1
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Stabile R, Cabezas MR, Verhagen MP, Tucci FA, van den Bosch TPP, De Herdt MJ, van der Steen B, Nigg AL, Chen M, Ivan C, Shimizu M, Koljenović S, Hardillo JA, Verrijzer CP, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, Calin GA, Fodde R. The deleted in oral cancer (DOC1 aka CDK2AP1) tumor suppressor gene is downregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma by multiple microRNAs. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:337. [PMID: 37217493 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05857-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 2-associated protein 1 (CDK2AP1; also known as deleted in oral cancer or DOC1) is a tumor suppressor gene known to play functional roles in both cell cycle regulation and in the epigenetic control of embryonic stem cell differentiation, the latter as a core subunit of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylation (NuRD) complex. In the vast majority of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC), expression of the CDK2AP1 protein is reduced or lost. Notwithstanding the latter (and the DOC1 acronym), mutations or deletions in its coding sequence are extremely rare. Accordingly, CDK2AP1 protein-deficient oral cancer cell lines express as much CDK2AP1 mRNA as proficient cell lines. Here, by combining in silico and in vitro approaches, and by taking advantage of patient-derived data and tumor material in the analysis of loss of CDK2AP1 expression, we identified a set of microRNAs, namely miR-21-5p, miR-23b-3p, miR-26b-5p, miR-93-5p, and miR-155-5p, which inhibit its translation in both cell lines and patient-derived OSCCs. Of note, no synergistic effects were observed of the different miRs on the CDK2AP1-3-UTR common target. We also developed a novel approach to the combined ISH/IF tissue microarray analysis to study the expression patterns of miRs and their target genes in the context of tumor architecture. Last, we show that CDK2AP1 loss, as the result of miRNA expression, correlates with overall survival, thus highlighting the clinical relevance of these processes for carcinomas of the oral cavity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Stabile
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mario Román Cabezas
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mathijs P Verhagen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Francesco A Tucci
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Maria J De Herdt
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Berdine van der Steen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alex L Nigg
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Meng Chen
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology and Center of Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, and Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cristina Ivan
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology and Center of Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, and Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Caris Life Science, Irving, TX, USA
| | - Masayoshi Shimizu
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology and Center of Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, and Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Senada Koljenović
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Jose A Hardillo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Peter Verrijzer
- Department of Biochemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J Baatenburg de Jong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - George A Calin
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology and Center of Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, and Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Riccardo Fodde
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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2
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Mulder EEAP, Verver D, van der Klok T, de Wijs CJ, van den Bosch TPP, De Herdt MJ, van der Steen B, Verhoef C, van der Veldt AAM, Grünhagen DJ, Koljenovic S. Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) immunoreactivity in positive sentinel nodes from patients with melanoma. Ann Diagn Pathol 2022; 58:151909. [PMID: 35151198 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.151909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients with cutaneous melanoma and a positive sentinel node (SN) are currently eligible for adjuvant treatment with targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging could be an alternative and less invasive tool for SN biopsy to select patients for adjuvant treatment. One potential target for NIR is the mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET). This study aimed to assess MET immunoreactivity in positive SNs and to evaluate its potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic value. METHODS In this retrospective study, positive SN samples from patients with primary cutaneous melanoma were collected to assess MET immunoreactivity. To this end, paraffin-embedded SNs were stained for MET (monoclonal antibody D1C2). A 4-point Histoscore was used to determine cytoplasmic and membranous immunoreactivity (0 negative/1 weak/2 moderate/3 strong). Samples were considered positive when ≥10% of the cancer cells showed MET expression (staining intensity ≥1). Patient and clinicopathological characteristics were used for descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and survival analyses. RESULTS Positive MET immunohistochemistry was observed in 24 out of 37 samples (65%). No statistically significant associations were found between MET positivity and the following prognostic factors: Breslow thickness (P = 0.961), ulceration (P = 1.000), and SN tumor burden (P = 0.792). According to MET positivity, Kaplan-Meier curves showed no significant differences in survival. CONCLUSION This exploratory study found no evidence to support MET immunoreactivity in positive SNs as a possible diagnostic or prognostic indicator in patients with melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evalyn E A P Mulder
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Daniëlle Verver
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Calvin J de Wijs
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Maria J De Herdt
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Berdine van der Steen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Cornelis Verhoef
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Astrid A M van der Veldt
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Dirk J Grünhagen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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3
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De Herdt MJ, van der Steen B, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, Looijenga LHJ, Koljenović S, Hardillo JA. The Occurrence of MET Ectodomain Shedding in Oral Cancer and Its Potential Impact on the Use of Targeted Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14061491. [PMID: 35326642 PMCID: PMC8946088 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14061491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer type worldwide, comprising tumors of the upper aero/digestive tract. Approximately 50% of these cancers originate in the oral cavity. Depending on disease stage, oral cancer patients are treated with single-modality surgery, or in combination with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Despite advances in these modalities, the 5-year survival rate is merely 50%. Therefore, implementation of targeted therapies, directed against signaling molecules, has gained attention. One potential target is the MET protein, which can be present on the surface of cancer cells, orchestrating aggressive behavior. As cancer cells can shed the extracellular part of MET from their surface, it is important to identify for MET positive patients whether they possess the entire and/or only the intracellular part of the receptor to assess whether targeted therapies directed against the extracellular, intracellular, or both parts of MET need to be implemented. Abstract The receptor tyrosine kinase MET has gained attention as a therapeutic target. Although MET immunoreactivity is associated with progressive disease, use of targeted therapies has not yet led to major survival benefits. A possible explanation is the lack of companion diagnostics (CDx) that account for proteolytic processing. During presenilin-regulated intramembrane proteolysis, MET’s ectodomain is shed into the extracellular space, which is followed by γ-secretase-mediated cleavage of the residual membranous C-terminal fragment. The resulting intracellular fragment is degraded by the proteasome, leading to downregulation of MET signaling. Conversely, a membrane-bound MET fragment lacking the ectodomain (MET-EC-) can confer malignant potential. Use of C- and N-terminal MET monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) has illustrated that MET-EC- occurs in transmembranous C-terminal MET-positive oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, we propose that ectodomain shedding, resulting from G-protein-coupled receptor transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling, and/or overexpression of ADAM10/17 and/or MET, stabilizes and possibly activates MET-EC- in OSCC. As MET-EC- is associated with poor prognosis in OSCC, it potentially has impact on the use of targeted therapies. Therefore, MET-EC- should be incorporated in the design of CDx to improve patient stratification and ultimately prolong survival. Hence, MET-EC- requires further investigation seen its oncogenic and predictive properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J. De Herdt
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.v.d.S.); (R.J.B.d.J.); (J.A.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-10-7044490
| | - Berdine van der Steen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.v.d.S.); (R.J.B.d.J.); (J.A.H.)
| | - Robert J. Baatenburg de Jong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.v.d.S.); (R.J.B.d.J.); (J.A.H.)
| | - Leendert H. J. Looijenga
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Senada Koljenović
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium;
| | - Jose A. Hardillo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (B.v.d.S.); (R.J.B.d.J.); (J.A.H.)
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Kim JH, Kim H, Dan K, Kim SI, Park SH, Han D, Kim YH. In-depth proteomic profiling captures subtype-specific features of craniopharyngiomas. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21206. [PMID: 34707096 PMCID: PMC8551227 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00483-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniopharyngiomas are rare epithelial tumors derived from pituitary gland embryonic tissue. This epithelial tumor can be categorized as an adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) or papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP) subtype with histopathological and genetic differences. Genomic and transcriptomic profiles of craniopharyngiomas have been investigated; however, the proteomic profile has yet to be elucidated and added to these profiles. Recent improvements in high-throughput quantitative proteomic approaches have introduced new opportunities for a better understanding of these diseases and the efficient discovery of biomarkers. We aimed to confirm subtype-associated proteomic changes between ACP and PCP specimens. We performed a system-level proteomic study using an integrated approach that combines mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic, statistical, and bioinformatics analyses. The bioinformatics analysis showed that differentially expressed proteins between ACP and PCP were significantly involved in mitochondrial organization, fatty acid metabolic processes, exocytosis, the inflammatory response, the cell cycle, RNA splicing, cell migration, and neuron development. Furthermore, using network analysis, we identified hub proteins that were positively correlated with ACP and PCP phenotypes. Our findings improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of craniopharyngiomas and provide novel insights that may ultimately translate to the development of craniopharyngioma subtype-specific therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Hee Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Pituitary Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeyoon Kim
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.,Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kisoon Dan
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ik Kim
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hye Park
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dohyun Han
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea. .,Transdisciplinary Department of Medicine & Advanced Technology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong Hwy Kim
- Pituitary Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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5
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De Herdt MJ, van der Steen B, van der Toom QM, Aaboubout Y, Willems SM, Wieringa MH, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, Looijenga LHJ, Koljenović S, Hardillo JA. The Potential of MET Immunoreactivity for Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:638048. [PMID: 33996551 PMCID: PMC8117234 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.638048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective MET positivity is independently associated with survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Since MET is a known orchestrator of invasive tumor growth, we investigated its association with LNM in early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). As it is recommended by the NCCN to use tumor depth of invasion (DOI) in making decisions on elective neck dissection (END), the results obtained for MET positivity were aligned with those for DOI > 4 mm. The cutoff value used in our institution. Methods Tumor samples from patients who underwent primary tumor resection and neck dissection between 1995 and 2013, were collected from the archives of the Leiden and Erasmus University Medical Center. Immunohistochemistry with D1C2 was performed to identify MET negative (< 10% uniform positivity) and MET positive (≥ 10% uniform positivity) cancers. ROC curve analysis and the Chi-squared test were used to investigate the association of MET positivity with LNM (pN+ and occult). Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the association of MET positivity with LNM. Results Forty-five (44.1%) of the 102 cancers were MET positive. Ninety were cN0 of which 20 were pN+ (occult metastasis). The remaining 12 cancers were cN+, of which 10 were proven pN+ and 2 were pN0. MET positivity was associated with LNM with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 44.4% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 82.5% for pN+. For the occult group, the PPV was 36.8% and the NPV was 88.5%. Regression analysis showed that MET positivity is associated with pN+ and occult LNM (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion MET positivity is significantly associated with LNM in early OTSCC, outperforming DOI. The added value of MET positivity could be in the preoperative setting when END is being considered during the initial surgery. For cases with DOI ≤ 4 mm, MET positivity could aid in the clinical decision whether regular follow-up, watchful waiting, or END is more appropriate. Realizing that these preliminary results need to be independently validated in a larger patient cohort, we believe that MET positivity could be of added value in the decision making on END in early OTSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J De Herdt
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Berdine van der Steen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Quincy M van der Toom
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yassine Aaboubout
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stefan M Willems
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marjan H Wieringa
- Department of Education, Office of Science, Elisabeth TweeSteden, Ziekenhuis, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Robert J Baatenburg de Jong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Leendert H J Looijenga
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Senada Koljenović
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jose A Hardillo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Pruis MA, von der Thüsen JH, Dubbink HJ. MET immunochemistry: a reliable screening tool for MET exon 14 skipping mutations in non-small cell lung cancer? ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:1538. [PMID: 33313283 PMCID: PMC7729352 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-3763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melinda A Pruis
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jan H von der Thüsen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Prognostic value of PSMA, c-MET and E-cadherin in salivary duct carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2020; 110:105018. [PMID: 33039794 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.105018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of salivary gland cancer. Androgen receptor (AR) (96%) and HER2 (29-46%) expression, and a high propensity for regional lymph node metastases are hallmarks of the disease. We hypothesized that c-MET, E-cadherin, PSMA tumor and PSMA neovascular expression may be prognostic factors in SDC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Expression levels of these proteins were established on tissue microarrays containing 165 primary SDC tumor specimens. Association with survival was studied with Kaplan-Meier curves, and univariable and multivariable Cox regression models. Furthermore, association with lymph node status, AR and HER2 expression, and gender was studied. RESULTS We found that patients with high PSMA tumor expression showed a significantly longer overall survival (OS) (median 83 vs. 43 months, P = 0.022), a trend towards a longer DFS (median 51 vs. 22 months, P = 0.094), and significantly reduced hazard ratio for death in the univariable Cox regression model (HR 0.46, P = 0.034). In the multivariable model only a high number of tumor-positive lymph nodes and high age (>80) at diagnosis were prognostic for poor OS. High PSMA tumor expression was also significantly associated with low N-stage (P = 0.001) and expression was higher in women versus men (P = 0.029). High PSMA tumor expression and E-cadherin loss were significantly associated with strong and weak AR-expression, respectively (P = 0.033 and P = 0.007). None of the factors were significantly associated with HER2 expression. CONCLUSION c-MET, E-cadherin, and tumor and neovascular PSMA expression are no independent prognostic factors in SDC.
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8
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De Herdt MJ, Koljenović S, van der Steen B, Willems SM, Wieringa MH, Nieboer D, Hardillo JA, Gruver AM, Zeng W, Liu L, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, Looijenga LHJ. A novel immunohistochemical scoring system reveals associations of C-terminal MET, ectodomain shedding, and loss of E-cadherin with poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Hum Pathol 2020; 104:42-53. [PMID: 32702402 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2020.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Using tissue microarrays, it was shown that membranous C-terminal MET immunoreactivity and ectodomain (ECD) shedding are associated with poor prognosis in oral cancer. Seen the potential diagnostic value, extrapolation of these results to whole-tissue sections was investigated. Because MET orchestrates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), the results were benchmarked to loss of E-cadherin, a readout for EMT known to be associated with poor prognosis. C-terminal MET, N-terminal MET, and E-cadherin immunoreactivities were examined on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded parallel sections of 203 oral cancers using antibody clones D1C2, A2H2-3, and NCH-38. Interantibody and intra-antibody relations were examined using a novel scoring system, nonparametric distribution, and median tests. Survival analyses were used to examine the prognostic value of the observed immunoreactivities. Assessment of the three clones revealed MET protein status (no, decoy, transmembranous C-terminal positive), ECD shedding, and EMT. For C-terminal MET-positive cancers, D1C2 immunoreactivity is independently associated with poor overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.25 to 4.61; and P = 0.008) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.07-3.14; P = 0.027). For both survival measures, this is also the case for ECD shedding (43.4%, with HR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.38 to 3.83; and P = 0.001 versus HR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.19-2.92; P = 0.006) and loss of E-cadherin (55.3%, with HR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.30 to 3.77; and P = 0.004 versus HR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.20-3.01; P = 0.007). The developed scoring system accounts for MET protein status, ECD shedding, and EMT and is prognostically informative. These findings may contribute to development of companion diagnostics for MET-based targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J De Herdt
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Senada Koljenović
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Berdine van der Steen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Stefan M Willems
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Marjan H Wieringa
- Department of Education, Office of Science, Elisabeth TweeSteden Ziekenhuis, 5022 GC, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
| | - Daan Nieboer
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Jose A Hardillo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Aaron M Gruver
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46225, USA.
| | - Wei Zeng
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46225, USA.
| | - Ling Liu
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46225, USA.
| | - Robert J Baatenburg de Jong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Leendert H J Looijenga
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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MET ectodomain shedding is associated with poor disease-free survival of patients diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Mod Pathol 2020; 33:1015-1032. [PMID: 31857683 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-019-0426-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Ectodomain shedding unleashes the aggressive nature of the MET oncogene product. Using specific C- and N-terminal MET antibodies (D1C2 and A2H2-3), MET protein status (i.e., no MET, decoy MET, transmembranous C-terminal MET with or without the ectodomain) was investigated in oral squamous cell carcinoma. For the cancers showing transmembranous C-terminal MET, the impact of ectodomain shedding on prognosis was investigated. To examine ectodomain shedding, reduced lysates of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were immunoblotted using D1C2 and an ELISA was performed on culture media using A2H2-3. In addition, reduced lysates of fresh frozen tissues of 30 oral squamous cell carcinoma were immunoblotted using D1C2 and immunohistochemistry was performed on corresponding formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues using both antibodies on parallel sections. To examine MET protein status, differences between membranous D1C2 and A2H2-3 immunoreactivities were scored using parallel tissue microarray sections representing 156 oral squamous cell carcinoma. The prognostic value of ectodomain shedding was examined using Cox regression analysis for disease-free survival and overall survival. Ectodomain shedding was observed in all cell lines, 43% (n = 13) of fresh frozen and 50% (n = 15) of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cancers (27% overlap, n = 8). The tissue microarray showed no MET in 23% (n = 36), decoy MET in 9% (n = 14), and transmembranous C-terminal MET in 68% (n = 106) of examined cancers. Within the latter group, ectodomain shedding occurs in 36% (n = 38) of the cases and is independently associated with poor disease-free survival (HR = 2.41; 95% CI, 1.35-4.30 and P = 0.003)-though not overall survival (HR = 1.64; 95% CI, 0.92-2.94 and P = 0.095)-after correcting for factors known to influence survival. In conclusion, MET ectodomain shedding occurs in transmembranous C-terminal MET positive oral squamous cell carcinoma and is independently associated with disease-free survival. These findings might aid in designing companion diagnostics for targeted therapies directed against MET.
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Yokokawa M, Morita KI, Oikawa Y, Kayamori K, Sakamoto K, Ikeda T, Harada H. Co-expression of EGFR and MET has a synergistic effect on the prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. J Oral Pathol Med 2019; 49:235-242. [PMID: 31762177 DOI: 10.1111/jop.12977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to elucidate the correlation between gene amplification, protein expression of receptor tyrosine kinase, and prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and next-generation sequencing data. METHODS We evaluated data pertaining to 208 patients with OSCC using IHC for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET). RESULTS High expressions of EGFR and MET were detected in 60 and 41 patients, respectively. We evaluated the association of clinicopathological variables with high expressions of EGFR and/or MET. Distant metastasis was found in 9 of 41 patients (22.0%) and 6 of 15 patients (40.0%) with high expression of MET and high co-expressions of EGFR and MET, respectively; statistically significant differences were detected in both high expression of MET (P = .003) and high co-expressions of EGFR and MET (P = 3.41 × 10-5 ). The cumulative 5-year survival rate of patients with high and low expressions of EGFR or MET was approximately 65% and 85%, respectively. Conversely, among cases with high expressions of EGFR or MET, there was no additional decrease in the survival rate of patients harboring TP53 mutations. Moreover, the survival rate of patients with high co-expression of both EGFR and MET was very poor (22.0%) (P < 1.0 × 10-9 ). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that evaluation of protein expressions of EGFR and MET may facilitate prognostic assessment of patients with OSCC; in addition, patients with OSCC should be screened for enrollment in clinical trials of combination therapy with EGFR and MET inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misaki Yokokawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei-Ichi Morita
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Bioresource Research Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yu Oikawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kou Kayamori
- Department of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei Sakamoto
- Department of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tohru Ikeda
- Department of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Harada
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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Attenuation of cancer-initiating cells stemness properties by abrogating S100A4 calcium binding ability in head and neck cancers. Oncotarget 2018; 7:78946-78957. [PMID: 27793047 PMCID: PMC5346689 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12935] [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: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
S100A4 is a calcium-binding protein capable of promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Previously, we have demonstrated that S100A4 is required to sustain the head and neck cancer-initiating cells (HN-CICs) subpopulation. In this study, to further investigate the molecular mechanism, we established the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines stably expressing mutant S100A4 proteins with defective calcium-binding sites on either N-terminal (NM) or C-terminal (CM), or a deletion of the last 15 amino-acid residues (CD). We showed that the NM, CM and CD harboring sphere cells that were enriched with HN-CICs population exhibited impaired stemness and malignant properties in vitro, as well as reduced tumor growth ability in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that mutant S100A4 proteins decreased the promoter activity of Nanog, likely through inhibition of p53. Moreover, the biophysical analyses of purified recombinant mutant S100A4 proteins suggest that both NM and CM mutant S100A4 were very similar to the WT S100A4 with subtle difference on the secondary structure, and that the CD mutant protein displayed the unexpected monomeric form in the solution phase.Taken together, our results suggest that both the calcium-binding ability and the C-terminal region of S100A4 are important for HN-CICs to sustain its stemness property and malignancy, and that the mechanism could be mediated by repressing p53 and subsequently activating the Nanog expression.
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Verhoef EI, Kolijn K, De Herdt MJ, van der Steen B, Hoogland AM, Sleddens HFBM, Looijenga LHJ, van Leenders GJLH. MET expression during prostate cancer progression. Oncotarget 2018; 7:31029-36. [PMID: 27105539 PMCID: PMC5058736 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors of the hepatocyte growth factor receptor MET are under investigation for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) metastasis. Analysis of MET protein expression and genetic alterations might contribute to therapeutic stratification of prostate cancer patients. Our objective was to investigate MET on protein, DNA and RNA level in clinical prostate cancer at various stages of progression. Expression of MET was analyzed in hormone-naive primary prostate cancers (N=481), lymph node (N=40) and bone (N=8) metastases, as well as HRPC (N=54) and bone metastases (N=15). MET protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry (D1C2 C-terminal antibody). MET mRNA levels and MET DNA copy numbers were determined by in situ hybridization. None of the hormone-naive primary prostate cancer or lymph node metastases demonstrated MET protein or mRNA expression. In contrast, MET protein was expressed in 12/52 (23%) evaluable HRPC resections. RNA in situ demonstrated cytoplasmic signals in 14/54 (26%) of the HRPC patients, and was associated with MET protein expression (p=0.025, χ2), in absence of MET amplification or polysomy. MET protein expression was present in 7/8 (88%) hormone-naive and 10/15 (67%) HRPC bone metastases, without association of HRPC (p=0.37; χ2), with MET polysomy in 8/13 (61%) evaluable cases. In conclusion, MET was almost exclusively expressed in HRPC and prostate cancer bone metastasis, but was not related to MET amplification or polysomy. Evaluation of MET status could be relevant for therapeutic stratification of late stage prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther I Verhoef
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kimberley Kolijn
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maria J De Herdt
- Othorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Berdine van der Steen
- Othorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Marije Hoogland
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Prognostic value of c-MET in head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of aggregate data. Oral Oncol 2017; 74:68-76. [PMID: 29103754 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) ligand/receptor axis has been implicated in pathogenesis of malignant diseases including squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Overexpression of c-MET has been reported as a common molecular abnormality in SCCHN, although its prognostic and predictive value remains to be validated. METHODS We systematically searched literature for studies evaluating c-MET expression on immunohistochemistry in newly diagnosed, non-metastatic SCCHN. The c-MET expressing cases were classified into three categories according to predefined cut-off values for positivity. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of c-MET expression and its relationship with selected clinicopathological variables. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies with 2019 cases were included. Relative frequencies of c-MET expression above cut-off levels I, II, and III were 81.8%, 63.8%, and 46.2%, respectively. Differences between these three values were statistically significant (p<1.0×10-6). Above cut-off level II, c-MET positivity was associated with worse overall survival (p=4.0×10-6), positive nodal status (p=1.0×10-4), higher disease stage (p=7.0×10-4), older age (p=2.1×10-3), disease recurrence (p=2.0×10-2), and primary tumour localization in the oral cavity (p=2.3×10-2). Above cut-off level III, c-MET positivity was associated with worse disease-free or progression-free survival (p=9.0×10-6), p16 negativity (p=2.4×10-4), worse overall survival (p=4.0×10-4), positive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status (p=7.2×10-4), and larger primary tumours (p=4.6×10-3). CONCLUSION In SCCHN, immunohistochemical overexpression of c-MET above cut-off levels III and particularly II was associated with inferior survival outcomes and advanced disease. Moreover, it represents a promising predictive biomarker for c-MET targeting, yet the optimal scoring method remains to be defined.
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