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Chen J, Yang L, Ma Y, Zhang Y. Recent advances in understanding the immune microenvironment in ovarian cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1412328. [PMID: 38903506 PMCID: PMC11188340 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1412328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of ovarian cancer (OC) is a major factor in women's mortality rates. Despite progress in medical treatments, like new drugs targeting homologous recombination deficiency, survival rates for OC patients are still not ideal. The tumor microenvironment (TME) includes cancer cells, fibroblasts linked to cancer (CAFs), immune-inflammatory cells, and the substances these cells secrete, along with non-cellular components in the extracellular matrix (ECM). First, the TME mainly plays a role in inhibiting tumor growth and protecting normal cell survival. As tumors progress, the TME gradually becomes a place to promote tumor cell progression. Immune cells in the TME have attracted much attention as targets for immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has the potential to regulate the TME, suppressing factors that facilitate tumor advancement, reactivating immune cells, managing tumor growth, and extending the survival of patients with advanced cancer. This review presents an outline of current studies on the distinct cellular elements within the OC TME, detailing their main functions and possible signaling pathways. Additionally, we examine immunotherapy rechallenge in OC, with a specific emphasis on the biological reasons behind resistance to ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxin Chen
- Department of Gynecology, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, China
| | - Yiming Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, China
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Onuma T, Asare-Werehene M, Fujita Y, Yoshida Y, Tsang BK. Plasma Gelsolin Inhibits Natural Killer Cell Function and Confers Chemoresistance in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Cells 2024; 13:905. [PMID: 38891037 PMCID: PMC11171658 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110905] [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: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) overexpression in ovarian cancer (OVCA) disarms immune function, contributing to chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunoregulatory effects of pGSN expression on natural killer (NK) cell function in OVCA. OVCA tissues from primary surgeries underwent immunofluorescent staining of pGSN and the activated NK cell marker natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 1 to analyze the prognostic impact of pGSN expression and activated NK cell infiltration. The immunoregulatory effects of pGSN on NK cells were assessed using apoptosis assay, cytokine secretion, immune checkpoint-receptor expression, and phosphorylation of STAT3. In OVCA tissue analyses, activated NK cell infiltration provided survival advantages to patients. However, high pGSN expression attenuated the survival benefits of activated NK cell infiltration. In the in vitro experiment, pGSN in OVCA cells induced NK cell death through cell-to-cell contact. pGSN increased T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain-containing-3 expression (TIM-3) on activated NK cells. Further, it decreased interferon-γ production in activated TIM-3+ NK cells, attenuating their anti-tumor effects. Thus, increased pGSN expression suppresses the anti-tumor functions of NK cells. The study provides insights into why immunotherapy is rarely effective in patients with OVCA and suggests novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshimichi Onuma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; (T.O.); (M.A.-W.)
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine & The Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan;
| | - Meshach Asare-Werehene
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; (T.O.); (M.A.-W.)
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine & The Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Yuko Fujita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan;
| | - Yoshio Yoshida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan;
| | - Benjamin K. Tsang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; (T.O.); (M.A.-W.)
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine & The Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
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Qin Y, Sheng Y, Ren M, Hou Z, Xiao L, Chen R. Identification of necroptosis-related gene signatures for predicting the prognosis of ovarian cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11133. [PMID: 38750159 PMCID: PMC11096311 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61849-y] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most prevalent and fatal malignant tumors of the female reproductive system. Our research aimed to develop a prognostic model to assist inclinical treatment decision-making.Utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and copy number variation (CNV) data from the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) database, we conducted analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), gene function, and tumor microenvironment (TME) scores in various clusters of OC samples.Next, we classified participants into low-risk and high-risk groups based on the median risk score, thereby dividing both the training group and the entire group accordingly. Overall survival (OS) was significantly reduced in the high-risk group, and two independent prognostic factors were identified: age and risk score. Additionally, three genes-C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 10 (CXCL10), RELB, and Caspase-3 (CASP3)-emerged as potential candidates for an independent prognostic signature with acceptable prognostic value. In Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, pathways related to immune responses and inflammatory cell chemotaxis were identified. Cellular experiments further validated the reliability and precision of our findings. In conclusion, necroptosis-related genes play critical roles in tumor immunity, and our model introduces a novel strategy for predicting the prognosis of OC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuling Qin
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5, Beixiange Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Yawen Sheng
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Mengxue Ren
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5, Beixiange Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Zitong Hou
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5, Beixiange Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Lu Xiao
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5, Beixiange Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Ruixue Chen
- Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5, Beixiange Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100053, China.
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Manzoor HB, Asare-Werehene M, Pereira SD, Satyamoorthy K, Tsang BK. The regulation of plasma gelsolin by DNA methylation in ovarian cancer chemo-resistance. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:15. [PMID: 38216951 PMCID: PMC10785480 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-023-01332-w] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is the most lethal gynecologic cancer and chemoresistance remains a major hurdle to successful therapy and survival of OVCA patients. Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is highly expressed in chemoresistant OVCA compared with their chemosensitive counterparts, although the mechanism underlying the differential expression is not known. Also, its overexpression significantly correlates with shortened survival of OVCA patients. In this study, we investigated the methylation role of Ten eleven translocation isoform-1 (TET1) in the regulation of differential pGSN expression and chemosensitivity in OVCA cells. METHODS Chemosensitive and resistant OVCA cell lines of different histological subtypes were used in this study to measure pGSN and TET1 mRNA abundance (qPCR) as well as protein contents (Western blotting). To investigate the role of DNA methylation specifically in pGSN regulation and pGSN-induced chemoresistance, DNMTs and TETs were pharmacologically inhibited in sensitive and resistant OVCA cells using specific inhibitors. DNA methylation was quantified using EpiTYPER MassARRAY system. Gain-and-loss-of-function assays were used to investigate the relationship between TET1 and pGSN in OVCA chemoresponsiveness. RESULTS We observed differential protein and mRNA expressions of pGSN and TET1 between sensitive and resistant OVCA cells and cisplatin reduced their expression in sensitive but not in resistant cells. We observed hypomethylation at pGSN promoter upstream region in resistant cells compared to sensitive cells. Pharmacological inhibition of DNMTs increased pGSN protein levels in sensitive OVCA cells and decreased their responsiveness to cisplatin, however we did not observe any difference in methylation level at pGSN promoter region. TETs inhibition resulted in hypermethylation at multiple CpG sites and decreased pGSN protein level in resistant OVCA cells which was also associated with enhanced response to cisplatin, findings that suggested the methylation role of TETs in the regulation of pGSN expression in OVCA cells. Further, we found that TET1 is inversely related to pGSN but positively related to chemoresponsiveness of OVCA cells. CONCLUSION Our findings broaden our knowledge about the epigenetic regulation of pGSN in OVCA chemoresistance and reveal a novel potential target to re-sensitize resistant OVCA cells. This may provide a future therapeutic strategy to improve the overall OVCA patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiza Bushra Manzoor
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Meshach Asare-Werehene
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, & The Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine & Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Satyajit Dey Pereira
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Kapaettu Satyamoorthy
- Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, Manjushree Block, Manjushree Nagar Sattur, Dharwad, Karnataka, 580 009, India
| | - Benjamin K Tsang
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, & The Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine & Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
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Asare-Werehene M, Hunter RA, Gerber E, Reunov A, Brine I, Chang CY, Chang CC, Shieh DB, Burger D, Anis H, Tsang BK. The Application of an Extracellular Vesicle-Based Biosensor in Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Chemoresponsiveness in Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092566. [PMID: 37174032 PMCID: PMC10177169 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092566] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is the most fatal gynecological cancer with late diagnosis and plasma gelsolin (pGSN)-mediated chemoresistance representing the main obstacles to treatment success. Since there is no reliable approach to diagnosing patients at an early stage as well as predicting chemoresponsiveness, there is an urgent need to develop a diagnostic platform for such purposes. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are attractive biomarkers given their potential accuracy for targeting tumor sites. METHODS We have developed a novel biosensor which utilizes cysteine-functionalized gold nanoparticles that simultaneously bind to cisplatin (CDDP) and plasma/cell-derived EVs, affording us the advantage of predicting OVCA chemoresponsiveness, and early diagnosis using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. RESULTS We found that pGSN regulates cortactin (CTTN) content resulting in the formation of nuclear- and cytoplasmic-dense granules facilitating the secretion of sEVs carrying CDDP; a strategy used by resistant cells to survive CDDP action. The clinical utility of the biosensor was tested and subsequently revealed that the sEV/CA125 ratio outperformed CA125 and sEV individually in predicting early stage, chemoresistance, residual disease, tumor recurrence, and patient survival. CONCLUSION These findings highlight pGSN as a potential therapeutic target and provide a potential diagnostic platform to detect OVCA earlier and predict chemoresistance; an intervention that will positively impact patient-survival outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meshach Asare-Werehene
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - Robert A Hunter
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Emma Gerber
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - Arkadiy Reunov
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2320 Notre Dame Avenue, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Isaiah Brine
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Chia-Yu Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-Devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Department of Electrophysics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ching Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-Devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Department of Electrophysics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 10529, Taiwan
| | - Dar-Bin Shieh
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Institute of Oral Medicine and Department of Stomatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan
- Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center and Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Dylan Burger
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - Hanan Anis
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Benjamin K Tsang
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada
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Standing D, Feess E, Kodiyalam S, Kuehn M, Hamel Z, Johnson J, Thomas SM, Anant S. The Role of STATs in Ovarian Cancer: Exploring Their Potential for Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092485. [PMID: 37173951 PMCID: PMC10177275 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is a deadly gynecologic malignancy that presents many clinical challenges due to late-stage diagnoses and the development of acquired resistance to standard-of-care treatment protocols. There is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that STATs may play a critical role in OvCa progression, resistance, and disease recurrence, and thus we sought to compile a comprehensive review to summarize the current state of knowledge on the topic. We have examined peer reviewed literature to delineate the role of STATs in both cancer cells and cells within the tumor microenvironment. In addition to summarizing the current knowledge of STAT biology in OvCa, we have also examined the capacity of small molecule inhibitor development to target specific STATs and progress toward clinical applications. From our research, the best studied and targeted factors are STAT3 and STAT5, which has resulted in the development of several inhibitors that are under current evaluation in clinical trials. There remain gaps in understanding the role of STAT1, STAT2, STAT4, and STAT6, due to limited reports in the current literature; as such, further studies to establish their implications in OvCa are necessitated. Moreover, due to the deficiency in our understanding of these STATs, selective inhibitors also remain elusive, and therefore present opportunities for discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Standing
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Emma Feess
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Satvik Kodiyalam
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Michael Kuehn
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Zachary Hamel
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Jaimie Johnson
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Sufi Mary Thomas
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Shrikant Anant
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
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Kim SI, Hwangbo S, Dan K, Kim HS, Chung HH, Kim JW, Park NH, Song YS, Han D, Lee M. Proteomic Discovery of Plasma Protein Biomarkers and Development of Models Predicting Prognosis of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100502. [PMID: 36669591 PMCID: PMC9972571 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal female cancers. For accurate prognosis prediction, this study aimed to investigate novel, blood-based prognostic biomarkers for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) using mass spectrometry-based proteomics methods. We conducted label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using frozen plasma samples obtained from patients with newly diagnosed HGSOC (n = 20). Based on progression-free survival (PFS), the samples were divided into two groups: good (PFS ≥18 months) and poor prognosis groups (PFS <18 months). Proteomic profiles were compared between the two groups. Referring to proteomics data that we previously obtained using frozen cancer tissues from chemotherapy-naïve patients with HGSOC, overlapping protein biomarkers were selected as candidate biomarkers. Biomarkers were validated using an independent set of HGSOC plasma samples (n = 202) via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To construct models predicting the 18-month PFS rate, we performed stepwise selection based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with 5-fold cross-validation. Analysis of differentially expressed proteins in plasma samples revealed that 35 and 61 proteins were upregulated in the good and poor prognosis groups, respectively. Through hierarchical clustering and bioinformatic analyses, GSN, VCAN, SND1, SIGLEC14, CD163, and PRMT1 were selected as candidate biomarkers and were subjected to ELISA. In multivariate analysis, plasma GSN was identified as an independent poor prognostic biomarker for PFS (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.556; 95% confidence interval, 1.073-2.256; p = 0.020). By combining clinical factors and ELISA results, we constructed several models to predict the 18-month PFS rate. A model consisting of four predictors (FIGO stage, residual tumor after surgery, and plasma levels of GSN and VCAN) showed the best predictive performance (mean validated AUC, 0.779). The newly developed model was converted to a nomogram for clinical use. Our study results provided insights into protein biomarkers, which might offer clues for developing therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Ik Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suhyun Hwangbo
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kisoon Dan
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Seung Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Hoon Chung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Weon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Noh Hyun Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Sang Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dohyun Han
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Transdisciplinary Department of Medicine and Advanced Technology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Maria Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Predicting chemoresponsiveness in epithelial ovarian cancer patients using circulating small extracellular vesicle-derived plasma gelsolin. J Ovarian Res 2023; 16:14. [PMID: 36642715 PMCID: PMC9841140 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-022-01086-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to chemotherapy continues to be a challenge when treating epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), contributing to low patient survival rates. While CA125, the conventional EOC biomarker, has been useful in monitoring patients' response to therapy, there are no biomarkers used to predict treatment response prior to chemotherapy. Previous work in vitro showed that plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is highly expressed in chemoresistant EOC cell lines, where it is secreted in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). Whether sEVs from tumour cells are secreted into the circulation of EOC patients and could be used to predict patient chemoresponsiveness is yet to be determined. This study aims to identify if sEV-pGSN in the circulation could be a predictive biomarker for chemoresistance in EOC. METHODS Sandwich ELISA was used to measure pGSN concentrations from plasma samples of 96 EOC patients (primarily high grade serous EOC). sEVs were isolated using ExoQuick ULTRA and characterized using western blot, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and electron microscopy after which pGSN was measured from the sEVs. Patients were stratified as platinum sensitive or resistant groups based on first progression free interval (PFI) of 6 or 12 months. RESULTS Total circulating pGSN was significantly decreased and sEV-pGSN increased in patients with a PFI ≤ 12 months (chemoresistant) compared to those with a PFI > 12 months (chemosensitive). The ratio of total pGSN to sEV-pGSN further differentiated these groups and was a strong predictive marker for chemoresistance (sensitivity: 73.91%, specificity: 72.46%). Predetermined CA125 was not different between chemosensitive and chemoresistant groups and was not predictive of chemoresponsiveness prior to treatment. When CA125 was combined with the ratio of total pGSN/sEV-pGSN, it was a significant predictor of chemoresponsiveness, but the test performance was not as robust as the total pGSN/sEV-pGSN alone. CONCLUSIONS Total pGSN/sEV-pGSN was the best predictor of chemoresponsiveness prior to treatment, outperforming the individual biomarkers (CA125, total pGSN, and sEV-pGSN). This multianalyte predictor of chemoresponsiveness could help to inform physicians' treatment and follow up plan at the time of EOC diagnosis, thus improving patients' outcomes.
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Onuma T, Asare-Werehene M, Yoshida Y, Tsang BK. Exosomal Plasma Gelsolin Is an Immunosuppressive Mediator in the Ovarian Tumor Microenvironment and a Determinant of Chemoresistance. Cells 2022; 11:cells11203305. [PMID: 36291171 PMCID: PMC9600545 DOI: 10.3390/cells11203305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian Cancer (OVCA) is the most fatal gynecologic cancer and has a 5-year survival rate less than 45%. This is mainly due to late diagnosis and drug resistance. Overexpression of plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is key contributing factor to OVCA chemoresistance and immunosuppression. Gelsolin (GSN) is a multifunctional protein that regulates the activity of actin filaments by cleavage, capping, and nucleation. Generally, it plays an important role in cytoskeletal remodeling. GSN has three isoforms: cytosolic GSN, plasma GSN (pGSN), and gelsolin-3. Exosomes containing pGSN are released and contribute to the progression of OVCA. This review describes how pGSN overexpression inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and triggers positive feedback loops of pGSN expression. It also describes the mechanisms by which exosomal pGSN promotes apoptosis and dysfunction in tumor-killing immune cells. A discussion on the potential of pGSN as a prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic marker is also presented herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshimichi Onuma
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine & Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine & the Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
| | - Meshach Asare-Werehene
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine & Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine & the Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Yoshio Yoshida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
- Correspondence: (Y.Y.); (B.K.T.)
| | - Benjamin K. Tsang
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine & Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine & the Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (CI3), Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Correspondence: (Y.Y.); (B.K.T.)
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10
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Hsieh CH, Wang YC. Emerging roles of plasma gelsolin in tumorigenesis and modulating the tumor microenvironment. Kaohsiung J Med Sci 2022; 38:819-825. [PMID: 35942641 DOI: 10.1002/kjm2.12578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The protein expression of gelsolin, an actin scavenger controlling cytoskeletal remodeling, cell morphology, differentiation, movement, and apoptosis, has been found to be significantly decreased in several pathological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory disorders, and cancers. Its extracellular isoform, called plasma gelsolin (pGSN), is one of the most abundant plasma proteins in the circulation, and has emerged as a novel diagnostic biomarker for early disease detection. Current evidence reveals that gelsolin can function as either an oncoprotein or a tumor suppressor depending on the carcinoma type. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that pGSN is also involved in immunomodulation, revealing the multifunctional roles of pGSN in tumor progression. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge focusing on the roles of gelsolin in inflammation and wound healing, cancers, and tumor microenvironment. Future prospects of pGSN related studies and clinical application are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hsiung Hsieh
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ching Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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11
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Wang S, Wang X, Xia X, Zhang T, Yi M, Li Z, Jiang L, Yang Y, Fu J, Fang X. Identification of the immune subtype of ovarian cancer patients by integrated analyses of transcriptome and single-cell sequencing data. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13296. [PMID: 35918500 PMCID: PMC9346122 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17645-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one the most life-threatening cancers affecting women's health worldwide. Immunotherapy has become a promising treatment for a variety of cancers, but the therapeutic effects in OC remain limited. In this study, we constructed a macrophage risk score (MRS) based on M1 and M2 macrophages and a gene risk score (GRS) based on the prognostic genes associated with MRS. Next, cell-cell communication analysis was performed using single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing data. Survival status and immune characteristics were compared between the high- and low-score groups separated by MRS or GRS. Our results suggested that MRS and GRS can identify the immune subtypes of OC patients with better overall survival (OS) and inflammatory immune microenvironment. Moreover, M1 and M2 macrophages may affect the prognosis of OC patients through signal communication with CD8 T cells. Finally, functional differences between the two groups separated by GRS were elucidated. Taken together, this study constructed two useful models for the identification of immune subtypes in OC, which has a better prognosis and may have a sensitive response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The hub genes for the construction of GRS may be potential synergetic targets for immunotherapy in OC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixue Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaomeng Xia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingyu Yi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zeying Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yalan Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Fu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xiaoling Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
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