The Roles of Stroma-Derived Chemokine in Different Stages of Cancer Metastases

Interplay Between Skeletal and Hematopoietic Cells in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment in Homeostasis and Aging

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

In this review, we discuss the most recent scientific advances on the reciprocal regulatory interactions between the skeletal and hematopoietic stem cell niche, focusing on immunomodulation and its interplay with the cell's mitochondrial function, and how this impacts osteoimmune health during aging and disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Osteoimmunology investigates interactions between cells that make up the skeletal stem cell niche and immune system. Much work has investigated the complexity of the bone marrow microenvironment with respect to the skeletal and hematopoietic stem cells that regulate skeletal formation and immune health respectively. It has now become clear that these cellular components cooperate to maintain homeostasis and that dysfunction in their interaction can lead to aging and disease. Having a deeper, mechanistic appreciation for osteoimmune regulation will lead to better research perspective and therapeutics with the potential to improve the aging process, skeletal and hematologic regeneration, and disease targeting.

Advance in the role of chemokines/chemokine receptors in carcinogenesis: Focus on pancreatic cancer

The chemokines/chemokine receptors pathway significantly influences cell migration, particularly in recruiting immune cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME), impacting tumor progression and treatment outcomes. Emerging research emphasizes the involvement of chemokines in drug resistance across various tumor therapies, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. This review focuses on the role of chemokines/chemokine receptors in pancreatic cancer (PC) development, highlighting their impact on TME remodeling, immunotherapy, and relevant signaling pathways. The unique immunosuppressive microenvironment formed by the interaction of tumor cells, stromal cells and immune cells plays an important role in the tumor proliferation, invasion, migration and therapeutic resistance. Chemokines/chemokine receptors, such as chemokine ligand (CCL) 2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL20, CCL21, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL4, CXCL5, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL12, CXCL13, CXCL14, CXCL16, CXCL17, and C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand (CX3CL)1, derived mainly from leukocyte cells, cancer-related fibroblasts (CAFs), pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), contribute to PC progression and treatment resistance. Chemokines recruit myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), regulatory T cells (Tregs), and M2 macrophages, inhibiting the anti-tumor activity of immune cells. Simultaneously, they enhance pathways like epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Akt serine/threonine kinase (AKT), extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1/2, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), etc., elevating the risk of PC metastasis and compromising the efficacy of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. Notably, the CCLx-CCR2 and CXCLx-CXCR2/4 axis emerge as potential therapeutic targets in PC. This review integrates recent findings on chemokines and receptors in PC treatment, offering valuable insights for innovative therapeutic approaches.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1ɑ as a potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma metastasis

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant tumor originating from mesenchymal tissue. Pulmonary metastasis is usually present upon initial diagnosis, and metastasis is the primary factor affecting the poor prognosis of patients with OS. Current research shows that the ability to regulate the cellular microenvironment is essential for preventing the distant metastasis of OS, and anoxic microenvironments are important features of solid tumors. During hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression levels and stability increase. Increased HIF-1α promotes tumor vascular remodeling, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and OS cells invasiveness; this leads to distant metastasis of OS cells. HIF-1α plays an essential role in the mechanisms of OS metastasis. In order to develop precise prognostic indicators and potential therapeutic targets for OS treatment, this review examines the molecular mechanisms of HIF-1α in the distant metastasis of OS cells; the signal transduction pathways mediated by HIF-1α are also discussed.

Mesenchymal ovarian cancer cells promote CD8+ T cell exhaustion through the LGALS3-LAG3 axis

Cancer cells often metastasize by undergoing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although abundance of CD8+ T-cells in the tumor microenvironment correlates with improved survival, mesenchymal cancer cells acquire greater resistance to antitumor immunity in some cancers. We hypothesized the EMT modulates the immune response to ovarian cancer. Here we show that cancer cells from infiltrated/inflamed tumors possess more mesenchymal cells, than excluded and desert tumors. We also noted high expression of LGALS3 is associated with EMT in vivo, a finding validated with in vitro EMT models. Dissecting the cellular communications among populations in the tumor revealed that mesenchymal cancer cells in infiltrated tumors communicate through LGALS3 to LAG3 receptor expressed by CD8+ T cells. We found CD8+ T cells express high levels of LAG3, a marker of T cell exhaustion. The results indicate that EMT in ovarian cancer cells promotes interactions between cancer cells and T cells through the LGALS3 - LAG3 axis, which could increase T cell exhaustion in infiltrated tumors, dampening antitumor immunity.

Secretory GFP reconstitution labeling of neighboring cells interrogates cell-cell interactions in metastatic niches

Cancer cells inevitably interact with neighboring host tissue-resident cells during the process of metastatic colonization, establishing a metastatic niche to fuel their survival, growth, and invasion. However, the underlying mechanisms in the metastatic niche are yet to be fully elucidated owing to the lack of methodologies for comprehensively studying the mechanisms of cell-cell interactions in the niche. Here, we improve a split green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based genetically encoded system to develop secretory glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored reconstitution-activated proteins to highlight intercellular connections (sGRAPHIC) for efficient fluorescent labeling of tissue-resident cells that neighbor on and putatively interact with cancer cells in deep tissues. The sGRAPHIC system enables the isolation of metastatic niche-associated tissue-resident cells for their characterization using a single-cell RNA sequencing platform. We use this sGRAPHIC-leveraged transcriptomic platform to uncover gene expression patterns in metastatic niche-associated hepatocytes in a murine model of liver metastasis. Among the marker genes of metastatic niche-associated hepatocytes, we identify Lgals3, encoding galectin-3, as a potential pro-metastatic factor that accelerates metastatic growth and invasion.

Curcumin Disrupts a Positive Feedback Loop between ADMSCs and Cancer Cells in the Breast Tumor Microenvironment via the CXCL12/CXCR4 Axis

Adipose tissue has a significant impact on breast cancer initiation and progression owing to its substantial proportion in the breast. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) are major players in the breast tumor microenvironment (TME) as they interact with cancer cells. The intricate interaction between ADMSCs and cancer cells not only drives the differentiation of ADMSCs into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) but also the metastasis of cancer cells, which is attributed to the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis. We investigated the effects of curcumin, a flavonoid known for CXCL12/CXCR4 axis inhibition, on breast TME by analyzing whether it can disrupt the ADMSC-cancer positive loop. Using MCF7 breast cancer cell-derived conditioned medium (MCF7-CM), we induced ADMSC transformation and verified that curcumin diminished the phenotypic change, inhibiting CAF marker expression. Additionally, curcumin suppressed the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis and its downstream signaling both in ADMSCs and MCF7 cells. The CM from ADMSCs, whose ADMSC-to-CAF transformation was repressed by the curcumin treatment, inhibited the positive feedback loop between ADMSCs and MCF7 as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MCF7. Our study showed that curcumin is a potent anti-cancer agent that can remodel the breast TME, thereby restricting the ADMSC-cancer positive feedback loop associated with the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis.

Fibroblasts as Turned Agents in Cancer Progression

Differentiated epithelial cells reside in the homeostatic microenvironment of the native organ stroma. The stroma supports their normal function, their G0 differentiated state, and their expansion/contraction through the various stages of the life cycle and physiologic functions of the host. When malignant transformation begins, the microenvironment tries to suppress and eliminate the transformed cells, while cancer cells, in turn, try to resist these suppressive efforts. The tumor microenvironment encompasses a large variety of cell types recruited by the tumor to perform different functions, among which fibroblasts are the most abundant. The dynamics of the mutual relationship change as the sides undertake an epic battle for control of the other. In the process, the cancer “wounds” the microenvironment through a variety of mechanisms and attracts distant mesenchymal stem cells to change their function from one attempting to suppress the cancer, to one that supports its growth, survival, and metastasis. Analogous reciprocal interactions occur as well between disseminated cancer cells and the metastatic microenvironment, where the microenvironment attempts to eliminate cancer cells or suppress their proliferation. However, the altered microenvironmental cells acquire novel characteristics that support malignant progression. Investigations have attempted to use these traits as targets of novel therapeutic approaches.

The Role of Different Immunocompetent Cell Populations in the Pathogenesis of Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Activity and Their Impact on Immunotherapy

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous groups of human neoplasms. HNSCC is characterized by high morbidity, accounting for 3% of all cancers, and high mortality with ~1.5% of all cancer deaths. It was the most common cancer worldwide in 2020, according to the latest GLOBOCAN data, representing the seventh most prevalent human malignancy. Despite great advances in surgical techniques and the application of modern combinations and cytotoxic therapies, HNSCC remains a leading cause of death worldwide with a low overall survival rate not exceeding 40-60% of the patient population. The most common causes of death in patients are its frequent nodal metastases and local neoplastic recurrences, as well as the relatively low response to treatment and severe drug resistance. Much evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment (TME), tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and circulating various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells, such regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs), cytotoxic CD3+CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and CD3+CD4+ T helper type 1/2/9/17 (Th1/Th2/Th9/Th17) lymphocytes, T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and CD56dim/CD16bright activated natural killer cells (NK), carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumour-associated neutrophils (N1/N2 TANs), as well as tumour-associated macrophages (M1/M2 phenotype TAMs) can affect initiation, progression and spread of HNSCC and determine the response to immunotherapy. Rapid advances in the field of immuno-oncology and the constantly growing knowledge of the immunosuppressive mechanisms and effects of tumour cancer have allowed for the use of effective and personalized immunotherapy as a first-line therapeutic procedure or an essential component of a combination therapy for primary, relapsed and metastatic HNSCC. This review presents the latest reports and molecular studies regarding the anti-tumour role of selected subpopulations of immunocompetent cells in the pathogenesis of HNSCC, including HPV+ve (HPV+) and HPV-ve (HPV-) tumours. The article focuses on the crucial regulatory mechanisms of pro- and anti-tumour activity, key genetic or epigenetic changes that favour tumour immune escape, and the strategies that the tumour employs to avoid recognition by immunocompetent cells, as well as resistance mechanisms to T and NK cell-based immunotherapy in HNSCC. The present review also provides an overview of the pre- and clinical early trials (I/II phase) and phase-III clinical trials published in this arena, which highlight the unprecedented effectiveness and limitations of immunotherapy in HNSCC, and the emerging issues facing the field of HNSCC immuno-oncology.

Increases prognostic value of clinical-pathological nomogram in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

This study was intended to construct a brand new prognostic nomogram after combine clinical and pathological characteristics to increases prognostic value in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

A total of 1,634 patients were included. Subsequently, the tumor tissues of all patients were prepared into tissue microarrays. AIPATHWELL software was employed to explore tissue microarrays and calculate the tumor-stroma ratio. X-tile was adopted to find the optimal cut-off value. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to screen out remarkable characteristics for constructing the nomogram in the total populations. A novel prognostic nomogram with clinical and pathological characteristics was constructed on the basis of the training cohort (n=1,144). What's more performance was validated in the validation cohort (n=490). Clinical-pathological nomogram were assessed by concordance index, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic, calibration curve and decision curve analysis.

Results

The patients can divide into two groups with cut-off value of 69.78 for the tumor-stroma ratio. It is noteworthy that the survival difference was noticeable (P<0.001). A clinical-pathological nomogram was constructed by combining clinical and pathological characteristics to predict the overall survival. In comparison with TNM stage, the concordance index and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic of the clinical-pathological nomogram showed better predictive value (P<0.001). High quality of calibration plots in overall survival was noticed. As demonstrated by the decision curve analysis, the nomogram has better value than the TNM stage.

Conclusions

As evidently revealed by the research findings, tumor-stroma ratio is an independent prognostic factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The clinical-pathological nomogram has an incremental value compared TNM stage in predicting overall survival.

The role and regulation of Maf proteins in cancer

The Maf proteins (Mafs) belong to basic leucine zipper transcription factors and are members of the activator protein-1 (AP-1) superfamily. There are two subgroups of Mafs: large Mafs and small Mafs, which are involved in a wide range of biological processes, such as the cell cycle, proliferation, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Therefore, dysregulation of Mafs can affect cell fate and is closely associated with diverse diseases. Accumulating evidence has established both large and small Mafs as mediators of tumor development. In this review, we first briefly describe the structure and physiological functions of Mafs. Then we summarize the upstream regulatory mechanisms that control the expression and activity of Mafs. Furthermore, we discuss recent studies on the critical role of Mafs in cancer progression, including cancer proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, tumor/stroma interaction and angiogenesis. We also review the clinical implications of Mafs, namely their potential possibilities and limitations as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer.

CCR3 blockage elicits polyploidization associated with the signatures of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in carcinoma cell lines

Malignant features such as the acquisition of metastatic ability, stemness of cells, and therapeutic resistance of cancer cells are associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) accompanied by changes in motility and morphology. Recent reports implicated that the formation of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) in human malignancy correlated with the EMT processes. Chemokines are often involved in the regulation of cancer cell migration into tissues, and various types of human cancers exhibit enhanced expression of chemokine receptors, which could augment intrinsic potentials such as invasive activity, proliferating ability, and survival capacity in cancer cells. Nevertheless, the contribution of CCR3 in malignant cancer cells is controversial because it is a well-known primal receptor for the migration of eosinophils, one of the cells of the innate immune system. Here, we explored the blockage of chemokine receptor CCR3 in carcinoma cell lines and found that inhibition of CCR3 induced the formation of polyploid giant cells and stabilization of β-catenin via the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway, which are processes associated with EMT. As a result of CCR3 inhibition, converted cells acquired enhanced mobile and proliferation abilities. In summary, these data indicate that modulation of the CCR3/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway regulates polyploidization associated with the EMT processes.

Prognostic biomarker MCP-4 triggers epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the p38 MAPK pathway in ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-4 (MCP-4/CCL13) is a proinflammatory factor that is overexpressed in various malignant tumors and may play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. However, its role and mechanism of action in ovarian cancer remains unknown.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect the expression of MCP-4 in ovarian cancer tissues, and the effect of MCP-4 on patient survival and prognosis was analyzed. Overexpression and suppression of MCP-4 in ovarian cancer cell lines were then established, and their effects on cell invasion, migration, and apoptosis were studied. ES-2 cell lines were employed to establish a peritoneal dissemination model in nude mice. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway.

RESULTS

MCP-4 was highly expressed in ovarian cancer tissues and its expression level was related to the prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer. MCP-4 overexpression promoted the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells but inhibited apoptosis. MCP-4 overexpression increased the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin, vimentin and Bcl2/Bax and decreased the expression of E-cadherin. MCP-4 overexpression increased the phosphorylation of the p38 MAPK pathway. The inhibition of MCP-4 expression indicated an opposite trend. In vivo experiments have also confirmed that MCP-4 overexpression can promote metastasis of ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSION

MCP-4 promotes ovarian cancer progression through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, and may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

CPNE8 Promotes Gastric Cancer Metastasis by Modulating Focal Adhesion Pathway and Tumor Microenvironment

Little is known about the oncogenic role or biological function of copine Ⅷ (CPNE8) in gastric cancer (GC). Based on TCGA database, we screened for CPNE8 and analyzed the expression of CPNE8 in GC. The correlations between CPNE8 and clinical features were analyzed using TCGA and GEO databases. The prognostic value of CPNE8 was assessed using Cox analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves. The results showed that increased expression of CPNE8 was positively correlated with metastasis and can be considered an independent prognostic risk factor for poor survival. We found that CPNE8 can promote cell proliferation, migration, and invasiveness in GC using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Our study demonstrated that CPNE8 promotes tumor progression via regulation of focal adhesion, and these effects can be rescued by focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor GSK2256098 or knockdown of FAK. In addition, CPNE8 was correlated significantly with the infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells, as demonstrated by various algorithms, and high CPNE8 expression predicted poor efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy. Our findings suggest that CPNE8 modulates focal adhesion and tumor microenvironment to promote GC progression and invasiveness and could serve as a novel prognostic biomarker in GC.

Development and Characterization of 3D Hybrid Spheroids for the Investigation of the Crosstalk Between B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas and Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Purpose

B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) are the most common lymphoproliferative malignancy. Despite targeted therapies, the bone marrow involvement remains a challenge in treating aggressive B-NHLs, partly due to the protective interactions of lymphoma cells with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, data elucidating the relationship between MSCs and B-NHLs are limited and inconclusive due to the lack of reproducible in vitro three-dimensional (3D) models. Here, we developed and described a size-controlled and stable 3D hybrid spheroids of Ri-1 (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, DLBCL) and RAJI (Burkitt lymphoma, BL) cells with HS-5 fibroblasts to facilitate research on the crosstalk between B-NHL cells and MSCs.

Materials and Methods

We applied the commercially available agarose hydrogel microwells for a fast, low-cost, and reproducible hybrid lymphoma/stromal spheroids formation. Standard histological automated procedures were used for formalin fixation and paraffin embedding (FFPE) of 3D models to produce good quality slides for histopathology and immunohistochemical staining. Next, we tested the effect of the anti-cancer drugs: doxorubicin (DOX) and ibrutinib (IBR) on mono-cultured and co-cultured B-NHLs with the use of alamarBlue and live/dead cell fluorescence based assays to confirm their relevancy for drug testing studies.

Results

We optimized the conditions for B-NHLs spheroid formation in both: a cell line-specific and application-specific manner. Lymphoma cells aggregate into stable spheroids when co-cultured with stromal cells, of which internal architecture was driven by self-organization. Furthermore, we revealed that co-culturing of lymphoma cells with stromal cells significantly reduced IBR-induced apoptosis compared to the 3D mono-culture.

Conclusion

This article provides details for generating 3D B-NHL spheroids for the studies on the lymphoma- stromal cells. This approach makes it suitable to assess in a relevant in vitro model the activity of new therapeutic agents in B-NHLs.

Exposure to Low Doses of Oxybenzone During Perinatal Development Alters Mammary Gland Stroma in Female Mice

Mammary stroma is a prominent modulator of epithelial development, and a complex set of interactions between these tissue compartments is essential for normal development, which can be either permissive or restrictive in tumor initiation and progression. During perinatal development, exposures of mice to oxybenzone, a common UV filter, environmental pollutant and endocrine disruptor, induce alterations in mammary epithelium. Our prior research indicates that oxybenzone alters mammary epithelial structures at puberty and in adulthood. We had also previously observed changes in the expression of hormone receptors at puberty (e.g., oxybenzone induced a decrease in the number of epithelial cells positive for progesterone receptor) and in adulthood (e.g., oxybenzone induced a decrease in the number of estrogen receptor-positive epithelial cells), and increased body weight in adulthood. Here, we investigated mammary stromal changes in BALB/c animals exposed during gestation and perinatal development to 0, 30, or 3000 μg oxybenzone/kg/day. In mice exposed to 30 μg/kg/day, we observed morphological changes in adulthood (e.g., a thicker periductal stroma and adipocytes that were considerably larger). We also observed an increased number of mast cells in the mammary stroma at puberty which may represent a transient influence of oxybenzone exposure. These results provide additional evidence that even low doses of oxybenzone can disrupt hormone sensitive outcomes in the mammary gland when exposures occur during critical windows of development, and some of these effects manifest in later life.

Role of Serine Proteases at the Tumor-Stroma Interface

During tumor development, invasion and metastasis, the intimate interaction between tumor and stroma shapes the tumor microenvironment and dictates the fate of tumor cells. Stromal cells can also influence anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern this complex and dynamic interplay, thus is important for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Proteolytic enzymes that are expressed and secreted by both cancer and stromal cells play important roles in modulating tumor-stromal interaction. Among, several serine proteases such as fibroblast activation protein, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, kallikrein-related peptidases, and granzymes have attracted great attention owing to their elevated expression and dysregulated activity in the tumor microenvironment. This review highlights the role of serine proteases that are mainly derived from stromal cells in tumor progression and associated theranostic applications.

Interleukin-8 in Melanoma Pathogenesis, Prognosis and Therapy-An Integrated View into Other Neoplasms and Chemokine Networks

Cutaneous melanoma accounts for only about 7% of skin cancers but is causing almost 90% of deaths. Melanoma cells have a distinct repertoire of mutations from other cancers, a high plasticity and degree of mimicry toward vascular phenotype, stemness markers, versatility in evading and suppress host immune control. They exert a significant influence on immune, endothelial and various stromal cells which form tumor microenvironment. The metastatic stage, the leading cause of mortality in this neoplasm, is the outcome of a complex, still poorly understood, cross-talk between tumor and other cell phenotypes. There is accumulating evidence that Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is emblematic for advanced melanomas. This work aimed to present an updated status of IL-8 in melanoma tumor cellular complexity, through a comprehensive analysis including data from other chemokines and neoplasms. The multiple processes and mechanisms surveyed here demonstrate that IL-8 operates following orchestrated programs within signaling webs in melanoma, stromal and vascular cells. Importantly, the yet unknown molecularity regulating IL-8 impact on cells of the immune system could be exploited to overturn tumor fate. The molecular and cellular targets of IL-8 should be brought into the attention of even more intense scientific exploration and valorization in the therapeutical management of melanoma.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist inhibits matastatic potential by down-regulating CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the co-operative role of CXCR4/CXCL12 axis and IL-1Ra in metastatic processes mechanism by interactions between colorectal cancer cells and stromal cells in their microenvironment.

METHODS

Expression of IL-1α, interleukin-1 receptor type I (IL-1 RI), CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNA and proteins were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. The effect of secreted level of CXCL12 by IL-1Ra on fibroblasts was measured by ELISA. CXCL12 regulate metastatic potential of colorectal cancer was evaluated by proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis assays, respectively, in which invasion and angiogenesis assays used an in vitro system consisting of co-cultured colorectal cells and stromal cells.

RESULTS

IL-1α was expressed in high liver metastatic colorectal cancer cell lines (HT-29 and WiDr). The colorectal cancer cell-derived IL-1α and rIL-1α significantly promoted CXCL12 expression by fibroblasts, and this enhancing effect can be significantly inhibited by IL-1Ra (P < 0.01). CXCL12 not only enhanced the migration and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but also significantly enhanced angiogenesis (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the high liver-metastatic colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29), which secretes IL-1α, significantly enhanced angiogenesis compared to the low liver-metastatic cell line (CaCo-2), which does not produce IL-1α (P < 0.01). On the contrary, IL-1Ra can significantly inhibit migration, proliferation and angiogenesis (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Autocrine IL-1α and paracrine CXCL12 co-enhances the metastatic potential of colorectal cancer cells; IL-1Ra can inhibit the metastatic potential of colorectal cancer cells via decrease IL-1α/CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling pathways. Video Abstract.

Liposome-encapsulated anthraquinone improves efficacy and safety in triple negative breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and a leading cause of death worldwide. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype which is the most challenging to treat. Due to heterogeneity and a lack of specific molecular targets, small molecule-based chemotherapy is the preferred course of treatment. However, these drugs have high toxicity due to off-target effects on healthy tissues, and tumors may develop resistance. Here, we present a polyethylene glycol-modified nanoscale liposomal formulation (LipoRV) of a new anthraquinone derivative which has potent effects on multiple TNBC cell lines. LipoRV readily inhibited the cell cycle, induced cell apoptosis, and reduced long-term proliferative potential of TNBC cells. In a xenograft animal model, LipoRV successfully cleared tumors and demonstrated a good safety profile, without detrimental effects on biochemical markers. Finally, RNA sequencing of LipoRV-treated TNBC cells was carried out, indicating that LipoRV may have immunomodulatory properties. These findings demonstrate that a liposomal anthraquinone-based molecule has excellent promise for TNBC therapy in the future.

SMOX expression predicts the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer

Background

The development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is very rapid, and the effect of its treatment is often closely related to the diagnosis time of the disease. Therefore, simple and convenient tumor biomarkers are helpful for the timely diagnosis and prevention of NSCLC.

Methods

Through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, SMOX was determined as an independent prognostic factor of GSE42127, GSE41271, GSE68465, and TCGA datasets. Furthermore, western blot, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to confirm the predictive efficiency of SMOX expression in NSCLC.

Results

Patients were divided into high and low expression groups according to the median value of SMOX expression, and Kaplan-Meier curves of multiple datasets indicated that patients with low SMOX expression had a better survival rate. According to the analysis of immune infiltration, the immune microenvironment, and immune checkpoints, SMOX expression of the high and low groups showed differences in immunity in NSCLC. By comparing cancer and adjacent tissues using western blot analysis, RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis, we found that SMOX was highly expressed in tumor tissues and had low expression in adjacent tissues. Simultaneously, the Kaplan-Meier curve suggested that among the 155 NSCLC patients, those with low SMOX expression had better survival.

Conclusions

SMOX can be used as an effective predictive target for NSCLC.

The Use of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles to Reprogram Macrophage Responses and the Immunological Tumor Microenvironment

The synthesis and functionalization of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) is versatile, which has enhanced the interest in studying them as theranostic agents over recent years. As IONPs begin to be used for different biomedical applications, it is important to know how they affect the immune system and its different cell types, especially their interaction with the macrophages that are involved in their clearance. How immune cells respond to therapeutic interventions can condition the systemic and local tissue response, and hence, the final therapeutic outcome. Thus, it is fundamental to understand the effects that IONPs have on the immune response, especially in cancer immunotherapy. The biological effects of IONPs may be the result of intrinsic features of their iron oxide core, inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulating intracellular redox and iron metabolism. Alternatively, their effects are driven by the nanoparticle coating, for example, through cell membrane receptor engagement. Indeed, exploiting these properties of IONPs could lead to the development of innovative therapies. In this review, after a presentation of the elements that make up the tumor immunological microenvironment, we will review and discuss what is currently known about the immunomodulatory mechanisms triggered by IONPs, mainly focusing on macrophage polarization and reprogramming. Consequently, we will discuss the implications of these findings in the context of plausible therapeutic scenarios for cancer immunotherapy.

Targeting Peritumoral Lesions Identified by Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Feline Injection-Site Sarcomas for Microscopic Examination

Peritumoral lesions identified during in vivo imaging of feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS) are frequently interpreted as neoplastic. We recently showed that most peritumoral imaging-identified lesions (PTIILs) in FISS are non-neoplastic. In this article, we describe a protocol to target PTIIL for microscopic examination and report on the protocol's performance. Ten client-owned cats with FISS were prospectively enrolled. A fiducial marker sutured onto the skin, centered on the palpable mass, served as reference point throughout the study. Each FISS and surrounding tissue was imaged in vivo by dual phase computed tomography angiography and multiple magnetic resonance imaging pulse sequences and each PTIIL documented. Subgross measurements obtained during trimming aided localization and identification of PTIIL during microscopy. Histologic findings were categorized by descending clinical relevance: neoplastic, equivocal, non-neoplastic, within normal limits (WNL). Based on in vivo imaging resolution limits, histologic findings were ≥3 mm in at least one dimension and ≥3 mm apart. Surgical margins served as control tissue for PTIILs. Eighty-one of 87 PTIIL were examined histologically; 13 were neoplastic, 16 equivocal, and 28 non-neoplastic; 24 had no identified histologic correlate. Two neoplastic and 10 equivocal findings were located outside of PTIILs but none of them were located in sections of surgical margins. Computation of a simple confusion matrix yielded fair sensitivity (70.4%) and low specificity (59.7%) for prediction of PTIIL by histologic findings. After combining instances of normal microanatomy with non-neoplastic histologic findings, specificity increased (85.1%) and sensitivity decreased (35.8%). The protocol is a blueprint for targeting PTIIL for microscopic examination but may benefit from further refinement.