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Tapia-Rojas S, García-Paitán M, Rosario-Chavarri JD, Santiani A, Alvarez-Vega S, Amiel-Pérez J, Mayanga-Herrera A. Medicinal plant extracts interfere in gastric cancer stem cells fluorescence-based assays. Saudi J Biol Sci 2024; 31:104000. [PMID: 38706720 PMCID: PMC11066463 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2024.104000] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence is used in various biological assays due to its high sensitivity, versatility, and precision. In recent years, studies using medicinal plant extracts have increased. However, fluorescence-based assays could be biased by plant metabolites autofluorescence. To address this issue, this study investigated the interference caused by methanolic extracts and chloroform fractions of three medicinal plants in three fluorescence-based assays on gastric cancer stem cells(CSC): resazurin reduction, confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry. CSC were isolated based on CD44 surface marker, incubated with methanolic extracts and chloroform fractions of Buddleja incana, Dracontium spruceanum, Piper aduncum. Resazurin assay evidenced that CSC exposed to extracts and fractions from the three plants showed significant differences in relative fluorescence units (RFU) levels (p < 0.001) compared to the unexposed groups after a 3-hour incubation. In addition, DMSO-treated CSC exposed to extracts and fractions had significantly lower fluorescence levels than living ones, but higher than extracts and fractions without cells. In confocal microscopy, cancer stem cells exposed to extracts and fractions of B. incana and P. aduncum were observed in the same emission spectra of the CSC markers. In flow cytometry, CSC exposed to extracts and fractions without any fluorescent dyes were detected in the double positive quadrants for CSC markers (CD44+/CD133 + ). Among the three plants, D. spruceanum exhibited the least interference. These results show that methanolic extracts and chloroform fractions contain autofluorescent metabolites that interfere with fluorescence-based assays. These results highlight the importance of a prior evaluation for possible fluorescence interference to avoid interpretation biases in fluorescence assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salyoc Tapia-Rojas
- Cell Culture and Immunology Lab, Universidad Científica del Sur, Antigua Panamericana Sur km 19, Lima, 15067, Perú
| | | | - Jorge Del Rosario-Chavarri
- Plant Biology System Lab, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Libertador Bernardo O’higgins AV. 340, Santiago, 8331150, Chile
| | - Alexei Santiani
- Animal Reproduction Lab, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Circunvalación Av 28, San Borja, Lima, 15021, Perú
| | - Santiago Alvarez-Vega
- Cell Culture and Immunology Lab, Universidad Científica del Sur, Antigua Panamericana Sur km 19, Lima, 15067, Perú
| | - José Amiel-Pérez
- Cell Culture and Immunology Lab, Universidad Científica del Sur, Antigua Panamericana Sur km 19, Lima, 15067, Perú
| | - Ana Mayanga-Herrera
- Cell Culture and Immunology Lab, Universidad Científica del Sur, Antigua Panamericana Sur km 19, Lima, 15067, Perú
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Chen ZW, Dong ZB, Xiang HT, Chen SS, Yu WM, Liang C. Helicobacter pylori CagA protein induces gastric cancer stem cell-like properties through the Akt/FOXO3a axis. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30527. [PMID: 38332574 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30527] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection poses a substantial risk for the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. The primary mechanism through which H. pylori exerts its bacterial virulence is the cytotoxin CagA. This cytotoxin has the potential to induce inter-epithelial mesenchymal transition, proliferation, metastasis, and the acquisition of stem cell-like properties in gastric cancer (GC) cells infected with CagA-positive H. pylori. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a distinct population of cells capable of self-renewal and generating heterogeneous tumor cells. Despite evidence showing that CagA can induce CSCs-like characteristics in GC cells, the precise mechanism through which CagA triggers the development of GC stem cells (GCSCs) remains uncertain. This study reveals that CagA-positive GC cells infected with H. pylori exhibit CSCs-like properties, such as heightened expression of CD44, a specific surface marker for CSCs, and increased ability to form tumor spheroids. Furthermore, we have observed that H. pylori activates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in a CagA-dependent manner, and our findings suggest that this activation is associated with the CSCs-like characteristics induced by H. pylori. The cytotoxin CagA, which is released during H. pylori infection, triggers the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in a CagA-dependent manner. Additionally, CagA inhibits the transcription of FOXO3a and relocates it from the nucleus to the cytoplasm by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. Furthermore, the regulatory function of the Akt/FOXO3a axis in the transformation of GC cells into a stemness state was successfully demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Wei Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhe-Bin Dong
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Han-Ting Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Sang-Sang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Wei-Ming Yu
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Chao Liang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Moradi L, Tajik F, Saeednejad Zanjani L, Panahi M, Gheytanchi E, Biabanaki ZS, Kazemi-Sefat GE, Hashemi F, Dehghan Manshadi M, Madjd Z. Clinical significance of CD166 and HER-2 in different types of gastric cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:664-681. [PMID: 37537510 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03297-0] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cluster of differentiation 166 (CD166), a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) are expressed in a diversity of malignancies and is associated with tumor progression. Although studies regarding the importance of CSC markers and HER-2 in gastric cancer (GC) have rapidly developed, their clinicopathological, prognosis, and diagnosis value still remain unsatisfying in GC. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the clinical, prognostic, and diagnostic significance of CD166 and HER-2 in different histological types of GC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bioinformatic analysis was applied to determine the clinical importance of CD166 and HER-2 expression based on their tissue localization in primary GC tumors and the normal adjacent samples. The expression patterns, clinical significance, prognosis, and diagnosis value of CD166 and HER-2 proteins in tissue microarrays (TMAs) of 206 GC samples, including Signet Ring Cell (SRC) and intestinal types and also 28 adjacent normal tissues were evaluated using immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS The results indicated that the expression of CD166 (membranous and cytoplasmic) and HER-2 were significantly up-regulated in tumor cells compared to adjacent normal tissues (P = 0.010, P < 0.001, and P = 0.011, respectively). A statistically significant association was detected between a high level of membranous expression of CD166 and lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.006); We also observed a statistically significant association between high cytoplasmic expression of CD166 protein and more invasion of the subserosa (P = 0.040) in the SRC type. In contrast, there was no correlation between the expression of HER-2 and clinicopathologic characteristics. Both CD166 and HER-2 showed reasonable accuracy and high specificity as diagnostic markers. CONCLUSION Our results confirmed that increased membranous and cytoplasmic expression of CD166 showed clinical significance in the SRC type and is associated with the progression of the disease and more aggressive tumor behaviors. These findings can be used to assist in designating subgroups of patients that require different follow-up strategies, and also, they might be utilized as the prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers in these types of GC for prospective clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Moradi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Tajik
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leili Saeednejad Zanjani
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mahshid Panahi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elmira Gheytanchi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Sadat Biabanaki
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Golnaz Ensieh Kazemi-Sefat
- Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farideh Hashemi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Dehghan Manshadi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Zhao H, Jiang R, Zhang C, Feng Z, Wang X. The regulatory role of cancer stem cell marker gene CXCR4 in the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023; 7:86. [PMID: 37679408 PMCID: PMC10484911 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-023-00436-2] [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: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing (bulk RNA-seq) are increasingly used for screening genes involved in carcinogenesis due to their capacity for dissecting cellular heterogeneity. This study aims to reveal the molecular mechanism of the cancer stem cells (CSCs) marker gene CXCR4 in gastric cancer (GC) growth and metastasis through scRNA-seq combined with bulk RNA-seq. GC-related scRNA-seq data were downloaded from the GEO database, followed by UMAP cluster analysis. Non-malignant cells were excluded by the K-means algorithm. Bulk RNA-seq data and clinical sample information were downloaded from the UCSC Xena database. GO and KEGG pathway analyses validated the correlation between genes and pathways. In vitro and in vivo functional assays were used to examine the effect of perturbed CXCR4 on malignant phenotypes, tumorigenesis, and liver metastasis. A large number of highly variable genes were identified in GC tissue samples. The top 20 principal components were selected, and the cells were clustered into 6 cell types. The C4 cell cluster from malignant epithelial cells might be CSCs. CXCR4 was singled out as a marker gene of CSCs. GC patients with high CXCR4 expression had poor survival. Knockdown of CXCR4 inhibited the malignant phenotypes of CSCs in vitro and curtailed tumorigenesis and liver metastasis in nude mice. CSC marker gene CXCR4 may be a key gene facilitating malignant phenotypes of CSCs, which thus promotes tumor growth and liver metastasis of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou City Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou Third People's Hospital, Xuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Xuzhou, 221000, PR China.
| | - Rongke Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou City Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou Third People's Hospital, Xuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Xuzhou, 221000, PR China
| | | | | | - Xue Wang
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou City Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou Third People's Hospital, Xuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Xuzhou, 221000, PR China
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Yang Y, Meng WJ, Wang ZQ. The origin of gastric cancer stem cells and their effects on gastric cancer: Novel therapeutic targets for gastric cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:960539. [PMID: 36185219 PMCID: PMC9520244 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.960539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies and the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Furthermore, the prognosis of advanced GC remains poor even after surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy. As a small group of cells with unlimited differentiation and self-renewal ability in GC, accumulating evidence shows that GC stem cells (GCSCs) are closely associated with the refractory characteristics of GC, such as drug resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. With the extensive development of research on GCSCs, GCSCs seem to be promising therapeutic targets for GC. However, the relationship between GCSCs and GC is profound and intricate, and its mechanism of action is still under exploration. In this review, we elaborate on the source and key concepts of GCSCs, systematically summarize the role of GCSCs in GC and their underlying mechanisms. Finally, we review the latest information available on the treatment of GC by targeting GCSCs. Thus, this article may provide a theoretical basis for the future development of the novel targets based on GCSCs for the treatment of GC.
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