1
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Bell ATF, Mitchell JT, Kiemen AL, Lyman M, Fujikura K, Lee JW, Coyne E, Shin SM, Nagaraj S, Deshpande A, Wu PH, Sidiropoulos DN, Erbe R, Stern J, Chan R, Williams S, Chell JM, Ciotti L, Zimmerman JW, Wirtz D, Ho WJ, Zaidi N, Thompson E, Jaffee EM, Wood LD, Fertig EJ, Kagohara LT. PanIN and CAF transitions in pancreatic carcinogenesis revealed with spatial data integration. Cell Syst 2024; 15:753-769.e5. [PMID: 39116880 PMCID: PMC11409191 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.07.001] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
This study introduces a new imaging, spatial transcriptomics (ST), and single-cell RNA-sequencing integration pipeline to characterize neoplastic cell state transitions during tumorigenesis. We applied a semi-supervised analysis pipeline to examine premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs) that can develop into pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Their strict diagnosis on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples limited the single-cell characterization of human PanINs within their microenvironment. We leverage whole transcriptome FFPE ST to enable the study of a rare cohort of matched low-grade (LG) and high-grade (HG) PanIN lesions to track progression and map cellular phenotypes relative to single-cell PDAC datasets. We demonstrate that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), including antigen-presenting CAFs, are located close to PanINs. We further observed a transition from CAF-related inflammatory signaling to cellular proliferation during PanIN progression. We validate these findings with single-cell high-dimensional imaging proteomics and transcriptomics technologies. Altogether, our semi-supervised learning framework for spatial multi-omics has broad applicability across cancer types to decipher the spatiotemporal dynamics of carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T F Bell
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacob T Mitchell
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ashley L Kiemen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melissa Lyman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kohei Fujikura
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jae W Lee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Erin Coyne
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah M Shin
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sushma Nagaraj
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Atul Deshpande
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pei-Hsun Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dimitrios N Sidiropoulos
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rossin Erbe
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Lauren Ciotti
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacquelyn W Zimmerman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Denis Wirtz
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Won Jin Ho
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Neeha Zaidi
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Thompson
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Jaffee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laura D Wood
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elana J Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Luciane T Kagohara
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Skip Viragh Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Melones-Herrero J, Alcalá S, Ruiz-Cañas L, Benítez-Buelga C, Batres-Ramos S, Calés C, Lorenzo O, Perona R, Quiroga AG, Sainz B, Sánchez-Pérez I. Platinum iodido drugs show potential anti-tumor activity, affecting cancer cell metabolism and inducing ROS and senescence in gastrointestinal cancer cells. Commun Biol 2024; 7:353. [PMID: 38519773 PMCID: PMC10959927 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06052-5] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has associated clinical disadvantages, such as high toxicity and resistance. Thus, the development of new antitumor metallodrugs able to overcome different clinical barriers is a public healthcare priority. Here, we studied the mechanism of action of the isomers trans and cis-[PtI2(isopropylamine)2] (I5 and I6, respectively) against gastrointestinal cancer cells. We demonstrate that I5 and I6 modulate mitochondrial metabolism, decreasing OXPHOS activity and negatively affecting ATP-linked oxygen consumption rate. Consequently, I5 and I6 generated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), provoking oxidative damage and eventually the induction of senescence. Thus, herein we propose a loop with three interconnected processes modulated by these iodido agents: (i) mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic disruptions; (ii) ROS generation and oxidative damage; and (iii) cellular senescence. Functionally, I5 reduces cancer cell clonogenicity and tumor growth in a pancreatic xenograft model without systemic toxicity, highlighting a potential anticancer complex that warrants additional pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Melones-Herrero
- Department of Biochemistry. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BioPAC) Group. Area 3 Cancer -Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Alcalá
- Department of Biochemistry. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BioPAC) Group. Area 3 Cancer -Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Ruiz-Cañas
- Department of Biochemistry. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BioPAC) Group. Area 3 Cancer -Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Benítez-Buelga
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Batres-Ramos
- Department of Biochemistry. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BioPAC) Group. Area 3 Cancer -Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmela Calés
- Department of Biochemistry. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Lorenzo
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Vascular Pathology, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias-Fundación Jimenez Díaz, CIBERDEM, UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario Perona
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Rare Diseases, CIBERER, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adoración G Quiroga
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, School of Sciences, IAdChem, UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BioPAC) Group. Area 3 Cancer -Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Isabel Sánchez-Pérez
- Department of Biochemistry. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Sols-Morreale" IIBM-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BioPAC) Group. Area 3 Cancer -Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Rare Diseases, CIBERER, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
- Unidad Asociada de Biomedicina UCLM-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
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Zheng C, Wang J, Wang J, Zhang Q, Liang T. Cell of Origin of Pancreatic cancer: Novel Findings and Current Understanding. Pancreas 2024; 53:e288-e297. [PMID: 38277420 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000002301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stands as one of the most lethal diseases globally, boasting a grim 5-year survival prognosis. The origin cell and the molecular signaling pathways that drive PDAC progression are not entirely understood. This review comprehensively outlines the categorization of PDAC and its precursor lesions, expounds on the creation and utility of genetically engineered mouse models used in PDAC research, compiles a roster of commonly used markers for pancreatic progenitors, duct cells, and acinar cells, and briefly addresses the mechanisms involved in the progression of PDAC. We acknowledge the value of precise markers and suitable tracing tools to discern the cell of origin, as it can facilitate the creation of more effective models for PDAC exploration. These conclusions shed light on our existing understanding of foundational genetically engineered mouse models and focus on the origin and development of PDAC.
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4
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Philipp LM, Yesilyurt UU, Surrow A, Künstner A, Mehdorn AS, Hauser C, Gundlach JP, Will O, Hoffmann P, Stahmer L, Franzenburg S, Knaack H, Schumacher U, Busch H, Sebens S. Epithelial and Mesenchymal-like Pancreatic Cancer Cells Exhibit Different Stem Cell Phenotypes Associated with Different Metastatic Propensities. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:686. [PMID: 38398077 PMCID: PMC10886860 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is mostly diagnosed at advanced or even metastasized stages, limiting the prognoses of patients. Metastasis requires high tumor cell plasticity, implying phenotypic switching in response to changing environments. Here, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), being associated with an increase in cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, and its reversion are important. Since it is poorly understood whether different CSC phenotypes exist along the EMT axis and how these impact malignancy-associated properties, we aimed to characterize CSC populations of epithelial and mesenchymal-like PDAC cells. Single-cell cloning revealed CSC (Holoclone) and non-CSC (Paraclone) clones from the PDAC cell lines Panc1 and Panc89. The Panc1 Holoclone cells showed a mesenchymal-like phenotype, dominated by a high expression of the stemness marker Nestin, while the Panc89 Holoclone cells exhibited a SOX2-dominated epithelial phenotype. The Panc89 Holoclone cells showed enhanced cell growth and a self-renewal capacity but slow cluster-like invasion. Contrarily, the Panc1 Holoclone cells showed slower cell growth and self-renewal ability but were highly invasive. Moreover, cell variants differentially responded to chemotherapy. In vivo, the Panc1 and Panc89 cell variants significantly differed regarding the number and size of metastases, as well as organ manifestation, leading to different survival outcomes. Overall, these data support the existence of different CSC phenotypes along the EMT axis in PDAC, manifesting different metastatic propensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Philipp
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Umut-Ulas Yesilyurt
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Arne Surrow
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Axel Künstner
- Medical Systems Biology Group, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Anne-Sophie Mehdorn
- Department of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Charlotte Hauser
- Department of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jan-Paul Gundlach
- Department of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Olga Will
- Molecular Imaging North Competence Center, Clinic of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Kiel University, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Patrick Hoffmann
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lea Stahmer
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sören Franzenburg
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Hendrike Knaack
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
- Academic Affairs Office, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Department of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hauke Busch
- Medical Systems Biology Group, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Susanne Sebens
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
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5
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Alcalá S, Villarino L, Ruiz-Cañas L, Couceiro JR, Martínez-Calvo M, Palencia-Campos A, Navarro D, Cabezas-Sainz P, Rodriguez-Arabaolaza I, Cordero-Barreal A, Trilla-Fuertes L, Rubiolo JA, Batres-Ramos S, Vallespinos M, González-Páramos C, Rodríguez J, Gámez-Pozo A, Vara JÁF, Fernández SF, Berlinches AB, Moreno-Mata N, Redondo AMT, Carrato A, Hermann PC, Sánchez L, Torrente S, Fernández-Moreno MÁ, Mascareñas JL, Sainz B. Targeting cancer stem cell OXPHOS with tailored ruthenium complexes as a new anti-cancer strategy. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:33. [PMID: 38281027 PMCID: PMC10821268 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02931-7] [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: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies by our group have shown that oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is the main pathway by which pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs) meet their energetic requirements; therefore, OXPHOS represents an Achille's heel of these highly tumorigenic cells. Unfortunately, therapies that target OXPHOS in CSCs are lacking. METHODS The safety and anti-CSC activity of a ruthenium complex featuring bipyridine and terpyridine ligands and one coordination labile position (Ru1) were evaluated across primary pancreatic cancer cultures and in vivo, using 8 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). RNAseq analysis followed by mitochondria-specific molecular assays were used to determine the mechanism of action. RESULTS We show that Ru1 is capable of inhibiting CSC OXPHOS function in vitro, and more importantly, it presents excellent anti-cancer activity, with low toxicity, across a large panel of human pancreatic PDXs, as well as in colorectal cancer and osteosarcoma PDXs. Mechanistic studies suggest that this activity stems from Ru1 binding to the D-loop region of the mitochondrial DNA of CSCs, inhibiting OXPHOS complex-associated transcription, leading to reduced mitochondrial oxygen consumption, membrane potential, and ATP production, all of which are necessary for CSCs, which heavily depend on mitochondrial respiration. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the coordination complex Ru1 represents not only an exciting new anti-cancer agent, but also a molecular tool to dissect the role of OXPHOS in CSCs. Results indicating that the compound is safe, non-toxic and highly effective in vivo are extremely exciting, and have allowed us to uncover unprecedented mechanistic possibilities to fight different cancer types based on targeting CSC OXPHOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Alcalá
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lara Villarino
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), and Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Laura Ruiz-Cañas
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - José R Couceiro
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), and Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel Martínez-Calvo
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), and Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Adrián Palencia-Campos
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Cabezas-Sainz
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty, USC, Lugo, Spain
| | - Iker Rodriguez-Arabaolaza
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencia y Técnología, Universidad del País Vasco, 48940, Leioa (Bizkaia), Spain
| | - Alfonso Cordero-Barreal
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucia Trilla-Fuertes
- Molecular Oncology and Pathology Lab, Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular-INGEMM, Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedica Molecular Medicine SL, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan A Rubiolo
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty, USC, Lugo, Spain
| | - Sandra Batres-Ramos
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mireia Vallespinos
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina González-Páramos
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jéssica Rodríguez
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), and Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Angelo Gámez-Pozo
- Molecular Oncology and Pathology Lab, Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular-INGEMM, Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedica Molecular Medicine SL, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Ángel Fresno Vara
- Molecular Oncology and Pathology Lab, Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular-INGEMM, Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Fra Fernández
- Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amparo Benito Berlinches
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicolás Moreno-Mata
- Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alfredo Carrato
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Pancreatic Cancer Europe (PCE) Chairperson, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty, USC, Lugo, Spain
| | - Susana Torrente
- Valuation, Transfer and Entrepreneurship Area, USC, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Fernández-Moreno
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Rare Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - José L Mascareñas
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), and Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Biochemistry, Autónoma University of Madrid, School of Medicine and Department of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBm) Sols-Morreale (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain.
- Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer (BIOPAC) Group, Area 3 Cancer, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
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6
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Li XH, Huang GZ, Xu ZL, Zhao CY, Dong XY, Cui BK, Lin XJ. IL20RB signaling enhances stemness and chemotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer. J Transl Med 2023; 21:911. [PMID: 38098005 PMCID: PMC10722837 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04800-5] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with high mortality, and cancer cell stemness and related drug resistance are considered important contributors to its poor prognosis. The objective of this study was to identify regulatory targets associated with the maintenance of pancreatic cancer stemness. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pancreatic tumor samples were collected from patients at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, followed by immunofluorescence analysis. Pancreatic cancer cell lines with Interleukin-20 receptor subunit beta (IL20RB) overexpression and knockdown were established, and clonal formation, spheroid formation and side population cell analysis were conducted. The effects of IL20RB knockdown on the tumor-forming ability of pancreatic cancer cells and chemotherapy resistance in vivo were explored. RESULTS IL20RB expression was significantly upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues, and was correlated with unfavorable prognosis. The IL20RB receptor promotes stemness and chemoresistance in both in vitro and in vivo models of pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, IL20RB enhances the stemness and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer by promoting STAT3 phosphorylation, an effect that can be counteracted by a STAT3 phosphorylation inhibitors. Additionally, Interleukin-19 derived from the microenvironment is identified as the primary ligand for IL20RB in mediating these effects. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that IL20RB plays a crucial role in promoting stemness in pancreatic cancer. This discovery provides a potential therapeutic target for this lethal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hui Li
- Department of Pancreatobiliary Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfengdong Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Gui-Zhong Huang
- Department of Pancreatobiliary Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfengdong Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Zi-Lan Xu
- Department of Pancreatobiliary Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfengdong Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Chong-Yu Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Xiao-Yuan Dong
- Department of Gynecology, Guangdong Hydropower Hospital, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Bo-Kang Cui
- Department of Pancreatobiliary Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfengdong Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Lin
- Department of Pancreatobiliary Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfengdong Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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7
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Javadi M, Sazegar H, Doosti A. Genome editing approaches with CRISPR/Cas9: the association of NOX4 expression in breast cancer patients and effectiveness evaluation of different strategies of CRISPR/Cas9 to knockout Nox4 in cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1155. [PMID: 38012557 PMCID: PMC10683234 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11183-9] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increasing prevalence of cancer detection necessitated practical strategies to deliver highly accurate, beneficial, and dependable processed information together with experimental results. We deleted the cancer biomarker NOX4 using three novel genetic knockout (KO) methods. Homology-directed repair (HDR), Dual allele HITI (Du-HITI) and CRISPR-excision were utilized in this study. METHODS The predictive value of the NOX4 expression profile was assessed using a combined hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). With a 95% confidence interval, a pooled odd ratio (OR) was used to calculate the relationship between NOX4 expression patterns and cancer metastasis. There were 1060 tumor patients in all sixteen research that made up this meta-analysis. To stop the NOX4 from being transcribed, we employed three different CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown methods. The expression of RNA was assessed using RT-PCR. We employed the CCK-8 assay, colony formation assays, and the invasion transwell test for our experiments measuring cell proliferation and invasion. Using a sphere-formation test, the stemness was determined. Luciferase reporter tests were carried out to verify molecular adhesion. Utilizing RT-qPCR, MTT, and a colony formation assay, the functional effects of NOX4 genetic mutation in CRISPR-excision, CRISPR-HDR, and CRISPR du-HITI knockdown cell lines of breast cancer were verified. RESULTS There were 1060 malignant tumors in the 16 studies that made up this meta-analysis. In the meta-analysis, higher NOX4 expression was linked to both a shorter overall survival rate (HR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.49-2.49, P < 0.001) and a higher percentage of lymph node metastases (OR = 3.22, 95% CI 2.18-4.29, P < 0.001). In breast carcinoma cells, it was discovered that NOX4 was overexpressed, and this increase was linked to a poor prognosis. The gain and loss-of-function assays showed enhanced NOX4 breast carcinoma cell proliferation, sphere-forming capacity, and tumor development. To activate transcription, the transcriptional factor E2F1 also attaches to the promoter region of the Nanog gene. The treatment group (NOX4 ablation) had substantially more significant levels of proapoptotic gene expression than the control group (P < 0.01). Additionally, compared to control cells, mutant cells expressed fewer antiapoptotic genes (P < 0.001). The du-HITI technique incorporated a reporter and a transcription termination marker into the two target alleles. Both donor vector preparation and cell selection were substantially simpler using this approach than with "CRISPR HDR" or "CRISPR excision." Furthermore, single-cell knockouts for both genotypes were created when this method was applied in the initial transfection experiment. CONCLUSIONS The NOX4 Knockout cell lines generated in this research may be used for additional analytical studies to reveal the entire spectrum of NOX4 activities. The du-HITI method described in this study was easy to employ and could produce homozygous individuals who were knockout for a specific protein of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Javadi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Hossein Sazegar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Abbas Doosti
- Biotechnology Research Center, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
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8
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Honselmann KC, Elser Y, Boeckmann T, Bolm L, Winkel MT, Deichmann S, Braun R, Wellner UF, Keck T, Lapshyn H. Recent onset diabetes is associated with better survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma-An analysis of preoperative symptoms within the DGAV StuDoQ|Pancreas Registry. Surgery 2023; 174:674-683. [PMID: 37349251 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2023.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This multicenter study analyzed the relationship between preoperative symptoms and postsurgical outcomes utilizing the German national DGAV StuDoQ|Pancreas database. METHODS This retrospective study included 2,643 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients undergoing pancreatic head resection from 2013-2017 within the German pancreatic surgery registry (DGAV StuDoQ|Pancreas). The association of preoperative symptoms with overall survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS Preoperative symptoms were common, with 2,380 of 2,643 (90%) patients presenting with any one or more of the following symptoms: jaundice (40%), biliary obstruction treated with biliary stent (41%), pain (37%), weight loss (29%), nausea (18%), diabetes (31%), emesis (6%), and recent onset diabetes (5%). Patients were separated into 3 groups: no symptoms (n = 293), symptoms (n = 2,229), and recent onset diabetes (n = 121). The 3 groups differed in body mass index and nodal staging, where patients with recent onset diabetes had the highest values (body mass index: no symptoms: 24.5 kg/m2, symptoms: 25.1 kg/m2; recent-onset diabetes: 26.3 kg/m2, P = .007), (no symptoms: N1: 55%, N2: 10%; symptoms: N1: 53%, N2: 17%; recent-onset diabetes: N1: 56%, N2: 16%, P = .023). Other pathological characteristics, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels, and adjuvant chemotherapy receival did not differ between the groups. Interestingly, recent-onset diabetes was associated with better survival compared with the other groups (Median overall survival: 28 months [no symptoms at all], 22 months [symptoms] versus not reached [recent onset diabetes group], and 5-year overall survival rates of 28%, 11%, and 57%, respectively [log rank, P = .013]). Multivariable analysis revealed that recent-onset diabetes and preoperative symptoms were independently associated with overall survival (recent-onset diabetes, relative risk 0.052 P = .027, >5 symptoms relative risk 3.66, P < .001). CONCLUSION Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma symptoms occured in up to 90% of patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In addition, PDAC symptoms were associated with overall survival and might identify unique pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim C Honselmann
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany. http://www.twitter.com/KimCHonselmann
| | - Yannic Elser
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Tabea Boeckmann
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Louisa Bolm
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Meike Ten Winkel
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Steffen Deichmann
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ruediger Braun
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ulrich F Wellner
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Tobias Keck
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
| | - Hryhoriy Lapshyn
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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9
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Du Y, Dong S, Jiang W, Li M, Li W, Li X, Zhou W. Integration of Single-Cell RNA Sequencing and Bulk RNA Sequencing Reveals That TAM2-Driven Genes Affect Immunotherapeutic Response and Prognosis in Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12787. [PMID: 37628967 PMCID: PMC10454560 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612787] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages M2 (TAM2), which are highly prevalent infiltrating immune cells in the stroma of pancreatic cancer (PC), have been found to induce an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, thus enhancing tumor initiation and progression. However, the immune therapy response and prognostic significance of regulatory genes associated with TAM2 in PC are currently unknown. Based on TCGA transcriptomic data and single-cell sequencing data from the GEO database, we identified TAM2-driven genes using the WGCNA algorithm. Molecular subtypes based on TAM2-driven genes were clustered using the ConsensusClusterPlus algorithm. The study constructed a prognostic model based on TAM2-driven genes through Lasso-COX regression analysis. A total of 178 samples obtained by accessing TCGA were accurately categorized into two molecular subtypes, including the high-TAM2 infiltration (HMI) cluster and the low-TAM2 infiltration (LMI) cluster. The HMI cluster exhibits a poor prognosis, a malignant tumor phenotype, immune-suppressive immune cell infiltration, resistance to immunotherapy, and a high number of genetic mutations, while the LMI cluster is the opposite. The prognostic model composed of six hub genes from TAM2-driven genes exhibits a high degree of accuracy in predicting the prognosis of patients with PC and serves as an independent risk factor. The induction of TAM2 was employed as a means of verifying these six gene expressions, revealing the significant up-regulation of BCAT1, BST2, and MERTK in TAM2 cells. In summary, the immunophenotype and prognostic model based on TAM2-driven genes offers a foundation for the clinical management of PC. The core TAM2-driven genes, including BCAT1, BST2, and MERTK, are involved in regulating tumor progression and TAM2 polarization, which are potential targets for PC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Du
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China; (Y.D.); (S.D.); (W.J.); (M.L.); (W.L.)
| | - Shi Dong
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China; (Y.D.); (S.D.); (W.J.); (M.L.); (W.L.)
| | - Wenkai Jiang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China; (Y.D.); (S.D.); (W.J.); (M.L.); (W.L.)
| | - Mengyao Li
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China; (Y.D.); (S.D.); (W.J.); (M.L.); (W.L.)
| | - Wancheng Li
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China; (Y.D.); (S.D.); (W.J.); (M.L.); (W.L.)
| | - Xin Li
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Wence Zhou
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China; (Y.D.); (S.D.); (W.J.); (M.L.); (W.L.)
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, China
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10
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Lin HJ, Liu Y, Caroland K, Lin J. Polarization of Cancer-Associated Macrophages Maneuver Neoplastic Attributes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3507. [PMID: 37444617 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133507] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence links the phenomenon of enhanced recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages towards cancer bulks to neoplastic growth, invasion, metastasis, immune escape, matrix remodeling, and therapeutic resistance. In the context of cancer progression, naïve macrophages are polarized into M1 or M2 subtypes according to their differentiation status, gene signatures, and functional roles. While the former render proinflammatory and anticancer effects, the latter subpopulation elicits an opposite impact on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. M2 macrophages have gained increasing attention as they are largely responsible for molding an immune-suppressive landscape. Through positive feedback circuits involving a paracrine manner, M2 macrophages can be amplified by and synergized with neighboring neoplastic cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and non-cell autonomous constituents in the microenvironmental niche to promote an advanced disease state. This review delineates the molecular cues expanding M2 populations that subsequently convey notorious clinical outcomes. Future therapeutic regimens shall comprise protocols attempting to abolish environmental niches favoring M2 polarization; weaken cancer growth typically assisted by M2; promote the recruitment of tumoricidal CD8+ T lymphocytes and dendritic cells; and boost susceptibility towards gemcitabine as well as other chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huey-Jen Lin
- Department of Medical & Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Willard Hall Education Building, 16 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Yingguang Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Liberty University, 306 Liberty View Lane, Lynchburg, VA 24502, USA
| | - Kailey Caroland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jiayuh Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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11
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Lee JE, Lee P, Yoon YC, Han BS, Ko S, Park MS, Lee YJ, Kim SE, Cho YJ, Lim JH, Ryu JK, Shim S, Kim DK, Jung KH, Hong SS. Vactosertib, TGF-β receptor I inhibitor, augments the sensitization of the anti-cancer activity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114716. [PMID: 37086509 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits a pronounced extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich response, which is produced by an excessive amount of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), resulting in tumor progression and metastasis. In addition, TGF-β signaling contributes to rapidly acquired resistance and incomplete response to gemcitabine. Recently, selective inhibitors of the TGF-β signaling pathway have shown promise in PDAC treatment, particularly as an option for augmenting responses to chemotherapy. Here, we investigated the synergistic anticancer effects of a small-molecule TGF-β receptor I kinase inhibitor (vactosertib/EW-7197) in the presence of gemcitabine, and its mechanism of action in pancreatic cancer. Vactosertib sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine by synergistically inhibiting their viability. Importantly, the combination of vactosertib and gemcitabine significantly attenuated the expression of major ECM components, including collagens, fibronectin, and α-SMA, in pancreatic cancer compared with gemcitabine alone. This resulted in potent induction of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis, gemcitabine-mediated cytotoxicity, and inhibition of tumor ECM by vactosertib. Additionally, the combination decreased metastasis through inhibition of migration and invasion, and exhibited synergistic anti-cancer activity by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad2 pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, co-treatment significantly suppressed tumor growth in orthotopic models. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that vactosertib synergistically increased the antitumor activity of gemcitabine via inhibition of ECM component production by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad2 signaling pathway. This suggests that the combination of vactosertib and gemcitabine may be a potential treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Eun Lee
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Pureunchowon Lee
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Chan Yoon
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Beom Seok Han
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Soyeon Ko
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Seok Park
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Ji Lee
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Eun Kim
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Jin Cho
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Han Lim
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Kan Ryu
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea
| | - Soyeon Shim
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Kee Kim
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Hee Jung
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea.
| | - Soon-Sun Hong
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, and Program in Biomedical Science & Engineering, Inha University, 3-ga, Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 22332, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Nagaraju GP, Farran B, Luong T, El-Rayes BF. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate pancreatic cancer stem cell formation, stemness and chemoresistance: A brief overview. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 88:67-80. [PMID: 36535506 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers worldwide due to the resistances to conventional therapies and early metastasis. Recent research has shown that cancer stem cell populations modulate invasiveness, recurrence, and drug resistance in various cancers, including pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer stem cells (PaCSCs) are characterized by their high plasticity and self-renewal capacities that endow them with unique metabolic, metastatic, and chemoresistant properties. Understanding the exact molecular and signaling mechanisms that underlay malignant processes in PaCSCs is instrumental for developing novel therapeutic modalities that overcome the limitations of current therapeutic regimens. In this paper, we provide an updated review of the latest research in the field and summarize the current knowledge of PaCSCs characteristics, cellular metabolism, stemness, and drug resistance. We explore how the crosstalk between the TME and PaCSCs influences stemness. We also highlight some of the key signalling pathways involved in PaCSCs stemness and drug evasion. The aim of this review is to explore how PaCSCs develop, maintain their properties, and drive tumor relapse in PC. The last section explores some of the latest therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting PaCSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA.
| | - Batoul Farran
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Tha Luong
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA
| | - Bassel F El-Rayes
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35201, USA.
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13
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Perelló-Reus CM, Rubio-Tomás T, Cisneros-Barroso E, Ibargüen-González L, Segura-Sampedro JJ, Morales-Soriano R, Barceló C. Challenges in precision medicine in pancreatic cancer: A focus in cancer stem cells and microbiota. Front Oncol 2022; 12:995357. [PMID: 36531066 PMCID: PMC9751445 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.995357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease, with the lowest 5-years survival rate of all cancers due to late diagnosis. Despite the advance and success of precision oncology in gastrointestinal cancers, the frequency of molecular-informed therapy decisions in PDAC is currently neglectable. The reasons for this dismal situation are mainly the absence of effective early diagnostic biomarkers and therapy resistance. PDAC cancer stem cells (PDAC-SC), which are regarded as essential for tumor initiation, relapse and drug resistance, are highly dependent on their niche i.e. microanatomical structures of the tumor microenvironment. There is an altered microbiome in PDAC patients embedded within the highly desmoplastic tumor microenvironment, which is known to determine therapeutic responses and affecting survival in PDAC patients. We consider that understanding the communication network that exists between the microbiome and the PDAC-SC niche by co-culture of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) with TME microbiota would recapitulate the complexity of PDAC paving the way towards a precision oncology treatment-response prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina M. Perelló-Reus
- Translational Pancreatic Cancer Oncogenesis Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Hospital Universitari Son Espases (HUSE), Palma de Mallorca, Spain,*Correspondence: Carles Barceló, ; Catalina M. Perelló-Reus,
| | | | | | - Lesly Ibargüen-González
- Translational Pancreatic Cancer Oncogenesis Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Hospital Universitari Son Espases (HUSE), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Juan José Segura-Sampedro
- Advanced Oncological Surgery, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain,General and Digestive Surgery Unit, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, School of Medicine, Balearic Islands Health Research Institute, University of Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Rafael Morales-Soriano
- Advanced Oncological Surgery, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain,General and Digestive Surgery Unit, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, School of Medicine, Balearic Islands Health Research Institute, University of Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Carles Barceló
- Translational Pancreatic Cancer Oncogenesis Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Hospital Universitari Son Espases (HUSE), Palma de Mallorca, Spain,*Correspondence: Carles Barceló, ; Catalina M. Perelló-Reus,
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14
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Fernandes AS, Oliveira C, Reis RL, Martins A, Silva TH. Marine-Inspired Drugs and Biomaterials in the Perspective of Pancreatic Cancer Therapies. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:689. [PMID: 36355012 PMCID: PMC9698933 DOI: 10.3390/md20110689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite its low prevalence, pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest, typically characterised as silent in early stages and with a dramatically poor prognosis when in its advanced stages, commonly associated with a high degree of metastasis. Many efforts have been made in pursuing innovative therapeutical approaches, from the search for new cytotoxic drugs and other bioactive compounds, to the development of more targeted approaches, including improved drug delivery devices. Marine biotechnology has been contributing to this quest by providing new chemical leads and materials originating from different organisms. In this review, marine biodiscovery for PC is addressed, particularly regarding marine invertebrates (namely sponges, molluscs, and bryozoans), seaweeds, fungi, and bacteria. In addition, the development of biomaterials based on marine-originating compounds, particularly chitosan, fucoidan, and alginate, for the production of advanced cancer therapies, is also discussed. The key role that drug delivery can play in new cancer treatments is highlighted, as therapeutical outcomes need to be improved to give further hope to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia S. Fernandes
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs–Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4710-057 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Catarina Oliveira
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs–Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4710-057 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui L. Reis
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs–Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4710-057 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Albino Martins
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs–Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4710-057 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Tiago H. Silva
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs–Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4710-057 Guimarães, Portugal
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A Comprehensive Characterization of Stemness in Cell Lines and Primary Cells of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810663. [PMID: 36142575 PMCID: PMC9503169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive characterization of stemness in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines. Seventeen cell lines were evaluated for the expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers. The two putative pancreatic CSC phenotypes were expressed heterogeneously ranging from 0 to 99.35% (median 3.46) for ESA+CD24+CD44+ and 0 to 1.94% (median 0.13) for CXCR4+CD133+. Cell lines were classified according to ESA+CD24+CD44+ expression as: Low-Stemness (LS; <5%, n = 9, median 0.31%); Medium-Stemness (MS; 6−20%, n = 4, median 12.4%); and High-Stemness (HS; >20%, n = 4, median 95.8%) cell lines. Higher degree of stemness was associated with in vivo tumorigenicity but not with in vitro growth kinetics, clonogenicity, and chemo-resistance. A wide characterization (chemokine receptors, factors involved in pancreatic organogenesis, markers of epithelial−mesenchymal transition, and secretome) revealed that the degree of stemness was associated with KRT19 and NKX2.2 mRNA expression, with CD49a and CA19.9/Tie2 protein expression, and with the secretion of VEGF, IL-7, IL-12p70, IL-6, CCL3, IL-10, and CXCL9. The expression of stem cell markers was also evaluated on primary tumor cells from 55 PDAC patients who underwent pancreatectomy with radical intent, revealing that CXCR4+/CD133+ and CD24+ cells, but not ESA+CD24+CD44+, are independent predictors of mortality.
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16
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Cannone S, Greco MR, Carvalho TMA, Guizouarn H, Soriani O, Di Molfetta D, Tomasini R, Zeeberg K, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) Regulation of PDAC Parenchymal (CPC) and CSC Phenotypes Is Modulated by ECM Composition. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3737. [PMID: 35954400 PMCID: PMC9367491 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest of all cancers, having one of the lowest five-year survival rates. One of its hallmarks is a dense desmoplastic stroma consisting in the abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, especially Collagen I. This highly fibrotic stroma embeds the bulk cancer (parenchymal) cells (CPCs), cancer stem cells (CSCs) and the main producers of the stromal reaction, the Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs). Little is known about the role of the acellular ECM in the interplay of the CAFs with the different tumor cell types in determining their phenotypic plasticity and eventual cell fate. METHODS Here, we analyzed the role of ECM collagen I in modulating the effect of CAF-derived signals by incubating PDAC CPCs and CSCs grown on ECM mimicking early (low collagen I levels) and late (high collagen I levels) stage PDAC stroma with conditioned medium from primary cultured CAFs derived from patients with PDAC in a previously described three-dimensional (3D) organotypic model of PDAC. RESULTS We found that CAFs (1) reduced CPC growth while favoring CSC growth independently of the ECM; (2) increased the invasive capacity of only CPCs on the ECM mimicking the early tumor; and (3) favored vasculogenic mimicry (VM) especially of the CSCs on the ECM mimicking an early tumor. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the CAFs and acellular stromal components interact to modulate the tumor behaviors of the PDAC CPC and CSC cell types and drive metastatic progression by stimulating the phenotypic characteristics of each tumor cell type that contribute to metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Tiago M. A. Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Helene Guizouarn
- Institute of Biology de Valrose, CNRS UMR 7277, University of Nice, 06108 Nice, France; (H.G.); (O.S.)
| | - Olivier Soriani
- Institute of Biology de Valrose, CNRS UMR 7277, University of Nice, 06108 Nice, France; (H.G.); (O.S.)
| | - Daria Di Molfetta
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Richard Tomasini
- INSERM, U1068, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CNRS, UMR7258, 13009 Marseille, France;
| | - Katrine Zeeberg
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Stephan Joel Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
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17
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Zhang Z, Xu Y. FZD7 accelerates hepatic metastases in pancreatic cancer by strengthening EMT and stemness associated with TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling. Mol Med 2022; 28:82. [PMID: 35854234 PMCID: PMC9295360 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00509-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Metastasis of malignant tumors accelerates systemic failure and hastens the deaths of pancreatic cancer patients. During the metastatic process, the physical translocation of cancer cells from the primary lesion to distant organs and is crucial. CSCs properties, such as self-renewal and multiple-direction differentiation capacity are essential for colonization in the microenvironment of distant organs and metastatic lesion formation. It is widely believed that EMT can cause cancer cells to penetrate blood vessels by undergoing phenotypic and cytoskeletal changes, so that they can infiltrate surrounding tissue and disseminate from the primary tumor to the blood circulation, where they are termed circulating tumor cells (CTCs), while CTCs often exhibit stemness properties. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that some EMT-related transcription factors are essential for CSCs self-renewal, so cancer cells that have undergone EMT typically acquire increased stemness properties. Abnormal activation of the WNT signaling pathway can drive a series of gene transcripts to promote EMT in multiple types of cancer, and among different Frizzled receptors of WNT signaling pathway, FZD7 expression is associated with distant organ metastasis, advanced clinical stages, and poor clinical prognosis. Objective of this study is to demonstrate that high FZD7 expression in pancreatic cancer can accelerate hepatic metastases and elucidate the related molecular mechanisms. Methods The expression of Frrizled receptor 7 (FZD7) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and relating survival rate were analyzed by bioinformatics, histochemistry assay and follow-up study. In vitro, FZD7 expression was silenced by lentiviral vectors carrying short hair RNA (shRNA) or upregulated by overexpression plasmid. Then, Wound-healing and Transwell experiment was used to analyze the abilities of migration and invasion; the levels of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) relating phenotype proteins, stemness relating phenotype proteins, and signaling molecular proteins were measured by Western-blot; cell stemness was evaluated by sphere forming ability of cells in suspension culture and detecting the proportion of CD24+CD44+ cells with flow cytometry. TGF-β1 was used to induce EMT, and observe the effect of shRNA silencing FZD7 on which. Results High level of FZD7 expression in pancreatic cancer samples was associated with earlier hepatic metastasis. In vitro upregulation FZD7 can enable pancreatic cancer cells to obtain stronger migration and invasion ability and higher mesenchymal phenotype, and vice versa; the proportion of cancer stem cell (CSC) was also positively correlated with the level of FZD7; cells forming spheres in suspension culture showed stronger migration and invasion ability and higher level of mesenchymal phenotype than normal adherent cultured cells; the level of FZD7 was positively correlated with the level of activated β-catenin. Silencing FZD7 expression can attenuate EMT induced by TGF-β1 stimulating, and TGF-β1 stimulating can also upregulate stemness phenotype expression, such as ABCG2, CD24, and CD44 by mediating of FZD7. Conclusions High FZD7 expression in pancreatic cancer can accelerates hepatic metastases by promoting EMT and strengthening cell stemness, and FZD7 can work through the canonical Wingless-type (WNT) signaling pathway and participate in TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling pathway also.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanhong Xu
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Masugi Y. The Desmoplastic Stroma of Pancreatic Cancer: Multilayered Levels of Heterogeneity, Clinical Significance, and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133293. [PMID: 35805064 PMCID: PMC9265767 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant disease with treatment resistance to standardized chemotherapies. In addition, only a small fraction of patients with pancreatic cancer has, to date, actionable genetic aberrations, leading to a narrow therapeutic window for molecularly targeted therapies or immunotherapies. A lot of preclinical and translational studies are ongoing to discover potential vulnerabilities to treat pancreatic cancer. Histologically, human pancreatic cancer is characterized by abundant cancer-associated fibrotic stroma, called “desmoplastic stroma”. Recent technological advances have revealed that desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic cancer is much more complicated than previously thought, playing pleiotropic roles in manipulating tumor cell fate and anti-tumor immunity. Moreover, real-world specimen-based analyses of pancreatic cancer stroma have also uncovered spatial heterogeneity and an intertumoral variety associated with molecular alterations, clinicopathological factors, and patient outcomes. This review describes an overview of the current efforts in the field of pancreatic cancer stromal biology and discusses treatment opportunities of stroma-modifying therapies against this hard-to-treat cancer. Abstract Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies and is becoming a dramatically increasing cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Abundant desmoplastic stroma is a histological hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Emerging evidence suggests a promising therapeutic effect of several stroma-modifying therapies that target desmoplastic stromal elements in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. The evidence also unveils multifaceted roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in manipulating pancreatic cancer progression, immunity, and chemotherapeutic response. Current state-of-the-art technologies, including single-cell transcriptomics and multiplexed tissue imaging techniques, have provided a more profound knowledge of CAF heterogeneity in real-world specimens from pancreatic cancer patients, as well as in genetically engineered mouse models. In this review, we describe recent advances in the understanding of the molecular pathology bases of pancreatic cancer desmoplastic stroma at multilayered levels of heterogeneity, namely, (1) variations in cellular and non-cellular members, including CAF subtypes and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins; (2) geographical heterogeneity in relation to cell–cell interactions and signaling pathways at niche levels and spatial heterogeneity at locoregional levels or organ levels; and (3) intertumoral stromal heterogeneity at individual levels. This review further discusses the clinicopathological significance of desmoplastic stroma and the potential opportunities for stroma-targeted therapies against this lethal malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Masugi
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1608582, Japan; ; Tel.: +81-3-5363-3764; Fax: +81-3-3353-3290
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1608582, Japan
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Azadbakht N, Doosti A, Jami MS. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated LINC00511 knockout strategies, increased apoptosis of breast cancer cells via suppressing antiapoptotic genes. Biol Proced Online 2022; 24:8. [PMID: 35790898 PMCID: PMC9254607 DOI: 10.1186/s12575-022-00171-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The growing detection of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) required the application of functional approaches in order to provide absolutely precise, conducive, and reliable processed information along with effective consequences. We utilized genetic knockout (KO) techniques to ablate the Long Intergenic Noncoding RNA 00,511 gene in several humans who suffered from breast cancer cells and at the end we analyzed and examined the results. Results The predictive relevance of LINC00511 expression pattern was measured by using a pooled hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The link among LINC00511 expression profiles and cancer metastasis was measured by using a pooled odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval. This meta- analysis was composed of fifteen studies which contained a total of 1040 tumor patients. We used three distinct CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown techniques to prevent the LINC00511 lncRNA from being transcribed. RT-PCR was used to measure lncRNA and RNA expression. We used CCK-8, colony formation tests, and the invasion transwell test to measure cell proliferation and invasion. The stemness was measured by using a sphere-formation test. To validate molecular attachment, luciferase reporter assays were performed. The functional impacts of LINC00511 gene deletion in knockdown breast cancer cell lines were confirmed by using RT-qPCR, MTT, and a colony formation test. This meta-analysis was composed of 15 trials which contained a total of 1040 malignant tumors. Greater LINC00511 expression was ascribed to a lower overall survival (HR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.49–2.49, < P 0.001) and to an increased proportion of lymph node metastasis (OR = 3.07, 95% CI 2.23–4.23, P < 0.001) in the meta‐analysis. It was found that the role of LINC00511 was overexpressed in breast cancer samples, and this overexpression was ascribed to a poor prognosis. The gain and loss-of-function tests demonstrated findings such as LINC00511 increased breast cancer cell proliferation, sphere-forming ability, and tumor growth. Additionally, the transcription factor E2F1 binds to the Nanog gene's promoter site to induce transcription. P57, P21, Prkca, MDM4, Map2k6, and FADD gene expression in the treatment group (LINC00511 deletion) was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). In addition, knockout cells had lower expression of BCL2 and surviving genes than control cells P < 0.001). In each of the two target alleles, the du-HITI approach introduced a reporter and a transcription termination signal. This strategy's donor vector preparation was significantly easier than "CRISPR HDR," and cell selection was likewise much easier than "CRISPR excision." Furthermore, when this approach was used in the initial transfection attempt, single-cell knockouts for both alleles were generated. Conclusions The methods employed and described in this work could be extended to the production of LINC00511 knockout cell lines and, in theory, to the deletion of other lncRNAs to study their function. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12575-022-00171-1.
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20
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Bhardwaj A, Josse C, Van Daele D, Poulet C, Chavez M, Struman I, Van Steen K. Deeper insights into long-term survival heterogeneity of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients using integrative individual- and group-level transcriptome network analyses. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11027. [PMID: 35773268 PMCID: PMC9247075 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14592-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is categorized as the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. However, its predictive markers for long-term survival are not well known. It is interesting to delineate individual-specific perturbed genes when comparing long-term (LT) and short-term (ST) PDAC survivors and integrate individual- and group-based transcriptome profiling. Using a discovery cohort of 19 PDAC patients from CHU-Liège (Belgium), we first performed differential gene expression analysis comparing LT to ST survivor. Second, we adopted systems biology approaches to obtain clinically relevant gene modules. Third, we created individual-specific perturbation profiles. Furthermore, we used Degree-Aware disease gene prioritizing (DADA) method to develop PDAC disease modules; Network-based Integration of Multi-omics Data (NetICS) to integrate group-based and individual-specific perturbed genes in relation to PDAC LT survival. We identified 173 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ST and LT survivors and five modules (including 38 DEGs) showing associations to clinical traits. Validation of DEGs in the molecular lab suggested a role of REG4 and TSPAN8 in PDAC survival. Via NetICS and DADA, we identified various known oncogenes such as CUL1 and TGFB1. Our proposed analytic workflow shows the advantages of combining clinical and omics data as well as individual- and group-level transcriptome profiling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Bhardwaj
- GIGA-R Centre, BIO3 - Medical Genomics, University of Liège, Avenue de L'Hôpital, 11, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Claire Josse
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research, University Hospital (CHU), Liège, Belgium
- Medical Oncology Department, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Daniel Van Daele
- Department of Gastro-Enterology, University Hospital (CHU), Liège, Belgium
| | - Christophe Poulet
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research, University Hospital (CHU), Liège, Belgium
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, GIGA-R, University Hospital (CHULiege), Liège, Belgium
| | - Marcela Chavez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University Hospital (CHU), Liège, Belgium
| | - Ingrid Struman
- GIGA-R Centre, Laboratory of Molecular Angiogenesis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Kristel Van Steen
- GIGA-R Centre, BIO3 - Medical Genomics, University of Liège, Avenue de L'Hôpital, 11, 4000, Liège, Belgium
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Pouraghajan K, Mahdiuni H, Ghobadi S, Khodarahmi R. LRH-1 (liver receptor homolog-1) derived affinity peptide ligand to inhibit interactions between β-catenin and LRH-1 in pancreatic cancer cells: from computational design to experimental validation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:3082-3097. [PMID: 33183172 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1845241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Poor prognosis, rapid progression and the lack of an effective treatment make pancreatic cancer one of the most lethal malignancies. Recent studies point to a role for liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) in pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer and suggest prevention of the β-catenin/LRH-1 complex formation as a potential strategy for inhibition of the pancreas cancer cells progression. In the current investigation, we have followed a biomimetic strategy and designed an affinity peptide with sequence DEMEEPQQTE to inhibit formation of the β-catenin/LRH-1 complex. Quantitative real-time PCR experiments on the AsPC-1 pancreatic metastatic cells showed that the peptide has an inhibitory effect on the Wnt signaling proliferation line by reducing the expression levels of the CCND1, CCNE1, and MYC genes. Furthermore, the increased expression level of BAX gene showed that AsPC-1 cells were directed to the apoptosis pathway. At last, POU5F1, KLF4, and CD44 gene expression levels suggested that the peptide has an inhibitory effect on the stemness feature of the AsPC-1 cells. Here, we introduced a novel peptide inhibitor targeting an important protein-protein interaction, the β-catenin/LRH-1 complex, which may provide highly promising starting points for subsequent drug design. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijeh Pouraghajan
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Hamid Mahdiuni
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Sirous Ghobadi
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Reza Khodarahmi
- Medical Biology Research Center (MBRC), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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22
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microRNA-21 Regulates Stemness in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031275. [PMID: 35163198 PMCID: PMC8835847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common and aggressive type of pancreatic cancer (PCa) with a low survival rate. microRNAs (miRs) are endogenous, non-coding RNAs that moderate numerous biological processes. miRs have been associated with the chemoresistance and metastasis of PDAC and the presence of a subpopulation of highly plastic "stem"-like cells within the tumor, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). In this study, we investigated the role of miR-21, which is highly expressed in Panc-1 and MiaPaCa-2 PDAC cells in association with CSCs. Following miR-21 knockouts (KO) from both MiaPaCa-2 and Panc-1 cell lines, reversed expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and CSCs markers were observed. The expression patterns of key CSC markers, including CD44, CD133, CX-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), and aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1), were changed depending on miR-21 status. miR-21 (KO) suppressed cellular invasion of Panc-1 and MiaPaCa-2 cells, as well as the cellular proliferation of MiaPaCa-2 cells. Our data suggest that miR-21 is involved in the stemness of PDAC cells, may play roles in mesenchymal transition, and that miR-21 poses as a novel, functional biomarker for PDAC aggressiveness.
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Wang X, Dou X, Ren X, Rong Z, Sun L, Deng Y, Chen P, Li Z. A Ductal-Cell-Related Risk Model Integrating Single-Cell and Bulk Sequencing Data Predicts the Prognosis of Patients With Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 12:763636. [PMID: 35047000 PMCID: PMC8762279 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.763636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly heterogeneous malignancy. Single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology enables quantitative gene expression measurements that underlie the phenotypic diversity of cells within a tumor. By integrating PDAC scRNA-seq and bulk sequencing data, we aim to extract relevant biological insights into the ductal cell features that lead to different prognoses. Firstly, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of ductal cells between normal and tumor tissues were identified through scRNA-seq data analysis. The effect of DEGs on PDAC survival was then assessed in the bulk sequencing data. Based on these DEGs (LY6D, EPS8, DDIT4, TNFSF10, RBP4, NPY1R, MYADM, SLC12A2, SPCS3, NBPF15) affecting PDAC survival, a risk score model was developed to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The results showed that the overall survival was significantly longer in the low-risk group (p < 0.05). The model also revealed reliable predictive power in different subgroups of patients. The high-risk group had a higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) (p < 0.05), with significantly higher mutation frequencies in KRAS and ADAMTS12 (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the high-risk group had a higher tumor stemness score (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the immune cell infiltration scores between the two groups. Lastly, drug candidates targeting risk model genes were identified, and seven compounds might act against PDAC through different mechanisms. In conclusion, we have developed a validated survival assessment model, which acted as an independent risk factor for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xitao Wang
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaolin Dou
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinxin Ren
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhuoxian Rong
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lunquan Sun
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuezhen Deng
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Pan Chen
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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24
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Mennuni M, Filograna R, Felser A, Bonekamp NA, Giavalisco P, Lytovchenko O, Larsson N. Metabolic resistance to the inhibition of mitochondrial transcription revealed by CRISPR-Cas9 screen. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53054. [PMID: 34779571 PMCID: PMC8728608 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells depend on mitochondria to sustain their increased metabolic need and mitochondria therefore constitute possible targets for cancer treatment. We recently developed small-molecule inhibitors of mitochondrial transcription (IMTs) that selectively impair mitochondrial gene expression. IMTs have potent antitumor properties in vitro and in vivo, without affecting normal tissues. Because therapy-induced resistance is a major constraint to successful cancer therapy, we investigated mechanisms conferring resistance to IMTs. We employed a CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-(CRISP-associated protein 9) whole-genome screen to determine pathways conferring resistance to acute IMT1 treatment. Loss of genes belonging to von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathways caused resistance to acute IMT1 treatment and the relevance of these pathways was confirmed by chemical modulation. We also generated cells resistant to chronic IMT treatment to understand responses to persistent mitochondrial gene expression impairment. We report that IMT1-acquired resistance occurs through a compensatory increase of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression and cellular metabolites. We found that mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) downregulation and inhibition of mitochondrial translation impaired survival of resistant cells. The identified susceptibility and resistance mechanisms to IMTs may be relevant for different types of mitochondria-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Mennuni
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Roberta Filograna
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Andrea Felser
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- University Institute of Clinical ChemistryBern University HospitalBernSwitzerland
| | - Nina A Bonekamp
- Mitochondrial Biology GroupMax Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
- Department of NeuroanatomyMannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN)Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Patrick Giavalisco
- Metabolomics Core FacilityMax Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
| | - Oleksandr Lytovchenko
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Nils‐Göran Larsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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25
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A New Stemness-Related Prognostic Model for Predicting the Prognosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6669570. [PMID: 34671679 PMCID: PMC8523240 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6669570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Objective This study is aimed at identifying stemness-related genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods The RNA-seq data of PADC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. The mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) and epigenetically regulated mRNAsi (EREG-mRNAsi) of PADC patients were evaluated. The mRNAsi-related gene sets in PADC were identified by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). The key genes were further analyzed using functional enrichment analysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to evaluate the prognostic value of the key genes. Prognostic hub genes were used to establish nomograms. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, concordance index (C-index), and calibration curves were used to assess the discrimination and accuracy of the nomogram. Finally, these results were validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Results A total of 36 key genes related to mRNAsi were identified by WGCNA. A prognostic gene signature compromising seven genes (TPX2, ZWINT, UBE2C, CCNB2, CDK1, BUB1, and BIRC5) was established to predict the overall survival (OS) of PADC patients. The Cox regression analysis revealed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for PADC. Patients were then divided into the high-risk and low-risk groups. The ROC curves, C-index, and calibration curves indicated good performance of the prognostic signature in the TCGA and GEO datasets. Moreover, the nomogram incorporating clinical parameters showed better sensitivity and specificity for predicting the OS of PADC patients. Conclusion The stemness-related prognostic model successfully predicted the OS of PADC patients and could be used for the treatment of PADC.
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26
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Lodestijn SC, Miedema DM, Lenos KJ, Nijman LE, Belt SC, El Makrini K, Lecca MC, Waasdorp C, van den Bosch T, Bijlsma MF, Vermeulen L. Marker-free lineage tracing reveals an environment-instructed clonogenic hierarchy in pancreatic cancer. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109852. [PMID: 34686335 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective treatments for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are lacking, and targeted agents have demonstrated limited efficacy. It has been speculated that a rare population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) drives growth, therapy resistance, and rapid metastatic progression in PDAC. These CSCs demonstrate high clonogenicity in vitro and tumorigenic potential in vivo. However, their relevance in established PDAC tissue has not been determined. Here, we use marker-independent stochastic clonal labeling, combined with quantitative modeling of tumor expansion, to uncover PDAC tissue growth dynamics. We find that in contrast to the CSC model, all PDAC cells display clonogenic potential in situ. Furthermore, the proximity to activated cancer-associated fibroblasts determines tumor cell clonogenicity. This means that the microenvironment is dominant in defining the clonogenic activity of PDAC cells. Indeed, manipulating the stroma by Hedgehog pathway inhibition alters the tumor growth mode, revealing that tumor-stroma crosstalk shapes tumor growth dynamics and clonal architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie C Lodestijn
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Daniël M Miedema
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kristiaan J Lenos
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lisanne E Nijman
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Saskia C Belt
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Khalid El Makrini
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maria C Lecca
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Cynthia Waasdorp
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tom van den Bosch
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten F Bijlsma
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Louis Vermeulen
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, LEXOR, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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27
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Basu M, Philipp LM, Baines JF, Sebens S. The Microbiome Tumor Axis: How the Microbiome Could Contribute to Clonal Heterogeneity and Disease Outcome in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:740606. [PMID: 34631577 PMCID: PMC8495218 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.740606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most malignant cancers. It is characterized by a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only around 10% and an ongoing increase in death rate. Due to the lack of early and specific symptoms, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced or even metastasized stage, essentially limiting curative treatment options. However, even curative resection of the primary tumor and adjuvant therapy often fails to provide a long-term survival benefit. One reason for this dismal situation can be seen in the evolution of therapy resistances. Furthermore, PDAC is characterized by high intratumor heterogeneity, pointing towards an abundance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are regarded as essential for tumor initiation and drug resistance. Additionally, it was shown that the gut microbiome is altered in PDAC patients, promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT), determines responses towards chemotherapy, and affects survival in PDAC patients. Given the established links between CSCs and EMT as well as drug resistance, and the emerging role of the microbiome in PDAC, we postulate that the composition of the microbiome of PDAC patients is a critical determinant for the abundance and plasticity of CSC populations and thus tumor heterogeneity in PDAC. Unravelling this complex interplay might pave the way for novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Basu
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Section of Evolutionary Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lisa-Marie Philipp
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Campus Kiel, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - John F Baines
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Section of Evolutionary Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Susanne Sebens
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Campus Kiel, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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28
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Osuna de la Peña D, Trabulo SMD, Collin E, Liu Y, Sharma S, Tatari M, Behrens D, Erkan M, Lawlor RT, Scarpa A, Heeschen C, Mata A, Loessner D. Bioengineered 3D models of human pancreatic cancer recapitulate in vivo tumour biology. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5623. [PMID: 34561461 PMCID: PMC8463670 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25921-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived in vivo models of human cancer have become a reality, yet their turnaround time is inadequate for clinical applications. Therefore, tailored ex vivo models that faithfully recapitulate in vivo tumour biology are urgently needed. These may especially benefit the management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), where therapy failure has been ascribed to its high cancer stem cell (CSC) content and high density of stromal cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). To date, these features are only partially reproduced ex vivo using organoid and sphere cultures. We have now developed a more comprehensive and highly tuneable ex vivo model of PDAC based on the 3D co-assembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) with custom ECM components (PA-ECM). These cultures maintain patient-specific transcriptional profiles and exhibit CSC functionality, including strong in vivo tumourigenicity. User-defined modification of the system enables control over niche-dependent phenotypes such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and matrix deposition. Indeed, proteomic analysis of these cultures reveals improved matrisome recapitulation compared to organoids. Most importantly, patient-specific in vivo drug responses are better reproduced in self-assembled cultures than in other models. These findings support the use of tuneable self-assembling platforms in cancer research and pave the way for future precision medicine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Osuna de la Peña
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Lungs for Living Research Centre, UCL Respiratory, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Estelle Collin
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Ying Liu
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Shreya Sharma
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK
| | - Marianthi Tatari
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Diana Behrens
- EPO - Experimental Pharmacology and Oncology GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mert Erkan
- Department of Surgery, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
- Koç University Translational Research Center - KUTTAM, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research on Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research on Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Christopher Heeschen
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Laboratory of Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.
| | - Alvaro Mata
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
| | - Daniela Loessner
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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29
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Tuerhong A, Xu J, Shi S, Tan Z, Meng Q, Hua J, Liu J, Zhang B, Wang W, Yu X, Liang C. Overcoming chemoresistance by targeting reprogrammed metabolism: the Achilles' heel of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5505-5526. [PMID: 34131808 PMCID: PMC11072422 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03866-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death due to its late diagnosis that removes the opportunity for surgery and metabolic plasticity that leads to resistance to chemotherapy. Metabolic reprogramming related to glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism in PDAC not only enables the cancer to thrive and survive under hypovascular, nutrient-poor and hypoxic microenvironments, but also confers chemoresistance, which contributes to the poor prognosis of PDAC. In this review, we systematically elucidate the mechanism of chemotherapy resistance and the relationship of metabolic programming features with resistance to anticancer drugs in PDAC. Targeting the critical enzymes and/or transporters involved in glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism may be a promising approach to overcome chemoresistance in PDAC. Consequently, regulating metabolism could be used as a strategy against PDAC and could improve the prognosis of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abudureyimu Tuerhong
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Tan
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingcai Meng
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Hua
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'An Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
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30
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Poh AR, Ernst M. Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Therapeutic Opportunities and Clinical Challenges. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13122860. [PMID: 34201127 PMCID: PMC8226457 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Macrophages are a major component of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and their increased abundance is associated with poor patient survival. Given the multi-faceted role of macrophages in promoting pancreatic tumor development and progression, these cells represent promising targets for anti-cancer therapy. Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignant disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Macrophages are one of the earliest infiltrating cells in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and are associated with an increased risk of disease progression, recurrence, metastasis, and shorter overall survival. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated an unequivocal role of macrophages in PDAC by contributing to chronic inflammation, cancer cell stemness, desmoplasia, immune suppression, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Several macrophage-targeting therapies have also been investigated in pre-clinical models, and include macrophage depletion, inhibiting macrophage recruitment, and macrophage reprogramming. However, the effectiveness of these drugs in pre-clinical models has not always translated into clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms that underpin macrophage heterogeneity within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and examine the contribution of macrophages at various stages of PDAC progression. We also provide a comprehensive update of macrophage-targeting therapies that are currently undergoing clinical evaluation, and discuss clinical challenges associated with these treatment modalities in human PDAC patients.
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31
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Lequerica-Fernández P, Suárez-Canto J, Rodriguez-Santamarta T, Rodrigo JP, Suárez-Sánchez FJ, Blanco-Lorenzo V, Domínguez-Iglesias F, García-Pedrero JM, de Vicente JC. Prognostic Relevance of CD4 +, CD8 + and FOXP3 + TILs in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Correlations with PD-L1 and Cancer Stem Cell Markers. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9060653. [PMID: 34201050 PMCID: PMC8227658 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the relevance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Immunohistochemical analysis of stromal/tumoral CD4+, CD8+ and FOXP3+ TILs is performed in 125 OSCC patients. Potential relationships with the expression of tumoral PD-L1 and cancer stem cell (CSC) markers (NANOG, SOX2, OCT4, Nestin and Podoplanin (PDPN)) are assessed. CD4+ and CD8+ TILs are significantly associated with smoking and alcohol habits. CD4+ and CD8+ TILs show an inverse relationship with NANOG and SOX2 expression, and FOXP3+ TILs is significantly correlated with Nestin and PDPN expression. High infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ TILs and a high tumoral CD8+/FOXP3+ ratio are significantly associated with tumors harboring positive PD-L1 expression. Infiltration of stromal/tumoral FOXP3+ TILs and a low stromal CD8+/FOXP3+ ratio are significantly associated with better disease-specific survival. Multivariate analysis reveals that the stromal CD8+/FOXP3+ TILs ratio is a significant independent prognostic factor. Regarding OSCC patient survival, the CD8+/FOXP3+ TILs ratio is an independent prognostic factor. TILs may act as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma Lequerica-Fernández
- Department of Biochemistry, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (P.L.-F.); (F.J.S.-S.); (F.D.-I.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (T.R.-S.); (J.P.R.)
| | - Julián Suárez-Canto
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario de Cabueñes, 33394 Gijón, Spain;
| | - Tania Rodriguez-Santamarta
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (T.R.-S.); (J.P.R.)
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Rodrigo
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (T.R.-S.); (J.P.R.)
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
- Department of Surgery, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
- Ciber de Cancer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Faustino Julián Suárez-Sánchez
- Department of Biochemistry, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (P.L.-F.); (F.J.S.-S.); (F.D.-I.)
| | - Verónica Blanco-Lorenzo
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain;
| | - Francisco Domínguez-Iglesias
- Department of Biochemistry, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (P.L.-F.); (F.J.S.-S.); (F.D.-I.)
| | - Juana María García-Pedrero
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (T.R.-S.); (J.P.R.)
- Ciber de Cancer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.G.-P.); (J.C.d.V.); Tel.: +34-985-107937 (J.M.G.-P.); +34-85-103638 (J.C.d.V.)
| | - Juan Carlos de Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; (T.R.-S.); (J.P.R.)
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), C/Carretera de Rubín, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
- Department of Surgery, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.G.-P.); (J.C.d.V.); Tel.: +34-985-107937 (J.M.G.-P.); +34-85-103638 (J.C.d.V.)
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Zhang Z, Xu Y, Zhao C. Fzd7/Wnt7b signaling contributes to stemness and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Med 2021; 10:3332-3345. [PMID: 33934523 PMCID: PMC8124113 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mining databases and data obtained from assays on human specimens had shown that Fzd7 is closely associated with Wnt7b, that Fzd7/Wnt7b expression is upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with normal tissues, and its expression is negatively correlated with survival. Fzd7/Wnt7b knockdown in Capan‐2 and Panc‐1 cells reduced the proliferative capacity of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs), reduced drug resistance, decreased the percentage of CD24+CD44+ subset of cells and the levels of ABCG2, inhibited cell‐sphere formation, and reduced gemcitabine (GEM) resistance. In contrast, Fzd7/Wnt7b overexpression increased the percentage of the CD24+CD44+ subset of cells, and increased the levels of ABCG2 detected in cell spheroids. The gem‐resistant cells exhibited higher levels of Fzd7/Wnt7b expression, an increased percentage of CD24+CD44+ cells, and higher levels of ABCG2 compared with the parental cells. Taken together, Fzd7/Wnt7b knockdown can reduce PDAC cell stemness and chemoresistance by reducing the percentage of CSCs. Mechanistically, Fzd7 binds with Wnt7b and modulates the levels of β‐catenin, and they may exert their role via modulation of the canonical Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbo Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Yuanhong Xu
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Chenghai Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Basic Medical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
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Barman S, Fatima I, Singh AB, Dhawan P. Pancreatic Cancer and Therapy: Role and Regulation of Cancer Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094765. [PMID: 33946266 PMCID: PMC8124621 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite significant improvements in clinical management, pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the deadliest cancer types, as it is prone to late detection with extreme metastatic properties. The recent findings that pancreatic cancer stem cells (PaCSCs) contribute to the tumorigenesis, progression, and chemoresistance have offered significant insight into the cancer malignancy and development of precise therapies. However, the heterogeneity of cancer and signaling pathways that regulate PC have posed limitations in the effective targeting of the PaCSCs. In this regard, the role for K-RAS, TP53, Transforming Growth Factor-β, hedgehog, Wnt and Notch and other signaling pathways in PC progression is well documented. In this review, we discuss the role of PaCSCs, the underlying molecular and signaling pathways that help promote pancreatic cancer development and metastasis with a specific focus on the regulation of PaCSCs. We also discuss the therapeutic approaches that target different PaCSCs, intricate mechanisms, and therapeutic opportunities to eliminate heterogeneous PaCSCs populations in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmita Barman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.B.); (I.F.); (A.B.S.)
| | - Iram Fatima
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.B.); (I.F.); (A.B.S.)
| | - Amar B. Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.B.); (I.F.); (A.B.S.)
- VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE 68105, USA
- Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA
| | - Punita Dhawan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.B.); (I.F.); (A.B.S.)
- VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE 68105, USA
- Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA
- Correspondence:
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Dissecting FGF Signalling to Target Cellular Crosstalk in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040847. [PMID: 33918004 PMCID: PMC8068358 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis with a 5 year survival rate of less than 8%, and is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. Alongside late detection, which impacts upon surgical treatment, PDAC tumours are challenging to treat due to their desmoplastic stroma and hypovascular nature, which limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), which form a key part of this stroma, become activated in response to tumour development, entering into cross-talk with cancer cells to induce tumour cell proliferation and invasion, leading to metastatic spread. We and others have shown that Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) signalling can play a critical role in the interactions between PDAC cells and the tumour microenvironment, but it is clear that the FGFR signalling pathway is not acting in isolation. Here we describe our current understanding of the mechanisms by which FGFR signalling contributes to PDAC progression, focusing on its interaction with other pathways in signalling networks and discussing the therapeutic approaches that are being developed to try and improve prognosis for this terrible disease.
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Hu X, Xia F, Lee J, Li F, Lu X, Zhuo X, Nie G, Ling D. Tailor-Made Nanomaterials for Diagnosis and Therapy of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2002545. [PMID: 33854877 PMCID: PMC8025024 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202002545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide due to its aggressiveness and the challenge to early diagnosis and treatment. In recent decades, nanomaterials have received increasing attention for diagnosis and therapy of PDAC. However, these designs are mainly focused on the macroscopic tumor therapeutic effect, while the crucial nano-bio interactions in the heterogeneous microenvironment of PDAC remain poorly understood. As a result, the majority of potent nanomedicines show limited performance in ameliorating PDAC in clinical translation. Therefore, exploiting the unique nature of the PDAC by detecting potential biomarkers together with a deep understanding of nano-bio interactions that occur in the tumor microenvironment is pivotal to the design of PDAC-tailored effective nanomedicine. This review will introduce tailor-made nanomaterials-enabled laboratory tests and advanced noninvasive imaging technologies for early and accurate diagnosis of PDAC. Moreover, the fabrication of a myriad of tailor-made nanomaterials for various PDAC therapeutic modalities will be reviewed. Furthermore, much preferred theranostic multifunctional nanomaterials for imaging-guided therapies of PDAC will be elaborated. Lastly, the prospects of these nanomaterials in terms of clinical translation and potential breakthroughs will be briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Hu
- Department of Clinical PharmacyZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Evaluation and Clinical Researchthe First Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou310003China
| | - Fan Xia
- Institute of PharmaceuticsZhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti‐Cancer Drug ResearchHangzhou Institute of Innovative MedicineCollege of Pharmaceutical SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Jiyoung Lee
- Institute of PharmaceuticsZhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti‐Cancer Drug ResearchHangzhou Institute of Innovative MedicineCollege of Pharmaceutical SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Fangyuan Li
- Institute of PharmaceuticsZhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti‐Cancer Drug ResearchHangzhou Institute of Innovative MedicineCollege of Pharmaceutical SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of the Ministry of EducationCollege of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
| | - Xiaoyang Lu
- Department of Clinical PharmacyZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Evaluation and Clinical Researchthe First Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou310003China
| | - Xiaozhen Zhuo
- Department of Cardiologythe First Affiliated HospitalXi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'an710061China
| | - Guangjun Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and NanosafetyCAS Center for Excellence in NanoscienceNational Center for Nanoscience and TechnologyNo.11 Zhongguancun BeiyitiaoBeijing100190China
- GBA Research Innovation Institute for NanotechnologyGuangzhou510700China
| | - Daishun Ling
- Institute of PharmaceuticsZhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti‐Cancer Drug ResearchHangzhou Institute of Innovative MedicineCollege of Pharmaceutical SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of the Ministry of EducationCollege of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument ScienceZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
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Pak PJ, Lee DG, Sung JH, Jung SH, Han TY, Park SH, Chung N. Synergistic effect of the herbal mixture C5E on gemcitabine treatment in PANC‑1 cells. Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:315. [PMID: 33760105 PMCID: PMC7974510 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11954] [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: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the anticancer effect of the herbal mixture extract C5E in the pancreatic cancer cell line, PANC-1, in the absence or presence of gemcitabine treatment, a chemotherapeutic drug used for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The anticancer effects of C5E, gemcitabine and C5E plus gemcitabine in PANC-1 cells following 72 h of treatment were investigated. The effect of each treatment on cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and the proportion of side population (SP) cells was determined using flow cytometric analysis following propidium iodide (PI), Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. SP cells share similar characteristics to cancer stem-like cells, and a reduction in the SP is considered to be indicative of an anticancer effect. The percentage of SP cells and the cell viability of general PANC-1 cells were significantly decreased in response to all treatments. The percentage of SP cells was reduced from 8.2% (control) to 3.9, 7.2 and 5.1% following the treatment with C5E, gemcitabine and the co-treatment, respectively. All three treatments were discovered to inhibit cell viability by arresting the cell cycle at the S phase and promoted cell death by inducing early apoptosis, with the levels of apoptosis being increased from 1.9% (control) to 7.3, 2.5 and 12.0% following the treatment with C5E, gemcitabine and the co-treatment, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of sonic hedgehog, which is implicated in the development of certain types of cancer, were downregulated to a greater extent following the co-treatment with C5E and gemcitabine compared with the treatment with either C5E or gemcitabine alone. As the co-treatment with gemcitabine and C5E was more effective than each individual treatment, the present study suggested that the combined treatment may exhibit synergistic effects in PANC-1 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pyo June Pak
- Department of Biosystems and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Gun Lee
- Department of Biosystems and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyun Sung
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03082, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Jung
- School of Oriental Medicine, Dongguk University, Ilsan 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Young Han
- BanryongInsu Herb Clinic, Seoul 06099, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Hyo Park
- Department of Biosystems and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Namhyun Chung
- Department of Biosystems and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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Liu P, Shi X, Zhong S, Peng Y, Qi Y, Ding J, Zhou W. Metal-phenolic networks for cancer theranostics. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:2825-2849. [PMID: 33688863 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm02064h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) have shown promising potential in biomedical applications since they provide a rapid, simple and robust way to construct multifunctional nanoplatforms. As a novel nanomaterial self-assembled from metal ions and polyphenols, MPNs can be prepared to assist the theranostics of cancer owing to their bio-adhesiveness, good biocompatibility, versatile drug loading, and stimuli-responsive profile. This Critical Review aims to summarize recent progress in MPN-based nanoplatforms for multimodal tumor therapy and imaging. First, the advantages of MPNs as drug carriers are summarized. Then, various tumor therapeutic modalities based on MPNs are introduced. Next, MPN-based theranostic systems are reviewed. In terms of in vivo applications, specific attention is paid to their biosafety, biodistribution, as well as excretion. Finally, some problems and limitations of MPNs are discussed, along with a future perspective on the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Xinyi Shi
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Shenghui Zhong
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China. and School of Medicine, Yichun University, Yichun, Jiangxi 336000, China
| | - Ying Peng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Yan Qi
- Department of Pathology, Shihezi University School of Medicine & the First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832002, China
| | - Jinsong Ding
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Wenhu Zhou
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
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Raj D, Nikolaidi M, Garces I, Lorizio D, Castro NM, Caiafa SG, Moore K, Brown NF, Kocher HM, Duan X, Nelson BH, Lemoine NR, Marshall JF. CEACAM7 Is an Effective Target for CAR T-cell Therapy of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:1538-1552. [PMID: 33479048 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-2163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate whether CEACAM7 represents a novel therapeutic target for treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and to generate CEACAM7-targeting CAR T cells to test this hypothesis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We identified CEACAM7 (CGM2), a member of the CEA family of proteins with expression restricted to the colon and pancreas, as a potential CAR T-cell target for PDAC. We probed a panel of PDAC tumor sections as well as patient-derived PDAC cell cultures for CEACAM7 expression. We generated CAR-targeting CEACAM7, and assessed antitumor efficacy of CEACAM7 CAR T cells using in vitro and in vivo models. RESULTS We show here that CEACAM7 is expressed in a large subset of PDAC tumors, with low to undetectable expression in all normal tissues tested. CEACAM7 is also expressed in primary PDAC cultures isolated from patient-derived tumors, with high expression within the cancer stem cell-enriched subset. CAR T cells targeting CEACAM7 are capable of targeting antigen-expressing tumor cells, and mediate remission in patient-derived xenograft tumors. CONCLUSIONS We identify CEACAM7 as a potential therapeutic target in PDAC and describe the development of CEACAM7-targeted CAR T cells with efficacy against PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Raj
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Nikolaidi
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Garces
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela Lorizio
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia M Castro
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabrina G Caiafa
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Moore
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas F Brown
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hemant M Kocher
- Director of the Barts Pancreatic Cancer Tissue Bank, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaobo Duan
- Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer Agency, Victoria, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Brad H Nelson
- Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer Agency, Victoria, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nicholas R Lemoine
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Director, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence
| | - John F Marshall
- Centre for Tumor Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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Thakur G, Kumar R, Kim SB, Lee SY, Lee SL, Rho GJ. Therapeutic Status and Available Strategies in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9020178. [PMID: 33670230 PMCID: PMC7916947 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9020178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most severe and devastating cancer is pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the major pancreatic exocrine cancer with a poor prognosis and growing prevalence. It is the most deadly disease, with an overall five-year survival rate of 6% to 10%. According to various reports, it has been demonstrated that pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) are the main factor responsible for the tumor development, proliferation, resistance to anti-cancer drugs, and recurrence of tumors after surgery. PCSCs have encouraged new therapeutic methods to be explored that can specifically target cancer cells. Furthermore, stem cells, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), are known as influential anti-cancer agents as they function through anti-inflammatory, paracrine, cytokines, and chemokine's action. The properties of MSCs, such as migration to the site of infection and host immune cell activation by its secretome, seem to control the microenvironment of the pancreatic tumor. MSCs secretome exhibits similar therapeutic advantages as a conventional cell-based therapy. Moreover, the potential for drug delivery could be enhanced by engineered MSCs to increase drug bioactivity and absorption at the tumor site. In this review, we have discussed available therapeutic strategies, treatment hurdles, and the role of different factors such as PCSCs, cysteine, GPCR, PKM2, signaling pathways, immunotherapy, and NK-based therapy in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitika Thakur
- Department of Theriogenology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (G.T.); (S.-B.K.); (S.-Y.L.); (S.-L.L.)
| | - Raj Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan 173 234, Himachal Pradesh, India;
| | - Saet-Byul Kim
- Department of Theriogenology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (G.T.); (S.-B.K.); (S.-Y.L.); (S.-L.L.)
| | - Sang-Yeob Lee
- Department of Theriogenology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (G.T.); (S.-B.K.); (S.-Y.L.); (S.-L.L.)
| | - Sung-Lim Lee
- Department of Theriogenology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (G.T.); (S.-B.K.); (S.-Y.L.); (S.-L.L.)
| | - Gyu-Jin Rho
- Department of Theriogenology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (G.T.); (S.-B.K.); (S.-Y.L.); (S.-L.L.)
- Correspondence:
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40
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Tajima H, Makino I, Gabata R, Okazaki M, Ohbatake Y, Shimbashi H, Nakanuma S, Saitoh H, Shimada M, Yamaguchi T, Okamoto K, Moriyama H, Kinoshita J, Nakamura K, Miyashita T, Ninomiya I, Fushida S, Ikeda H, Ohta T. A phase I study of preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel for resectable pancreatic cancer. Mol Clin Oncol 2021; 14:26. [PMID: 33414907 PMCID: PMC7783717 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2020.2188] [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: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has become a standard treatment for borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The present study examined the maximum tolerated dose of NAC with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) in patients with resectable PDAC. Between 2015 and 2019, 39 patients with resectable PDAC were enrolled in the present study. GnP was administered for two 28-day cycles on days 1, 8 and 15. The planned doses for levels 1, 2 and 3 were 75, 100 and 125 mg/m2, respectively, for nab-paclitaxel and 600, 800 and 1,000 mg/m2, respectively, for gemcitabine. Dose-limiting toxicity (neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia and/or liver injury) was observed in 44.4% of patients treated at dose level 1 (21 patients) and 60.0% of those treated at dose level 2 (18 patients). Therefore, the maximum tolerated dose was set as level 1. Six patients withdrew from protocol treatment because of non-hematologic adverse events (skin rash, pancreatitis and biliary tract infection). Among the 31 patients with pathologically confirmed PDAC, partial response, stable disease and disease progression were recorded in 4 (12.9%), 24 (77.4%) and 3 (9.7%) patients, respectively. NAC significantly reduced tumor size according to computed tomography, and CA19-9 levels and the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose maximum standardized uptake value were decreased in positron emission tomography. No postoperative complications attributable to NAC were recognized. Among the 27 patients with PDAC who underwent resection, the pathological treatment effect was judged as grades Ia, Ib and II in 21 (77.8%), 4 (14.8%) and 2 (7.4%) patients, respectively. R0 resection was performed in 24 out of 27 patients (88.9%). Adjuvant chemotherapy with oral S-1 was administered to 21 out of 27 patients (77.8%). In conclusion, NAC with GnP was safe and feasible for resectable PDAC at dose level 1. In the future, verification of the long-term results of the present study will be necessary, and a phase II clinical trial is anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidehiro Tajima
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Isamu Makino
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Gabata
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Mitsuyoshi Okazaki
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Yoshinao Ohbatake
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Shimbashi
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Shinich Nakanuma
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Hiroto Saitoh
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Mari Shimada
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Takahisa Yamaguchi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Koichi Okamoto
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Hideki Moriyama
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Jun Kinoshita
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Keishi Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Tomoharu Miyashita
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Itasu Ninomiya
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Sachio Fushida
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Hiroko Ikeda
- Division of Pathology, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Ohta
- Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Division of Cancer Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan
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López-Gil JC, Martin-Hijano L, Hermann PC, Sainz B. The CXCL12 Crossroads in Cancer Stem Cells and Their Niche. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030469. [PMID: 33530455 PMCID: PMC7866198 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary CXCL12 and its receptors have been extensively studied in cancer, including their influence on cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their niche. This intensive research has led to a better understanding of the crosstalk between CXCL12 and CSCs, which has aided in designing several drugs that are currently being tested in clinical trials. However, a comprehensive review has not been published to date. The aim of this review is to provide an overview on how CXCL12 axes are involved in the regulation and maintenance of CSCs, their presence and influence at different cellular levels within the CSC niche, and the current state-of-the-art of therapeutic approaches aimed to target the CXCL12 crossroads. Abstract Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are defined as a subpopulation of “stem”-like cells within the tumor with unique characteristics that allow them to maintain tumor growth, escape standard anti-tumor therapies and drive subsequent repopulation of the tumor. This is the result of their intrinsic “stem”-like features and the strong driving influence of the CSC niche, a subcompartment within the tumor microenvironment that includes a diverse group of cells focused on maintaining and supporting the CSC. CXCL12 is a chemokine that plays a crucial role in hematopoietic stem cell support and has been extensively reported to be involved in several cancer-related processes. In this review, we will provide the latest evidence about the interactions between CSC niche-derived CXCL12 and its receptors—CXCR4 and CXCR7—present on CSC populations across different tumor entities. The interactions facilitated by CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axes seem to be strongly linked to CSC “stem”-like features, tumor progression, and metastasis promotion. Altogether, this suggests a role for CXCL12 and its receptors in the maintenance of CSCs and the components of their niche. Moreover, we will also provide an update of the therapeutic options being currently tested to disrupt the CXCL12 axes in order to target, directly or indirectly, the CSC subpopulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos López-Gil
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (J.C.L.-G.); (L.M.-H.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Martin-Hijano
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (J.C.L.-G.); (L.M.-H.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Patrick C. Hermann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Correspondence: (P.C.H.); (B.S.J.)
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (J.C.L.-G.); (L.M.-H.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (P.C.H.); (B.S.J.)
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Novak I, Yu H, Magni L, Deshar G. Purinergic Signaling in Pancreas-From Physiology to Therapeutic Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8781. [PMID: 33233631 PMCID: PMC7699721 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The purinergic signaling has an important role in regulating pancreatic exocrine secretion. The exocrine pancreas is also a site of one of the most serious cancer forms, the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we explore how the network of purinergic and adenosine receptors, as well as ecto-nucleotidases regulate normal pancreatic cells and various cells within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. In particular, we focus on the P2X7 receptor, P2Y2 and P2Y12 receptors, as well as A2 receptors and ecto-nucleotidases CD39 and CD73. Recent studies indicate that targeting one or more of these candidates could present new therapeutic approaches to treat pancreatic cancer. In pancreatic cancer, as much as possible of normal pancreatic function should be preserved, and therefore physiology of purinergic signaling in pancreas needs to be considered.
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MESH Headings
- 5'-Nucleotidase/genetics
- 5'-Nucleotidase/immunology
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use
- Apyrase/genetics
- Apyrase/immunology
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/genetics
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/immunology
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology
- Clinical Trials as Topic
- GPI-Linked Proteins/genetics
- GPI-Linked Proteins/immunology
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/immunology
- Humans
- Immunotherapy/methods
- Pancreas/drug effects
- Pancreas/immunology
- Pancreas/pathology
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/immunology
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology
- Pancreatic Stellate Cells/drug effects
- Pancreatic Stellate Cells/immunology
- Pancreatic Stellate Cells/pathology
- Receptors, Adenosine A2/genetics
- Receptors, Adenosine A2/immunology
- Receptors, Purinergic P2X7/genetics
- Receptors, Purinergic P2X7/immunology
- Receptors, Purinergic P2Y12/genetics
- Receptors, Purinergic P2Y12/immunology
- Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2/genetics
- Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2/immunology
- Signal Transduction/genetics
- Signal Transduction/immunology
- Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects
- Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Novak
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; (H.Y.); (L.M.); (G.D.)
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Randazzo O, Papini F, Mantini G, Gregori A, Parrino B, Liu DSK, Cascioferro S, Carbone D, Peters GJ, Frampton AE, Garajova I, Giovannetti E. "Open Sesame?": Biomarker Status of the Human Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter-1 and Molecular Mechanisms Influencing its Expression and Activity in the Uptake and Cytotoxicity of Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12113206. [PMID: 33142664 PMCID: PMC7692081 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely aggressive tumor characterized by early invasiveness, rapid progression and resistance to treatment. For more than twenty years, gemcitabine has been the main therapy for PDAC both in the palliative and adjuvant setting. After the introduction of FOLFIRINOX as an upfront treatment for metastatic disease, gemcitabine is still commonly used in combination with nab-paclitaxel as an alternative first-line regimen, as well as a monotherapy in elderly patients unfit for combination chemotherapy. As a hydrophilic nucleoside analogue, gemcitabine requires nucleoside transporters to permeate the plasma membrane, and a major role in the uptake of this drug is played by human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT-1). Several studies have proposed hENT-1 as a biomarker for gemcitabine efficacy in PDAC. A recent comprehensive multimodal analysis of hENT-1 status evaluated its predictive role by both immunohistochemistry (with five different antibodies), and quantitative-PCR, supporting the use of the 10D7G2 antibody. High hENT-1 levels observed with this antibody were associated with prolonged disease-free status and overall-survival in patients receiving gemcitabine adjuvant chemotherapy. This commentary aims to critically discuss this analysis and lists molecular factors influencing hENT-1 expression. Improved knowledge on these factors should help the identification of subgroups of patients who may benefit from specific therapies and overcome the limitations of traditional biomarker studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ornella Randazzo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy; (B.P.); (S.C.); (D.C.)
| | - Filippo Papini
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
| | - Giulia Mantini
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start Up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, 56017 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gregori
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
| | - Barbara Parrino
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy; (B.P.); (S.C.); (D.C.)
| | - Daniel S. K. Liu
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital campus, London W12 0NN, UK;
| | - Stella Cascioferro
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy; (B.P.); (S.C.); (D.C.)
| | - Daniela Carbone
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy; (B.P.); (S.C.); (D.C.)
| | - Godefridus J. Peters
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Adam E. Frampton
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital campus, London W12 0NN, UK;
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Leggett Building, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
- Correspondence: (A.E.F.); (E.G.); Tel.: +31-003-120-444-2633 (E.G.)
| | - Ingrid Garajova
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (O.R.); (F.P.); (G.M.); (A.G.); (G.J.P.); (I.G.)
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start Up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, 56017 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.E.F.); (E.G.); Tel.: +31-003-120-444-2633 (E.G.)
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Valle S, Alcalá S, Martin-Hijano L, Cabezas-Sáinz P, Navarro D, Muñoz ER, Yuste L, Tiwary K, Walter K, Ruiz-Cañas L, Alonso-Nocelo M, Rubiolo JA, González-Arnay E, Heeschen C, Garcia-Bermejo L, Hermann PC, Sánchez L, Sancho P, Fernández-Moreno MÁ, Sainz B. Exploiting oxidative phosphorylation to promote the stem and immunoevasive properties of pancreatic cancer stem cells. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5265. [PMID: 33067432 PMCID: PMC7567808 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18954-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the fourth leading cause of cancer death, has a 5-year survival rate of approximately 7-9%. The ineffectiveness of anti-PDAC therapies is believed to be due to the existence of a subpopulation of tumor cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are functionally plastic, and have exclusive tumorigenic, chemoresistant and metastatic capacities. Herein, we describe a 2D in vitro system for long-term enrichment of pancreatic CSCs that is amenable to biological and CSC-specific studies. By changing the carbon source from glucose to galactose in vitro, we force PDAC cells to utilize OXPHOS, resulting in enrichment of CSCs defined by increased CSC biomarker and pluripotency gene expression, greater tumorigenic potential, induced but reversible quiescence, increased OXPHOS activity, enhanced invasiveness, and upregulated immune evasion properties. This CSC enrichment method can facilitate the discovery of new CSC-specific hallmarks for future development into targets for PDAC-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Valle
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Alcalá
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Martin-Hijano
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Cabezas-Sáinz
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Diego Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Lourdes Yuste
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Kanishka Tiwary
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Karolin Walter
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Laura Ruiz-Cañas
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Alonso-Nocelo
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan A Rubiolo
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | | | - Christopher Heeschen
- Stem Cells & Cancer Group, Molecular Pathology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Single-Cell Omics and Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | | | - Miguel Ángel Fernández-Moreno
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.
- Cancer Stem Cells and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 - Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
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Safa AR. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition: a hallmark in pancreatic cancer stem cell migration, metastasis formation, and drug resistance. JOURNAL OF CANCER METASTASIS AND TREATMENT 2020; 6:36. [PMID: 34841087 PMCID: PMC8623975 DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2020.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis, tumor progression, and chemoresistance are the major causes of death in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Tumor dissemination is associated with the activation of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, a program by which epithelial cells lose their cell polarity and cell-to-cell adhesion, and acquire migratory and invasive abilities to become mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). These MSCs are multipotent stromal cells capable of differentiating into various cell types and trigger the phenotypic transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal state. Therefore, EMT promotes migration and survival during cancer metastasis and confers stemness features to particular subsets of cells. Furthermore, a major problem limiting our ability to treat PDAC is the existence of rare populations of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) or cancer-initiating cells in pancreatic tumors. PCSCs may represent sub-populations of tumor cells resistant to therapy which are most crucial for driving invasive tumor growth. These cells are capable of regenerating the cellular heterogeneity associated with the primary tumor when xenografted into mice. Therefore, the presence of PCSCs has prognostic relevance and influences the therapeutic response of tumors. PCSCs express markers of cancer stem cells (CSCs) including CD24, CD133, CD44, and epithelial specific antigen as well as the drug transporter ABCG2 grow as spheroids in a defined growth medium. A major difficulty in studying tumor cell dissemination and metastasis has been the identification of markers that distinguish metastatic cancer cells from cells that are normally circulating in the bloodstream or at sites where these cells metastasize. Evidence highlights a linkage between CSC and EMT. In this review, The current understanding of the PCSCs, signaling pathways regulating these cells, PDAC heterogeneity, EMT mechanism, and links between EMT and metastasis in PCSCs are summarised. This information may provide potential therapeutic strategies to prevent EMT and trigger CSC growth inhibition and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad R Safa
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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Profound Reprogramming towards Stemness in Pancreatic Cancer Cells as Adaptation to AKT Inhibition. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082181. [PMID: 32764385 PMCID: PMC7464748 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells acquire resistance to cytotoxic therapies targeting major survival pathways by adapting their metabolism. The AKT pathway is a major regulator of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma progression and a key pharmacological target. The mechanisms of adaptation to long-term silencing of AKT isoforms of human and mouse pancreatic adenocarcinoma cancer cells were studied. Following silencing, cancer cells remained quiescent for long periods of time, after which they recovered proliferative capacities. Adaptation caused profound proteomic changes largely affecting mitochondrial biogenesis, energy metabolism and acquisition of a number of distinct cancer stem cell (CSC) characteristics depending on the AKT isoform that was silenced. The adaptation to AKT1 silencing drove most de-differentiation and acquisition of stemness through C-MYC down-modulation and NANOG upregulation, which were required for survival of adapted CSCs. The changes associated to adaptation sensitized cancer cells to inhibitors targeting regulators of oxidative respiration and mitochondrial biogenesis. In vivo pharmacological co-inhibition of AKT and mitochondrial metabolism effectively controlled pancreatic adenocarcinoma growth in pre-clinical models.
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Cash TP, Alcalá S, Rico-Ferreira MDR, Hernández-Encinas E, García J, Albarrán MI, Valle S, Muñoz J, Martínez-González S, Blanco-Aparicio C, Pastor J, Serrano M, Sainz B. Induction of Lysosome Membrane Permeabilization as a Therapeutic Strategy to Target Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071790. [PMID: 32635473 PMCID: PMC7407272 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite significant efforts to improve pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) clinical outcomes, overall survival remains dismal. The poor response to current therapies is partly due to the existence of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PaCSCs), which are efficient drivers of PDAC tumorigenesis, metastasis and relapse. To find new therapeutic agents that could efficiently kill PaCSCs, we screened a chemical library of 680 compounds for candidate small molecules with anti-CSC activity, and identified two compounds of a specific chemical series with potent activity in vitro and in vivo against patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cultures. The anti-CSC mechanism of action of this specific chemical series was found to rely on induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), which is likely associated with the increased lysosomal mass observed in PaCSCs. Using the well characterized LMP-inducer siramesine as a tool molecule, we show elimination of the PaCSC population in mice implanted with tumors from two PDX models. Collectively, our approach identified lysosomal disruption as a promising anti-CSC therapeutic strategy for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy P. Cash
- Tumor Suppression Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (T.P.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Sonia Alcalá
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (S.V.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3—Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - María del Rosario Rico-Ferreira
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Elena Hernández-Encinas
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Jennifer García
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - María Isabel Albarrán
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Sandra Valle
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (S.V.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3—Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Muñoz
- Proteomics Unit–ProteoRed-Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Sonia Martínez-González
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Carmen Blanco-Aparicio
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Joaquín Pastor
- Experimental Therapeutics Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.d.R.R.-F.); (E.H.-E.); (J.G.); (M.I.A.); (S.M.-G.); (C.B.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Manuel Serrano
- Tumor Suppression Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (T.P.C.); (M.S.)
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (S.V.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3—Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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Samonig L, Loipetzberger A, Blöchl C, Rurik M, Kohlbacher O, Aberger F, Huber CG. Proteins and Molecular Pathways Relevant for the Malignant Properties of Tumor-Initiating Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Cells 2020; 9:E1397. [PMID: 32503348 PMCID: PMC7349116 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small subset of the tumor bulk with highly malignant properties, are deemed responsible for tumor initiation, growth, metastasis, and relapse. In order to reveal molecular markers and determinants of their tumor-initiating properties, we enriched rare stem-like pancreatic tumor-initiating cells (TICs) by harnessing their clonogenic growth capacity in three-dimensional multicellular spheroid cultures. We compared pancreatic TICs isolated from three-dimensional tumor spheroid cultures with nontumor-initiating cells (non-TICs) enriched in planar cultures. Employing differential proteomics (PTX), we identified more than 400 proteins with significantly different expression in pancreatic TICs and the non-TIC population. By combining the unbiased PTX with mRNA expression analysis and literature-based predictions of pro-malignant functions, we nominated the two calcium-binding proteins S100A8 (MRP8) and S100A9 (MRP14) as well as galactin-3-binding protein LGALS3BP (MAC-2-BP) as putative determinants of pancreatic TICs. In silico pathway analysis followed by candidate-based RNA interference mediated loss-of-function analysis revealed a critical role of S100A8, S100A9, and LGALS3BP as molecular determinants of TIC proliferation, migration, and in vivo tumor growth. Our study highlights the power of combining unbiased proteomics with focused gene expression and functional analyses for the identification of novel key regulators of TICs, an approach that warrants further application to identify proteins and pathways amenable to drug targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Samonig
- Department of Biosciences, Bioanalytical Research Labs, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Andrea Loipetzberger
- Department of Biosciences, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Molecular Cancer and Stem Cell Research, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Constantin Blöchl
- Department of Biosciences, Bioanalytical Research Labs, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Marc Rurik
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tübingen, Sand 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (M.R.); (O.K.)
| | - Oliver Kohlbacher
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tübingen, Sand 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (M.R.); (O.K.)
- Biomolecular Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Translational Bioinformatics, University Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Quantitative Biology Center, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fritz Aberger
- Department of Biosciences, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Molecular Cancer and Stem Cell Research, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria;
- Department of Biosciences, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christian G. Huber
- Department of Biosciences, Bioanalytical Research Labs, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.S.); (C.B.)
- Department of Biosciences, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria
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49
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Alcalá S, Sancho P, Martinelli P, Navarro D, Pedrero C, Martín-Hijano L, Valle S, Earl J, Rodríguez-Serrano M, Ruiz-Cañas L, Rojas K, Carrato A, García-Bermejo L, Fernández-Moreno MÁ, Hermann PC, Sainz B. ISG15 and ISGylation is required for pancreatic cancer stem cell mitophagy and metabolic plasticity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2682. [PMID: 32472071 PMCID: PMC7260233 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16395-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer stem cells (PaCSCs) drive pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis, chemoresistance and metastasis. While eliminating this subpopulation of cells would theoretically result in tumor eradication, PaCSCs are extremely plastic and can successfully adapt to targeted therapies. In this study, we demonstrate that PaCSCs increase expression of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) and protein ISGylation, which are essential for maintaining their metabolic plasticity. CRISPR-mediated ISG15 genomic editing reduces overall ISGylation, impairing PaCSCs self-renewal and their in vivo tumorigenic capacity. At the molecular level, ISG15 loss results in decreased mitochondrial ISGylation concomitant with increased accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria, reduced oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and impaired mitophagy. Importantly, disruption in mitochondrial metabolism affects PaCSC metabolic plasticity, making them susceptible to prolonged inhibition with metformin in vivo. Thus, ISGylation is critical for optimal and efficient OXPHOS by ensuring the recycling of dysfunctional mitochondria, and when absent, a dysregulation in mitophagy occurs that negatively impacts PaCSC stemness. The ubiquitin-like modifier ISG15 exerts post-translational protein regulation through ISGylation. Here, the authors show that ISGylation is necessary for pancreatic cancer stem cell self-renewal and tumourigenesis by supporting the recycling of non-functional mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Alcalá
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain. .,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Patricia Sancho
- IIS Aragón, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Paola Martinelli
- Institute for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Diego Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Coral Pedrero
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Martín-Hijano
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Valle
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Julie Earl
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Alcala University, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Network in Cancer (CIBERONC, CB16/12/00446), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Laura Ruiz-Cañas
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Katerin Rojas
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo Carrato
- Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Medical Oncology Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Alcala University, Madrid, Spain.,Biomedical Research Network in Cancer (CIBERONC, CB16/12/00446), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Miguel Ángel Fernández-Moreno
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain. .,Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
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50
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Quan MY, Guo Q, Liu J, Yang R, Bai J, Wang W, Cai Y, Han R, Lv YQ, Ding L, Billadeau DD, Lou Z, Bellusci S, Li X, Zhang JS. An FGFR/AKT/SOX2 Signaling Axis Controls Pancreatic Cancer Stemness. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:287. [PMID: 32457900 PMCID: PMC7221133 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stemness is associated with high malignancy and low differentiation, as well as therapeutic resistance of tumors including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) exert pleiotropic effects on a variety of cellular processes and functions including embryonic stem cell pluripotency and cancer cell stemness via the activation of four tyrosine kinase FGF receptors (FGFRs). FGF ligands have been a major component of the cocktail of growth factors contained in the cancer stemness-inducing (CSI) and organoid culture medium. Although FGF/FGFR signaling has been hypothesized to maintain cancer stemness, its function in this process is still unclear. We report that inhibition of FGF/FGFR signaling impairs sphere-forming ability of PDAC in vitro, and knocking down FGFR1 and FGFR2 decreased their tumorigenesis abilities in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that SOX2 is down-regulated upon loss of FGFR signaling. The overexpression of SOX2 in SOX2-negative cells, which normally do not display stemness capabilities, is sufficient to induce spheroid formation. Additionally, we found that AKT phosphorylation was reduced upon FGFR signaling inhibition. The inhibition of AKT using specific pharmacological inhibitors in the context of CSI medium leads to the loss of spheroid formation associated with loss of SOX2 nuclear expression and increased degradation. We demonstrate that an FGFR/AKT/SOX2 axis controls cancer stemness in PDAC and therefore may represent an important therapeutic target in the fight against this very aggressive form of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Yu Quan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qiang Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiayu Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ruo Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yaxin Cai
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Rui Han
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu-Qing Lv
- Center for Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Li Ding
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Daniel D Billadeau
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Zhenkun Lou
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Saverio Bellusci
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China.,Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Member of the German Lung Center, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Xiaokun Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jin-San Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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