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Ren J, Li P, Yan J. CPMI: comprehensive neighborhood-based perturbed mutual information for identifying critical states of complex biological processes. BMC Bioinformatics 2024; 25:215. [PMID: 38879513 PMCID: PMC11180411 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-024-05836-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There exists a critical transition or tipping point during the complex biological process. Such critical transition is usually accompanied by the catastrophic consequences. Therefore, hunting for the tipping point or critical state is of significant importance to prevent or delay the occurrence of catastrophic consequences. However, predicting critical state based on the high-dimensional small sample data is a difficult problem, especially for single-cell expression data. RESULTS In this study, we propose the comprehensive neighbourhood-based perturbed mutual information (CPMI) method to detect the critical states of complex biological processes. The CPMI method takes into account the relationship between genes and neighbours, so as to reduce the noise and enhance the robustness. This method is applied to a simulated dataset and six real datasets, including an influenza dataset, two single-cell expression datasets and three bulk datasets. The method can not only successfully detect the tipping points, but also identify their dynamic network biomarkers (DNBs). In addition, the discovery of transcription factors (TFs) which can regulate DNB genes and nondifferential 'dark genes' validates the effectiveness of our method. The numerical simulation verifies that the CPMI method is robust under different noise strengths and is superior to the existing methods on identifying the critical states. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, we propose a robust computational method, i.e., CPMI, which is applicable in both the bulk and single cell datasets. The CPMI method holds great potential in providing the early warning signals for complex biological processes and enabling early disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ren
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Longmen Laboratory, Luoyang, 471003, Henan, China
| | - Peiluan Li
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China.
- Longmen Laboratory, Luoyang, 471003, Henan, China.
| | - Jinling Yan
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
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Peng H, Wu X, Cui X, Liu S, Liang Y, Cai X, Shi M, Zhong R, Li C, Liu J, Wu D, Gao Z, Lu X, Luo H, He J, Liang W. Molecular and immune characterization of Chinese early-stage non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: a multi-omics cohort study. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2024; 13:763-784. [PMID: 38736486 PMCID: PMC11082711 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-23-800] [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: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Background Albeit considered with superior survival, around 30% of the early-stage non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (Ns-NSCLC) patients relapse within 5 years, suggesting unique biology. However, the biological characteristics of early-stage Ns-NSCLC, especially in the Chinese population, are still unclear. Methods Multi-omics interrogation of early-stage Ns-NSCLC (stage I-III), paired blood samples and normal lung tissues (n=76) by whole-exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing, and T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing were conducted. Results An average of 128 exonic mutations were identified, and the most frequently mutant gene was EGFR (55%), followed by TP53 (37%) and TTN (26%). Mutations in MUC17, ABCA2, PDE4DIP, and MYO18B predicted significantly unfavorable disease-free survival (DFS). Moreover, cytobands amplifications in 8q24.3, 14q13.1, 14q11.2, and deletion in 3p21.1 were highlighted in recurrent cases. Higher incidence of human leukocyte antigen loss of heterozygosity (HLA-LOH), higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) and tumor neoantigen burden (TNB) were identified in ever-smokers than never-smokers. HLA-LOH also correlated with higher TMB, TNB, intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH), and whole chromosomal instability (wCIN) scores. Interestingly, higher ITH was an independent predictor of better DFS in early-stage Ns-NSCLC. Up-regulation of immune-related genes, including CRABP2, ULBP2, IL31RA, and IL1A, independently portended a dismal prognosis. Enhanced TCR diversity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) predicted better prognosis, indicative of a noninvasive method for relapse surveillance. Eventually, seven machine-learning (ML) algorithms were employed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of clinical, genomic, transcriptomic, and TCR repertoire data on DFS, showing that clinical and RNA features combination in the random forest (RF) algorithm, with area under the curve (AUC) of 97.5% and 83.3% in the training and testing cohort, respectively, significantly outperformed other methods. Conclusions This study comprehensively profiled the genomic, transcriptomic, and TCR repertoire spectrums of Chinese early-stage Ns-NSCLC, shedding light on biological underpinnings and candidate biomarkers for prognosis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxin Peng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanshan School, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangrong Wu
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanshan School, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoli Cui
- Shenzhen Engineering Center for Translational Medicine of Precision Cancer Immunodiagnosis and Therapy, YuceBio Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaopeng Liu
- Department of Computer Science, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Artificial Intelligence Research, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yueting Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuyu Cai
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Cener for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengping Shi
- Department of Computer Science, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ran Zhong
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caichen Li
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongfang Wu
- Shenzhen Engineering Center for Translational Medicine of Precision Cancer Immunodiagnosis and Therapy, YuceBio Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhibo Gao
- Shenzhen Engineering Center for Translational Medicine of Precision Cancer Immunodiagnosis and Therapy, YuceBio Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Xu Lu
- Department of Computer Science, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Artificial Intelligence Research, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haitao Luo
- Shenzhen Engineering Center for Translational Medicine of Precision Cancer Immunodiagnosis and Therapy, YuceBio Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianxing He
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenhua Liang
- Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First People’s Hospital of Zhaoqing, Zhaoqing, China
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Zhou Q, Ye W, Yu X, Bao YJ. A pathway-based computational framework for identification of a new modal of multi-omics biomarkers and its application in esophageal cancer. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2024; 247:108077. [PMID: 38382307 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2024.108077] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathway-based strategy has been recently proposed for identifying biomarkers with the advantages of higher biological interpretability and cross-data robustness than the conventional gene-based strategy. However, its utility in clinical applications has been limited due to the high computational complexity and ill-defined performance. OBJECTIVE The current study presents a machine learning-based computational framework using multi-omics data for identifying a new modal of biomarkers, called pathway-derived core biomarkers, which have the advantages of both gene-based and pathway-based biomarkers. METHODS Machine-learning methods and gene-pathway network were integrated to select the pathway-derived core biomarkers. Multiple machine-learning algorithms were used to construct and validate the diagnostic models of the biomarkers based on more than 1400 multi-omics clinical samples of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). RESULTS The results showed that the classifier models based on the new modal biomarkers achieved superior performance in the training datasets with an average AUC/accuracy of 0.98/0.95 and 0.89/0.81 for mRNAs and miRNA, respectively, higher than the currently known classifier models based on the conventional gene-based strategy and pathway-based strategy. In the testing cohorts, the AUC/accuracy increased by 6.1 %/7.3 % than the models based on the native gene-based biomarkers. The improved performance was further confirmed in independent validation cohorts. Specifically, the sensitivity/specificity increased by ∼3 % and the variance significantly decreased by ∼69 % compared with that of the native gene-based biomarkers. Importantly, the pathway-derived core biomarkers also recovered 45 % more previously reported biomarkers than the gene-based biomarkers and are more functionally relevant to the ESCC etiology (involved in 14 versus 7 pathways related with ESCC or other cancer), highlighting the cross-data robustness of this new modal of biomarkers via enhanced functional relevance. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrated that the new modal of biomarkers not only have improved predicting performance and robustness, but also exhibit higher functional interpretability thus leading to the potential application in cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weicai Ye
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Computational Science, and National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Analysis and Application, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Yun-Juan Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China.
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Hung HC, Mao TL, Fan MH, Huang GZ, Minhalina AP, Chen CL, Liu CL. Enhancement of Tumorigenicity, Spheroid Niche, and Drug Resistance of Pancreatic Cancer Cells in Three-Dimensional Culture System. J Cancer 2024; 15:2292-2305. [PMID: 38495500 PMCID: PMC10937281 DOI: 10.7150/jca.87494] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional (3D) cell culture technique has been applied comprehensively as a variable platform for medical research, biochemical signal pathway analysis, and evaluation of anti-tumor treatment response due to an excellent recapitulation of a tumor microenvironment (TME) in the in vitro cultured cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer (PaC) is one of the toughest malignancies with a complex TME and refractory treatment response. To comprehensively study the TME of PaC, there is an eager need to develop a 3D culture model to decompose the cellular components and their cross interactions. Herein, we establish a 3D PaC culture system with cancer stem cell (CSC) and scalability properties. To validate our model, we tested the individual PaC cell and the combined effects with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) on cancer tumorigenicity, the cellular interaction through the CXCR3/CXCL10 axis, and cellular responses reflection of anti-cancer treatments. With the help of our 3D technology, a simulated malignant spheroid with important stromal populations and TME physiochemical properties may be successfully recreated. It can be used in a wide range of preclinical research and helpful in advancing basic and translational cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Chien Hung
- Department of General Surgery, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Tsui-Lien Mao
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Huei Fan
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Zhi Huang
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ainani Priza Minhalina
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Long Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Lien Liu
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Medical Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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Takashima M, Taniguchi K, Nagaya M, Yamamura S, Takamura Y, Inatani M, Oki M. Gene profiles and mutations in the development of cataracts in the ICR rat model of hereditary cataracts. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18161. [PMID: 37875594 PMCID: PMC10598066 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45088-1] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cataracts are opacifications of the lens that cause loss of visual acuity and ultimately of eyesight. Age-related cataract develops in most elderly people, but the mechanisms of cataract onset are incompletely understood. The Ihara Cataract Rat (ICR) is an animal model of hereditary cataracts showing cortical opacity that commonly develops prematurely. We identified putative mechanisms of cataract onset in the ICR rat model by measuring gene expression changes before and after cortical cataract development and conducting point mutation analysis. Genes differentially expressed between 4-week-old animals without cortical cataracts and 8-10-week-old animals with cortical cataracts were selected from microarray analysis. Three connections were identified by STRING analysis: (i) Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), including Col1a2, and Pik3r1. (ii) Lens homeostasis, including Aqp5, and Cpm. (iii) Lipid metabolism, including Scd1, Srebf1, and Pnpla3. Subsequently, mutation points were selected by comparing ICR rats with 12 different rats that do not develop cataracts. The apolipoprotein Apoc3 was mutated in ICR rats. Analyses of gene expression changes and point and mutations suggested that abnormalities in EMT or lipid metabolism could contribute to cataract development in ICR rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaru Takashima
- Department of Industrial Creation Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Kei Taniguchi
- Department of Industrial Creation Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Masaya Nagaya
- Department of Industrial Creation Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Shunki Yamamura
- Department of Industrial Creation Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Takamura
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Masaru Inatani
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Masaya Oki
- Department of Industrial Creation Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
- Life Science Innovation Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
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Simon AG, Lyu SI, Laible M, Wöll S, Türeci Ö, Şahin U, Alakus H, Fahrig L, Zander T, Buettner R, Bruns CJ, Schroeder W, Gebauer F, Quaas A. The tight junction protein claudin 6 is a potential target for patient-individualized treatment in esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis. J Transl Med 2023; 21:552. [PMID: 37592303 PMCID: PMC10436499 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04433-8] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prognosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) remains poor, and new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Claudin 6 (CLDN6) is an oncofetal antigen that is largely absent in healthy tissues and upregulated in several cancers, making it a promising therapeutical target. In this study, the expression of CLDN6 was assessed in an large Caucasian EAC and GAC cohort. METHODS RNA-Seq data from 89 EACs and 371 GACs were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas project and EAC/GAC cases were stratified by CLDN6 mRNA expression based on a survival-associated cutoff. For groups with CLDN6 expression above or below this cutoff, differential gene expression analyses were performed using DESeq, and dysregulated biological pathways were identified using the Enrichr tool. Additionally, CLDN6 protein expression was assessed in more than 800 EACs and almost 600 GACs using a CLDN6-specific immunohistochemical antibody (clone 58-4B-2) that is currently used in Phase I/II trials to identify patients with CLDN6-positive tumors (NCT05262530; NCT04503278). The expression of CLDN6 was also correlated with histopathological parameters and overall survival (OS). RESULTS EACs and GACs with high CLDN6 mRNA levels displayed an overexpression of pathways regulating the cell cycle, DNA replication, and receptor / extracellular matrix interactions. CLDN6 protein expression was associated with shorter OS in EAC and GAC, both in treatment-naïve subgroups and cohorts receiving neoadjuvant therapy. In multivariate analysis, CLDN6 protein expression was an independent adverse prognostic factor in EAC associated with a shorter OS (HR: 1.75; p = 0.01) and GAC (HR: 2.74; p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS High expression of CLDN6 mRNA is associated with the dysregulation of distinct biological pathways regulating cell growth, proliferation, and cell-matrix interactions. Clinically, the expression of CLDN6 protein is a valuable adverse prognostic marker in EAC and GAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Georg Simon
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Su Ir Lyu
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Hakan Alakus
- Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Luca Fahrig
- Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Zander
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Reinhard Buettner
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christiane Josephine Bruns
- Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schroeder
- Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Florian Gebauer
- Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Quaas
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
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Tapak L, Ghasemi MK, Afshar S, Mahjub H, Soltanian A, Khotanlou H. Identification of gene profiles related to the development of oral cancer using a deep learning technique. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:35. [PMID: 36849997 PMCID: PMC9972685 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01462-6] [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: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral cancer (OC) is a debilitating disease that can affect the quality of life of these patients adversely. Oral premalignant lesion patients have a high risk of developing OC. Therefore, identifying robust survival subgroups among them may significantly improve patient therapy and care. This study aimed to identify prognostic biomarkers that predict the time-to-development of OC and survival stratification for patients using state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning. METHODS Gene expression profiles (29,096 probes) related to 86 patients from the GSE26549 dataset from the GEO repository were used. An autoencoder deep learning neural network model was used to extract features. We also used a univariate Cox regression model to select significant features obtained from the deep learning method (P < 0.05). High-risk and low-risk groups were then identified using a hierarchical clustering technique based on 100 encoded features (the number of units of the encoding layer, i.e., bottleneck of the network) from autoencoder and selected by Cox proportional hazards model and a supervised random forest (RF) classifier was used to identify gene profiles related to subtypes of OC from the original 29,096 probes. RESULTS Among 100 encoded features extracted by autoencoder, seventy features were significantly related to time-to-OC-development, based on the univariate Cox model, which was used as the inputs for the clustering of patients. Two survival risk groups were identified (P value of log-rank test = 0.003) and were used as the labels for supervised classification. The overall accuracy of the RF classifier was 0.916 over the test set, yielded 21 top genes (FUT8-DDR2-ATM-CD247-ETS1-ZEB2-COL5A2-GMAP7-CDH1-COL11A2-COL3A1-AHR-COL2A1-CHORDC1-PTP4A3-COL1A2-CCR2-PDGFRB-COL1A1-FERMT2-PIK3CB) associated with time to developing OC, selected among the original 29,096 probes. CONCLUSIONS Using deep learning, our study identified prominent transcriptional biomarkers in determining high-risk patients for developing oral cancer, which may be prognostic as significant targets for OC therapy. The identified genes may serve as potential targets for oral cancer chemoprevention. Additional validation of these biomarkers in experimental prospective and retrospective studies will launch them in OC clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leili Tapak
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Modeling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Kazem Ghasemi
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Saeid Afshar
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
| | - Hossein Mahjub
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Modeling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Alireza Soltanian
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Modeling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Hassan Khotanlou
- Department of Computer Engineering, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran
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Gou W, Yang Y, Shan Q, Xia S, Ma Y. P4HA1, transcriptionally activated by STAT1, promotes esophageal cancer progression. Pathol Int 2023; 73:147-158. [PMID: 36734588 DOI: 10.1111/pin.13310] [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: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most frequent cancers with a higher mortality worldwide. Although prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha polypeptide I (P4HA1) is involved in various human malignancies, the function of P4HA1 in EC remains unclear. The mRNA and protein expressions were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot and immunohistochemistry. CCK8 assay was used to detect EC cell viability. Cell proliferation was analyzed by colony formation and ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays. In addition, flow cytometry and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining were performed to detect cell apoptosis. Masson's trichrome staining was used to assess the collagen fiber level in tumor tissues. The interaction between STAT1 and P4HA4 was analyzed using ChIP, dual-luciferase reporter gene and Y1H assays. P4HA1 was overexpressed in EC, and its knockdown suppressed EC cell proliferation and collagen synthesis and increased cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, P4HA1 knockdown could repress EC tumor growth in vivo. Our further research displayed that STAT1 promoted P4HA1 expression by interacting with P4HA1 promoter. As expected, P4HA1 overexpression abolished STAT1 knockdown's repression on EC cell malignant behaviors. Our research proved that P4HA1 was transcriptionally activated by STAT1, thereby promoting EC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Gou
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China.,Department of Pathology, People's Hospital of Wanning, Wanning, Hainan Province, China
| | - Yongqiang Yang
- Department of Endoscopy, People's Hospital of Wanning, Wanning, Hainan Province, China
| | - Qiuyue Shan
- Department of Pathology, People's Hospital of Wanning, Wanning, Hainan Province, China
| | - Shengqiang Xia
- Department of Pathology, People's Hospital of Wanning, Wanning, Hainan Province, China
| | - Yuqing Ma
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China
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Aleman J, Young CD, Karam SD, Wang XJ. Revisiting laminin and extracellular matrix remodeling in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma: What have we learned after more than four decades of research? Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:5-23. [PMID: 35596706 PMCID: PMC9676410 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have significantly lower survival upon the development of distant metastases. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a consistent yet dynamic influence on the metastatic capacity of SCCs. The ECM encompasses a milieu of structural proteins, signaling molecules, and enzymes. Just over 40 years ago, the fibrous ECM glycoprotein laminin was identified. Roughly four decades of research have revealed a pivotal role of laminins in metastasis. However, trends in ECM alterations in some cancers have been applied broadly to all metastatic diseases, despite evidence that these characteristics vary by tumor type. We will summarize how laminins influence the SCC metastatic process exclusively. Enhanced laminin protein deposition occurs at the invasive edge of SCC tumors, which correlates with elevated levels of laminin-binding β1 integrins on SCC cells, increased MMP-3 presence, worse prognosis, and lymphatic dissemination. Although these findings are significant, gaps in knowledge of the formation of a premetastatic niche, the processes of intra- and extravasation, and the contributions of the ECM to SCC metastatic cell dormancy persist. Bridging these gaps requires novel in vitro systems and animal models that reproduce tumor-stromal interactions and spontaneous metastasis seen in the clinic. These advances will allow accurate assessment of laminins to predict responders to transforming growth factor-β inhibitors and immunotherapy, as well as potential combinatorial therapies with the standard of care. Such clinical interventions may drastically improve quality of life and patient survival by explicitly targeting SCC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Aleman
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Christian D. Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Sana D. Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Necula L, Matei L, Dragu D, Pitica I, Neagu A, Bleotu C, Diaconu CC, Chivu-Economescu M. Collagen Family as Promising Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012415. [PMID: 36293285 PMCID: PMC9604126 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in cancer detection and therapy, it has been estimated that the incidence of cancers will increase, while the mortality rate will continue to remain high, a fact explained by the large number of patients diagnosed in advanced stages when therapy is often useless. Therefore, it is necessary to invest knowledge and resources in the development of new non-invasive biomarkers for the early detection of cancer and new therapeutic targets for better health management. In this review, we provided an overview on the collagen family as promising biomarkers and on how they may be exploited as therapeutic targets in cancer. The collagen family tridimensional structure, organization, and functions are very complex, being in a tight relationship with the extracellular matrix, tumor, and immune microenvironment. Moreover, accumulating evidence underlines the role of collagens in promoting tumor growth and creating a permissive tumor microenvironment for metastatic dissemination. Knowledge of the molecular basis of these interactions may help in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, in overcoming chemoresistance, and in providing new targets for cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Necula
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
- Faculty of Medicine, Titu Maiorescu University, 040441 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +40-21-324-2592
| | - Lilia Matei
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Denisa Dragu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana Pitica
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ana Neagu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Coralia Bleotu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Carmen C. Diaconu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihaela Chivu-Economescu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 030304 Bucharest, Romania
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11
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Croft W, Evans RPT, Pearce H, Elshafie M, Griffiths EA, Moss P. The single cell transcriptional landscape of esophageal adenocarcinoma and its modulation by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:200. [PMID: 36253784 PMCID: PMC9575245 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01666-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade has recently proven effective in subsets of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) but little is known regarding the EAC immune microenvironment. We determined the single cell transcriptional profile of EAC in 8 patients who were treatment-naive (n = 4) or had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 4). Analysis of 52,387 cells revealed 10 major cell subsets of tumor, immune and stromal cells. Prior to chemotherapy tumors were heavy infiltrated by T regulatory cells and exhausted effector T cells whilst plasmacytoid dendritic cells were markedly expanded. Two dominant cancer-associated fibroblast populations were also observed whilst endothelial populations were suppressed. Pathological remission following chemotherapy associated with broad reversal of immune abnormalities together with fibroblast transition and an increase in endothelial cells whilst a chemoresistant epithelial stem cell population correlated with poor response. These findings reveal features that underlie and limit the response to current immunotherapy and identify a range of novel opportunities for targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne Croft
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Richard P T Evans
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Hayden Pearce
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Mona Elshafie
- University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ewen A Griffiths
- University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Paul Moss
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
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12
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Huang P, Hu Y, Duan Y. TGF-β2-induced circ-PRDM5 regulates migration, invasion, and EMT through the miR-92b-3p/COL1A2 pathway in human lens epithelial cells. J Mol Histol 2022; 53:309-320. [PMID: 35083632 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-021-10053-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
CircRNA circ-PRDM5 (PR/SET domain 5) (circ-PRDM5) is overexpressed in age-related cataracts. Nevertheless, the biological role of circ-PRDM5 in posterior capsule opacities (PCO) (a common complication after cataract surgery) is unclear. Human lens epithelial cells SRA01/04 (LECs) were stimulated with TGF-β2 (transforming growth factor beta-2) to mimic the PCO model in vitro. Cell viability, migration, and invasion were determined by MTT, transwell, or wound-healing assays. Protein levels of EMT (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition) markers and COL1A2 (collagen type I alpha 2 chain) were analyzed by western blotting (WB). Relative expression of circ-PRDM5, miR-92b-3p, and COL1A2 mRNA was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The targeting relationship was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assays. We observed that circ-PRDM5 and COL1A2 were upregulated in PCO tissues and TGF-β2-treated LECs, while miR-92b-3p was downregulated. Both circ-PRDM5 and COL1A2 knockdown impaired TGF-β2-induced LEC migration, invasion, and EMT. Also, circ-PRDM5 could adsorb miR-92b-3p to regulate COL1A2 expression. Furthermore, miR-92b-3p inhibitor offset circ-PRDM5 knockdown-mediated influence on migration, invasion, and EMT of LECs under TGF-β2 stimulation. Also, COL1A2 overexpression overturned the repressive influence of miR-92b-3p mimic on TGF-β2-induced LEC migration, invasion, and EMT. In summary, TGF-β2-induced circ-PRDM5 facilitated LEC migration, invasion, and EMT by adsorbing miR-92b-3p and increasing COL1A2 expression, offering new insights into the development of PCO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Huang
- Department of Cataract and Glaucoma, The Eyegood Eye Hospital of WuHan, Wuhan, China
| | - Yao Hu
- Department of Ocular Fundus Diseases, The Eyegood Eye Hospital of WuHan, No. 10, Chang Gang Road, Wuhan, 430024, Hubei, China
| | - Yuping Duan
- Department of Ocular Fundus Diseases, The Eyegood Eye Hospital of WuHan, No. 10, Chang Gang Road, Wuhan, 430024, Hubei, China.
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13
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Maslyonkina KS, Konyukova AK, Alexeeva DY, Sinelnikov MY, Mikhaleva LM. Barrett's esophagus: The pathomorphological and molecular genetic keystones of neoplastic progression. Cancer Med 2021; 11:447-478. [PMID: 34870375 PMCID: PMC8729054 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Barrett's esophagus is a widespread chronically progressing disease of heterogeneous nature. A life threatening complication of this condition is neoplastic transformation, which is often overlooked due to lack of standardized approaches in diagnosis, preventative measures and treatment. In this essay, we aim to stratify existing data to show specific associations between neoplastic transformation and the underlying processes which predate cancerous transition. We discuss pathomorphological, genetic, epigenetic, molecular and immunohistochemical methods related to neoplasia detection on the basis of Barrett's esophagus. Our review sheds light on pathways of such neoplastic progression in the distal esophagus, providing valuable insight into progression assessment, preventative targets and treatment modalities. Our results suggest that molecular, genetic and epigenetic alterations in the esophagus arise earlier than cancerous transformation, meaning the discussed targets can help form preventative strategies in at-risk patient groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Darya Y Alexeeva
- Research Institute of Human Morphology, Moscow, Russian Federation
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14
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Ashenova A, Daniyarov A, Molkenov A, Sharip A, Zinovyev A, Kairov U. Meta-Analysis of Esophageal Cancer Transcriptomes Using Independent Component Analysis. Front Genet 2021; 12:683632. [PMID: 34795689 PMCID: PMC8594933 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.683632] [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: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Independent Component Analysis is a matrix factorization method for data dimension reduction. ICA has been widely applied for the analysis of transcriptomic data for blind separation of biological, environmental, and technical factors affecting gene expression. The study aimed to analyze the publicly available esophageal cancer data using the ICA for identification and comprehensive analysis of reproducible signaling pathways and molecular signatures involved in this cancer type. In this study, four independent esophageal cancer transcriptomic datasets from GEO databases were used. A bioinformatics tool « BiODICA-Independent Component Analysis of Big Omics Data» was applied to compute independent components (ICs). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and ToppGene uncovered the most significantly enriched pathways. Construction and visualization of gene networks and graphs were performed using the Cytoscape, and HPRD database. The correlation graph between decompositions into 30 ICs was built with absolute correlation values exceeding 0.3. Clusters of components-pseudocliques were observed in the structure of the correlation graph. The top 1,000 most contributing genes of each ICs in the pseudocliques were mapped to the PPI network to construct associated signaling pathways. Some cliques were composed of densely interconnected nodes and included components common to most cancer types (such as cell cycle and extracellular matrix signals), while others were specific to EC. The results of this investigation may reveal potential biomarkers of esophageal carcinogenesis, functional subsystems dysregulated in the tumor cells, and be helpful in predicting the early development of a tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainur Ashenova
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Laboratory Astana, Center for Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Asset Daniyarov
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Laboratory Astana, Center for Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Askhat Molkenov
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Laboratory Astana, Center for Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Aigul Sharip
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Laboratory Astana, Center for Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Andrei Zinovyev
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Advanced Methods for High-dimensional Data Analysis, Lobachevsky University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Ulykbek Kairov
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Laboratory Astana, Center for Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
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15
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ECM Remodeling in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Aerodigestive Tract: Pathways for Cancer Dissemination and Emerging Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112759
expr 955442319 + 839973387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) include a number of different types of tumors developing in the skin, in hollow organs, as well as the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) including the head and neck region and the esophagus which will be dealt with in this review. These tumors are often refractory to current therapeutic approaches with poor patient outcome. The most important prognostic determinant of SCC tumors is the presence of distant metastasis, significantly correlating with low patient survival rates. Rapidly emerging evidence indicate that the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and remodeling profoundly affect SSC metastatic dissemination. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the role of ECM and its remodeling enzymes in affecting the growth and dissemination of UADT SCC. Taken together, these published evidence suggest that a thorough analysis of the ECM composition in the UADT SCC microenvironment may help disclosing the mechanism of resistance to the treatments and help defining possible targets for clinical intervention.
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16
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ECM Remodeling in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Aerodigestive Tract: Pathways for Cancer Dissemination and Emerging Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112759. [PMID: 34199373 PMCID: PMC8199582 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112759] [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: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Local and distant metastasis of patients affected by squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract predicts poor prognosis. In the latest years, the introduction of new therapeutic approaches, including targeted and immune therapies, has improved the overall survival. However, a large number of these patients do not benefit from these treatments. Thus, the identification of suitable prognostic and predictive biomarkers, as well as the discovery of new therapeutic targets have emerged as a crucial clinical need. In this context, the extracellular matrix represents a suitable target for the development of such therapeutic tools. In fact, the extracellular matrix is composed by complex molecules able to interact with a plethora of receptors and growth factors, thus modulating the dynamic crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the role of the extracellular matrix in affecting squamous cell carcinoma growth and dissemination. Despite extracellular matrix is known to affect the development of many cancer types, only a restricted number of these molecules have been recognized to impact on squamous cell carcinoma progression. Thus, we consider that a thorough analysis of these molecules may be key to develop new potential therapeutic targets/biomarkers. Abstract Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) include a number of different types of tumors developing in the skin, in hollow organs, as well as the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) including the head and neck region and the esophagus which will be dealt with in this review. These tumors are often refractory to current therapeutic approaches with poor patient outcome. The most important prognostic determinant of SCC tumors is the presence of distant metastasis, significantly correlating with low patient survival rates. Rapidly emerging evidence indicate that the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and remodeling profoundly affect SSC metastatic dissemination. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the role of ECM and its remodeling enzymes in affecting the growth and dissemination of UADT SCC. Taken together, these published evidence suggest that a thorough analysis of the ECM composition in the UADT SCC microenvironment may help disclosing the mechanism of resistance to the treatments and help defining possible targets for clinical intervention.
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