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O'Connell I, Dongre A. Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy for Breast Cancer: Lessons from Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Mol Diagn Ther 2023; 27:433-444. [PMID: 37193859 PMCID: PMC10299941 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-023-00652-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade therapies have generated efficacious responses in certain tumor types; however, the responses of breast carcinomas have been largely limited. Moreover, the identity of various parameters that can predict responses to immunotherapies, and at the same time, serve as putative biomarkers that can be therapeutically targeted to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapies for breast cancers, remains to be comprehensively delineated. Activation of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in cancer cells, including those of the breast, increases their tumor-initiating potential and promotes their aggressiveness and resistance to multiple treatment regimens. Moreover, the residence of cancer cells in alternating epithelial or mesenchymal plastic phenotypic states can also influence their immuno-modulatory properties and susceptibilities to immune checkpoint blockade therapies. In this current opinion, we discuss the lessons that can be learnt from epithelial-mesenchymal transition to potentiate the efficacy of immunotherapy for breast cancers. We also discuss strategies to sensitize more-mesenchymal cancer cells to anti-tumor immunity and immune checkpoint blockade therapies, with the hope that these can serve as new translational avenues for the treatment of human breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel O'Connell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, T7-012A VRT, 930 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Anushka Dongre
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, T7-012A VRT, 930 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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Crump LS, Kines KT, Richer JK, Lyons TR. Breast cancers co-opt normal mechanisms of tolerance to promote immune evasion and metastasis. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C1475-C1495. [PMID: 36189970 PMCID: PMC9662806 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00189.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Normal developmental processes, such as those seen during embryonic development and postpartum mammary gland involution, can be reactivated by cancer cells to promote immune suppression, tumor growth, and metastatic spread. In mammalian embryos, paternal-derived antigens are at risk of being recognized as foreign by the maternal immune system. Suppression of the maternal immune response toward the fetus, which is mediated in part by the trophoblast, is critical to ensure embryonic survival and development. The postpartum mammary microenvironment also exhibits immunosuppressive mechanisms accompanying the massive cell death and tissue remodeling that occurs during mammary gland involution. These normal immunosuppressive mechanisms are paralleled during malignant transformation, where tumors can develop neoantigens that may be recognized as foreign by the immune system. To circumvent this, tumors can dedifferentiate and co-opt immune-suppressive mechanisms normally utilized during fetal tolerance and postpartum mammary involution. In this review, we discuss those similarities and how they can inform our understanding of cancer progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey S Crump
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kelsey T Kines
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jennifer K Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Traci R Lyons
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
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O’Neill KI, Kuo LW, Williams MM, Lind H, Crump LS, Hammond NG, Spoelstra NS, Caino MC, Richer JK. NPC1 Confers Metabolic Flexibility in Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3543. [PMID: 35884604 PMCID: PMC9319388 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) often undergoes at least partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to facilitate metastasis. Identifying EMT-associated characteristics can reveal novel dependencies that may serve as therapeutic vulnerabilities in this aggressive breast cancer subtype. We found that NPC1, which encodes the lysosomal cholesterol transporter Niemann-Pick type C1 is highly expressed in TNBC as compared to estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, and is significantly elevated in high-grade disease. We demonstrated that NPC1 is directly targeted by microRNA-200c (miR-200c), a potent suppressor of EMT, providing a mechanism for its differential expression in breast cancer subtypes. The silencing of NPC1 in TNBC causes an accumulation of cholesterol-filled lysosomes, and drives decreased growth in soft agar and invasive capacity. Conversely, overexpression of NPC1 in an ER+ cell line increases invasion and growth in soft agar. We further identified TNBC cell lines as cholesterol auxotrophs, however, they do not solely depend on NPC1 for adequate cholesterol supply. The silencing of NPC1 in TNBC cell lines led to altered mitochondrial function and morphology, suppression of mTOR signaling, and accumulation of autophagosomes. A small molecule inhibitor of NPC1, U18666A, decreased TNBC proliferation and synergized with the chemotherapeutic drug, paclitaxel. This work suggests that NPC1 promotes aggressive characteristics in TNBC, and identifies NPC1 as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen I. O’Neill
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - Li-Wei Kuo
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - Michelle M. Williams
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - Hanne Lind
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - Lyndsey S. Crump
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - Nia G. Hammond
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - Nicole S. Spoelstra
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
| | - M. Cecilia Caino
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Jennifer K. Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (K.I.O.); (L.-W.K.); (M.M.W.); (H.L.); (L.S.C.); (N.G.H.); (N.S.S.)
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