of logistic regression analysis showed that the risk score calculated by the 10-gene signature model was a potential predictor for pCR. Among the 10-gene signature, TFAP2B, SUSD2, AQP3, MUCL1, and ANKRD30A were found to be predictors for worse relapse-free survival (RFS) in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, whereas MGP, YIF1B, ANKRD36BP2, and FBXO6 were found to be predictors for favorable RFS. CONCLUSION A novel 10-gene signature that could predict the response of neoadjuvant anti-HER2 therapy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer was developed, and the risk score of the 10-gene signature could be calculated to guide the selection of anti-HER2 therapy regimens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Jia
- Center for Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuwei Ling
- Center for Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Kaifu Li
- Center for Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Center for Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Center for Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Kang
- Center for Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bao Y, Oguz G, Lee WC, Lee PL, Ghosh K, Li J, Wang P, Lobie PE, Ehmsen S, Ditzel HJ, Wong A, Tan EY, Lee SC, Yu Q. EZH2-mediated PP2A inactivation confers resistance to HER2-targeted breast cancer therapy. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5878. [PMID: 33208750 PMCID: PMC7674491 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19704-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HER2-targeted therapy has yielded a significant clinical benefit in patients with HER2+ breast cancer, yet disease relapse due to intrinsic or acquired resistance remains a significant challenge in the clinic. Here, we show that the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) regulatory subunit PPP2R2B is a crucial determinant of anti-HER2 response. PPP2R2B is downregulated in a substantial subset of HER2+ breast cancers, which correlates with poor clinical outcome and resistance to HER2-targeted therapies. EZH2-mediated histone modification accounts for the PPP2R2B downregulation, resulting in sustained phosphorylation of PP2A targets p70S6K and 4EBP1 which leads to resistance to inhibition by anti-HER2 treatments. Genetic depletion or inhibition of EZH2 by a clinically-available EZH2 inhibitor restores PPP2R2B expression, abolishes the residual phosphorylation of p70S6K and 4EBP1, and resensitizes HER2+ breast cancer cells to anti-HER2 treatments both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the same epigenetic mechanism also contributes to the development of acquired resistance through clonal selection. These findings identify EZH2-dependent PPP2R2B suppression as an epigenetic control of anti-HER2 resistance, potentially providing an opportunity to mitigate anti-HER2 resistance with EZH2 inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Bao
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.,Cancer Precision Medicine, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Biopolis, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
| | - Gokce Oguz
- Cancer Precision Medicine, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Biopolis, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
| | - Wee Chyan Lee
- Cancer Precision Medicine, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Biopolis, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
| | - Puay Leng Lee
- Cancer Precision Medicine, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Biopolis, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
| | - Kakaly Ghosh
- Cancer Precision Medicine, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Biopolis, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
| | - Jiayao Li
- Cancer Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Panpan Wang
- Cancer Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peter E Lobie
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.,Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Sidse Ehmsen
- Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Henrik J Ditzel
- Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Andrea Wong
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, 119047, Singapore
| | - Ern Yu Tan
- Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Soo Chin Lee
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore. .,Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, 119047, Singapore.
| | - Qiang Yu
- Cancer Precision Medicine, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Biopolis, Singapore, 138672, Singapore. .,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore. .,Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, DUKE-NUS Graduate Medical School of Singapore, Singapore, 169857, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Swain SM, Tang G, Brauer HA, Goerlitz DS, Lucas PC, Robidoux A, Harris BT, Bandos H, Ren Y, Geyer CE, Rastogi P, Mamounas EP, Wolmark N. NSABP B-41, a Randomized Neoadjuvant Trial: Genes and Signatures Associated with Pathologic Complete Response. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:4233-4241. [PMID: 32371537 PMCID: PMC7724952 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In NSABP B-41, pathologic complete response (pCR) was associated with prolonged survival among women with HER2-positive operable breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and lapatinib, trastuzumab, or the combination. We used a large human breast cancer gene expression panel to select candidate prognostic biomarkers for pCR among women treated with trastuzumab in NSABP B-41. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients had a baseline preadjuvant treatment core biopsy sample, known pCR status, and no withdrawal of consent. We analyzed extracted RNA using the human nCounter Breast Cancer 360 gene expression panel. Gene counts were normalized to housekeeping genes and transformed into logarithmic scale with base 2. To screen for candidate genes and metagene signatures prognostic of pCR, we used univariate logistic regression. Variable selection was done by multivariable logistic regression with lasso regularization. RESULTS Analyses of data from 130 patients revealed that a composite of gene expression from 19 genes and one gene signature appeared to predict pCR in women with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab-containing regimens. The identified genes are involved in important pathways such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, adhesion and migration, estrogen receptor signaling, DNA damage and repair, apoptosis, and proliferation. The AUC from a 10-fold cross-validation on predicting pCR, with these 20 genomic markers in a logistic regression model, was 0.73. CONCLUSIONS The expression level of ERBB2, ESR1, and a few other genomic markers was highly predictive of pCR after trastuzumab-containing regimens. These findings need to be validated and calibrated in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Swain
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, MedStar Health, Washington, DC.
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Gong Tang
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - David S Goerlitz
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, MedStar Health, Washington, DC
| | - Peter C Lucas
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - André Robidoux
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Brent T Harris
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, MedStar Health, Washington, DC
| | - Hanna Bandos
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yuqi Ren
- NanoString Technologies, Inc., Seattle, Washington
| | - Charles E Geyer
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Priya Rastogi
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Magee-Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Eleftherios P Mamounas
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Orlando Health UF Health Cancer Center, Orlando, Florida
| | - Norman Wolmark
- NSABP Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ghaderi M, Fernández Moro C, Pouso Elduayen S, Hultin E, Verbeke CS, Björnstedt M, Dillner J. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling of ex-vivo precision-cut slices from human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9070. [PMID: 32493953 PMCID: PMC7271237 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65911-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ex-vivo tumor tissue culture systems are used as models to test specific anti-cancer drugs. Their main advantage is that they are closely comparable with the in vivo tumor in their host organism. We previously reported that precision-cut organotypic tissue slices of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) can be successfully cultured ex-vivo for at least 4 days. In order to study how culturing might affect transcription patterns, we now performed genome-wide transcriptome profiling of both baseline (0 h) and explanted tumors at daily intervals (24, 48 and 72 h) after start of culturing. The total-RNA from five samples of surgically resected human PDAC tumors at baseline and at different time points in culture was sequenced. Differential gene expression analysis of the whole transcriptome, testing 58,713 genes and over 206,000 transcripts, found that only a small number of genes showed significant changes in expression between baseline and cultured samples. The cultured tumor slices showed upregulation of a median of 12, 10 and 15 genes and downregulation of a median of 15, 12 and 25 genes at 24, 48 and 72 h in culture, respectively. One sample had morphologically increasing loss of tissue viability (range 0-18%). The vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) was significantly upregulated during the entire culture period in this case. Pathway over-representation analysis suggested that VEGFA together with the PTGS2 gene were upregulated at the same time as HIF-1-triggered cell apoptosis via NF-ĸB and the AP-1 activating factor was induced. Indeed, increased areas of apoptotic lesions were visible in this sample after 24 hours of culture. In conclusion, genome-wide transcriptome analysis supports that ex-vivo cultured tissue slices of PDAC may be a representative model of the original tumor. Transcriptome analysis was found to be a valuable complement to morphology for evaluation of ex-vivo cultures of PDAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Ghaderi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology F46, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-141 86, Sweden.
| | - Carlos Fernández Moro
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology F46, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-141 86, Sweden
| | - Soledad Pouso Elduayen
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-141 86, Sweden
| | - Emilie Hultin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology F46, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Caroline Sophie Verbeke
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-141 86, Sweden
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, NO-0316, Norway
| | - Mikael Björnstedt
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology F46, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-141 86, Sweden
| | - Joakim Dillner
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology F46, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-141 86, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Majorini MT, Cancila V, Rigoni A, Botti L, Dugo M, Triulzi T, De Cecco L, Fontanella E, Jachetti E, Tagliabue E, Chiodoni C, Tripodo C, Colombo MP, Lecis D. Infiltrating Mast Cell-Mediated Stimulation of Estrogen Receptor Activity in Breast Cancer Cells Promotes the Luminal Phenotype. Cancer Res 2020; 80:2311-2324. [PMID: 32179512 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-3596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tumor growth and development is determined by both cancer cell-autonomous and microenvironmental mechanisms, including the contribution of infiltrating immune cells. Because the role of mast cells (MC) in this process is poorly characterized and even controversial, we investigated their part in breast cancer. Crossing C57BL/6 MMTV-PyMT mice, which spontaneously develop mammary carcinomas, with MC-deficient C57BL/6-KitW-sh/W-sh (Wsh) mice, showed that MCs promote tumor growth and prevent the development of basal CK5-positive areas in favor of a luminal gene program. When cocultured with breast cancer cells in vitro, MCs hindered activation of cMET, a master regulator of the basal program, and simultaneously promoted expression and activation of estrogen receptor (ESR1/ER) and its target genes (PGR, KRT8/CK8, BCL2), which are all luminal markers. Moreover, MCs reduced ERBB2/HER2 levels, whose inhibition further increased ESR1 expression. In vivo and in silico analysis of patients with breast cancer revealed a direct correlation between MC density and ESR1 expression. In mice engrafted with HER2-positive breast cancer tumors, coinjection of MCs increased tumor engraftment and outgrowth, supporting the link between MCs and increased risk of relapse in patients with breast cancer. Together, our findings support the notion that MCs influence the phenotype of breast cancer cells by stimulating a luminal phenotype and ultimately modifying the outcome of the disease. SIGNIFICANCE: Mast cells impact breast cancer outcome by directly affecting the phenotype of tumor cells through stimulation of the estrogen receptor pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Majorini
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Cancila
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Human Pathology Section, University of Palermo School of Medicine, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alice Rigoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Botti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Fontanella
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Jachetti
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Chiodoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Tripodo
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Human Pathology Section, University of Palermo School of Medicine, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mario P Colombo
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - Daniele Lecis
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Differential Expression and Clinicopathological Significance of HER2, Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase and PD-L1 in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051265. [PMID: 32349330 PMCID: PMC7288001 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Evasion of the immune system by cancer cells allows for the progression of tumors. Antitumor immunotherapy has shown remarkable effects in a diverse range of cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the clinicopathological significance of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied 97 patients with UCB. We performed an immunohistochemical study to measure the expression levels of HER2, IDO, and PD-L1 in UCB tissue from these 97 patients. Results: In all 97 cases, the PD-L1 expression of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (ICs) was significantly correlated with higher pathologic tumor stage (pT). In pT2–pT4 cases (n = 69), higher levels of HER2 and IDO expression in invasive tumor cells (TCs) were associated with shorter periods of disease-free survival (DFS). Conclusion: These results imply that the expression of PD-L1 in ICs of the UCB microenvironment is associated with cancer invasion and the expression of HER2 or IDO in the invasive cancer cell and suggestive of the potential for cancer recurrence. We suggest that the expression levels of IDO, HER2, and PD-L1 could be useful as targets in the development of combined cancer immunotherapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
21
|
Rybinska I, Sandri M, Bianchi F, Orlandi R, De Cecco L, Gasparini P, Campiglio M, Paolini B, Sfondrini L, Tagliabue E, Triulzi T. Extracellular Matrix Features Discriminate Aggressive HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients Who Benefit from Trastuzumab Treatment. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020434. [PMID: 32069815 PMCID: PMC7072535 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously identified an extracellular matrix (ECM) gene expression pattern in breast cancer (BC), called ECM3, characterized by a high expression of genes encoding structural ECM proteins. Since ECM is reportedly implicated in response to therapy of BCs, the aim of this work is to investigate the prognostic and predictive value of ECM3 molecular classification in HER2-positive BCs. ECM3 resulted in a robust cluster that identified a subset of 25-37% of HER2-positive tumors with molecular aggressive features. ECM3 was significantly associated with worse prognosis in two datasets of HER2-positive BCs untreated with adjuvant therapy. Analyses carried out on two of our cohorts of patients treated or not with adjuvant trastuzumab showed association of ECM3 with worse prognosis only in patients not treated with trastuzumab. Moreover, investigating a dataset that includes gene profile data of tumors treated with neoadjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone, ECM3 was associated with increased pathological complete response if treated with trastuzumab. In the in vivo experiments, increased diffusion and trastuzumab activity were found in tumors derived from injection of HER2-positive cells with Matrigel that creates an ECM-rich tumor environment. Taken together, these results indicate that HER2-positive BCs classified as ECM3 have an aggressive phenotype but they are sensitive to trastuzumab treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Rybinska
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.R.); (F.B.); (R.O.); (M.C.); (T.T.)
| | - Marco Sandri
- Data Methods and Systems Statistical Laboratory, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Francesca Bianchi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.R.); (F.B.); (R.O.); (M.C.); (T.T.)
| | - Rosaria Orlandi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.R.); (F.B.); (R.O.); (M.C.); (T.T.)
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Patrizia Gasparini
- Genomic Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Manuela Campiglio
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.R.); (F.B.); (R.O.); (M.C.); (T.T.)
| | - Biagio Paolini
- Anatomic Pathology A Unit, Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Lucia Sfondrini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.R.); (F.B.); (R.O.); (M.C.); (T.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.R.); (F.B.); (R.O.); (M.C.); (T.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
The 41-gene classifier TRAR predicts response of HER2 positive breast cancer patients in the NeoALTTO study. Eur J Cancer 2019; 118:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
|
23
|
Triulzi T, Forte L, Regondi V, Di Modica M, Ghirelli C, Carcangiu ML, Sfondrini L, Balsari A, Tagliabue E. HER2 signaling regulates the tumor immune microenvironment and trastuzumab efficacy. Oncoimmunology 2018; 8:e1512942. [PMID: 30546951 PMCID: PMC6287794 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1512942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Through whole-transcriptome profiling of HER2+ breast carcinomas (BCs), we previously showed that those sensitive to trastuzumab are addicted to this oncoprotein and are enriched in immune pathways, raising the hypothesis that HER2 itself regulates immune cell recruitment. In the present study we investigated the relationship between HER2 activity and the pro-trastuzumab tumor immune milieu. Gene expression profiling and immunohistochemistry analysis of 53 HER2+ BCs showed that trastuzumab-sensitive tumors expressed significantly higher levels of chemokines involved in immune cell recruitment, with higher infiltration of T cells and monocytes, and higher levels of PD-1 ligands than tumors that do not benefit from trastuzumab. In vitro analysis in HER2+ BC cells revealed that CCL2 production was induced by HER2 stimulation with EGF/HRG via the PI3K-NF-kB axis, and down-modulated by HER2 inhibition with trastuzumab. CCL2 expression was higher in HER2+/ER- than HER2+/ER+ BC cell lines, and degradation of ER by fulvestrant induced an enhancement in NF-κB transcriptional activity and consequent CCL2 expression. Trastuzumab efficacy relied on CCL2 levels and monocytes present in the tumor microenvironment in FVB mice bearing HER2+ mammary carcinoma cells. HER2 signals were also found to sustain the expression of PD-1 ligands in tumor cells via the MEK pathway. Overall, our results support the concept that the activated HER2 oncogene regulates recruitment and activation of tumor infiltrating immune cells and trastuzumab activity by inducing CCL2 and PD-1 ligands and that ER activity negatively controls the HER2-driven pro-trastuzumab tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Forte
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Viola Regondi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Di Modica
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Ghirelli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Carcangiu
- Anatomic Pathology A Unit, Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Sfondrini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Balsari
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Castagnoli L, Iorio E, Dugo M, Koschorke A, Faraci S, Canese R, Casalini P, Nanni P, Vernieri C, Di Nicola M, Morelli D, Tagliabue E, Pupa SM. Intratumor lactate levels reflect HER2 addiction status in HER2-positive breast cancer. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:1768-1779. [PMID: 30132876 PMCID: PMC6282573 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite different molecular tumor profiles indicate that human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels mirror HER2 addiction and trastuzumab benefit in HER2-positive breast cancer (BC), the identification of noninvasive clinical predictors of trastuzumab sensitivity remains an unmet clinical need. In the current study, we investigated whether intratumor lactate levels reflect HER2 addiction and, in turn, trastuzumab susceptibility. Accordingly, the gene expression profiles of transgenic murine BC cell lines expressing the human d16HER2 variant (HER2-addicted) or human full-length HER2 (WTHER2; HER2-nonaddicted) revealed a significant enrichment of glycolysis-related gene pathways in HER2-addicted cells. We studied the metabolic content of 22 human HER2-positive BC by quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found that those cases with higher lactate levels were characterized by higher HER2 transcript levels. Moreover, gene expression analyses of HER2-positive BC samples from a TCGA data set revealed a significant enrichment in glycolysis-related pathways in high/HER2-addicted tumors. These data were confirmed by metabolic analyses of human HER2-positive BC cell lines with high or low HER2 transcript levels, which revealed significantly more active glycolytic metabolism in high HER2 transcript than in low HER2 transcript cells. Overall, our results provide evidence for noninvasive intratumor lactate detection as a potential metabolic biomarker of HER2 addiction and trastuzumab response suggesting the possibility to use in vivo imaging to assess lactate levels and, in turn, select HER2-positive BC patients who are more likely to benefit from anti-HER2 treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Castagnoli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Egidio Iorio
- Core Facilities, NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale deiTumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Ada Koschorke
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Faraci
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Rossella Canese
- Core Facilities, NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Patrizia Casalini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Nanni
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastasis, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Vernieri
- IFOM, FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy.,Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Di Nicola
- Unit of Immunotherapy and Anticancer Innovative Therapeutics, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Morelli
- Laboratory Medicine Unit, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Serenella M Pupa
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Cataldo A, Piovan C, Plantamura I, D'Ippolito E, Camelliti S, Casalini P, Giussani M, Déas O, Cairo S, Judde JG, Tagliabue E, Iorio MV. MiR-205 as predictive biomarker and adjuvant therapeutic tool in combination with trastuzumab. Oncotarget 2018; 9:27920-27928. [PMID: 29963251 PMCID: PMC6021348 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Trastuzumab is the standard treatment for HER2+ breast cancer (BC) patients, and even though it significantly improved their clinical outcome, 50% of them do not benefit from this drug and disease recurs, underlining the need of reliable predictive biomarkers and new therapeutic strategies. Strikingly, despite all the molecular analyses performed to identify the escape mechanisms behind this resistance, it still represents a question point. MiRNAs have been correlated with occurrence and progression of human cancer, and their potential as clinical tools has emerged in the last years. We previously reported that oncosuppressive miR-205 targets HER3, thus increasing the responsiveness to TKIs lapatinib and gefitinib in preclinical models. Here we demonstrate that HER3 inhibition by miR-205 ectopic expression or siRNA-mediated silencing improves the responsiveness to Trastuzumab in vitro in HER2+ BC cell lines, and that this effect is exerted through impairment of AKT-mediated pathway. Moreover, evaluating a series of 52 HER2+ BC patients treated with adjuvant Trastuzumab, we observed that higher miR-205 expression is significantly associated with better outcome (disease-free survival). In summary, our data indicate that miR-205 could predict Trastuzumab efficacy and that its modulation might be useful as adjuvant treatment to improve the response to the drug.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Cataldo
- Start Up Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Piovan
- Start Up Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Plantamura
- Start Up Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elvira D'Ippolito
- Start Up Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Camelliti
- Start Up Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Casalini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Giussani
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Marilena V Iorio
- Start Up Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zhao B, Zhao Y, Sun Y, Niu H, Sheng L, Huang D, Li L. Alterations in mRNA profiles of trastuzumab‑resistant Her‑2‑positive breast cancer. Mol Med Rep 2018; 18:139-146. [PMID: 29750305 PMCID: PMC6059662 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.8981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women. Neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy improves the prognosis of certain Her-2-positive breast cancer patients, however around two-thirds of patients with Her-2-positive breast cancer do not benefit from Her-2-targeted therapy. To investigate the key mechanisms in trastuzumab resistance, potential biomarkers for neoadjuvant trastuzumab sensitivity were investigated using the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database for mRNA microarray data of Her-2-positive breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy. GEO profiles of 22 patients with a complete response and 48 patients with a partial response were identified in the GSE22358, GSE62327 and GSE66305 datasets. A total of 2,376, 1,000 and 1,152 differentially expressed genes in GSE22358, GSE62327 and GSE66305 datasets were demonstrated, respectively, utilizing GEO2R software. Furthermore, enriched gene ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were analyzed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery software. Subsequently, a protein-protein interaction network was established using STRING software. The results demonstrated that low sex-determining region Y-box 11 and high Bcl-2 expression may be employed as markers for neoadjuvant trastuzumab therapy for Her-2-positive breast cancer. More importantly, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt and angiogenesis pathways, which are known to be the key targets of trastuzumab, were activated at a lower level in the partial response patients, while the Wnt and estrogen receptor signaling pathways were activated in these patients. Therefore, combination therapy of trastuzumab and anti-Wnt or hormone therapy may be a promising treatment modality and should be tested in further studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhao
- Department of Ultrasonography, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266035, P.R. China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Transplantation, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, P.R. China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Ultrasonography, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266035, P.R. China
| | - Haitao Niu
- Department of Transplantation, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, P.R. China
| | - Long Sheng
- Department of Transplantation, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, P.R. China
| | - Dongfang Huang
- Department of Transplantation, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, P.R. China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Ultrasonography, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266035, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Zeng F, Fu J, Hu F, Tang Y, Fang X, Zeng F, Chu Y. Identification of key pathways and genes in response to trastuzumab treatment in breast cancer using bioinformatics analysis. Oncotarget 2018; 9:32149-32160. [PMID: 30181805 PMCID: PMC6114942 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide. The gene expression profile GSE22358 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which included 154 operable early-stage breast cancer samples treated with neoadjuvant capecitabine plus docetaxel, with (34) or without trastuzumab (120), to identify gene signatures during trastuzumab treatment and uncover their potential mechanisms. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed, and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was constructed by Cytoscape software. There were 2284 DEGs, including 1231 up-regulated genes enriched in DNA replication, protein N-linked glycosylation via asparagine, and response to toxic substances, while 1053 down-regulated genes were enriched in axon guidance, protein localization to plasma membrane, protein stabilization, and protein glycosylation. Eight hub genes were identified from the PPI network, including GSK3B, RAC1, PXN, ERBB2, HSP90AA1, FGF2, PIK3R1 and RAC2. Our experimental results showed that GSK3B was also highly expressed in breast cancer tissues and was associated with poor survival, as was β-catenin. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the identified DEGs and hub genes further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying trastuzumab treatment in BC and highlighted GSK3B, which might be used as a molecular target for the treatment of BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanxin Zeng
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China.,Department of Oncology, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangping Fu
- Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China.,Department of Oncology, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Fang Hu
- Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China.,Department of Oncology, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yani Tang
- Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiangdong Fang
- Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China.,Department of Oncology, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Fanwei Zeng
- Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanpeng Chu
- Dazhou Central Hospital Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou, Sichuan, China
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Predicting the Efficacy of HER2-Targeted Therapies: A Look at the Host. DISEASE MARKERS 2017; 2017:7849108. [PMID: 29403144 PMCID: PMC5748305 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7849108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
HER2 is overexpressed in 20% of invasive breast cancers (BCs) and correlates with a more aggressive disease. Until the advent of targeted agents, HER2 was associated with worse outcomes. Rationally designed HER2-targeted agents have been developed and introduced into clinical practice for women with HER2-amplified BC, improving disease-free and overall survival for primary and metastatic tumors. Trastuzumab, a recombinant humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, combined with chemotherapy, remains the standard of care for patients with HER2-positive BCs. However, many patients do not respond to this agent, whereas newer drugs have proven to be efficacious in clinical trials. The identification of biomarkers that select sensitive tumors and patients who will benefit from these new agents would help the incorporation of these therapies, limiting the risk of side effects and overtreatment and improving the outcomes of all patients with early-stage HER2-positive BC. We review the mechanisms of action of HER2-targeting agents, focusing on the involvement of the immune system and related predictive biomarkers.
Collapse
|
29
|
Nocera NF, Lee MC, De La Cruz LM, Rosemblit C, Czerniecki BJ. Restoring Lost Anti-HER-2 Th1 Immunity in Breast Cancer: A Crucial Role for Th1 Cytokines in Therapy and Prevention. Front Pharmacol 2016; 7:356. [PMID: 27766079 PMCID: PMC5052279 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ErbB/B2 (HER-2/neu) oncogene family plays a critical role in the development and metastatic spread of several tumor types including breast, ovarian and gastric cancer. In breast cancer, HER-2/neu is expressed in early disease development in a large percentage of DCIS lesions and its expression is associated with an increased risk of invasion and recurrence. Targeting HER-2 with antibodies such as trastuzumab or pertuzumab has improved survival, but patients with more extensive disease may develop resistance to therapy. Interestingly, response to HER-2 targeted therapies correlates with presence of immune response genes in the breast. Th1 cell production of the cytokines interferon gamma (IFNγ) and TNFα can enhance MHC class I expression, PD-L1 expression, augment apoptosis and tumor senescence, and enhances growth inhibition of many anti-breast cancer agents, including anti-estrogens and HER-2 targeted therapies. Recently, we have identified that a loss of anti-HER-2 CD4 Th1 in peripheral blood occurs during breast tumorigenesis and is dramatically diminished, even in Stage I breast cancers. The loss of anti-HER-2 Th1 response is specific and not readily reversed by standard therapies. In fact, this loss of anti-HER-2 Th1 response in peripheral blood correlates with lack of complete response to neoadjuvant therapy and diminished disease-free survival. This defect can be restored with HER-2 vaccinations in both DCIS and IBC. Correcting the anti-HER-2 Th1 response may have significant impact in improving response to HER-2 targeted therapies. Development of immune monitoring systems for anti-HER-2 Th1 to identify patients at risk for recurrence could be critical to improving outcomes, since the anti-HER-2 Th1 response can be restored by vaccination. Correction of the cellular immune response against HER-2 may prevent recurrence in high-risk patients with DCIS and IBC at risk of developing new or recurrent breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia F. Nocera
- Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - M. Catherine Lee
- Comprehensive Breast Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer CenterTampa, FL, USA
| | - Lucy M. De La Cruz
- Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cinthia Rosemblit
- Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Dieci M, Prat A, Tagliafico E, Paré L, Ficarra G, Bisagni G, Piacentini F, Generali D, Conte P, Guarneri V. Integrated evaluation of PAM50 subtypes and immune modulation of pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and HER2-targeted agents in the CherLOB trial. Ann Oncol 2016; 27:1867-73. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdw262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
|
31
|
Castagnoli L, Ghedini GC, Koschorke A, Triulzi T, Dugo M, Gasparini P, Casalini P, Palladini A, Iezzi M, Lamolinara A, Lollini PL, Nanni P, Chiodoni C, Tagliabue E, Pupa SM. Pathobiological implications of the d16HER2 splice variant for stemness and aggressiveness of HER2-positive breast cancer. Oncogene 2016; 36:1721-1732. [PMID: 27641338 PMCID: PMC5447867 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that the d16HER2 splice variant is linked to HER2-positive
breast cancer (BC) tumorigenesis, progression and response to Trastuzumab. However,
the mechanisms by which d16HER2 contributes to HER2-driven aggressiveness and
targeted therapy susceptibility remain uncertain. Here, we report that the
d16HER2-positive mammary tumor cell lines MI6 and MI7, derived from spontaneous
lesions of d16HER2 transgenic (tg) mice and resembling the aggressive features of
primary lesions, are enriched in the expression of Wnt, Notch and
epithelial–mesenchymal transition pathways related genes compared with
full-length wild-type (WT) HER2-positive cells (WTHER2_1 and WTHER2_2) derived from
spontaneous tumors arising in WTHER2 tg mice. MI6 cells exhibited increased
resistance to anoikis and significantly higher mammosphere-forming efficiency (MFE)
and self-renewal capability than the WTHER2-positive counterpart. Furthermore,
d16HER2-positive tumor cells expressed a higher fraction of
CD29High/CD24+/SCA1Low cells and
displayed greater in vivo tumor engraftment in serial dilution conditions
than WTHER2_1 cells. Accordingly, NOTCH inhibitors impaired mammosphere formation
only in MI6 cells. A comparative analysis of stemness-related features driven by
d16HER2 and WTHER2 in ad hoc engineered human BC cells (MCF7 and T47D)
revealed a higher MFE and aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive staining in d16HER2- vs
WTHER2-infected cells, sustaining consistent BC-initiating cell enrichment in the
human setting. Moreover, marked CD44 expression was found in MCF7_d16 and T47D_d16
cells vs their WTHER2 and Mock counterparts. Clinically, BC cases from two distinct
HER2-positive cohorts characterized by high levels of expression of the
activated-d16HER2 metagene were significantly enriched in the Notch family and signal
transducer genes vs those with low levels of the metagene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Castagnoli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - G C Ghedini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - A Koschorke
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - T Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - M Dugo
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - P Gasparini
- Tumor Genomics Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - P Casalini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - A Palladini
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Iezzi
- CESI Aging Research Center, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G D'Annunzio University, Via Colle dell'Ara, Chieti Scalo, Chieti, Italy
| | - A Lamolinara
- CESI Aging Research Center, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G D'Annunzio University, Via Colle dell'Ara, Chieti Scalo, Chieti, Italy
| | - P L Lollini
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - P Nanni
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - C Chiodoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - E Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - S M Pupa
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Triulzi T, Bianchi GV, Tagliabue E. Predictive biomarkers in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer: an ongoing challenge. Future Oncol 2016; 12:1413-28. [DOI: 10.2217/fon-2015-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor HER2 is overexpressed in 20% of invasive breast cancers and is associated with more aggressive disease. Until the advent of targeted agents, HER2 was associated with worse outcome. Trastuzumab, a recombinant humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, combined with chemotherapy improves disease-free and overall survival in both primary and metastatic tumors and represents a foundation of care for patients with HER2-positive breast cancers. However, a sizeable number of patients do not respond to this reagent, indicating the need for a biomarker able to recognize resistant tumors. Here, we review various studies on mechanisms of action and resistance to trastuzumab that have proven relevant in understanding how tumor care can be tailored to all HER2-positive patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology & Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Valeria Bianchi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology & Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|