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Baker TM, Waise S, Tarabichi M, Van Loo P. Aneuploidy and complex genomic rearrangements in cancer evolution. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:228-239. [PMID: 38286829 PMCID: PMC7616040 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00711-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Mutational processes that alter large genomic regions occur frequently in developing tumors. They range from simple copy number gains and losses to the shattering and reassembly of entire chromosomes. These catastrophic events, such as chromothripsis, chromoplexy and the formation of extrachromosomal DNA, affect the expression of many genes and therefore have a substantial effect on the fitness of the cells in which they arise. In this review, we cover large genomic alterations, the mechanisms that cause them and their effect on tumor development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby M Baker
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sara Waise
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Maxime Tarabichi
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Van Loo
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Dittmar T, Sieler M, Hass R. Why do certain cancer cells alter functionality and fuse? Biol Chem 2023; 404:951-960. [PMID: 37246410 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0162] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cell fusion represents a rare event. However, the surviving cancer hybrid cells after a post-hybrid selection process (PHSP) can overgrow other cancer cells by exhibiting a proliferation advantage and/or expression of cancer stem-like properties. Addition of new tumor properties during hetero-fusion of cancer cells e.g. with mesenchymal stroma-/stem-like cells (MSC) contribute to enhanced tumor plasticity via acquisition of new/altered functionalities. This provides new avenues for tumor development and metastatic behavior. Consequently, the present review article will also address the question as to whether cancer cell fusion represents a general and possibly evolutionary-conserved program or rather a random process?
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, D-58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Mareike Sieler
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, D-58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Ralf Hass
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Biochemistry and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
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Dittmar T, Hass R. Intrinsic signalling factors associated with cancer cell-cell fusion. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:68. [PMID: 37016404 PMCID: PMC10071245 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01085-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular fusion e.g. between cancer cells and normal cells represents a stepwise process that is tightly regulated. During a pre-hybrid preparation program somatic cells and/or cancer cells are promoted to a pro-fusogenic state as a prerequisite to prepare a fusion process. A pro-fusogenic state requires significant changes including restructure of the cytoskeleton, e.g., by the formation of F-actin. Moreover, distinct plasma membrane lipids such as phosphatidylserine play an important role during cell fusion. In addition, the expression of distinct fusogenic factors such as syncytins and corresponding receptors are of fundamental importance to enable cellular mergers. Subsequent hybrid formation and fusion are followed by a post-hybrid selection process. Fusion among normal cells is important and often required during organismal development. Cancer cells fusion appears more rarely and is associated with the generation of new cancer hybrid cell populations. These cancer hybrid cells contribute to an elevated tumour plasticity by altered metastatic behaviour, changes in therapeutic and apoptotic responses, and even in the formation of cancer stem/ initiating cells. While many parts within this multi-step cascade are still poorly understood, this review article predominantly focusses on the intracellular necessities for fusion among cancer cells or with other cell populations of the tumour microenvironment. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Centre for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany.
| | - Ralf Hass
- Biochemistry and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
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Kaigorodova EV, Kozik AV, Zavaruev IS, Grishchenko MY. Hybrid/Atypical Forms of Circulating Tumor Cells: Current State of the Art. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2022; 87:380-390. [PMID: 35527376 PMCID: PMC8993035 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922040071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most common diseases worldwide, and its treatment is associated with many challenges such as drug and radioresistance and formation of metastases. These difficulties are due to tumor heterogeneity, which has many causes. One may be the cell fusion, a process that is relevant to both physiological (e.g., wound healing) and pathophysiological (cancer and viral infection) processes. This literature review aimed to summarize the existing data on the hybrid/atypical forms of circulating cancer cells and their role in tumor progression. For that, the bioinformatics search in universal databases, such as PubMed, NCBI, and Google Scholar was conducted by using the keywords “hybrid cancer cells”, “cancer cell fusion”, etc. In this review the latest information related to the hybrid tumor cells, theories of their genesis, characteristics of different variants with data from our own researches are presented. Many aspects of the hybrid cell research are still in their infancy. However, with the level of knowledge already accumulated, circulating hybrids such as CAML and CHC could be considered as promising biomarkers of cancerous tumors, and even more as a new approach to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniya V Kaigorodova
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, 634050, Russia.
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Alexey V Kozik
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
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An Immunological Perspective of Circulating Tumor Cells as Diagnostic Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020323. [PMID: 35207611 PMCID: PMC8878951 DOI: 10.3390/life12020323] [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: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune modulation is a hallmark of cancer. Cancer–immune interaction shapes the course of disease progression at every step of tumorigenesis, including metastasis, of which circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are regarded as an indicator. These CTCs are a heterogeneous population of tumor cells that have disseminated from the tumor into circulation. They have been increasingly studied in recent years due to their importance in diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of treatment response. Ample evidence demonstrates that CTCs interact with immune cells in circulation, where they must evade immune surveillance or modulate immune response. The interaction between CTCs and the immune system is emerging as a critical point by which CTCs facilitate metastatic progression. Understanding the complex crosstalk between the two may provide a basis for devising new diagnostic and treatment strategies. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of CTCs and the complex immune-CTC interactions. We also present novel options in clinical interventions, targeting the immune-CTC interfaces, and provide some suggestions on future research directions.
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Cwykiel J, Jundzill A, Klimczak A, Madajka-Niemeyer M, Siemionow M. Donor Recipient Chimeric Cells Induce Chimerism and Extend Survival of Vascularized Composite Allografts. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2021; 69:13. [PMID: 33970329 PMCID: PMC8110509 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-021-00614-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the efficacy of donor recipient chimeric cell (DRCC) therapy created by fusion of donor and recipient derived bone marrow cells (BMC) in chimerism and tolerance induction in a rat vascularized composite allograft (VCA) model. Twenty-four VCA (groin flaps) from MHC-mismatched ACI (RT1a) donors were transplanted to Lewis (RT1l) recipients. Rats were randomly divided into (n = 6/group): Group 1—untreated controls, Groups 2—7-day immunosuppression controls, Group 3—DRCC, and Group 4—DRCC with 7-day anti-αβTCR monoclonal antibody and cyclosporine A protocol. DRCC created by polyethylene glycol-mediated fusion of ACI and Lewis BMC were cultured and transplanted (2–4 × 106) to VCA recipients via intraosseous delivery route. Flow cytometry assessed peripheral blood chimerism while fluorescent microscopy and PCR tested the presence of DRCC in the recipient’s blood, bone marrow (BM), and lymphoid organs at the study endpoint (VCA rejection). No complications were observed after DRCC intraosseous delivery. Group 4 presented the longest average VCA survival (79.3 ± 30.9 days) followed by Group 2 (53.3 ± 13.6 days), Group 3 (18 ± 7.5 days), and Group 1 (8.5 ± 1 days). The highest chimerism level was detected in Group 4 (57.9 ± 6.2%) at day 7 post-transplant. The chimerism declined at day 21 post-transplant and remained at 10% level during the entire follow-up period. Single dose of DRCC therapy induced long-term multilineage chimerism and extended VCA survival. DRCC introduces a novel concept of customized donor-recipient cell-based therapy supporting solid organ and VCA transplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Cwykiel
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Illinois At Chicago, Molecular Biology Research Building, 900 S. Ashland Ave. Room# 3356, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.,Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Arkadiusz Jundzill
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Chair of Urology, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Ludwik Rydygier Medical College in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.,Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Klimczak
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | | | - Maria Siemionow
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Illinois At Chicago, Molecular Biology Research Building, 900 S. Ashland Ave. Room# 3356, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA. .,Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. .,Department of Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
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Cwykiel J, Madajka-Niemeyer M, Siemionow M. Development of Donor Recipient Chimeric Cells of bone marrow origin as a novel approach for tolerance induction in transplantation. Stem Cell Investig 2021; 8:8. [PMID: 33969113 DOI: 10.21037/sci-2020-044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Cell therapies and chimerism-based strategies are currently the most successful approach for tolerance induction in transplantation. This study aimed to establish and characterize novel Donor Recipient Chimeric Ccell (DRCC) therapy of bone marrow (BM) origin presenting donor-recipient phenotype to support tolerance induction. Methods Ex vivo fusions of fully MHC-mismatched BM cells from ACI (RT1a) and Lewis (RT1l) rats were performed using polyethylene-glycol (PEG). The creation of rat DRCC was tested by flow cytometry (FC), confocal microscopy and PCR. FC characterized DRCC's phenotype (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45, CD90, CD11b/c, CD45RA, OX-82, or CD4/CD25) and apoptosis, while mixed lymphocyte reaction assessed DRCC's immunogenicity and colony forming unit assay tested DRCC's differentiation and proliferation. DRCC's polyploidy was evaluated using Hoechst33342 staining and COMET assay tested genotoxicity of fusion procedure. ELISA analyzed the secretion of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, TGFß1, IFNγ and TNFα by DRCC at day 1, 5 and 14 post-fusion. The DRCC's phenotype after long-term culturing was assessed by reverse-transcription PCR. Results The chimeric state of DRCC was confirmed. Fusion did not change the expression of hematopoietic markers compared to BM controls. Although an increased number of early and late apoptotic (Annexin V+/Sytox blue- and Annexin V+/Sytox blue+, respectively) DRCC was detected at 24h post-fusion, the number significantly decreased at day 5 (38.4%±3.1% and 22.6%±2.5%, vs. 28.3%±2.5% and 13.9%±2.6%, respectively, P<0.05). DRCC presented decreased immunogenicity, increased expression of IL-10 and TGFβ1 and proliferative potential comparable to BM controls. The average percentage of tetraploid DRCC was 3.1%±0.2% compared to 0.96%±0.1% in BM controls. The lack of damage to the DRCC's DNA content supported the DRCC's safety. In culture, DRCC maintained proliferation for up to 28 days while preserving hematopoietic profile. Conclusions This study confirmed feasibility of DRCC creation via ex vivo PEG mediated fusion. The created DRCC revealed pro-tolerogenic properties indicating potential immunomodulatory effect of DRCC therapy when applied in vivo to support tolerance induction in solid organ and vascularized composite allograft transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Cwykiel
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Maria Siemionow
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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Cheng KS, Pan R, Pan H, Li B, Meena SS, Xing H, Ng YJ, Qin K, Liao X, Kosgei BK, Wang Z, Han RP. ALICE: a hybrid AI paradigm with enhanced connectivity and cybersecurity for a serendipitous encounter with circulating hybrid cells. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:11026-11048. [PMID: 33042268 PMCID: PMC7532685 DOI: 10.7150/thno.44053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A fully automated and accurate assay of rare cell phenotypes in densely-packed fluorescently-labeled liquid biopsy images remains elusive. Methods: Employing a hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) paradigm that combines traditional rule-based morphological manipulations with modern statistical machine learning, we deployed a next generation software, ALICE (Automated Liquid Biopsy Cell Enumerator) to identify and enumerate minute amounts of tumor cell phenotypes bestrewed in massive populations of leukocytes. As a code designed for futurity, ALICE is armed with internet of things (IOT) connectivity to promote pedagogy and continuing education and also, an advanced cybersecurity system to safeguard against digital attacks from malicious data tampering. Results: By combining robust principal component analysis, random forest classifier and cubic support vector machine, ALICE was able to detect synthetic, anomalous and tampered input images with an average recall and precision of 0.840 and 0.752, respectively. In terms of phenotyping enumeration, ALICE was able to enumerate various circulating tumor cell (CTC) phenotypes with a reliability ranging from 0.725 (substantial agreement) to 0.961 (almost perfect) as compared to human analysts. Further, two subpopulations of circulating hybrid cells (CHCs) were serendipitously discovered and labeled as CHC-1 (DAPI+/CD45+/E-cadherin+/vimentin-) and CHC-2 (DAPI+ /CD45+/E-cadherin+/vimentin+) in the peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer patients. CHC-1 was found to correlate with nodal staging and was able to classify lymph node metastasis with a sensitivity of 0.615 (95% CI: 0.374-0.898) and specificity of 1.000 (95% CI: 1.000-1.000). Conclusion: This study presented a machine-learning-augmented rule-based hybrid AI algorithm with enhanced cybersecurity and connectivity for the automatic and flexibly-adapting enumeration of cellular liquid biopsies. ALICE has the potential to be used in a clinical setting for an accurate and reliable enumeration of CTC phenotypes.
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Fahlbusch SS, Keil S, Epplen JT, Zänker KS, Dittmar T. Comparison of hybrid clones derived from human breast epithelial cells and three different cancer cell lines regarding in vitro cancer stem/ initiating cell properties. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:446. [PMID: 32430004 PMCID: PMC7236176 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-06952-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several physiological (fertilization, placentation, wound healing) and pathophysiological processes (infection with enveloped viruses, cancer) depend on cell fusion. In cancer it was postulated that the fusion of cancer cells with normal cells such as macrophages or stem cells may not only give rise to hybrid cells exhibiting novel properties, such as an increased metastatic capacity and drug resistance, but possibly also cancer stem/ initiating cell properties. Hence, hybrid clone cells (M13HS, M13MDA435 and M13MDA231) that were derived from spontaneous fusion events of human M13SV1-EGFP-Neo breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg, MDA-MB-435-Hyg and MDA-MB-231-Hyg cancer cells were investigated regarding potential in vitro cancer stem/ initiating cell properties. Methods CD44/CD24 expression pattern and ALDH1 activity of parental cells and hybrid clones was determined by flow cytometry. A colony formation and mammosphere formation assay was applied to determine the cells’ capability to form colonies and mammospheres. Sox9, Slug and Snail expression levels were determined by Western blot analysis. Results Flow cytometry revealed that all hybrid clone cells were CD44+/CD24−/low, but differed markedly among each other regarding ALDH1 activity. Likewise, each hybrid clone possessed a unique colony formation and mammosphere capacity as well as unique Snail, Slug and Sox9 expression patterns. Nonetheless, comparison of hybrid clones revealed that M13HS hybrids exhibited more in vitro cancer stem/ initiating cell properties than M13MDA231 and M13MDA435 hybrids, such as more ALDH1 positive cells or an increased capacity to form colonies and mammospheres. Conclusion The fate whether cancer stem/ initiating cells may originate from cell fusion events likely depends on the specific characteristics of the parental cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sera Selina Fahlbusch
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Silvia Keil
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Jörg T Epplen
- Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Kurt S Zänker
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany.
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Genome remodeling upon mesenchymal tumor cell fusion contributes to tumor progression and metastatic spread. Oncogene 2020; 39:4198-4211. [PMID: 32242148 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1276-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion in tumor progression mostly refers to the merging of a cancer cell with a cell that has migration and immune escape capabilities such as macrophages. Here we show that spontaneous hybrids made from the fusion of transformed mesenchymal cells with partners from the same lineage undergo nonrecurrent large-scale genomic rearrangements, leading to the creation of highly aneuploid cells with novel phenotypic traits, including metastatic spreading capabilities. Moreover, in contrast to their parents, hybrids were the only cells able to recapitulate in vivo all features of human pleomorphic sarcomas, a rare and genetically complex mesenchymal tumor. Hybrid tumors not only displayed specific mesenchymal markers, but also combined a complex genetic profile with a highly metastatic behavior, like their human counterparts. Finally, we provide evidence that patient-derived pleomorphic sarcoma cells are inclined to spontaneous cell fusion. The resulting hybrids also gain in aggressiveness, exhibiting superior growth capacity in mouse models. Altogether, these results indicate that cell fusion has the potential to promote cancer progression by increasing growth and/or metastatic capacities, regardless of the nature of the companion cell. Moreover, such events likely occur upon sarcoma development, paving the way for better understanding of the biology, and aggressiveness of these tumors.
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Fusion of macrophages promotes breast cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion through activating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Arch Biochem Biophys 2019; 676:108137. [PMID: 31605677 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2019.108137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion is a highly regulated process involved in cancer development, tissue regeneration and other physiological and pathological events. Many studies have shown that cancer cells can fuse with different types of cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and macrophages, which are behaved as two important fusogenic candidates in the tumor microenvironment. However, the underlying mechanisms of cell fusion between macrophages and malignant cells in cancer progression has not been fully clarified. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of cell fusion between macrophages and breast cancer cells on tumorigenesis and metastasis. Our results indicated that the hybrids exhibited enhanced proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion capabilities, as well as suppressed apoptosis compared with parental breast cancer cells. Moreover, the hybrid cells displayed EMT with a significant downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of N-cadherin, Vimentin and Snail, as well as an obviously increased expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, uPA and S100A4. Mechanistically, we found that the TCF/LEF transcription factor activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the expression of its downstream target genes including cyclin D1 and c-Myc were increased in the hybrid cells. Furthermore, our data confirmed that the promoting effects of fusion of macrophages on breast cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion could be blocked by treatment with XAV-939, a Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibitor. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that fusion of macrophages promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells through activating EMT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our current study will further contribute to elucidate the mechanism of cell fusion in tumorigenesis and metastasis, and to develop a new therapeutic strategy for breast cancer treatment.
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Oliveira MN, Breznik B, Pillat MM, Pereira RL, Ulrich H, Lah TT. Kinins in Glioblastoma Microenvironment. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT 2019; 12:77-94. [PMID: 31420805 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-019-00229-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Tumour progression involves interactions among various cancer cell clones, including the cancer stem cell subpopulation and exogenous cellular components, termed cancer stromal cells. The latter include a plethora of tumour infiltrating immunocompetent cells, among which are also immuno-modulatory mesenchymal stem cells, which by vigorous migration to growing tumours and susequent transdifferentiation into various types of tumour-residing stromal cells, may either inhibit or support tumour progression. In the light of the scarce therapeutic options existing for the most malignant brain tumour glioblastoma, mesenchymal stem cells may represent a promising novel tool for cell therapy, e.g. drug delivery vectors. Here, we review the increasing number of reports on mutual interactions between mesenchymal stem cells and glioblastoma cells in their microenvironment. We particularly point out two novel aspects: the different responses of cancer cells to their microenvironmental cues, and to the signalling by kinin receptors that complement the immuno-modulating cytokine-signalling networks. Inflammatory glioblastoma microenvironment is characterised by increasing expression of kinin receptors during progressive glioma malignancy, thus making kinin signalling and kinins themselves rather important in this context. In general, their role in tumour microenvironment has not been explored so far. In addition, kinins also regulate blood brain barrier-related drug transfer as well as brain tumour angiogenesis. These studies support the on-going research on kinin antagonists as candidates in the development of anti-invasive agents for adjuvant glioblastoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona N Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineus Prestes 748, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.,Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova, 39 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Breznik
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Micheli M Pillat
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineus Prestes 748, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Ricardo L Pereira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineus Prestes 748, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineus Prestes 748, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Tamara T Lah
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Cancer Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Circulating Hybrid Cells Join the Fray of Circulating Cellular Biomarkers. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 8:595-607. [PMID: 31319228 PMCID: PMC6889578 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers account for more cancer-related deaths than any other organ system, owing in part to difficulties in early detection, treatment response assessment, and post-treatment surveillance. Circulating biomarkers hold the promise for noninvasive liquid biopsy platforms to overcome these obstacles. Although tumors shed detectable levels of degraded genetic material and cellular debris into peripheral blood, identifying reproducible and clinically relevant information from these analytes (eg, cell-free nucleotides, exosomes, proteins) has proven difficult. Cell-based circulating biomarkers also present challenges, but have multiple advantages including allowing for a more comprehensive tumor analysis, and communicating the risk of metastatic spread. Circulating tumor cells have dominated the cancer cell biomarker field with robust evidence in extraintestinal cancers; however, establishing their clinical utility beyond that of prognostication in colorectal and pancreatic cancers has remained elusive. Recently identified novel populations of tumor-derived cells bring renewed potential to this area of investigation. Cancer-associated macrophage-like cells, immune cells with phagocytosed tumor material, also show utility in prognostication and assessing treatment responsiveness. In addition, circulating hybrid cells are the result of tumor-macrophage fusion, with mounting evidence for a role in the metastatic cascade. Because of their relative abundance in circulation, circulating hybrid cells have great potential as a liquid biomarker for early detection, prognostication, and surveillance. In all, the power of the cell reaches beyond enumeration by providing a cellular source of tumor DNA, RNA, and protein, which can be harnessed to impact overall survival.
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Tumor Microenvironment and Cell Fusion. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:5013592. [PMID: 31380426 PMCID: PMC6657644 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5013592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion is a highly regulated biological process that occurs under both physiological and pathological conditions. The cellular and extracellular environment is critical for the induction of the cell-cell fusion. Aberrant cell fusion is initiated during tumor progression. Tumor microenvironment is a complex dynamic system formed by the interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding cells. Cell-cell fusion mediates direct interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding cells and is associated with tumor initiation and progression. Various microenvironmental factors affect cell fusion in tumor microenvironment and generate hybrids that acquire genomes of both parental cells and exhibit novel characteristics, such as tumor stem cell-like properties, radioresistance, drug resistance, immune evasion, and enhanced migration and invasion abilities, which are closely related to the initiation, invasion, and metastasis of tumor. The phenotypic characteristics of hybrids are based on the phenotypes of parental cells, and the fusion of tumor cells with diverse types of microenvironmental fusogenic cells is concomitant with phenotypic heterogeneity. This review highlights the types of fusogenic cells in tumor microenvironment that can fuse with tumor cells and their specific significance and summarizes the various microenvironmental factors affecting tumor cell fusion. This review may be used as a reference to develop strategies for future research on tumor cell fusion and the exploration of cell fusion-based antitumor therapies.
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Fusion-mediated chromosomal instability promotes aneuploidy patterns that resemble human tumors. Oncogene 2019; 38:6083-6094. [PMID: 31270395 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0859-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Oncogenesis is considered to result from chromosomal instability, in addition to oncogene and tumor-suppressor alterations. Intermediate to aneuploidy and chromosomal instability, genome doubling is a frequent event in tumor development but the mechanisms driving tetraploidization and its impact remain unexplored. Cell fusion, one of the pathways to tetraploidy, is a physiological process involved in mesenchymal cell differentiation. Besides simple genome doubling, cell fusion results in the merging of two different genomes that can be destabilized upon proliferation. By testing whether cell fusion is involved in mesenchymal oncogenesis, we provide evidence that it induces genomic instability and mediates tumor initiation. After a latency period, the tumor emerges with the cells most suited for its development. Furthermore, hybrid tumor genomes were stabilized after this selection process and were very close to those of human pleomorphic mesenchymal tumors. Thus genome restructuring triggered by cell fusion may account for the chromosomal instability involved in oncogenesis.
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Weiler J, Dittmar T. Cell Fusion in Human Cancer: The Dark Matter Hypothesis. Cells 2019; 8:cells8020132. [PMID: 30736482 PMCID: PMC6407028 DOI: 10.3390/cells8020132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Current strategies to determine tumor × normal (TN)-hybrid cells among human cancer cells include the detection of hematopoietic markers and other mesodermal markers on tumor cells or the presence of donor DNA in cancer samples from patients who had previously received an allogenic bone marrow transplant. By doing so, several studies have demonstrated that TN-hybrid cells could be found in human cancers. However, a prerequisite of this cell fusion search strategy is that such markers are stably expressed by TN-hybrid cells over time. However, cell fusion is a potent inducer of genomic instability, and TN-hybrid cells may lose these cell fusion markers, thereby becoming indistinguishable from nonfused tumor cells. In addition, hybrid cells can evolve from homotypic fusion events between tumor cells or from heterotypic fusion events between tumor cells and normal cells possessing similar markers, which would also be indistinguishable from nonfused tumor cells. Such indistinguishable or invisible hybrid cells will be referred to as dark matter hybrids, which cannot as yet be detected and quantified, but which contribute to tumor growth and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Weiler
- Chair of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Chair of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
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Engvild KC. Cancer follows chromosome missegregation when all endogenous repair mechanisms fail. Med Hypotheses 2018; 120:121-123. [PMID: 30220330 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2018.08.028] [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: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Almost all solid tumors consist of aneuploid cells with highly abnormal chromosome numbers. Such cancer cells could very well originate from chromosome missegregation which is a disturbingly common phenomenon, happening in 0.01 to 4 percent of cell divisions. Missegregated cells are aneuploid, typically lacking a chromosome or having one in surplus. Missegregated cells have mutation in the gene dose of the perhaps a thousand genes on a chromosome in one step. After missegregation cell division cannot be done right, as at least one daughter cell has a faulty chromosome number. At division in cells with surplus chromosomes the number will tend to increase due to mismatch in the division machinery. The organism has a number of repair mechanisms in place to prevent potential damage of accumulating aneuploidy. The first is the roll-back of the cell division itself, leading to tetraploidy or sometimes two nuclei in one cell; another is the prevention of further divisions. A very important one is induction of apoptosis, the cellular suicide. A special case is the elimination of the nucleus itself in the formation of red blood cells. Many aneuploid cells are probably eliminated by the immune system. A hypothetical mechanism would be the prevention of metastasis. Missegregation increases with age when the chromosomes lose their protective telomere ends at the Hayflick limit after about 50 divisions, and the unraveled chromosomes fuse and break. For cancer to develop all of these repair mechanisms must fail. The hypothesis offers a straightforward rationale for the multiple hit hypothesis of cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kjeld C Engvild
- Eco Center, Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde, Denmark.
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18
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Gast CE, Silk AD, Zarour L, Riegler L, Burkhart JG, Gustafson KT, Parappilly MS, Roh-Johnson M, Goodman JR, Olson B, Schmidt M, Swain JR, Davies PS, Shasthri V, Iizuka S, Flynn P, Watson S, Korkola J, Courtneidge SA, Fischer JM, Jaboin J, Billingsley KG, Lopez CD, Burchard J, Gray J, Coussens LM, Sheppard BC, Wong MH. Cell fusion potentiates tumor heterogeneity and reveals circulating hybrid cells that correlate with stage and survival. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaat7828. [PMID: 30214939 PMCID: PMC6135550 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat7828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
High lethality rates associated with metastatic cancer highlight an urgent medical need for improved understanding of biologic mechanisms driving metastatic spread and identification of biomarkers predicting late-stage progression. Numerous neoplastic cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms fuel tumor progression; however, mechanisms driving heterogeneity of neoplastic cells in solid tumors remain obscure. Increased mutational rates of neoplastic cells in stressed environments are implicated but cannot explain all aspects of tumor heterogeneity. We present evidence that fusion of neoplastic cells with leukocytes (for example, macrophages) contributes to tumor heterogeneity, resulting in cells exhibiting increased metastatic behavior. Fusion hybrids (cells harboring hematopoietic and epithelial properties) are readily detectible in cell culture and tumor-bearing mice. Further, hybrids enumerated in peripheral blood of human cancer patients correlate with disease stage and predict overall survival. This unique population of neoplastic cells provides a novel biomarker for tumor staging, as well as a potential therapeutic target for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles E. Gast
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Alain D. Silk
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Luai Zarour
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Lara Riegler
- Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Joshua G. Burkhart
- Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kyle T. Gustafson
- Center for Early Detection Advanced Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Michael S. Parappilly
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Minna Roh-Johnson
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - James R. Goodman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Brennan Olson
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Mark Schmidt
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - John R. Swain
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Paige S. Davies
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Vidya Shasthri
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Shinji Iizuka
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Patrick Flynn
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Spencer Watson
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - James Korkola
- Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Sara A. Courtneidge
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jared M. Fischer
- Center for Early Detection Advanced Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jerry Jaboin
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kevin G. Billingsley
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Charles D. Lopez
- Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Julja Burchard
- Department of Computational Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Joe Gray
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Lisa M. Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Brett C. Sheppard
- Department of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Melissa H. Wong
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Corresponding author.
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Weiler J, Mohr M, Zänker KS, Dittmar T. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) is involved in the TNF-α-induced fusion of human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells. Cell Commun Signal 2018; 16:14. [PMID: 29636110 PMCID: PMC5894245 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-018-0226-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In addition to physiological events such as fertilisation, placentation, osteoclastogenesis, or tissue regeneration/wound healing, cell fusion is involved in pathophysiological conditions such as cancer. Cell fusion, which applies to both the proteins and conditions that induce the merging of two or more cells, is not a fully understood process. Inflammation/pro-inflammatory cytokines might be a positive trigger for cell fusion. Using a Cre-LoxP-based cell fusion assay we demonstrated that the fusion between human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells was induced by the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Methods The gene expression profile of the cells in the presence of TNF-α and under normoxic and hypoxic conditions was analysed by cDNA microarray analysis. cDNA microarray data were verified by qPCR, PCR, Western blot and zymography. Quantification of cell fusion events was determined by flow cytometry. Proteins of interest were either blocked or knocked-down using a specific inhibitor, siRNA or a blocking antibody. Results The data showed an up-regulation of various genes, including claudin-1 (CLDN1), ICAM1, CCL2 and MMP9 in M13SV1-Cre and/or MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cells. Inhibition of these proteins using a blocking ICAM1 antibody, CLDN1 siRNA or an MMP9 inhibitor showed that only the blockage of MMP9 was correlated with a decreased fusion rate of the cells. Likewise, the tetracycline-based antibiotic minocycline, which exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, was also effective in both inhibiting the TNF-α-induced MMP9 expression in M13SV1-Cre cells and blocking the TNF-α-induced fusion frequency of human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells. Conclusions The matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) is most likely involved in the TNF-α-mediated fusion of human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells. Likewise, our data indicate that the tetracycline-based antibiotic minocycline might exhibit anti-fusogenic properties because it inhibits a cell fusion-related mechanism. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12964-018-0226-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Weiler
- Institute of Immunology, Centre of Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Marieke Mohr
- BioGenes GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 325, 12555, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kurt S Zänker
- Institute of Immunology, Centre of Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Centre of Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448, Witten, Germany.
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Kinin-B1 Receptor Stimulation Promotes Invasion and is Involved in Cell-Cell Interaction of Co-Cultured Glioblastoma and Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1299. [PMID: 29358738 PMCID: PMC5777993 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19359-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents the most lethal brain tumour, and these tumours have very limited treatment options. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are considered as candidates for advanced cell therapies, due to their tropism towards GBM, possibly affecting their malignancy, thus also representing a potential therapeutic vector. Therefore, we aimed to compare the effects of bone-marrow-derived versus adipose-tissue-derived MSC (BM-/AT-MSC) on heterogeneous populations of tumour cells. This cells' interplay was addressed by the in-vitro two-dimensional (monolayer) and three-dimensional (spheroid) co-culture models, using U87 and U373 GBM cell lines, expressing genotypically different mesenchymal transcriptome profiles. U87 cell low mesenchymal profile expressed high levels of kinin receptor 1 (B1R) and their invasion was greatly enhanced by the B1R agonist des-Arg9-bradykinin upon BM-MSC co-culturing in 3D co-cultures. This correlated to significantly higher cell-cell interactions in U87/BM-MSC mixed spheroids. This was not observed with the U373 cells and not in AT-MSC co-cultures. Altogether, these data support the on-going exploration of B1R as target for adjuvant approach in GBM therapy. Secondly, the results emphasize the need for further careful exploration of the selectivity regarding the origin of MSC as potential candidates for cell therapies, particular in cancer, where they may adversely affect heterogeneous tumour cell populations.
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21
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Gauck D, Keil S, Niggemann B, Zänker KS, Dittmar T. Hybrid clone cells derived from human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells exhibit properties of cancer stem/initiating cells. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:515. [PMID: 28768501 PMCID: PMC5541689 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3509-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been associated with cancer progression since it was determined that normal cell × tumor cell fusion-derived hybrid cells could exhibit novel properties, such as enhanced metastatogenic capacity or increased drug resistance, and even as a mechanism that could give rise to cancer stem/initiating cells (CS/ICs). CS/ICs have been proposed as cancer cells that exhibit stem cell properties, including the ability to (re)initiate tumor growth. METHODS Five M13HS hybrid clone cells, which originated from spontaneous cell fusion events between M13SV1-EGFP-Neo human breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg human breast cancer cells, and their parental cells were analyzed for expression of stemness and EMT-related marker proteins by Western blot analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The frequency of ALDH1-positive cells was determined by flow cytometry using AldeRed fluorescent dye. Concurrently, the cells' colony forming capabilities as well as the cells' abilities to form mammospheres were investigated. The migratory activity of the cells was analyzed using a 3D collagen matrix migration assay. RESULTS M13HS hybrid clone cells co-expressed SOX9, SLUG, CK8 and CK14, which were differently expressed in parental cells. A variation in the ALDH1-positive putative stem cell population was observed among the five hybrids ranging from 1.44% (M13HS-7) to 13.68% (M13HS-2). In comparison to the parental cells, all five hybrid clone cells possessed increased but also unique colony formation and mammosphere formation capabilities. M13HS-4 hybrid clone cells exhibited the highest colony formation capacity and second highest mammosphere formation capacity of all hybrids, whereby the mean diameter of the mammospheres was comparable to the parental cells. In contrast, the largest mammospheres originated from the M13HS-2 hybrid clone cells, whereas these cells' mammosphere formation capacity was comparable to the parental breast cancer cells. All M13HS hybrid clones exhibited a mesenchymal phenotype and, with the exception of one hybrid clone, responded to EGF with an increased migratory activity. CONCLUSION Fusion of human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells can give rise to hybrid clone cells that possess certain CS/IC properties, suggesting that cell fusion might be a mechanism underlying how tumor cells exhibiting a CS/IC phenotype could originate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Gauck
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
- Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Silvia Keil
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Bernd Niggemann
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Kurt S. Zänker
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany
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22
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LaBerge GS, Duvall E, Grasmick Z, Haedicke K, Pawelek J. A Melanoma Lymph Node Metastasis with a Donor-Patient Hybrid Genome following Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Second Case of Leucocyte-Tumor Cell Hybridization in Cancer Metastasis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0168581. [PMID: 28146572 PMCID: PMC5287451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastatic disease is the principal cause of mortality in cancer, yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Macrophage-cancer cell fusion as a cause of metastasis was proposed more than a century ago by German pathologist Prof. Otto Aichel. Since then this theory has been confirmed in numerous animal studies and recently in a patient with metastatic melanoma. METHODS Here we analyzed tumor DNA from a 51-year-old man who, 8 years following an allogeneic BMT from his brother for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), developed a nodular malignant melanoma on the upper back with spread to an axillary sentinal lymph node. We used laser microdissection to isolate FFPE tumor cells free of leucocytes. They were genotyped using forensic short tandem repeat (STR) length-polymorphisms to distinguish donor and patient genomes. Tumor and pre-transplant blood lymphocyte DNAs were analyzed for donor and patient alleles at 15 autosomal STR loci and the sex chromosomes. RESULTS DNA analysis of the primary melanoma and the nodal metastasis exhibit alleles at each STR locus that are consistent with both the patient and donor. The doses vary between these samples indicative of the relative amounts of genomic DNA derived from the patient and donor. CONCLUSION The evidence supports fusion and hybridization between donor and patient cells as the initiator of metastasis in this patient. That this phenomenon has now been seen in a second case suggests that fusion is likely to play a significant role for melanoma and other solid tumor metastasis, perhaps leading to new avenues of treatment for this most problematic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greggory S. LaBerge
- Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States of America
- Denver Police Crime Lab-Forensics and Evidence Division, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Eric Duvall
- Denver Police Crime Lab-Forensics and Evidence Division, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Zachary Grasmick
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado AMC, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kay Haedicke
- Department of Internal Medicine Section of Medical Oncology and the Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - John Pawelek
- Department of Dermatology and The Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Platt JL, Zhou X, Lefferts AR, Cascalho M. Cell Fusion in the War on Cancer: A Perspective on the Inception of Malignancy. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E1118. [PMID: 27420051 PMCID: PMC4964493 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17071118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion occurs in development and in physiology and rarely in those settings is it associated with malignancy. However, deliberate fusion of cells and possibly untoward fusion of cells not suitably poised can eventuate in aneuploidy, DNA damage and malignant transformation. How often cell fusion may initiate malignancy is unknown. However, cell fusion could explain the high frequency of cancers in tissues with low underlying rates of cell proliferation and mutation. On the other hand, cell fusion might also engage innate and adaptive immune surveillance, thus helping to eliminate or retard malignancies. Here we consider whether and how cell fusion might weigh on the overall burden of cancer in modern societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Platt
- Departments of Surgery and of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, A520B Medical Sciences Research Building I, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5656, USA.
| | - Xiaofeng Zhou
- Departments of Surgery and of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, A520B Medical Sciences Research Building I, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5656, USA.
| | - Adam R Lefferts
- Departments of Surgery and of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, A520B Medical Sciences Research Building I, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5656, USA.
| | - Marilia Cascalho
- Departments of Surgery and of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, A520B Medical Sciences Research Building I, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5656, USA.
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Bloch W. Stem Cell Activation in Adult Organisms. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17071005. [PMID: 27347939 PMCID: PMC4964381 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17071005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wilhelm Bloch
- Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sport Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Muengersdorf 6, Cologne 50933, Germany.
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25
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Tosun S, Fried S, Niggemann B, Zänker KS, Dittmar T. Hybrid Cells Derived from Human Breast Cancer Cells and Human Breast Epithelial Cells Exhibit Differential TLR4 and TLR9 Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17050726. [PMID: 27187369 PMCID: PMC4881548 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17050726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
TLRs are important receptors of cells of the innate immune system since they recognize various structurally conserved molecular patterns of different pathogens as well as endogenous ligands. In cancer, the role of TLRs is still controversial due to findings that both regression and progression of tumors could depend on TLR signaling. In the present study, M13SV1-EGFP-Neo human breast epithelial cells, MDA-MB-435-Hyg human breast cancer cells and two hybrids M13MDA435-1 and -3 were investigated for TLR4 and TLR9 expression and signaling. RT-PCR data revealed that LPS and CpG-ODN induced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, like IFN-β, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in hybrid cells, but not parental cells. Interestingly, validation of RT-PCR data by Western blot showed detectable protein levels solely after LPS stimulation, suggesting that regulatory mechanisms are also controlled by TLR signaling. Analysis of pAKT and pERK1/2 levels upon LPS and CpG-ODN stimulation revealed a differential phosphorylation pattern in all cells. Finally, the migratory behavior of the cells was investigated showing that both LPS and CpG-ODN potently blocked the locomotory activity of the hybrid cells in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, hybrid cells exhibit differential TLR4 and TLR9 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songül Tosun
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), University of Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
| | - Sabrina Fried
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), University of Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
- Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
| | - Bernd Niggemann
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), University of Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
| | - Kurt S Zänker
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), University of Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), University of Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany.
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Bastida-Ruiz D, Van Hoesen K, Cohen M. The Dark Side of Cell Fusion. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E638. [PMID: 27136533 PMCID: PMC4881464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17050638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion is a physiological cellular process essential for fertilization, viral entry, muscle differentiation and placental development, among others. In this review, we will highlight the different cancer cell-cell fusions and the advantages obtained by these fusions. We will specially focus on the acquisition of metastatic features by cancer cells after fusion with bone marrow-derived cells. The mechanism by which cancer cells fuse with other cells has been poorly studied thus far, but the presence in several cancer cells of syncytin, a trophoblastic fusogen, leads us to a cancer cell fusion mechanism similar to the one used by the trophoblasts. The mechanism by which cancer cells perform the cell fusion could be an interesting target for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bastida-Ruiz
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
| | - Kylie Van Hoesen
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
| | - Marie Cohen
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
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Fried S, Tosun S, Troost G, Keil S, Zaenker KS, Dittmar T. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Promotes Apoptosis in Human Breast Epithelial × Breast Cancer Hybrids, but Not in Parental Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148438. [PMID: 26863029 PMCID: PMC4749126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) belong to the group of pathogen recognition receptors known to play a crucial role in the innate immune system. In cancer, TLR expression is still debated controversially due to contradictory results reporting that both induction of apoptosis as well as tumor progression could depend on TLR signaling, whereby recent data rather indicate a pro-tumorigenic effect. The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been associated with cancer progression due to findings revealing that fusion-derived hybrid cells could exhibit properties like an increased metastatogenic capacity and an increased drug resistance. Thus, M13MDA435 hybrid cell lines, which derived from spontaneous fusion events between human M13SV1-EGFP-Neo breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-Hyg breast cancer cells, were investigated. Cultivation of cells in the presence of the TLR4 ligand LPS potently induced apoptosis in all hybrid clones, but not in parental cells, which was most likely attributed to differential kinetics of the TLR4 signal transduction cascade. Activation of this pathway concomitant with NF-κB nuclear translocation and TNF-α expression was solely observed in hybrid cells. However, induction of LPS mediated apoptosis was not TNF-α dependent since TNF-α neutralization was not correlated to a decreased amount of dead cells. In addition to TNF-α, LPS also caused IFN-β expression in hybrid clones 1 and 3. Interestingly, hybrid clones differ in the mode of LPS induced apoptosis. While neutralization of IFN-β was sufficient to impair the LPS induced apoptosis in M13MDA435-1 and -3 hybrids, the amount of apoptotic M13MDA435-2 and -4 hybrid cells remained unchanged in the presence of neutralizing IFN-β antibodies. In summary, the fusion of non-LPS susceptible parental human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells gave rise to LPS susceptible hybrid cells, which is in view with the cell fusion hypothesis that hybrid cells could exhibit novel properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Fried
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, Witten, Germany
| | - Songuel Tosun
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, Witten, Germany
| | - Gabriele Troost
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, Witten, Germany
| | - Silvia Keil
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, Witten, Germany
| | - Kurt S. Zaenker
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, Witten, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Oncology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, Witten, Germany
- * E-mail:
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