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Roumeliotou A, Strati A, Chamchougia F, Xagara A, Tserpeli V, Smilkou S, Lagopodi E, Christopoulou A, Kontopodis E, Drositis I, Androulakis N, Georgoulias V, Koinis F, Kotsakis A, Lianidou E, Kallergi G. Comprehensive Analysis of CXCR4, JUNB, and PD-L1 Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) from Prostate Cancer Patients. Cells 2024; 13:782. [PMID: 38727318 PMCID: PMC11083423 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090782] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
CXCR4, JUNB and PD-L1 are implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. The current study investigated these biomarkers in CTCs isolated from metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) patients at the RNA and protein levels. CTCs were isolated from 48 mPCa patients using the Ficoll density gradient and ISET system (17 out of 48). The (CK/PD-L1/CD45) and (CK/CXCR4/JUNB) phenotypes were identified using two triple immunofluorescence stainings followed by VyCAP platform analysis. Molecular analysis was conducted with an EpCAM-dependent method for 25/48 patients. CK-8, CK-18, CK-19, JUNB, CXCR4, PD-L1, and B2M (reference gene) were analyzed with RT-qPCR. The (CK+/PD-L1+/CD45-) and the (CK+/CXCR4+/JUNB+) were the most frequent phenotypes (61.1% and 62.5%, respectively). Furthermore, the (CK+/CXCR4+/JUNB-) phenotype was correlated with poorer progression-free survival [(PFS), HR: 2.5, p = 0.049], while the (CK+/PD-L1+/CD45-) phenotype was linked to decreased overall survival [(OS), HR: 262.7, p = 0.007]. Molecular analysis revealed that 76.0% of the samples were positive for CK-8,18, and 19, while 28.0% were positive for JUNB, 44.0% for CXCR4, and 48.0% for PD-L1. Conclusively, CXCR4, JUNB, and PD-L1 were highly expressed in CTCs from mPCa patients. The CXCR4 protein expression was associated with poorer PFS, while PD-L1 was correlated with decreased OS, providing new biomarkers with potential clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Argyro Roumeliotou
- Laboratory of Biochemistry/Metastatic Signaling, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (A.R.); (F.C.)
| | - Areti Strati
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.S.); (V.T.); (S.S.); (E.L.); (E.L.)
| | - Foteini Chamchougia
- Laboratory of Biochemistry/Metastatic Signaling, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (A.R.); (F.C.)
| | - Anastasia Xagara
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece; (A.X.); (F.K.); (A.K.)
- Hellenic Oncology Research Group, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Victoria Tserpeli
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.S.); (V.T.); (S.S.); (E.L.); (E.L.)
| | - Stavroula Smilkou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.S.); (V.T.); (S.S.); (E.L.); (E.L.)
| | - Elina Lagopodi
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.S.); (V.T.); (S.S.); (E.L.); (E.L.)
| | | | - Emmanouil Kontopodis
- Department of Oncology, Venizeleion General Hospital of Heraklion, 71409 Heraklion, Greece; (E.K.); (I.D.); (N.A.)
| | - Ioannis Drositis
- Department of Oncology, Venizeleion General Hospital of Heraklion, 71409 Heraklion, Greece; (E.K.); (I.D.); (N.A.)
| | - Nikolaos Androulakis
- Department of Oncology, Venizeleion General Hospital of Heraklion, 71409 Heraklion, Greece; (E.K.); (I.D.); (N.A.)
| | - Vassilis Georgoulias
- Hellenic Oncology Research Group, 11526 Athens, Greece;
- First Department of Medical Oncology, Metropolitan General Hospital, 15562 Athens, Greece
| | - Filippos Koinis
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece; (A.X.); (F.K.); (A.K.)
- Hellenic Oncology Research Group, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Athanasios Kotsakis
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece; (A.X.); (F.K.); (A.K.)
- Hellenic Oncology Research Group, 11526 Athens, Greece;
| | - Evi Lianidou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.S.); (V.T.); (S.S.); (E.L.); (E.L.)
| | - Galatea Kallergi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry/Metastatic Signaling, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (A.R.); (F.C.)
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Spagnolo CC, Pepe F, Ciappina G, Nucera F, Ruggeri P, Squeri A, Speranza D, Silvestris N, Malapelle U, Santarpia M. Circulating biomarkers as predictors of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC: Are we on the right path? Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 197:104332. [PMID: 38580184 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints inhibitors (ICIs) have markedly improved the therapeutic management of advanced NSCLC and, more recently, they have demonstrated efficacy also in the early-stage disease. Despite better survival outcomes with ICIs compared to standard chemotherapy, a large proportion of patients can derive limited clinical benefit from these agents. So far, few predictive biomarkers, including the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have been introduced in clinical practice. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel biomarkers to select patients for immunotherapy, to improve efficacy and avoid unnecessary toxicity. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in antitumor immunity and advances in the field of liquid biopsy have led to the identification of a wide range of circulating biomarkers that could potentially predict response to immunotherapy. Herein, we provide an updated overview of these circulating biomarkers, focusing on emerging data from clinical studies and describing modern technologies used for their detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calogera Claudia Spagnolo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Francesco Pepe
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Giuliana Ciappina
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Francesco Nucera
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Paolo Ruggeri
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dentistry and Morphological and Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Andrea Squeri
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Desirèe Speranza
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy
| | - Umberto Malapelle
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Mariacarmela Santarpia
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Messina 98122, Italy.
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