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Targeting Tumor Microenvironment Akt Signaling Represents a Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Aggressive Thyroid Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065471. [PMID: 36982542 PMCID: PMC10049397 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Effects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) stromal cells on progression in thyroid cancer are largely unexplored. Elucidating the effects and underlying mechanisms may facilitate the development of targeting therapy for aggressive cases of this disease. In this study, we investigated the impact of TME stromal cells on cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) in patient-relevant contexts where applying in vitro assays and xenograft models uncovered contributions of TME stromal cells to thyroid cancer progression. We found that TME stromal cells can enhance CSC self-renewal and invasiveness mainly via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. The disruption of Akt signaling could diminish the impact of TME stromal cells on CSC aggressiveness in vitro and reduce CSC tumorigenesis and metastasis in xenografts. Notably, disrupting Akt signaling did not cause detectable alterations in tumor histology and gene expression of major stromal components while it produced therapeutic benefits. In addition, using a clinical cohort, we discovered that papillary thyroid carcinomas with lymph node metastasis are more likely to have elevated Akt signaling compared with the ones without metastasis, suggesting the relevance of Akt-targeting. Overall, our results identify PI3K/Akt pathway-engaged contributions of TME stromal cells to thyroid tumor disease progression, illuminating TME Akt signaling as a therapeutic target in aggressive thyroid cancer.
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Identification of Circulating Exosomal microRNAs Associated with Radioiodine Refractory in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12122017. [PMID: 36556238 PMCID: PMC9788488 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12122017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has a favorable prognosis, but a fraction of cases show progressive behaviors, becoming radioiodine refractory (RAIR) PTC. To explore circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with RAIR PTC, the miRNA profiles in exosomes from parental and induced RAIR cell lines were firstly identified with a next-generation sequencing technique. The Na+/I- symporter (NIS) related miRNAs were then validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in plasma of PTC patients with non-131I-avid metastases and those with 131I-avid metastases. The regulation of exosomal miRNAs on NIS were also verified. We identified that miR-1296-5p, upregulation in exosomes from RAIR cell lines, and the plasma of patients with RAIR PTC achieved the largest areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.911 and that it is an independent risk factor for RAIR PTC. In addition, miR-1296-5p was abundantly detected in the tissue of RAIR PTC and can directly target downstream gene of NIS. Taken together, our findings suggested that circulating exosomal miRNAs, particularly miR-1296-5p, may be involved in the pathogenesis of RAIR PTC by directly targeting NIS.
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Macerola E, Poma AM, Vignali P, Proietti A, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Basolo A, Elisei R, Santini F, Basolo F. Predictive Biomarkers in Thyroid Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:901004. [PMID: 35600349 PMCID: PMC9120826 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.901004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In molecular pathology, predictive biomarkers identify which patients are likely to respond to targeted drugs. These therapeutic agents block specific molecules directly involved in cancer growth, dedifferentiation and progression. Until few years ago, the only targeted drugs available for advanced thyroid cancer included multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mainly targeting the MAPK pathway and the angiogenic signaling. The administration of these drugs does not necessarily require a molecular characterization of tumors to assess the presence of predictive alterations. However, the availability of new selective targeted drugs for thyroid cancer patients is changing the diagnostic strategies for the molecular characterization of these tumors. The search for targetable alterations can be performed directly on tumor tissue by using a variety of methodologies, depending also on the number and type of alterations to test (i.e. single nucleotide variation or gene rearrangement). Herein, a comprehensive review of the currently available targeted treatments for thyroid cancer, related predictive markers and testing methodologies is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- *Correspondence: Fulvio Basolo,
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Wang K, Qian R, Li H, Wang C, Ding Y, Gao Z. Interpreting the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Sho-saiko-to on Thyroid Carcinoma through Combining Network Pharmacology and Experimental Evaluation. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:11166-11176. [PMID: 35415320 PMCID: PMC8991932 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sho-saiko-to is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine compound and is considered to have therapeutic effects against many diseases, including thyroid cancer (TC). However, the mechanisms and therapeutic targets of Sho-saiko-to against TC remain unclear. In this study, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and cell experiments were combined to predict and verify the targets and mechanisms of the active ingredients of Sho-saiko-to against TC. The results demonstrated that the main chemical ingredients of Sho-saiko-to could suppress the viability and proliferation of TC cells, promote apoptosis through the caspase3 pathway, and induce autophagy through the PI3K-AKT pathway. In addition, Sho-saiko-to could also induce the redifferentiation of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Our study provides a novel approach for treating differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) or radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAIR-DTC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei
Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Ruijie Qian
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei
Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei
Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Chenyang Wang
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei
Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Ying Ding
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei
Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Zairong Gao
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei
Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
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