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Kour S, Biswas I, Sheoran S, Arora S, Singh A, Prabhu D, Pawar SC, Perugu S, Vuree S. Betulin: a novel triterpenoid anti-cancerous agent targeting cervical cancer through epigenetic proteins. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10930-9. [PMID: 39014147 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10930-9] [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: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Worldwide, cervical cancer (CCa) is a major killer of women. As the conventional drugs used to treat cervical cancer are expensive and expose severe side effects, there is a growing demand to search for novel modifications. Therefore, in the current investigation employing a bioinformatic approach, we explored triterpenoids for their anti-cancer efficacy by targeting cervical cancer epigenetic proteins, namely DNMT3A, HDAC4, and KMT2C. The study utilized molecular docking, ADMET assay, Molecular Dynamic simulation, and DFT calculation to unveil Betulin (BE) as the potential lead compound. Comparative analysis with that standard drug indicated that BE has a better glide score with the target protein KM2TC (- 9.893 kcal/mol), HDAC4 (- 9.720 kcal/mol), and DNMT3A (- 7.811 kcal/mol), which depicts that BE could be a potent inhibitor of these three epigenetic proteins and exhibits favorable pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamics and toxicity properties. Molecular Dynamics simulation revealed noteworthy structural stability and compactness. DFT analysis revealed higher molecular activity of BE and showed the most increased kinetic stability (δE = 0.254647 eV). Further, we employed In vitro analysis through MTT assay and found that BE has IC50 of 15 µg/ml. In conclusion, BE can potentially treat CCa upon further investigations using in vivo models for better understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satbir Kour
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Indrani Biswas
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed-to-Be University), Puducherry, India
| | - Sumit Sheoran
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Swati Arora
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Anjuvan Singh
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Dhamodharan Prabhu
- Centre for Drug Discovery, Department of Biotechnology, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, 641021, India
| | - Smita C Pawar
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India
| | - Shyam Perugu
- Department of Biotechnology, NIT Warangal, Hyderabad, India
| | - Sugunakar Vuree
- Department of Biotechnology, Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology & Research, Vadlamudi, Guntur, 522213, India.
- Virchow Biotech Pvt Ltd, Manufacturing and R&D Facilities, Survey No.172 Part, Gagillapur, Hyderabad, 500 043, India.
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Park S, Choi J, Song JK, Jang B, Maeng YH. Subcellular expression pattern and clinical significance of CBX2 and CBX7 in breast cancer subtypes. Med Mol Morphol 2024; 57:11-22. [PMID: 37553450 DOI: 10.1007/s00795-023-00368-7] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Chromobox (CBX)2 and CBX7, members of CBX family protein, show diverse expression patterns and contrasting roles in certain cancers. We aimed to investigate the subcellular expression patterns and clinical significances of CBXs in breast cancer (BC) subtypes, which have heterogeneous clinical course and therapeutic responses. Among the subtypes, the triple-negative BC (TNBC) is a heterogeneous group that lacks specific markers. We categorized TNBC into quadruple-negative BC (QNBC) and TNBC, based on androgen receptor (AR) status, to make the groups more homogeneous. Immunohistochemistry for CBX proteins was performed on 323 primary invasive BC tissues and their clinical significances were analyzed. Cytoplasmic CBX2 (CBX2-c) was linked to adverse clinicopathological factors and TNBC and QNBC subtypes. In contrast, nuclear CBX7 (CBX7-n) was associated with favorable parameters and luminal A subtype. CBX2-c expression increased progressively from that in benign lesions to that in in situ carcinomas and invasive cancers, whereas CBX7-n and AR expressions showed sequential downregulation. AR was lower in metastatic tissues compared to matched primary cancer tissues. We speculate that the upregulation of CBX2-c and downregulation of CBX7-n could play a role in breast oncogenesis and an adverse clinical course, suggesting them as potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in invasive BCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungjoon Park
- Department of Pathology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, 63241, South Korea
| | - Jaehyuck Choi
- Department of Surgery, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, 63241, South Korea
| | - Jung-Kook Song
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, 63241, South Korea
| | - Bogun Jang
- Department of Pathology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, 63241, South Korea
- Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Aran 13-gil 15, Jeju, 63241, South Korea
| | - Young Hee Maeng
- Department of Pathology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, 63241, South Korea.
- Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Aran 13-gil 15, Jeju, 63241, South Korea.
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Desroys du Roure P, Lajoie L, Mallavialle A, Alcaraz LB, Mansouri H, Fenou L, Garambois V, Rubio L, David T, Coenon L, Boissière-Michot F, Chateau MC, Ngo G, Jarlier M, Villalba M, Martineau P, Laurent-Matha V, Roger P, Guiu S, Chardès T, Gros L, Liaudet-Coopman E. A novel Fc-engineered cathepsin D-targeting antibody enhances ADCC, triggers tumor-infiltrating NK cell recruitment, and improves treatment with paclitaxel and enzalutamide in triple-negative breast cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007135. [PMID: 38290768 PMCID: PMC10828871 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007135] [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] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) prognosis is poor. Immunotherapies to enhance the antibody-induced natural killer (NK) cell antitumor activity are emerging for TNBC that is frequently immunogenic. The aspartic protease cathepsin D (cath-D), a tumor cell-associated extracellular protein with protumor activity and a poor prognosis marker in TNBC, is a prime target for antibody-based therapy to induce NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). This study investigated whether Fc-engineered anti-cath-D antibodies trigger ADCC, their impact on antitumor efficacy and tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and their relevance for combinatory therapy in TNBC. METHODS Cath-D expression and localization in TNBC samples were evaluated by western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. The binding of human anti-cath-D F1M1 and Fc-engineered antibody variants, which enhance (F1M1-Fc+) or prevent (F1M1-Fc-) affinity for CD16a, to secreted human and murine cath-D was analyzed by ELISA, and to CD16a by surface plasmon resonance and flow cytometry. NK cell activation was investigated by flow cytometry, and ADCC by lactate dehydrogenase release. The antitumor efficacy of F1M1 Fc-variants was investigated using TNBC cell xenografts in nude mice. NK cell recruitment, activation, and cytotoxic activity were analyzed in MDA-MB-231 cell xenografts by immunophenotyping and RT-qPCR. NK cells were depleted using an anti-asialo GM1 antibody. F1M1-Fc+ antitumor effect was assessed in TNBC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and TNBC SUM159 cell xenografts, and in combination with paclitaxel or enzalutamide. RESULTS Cath-D expression on the TNBC cell surface could be exploited to induce ADCC. F1M1 Fc-variants recognized human and mouse cath-D. F1M1-Fc+ activated NK cells in vitro and induced ADCC against TNBC cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts more efficiently than F1M1. F1M1-Fc- was ineffective. In the MDA-MB-231 cell xenograft model, F1M1-Fc+ displayed higher antitumor activity than F1M1, whereas F1M1-Fc- was less effective, reflecting the importance of Fc-dependent mechanisms in vivo. F1M1-Fc+ triggered tumor-infiltrating NK cell recruitment, activation and cytotoxic activity in MDA-MB-231 cell xenografts. NK cell depletion impaired F1M1-Fc+ antitumor activity, demonstrating their key role. F1M1-Fc+ inhibited growth of SUM159 cell xenografts and two TNBC PDXs. In combination therapy, F1M1-Fc+ improved paclitaxel and enzalutamide therapeutic efficacy without toxicity. CONCLUSIONS F1M1-Fc+ is a promising immunotherapy for TNBC that could be combined with conventional regimens, including chemotherapy or antiandrogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurie Lajoie
- Université de Tours - INRAE, UMR1282, Infectiologie et Santé Publique (ISP), équipe BioMédicaments Anti-Parasitaires (BioMAP), Tours, France
| | - Aude Mallavialle
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Lindsay B Alcaraz
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Hanane Mansouri
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- RHEM, IRCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Lise Fenou
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Lucie Rubio
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Timothée David
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Loïs Coenon
- IRMB, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Giang Ngo
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Martin Villalba
- IRMB, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut du Cancer Avignon-Provence Sainte Catherine, Avignon, France
| | - Pierre Martineau
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Pascal Roger
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- Department of Pathology, CHU Nîmes, Nimes, France
| | - Séverine Guiu
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Chardès
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Centre national de la recherche Scientifique, Paris, F-75016, France
| | - Laurent Gros
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Centre national de la recherche Scientifique, Paris, F-75016, France
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David T, Mallavialle A, Faget J, Alcaraz LB, Lapierre M, du Roure PD, Laurent-Matha V, Mansouri H, Jarlier M, Martineau P, Roger P, Guiu S, Chardès T, Liaudet-Coopman E. Anti-cathepsin D immunotherapy triggers both innate and adaptive anti-tumour immunity in breast cancer. Br J Pharmacol 2023. [PMID: 38030588 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16291] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has poorer outcomes than other breast cancers (BC), including HER2+ BC. Cathepsin D (CathD) is a poor prognosis marker overproduced by BC cells, hypersecreted in the tumour microenvironment with tumour-promoting activity. Here, we characterized the immunomodulatory activity of the anti-CathD antibody F1 and its improved Fab-aglycosylated version (F1M1) in immunocompetent mouse models of TNBC (C57BL/6 mice harbouring E0771 cell grafts) and HER2-amplified BC (BALB/c mice harbouring TUBO cell grafts). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH CathD expression was evaluated by western blotting and immunofluorescence, and antibody binding to CathD by ELISA. Antibody anti-tumour efficacy was investigated in mouse models. Immune cell recruitment and activation were assessed by immunohistochemistry, immunophenotyping, and RT-qPCR. KEY RESULTS F1 and F1M1 antibodies remodelled the tumour immune landscape. Both antibodies promoted innate antitumour immunity by preventing the recruitment of immunosuppressive M2-polarized tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) and by activating natural killer cells in the tumour microenvironment of both models. This translated into a reduction of T-cell exhaustion markers in the tumour microenvironment that could be locally supported by enhanced activation of anti-tumour antigen-presenting cell (M1-polarized TAMs and cDC1 cells) functions. Both antibodies inhibited tumour growth in the highly-immunogenic E0771 model, but only marginally in the immune-excluded TUBO model, indicating that anti-CathD immunotherapy is more relevant for BC with a high immune cell infiltrate, as often observed in TNBC. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION Anti-CathD antibody-based therapy triggers the anti-tumour innate and adaptive immunity in preclinical models of BC and is a promising immunotherapy for immunogenic TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée David
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Julien Faget
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Marion Lapierre
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Hanane Mansouri
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- RHEM, IRCM, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Pascal Roger
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- Department of Pathology, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Séverine Guiu
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Chardès
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, Univ Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
- Centre national de la recherche Scientifique, CNRS, Paris, France
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Boissière-Michot F, Chateau MC, Thézenas S, Guiu S, Bobrie A, Jacot W. Correlation of the TIGIT-PVR immune checkpoint axis with clinicopathological features in triple-negative breast cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1058424. [PMID: 36544779 PMCID: PMC9760730 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1058424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) interacts with poliovirus receptor (PVR) to contribute to cancer immune escape. Recently, TIGIT and PVR have been identified as promising immunotherapy targets. Their gene expression is upregulated in many solid tumors, but their protein expression level is not well documented, particularly in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), the breast cancer subtype that most benefit from immunotherapy. Methods TIGIT and PVR expression levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry in 243 surgically resected localized TNBC and then their relationship with clinical-pathological features and clinical outcome was analyzed. Results TIGIT expression was observed in immune cells from the tumor microenvironment, whereas PVR was mainly expressed by tumor cells. High TIGIT expression was significantly associated with age (p=0.010), histological grade (p=0.014), non-lobular histology (p=0.024), adjuvant chemotherapy (p=0.006), and various immune cell populations (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), CD3+, CD8+, PD-1+ cells; all p<0.0001), PD-L1+ tumor cells (p<0.0001), and PD-L1+ stromal cells (p=0.003). Infiltration by TIGIT+ cells tended to be higher in non-molecular apocrine tumors (p=0.088). PVR was significantly associated with histological grade (p<0.0001), the basal-like (p=0.003) and non-molecular apocrine phenotypes (p=0.039), high TILs infiltration (p=0.011), CD3+ (p=0.002), CD8+ (p=0.024) T cells, and PD-L1 expression in tumor (p=0.003) and stromal cells (p=0.001). In univariate analysis, only known prognostic factors (age, tumor size, lymph node status, adjuvant chemotherapy, TILs and CD3+ T-cell infiltrate) were significantly associated with relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival. High TIGIT and PVR expression levels tended to be associated with longer RFS (p=0.079 and 0.045, respectively). The analysis that included only non-molecular apocrine TNBC revealed longer RFS for tumors that strongly expressed TIGIT or PVR (p=0.025 for TIGIT and 0.032 for PVR). Conclusions These results indicated that in TNBC, TIGIT+ cells can easily interact with PVR to exert their inhibitory effects. Their wide expression in TNBC and their association with other immune checkpoint components suggest the therapeutic interest of the TIGIT-PVR axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Boissière-Michot
- Translational Research Unit, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France,*Correspondence: Florence Boissière-Michot,
| | - Marie-Christine Chateau
- Translational Research Unit, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France
| | - Simon Thézenas
- Biometrics Unit, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France
| | - Séverine Guiu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France,Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Montpellier, France
| | - Angélique Bobrie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France,Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Montpellier, France
| | - William Jacot
- Translational Research Unit, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France,Department of Medical Oncology, Montpellier Cancer Institute Val d’Aurelle, Montpellier, France,Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Montpellier, France,Faculty of Medicine, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
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Association of CD206 Protein Expression with Immune Infiltration and Prognosis in Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194829. [PMID: 36230752 PMCID: PMC9564167 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194829] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have a worse prognosis, but might respond to immunotherapies. Macrophages are plastic cells that can adopt various phenotypes and functions. Although they are a major immune population in TNBCs, the relationship between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and TNBC progression has been rarely explored, with controversial results. Methods: We evaluated the prognostic impact of TAMs, quantified by immunohistochemistry with anti-CD68, -IRF8, -CD163, and -CD206 antibodies, in a well-described cohort of 285 patients with non-metastatic TNBC. Results: CD68 (p = 0.008), IRF8 (p = 0.001), and CD163 (p < 0.001) expression positively correlated with higher tumor grade, while CD206 was associated with smaller tumor size (p < 0.001). All macrophage markers were associated with higher tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte numbers and PD-L1 expression. Univariate survival analyses reported a significant positive correlation between CD163+ or CD206+ TAMs and relapse-free survival (respectively: HR = 0.52 [0.28−0.97], p = 0.027, and HR = 0.51 [0.31−0.82], p = 0.005), and between CD206+ TAMs and overall survival (HR = 0.54 [0.35−0.83], p = 0.005). In multivariate analysis, there was a trend for an association between CD206+ TAMs and relapse-free survival (HR = 0.63 [0.33−1.04], p = 0.073). Conclusions: These data suggest that CD206 expression defines a TAM subpopulation potentially associated with favorable outcomes in patients with TNBC. CD206 expression might identify an immune TNBC subgroup with specific therapeutic options.
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Azim HA, Shohdy KS, Elghazawy H, Salib MM, Almeldin D, Kassem L. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression predicts response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Biomarkers 2022; 27:764-772. [PMID: 35980714 DOI: 10.1080/1354750x.2022.2112614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Background: In patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), PD-L1 expression has been demonstrated to predict response to immunotherapy. It is unclear whether PD-L1 expression measured with currently available validated assays can predict chemotherapy response in patients with non-metastatic TNBC.Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies to assess the PD-L1 expression as a predictor of response to chemotherapy in non-metastatic TNBC using validated assays. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Secondary endpoints included the prevalence of PD-L1 expression in non-metastatic TNBC and its impact on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Moreover, RNA sequence data from the TCGA breast cancer cohort was used to define the relationship between PDCD1 and response to chemotherapy and prognosis.Results: Nineteen studies were eligible for the meta-analysis with a total of 2403 patients with non-metastatic TNBC disease. The PD-L1-positive cohort had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving pCR with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (pooled odds ratio =1.95; 95% CI= 1.39-2.73, p <0.0001). In studies which reported long-term outcomes, PD-L1 positivity was associated with significantly better DFS and OS compared to PD-L1 negative patients (pooled hazard ratio= 0.51; 95% CI= 0.35-0.74, p< 0.0001 and 0.51; 95% CI= 0.27-0.94, p = 0.031, respectively). Transcriptomic data suggested that PD-L1 expression is a surrogate marker for the upregulation of key immune-related genes that mediate response to chemotherapy in TNBC.Conclusion: This analysis clearly shows that patients with PD-L1 positive TNBC respond better to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and are associated with better survival outcomes compared to patients with PD-L1 negative tumors. The newly distinct quadruple negative breast cancer (QNBC) subtype should be defined as the BC subtype with the poorest outcome in the non-metastatic setting, highlighting the need for more aggressive therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamdy A Azim
- Clinical Oncology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Kyrillus S Shohdy
- Clinical Oncology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.,Experimental Cancer Medicine Team, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Hagar Elghazawy
- Clinical Oncology Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Monica M Salib
- Clinical Oncology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Doaa Almeldin
- Clinical Oncology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Loay Kassem
- Clinical Oncology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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Prognostic Value of HER2-Low Expression in Non-Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Correlation with Other Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13236059. [PMID: 34885167 PMCID: PMC8656488 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13236059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
HER2-low breast cancer (i.e., HER 1+ or 2+, without gene amplification) is an emerging subtype for which very few data are available, especially within the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) group. Our aim was to evaluate HER2 expression and its prognostic value in a large retrospective series of patients with non-metastatic TNBC (median age: 57.7 years; range: 28.5-98.6). Among the 296 TNBC samples, 83.8% were HER2 0, 13.5% were HER2 1+, and 2.7% were HER2 2+ (HercepTestTM and 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines for HER2 scoring). CK5/6 and/or EGFR-expressing androgen receptors and FOXA1-expressing tumors were classified as basal-like (63.8%) and molecular apocrine-like (MA, 40.2%), respectively. Compared with HER2 0 tumors, HER2 1+/2+ tumors exhibited a lower histological grade (1/2) (35.4% vs. 18.2%, p = 0.007) and MA profile (57.5% vs. 36.7%, p = 0.008). Moreover, patients with HER2 1+/2+ tumors were older (p = 0.047). After a median follow-up of 9.7 years, HER2 2+ tumors (compared with HER2 0/1+ tumors) were associated with worse relapse-free survival (RFS) (HR = 3.16, 95% CI [1.27; 7.85], p = 0.034) in a univariate analysis. Overall survival (OS) and RFS were not different in the HER2 0 and 1+/2+ groups. HER2 levels were not significantly associated with OS or RFS in a multivariate analysis.
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Huang Y, Wei L, Hu Y, Shao N, Lin Y, He S, Shi H, Zhang X, Lin Y. Multi-Parametric MRI-Based Radiomics Models for Predicting Molecular Subtype and Androgen Receptor Expression in Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:706733. [PMID: 34490107 PMCID: PMC8416497 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.706733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate whether radiomics features extracted from multi-parametric MRI combining machine learning approach can predict molecular subtype and androgen receptor (AR) expression of breast cancer in a non-invasive way. Materials and Methods Patients diagnosed with clinical T2–4 stage breast cancer from March 2016 to July 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. The molecular subtypes and AR expression in pre-treatment biopsy specimens were assessed. A total of 4,198 radiomics features were extracted from the pre-biopsy multi-parametric MRI (including dynamic contrast-enhancement T1-weighted images, fat-suppressed T2-weighted images, and apparent diffusion coefficient map) of each patient. We applied several feature selection strategies including the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and recursive feature elimination (RFE), the maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR), Boruta and Pearson correlation analysis, to select the most optimal features. We then built 120 diagnostic models using distinct classification algorithms and feature sets divided by MRI sequences and selection strategies to predict molecular subtype and AR expression of breast cancer in the testing dataset of leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV). The performances of binary classification models were assessed via the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). And the performances of multiclass classification models were assessed via AUC, overall accuracy, precision, recall rate, and F1-score. Results A total of 162 patients (mean age, 46.91 ± 10.08 years) were enrolled in this study; 30 were low-AR expression and 132 were high-AR expression. HR+/HER2− cancers were diagnosed in 56 cases (34.6%), HER2+ cancers in 81 cases (50.0%), and TNBC in 25 patients (15.4%). There was no significant difference in clinicopathologic characteristics between low-AR and high-AR groups (P > 0.05), except the menopausal status, ER, PR, HER2, and Ki-67 index (P = 0.043, <0.001, <0.001, 0.015, and 0.006, respectively). No significant difference in clinicopathologic characteristics was observed among three molecular subtypes except the AR status and Ki-67 (P = <0.001 and 0.012, respectively). The Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) showed the best performance in discriminating AR expression, with an AUC of 0.907 and an accuracy of 85.8% in the testing dataset. The highest performances were obtained for discriminating TNBC vs. non-TNBC (AUC: 0.965, accuracy: 92.6%), HER2+ vs. HER2− (AUC: 0.840, accuracy: 79.0%), and HR+/HER2− vs. others (AUC: 0.860, accuracy: 82.1%) using MLP as well. The micro-AUC of MLP multiclass classification model was 0.896, and the overall accuracy was 0.735. Conclusions Multi-parametric MRI-based radiomics combining with machine learning approaches provide a promising method to predict the molecular subtype and AR expression of breast cancer non-invasively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Huang
- Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lihong Wei
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yalan Hu
- Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nan Shao
- Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingyu Lin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaofu He
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huijuan Shi
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Lin
- Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Boissière-Michot F, Jacot W, Massol O, Mollevi C, Lazennec G. CXCR2 Levels Correlate with Immune Infiltration and a Better Prognosis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102328. [PMID: 34066060 PMCID: PMC8151934 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tumor microenvironment is critical for cancer progression. The role of the chemokine receptors in breast cancers is still under investigation. The aim of this study was to focus on a retrospective cohort of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and analyze the involvement of CXCR2 and its link with immune infiltration and immune checkpoint markers. High densities of CXCR2-positive cells were associated with high-grade tumors. Higher quantities of CXCR2-positive cells were correlated with elevated density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes, expression of PD-L1 by tumor and stromal cells and of PD-1 by stromal cells. In univariate analysis, low levels of CXCR2 were correlated with poor OS and RFS. In multivariate analysis, low levels of CXCR2 were associated with poor OS. Overall, our data highlight the potential beneficial association of high levels of CXCR2 with a subgroup of TNBC patients characterized by a better prognosis. Abstract Chemokines and their receptors are key players in breast cancer progression and outcome. Previous studies have shown that the chemokine receptor CXCR2 was expressed at higher levels by cells of the tumor microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs). The aim of this study was to focus our attention on a retrospective cohort of 290 TNBC cases and analyze the involvement of CXCR2, CD11b (a marker of granulocytes) and CD66b (a marker of neutrophils) and their link with immune infiltration and immune checkpoint markers. We report that high densities of CXCR2-, CD11b- and CD66b-positive cells were associated with high-grade tumors. Moreover, molecular apocrine TNBCs, defined here as tumors that express both AR and FOXA1 biomarkers, exhibited low levels of CXCR2 and CD11b. High CXCR2 and CD11b levels were correlated with elevated density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes, expression of PD-L1 by tumor and stromal cells and of PD-1 by stromal cells. On the other hand, CD66b levels were associated only with CD8+, stromal PD-L1 and PD-1 expression. In univariate analysis, low levels of CXCR2 were correlated with poor OS and RFS. In multivariate analysis, low levels of CXCR2 were associated with poor OS. Finally, in TNBC treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, CXCR2 density was associated with longer RFS. Overall, our data highlight the potential beneficial association of high levels of CXCR2 with a subgroup of TNBC patients characterized by a better prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Boissière-Michot
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, France; (F.B.-M.); (W.J.); (O.M.); (C.M.)
| | - William Jacot
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, France; (F.B.-M.); (W.J.); (O.M.); (C.M.)
- Montpellier University, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Océane Massol
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, France; (F.B.-M.); (W.J.); (O.M.); (C.M.)
| | - Caroline Mollevi
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, France; (F.B.-M.); (W.J.); (O.M.); (C.M.)
- Institut Desbrest d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, UMR Inserm—Université de Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Gwendal Lazennec
- CNRS, SYS2DIAG, ALCEDIAG, Cap Delta, 1682 Rue de la Valsière, 34184 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, GDR 3697 “Microenvironment of Tumor Niches”, Micronit, France
- Correspondence:
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11
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Alcaraz LB, Mallavialle A, David T, Derocq D, Delolme F, Dieryckx C, Mollevi C, Boissière-Michot F, Simony-Lafontaine J, Du Manoir S, Huesgen PF, Overall CM, Tartare-Deckert S, Jacot W, Chardès T, Guiu S, Roger P, Reinheckel T, Moali C, Liaudet-Coopman E. A 9-kDa matricellular SPARC fragment released by cathepsin D exhibits pro-tumor activity in the triple-negative breast cancer microenvironment. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:6173-6192. [PMID: 33995652 PMCID: PMC8120228 DOI: 10.7150/thno.58254] [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: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Alternative therapeutic strategies based on tumor-specific molecular targets are urgently needed for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The protease cathepsin D (cath-D) is a marker of poor prognosis in TNBC and a tumor-specific extracellular target for antibody-based therapy. The identification of cath-D substrates is crucial for the mechanistic understanding of its role in the TNBC microenvironment and future therapeutic developments. Methods: The cath-D substrate repertoire was investigated by N-Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS)-based degradome analysis in a co-culture assay of TNBC cells and breast fibroblasts. Substrates were validated by amino-terminal oriented mass spectrometry of substrates (ATOMS). Cath-D and SPARC expression in TNBC was examined using an online transcriptomic survival analysis, tissue micro-arrays, TNBC cell lines, patient-derived xenografts (PDX), human TNBC samples, and mammary tumors from MMTV-PyMT Ctsd-/-knock-out mice. The biological role of SPARC and its fragments in TNBC were studied using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis, gene expression knockdown, co-culture assays, western blot analysis, RT-quantitative PCR, adhesion assays, Transwell motility, trans-endothelial migration and invasion assays. Results: TAILS analysis showed that the matricellular protein SPARC is a substrate of extracellular cath-D. In vitro, cath-D induced limited proteolysis of SPARC C-terminal extracellular Ca2+ binding domain at acidic pH, leading to the production of SPARC fragments (34-, 27-, 16-, 9-, and 6-kDa). Similarly, cath-D secreted by TNBC cells cleaved fibroblast- and cancer cell-derived SPARC at the tumor pericellular acidic pH. SPARC cleavage also occurred in TNBC tumors. Among these fragments, only the 9-kDa SPARC fragment inhibited TNBC cell adhesion and spreading on fibronectin, and stimulated their migration, endothelial transmigration, and invasion. Conclusions: Our study establishes a novel crosstalk between proteases and matricellular proteins in the tumor microenvironment through limited SPARC proteolysis, revealing a novel targetable 9-kDa bioactive SPARC fragment for new TNBC treatments. Our study will pave the way for the development of strategies for targeting bioactive fragments from matricellular proteins in TNBC.
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12
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Brumec M, Sobočan M, Takač I, Arko D. Clinical Implications of Androgen-Positive Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1642. [PMID: 33915941 PMCID: PMC8037213 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent findings of a vast array of studies conducted on androgen receptor-positive triple-negative breast cancer (AR-positive TNBC) to provide a better understanding of this specific breast cancer subgroup. AR expression is correlated with higher age, lower histological grade, lower proliferation index Ki-67, spiculated masses, and calcifications on mammography. Studies investigating the correlation between AR expression and lymph node metastasis are highly discordant. In addition, results regarding prognosis are highly contradictory. AR antagonists are a promising novel therapeutic approach in AR-positive TNBC. However, AR signaling pathways should be more investigated in order to understand the influence of AR expression on TNBC more thoroughly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maša Brumec
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
| | - Monika Sobočan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Divison of Gynecology and Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Iztok Takač
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
- Divison of Gynecology and Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Darja Arko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
- Divison of Gynecology and Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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13
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Dees S, Ganesan R, Singh S, Grewal IS. Bispecific Antibodies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Trends Cancer 2020; 7:162-173. [PMID: 33041246 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive breast cancer subtype lacking estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression, is associated with heightened metastatic potential and poor prognosis. While systemic chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical excision remain the current treatment modalities for patients with TNBC, the immunogenic nature of this aggressive disease has presented opportunity for the development of TNBC-targeting immunotherapies. Bispecific antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of TNBC have gained recent attention in the scientific community. Clinical precedent has been previously established for the FDA-approved bispecific T cell engager, blinatumomab, for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The present review discusses novel bispecific antibodies for TNBC and emerging TNBC targets for future bispecific antibody development.
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MESH Headings
- Antibodies, Bispecific/pharmacology
- Antibodies, Bispecific/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/pharmacology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/pharmacology
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use
- Camptothecin/analogs & derivatives
- Camptothecin/pharmacology
- Camptothecin/therapeutic use
- Clinical Trials as Topic
- Female
- Humans
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Immunoconjugates/pharmacology
- Immunoconjugates/therapeutic use
- Medical Oncology/methods
- Medical Oncology/trends
- Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods
- Survival Rate
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/drug effects
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- Treatment Outcome
- Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/immunology
- Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/mortality
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Affiliation(s)
- Sundee Dees
- Janssen Biotherapeutics, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Rajkumar Ganesan
- Janssen Biotherapeutics, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Sanjaya Singh
- Janssen Biotherapeutics, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Iqbal S Grewal
- Janssen Biotherapeutics, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA.
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14
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Advances in Anti-Cancer Immunotherapy: Car-T Cell, Checkpoint Inhibitors, Dendritic Cell Vaccines, and Oncolytic Viruses, and Emerging Cellular and Molecular Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071826. [PMID: 32645977 PMCID: PMC7408985 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike traditional cancer therapies, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy that are typically non-specific, cancer immunotherapy harnesses the high specificity of a patient’s own immune system to selectively kill cancer cells. The immune system is the body’s main cancer surveillance system, but cancers may evade destruction thanks to various immune-suppressing mechanisms. We therefore need to deploy various immunotherapy-based strategies to help bolster the anti-tumour immune responses. These include engineering T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to specifically recognise tumour neoantigens, inactivating immune checkpoints, oncolytic viruses and dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, which have all shown clinical benefit in certain cancers. However, treatment efficacy remains poor due to drug-induced adverse events and immunosuppressive tendencies of the tumour microenvironment. Recent preclinical studies have unveiled novel therapies such as anti-cathepsin antibodies, galectin-1 blockade and anti-OX40 agonistic antibodies, which may be utilised as adjuvant therapies to modulate the tumour microenvironment and permit more ferocious anti-tumour immune response.
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