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Samant C, Kale R, Pai KSR, Nandakumar K, Bhonde M. Role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cancer drug resistance: Insights into molecular aspects of major solid tumors. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 729:150348. [PMID: 38986260 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150348] [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: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Adaptive resistance to conventional and targeted therapies remains one of the major obstacles in the effective management of cancer. Aberrant activation of key signaling mechanisms plays a pivotal role in modulating resistance to drugs. An evolutionarily conserved Wnt/β-catenin pathway is one of the signaling cascades which regulate resistance to drugs. Elevated Wnt signaling confers resistance to anticancer therapies, either through direct activation of its target genes or via indirect mechanisms and crosstalk over other signaling pathways. Involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cancer hallmarks like inhibition of apoptosis, promotion of invasion and metastasis and cancer stem cell maintenance makes this pathway a potential target to exploit for addressing drug resistance. Accumulating evidences suggest a critical role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in imparting resistance across multiple cancers including PDAC, NSCLC, TNBC, etc. Here we present a comprehensive assessment of how Wnt/β-catenin pathway mediates cancer drug resistance in majority of the solid tumors. We take a deep dive into the Wnt/β-catenin signaling-mediated modulation of cellular and downstream molecular mechanisms and their impact on cancer resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charudatt Samant
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development (NDDD), Lupin Limited, Survey No. 46A/47A, Village Nande, Taluka Mulshi, Pune, 412115, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Ramesh Kale
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development (NDDD), Lupin Limited, Survey No. 46A/47A, Village Nande, Taluka Mulshi, Pune, 412115, Maharashtra, India
| | - K Sreedhara Ranganath Pai
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Krishnadas Nandakumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Mandar Bhonde
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development (NDDD), Lupin Limited, Survey No. 46A/47A, Village Nande, Taluka Mulshi, Pune, 412115, Maharashtra, India
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Wang K, Shi J, Tong X, Qu N, Kong X, Ni S, Xing J, Li X, Zheng M. TG468: a text graph convolutional network for predicting clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae017. [PMID: 38390990 PMCID: PMC10886443 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae017] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhancing cancer treatment efficacy remains a significant challenge in human health. Immunotherapy has witnessed considerable success in recent years as a treatment for tumors. However, due to the heterogeneity of diseases, only a fraction of patients exhibit a positive response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Various single-gene-based biomarkers and tumor mutational burden (TMB) have been proposed for predicting clinical responses to ICI; however, their predictive ability is limited. We propose the utilization of the Text Graph Convolutional Network (GCN) method to comprehensively assess the impact of multiple genes, aiming to improve the predictive capability for ICI response. We developed TG468, a Text GCN model framing drug response prediction as a text classification task. By combining natural language processing (NLP) and graph neural network techniques, TG468 effectively handles sparse and high-dimensional exome sequencing data. As a result, TG468 can distinguish survival time for patients who received ICI therapy and outperforms single gene biomarkers, TMB and some classical machine learning models. Additionally, TG468's prediction results facilitate the identification of immune status differences among specific patient types in the Cancer Genome Atlas dataset, providing a rationale for the model's predictions. Our approach represents a pioneering use of a GCN model to analyze exome data in patients undergoing ICI therapy and offers inspiration for future research using NLP technology to analyze exome sequencing data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jiangshan Shi
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Sciences; 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaochu Tong
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Sciences; 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ning Qu
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Sciences; 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiangtai Kong
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Sciences; 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shengkun Ni
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Sciences; 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jing Xing
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xutong Li
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Mingyue Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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Peri SS, Narayanaa Y K, Hubert TD, Rajaraman R, Arfuso F, Sundaram S, Archana B, Warrier S, Dharmarajan A, Perumalsamy LR. Navigating Tumour Microenvironment and Wnt Signalling Crosstalk: Implications for Advanced Cancer Therapeutics. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5847. [PMID: 38136392 PMCID: PMC10741643 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245847] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer therapeutics face significant challenges due to drug resistance and tumour recurrence. The tumour microenvironment (TME) is a crucial contributor and essential hallmark of cancer. It encompasses various components surrounding the tumour, including intercellular elements, immune system cells, the vascular system, stem cells, and extracellular matrices, all of which play critical roles in tumour progression, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, drug resistance, and relapse. These components interact with multiple signalling pathways, positively or negatively influencing cell growth. Abnormal regulation of the Wnt signalling pathway has been observed in tumorigenesis and contributes to tumour growth. A comprehensive understanding and characterisation of how different cells within the TME communicate through signalling pathways is vital. This review aims to explore the intricate and dynamic interactions, expressions, and alterations of TME components and the Wnt signalling pathway, offering valuable insights into the development of therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shraddha Shravani Peri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.P.); (K.N.Y.); (T.D.H.); (R.R.)
| | - Krithicaa Narayanaa Y
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.P.); (K.N.Y.); (T.D.H.); (R.R.)
| | - Therese Deebiga Hubert
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.P.); (K.N.Y.); (T.D.H.); (R.R.)
| | - Roshini Rajaraman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.P.); (K.N.Y.); (T.D.H.); (R.R.)
| | - Frank Arfuso
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia;
| | - Sandhya Sundaram
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.); (B.A.)
| | - B. Archana
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.); (B.A.)
| | - Sudha Warrier
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India;
| | - Arun Dharmarajan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.P.); (K.N.Y.); (T.D.H.); (R.R.)
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia;
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Lakshmi R. Perumalsamy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Technology and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; (S.S.P.); (K.N.Y.); (T.D.H.); (R.R.)
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Li Y, Kong Y, An M, Luo Y, Zheng H, Lin Y, Chen J, Yang J, Liu L, Luo B, Huang J, Lin T, Chen C. ZEB1-mediated biogenesis of circNIPBL sustains the metastasis of bladder cancer via Wnt/β-catenin pathway. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:191. [PMID: 37528489 PMCID: PMC10394821 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02757-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circular RNAs (circRNAs) circularized by back-splicing of pre-mRNA are widely expressed and affected the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of bladder cancer (BCa). However, the mechanism underlying circRNA biogenesis in mediating the distant metastasis of BCa still unexplored. METHODS RNA sequencing data between BCa and normal adjacent tissues was applied to identify the differentially expressed circRNAs. The functions of circNIPBL in BCa were investigated via a series of biochemical experiments. The Clinical significance of circNIPBL was examined in a cohort of larger BCa tissues. RESULTS In the present study, we identified a novel circRNA (hsa_circ_0001472), circNIPBL, which was significantly upregulated and had great influence on the poor prognosis of patients with BCa. Functionally, circNIPBL promotes BCa metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circNIPBL upregulate the expression of Wnt5a and activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via directly sponged miR-16-2-3p, leading to the upregulation of ZEB1, which triggers the EMT of BCa. Moreover, we revealed that ZEB1 interacted with the flanking introns of exons 2-9 on NIPBL pre-mRNA to trigger circNIPBL biogenesis, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Importantly, circNIPBL overexpression significantly facilitated the distant metastasis of BCa in the orthotopic bladder cancer model, while silencing ZEB1 remarkably blocked the effects of metastasis induced by circNIPBL overexpression. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights that circNIPBL-induced Wnt signaling pathway activation triggers ZEB1-mediated circNIPBL biogenesis, which forms a positive feedback loop via the circNIPBL/miR-16-2-3p/Wnt5a/ZEB1 axis, supporting circNIPBL as a novel therapeutic target and potential biomarker for BCa patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanlong Li
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yao Kong
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Mingjie An
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yuming Luo
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Hanhao Zheng
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Jiancheng Chen
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Jin Yang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Libo Liu
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Baoming Luo
- Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
| | - Tianxin Lin
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
| | - Changhao Chen
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, P. R. China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
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5
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Rekowska AK, Obuchowska K, Bartosik M, Kimber-Trojnar Ż, Słodzińska M, Wierzchowska-Opoka M, Leszczyńska-Gorzelak B. Biomolecules Involved in Both Metastasis and Placenta Accreta Spectrum-Does the Common Pathophysiological Pathway Exist? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092618. [PMID: 37174083 PMCID: PMC10177254 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial in the implantation of the blastocyst and subsequent placental development. The trophoblast, consisting of villous and extravillous zones, plays different roles in these processes. Pathological states, such as placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), can arise due to dysfunction of the trophoblast or defective decidualization, leading to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Studies have drawn parallels between placentation and carcinogenesis, with both processes involving EMT and the establishment of a microenvironment that facilitates invasion and infiltration. This article presents a review of molecular biomarkers involved in both the microenvironment of tumors and placental cells, including placental growth factor (PlGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), E-cadherin (CDH1), laminin γ2 (LAMC2), the zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox (ZEB) proteins, αVβ3 integrin, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), β-catenin, cofilin-1 (CFL-1), and interleukin-35 (IL-35). Understanding the similarities and differences in these processes may provide insights into the development of therapeutic options for both PAS and metastatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Rekowska
- Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
| | - Karolina Obuchowska
- Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bartosik
- Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
| | - Żaneta Kimber-Trojnar
- Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Słodzińska
- Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
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Pećina-Šlaus N, Aničić S, Bukovac A, Kafka A. Wnt Signaling Inhibitors and Their Promising Role in Tumor Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076733. [PMID: 37047705 PMCID: PMC10095594 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In a continuous search for the improvement of antitumor therapies, the inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway has been recognized as a promising target. The altered functioning of the Wnt signaling in human tumors points to the strategy of the inhibition of its activity that would impact the clinical outcomes and survival of patients. Because the Wnt pathway is often mutated or epigenetically altered in tumors, which promotes its activation, inhibitors of Wnt signaling are being intensively investigated. It has been shown that knocking down specific components of the Wnt pathway has inhibitory effects on tumor growth in vivo and in vitro. Thus, similar effects are expected from the application of Wnt inhibitors. In the last decades, molecules acting as inhibitors on the pathway’s specific molecular levels have been identified and characterized. This review will discuss the inhibitors of the canonical Wnt pathway, summarize knowledge on their effectiveness as therapeutics, and debate their side effects. The role of the components frequently mutated in various tumors that are principal targets for Wnt inhibitors is also going to be brought to the reader’s attention. Some of the molecules identified as Wnt pathway inhibitors have reached early stages of clinical trials, and some have only just been discovered. All things considered, inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway shows potential for the development of future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nives Pećina-Šlaus
- Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sara Aničić
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Laboratory for Molecular Immunology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anja Bukovac
- Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anja Kafka
- Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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Hong K, Cen K, Chen Q, Dai Y, Mai Y, Guo Y. Identification and validation of a novel senescence-related biomarker for thyroid cancer to predict the prognosis and immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1128390. [PMID: 36761753 PMCID: PMC9902917 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1128390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cellular senescence is a hallmark of tumors and has potential for cancer therapy. Cellular senescence of tumor cells plays a role in tumor progression, and patient prognosis is related to the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study aimed to explore the predictive value of senescence-related genes in thyroid cancer (THCA) and their relationship with the TME. Methods Senescence-related genes were identified from the Molecular Signatures Database and used to conduct consensus clustering across TCGA-THCA. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the clusters used to perform multivariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) analyses to construct a senescence-related signature. TCGA dataset was randomly divided into training and test datasets to verify the prognostic ability of the signature. Subsequently, the immune cell infiltration pattern, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity of the two subtypes were analyzed. Finally, the expression of signature genes was detected across TCGA-THCA and GSE33630 datasets, and further validated by RT-qPCR. Results Three senescence clusters were identified based on the expression of 432 senescence-related genes. Then, 23 prognostic DEGs were identified in TCGA dataset. The signature, composed of six genes, showed a significant relationship with survival, immune cell infiltration, clinical characteristics, immune checkpoints, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity. Low-risk THCA shows a better prognosis and higher immunotherapy response than high-risk THCA. A nomogram with perfect stability constructed using signature and clinical characteristics can predict the survival of each patient. The validation part demonstrated that ADAMTSL4, DOCK6, FAM111B, and SEMA6B were expressed at higher levels in the tumor tissue, whereas lower expression of MRPS10 and PSMB7 was observed. Discussion In conclusion, the senescence-related signature is a promising biomarker for predicting the outcome of THCA and has the potential to guide immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Hong
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China,Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Hospital of Zhejiang University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kenan Cen
- Department of Geriatrics Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Dai
- Department of Geriatrics Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yifeng Mai
- Department of Geriatrics Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China,*Correspondence: Yangyang Guo, ; Yifeng Mai,
| | - Yangyang Guo
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China,Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo Hospital of Zhejiang University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China,*Correspondence: Yangyang Guo, ; Yifeng Mai,
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8
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Tigue ML, Loberg MA, Goettel JA, Weiss WA, Lee E, Weiss VL. Wnt Signaling in the Phenotype and Function of Tumor-Associated Macrophages. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3-11. [PMID: 36214645 PMCID: PMC9812914 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-1403] [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: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play an important role in supporting tumor growth and suppressing antitumor immune responses, and TAM infiltration has been associated with poor patient prognosis in various cancers. TAMs can be classified as pro-inflammatory, M1-like, or anti-inflammatory, M2-like. While multiple factors within the tumor microenvironment affect the recruitment, polarization, and functions of TAMs, accumulating evidence suggests that Wnt signaling represents an important, targetable driver of an immunosuppressive, M2-like TAM phenotype. TAM production of Wnt ligands mediates TAM-tumor cross-talk to support cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Targeting TAM polarization and the protumorigenic functions of TAMs through inhibitors of Wnt signaling may prove a beneficial treatment strategy in cancers where macrophages are prevalent in the microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Tigue
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Matthew A Loberg
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jeremy A Goettel
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - William A Weiss
- Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics, Neurosurgery, Brain Tumor Research Center, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Ethan Lee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Vivian L Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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9
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Wu Q, Qian W, Sun X, Jiang S. Small-molecule inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and more: FDA-approved novel therapeutic drugs for solid tumors from 1991 to 2021. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:143. [PMID: 36209184 PMCID: PMC9548212 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01362-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has always been a forerunner in drug evaluation and supervision. Over the past 31 years, 1050 drugs (excluding vaccines, cell-based therapies, and gene therapy products) have been approved as new molecular entities (NMEs) or biologics license applications (BLAs). A total of 228 of these 1050 drugs were identified as cancer therapeutics or cancer-related drugs, and 120 of them were classified as therapeutic drugs for solid tumors according to their initial indications. These drugs have evolved from small molecules with broad-spectrum antitumor properties in the early stage to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and antibody‒drug conjugates (ADCs) with a more precise targeting effect during the most recent decade. These drugs have extended indications for other malignancies, constituting a cancer treatment system for monotherapy or combined therapy. However, the available targets are still mainly limited to receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), restricting the development of antitumor drugs. In this review, these 120 drugs are summarized and classified according to the initial indications, characteristics, or functions. Additionally, RTK-targeted therapies and immune checkpoint-based immunotherapies are also discussed. Our analysis of existing challenges and potential opportunities in drug development may advance solid tumor treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Wu
- School of Medical Imaging, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
| | - Wei Qian
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang China
| | - Xiaoli Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003 Zhejiang China
| | - Shaojie Jiang
- School of Medical Imaging, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
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Shui IM, Liu XQ, Zhao Q, Kim ST, Sun Y, Yearley JH, Choudhury T, Webber AL, Krepler C, Cristescu R, Lee J. Baseline and post-treatment biomarkers of resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy in acral and mucosal melanoma: an observational study. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004879. [PMID: 35793874 PMCID: PMC9260847 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immunotherapies targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and its ligands have improved clinical outcomes for advanced melanoma. However, many tumors exhibit primary resistance or acquire secondary resistance after an initial positive response. The mechanisms of resistance are not well understood, and no validated predictive biomarkers are available. This exploratory study aimed to characterize baseline differences and molecular changes arising during treatment in acral and mucosal melanomas that exhibited primary or secondary resistance to anti-PD-1 monotherapy. Methods This was an observational retrospective study of 124 patients who had been treated for metastatic acral or mucosal melanoma with anti-PD-1 monotherapy. Tumor samples were collected at baseline (all patients) and post-treatment (resistant tumors only) and were assayed by immunohistochemistry, whole-exome sequencing, and RNA sequencing. Results At baseline, more non-progressor than resistant tumors exhibited expression of PD-L1, immune cell infiltration, and high tumor mutational burden (TMB); baseline PD-L1 expression was also more common in secondary-resistant than in primary-resistant tumors as well as in late versus early secondary-resistant tumors. Non-progressor tumors also had higher median baseline expression of an 18-gene T cell-inflamed gene expression profile (TcellinfGEP). Among resistant tumors, the proportion of PD-L1-positive melanomas and the expression of the TcellinfGEP mRNA signature increased during treatment, while the expression of mRNA signatures related to WNT and INFA1 signaling decreased. There was evidence for greater changes from baseline in secondary-resistant versus primary-resistant tumors for some markers, including expression of RAS-related and WNT-related mRNA signatures and density of CD11c+ and FOXP3+ T cells. Greater changes in CD11c+ cell density were observed in early compared with late secondary-resistant tumors. Conclusions Our findings suggest that TcellinfGEP and PD-L1 expression, TMB, immune cell infiltration, and RAS and WNT signaling warrant further investigation as potential mechanisms and/or biomarkers of anti-PD-1 therapy resistance in acral and mucosal melanomas. Confirmation of these findings in larger populations is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qing Zhao
- Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Seung Tae Kim
- Hematology and Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Gangnam-gu, South Korea
| | - Yuan Sun
- Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jeeyun Lee
- Hematology and Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Gangnam-gu, South Korea
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11
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Peters S, Paz-Ares L, Herbst RS, Reck M. Addressing CPI resistance in NSCLC: targeting TAM receptors to modulate the tumor microenvironment and future prospects. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004863. [PMID: 35858709 PMCID: PMC9305809 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the majority of cases. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), including those targeting programmed cell death protein-1 and its ligand (PD-1/PD-L1), have revolutionized the treatment landscape for various cancers. Notably, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-based regimens now form the standard first-line therapy for metastatic NSCLC, substantially improving patients' overall survival. Despite the progress made using CPI-based therapies in advanced NSCLC, most patients experience disease progression after an initial response due to resistance. Given the currently limited therapeutic options available for second-line and beyond settings in NSCLC, new treatment approaches are needed to improve long-term survival in these patients. Thus, CPI resistance is an emerging concept in cancer treatment and an active area of clinical research.Among the key mechanisms of CPI resistance is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Effective CPI therapy is based on shifting immune responses against cancer cells, therefore, manipulating the immunosuppressive TME comprises an important strategy to combat CPI resistance. Several aspects of the TME can contribute to treatment resistance in NSCLC, including through the activation of Tyro3, Axl, MerTK (TAM) receptors which are essential pleiotropic regulators of immune homeostasis. Their roles include negatively modulating the immune response, therefore ectopic expression of TAM receptors in the context of cancer can contribute to the immunosuppressive, protumorigenic TME. Furthermore, TAM receptors represent important candidates to simultaneously target both tumor cells and immune cells in the TME. Clinical development of TAM receptor inhibitors (TAM RIs) is increasingly focused on their ability to rescue the antitumor immune response, thereby shifting the immunosuppressive TME to an immunostimulatory TME. There is a strong biological rationale for combining TAM RIs with a CPI to overcome resistance and improve long-term clinical responses in NSCLC. Combinatorial clinical trials of TAM RIs with CPIs are underway with encouraging preliminary results. This review outlines the key mechanisms of CPI resistance, including the role of the immunosuppressive TME, and discusses the rationale for targeting TAM receptors as a novel, promising therapeutic strategy to overcome CPI resistance in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Peters
- Medical Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luis Paz-Ares
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre and CNIO-H12O Lung Cancer Unit, Universidad Complutense and Ciberonc, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roy S Herbst
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Martin Reck
- Lung Clinic Grosshansdorf, Airway Research Center North, Center for Lung Research, Grosshansdorf, Germany
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12
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Hamaguchi K, Miyanishi K, Osuga T, Tanaka S, Ito R, Sakamoto H, Kubo T, Ohnuma H, Murase K, Takada K, Nagayama M, Kimura Y, Mizuguchi T, Takemasa I, Kato J. Association between Hepatic Oxidative Stress Related Factors and Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in NAFLD-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092066. [PMID: 35565198 PMCID: PMC9102393 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092066] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may reduce the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are first-line therapeutic agents for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Following gadoxetate-enhanced MRI, HCC lesions may exhibit equal or higher signal intensities in the hepatobiliary phase than normal tissue. Thus, MRI could be used to monitor the therapeutic effect of antitumor agents. In this study, we investigated the relationship between intrahepatic iron overload markers and oxidative stress and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We found that for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-induced HCC, MRI yielded a sensitivity of 57.2% and a specificity of 100%. Serum ferritin > 77.5 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 85.7%. We conclude that serum ferritin levels may further improve the accuracy with which activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling can be predicted. Abstract We investigated the association between iron overload, oxidative stress (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine: 8-oxo-dG scores), Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation (expression of glutamine synthetase: GS), and tumor hyperintensity in the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI hepatobiliary phase (relative enhancement ratio: RER). This was a retrospective analysis of 94 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent surgical resection. In HBV-, HCV-, and alcohol-associated HCC, serum ferritin levels in the high and low RER groups were equivalent. In contrast, ferritin levels were elevated in the ‘high RER’ group of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-HCC. As predictors of GS positivity, high RER had a sensitivity of 57.2% and a specificity of 100%. High serum ferritin had a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 85.7%. All cases with serum ferritin ≥275.5 ng/mL and high RER were 8-oxo-dG- and iron staining-positive. Additionally, GS positivity was seen in all cases with “serum ferritin levels above the upper limits or iron staining-positive” and ‘8-oxo-dG high’ cases. Therefore, combining serum ferritin levels with RER may increase the accuracy with which activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling is predicted in NAFLD-HCC. We suggest that 8-oxo-dG accumulates following increased oxidative stress due to hepatic tissue iron deposition; this may activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling and trigger carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kota Hamaguchi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Koji Miyanishi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-611-2111 (ext. 32540); Fax: +81-11-612-7987
| | - Takahiro Osuga
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Shingo Tanaka
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
- Department of Infection Control and Laboratory Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Ryo Ito
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Hiroki Sakamoto
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Tomohiro Kubo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Hiroyuki Ohnuma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Kazuyuki Murase
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Kohichi Takada
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Minoru Nagayama
- Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (M.N.); (Y.K.); (T.M.); (I.T.)
| | - Yasutoshi Kimura
- Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (M.N.); (Y.K.); (T.M.); (I.T.)
| | - Toru Mizuguchi
- Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (M.N.); (Y.K.); (T.M.); (I.T.)
- Postgraduate School of Health Science and Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan
| | - Ichiro Takemasa
- Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (M.N.); (Y.K.); (T.M.); (I.T.)
| | - Junji Kato
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan; (K.H.); (T.O.); (S.T.); (R.I.); (H.S.); (T.K.); (H.O.); (K.M.); (K.T.); (J.K.)
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Lai HY, Chiu CC, Kuo YH, Tsai HH, Wu LC, Tseng WH, Liu CL, Hsing CH, Huang SK, Li CF. High Stromal SFRP2 Expression in Urothelial Carcinoma Confers an Unfavorable Prognosis. Front Oncol 2022; 12:834249. [PMID: 35372028 PMCID: PMC8965759 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.834249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients often bear clinical and genetic heterogeneity, which may differ in management and prognosis. Especially, patients with advanced/metastatic UC generally have a poor prognosis and survive for only few months. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is found to be highly activated in several cancers, including UC. However, accumulated evidence has shown discordance between the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and UC carcinogenesis. Accordingly, we aim to get a better understanding of the molecular characterization of UC, focusing on the Wnt signaling, which may add value to guiding management more precisely. Patients and Methods Clinical data and pathological features were retrospectively surveyed. The correlations of secreted Frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) immunoexpression with clinicopathological features were analyzed by Pearson's chi-square test. The Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test was employed to plot survival curves. All significant features from the univariate analysis were incorporated into the Cox regression model for multivariate analysis. Results Following data mining on a transcriptome dataset (GSE31684), we identified that 8 transcripts in relation to the Wnt signaling pathway (GO: 0016055) were significantly upregulated in advanced/metastatic bladder tumors. Among these transcripts, the SFRP2 level showed the most significant upregulation. Additionally, as SFRP2 is a putative Wnt inhibitor and may be expressed by stroma, we were interested in examining the immunoexpression and clinical relevance of stromal and tumoral SFRP2 in our urothelial carcinoma cohorts containing 295 urinary bladder UC (UBUC) and 340 upper urinary tract UC (UTUC) patients. We observed that high SFRP2 expression in stroma but not in tumors is significantly linked to aggressive UC features, including high tumor stage and histological grade, positive nodal metastasis, the presence of vascular and perineural invasion, and high mitotic activity in UBUC and UTUC. Moreover, high stromal SFRP2 expression significantly and independently predicted worse clinical outcomes in UBUC and UTUC. Utilizing bioinformatic analysis, we further noticed that stromal SFRP2 may link epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to UC progression. Conclusion Collectively, these results imply that stromal SFRP2 may exert oncogenic function beyond its Wnt antagonistic ability, and stromal SFRP2 expression can provide prognostic and therapeutic implications for UC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yue Lai
- Center for Precision Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | | | - Yu-Hsuan Kuo
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hwa Tsai
- Center for Precision Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Ching Wu
- Center for Precision Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Hsin Tseng
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Liang Liu
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Division of Uro-Oncology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Hsi Hsing
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Steven K. Huang
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Medical Science Industries, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan,*Correspondence: Chien-Feng Li, ; Steven K. Huang,
| | - Chien-Feng Li
- Center for Precision Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Clinical Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan,National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan,Institute of Precision Medicine, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan,*Correspondence: Chien-Feng Li, ; Steven K. Huang,
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14
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Li T, Tang Z, Li C, Liu X, Cheng L, Yang Z, Zhu X, Liu W, Huang Y. Magnesium-Assisted Cisplatin Inhibits Bladder Cancer Cell Survival by Modulating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:804615. [PMID: 35153759 PMCID: PMC8829071 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.804615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnesium, an essential mineral micronutrient, plays a role in the activation of various transporters and enzymes. The present study aimed to investigate the possibility of applying magnesium to enhance the efficacy of cisplatin which is still ranked as one of the major chemotherapeutic drugs for bladder cancer patients. Results showed that the survival rate and colony formation of bladder cancer cells were reduced by combinatorial treatment with cisplatin and magnesium chloride (MgCl2). The proportion of apoptotic cells was also increased in UC3 bladder cancer cells treated with a combination of cisplatin and MgCl2. Most importantly, a marked decrease in nuclear β-catenin was observed in cells that received cisplatin treatment. In addition, the nuclear β-catenin in cisplatin treated cells was further down-regulated by supplementing MgCl2. 6-bromoindirubin-3′-oxime (BIO), an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) that activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by modulating β-catenin activity, was thus applied to further exploit the role of this signaling pathway in magnesium aided cancer treatment. The survival rate of bladder cancer cells was decreased by BIO treatment at concentrations of 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 μM accompanied by increased β-catenin expression. However, the expression of β-catenin in MgCl2-treated cells was lower than in untreated cells under the same BIO concentration. The expression of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3- II (LC3-II) was highest in cells treated with MgCl2 and 5.0 μM BIO among the examined groups. Our findings reveal that magnesium could contribute to cisplatin-based chemotherapy by moderately regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Li
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zihan Tang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chunting Li
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoya Liu
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Linglin Cheng
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhijing Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacia Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaojin Zhu
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacia Surgery, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Tooth Development and Bone Remodeling, Changchun, China
| | - Yongye Huang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
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15
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Xu C, Xu Z, Zhang Y, Evert M, Calvisi DF, Chen X. β-Catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:154515. [PMID: 35166233 PMCID: PMC8843739 DOI: 10.1172/jci154515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling is one of the main genetic alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Comprehensive genomic analyses have revealed that gain-of-function mutation of CTNNB1, which encodes β-catenin, and loss-of-function mutation of AXIN1 occur in approximately 35% of human HCC samples. Human HCCs with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway demonstrate unique gene expression patterns and pathological features. Activated Wnt/β-catenin synergizes with multiple signaling cascades to drive HCC formation, and it functions through its downstream effectors. Therefore, strategies targeting Wnt/β-catenin have been pursued as possible therapeutics against HCC. Here, we review the genetic alterations and oncogenic roles of aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling during hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, we discuss the implication of this pathway in HCC diagnosis, classification, and personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanrui Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhong Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Matthias Evert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Diego F Calvisi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Liver Center, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
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16
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Eray A, Erkek-Özhan S. Classification of bladder cancer cell lines according to regulon activity. Turk J Biol 2022; 45:656-666. [PMID: 35068946 PMCID: PMC8733949 DOI: 10.3906/biy-2107-72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is one of the most frequent cancers and causes more than 150.000 deaths each year. During the last decade, several studies provided important aspects about genomic characterization, consensus subgroup definition, and transcriptional regulation of bladder cancer. Still, much more research needs to be done to characterize molecular signatures of this cancer in depth. At this point, the use of bladder cancer cell lines is quite useful for the identification and test of new signatures. In this study, we classified the bladder cancer cell lines according to the activities of regulons implicated in the regulation of primary bladder tumors. Our regulon gene expression-based classification revealed three groups, neuronal-basal (NB), luminal-papillary (LP), and basal-squamous (BS). These regulon gene expression-based classifications showed a quite good concordance with the consensus subgroups assigned by the primary bladder cancer classifier. Importantly, we identified FGFR1 regulon to be involved in the characterization of the NB group, where neuroendocrine signature genes were significantly upregulated, and further β-catenin was shown to have significantly higher nuclear localization. LP groups were mainly driven by the regulons ERBB2, FOXA1, GATA3, and PPARG, and they showed upregulation of the genes involved in epithelial differentiation and urogenital development, while the activity of EGFR, FOXM1, STAT3, and HIF1A was implicated for the regulation of BS group. Collectively, our results and classifications may serve as an important guide for the selection and use of bladder cancer cell lines for experimental strategies, which aim to manipulate regulons critical for bladder cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleyna Eray
- İzmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, İzmir Turkey.,Dokuz Eylül University İzmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, İzmir Turkey
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Jiménez-Guerrero R, Belmonte-Fernández A, Flores ML, González-Moreno M, Pérez-Valderrama B, Romero F, Japón MÁ, Sáez C. Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Contributes to Paclitaxel Resistance in Bladder Cancer Cells with Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010450. [PMID: 35008872 PMCID: PMC8745426 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays an important role in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance and seems to be essential for the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSC) in several tumor types. However, the interplay of these factors has not been fully addressed in bladder cancer. Here, our goal was to analyze the role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in paclitaxel resistance and to study the therapeutic efficacy of its inhibition in bladder cancer cells, as well as to determine its influence in the maintenance of the CSC-like phenotype in bladder cancer. Our results show that paclitaxel-resistant HT1197 cells have hyperactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and increased CSC-like properties compared with paclitaxel-sensitive 5637 cells. Paclitaxel sensitivity diminishes in 5637 cells after β-catenin overexpression or when they are grown as tumorspheres, enriched for the CSC-like phenotype. Additionally, downregulation of β-catenin or inhibition with XAV939 sensitizes HT1197 cells to paclitaxel. Moreover, a subset of muscle-invasive bladder carcinomas shows aberrant expression of β-catenin that associates with positive expression of the CSC marker ALDH1A1. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Wnt/β-catenin signaling contributes to paclitaxel resistance in bladder cancer cells with CSC-like properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Jiménez-Guerrero
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (R.J.-G.); (M.G.-M.)
| | | | - M. Luz Flores
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario de Badajoz, 06080 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Mónica González-Moreno
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (R.J.-G.); (M.G.-M.)
| | | | - Francisco Romero
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain; (A.B.-F.); (F.R.)
| | - Miguel Á. Japón
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (R.J.-G.); (M.G.-M.)
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.Á.J.); (C.S.); Tel.: +34-955013027 (M.Á.J.); +34-955923091 (C.S.); Fax: +34-955923101 (C.S.)
| | - Carmen Sáez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (R.J.-G.); (M.G.-M.)
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.Á.J.); (C.S.); Tel.: +34-955013027 (M.Á.J.); +34-955923091 (C.S.); Fax: +34-955923101 (C.S.)
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Zhulai G, Oleinik E. Targeting regulatory T cells in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy. Scand J Immunol 2021; 95:e13129. [PMID: 34936125 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The programmed death (PD)-1/PD-ligand (PD-L) pathway and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for the maintenance of immune tolerance. Their activation in the tumor microenvironment contributes to the evasion of the transformed cells from the immune surveillance and the suppression of an antitumor immune response. Therefore, PD-1/PD-L1 and Tregs are important targets for cancer immunotherapy. Our review focuses on the current role of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in Treg development and function in the tumor microenvironment. We also discuss combination therapy with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and Treg-modulating agents affecting the adenosinergic pathway, TGF-β signaling, immune checkpoints, and other approaches to downregulation of Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Zhulai
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation
| | - Eugenia Oleinik
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation
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Benjamin DJ, Lyou Y. Advances in Immunotherapy and the TGF-β Resistance Pathway in Metastatic Bladder Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225724. [PMID: 34830879 PMCID: PMC8616345 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Bladder cancer accounts for a significant burden to global public health. Despite advances in therapeutics with the advent of immunotherapy, only a small subset of patients benefit from immunotherapy. In this review, we examine the evidence that suggests that the TGF-β pathway may present a resistance mechanism to immunotherapy. In addition, we present possible therapies that may overcome the TGF-β resistance pathway in the treatment of bladder cancer. Abstract Bladder cancer accounts for nearly 200,000 deaths worldwide yearly. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) accounts for nearly 90% of cases of bladder cancer. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has remained the mainstay of treatment in the first-line setting for locally advanced or metastatic UC. More recently, the treatment paradigm in the second-line setting was drastically altered with the approval of several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Given that only a small subset of patients respond to ICI, further studies have been undertaken to understand potential resistance mechanisms to ICI. One potential resistance mechanism that has been identified in the setting of metastatic UC is the TGF-β signaling pathway. Several pre-clinical and ongoing clinical trials in multiple advanced tumor types have evaluated several therapies that target the TGF-β pathway. In addition, there are ongoing and planned clinical trials combining TGF-β inhibition with ICI, which may provide a promising therapeutic approach for patients with advanced and metastatic UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Benjamin
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA 92868, USA;
| | - Yung Lyou
- Department of Medical Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-626-256-2805; Fax: +1-625-301-8233
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Kumar A, Swain CA, Shevde LA. Informing the new developments and future of cancer immunotherapy : Future of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2021; 40:549-562. [PMID: 34003425 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-021-09967-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The application of cancer immunotherapy (CIT) in reinforcing anti-tumor immunity in response to carcinogenesis and metastasis has shown promising advances, along with new therapeutic challenges, in the landscape of cancer care. To promote tumor growth and metastasis, cancer cells aim to manipulate their microenvironment by mediating a crosstalk with various immune cells through the secretion of chemokines, cytokines, and other associated factors. Understanding this crosstalk is the key to discovering the best targets for improved immunotherapies and clinical strategies in cancer treatment. Here, we review the tumor immune crosstalk in cancer growth and metastasis. This review also highlights the development and expansion of CIT over the years. Moreover, we highlight clinical challenges and limitations involving immune-related adverse events, treating cancer patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases, and the management of immunotherapy-induced treatment resistance. Possible clinical solutions to these current challenges in CIT are also proposed. Altogether, this review can contribute to the formation of pre-clinical and treatment-related strategies that further develop the availability and effectiveness of CIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul Kumar
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Courtney A Swain
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Lalita A Shevde
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA. .,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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