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Abraham T, Armold M, McGovern C, Harms JF, Darok MC, Gigliotti C, Adair B, Gray JL, Kelly DF, Adair JH, Matters GL. CCK Receptor Inhibition Reduces Pancreatic Tumor Fibrosis and Promotes Nanoparticle Delivery. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1024. [PMID: 38790986 PMCID: PMC11118934 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051024] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The poor prognosis for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients is due in part to the highly fibrotic nature of the tumors that impedes delivery of therapeutics, including nanoparticles (NPs). Our prior studies demonstrated that proglumide, a cholecystokinin receptor (CCKR) antagonist, reduced fibrosis pervading PanIN lesions in mice. Here, we further detail how the reduced fibrosis elicited by proglumide achieves the normalization of the desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (TME) and improves nanoparticle uptake. One week following the orthotopic injection of PDAC cells, mice were randomized to normal or proglumide-treated water for 3-6 weeks. Tumors were analyzed ex vivo for fibrosis, vascularity, stellate cell activation, vascular patency, and nanoparticle distribution. The histological staining and three-dimensional imaging of tumors each indicated a reduction in stromal collagen in proglumide-treated mice. Proglumide treatment increased tumor vascularity and decreased the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Additionally, PANC-1 cells with the shRNA-mediated knockdown of the CCK2 receptor showed an even greater reduction in collagen, indicating the CCK2 receptors on tumor cells contribute to the desmoplastic TME. Proglumide-mediated reduction in fibrosis also led to functional changes in the TME as evidenced by the enhanced intra-tumoral distribution of small (<12 nm) Rhodamine-loaded nanoparticles. The documented in vivo, tumor cell-intrinsic anti-fibrotic effects of CCK2R blockade in both an immunocompetent syngeneic murine PDAC model as well as a human PDAC xenograft model demonstrates that CCK2R antagonists, such as proglumide, can improve the delivery of nano-encapsulated therapeutics or imaging agents to pancreatic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Abraham
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA 17036, USA
| | - Michael Armold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA 17036, USA
| | - Christopher McGovern
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA 17036, USA
| | - John F. Harms
- Department of Biological Sciences, Messiah University, One University Avenue, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, USA
| | - Matthew C. Darok
- Department of Biological Sciences, Messiah University, One University Avenue, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, USA
| | - Christopher Gigliotti
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 407 Steidle Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Bernadette Adair
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 407 Steidle Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Gray
- N-022 Millennium Science Complex, Materials Research Institute, Pollock Road, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Deborah F. Kelly
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Center for Structural Oncology, 506 Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16803, USA
| | - James H. Adair
- Departments of Materials Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Pharmacology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Gail L. Matters
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA 17036, USA
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Jolly G, Duka T, Shivapurkar N, Chen W, Bansal S, Cheema A, Smith JP. Cholecystokinin Receptor Antagonist Induces Pancreatic Stellate Cell Plasticity Rendering the Tumor Microenvironment Less Oncogenic. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2811. [PMID: 37345148 PMCID: PMC10216345 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
CCK receptors are expressed on pancreatic cancer epithelial cells, and blockade with receptor antagonists decreases tumor growth. Activated pancreatic stellate cells or myofibroblasts have also been described to express CCK receptors, but the contribution of this novel pathway in fibrosis of the pancreatic cancer microenvironment has not been studied. We examined the effects of the nonselective CCK receptor antagonist proglumide on the activation, proliferation, collagen deposition, differential expression of genes, and migration in both murine and human PSCs. CCK receptor expression was examined using western blot analysis. Collagen production using activated PSCs was analyzed by mass spectroscopy and western blot. Migration of activated PSCs was prevented in vitro by proglumide and the CCK-B receptor antagonist, L365,260, but not by the CCK-A receptor antagonist L365,718. Proglumide effectively decreased the expression of extracellular matrix-associated genes and collagen-associated proteins in both mouse and human PSCs. Components of fibrosis, including hydroxyproline and proline levels, were significantly reduced in PSC treated with proglumide compared to controls. CCK peptide stimulated mouse and human PSC proliferation, and this effect was blocked by proglumide. These investigations demonstrate that targeting the CCK-B receptor signaling pathway with proglumide may alter the plasticity of PSC, rendering them more quiescent and leading to a decrease in fibrosis in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurbani Jolly
- Department of Oncology, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Tetyana Duka
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Narayan Shivapurkar
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Wenqiang Chen
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Sunil Bansal
- Department of Oncology, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Amrita Cheema
- Department of Oncology, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Jill P. Smith
- Department of Oncology, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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3
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Shivapurkar N, Gay MD, He A(R, Chen W, Golnazar S, Cao H, Duka T, Kallakury B, Vasudevan S, Smith JP. Treatment with a Cholecystokinin Receptor Antagonist, Proglumide, Improves Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Antibodies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043625. [PMID: 36835036 PMCID: PMC9965856 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Treatment with immune checkpoint antibodies has shown promise in advanced HCC, but the response is only 15-20%. We discovered a potential target for the treatment of HCC, the cholecystokinin-B receptor (CCK-BR). This receptor is overexpressed in murine and human HCC and not in normal liver tissue. Mice bearing syngeneic RIL-175 HCC tumors were treated with phosphate buffer saline (PBS; control), proglumide (a CCK-receptor antagonist), an antibody to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1Ab), or the combination of proglumide and the PD-1Ab. In vitro, RNA was extracted from untreated or proglumide-treated murine Dt81Hepa1-6 HCC cells and analyzed for expression of fibrosis-associated genes. RNA was also extracted from human HepG2 HCC cells or HepG2 cells treated with proglumide and subjected to RNA sequencing. Results showed that proglumide decreased fibrosis in the tumor microenvironment and increased the number of intratumoral CD8+ T cells in RIL-175 tumors. When proglumide was given in combination with the PD-1Ab, there was a further significant increase in intratumoral CD8+ T cells, improved survival, and alterations in genes regulating tumoral fibrosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. RNAseq results from human HepG2 HCC cells treated with proglumide showed significant changes in differentially expressed genes involved in tumorigenesis, fibrosis, and the tumor microenvironment. The use of the CCK receptor antagonist may improve efficacy of immune checkpoint antibodies and survival in those with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martha D. Gay
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Aiwu (Ruth) He
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Wenqiang Chen
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Shermineh Golnazar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Hong Cao
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Tetyana Duka
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Bhaskar Kallakury
- Department of Pathology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Sona Vasudevan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Jill P. Smith
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
- Correspondence:
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Lu J, Tan J, Yu X. A prognostic model based on tumor microenvironment-related lncRNAs predicts therapy response in pancreatic cancer. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:32. [PMID: 36625842 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-00964-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant tumor with high mortality and a low survival rate. The immune and stromal cells that infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly impact immunotherapy and drug responses. Therefore, we identify the TME-related lncRNAs to develop a prognostic model for predicting the therapy efficacy in pancreatic cancer patients. Firstly, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the TME-related module eigengenes. According to the module eigengenes, the TME-related prognostic lncRNAs were screened through the univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox analyses to construct a prognostic risk score (RS) model. Next, the predictive power of this model was evaluated by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan-Meier analyses. In addition, functional enrichment, immune cell infiltration, and somatic mutation analyses were performed. Finally, tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score and drug sensitivity analyses were applied to predict therapy response. In this study, 11 TME-related prognostic lncRNAs were identified to develop the prognostic RS model. According to the RS, the low-risk patients had a better prognosis, lower rates of somatic mutation, lower TIDE scores, and higher sensitivity to gemcitabine and paclitaxel compared to high-risk patients. The findings above suggested that low-risk patients may benefit more from immunotherapy, and high-risk patients may benefit more from chemotherapy. Within this study, we established a prognostic RS model based on 11 TME-related lncRNAs, which may help improve clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhong Lu
- School of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, 201418, China
| | - Jinhua Tan
- School of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, 201418, China
| | - Xiaoqing Yu
- School of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, 201418, China.
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Smith JP, Chen W, Shivapurkar N, Gerber M, Tucker RD, Kallakury B, Dasa SSK, Kularatne RN, Stern ST. Target-Specific Nanoparticle Polyplex Down-Regulates Mutant Kras to Prevent Pancreatic Carcinogenesis and Halt Tumor Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:752. [PMID: 36614194 PMCID: PMC9821664 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Survival from pancreatic cancer is poor because most cancers are diagnosed in the late stages and there are no therapies to prevent the progression of precancerous pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasms (PanINs). Inhibiting mutant KRASG12D, the primary driver mutation in most human pancreatic cancers, has been challenging. The cholecystokinin-B receptor (CCK-BR) is absent in the normal pancreas but becomes expressed in high grade PanIN lesions and is over-expressed in pancreatic cancer making it a prime target for therapy. We developed a biodegradable nanoparticle polyplex (NP) that binds selectively to the CCK-BR on PanINs and pancreatic cancer to deliver gene therapy. PanIN progression was halted and the pancreas extracellular matrix rendered less carcinogenic in P48-Cre/LSL-KrasG12D/+ mice treated with the CCK-BR targeted NP loaded with siRNA to mutant Kras. The targeted NP also slowed proliferation, decreased metastases and improved survival in mice bearing large orthotopic pancreatic tumors. Safety and toxicity studies were performed in immune competent mice after short or long-term exposure and showed no off-target toxicity by histological or biochemical evaluation. Precision therapy with target-specific NPs provides a novel approach to slow progression of advanced pancreatic cancer and also prevents the development of pancreatic cancer in high-risk subjects without toxicity to other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill P. Smith
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Wenqiang Chen
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | | | - Monica Gerber
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Robin D. Tucker
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Bhaskar Kallakury
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Siva Sai Krishna Dasa
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ruvanthi N. Kularatne
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Stephan T. Stern
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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Rabiee A, Gay MD, Shivapurkar N, Cao H, Nadella S, Smith CI, Lewis JH, Bansal S, Cheema A, Kwagyan J, Smith JP. Safety and Dosing Study of a Cholecystokinin Receptor Antagonist in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2022; 112:1271-1279. [PMID: 36087237 PMCID: PMC9691615 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
High saturated fat diets have been shown to raise blood levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) and induce nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). CCK receptors are expressed on stellate cells and are responsible for hepatic fibrosis when activated. The purpose of this study was to test the safety and dose of a CCK receptor antagonist, proglumide, in human participants with NASH. An open-label single ascending dose study was conducted in 18 participants with clinical NASH based upon steatosis by liver ultrasound, elevated hepatic transaminases, and a component of the metabolic syndrome. Three separate cohorts (N = 6 each) were treated with oral proglumide for 12 weeks in a sequential ascending fashion with 800 (Cohort 1), 1,200 (Cohort 2), and 1,600 (Cohort 3) mg/day, respectively. Blood hematology, chemistries, proglumide levels, a biomarker panel for fibrosis, and symptom surveys were determined at baseline and every 4 weeks. Abdominal ultrasounds and transient elastography utilizing FibroScan were obtained at baseline and at Week 12. Proglumide was well tolerated at all doses without any serious adverse events. There was no change in body weight from baseline to Week 12. For Cohorts 1, 2, and 3, the median percent change in alanine aminotransferase was 8.42, -5.05, and -22.23 and median percent change in fibrosis score by FibroScan was 8.13, -5.44, and -28.87 (kPa), respectively. Hepatic steatosis as measured by controlled attenuation parameter score significantly decreased with proglumide, (P < 0.05). Blood microRNA biomarkers and serum 4-hydroxyproline were consistent with decreased fibrosis at Week 12 compared with baseline. These findings suggest proglumide exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties and this compound is well tolerated in participants with NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atoosa Rabiee
- Department of MedicineWashington DC Veterans Affairs Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Martha D. Gay
- Department of MedicineGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
| | | | - Hong Cao
- Department of MedicineGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Sandeep Nadella
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Transplant SurgeryMedStar Georgetown University HospitalWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Coleman I. Smith
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Transplant SurgeryMedStar Georgetown University HospitalWashingtonDCUSA
| | - James H. Lewis
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Transplant SurgeryMedStar Georgetown University HospitalWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Sunil Bansal
- Department of MedicineGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Amrita Cheema
- Department of MedicineGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
| | - John Kwagyan
- Department of StatisticsHoward UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Jill P. Smith
- Department of MedicineWashington DC Veterans Affairs Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
- Department of MedicineGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDCUSA
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7
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Zuzčák M, Trnka J. Cellular metabolism in pancreatic cancer as a tool for prognosis and treatment (Review). Int J Oncol 2022; 61:93. [PMID: 35730611 PMCID: PMC9256076 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2022.5383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) has one of the highest fatality rates and the currently available therapeutic options are not sufficient to improve its overall poor prognosis. In addition to insufficient effectiveness of anticancer treatments, the lack of clear early symptoms and early metastatic spread maintain the PC survival rates at a low level. Metabolic reprogramming is among the hallmarks of cancer and could be exploited for the diagnosis and treatment of PC. PC is characterized by its heterogeneity and, apart from molecular subtypes, the identification of metabolic subtypes in PC could aid in the development of more individualized therapeutic approaches and may lead to improved clinical outcomes. In addition to the deregulated utilization of glucose in aerobic glycolysis, PC cells can use a wide range of substrates, including branched‑chain amino acids, glutamine and lipids to fulfil their energy requirements, as well as biosynthetic needs. The tumor microenvironment in PC supports tumor growth, metastatic spread, treatment resistance and the suppression of the host immune response. Moreover, reciprocal interactions between cancer and stromal cells enhance their metabolic reprogramming. PC stem cells (PCSCs) with an increased resistance and distinct metabolic properties are associated with disease relapses and cancer spread, and represent another significant candidate for therapeutic targeting. The present review discusses the metabolic signatures observed in PC, a disease with a multifaceted and often transient metabolic landscape. In addition, the metabolic pathways utilized by PC cells, as well as stromal cells are discussed, providing examples of how they could present novel targets for therapeutic interventions and elaborating on how interactions between the various cell types affect their metabolism. Furthermore, the importance of PCSCs is discussed, focusing specifically on their metabolic adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Zuzčák
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 10000 Prague, Czech Republic
- Center for Research on Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 10000 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Trnka
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 10000 Prague, Czech Republic
- Center for Research on Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 10000 Prague, Czech Republic
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Rajagopal MU, Bansal S, Kaur P, Jain SK, Altadil T, Hinzman CP, Li Y, Moulton J, Singh B, Bansal S, Chauthe SK, Singh R, Banerjee PP, Mapstone M, Fiandaca MS, Federoff HJ, Unger K, Smith JP, Cheema AK. TGFβ Drives Metabolic Perturbations during Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Pancreatic Cancer: TGFβ Induced EMT in PDAC. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13246204. [PMID: 34944824 PMCID: PMC8699757 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13246204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease with most patients diagnosed at late stages resulting in poor outcomes. While it is known that pancreatic tumor cells undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition, the metabolic alterations accompanying that transition are not characterized. This study leveraged a metabolomics approach to understand the small molecule and biochemical perturbations that can be targeted for designing strategies for improving outcomes in pancreatic cancer. Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy wherein a majority of patients present metastatic disease at diagnosis. Although the role of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), mediated by transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), in imparting an aggressive phenotype to PDAC is well documented, the underlying biochemical pathway perturbations driving this behaviour have not been elucidated. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) based molecular phenotyping approach in order to delineate metabolic changes concomitant to TGFβ-induced EMT in pancreatic cancer cells. Strikingly, we observed robust changes in amino acid and energy metabolism that may contribute to tumor invasion and metastasis. Somewhat unexpectedly, TGFβ treatment resulted in an increase in intracellular levels of retinoic acid (RA) that in turn resulted in increased levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins including fibronectin (FN) and collagen (COL1). These findings were further validated in plasma samples obtained from patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. Taken together, these observations provide novel insights into small molecule dysregulation that triggers a molecular cascade resulting in increased EMT-like changes in pancreatic cancer cells, a paradigm that can be potentially targeted for better clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meena U. Rajagopal
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Shivani Bansal
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Prabhjit Kaur
- Department of Botany, Khalsa College, Amritsar 143002, India; (P.K.); (R.S.)
| | - Shreyans K. Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India;
| | - Tatiana Altadil
- Biomedical Research Group in Gynaecology, Vall Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Charles P. Hinzman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (C.P.H.); (P.P.B.)
| | - Yaoxiang Li
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Joanna Moulton
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Baldev Singh
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Sunil Bansal
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Siddheshwar Kisan Chauthe
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad 380054, India;
| | - Rajbir Singh
- Department of Botany, Khalsa College, Amritsar 143002, India; (P.K.); (R.S.)
| | - Partha P. Banerjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (C.P.H.); (P.P.B.)
| | - Mark Mapstone
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.F.); (H.J.F.)
| | - Massimo S. Fiandaca
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.F.); (H.J.F.)
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Howard J. Federoff
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.F.); (H.J.F.)
| | - Keith Unger
- Radiation Medicine, Med-Star Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
| | - Jill P. Smith
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
| | - Amrita K. Cheema
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (M.U.R.); (S.B.); (Y.L.); (J.M.); (B.S.); (S.B.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (C.P.H.); (P.P.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-202-687-2756; Fax: +1-202-687-8860
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