1
|
Borlongan MC, Saha D, Wang H. Tumor Microenvironment: A Niche for Cancer Stem Cell Immunotherapy. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024; 20:3-24. [PMID: 37861969 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10639-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Tumorigenic Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), often called tumor-initiating cells (TICs), represent a unique subset of cells within the tumor milieu. They stand apart from the bulk of tumor cells due to their exceptional self-renewal, metastatic, and differentiation capabilities. Despite significant progress in classifying CSCs, these cells remain notably resilient to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, contributing to cancer recurrence. In this review, our objective is to explore novel avenues of research that delve into the distinctive characteristics of CSCs within their surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME). We will start with an overview of the defining features of CSCs and then delve into their intricate interactions with cells from the lymphoid lineage, namely T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. Furthermore, we will discuss their dynamic interplay with myeloid lineage cells, including macrophages, neutrophils, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Moreover, we will illuminate the crosstalk between CSCs and cells of mesenchymal origin, specifically fibroblasts, adipocytes, and endothelial cells. Subsequently, we will underscore the pivotal role of CSCs within the context of the tumor-associated extracellular matrix (ECM). Finally, we will highlight pre-clinical and clinical studies that target CSCs within the intricate landscape of the TME, including CAR-T therapy, oncolytic viruses, and CSC-vaccines, with the ultimate goal of uncovering novel avenues for CSC-based cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mia C Borlongan
- College of Medicine, California Northstate University, 9700 West Taron Drive, Elk Grove, CA, 95757, USA
| | - Dipongkor Saha
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences College of Pharmacy, California Northstate University, 9700 West Taron Drive, Elk Grove, CA, 95757, USA.
| | - Hongbin Wang
- College of Medicine, California Northstate University, 9700 West Taron Drive, Elk Grove, CA, 95757, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences College of Pharmacy, California Northstate University, 9700 West Taron Drive, Elk Grove, CA, 95757, USA.
- Master Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Graduate Studies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences College of Pharmacy, Department of Basic Science College of Medicine, California Northstate University, 9700 West Taron Drive, Elk Grove, CA, 95757, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu F, Zheng J, Yang G, Pan L, Xie Y, Chen S, Tuo J, Su J, Ou X, Liu R. Unraveling the enigma of B cells in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: unveiling cancer stem cell-like B cell subpopulation at single-cell resolution. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1310292. [PMID: 38149239 PMCID: PMC10750418 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1310292] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents the most prevalent form of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Despite receiving standard treatment, a subset of patients undergoes refractory or recurrent cases, wherein the involvement of cancer stem cells (CSCs) could be significant. Methods We comprehensively characterized B cell subpopulations using single-cell RNA sequencing data from three DLBCL samples and one normal lymph tissue. The CopyKat R package was employed to assess the malignancy of B cell subpopulations based on chromosomal copy number variations. CIBERSORTx software was utilized to estimate the proportions of B cell subpopulations in 230 DLBCL tissues. Furthermore, we employed the pySCENIC to identify key transcription factors that regulate the functionality of B cell subpopulations. By employing CellphoneDB, we elucidated the interplay among tumor microenvironment components within the B cell subpopulations. Finally, we validated our findings through immunofluorescence experiments. Results Our analysis revealed a specific cancer stem cell-like B cell subpopulation exhibiting self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capabilities based on the exploration of B cell subpopulations in DLBCL and normal lymph tissues at the single-cell level. Notably, a high infiltration of cancer stem cell-like B cells correlated with a poor prognosis, potentially due to immune evasion mediated by low expression of major histocompatibility complex molecules. Furthermore, we identified key transcription factor regulatory networks regulated by HMGB3, SAP30, and E2F8, which likely played crucial roles in the functional characterization of the cancer stem cell-like B cell subpopulation. The existence of cancer stem cell-like B cells in DLBCL was validated through immunofluorescent staining. Finally, cell communication between B cells and tumor-infiltrating T cell subgroups provided further insights into the functional characterization of the cancer stem cell-like B cell subpopulation. Conclusions Our research provides a systematic description of a specific cancer stem cell-like B cell subpopulation associated with a poor prognosis in DLBCL. This study enhances our understanding of CSCs and identifies potential therapeutic targets for refractory or recurrent DLBCL patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fengling Liu
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Gaohui Yang
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Lin Pan
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanni Xie
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jinwei Tuo
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jinxia Su
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiuyi Ou
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Rongrong Liu
- Department of Hematology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen J, Ge X, Zhang W, Ding P, Du Y, Wang Q, Li L, Fang L, Sun Y, Zhang P, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Lv X, Li L, Zhang X, Zhang Q, Xue K, Gu H, Lei Q, Wong J, Hu W. PI3K/AKT inhibition reverses R-CHOP resistance by destabilizing SOX2 in diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:3151-3163. [PMID: 32194860 PMCID: PMC7053184 DOI: 10.7150/thno.41362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Up to one-third of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients eventually develop resistance to R-CHOP regimen, while the remaining therapeutic options are limited. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Methods: We generated two germinal center B cell-like (GCB) and activated B cell-like (ABC) subtype R-CHO resistant DLBCL cell lines, of which the tumor-initiating capacity was evaluated by serial-transplantation and stemness-associated features including CD34 and CD133 expression, side population and ALDH1 activity were detected by flow cytometry or immunoblotting. Expression profiles of these resistant cells were characterized by RNA sequencing. The susceptibility of resistant cells to different treatments was evaluated by in vitro CytoTox-glo assay and in tumor-bearing mice. The expression levels of SOX2, phos-AKT, CDK6 and FGFR1/2 were detected in 12 R-CHOP-resistant DLBCL clinical specimens by IHC. Results: The stem-like CSC proportion significantly increased in both resistant DLBCL subtypes. SOX2 expression level remarkably elevated in both resistant cell lines due to its phosphorylation by activated PI3K/AKT signaling, thus preventing ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Further, multiple factors, including BCR, integrins, chemokines and FGFR1/2 signaling, regulated PI3K/AKT activation. CDK6 in GCB subtype and FGFR1/2 in ABC subtype were SOX2 targets, whose inhibition potently re-sensitized resistant cells to R-CHOP treatment. More importantly, addition of PI3K inhibitor to R-CHOP completely suppressed the tumor growth of R-CHO-resistant DLBCL cells, most likely by converting CSCs to chemo-sensitive differentiated cells. Conclusions: The PI3K/AKT/SOX2 axis plays a critical role in R-CHOP resistance development and the pro-differentiation therapy against CSCs proposed in this study warrants further study in clinical trials for the treatment of resistant DLBCL.
Collapse
|
4
|
Laranjeira ABA, Yang SX. Therapeutic target discovery and drug development in cancer stem cells for leukemia and lymphoma: from bench to the clinic. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2016; 11:1071-1080. [PMID: 27626707 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2016.1236785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cancer stem cells (CSCs), also known as tumor initialing cells, have self-renewal capacity and are believed to play an important role in residual disease or tumor relapse. CSCs exhibit characteristic slow growth rate and are resistant to conventional chemotherapy/radiotherapy in experimental models. The type of cells commonly employs aberrant activity of the embryonic signal transduction pathways - Notch, Hedgehog (Hh), and Wnt - for uncontrolled proliferation and survival. Areas covered: The following article discusses key genetic and molecular alterations in Notch, Hh and Wnt pathways and drugs targeting the alterations for the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma. Expert opinion: Early signs of signal agent activity have been observed in certain types of leukemia and lymphoma with experimental therapeutics targeting the embryonic pathways in the CSC signaling network. However, clinical development of agents that inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin, Notch and Hh signaling appear to be more complex in relapsed or refractory malignancies. A strategy to effectively target signaling may rely on early application of biomarkers representative of the active signaling nodes companion to the molecularly targeted agents. Biomarkers for efficacy could potentially guide selective treatment of hematological malignancies or cancer with drugs that target the embryonic pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelo B A Laranjeira
- a National Clinical Target Validation Laboratory, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis , National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Sherry X Yang
- a National Clinical Target Validation Laboratory, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis , National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Negrini M, Cutrona G, Bassi C, Fabris S, Zagatti B, Colombo M, Ferracin M, D'Abundo L, Saccenti E, Matis S, Lionetti M, Agnelli L, Gentile M, Recchia AG, Bossio S, Reverberi D, Rigolin G, Calin GA, Sabbioni S, Russo G, Tassone P, Morabito F, Ferrarini M, Neri A. microRNAome expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: comparison with normal B-cell subsets and correlations with prognostic and clinical parameters. Clin Cancer Res 2014; 20:4141-53. [PMID: 24916701 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-2497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite its indolent nature, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains an incurable disease. To establish the potential pathogenic role of miRNAs, the identification of deregulated miRNAs in CLL is crucial. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We analyzed the expression of 723 mature miRNAs in 217 early-stage CLL cases and in various different normal B-cell subpopulations from tonsils and peripheral blood. RESULTS Our analyses indicated that CLL cells exhibited a miRNA expression pattern that was most similar to the subsets of antigen-experienced and marginal zone-like B cells. These normal subpopulations were used as reference to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in comparison with CLL. Differences related to the expression of 25 miRNAs were found to be independent from IGHV mutation status or cytogenetic aberrations. These differences, confirmed in an independent validation set, led to a novel comprehensive description of miRNAs potentially involved in CLL. We also identified miRNAs whose expression was distinctive of cases with mutated versus unmutated IGHV genes or cases with 13q, 11q, and 17p deletions and trisomy 12. Finally, analysis of clinical data in relation to miRNA expression revealed that miR26a, miR532-3p, miR146-5p, and miR29c* were strongly associated with progression-free survival. CONCLUSION This study provides novel information on miRNAs expressed by CLL and normal B-cell subtypes, with implication on the cell of origin of CLL. In addition, our findings indicate a number of deregulated miRNAs in CLL, which may play a pathogenic role and promote disease progression. Collectively, this information can be used for developing miRNA-based therapeutic strategies in CLL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Negrini
- Dipartimento di Morfologia, Chirurgia e Medicina Sperimentale, Laboratorio per Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate, Tecnopolo,
| | | | - Cristian Bassi
- Dipartimento di Morfologia, Chirurgia e Medicina Sperimentale
| | - Sonia Fabris
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università di Milano and UOC Oncoematologia, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano
| | - Barbara Zagatti
- Dipartimento di Morfologia, Chirurgia e Medicina Sperimentale
| | | | - Manuela Ferracin
- Dipartimento di Morfologia, Chirurgia e Medicina Sperimentale, Laboratorio per Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate, Tecnopolo
| | | | - Elena Saccenti
- Sezione di Ematologia e Fisiopatologia dell'Emostasi, Azienda Università Ospedale di Ferrara, Ferrara
| | | | - Marta Lionetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università di Milano and UOC Oncoematologia, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano
| | - Luca Agnelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università di Milano and UOC Oncoematologia, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano
| | - Massimo Gentile
- Dipartimento di Oncoematologia, Azienda Ospedaliera di Cosenza
| | | | - Sabrina Bossio
- Dipartimento di Oncoematologia, Azienda Ospedaliera di Cosenza
| | | | - Gianmatteo Rigolin
- Sezione di Ematologia e Fisiopatologia dell'Emostasi, Azienda Università Ospedale di Ferrara, Ferrara
| | - George A Calin
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Silvia Sabbioni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biotecnologie, Università di Ferrara
| | | | - Pierfrancesco Tassone
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy; and
| | | | | | - Antonino Neri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università di Milano and UOC Oncoematologia, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano
| |
Collapse
|