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Mamand DR, Bazaz S, Mohammad DK, Liang X, Pavlova S, Mim C, Gabrielsson S, Nordin JZ, Wiklander OPB, Abedi‐Valugerdi M, EL‐Andaloussi S. Extracellular vesicles originating from melanoma cells promote dysregulation in haematopoiesis as a component of cancer immunoediting. J Extracell Vesicles 2024; 13:e12471. [PMID: 38944672 PMCID: PMC11214607 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12471] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Haematopoiesis dysregulation with the presence of immature myeloid and erythroid immunosuppressive cells are key characteristics of the immune escape phase of tumour development. Here, the role of in vitro generated B16F10 tumour cell-derived extracellular vesicles (tEVs) as indirect cellular communicators, participating in tumour-induced dysregulation of haematopoiesis, was explored. The isolated tEVs displayed features of small EVs with a size range of 100-200 nm, expressed the common EV markers CD63, CD9, and Alix, and had a spherical shape with a lipid bilayer membrane. Proteomic profiling revealed significant levels of angiogenic factors, particularly vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), osteopontin, and tissue factor, associated with the tEVs. Systemic administration of these tEVs in syngeneic mice induced splenomegaly and disrupted haematopoiesis, leading to extramedullary haematopoiesis, expansion of splenic immature erythroid progenitors, reduced bone marrow cellularity, medullary expansion of granulocytic myeloid suppressor cells, and the development of anaemia. These effects closely mirrored those observed in tumour-bearing mice and were not seen after heat inactivating the tEVs. In vitro studies demonstrated that tEVs independently induced the expansion of bone marrow granulocytic myeloid suppressor cells and B cells while reducing the frequency of cells in the erythropoietic lineage. These effects of tEVs were significantly abrogated by the blockade of VEGF or heat inactivation. Our findings underscore the important role of tEVs in dysregulating haematopoiesis during the immune escape phase of cancer immunoediting, suggesting their potential as targets for addressing immune evasion and reinstating normal hematopoietic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doste R. Mamand
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Breast Center, Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Safa Bazaz
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (CAST)Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer CenterStockholmSweden
| | - Dara K. Mohammad
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), Department of Medicine HuddingeKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- College of Agricultural Engineering SciencesSalahaddin University‐ErbilErbilIraq
| | - Xiuming Liang
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (CAST)Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer CenterStockholmSweden
- Karolinska ATMP Center, ANA Futura, Huddinge, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Svetlana Pavlova
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (CAST)Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer CenterStockholmSweden
- Karolinska ATMP Center, ANA Futura, Huddinge, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Carsten Mim
- Department of Protein ScienceKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Susanne Gabrielsson
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine SolnaKarolinska InstitutetSolnaSweden
| | - Joel Z. Nordin
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine (KITM)Karolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
- Karolinska ATMP Center, ANA Futura, Huddinge, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Oscar P. B. Wiklander
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Breast Center, Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
- Karolinska ATMP Center, ANA Futura, Huddinge, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Manuchehr Abedi‐Valugerdi
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (CAST)Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer CenterStockholmSweden
| | - Samir EL‐Andaloussi
- Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM), Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (CAST)Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer CenterStockholmSweden
- Karolinska ATMP Center, ANA Futura, Huddinge, SwedenKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
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Loda A, Semeraro F, Parolini S, Ronca R, Rezzola S. Cancer stem-like cells in uveal melanoma: novel insights and therapeutic implications. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189104. [PMID: 38701937 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary ocular tumor in the adult population. Even though these primary tumors are successfully treated in 90% of cases, almost 50% of patients ultimately develop metastasis, mainly in the liver, via hematological dissemination, with a median survival spanning from 6 to 12 months after diagnosis. In this context, chemotherapy regimens and molecular targeted therapies have demonstrated poor response rates and failed to improve survival. Among the multiple reasons for therapy failure, the presence of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) represents the main cause of resistance to anticancer therapies. In the last few years, the existence of CSCs in UM has been demonstrated both in preclinical and clinical studies, and new molecular pathways and mechanisms have been described for this subpopulation of UM cells. Here, we will discuss the state of the art of CSC biology and their potential exploitation as therapeutic target in UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Loda
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesco Semeraro
- Eye Clinic, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Silvia Parolini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; National Center for Gene Therapy and Drugs based on RNA Technology - CN3, Padova, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Italy
| | - Roberto Ronca
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Italy
| | - Sara Rezzola
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
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Zheng L, Chen J, Ye W, Fan Q, Chen H, Yan H. An individualized stemness-related signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy responses for gastric cancer using single-cell and bulk tissue transcriptomes. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e6908. [PMID: 38168907 PMCID: PMC10807574 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6908] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, many stemness-related signatures have been developed for gastric cancer (GC) to predict prognosis and immunotherapy outcomes. However, due to batch effects, these signatures cannot accurately analyze patients one by one, rendering them impractical in real clinical scenarios. Therefore, we aimed to develop an individualized and clinically applicable signature based on GC stemness. METHODS Malignant epithelial cells from single-cell RNA-Seq data of GC were used to identify stemness-related signature genes based on the CytoTRACE score. Using two bulk tissue datasets as training data, the enrichment scores of the signature genes were applied to classify samples into two subtypes. Then, using the identified subtypes as criteria, we developed an individualized stemness-related signature based on the within-sample relative expression orderings of genes. RESULTS We identified 175 stemness-related signature genes, which exhibited significantly higher AUCell scores in poorly differentiated GCs compared to differentiated GCs. In training datasets, GC samples were classified into two subtypes with significantly different survival times and genomic characteristics. Utilizing the two subtypes, an individualized signature was constructed containing 47 gene pairs. In four independent testing datasets, GC samples classified as high risk exhibited significantly shorter survival times, higher infiltration of M2 macrophages, and lower immune responses compared to low-risk samples. Moreover, the potential therapeutic targets and corresponding drugs were identified for the high-risk group, such as CD248 targeted by ontuxizumab. CONCLUSIONS We developed an individualized stemness-related signature, which can accurately predict the prognosis and efficacy of immunotherapy for each GC sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyong Zheng
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and EngineeringFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Jingyan Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and EngineeringFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Wenhai Ye
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and EngineeringFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Qi Fan
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and EngineeringFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Haifeng Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryFuzhou Second HospitalFuzhouChina
| | - Haidan Yan
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Medical Bioinformatics, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Technology and EngineeringFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, The School of Basic Medical SciencesFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
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Delgado-Bellido D, Oliver FJ, Vargas Padilla MV, Lobo-Selma L, Chacón-Barrado A, Díaz-Martin J, de Álava E. VE-Cadherin in Cancer-Associated Angiogenesis: A Deceptive Strategy of Blood Vessel Formation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119343. [PMID: 37298296 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119343] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor growth depends on the vascular system, either through the expansion of blood vessels or novel adaptation by tumor cells. One of these novel pathways is vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which is defined as a tumor-provided vascular system apart from endothelial cell-lined vessels, and its origin is partly unknown. It involves highly aggressive tumor cells expressing endothelial cell markers that line the tumor irrigation. VM has been correlated with high tumor grade, cancer cell invasion, cancer cell metastasis, and reduced survival of cancer patients. In this review, we summarize the most relevant studies in the field of angiogenesis and cover the various aspects and functionality of aberrant angiogenesis by tumor cells. We also discuss the intracellular signaling mechanisms involved in the abnormal presence of VE-cadherin (CDH5) and its role in VM formation. Finally, we present the implications for the paradigm of tumor angiogenesis and how targeted therapy and individualized studies can be applied in scientific analysis and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Delgado-Bellido
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBERONC, 28220 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - F J Oliver
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | | | - Laura Lobo-Selma
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | | | - Juan Díaz-Martin
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBERONC, 28220 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Enrique de Álava
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBERONC, 28220 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Normal and Pathological Cytology and Histology, School of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
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ADAMTS1 as potential prognostic biomarker promotes malignant invasion of glioma. Int J Clin Oncol 2023; 28:52-68. [PMID: 36371587 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-022-02268-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioma is the most common intracranial malignancy in adults with a high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis, which is largely attributed to the existence of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Previous evidence indicated that the matrix metalloproteinase ADAMTS1 was implicated in the process of tumor invasion, but the involvement of ADAMTS1 in glioma malignant invasion remains poorly understood. METHODS The expression and prognosis values of ADAMTS1 were investigated in patients with glioma based on ONCOMINE and GEPIA databases. ADAMTS1 expression of different malignancy grade tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry. The effects of ADAMTS1 on cell proliferation and invasion were determined by clone formation assay and Transwell migration assay. The animal experiment was performed in an intracranial orthotopic xenograft model by knockout of ADAMTS1. Stemness properties and Notch1-SOX2 pathway were examined in stable ADAMTS1 knockdown GSCs. RESULTS The expression levels of ADAMTS1 were significantly higher in glioma tissues and significantly correlated with the grade of malignancy and prognosis of glioma. Elevated ADAMTS1 expression was associated with SOX2, N-cadherin and the resistance of chemoradiotherapy of glioma patients. ADAMTS1 knockout suppressed the intracranial orthotopic xenograft growth and prolonged the survival of xenograft mice in vivo. Mechanistically, we found a blockade of the migration and invasiveness of GSCs and the expression levels of Notch1 and SOX2 in absence of ADAMTS1. CONCLUSION As a biomarker for prediction of prognosis, ADAMTS1 may affect the invasive phenotype of GSCs by regulating Notch1-SOX2 signaling pathway, thereby promoting the invasive growth of glioma.
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Gallic Acid: A Natural Phenolic Compound Exerting Antitumoral Activities in Colorectal Cancer via Interaction with G-Quadruplexes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112648. [PMID: 35681628 PMCID: PMC9179882 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Gallic acid, a natural phenolic compound in diet, interacts with DNA G-quadruplexes both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, gallic acid targets G-quadruplexes in ribosomal DNA and CMYC oncogene, affecting gene expression. This action leads to antitumoral effects in colorectal cancer. In a patient cohort with CRC, we demonstrate that gallic acid could be explored as a therapeutic agent. Abstract Natural phenolic compounds have gained momentum for the prevention and treatment of cancer, but their antitumoral mechanism of action is not yet well understood. In the present study, we screened the antitumoral potential of several phenolic compounds in a cellular model of colorectal cancer (CRC). We selected gallic acid (GA) as a candidate in terms of potency and selectivity and extensively evaluated its biological activity. We report on the role of GA as a ligand of DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s), explaining several of its antitumoral effects, including the transcriptional inhibition of ribosomal and CMYC genes. In addition, GA shared with other established G4 ligands some effects such as cell cycle arrest, nucleolar stress, and induction of DNA damage. We further confirmed the antitumoral and G4-stabilizing properties of GA using a xenograft model of CRC. Finally, we succinctly demonstrate that GA could be explored as a therapeutic agent in a patient cohort with CRC. Our work reveals that GA, a natural bioactive compound present in the diet, affects gene expression by interaction with G4s both in vitro and in vivo and paves the way towards G4s targeting with phenolic compounds.
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Habič A, Novak M, Majc B, Lah Turnšek T, Breznik B. Proteases Regulate Cancer Stem Cell Properties and Remodel Their Microenvironment. J Histochem Cytochem 2021; 69:775-794. [PMID: 34310223 DOI: 10.1369/00221554211035192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolytic activity is perturbed in tumors and their microenvironment, and proteases also affect cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are the therapy-resistant subpopulation of cancer cells with tumor-initiating capacity that reside in specialized tumor microenvironment niches. In this review, we briefly summarize the significance of proteases in regulating CSC activities with a focus on brain tumor glioblastoma. A plethora of proteases and their inhibitors participate in CSC invasiveness and affect intercellular interactions, enhancing CSC immune, irradiation, and chemotherapy resilience. Apart from their role in degrading the extracellular matrix enabling CSC migration in and out of their niches, we review the ability of proteases to modulate CSC properties, which prevents their elimination. When designing protease-oriented therapies, the multifaceted roles of proteases should be thoroughly investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamarija Habič
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,The Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Metka Novak
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bernarda Majc
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,The Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tamara Lah Turnšek
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,The Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Breznik
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Thankamony AP, Subbalakshmi AR, Jolly MK, Nair R. Lineage Plasticity in Cancer: The Tale of a Skin-Walker. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3602. [PMID: 34298815 PMCID: PMC8306016 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lineage plasticity, the switching of cells from one lineage to another, has been recognized as a cardinal property essential for embryonic development, tissue repair and homeostasis. However, such a highly regulated process goes awry when cancer cells exploit this inherent ability to their advantage, resulting in tumorigenesis, relapse, metastasis and therapy resistance. In this review, we summarize our current understanding on the role of lineage plasticity in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance in multiple cancers. Lineage plasticity can be triggered by treatment itself and is reported across various solid as well as liquid tumors. Here, we focus on the importance of lineage switching in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance of solid tumors such as the prostate, lung, hepatocellular and colorectal carcinoma and the myeloid and lymphoid lineage switch observed in leukemias. Besides this, we also discuss the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in facilitating the lineage switch in biphasic cancers such as aggressive carcinosarcomas. We also discuss the mechanisms involved, current therapeutic approaches and challenges that lie ahead in taming the scourge of lineage plasticity in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana P. Thankamony
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Kerala 695014, India;
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal 576104, India
| | - Ayalur Raghu Subbalakshmi
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
| | - Radhika Nair
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Kerala 695014, India;
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9
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Bioinformatic Analysis Reveals Central Role for Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells in Uveal Melanoma Progression. J Immunol Res 2021; 2021:9920234. [PMID: 34195299 PMCID: PMC8214507 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9920234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating immune cells are capable of effective cancer surveillance, and their abundance is linked to better prognosis in numerous tumor types. However, in uveal melanoma (UM), extensive immune infiltrate is associated with poor survival. This study aims to decipher the role of different tumor-infiltrating cell subsets in UM in order to identify potential targets for future immunotherapeutic treatment. We have chosen the TCGA-UVM cohort as a training dataset and GSE22138 as a testing dataset by mining publicly available databases. The abundance of 22 immune cell types was estimated using CIBERSORTx. Then, to determine the significance of tumor-infiltrating cell subsets in UM, we built a multicell type prognostic signature, which was validated in the testing cohort. The created signature was built upon the negative prognostic role of CD8+ T cells and M0 macrophages and the positive role of neutrophils. Based on the created signature score, we divided the patients into low- and high-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier, Cox, and ROC analyses demonstrated superior performance of our risk score compared to either clinical or pathologic characteristics of both cohorts. Further, we found the molecular pathways associated with cancer immunoevasion and metastasis to be enriched in the high-risk group, explaining both the lack of adequate immune surveillance despite increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells as well as the higher metastatic potential. Genes associated with tryptophan metabolism (IDO1 and KYNU) and metalloproteinases were among the most differentially expressed between the high- and low-risk groups. Our correlation analyses interpreted in context of published in vitro data strongly suggest the central role of CD8+ T cells in shifting the UM tumor microenvironment towards suppressive and metastasis-promoting. Therefore, we propose further investigations of IDO1 and metalloproteinases as novel targets for immunotherapy in lymphocyte-rich metastatic UM patients.
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10
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D'Aguanno S, Mallone F, Marenco M, Del Bufalo D, Moramarco A. Hypoxia-dependent drivers of melanoma progression. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:159. [PMID: 33964953 PMCID: PMC8106186 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01926-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia, a condition of low oxygen availability, is a hallmark of tumour microenvironment and promotes cancer progression and resistance to therapy. Many studies reported the essential role of hypoxia in regulating invasiveness, angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry and response to therapy in melanoma. Melanoma is an aggressive cancer originating from melanocytes located in the skin (cutaneous melanoma), in the uveal tract of the eye (uveal melanoma) or in mucosal membranes (mucosal melanoma). These three subtypes of melanoma represent distinct neoplasms in terms of biology, epidemiology, aetiology, molecular profile and clinical features.In this review, the latest progress in hypoxia-regulated pathways involved in the development and progression of all melanoma subtypes were discussed. We also summarized current knowledge on preclinical studies with drugs targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1, angiogenesis or vasculogenic mimicry. Finally, we described available evidence on clinical studies investigating the use of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 inhibitors or antiangiogenic drugs, alone or in combination with other strategies, in metastatic and adjuvant settings of cutaneous, uveal and mucosal melanoma.Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-independent pathways have been also reported to regulate melanoma progression, but this issue is beyond the scope of this review.As evident from the numerous studies discussed in this review, the increasing knowledge of hypoxia-regulated pathways in melanoma progression and the promising results obtained from novel antiangiogenic therapies, could offer new perspectives in clinical practice in order to improve survival outcomes of melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona D'Aguanno
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana Mallone
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Marenco
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Donatella Del Bufalo
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
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11
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Carter LE, Cook DP, McCloskey CW, Grondin MA, Landry DA, Dang T, Collins O, Gamwell LF, Dempster HA, Vanderhyden BC. Transcriptional heterogeneity of stemness phenotypes in the ovarian epithelium. Commun Biol 2021; 4:527. [PMID: 33953351 PMCID: PMC8100130 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02045-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) is a monolayer of epithelial cells surrounding the ovary that ruptures during each ovulation to allow release of the oocyte. This wound is quickly repaired, but mechanisms promoting repair are poorly understood. The contribution of tissue-resident stem cells in the homeostasis of several epithelial tissues is widely accepted, but their involvement in OSE is unclear. We show that traits associated with stem cells can be increased following exposure to the cytokine TGFB1, overexpression of the transcription factor Snai1, or deletion of Brca1. We find that stemness is often linked to mesenchymal-associated gene expression and higher activation of ERK signalling, but is not consistently dependent on their activation. Expression profiles of these populations are extremely context specific, suggesting that stemness may not be associated with a single, distinct population, but rather is a heterogeneous cell state that may emerge from diverse environmental cues. These findings support that the OSE may not require distinct stem cells for long-term maintenance, and may instead achieve this through transient dedifferentiation into a stem-like state. Using spheroids as a model, the authors report the molecular signatures of ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells exhibiting stemness phenotype under various conditions in vitro, and found that there is a large degree of heterogeneity in the transcriptional profiles of stem cells induced under different conditions. They suggest that maintenance of the OSE may not require a single stem cell population, but heterogeneous stem cells that can be induced transiently under diverse environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Carter
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - David P Cook
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Curtis W McCloskey
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Melanie A Grondin
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - David A Landry
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tiffany Dang
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Olga Collins
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa F Gamwell
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Holly A Dempster
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara C Vanderhyden
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Zheng N, Zhang S, Wu W, Zhang N, Wang J. Regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targeting of vasculogenic mimicry in hepatocellular carcinoma. Pharmacol Res 2021; 166:105507. [PMID: 33610718 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical hyper-vascular solid tumor; aberrantly rich in tumor vascular network contributes to its malignancy. Conventional anti-angiogenic therapies seem promising but transitory and incomplete efficacy on HCC. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is one of functional microcirculation patterns independent of endothelial vessels which describes the plasticity of highly aggressive tumor cells to form vasculogenic-like networks providing sufficient blood supply for tumor growth and metastasis. As a pivotal alternative mechanism for tumor vascularization when tumor cells undergo lack of oxygen and nutrients, VM has an association with the malignant phenotype and poor clinical outcome for HCC, and may challenge the classic anti-angiogenic treatment of HCC. Current studies have contributed numerous findings illustrating the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways supporting VM in HCC. In this review, we summarize the correlation between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs) and VM, the role of hypoxia and extracellular matrix remodeling in VM, the involvement of adjacent non-cancerous cells, cytokines and growth factors in VM, as well as the regulatory influence of non-coding RNAs on VM in HCC. Moreover, we discuss the clinical significance of VM in practice and the potential therapeutic strategies targeting VM for HCC. A better understanding of the mechanism underlying VM formation in HCC may optimize anti-angiogenic treatment modalities for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
| | - Shaoqin Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute for Translational Medicine, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
| | - Wenda Wu
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute for Translational Medicine, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute for Translational Medicine, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
| | - Jichuang Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute for Translational Medicine, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China.
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Serrano-Garrido O, Peris-Torres C, Redondo-García S, Asenjo HG, Plaza-Calonge MDC, Fernandez-Luna JL, Rodríguez-Manzaneque JC. ADAMTS1 Supports Endothelial Plasticity of Glioblastoma Cells with Relevance for Glioma Progression. Biomolecules 2020; 11:biom11010044. [PMID: 33396280 PMCID: PMC7823850 DOI: 10.3390/biom11010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas in general and the more advanced glioblastomas (GBM) in particular are the most usual tumors of the central nervous system with poor prognosis. GBM patients develop resistance to distinct therapies, in part due to the existence of tumor cell subpopulations with stem-like properties that participate in trans-differentiation events. Within the complex tumor microenvironment, the involvement of extracellular proteases remains poorly understood. The extracellular protease ADAMTS1 has already been reported to contribute to the plasticity of cancer cells. Accordingly, this basic knowledge and the current availability of massive sequencing data from human gliomas, reinforced the development of this work. We first performed an in silico study of ADAMTS1 and endothelial markers in human gliomas, providing the basis to further assess these molecules in several primary glioblastoma-initiating cells and established GBM cells with the ability to acquire an endothelial-like phenotype. Using a co-culture approach of endothelial and GBM cells, we noticed a relevant function of ADAMTS1 in GBM cells leading the organization of endothelial-like networks and, even more significantly, we found a blockade of the formation of tumor-spheres and a deficient response to hypoxia in the absence of ADAMTS1. Our data support a chief role of this protease modulating the phenotypic plasticity of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orlando Serrano-Garrido
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avenida de la Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (O.S.-G.); (C.P.-T.); (S.R.-G.); (H.G.A.); (M.d.C.P.-C.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Panama, Ciudad Universitaria, Panamá 3366, Panama
| | - Carlos Peris-Torres
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avenida de la Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (O.S.-G.); (C.P.-T.); (S.R.-G.); (H.G.A.); (M.d.C.P.-C.)
| | - Silvia Redondo-García
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avenida de la Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (O.S.-G.); (C.P.-T.); (S.R.-G.); (H.G.A.); (M.d.C.P.-C.)
| | - Helena G. Asenjo
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avenida de la Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (O.S.-G.); (C.P.-T.); (S.R.-G.); (H.G.A.); (M.d.C.P.-C.)
| | - María del Carmen Plaza-Calonge
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avenida de la Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (O.S.-G.); (C.P.-T.); (S.R.-G.); (H.G.A.); (M.d.C.P.-C.)
| | - José Luis Fernandez-Luna
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Avenida Valdecilla, s/n, 39008 Santander, Spain;
| | - Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Manzaneque
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avenida de la Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (O.S.-G.); (C.P.-T.); (S.R.-G.); (H.G.A.); (M.d.C.P.-C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-958-715-500 (ext. 118)
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ADAMTS proteases and the tumor immune microenvironment: Lessons from substrates and pathologies. Matrix Biol Plus 2020; 9:100054. [PMID: 33718860 PMCID: PMC7930849 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2020.100054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship of ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) proteases with inflammatory processes was anticipated since their discovery. Although knowledge of these extracellular proteases in different contexts continues to grow, many questions remain unanswered. In this review, we summarize the most important studies of ADAMTSs and their substrates in inflammation and in the immune system of non-oncological disorders. In addition, we update the findings on cancer and highlight their emerging role in the tumor immune microenvironment. Although the overall functions of extracellular molecules are known to be modulated by proteolysis, specific activities attributed to intact proteins and cleaved fragments in the context of inflammation are still subject to debate. A better understanding of ADAMTS activities will help to elucidate their contribution to the immune phenotype and to open up new therapeutic and diagnostic possibilities.
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