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Limonta P, Chiaramonte R, Casati L. Unveiling the Dynamic Interplay between Cancer Stem Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment in Melanoma: Implications for Novel Therapeutic Strategies. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2861. [PMID: 39199632 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16162861] [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: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma still represents a significant health burden worldwide, being responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Key advances in therapeutic strategies have significantly improved patient outcomes; however, most patients experience drug resistance and tumor relapse. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subpopulation of cells in different tumors, including melanoma, endowed with distinctive capacities of self-renewal and differentiation into bulk tumor cells. Melanoma CSCs are characterized by the expression of specific biomarkers and intracellular pathways; moreover, they play a pivotal role in tumor onset, progression and drug resistance. In recent years, great efforts have been made to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying the protumor activities of melanoma CSCs to provide the basis for novel CSC-targeted therapies. Herein, we highlight the intricate crosstalk between melanoma CSCs and bystander cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), including immune cells, endothelial cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and its role in melanoma progression. Specifically, we discuss the peculiar capacities of melanoma CSCs to escape the host immune surveillance, to recruit immunosuppressive cells and to educate immune cells toward an immunosuppressive and protumor phenotype. We also address currently investigated CSC-targeted strategies that could pave the way for new promising therapeutic approaches for melanoma care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Limonta
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "R. Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Lavinia Casati
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20142 Milan, Italy
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Dziubańska-Kusibab PJ, Nevedomskaya E, Haendler B. Preclinical Anticipation of On- and Off-Target Resistance Mechanisms to Anti-Cancer Drugs: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:705. [PMID: 38255778 PMCID: PMC10815614 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020705] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The advent of targeted therapies has led to tremendous improvements in treatment options and their outcomes in the field of oncology. Yet, many cancers outsmart precision drugs by developing on-target or off-target resistance mechanisms. Gaining the ability to resist treatment is the rule rather than the exception in tumors, and it remains a major healthcare challenge to achieve long-lasting remission in most cancer patients. Here, we discuss emerging strategies that take advantage of innovative high-throughput screening technologies to anticipate on- and off-target resistance mechanisms before they occur in treated cancer patients. We divide the methods into non-systematic approaches, such as random mutagenesis or long-term drug treatment, and systematic approaches, relying on the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system, saturated mutagenesis, or computational methods. All these new developments, especially genome-wide CRISPR-based screening platforms, have significantly accelerated the processes for identification of the mechanisms responsible for cancer drug resistance and opened up new avenues for future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bernard Haendler
- Research and Early Development Oncology, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (P.J.D.-K.); (E.N.)
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Sposito M, Belluomini L, Pontolillo L, Tregnago D, Trestini I, Insolda J, Avancini A, Milella M, Bria E, Carbognin L, Pilotto S. Adjuvant Targeted Therapy in Solid Cancers: Pioneers and New Glories. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1427. [PMID: 37888038 PMCID: PMC10608226 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13101427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy (TT) has revolutionized cancer treatment, successfully applied in various settings. Adjuvant TT in resected early-stage gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and breast cancer has led to practice-changing achievements. In particular, standard treatments include BRAF inhibitors for melanoma, osimertinib for NSCLC, hormone therapy or HER2 TT for breast cancer, and imatinib for GIST. Despite the undeniable benefit derived from adjuvant TT, the optimal duration of TT and the appropriate managing of the relapse remain open questions. Furthermore, neoadjuvant TT is emerging as valuable, particularly in breast cancer, and ongoing studies evaluate TT in the perioperative setting for early-stage NSCLC. In this review, we aim to collect and describe the large amount of data available in the literature about adjuvant TT across different histologies, focusing on epidemiology, major advances, and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Sposito
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Lorenzo Belluomini
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Letizia Pontolillo
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (L.P.); (E.B.)
- Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Daniela Tregnago
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Ilaria Trestini
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Jessica Insolda
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Alice Avancini
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Michele Milella
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
| | - Emilio Bria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (L.P.); (E.B.)
- Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Luisa Carbognin
- Gynecology Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCSS, 00168 Roma, Italy;
| | - Sara Pilotto
- Section of Innovation Biomedicine—Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.S.); (L.B.); (D.T.); (I.T.); (J.I.); (A.A.); (M.M.)
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