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Nisco A, Carvalho TMA, Tolomeo M, Di Molfetta D, Leone P, Galluccio M, Medina M, Indiveri C, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA, Barile M. Increased demand for FAD synthesis in differentiated and stem pancreatic cancer cells is accomplished by modulating FLAD1 gene expression: the inhibitory effect of Chicago Sky Blue. FEBS J 2023; 290:4679-4694. [PMID: 37254652 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16881] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
FLAD1, along with its FAD synthase (FADS, EC 2.7.7.2) product, is crucial for flavin homeostasis and, due to its role in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and nuclear epigenetics, is closely related to cellular metabolism. Therefore, it is not surprising that it could be correlated with cancer. To our knowledge, no previous study has investigated FLAD1 prognostic significance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Thus, in the present work, the FAD synthesis process was evaluated in two PDAC cell lines: (a) PANC-1- and PANC-1-derived cancer stem cells (CSCs), presenting the R273H mutation in the oncosuppressor p53, and (b) MiaPaca2 and MiaPaca2-derived CSCs, presenting the R248W mutation in p53. As a control, HPDE cells expressing wt-p53 were used. FADS expression/activity increase was found with malignancy and even more with stemness. An increased FAD synthesis rate in cancer cell lines is presumably demanded by the increase in the FAD-dependent lysine demethylase 1 protein amount as well as by the increased expression levels of the flavoprotein subunit of complex II of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, namely succinate dehydrogenase. With the aim of proposing FADS as a novel target for cancer therapy, the inhibitory effect of Chicago Sky Blue on FADS enzymatic activity was tested on the recombinant 6His-hFADS2 (IC50 = 1.2 μm) and PANC-1-derived CSCs' lysate (IC50 = 2-10 μm). This molecule was found effective in inhibiting the growth of PANC-1 and even more of its derived CSC line, thus assessing its role as a potential chemotherapeutic drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Nisco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
| | - Tiago M A Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
| | - Maria Tolomeo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
- Department of DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Daria Di Molfetta
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
| | - Piero Leone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
| | - Michele Galluccio
- Department of DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Milagros Medina
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biocomputación y Física de Sistemas Complejos (BIFI) (GBsC-CSIC Joint Unit), University of Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Cesare Indiveri
- Department of DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
- CNR Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), Bari, Italy
| | - Stephan Joel Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
| | - Maria Barile
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
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Tavares-Valente D, Cannone S, Greco MR, Carvalho TMA, Baltazar F, Queirós O, Agrimi G, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. Extracellular Matrix Collagen I Differentially Regulates the Metabolic Plasticity of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Parenchymal Cell and Cancer Stem Cell. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3868. [PMID: 37568684 PMCID: PMC10417137 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153868] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a 5-year survival rate of less than 10 percent largely due to the intense fibrotic desmoplastic reaction, characterized by high levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen I that constitutes a niche for a subset of cancer cells, the cancer stem cells (CSCs). Cancer cells undergo a complex metabolic adaptation characterized by changes in metabolic pathways and biosynthetic processes. The use of the 3D organotypic model in this study allowed us to manipulate the ECM constituents and mimic the progression of PDAC from an early tumor to an ever more advanced tumor stage. To understand the role of desmoplasia on the metabolism of PDAC parenchymal (CPC) and CSC populations, we studied their basic metabolic parameters in organotypic cultures of increasing collagen content to mimic in vivo conditions. We further measured the ability of the bioenergetic modulators (BMs), 2-deoxyglucose, dichloroacetate and phenformin, to modify their metabolic dependence and the therapeutic activity of paclitaxel albumin nanoparticles (NAB-PTX). While all the BMs decreased cell viability and increased cell death in all ECM types, a distinct, collagen I-dependent profile was observed in CSCs. As ECM collagen I content increased (e.g., more aggressive conditions), the CSCs switched from glucose to mostly glutamine metabolism. All three BMs synergistically potentiated the cytotoxicity of NAB-PTX in both cell lines, which, in CSCs, was collagen I-dependent and the strongest when treated with phenformin + NAB-PTX. Metabolic disruption in PDAC can be useful both as monotherapy or combined with conventional drugs to more efficiently block tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Tavares-Valente
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Portugal
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal;
| | - Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Tiago Miguel Amaral Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Fátima Baltazar
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Portugal
| | - Odília Queirós
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal;
| | - Gennaro Agrimi
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Stephan J. Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (G.A.); (R.A.C.)
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Di Molfetta D, Cannone S, Greco MR, Caroppo R, Piccapane F, Carvalho TMA, Altamura C, Saltarella I, Tavares Valente D, Desaphy JF, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. ECM Composition Differentially Regulates Intracellular and Extracellular pH in Normal and Cancer Pancreatic Duct Epithelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10632. [PMID: 37445810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310632] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation is a challenge for the exocrine pancreas, where the luminal secretion of bicarbonate-rich fluid is accompanied by interstitial flows of acid. This acid-base transport requires a plethora of ion transporters, including bicarbonate transporters and the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1), which are dysregulated in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC progression is favored by a Collagen-I rich extracellular matrix (ECM) which exacerbates the physiological interstitial acidosis. In organotypic cultures of normal human pancreatic cells (HPDE), parenchymal cancer cells (CPCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) growing on matrices reproducing ECM changes during progression, we studied resting pHi, the pHi response to fluxes of NaHCO3 and acidosis and the role of NHE1 in pHi regulation. Our findings show that: (i) on the physiological ECM, HPDE cells have the most alkaline pHi, followed by CSCs and CPCs, while a Collagen I-rich ECM reverses the acid-base balance in cancer cells compared to normal cells; (ii) both resting pHi and pHi recovery from an acid load are reduced by extracellular NaHCO3, especially in HPDE cells on a normal ECM; (iii) cancer cell NHE1 activity is less affected by NaHCO3. We conclude that ECM composition and the fluctuations of pHe cooperate to predispose pHi homeostasis towards the presence of NaHCO3 gradients similar to that expected in the tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Di Molfetta
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Caroppo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Piccapane
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | | | - Concetta Altamura
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Ilaria Saltarella
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Diana Tavares Valente
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Jean Francois Desaphy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Stephan J Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
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Tissue-Specific Human Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds Promote Pancreatic Tumour Progression and Chemotherapy Resistance. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223652. [PMID: 36429078 PMCID: PMC9688243 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223652] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 80% of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are diagnosed at a late stage and are locally advanced or with concurrent metastases. The aggressive phenotype and relative chemo- and radiotherapeutic resistance of PDAC is thought to be mediated largely by its prominent stroma, which is supported by an extracellular matrix (ECM). Therefore, we investigated the impact of tissue-matched human ECM in driving PDAC and the role of the ECM in promoting chemotherapy resistance. Decellularized human pancreata and livers were recellularized with PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 (PDAC cell lines), as well as PK-1 cells (liver-derived metastatic PDAC cell line). PANC-1 cells migrated into the pancreatic scaffolds, MIA PaCa-2 cells were able to migrate into both scaffolds, whereas PK-1 cells were able to migrate into the liver scaffolds only. These differences were supported by significant deregulations in gene and protein expression between the pancreas scaffolds, liver scaffolds, and 2D culture. Moreover, these cell lines were significantly more resistant to gemcitabine and doxorubicin chemotherapy treatments in the 3D models compared to 2D cultures, even after confirmed uptake by confocal microscopy. These results suggest that tissue-specific ECM provides the preserved native cues for primary and metastatic PDAC cells necessary for a more reliable in vitro cell culture.
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De Robertis M, Greco MR, Cardone RA, Mazza T, Marzano F, Mehterov N, Kazakova M, Belev N, Tullo A, Pesole G, Sarafian V, Signori E. Upregulation of YKL-40 Promotes Metastatic Phenotype and Correlates with Poor Prognosis and Therapy Response in Patients with Colorectal Cancer. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223568. [PMID: 36428997 PMCID: PMC9688424 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
YKL-40 is a heparin- and chitin-binding glycoprotein that belongs to the family of glycosyl hydrolases but lacks enzymatic properties. It affects different (patho)physiological processes, including cancer. In different tumors, YKL-40 gene overexpression has been linked to higher cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and vasculogenic mimicry, migration, and invasion. Because, in colorectal cancer (CRC), the serological YKL-40 level may serve as a risk predictor and prognostic biomarker, we investigated the underlying mechanisms by which it may contribute to tumor progression and the clinical significance of its tissue expression in metastatic CRC. We demonstrated that high-YKL-40-expressing HCT116 and Caco2 cells showed increased motility, invasion, and proliferation. YKL-40 upregulation was associated with EMT signaling activation. In the AOM/DSS mouse model, as well as in tumors and sera from CRC patients, elevated YKL-40 levels correlated with high-grade tumors. In retrospective analyses of six independent cohorts of CRC patients, elevated YKL-40 expression correlated with shorter survival in patients with advanced CRC. Strikingly, high YKL-40 tissue levels showed a predictive value for a better response to cetuximab, even in patients with stage IV CRC and mutant KRAS, and worse sensitivity to oxaliplatin. Taken together, our findings establish that tissue YKL-40 overexpression enhances CRC metastatic potential, highlighting this gene as a novel prognostic candidate, a predictive biomarker for therapy response, and an attractive target for future therapy in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela De Robertis
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, 70125 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.D.R.); (E.S.); Tel.: +39-06-4993-4232 (E.S.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Tommaso Mazza
- Unit of Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Flaviana Marzano
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Nikolay Mehterov
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute at Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Maria Kazakova
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute at Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolay Belev
- University Hospital Eurohospital, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Department of Propedeutics of Surgical Diseases, Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Apollonia Tullo
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Graziano Pesole
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, 70125 Bari, Italy
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Victoria Sarafian
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute at Medical University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Emanuela Signori
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Experimental Oncology, Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.D.R.); (E.S.); Tel.: +39-06-4993-4232 (E.S.)
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Tu Q, Liu X, Yao X, Li R, Liu G, Jiang H, Li K, Chen Q, Huang X, Chang Q, Xu G, Zhu H, Shi P, Zhao B. RETSAT associates with DDX39B to promote fork restarting and resistance to gemcitabine based chemotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:274. [PMID: 36109793 PMCID: PMC9476698 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02490-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Severe hypoxia is a prominent character of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) microenvironment. In the process of gemcitabine based chemotherapy, PDAC cells are insulted from replication stresses co-induced by hypoxia and gemcitabine. However, PDAC cells get outstanding abilities to resist to such harsh conditions and keep proliferating, causing a major obstacle for current therapy. RETSAT (Retinol Saturase) is defined as a hypoxia convergent gene recently, with high expression in PDAC hypoxic sectors. This study aimed to explore the roles of RETSAT in replication stress resistance and hypoxia adaptation in PDAC cells, and decipher the underlying mechanism.
Methods
The expression of RETSAT was examined in TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), human pancreatic cancer microarray, clinical specimens and cell lines. Functions of RETSAT were studied by means of DNA fiber assay and comet assay in monolayer cultured PDAC cell lines, three dimensional spheroids, patient derived organoids and cell derived xenograft mouse models. Mechanism was investigated by using iPOND (isolate proteins on nascent DNA) combined with mass spectrometry, immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting.
Results
First, we found the converse relationship of RETSAT expression and PDAC chemotherapy. That is, PDAC patients with high RETSAT expression correlated with poor survival, while ones holding low RETSAT expression were benefitted more in Gemcitabine based chemotherapy. Second, we identified RETSAT as a novel replication fork associated protein. HIF-1α signaling promotes RETSAT expression under hypoxia. Functionally, RETSAT promoted fork restarting under replication stress and maintained genomic stability. Third, we uncovered the interaction of RETSAT and R-loop unwinding helicase DDX39B. RETSAT detained DDX39B on forks to resolve R-loops, through which avoided fork damage and CHK1 initiated apoptosis. Targeting DDX39B using chemical CCT018159 sensitized PDAC cells and organoids to gemcitabine induced apoptosis, highlighting the synergetic application of CCT018159 and gemcitabine in PDAC chemotherapy.
Conclusions
This study identified RETSAT as a novel replication fork protein, which functions through interacting with DDX39B mediated R-loop clearance to promote fork restarting, leading to cellular resistance to replication stresses co-induced by tumor environmental hypoxia and gemcitabine in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
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Cannone S, Greco MR, Carvalho TMA, Guizouarn H, Soriani O, Di Molfetta D, Tomasini R, Zeeberg K, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. Cancer Associated Fibroblast (CAF) Regulation of PDAC Parenchymal (CPC) and CSC Phenotypes Is Modulated by ECM Composition. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3737. [PMID: 35954400 PMCID: PMC9367491 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest of all cancers, having one of the lowest five-year survival rates. One of its hallmarks is a dense desmoplastic stroma consisting in the abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, especially Collagen I. This highly fibrotic stroma embeds the bulk cancer (parenchymal) cells (CPCs), cancer stem cells (CSCs) and the main producers of the stromal reaction, the Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs). Little is known about the role of the acellular ECM in the interplay of the CAFs with the different tumor cell types in determining their phenotypic plasticity and eventual cell fate. METHODS Here, we analyzed the role of ECM collagen I in modulating the effect of CAF-derived signals by incubating PDAC CPCs and CSCs grown on ECM mimicking early (low collagen I levels) and late (high collagen I levels) stage PDAC stroma with conditioned medium from primary cultured CAFs derived from patients with PDAC in a previously described three-dimensional (3D) organotypic model of PDAC. RESULTS We found that CAFs (1) reduced CPC growth while favoring CSC growth independently of the ECM; (2) increased the invasive capacity of only CPCs on the ECM mimicking the early tumor; and (3) favored vasculogenic mimicry (VM) especially of the CSCs on the ECM mimicking an early tumor. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the CAFs and acellular stromal components interact to modulate the tumor behaviors of the PDAC CPC and CSC cell types and drive metastatic progression by stimulating the phenotypic characteristics of each tumor cell type that contribute to metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Tiago M. A. Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Helene Guizouarn
- Institute of Biology de Valrose, CNRS UMR 7277, University of Nice, 06108 Nice, France; (H.G.); (O.S.)
| | - Olivier Soriani
- Institute of Biology de Valrose, CNRS UMR 7277, University of Nice, 06108 Nice, France; (H.G.); (O.S.)
| | - Daria Di Molfetta
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Richard Tomasini
- INSERM, U1068, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CNRS, UMR7258, 13009 Marseille, France;
| | - Katrine Zeeberg
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Stephan Joel Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.C.); (M.R.G.); (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (K.Z.)
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8
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Monberg ME, Geiger H, Lee JJ, Sharma R, Semaan A, Bernard V, Wong J, Wang F, Liang S, Swartzlander DB, Stephens BM, Katz MHG, Chen K, Robine N, Guerrero PA, Maitra A. Occult polyclonality of preclinical pancreatic cancer models drives in vitro evolution. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3652. [PMID: 35752636 PMCID: PMC9233687 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31376-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneity is a hallmark of cancer. The advent of single-cell technologies has helped uncover heterogeneity in a high-throughput manner in different cancers across varied contexts. Here we apply single-cell sequencing technologies to reveal inherent heterogeneity in assumptively monoclonal pancreatic cancer (PDAC) cell lines and patient-derived organoids (PDOs). Our findings reveal a high degree of both genomic and transcriptomic polyclonality in monolayer PDAC cell lines, custodial variation induced by growing apparently identical cell lines in different laboratories, and transcriptomic shifts in transitioning from 2D to 3D spheroid growth models. Our findings also call into question the validity of widely available immortalized, non-transformed pancreatic lines as contemporaneous "control" lines in experiments. We confirm these findings using a variety of independent assays, including but not limited to whole exome sequencing, single-cell copy number variation sequencing (scCNVseq), single-nuclei assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq). We map scRNA expression data to unique genomic clones identified by orthogonally-gathered scCNVseq data of these same PDAC cell lines. Further, while PDOs are known to reflect the cognate in vivo biology of the parental tumor, we identify transcriptomic shifts during ex vivo passage that might hamper their predictive abilities over time. The impact of these findings on rigor and reproducibility of experimental data generated using established preclinical PDAC models between and across laboratories is uncertain, but a matter of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Monberg
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | | | - Jaewon J Lee
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Alexander Semaan
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vincent Bernard
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Justin Wong
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shaoheng Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel B Swartzlander
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bret M Stephens
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Matthew H G Katz
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ken Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Paola A Guerrero
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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9
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RNAi-Based Approaches for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13101638. [PMID: 34683931 PMCID: PMC8541396 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal forms of cancer, predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer-associated death by 2025. Despite intensive research for effective treatment strategies and novel anticancer drugs over the past decade, the overall patient survival rate remains low. RNA interference (RNAi) is capable of interfering with expression of specific genes and has emerged as a promising approach for pancreatic cancer because genetic aberrations and dysregulated signaling are the drivers for tumor formation and the stromal barrier to conventional therapy. Despite its therapeutic potential, RNA-based drugs have remaining hurdles such as poor tumor delivery and susceptibility to serum degradation, which could be overcome with the incorporation of nanocarriers for clinical applications. Here we summarize the use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) in pancreatic cancer therapy in preclinical reports with approaches for targeting either the tumor or tumor microenvironment (TME) using various types of nanocarriers. In these studies, inhibition of oncogene expression and induction of a tumor suppressive response in cancer cells and surrounding immune cells in TME exhibited a strong anticancer effect in pancreatic cancer models. The review discusses the remaining challenges and prospective strategies suggesting the potential of RNAi-based therapeutics for pancreatic cancer.
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10
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Clement S, Guller A, Mahbub SB, Goldys EM. Oxygen-Carrying Polymer Nanoconstructs for Radiodynamic Therapy of Deep Hypoxic Malignant Tumors. Biomedicines 2021; 9:322. [PMID: 33810115 PMCID: PMC8005177 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9030322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiodynamic therapy (RDT) is an emerging non-invasive anti-cancer treatment based on the generation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the lesion site following the interaction between X-rays and a photosensitizer drug (PS). The broader application of RDT is impeded by the tumor-associated hypoxia that results in low availability of oxygen for the generation of sufficient amounts of ROS. Herein, a novel nanoparticle drug formulation for RDT, which addresses the problem of low oxygen availability, is reported. It consists of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) co-loaded with a PS drug verteporfin (VP), and the clinically approved oxygen-carrying molecule, perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB). When triggered by X-rays (4 Gy), under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, PLGA-VP-PFOB nanoconstructs (NCs) induced a significant increase of the ROS production compared with matching PLGA-VP nanoparticles. The RDT with NCs effectively killed ~60% of human pancreatic cancer cells in monolayer cultures, and almost completely suppressed the outgrowth of tumor cells in 2-weeks clonogenic assay. In a 3D engineered model of pancreatic cancer metastasis to the liver, RDT with NCs destroyed ~35% of tumor cells, demonstrating an exceptional efficiency at a tissue level. These results show that PLGA-VP-PFOB is a promising agent for RDT of deep-seated hypoxic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Clement
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Nanoscale Biophotonics, The Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia; (S.B.M.); (E.M.G.)
| | - Anna Guller
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Nanoscale Biophotonics, The Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia; (S.B.M.); (E.M.G.)
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Saabah B. Mahbub
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Nanoscale Biophotonics, The Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia; (S.B.M.); (E.M.G.)
| | - Ewa M. Goldys
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Nanoscale Biophotonics, The Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia; (S.B.M.); (E.M.G.)
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11
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The Role of Biomimetic Hypoxia on Cancer Cell Behaviour in 3D Models: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061334. [PMID: 33809554 PMCID: PMC7999912 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The advancements in 3D tumour models provide in vitro test-beds to study cancer growth, metastasis and response to therapy. We conducted this systematic review on existing experimental studies in order to identify and summarize key biomimetic tumour microenvironmental features which affect aspects of cancer biology. The review noted the significance of in vitro hypoxia and 3D tumour models on epithelial to mesenchymal transition, drug resistance, invasion and migration of cancer cells. We highlight the importance of various experimental parameters used in these studies and their subsequent effects on cancer cell behaviour. Abstract The development of biomimetic, human tissue models is recognized as being an important step for transitioning in vitro research findings to the native in vivo response. Oftentimes, 2D models lack the necessary complexity to truly recapitulate cellular responses. The introduction of physiological features into 3D models informs us of how each component feature alters specific cellular response. We conducted a systematic review of research papers where the focus was the introduction of key biomimetic features into in vitro models of cancer, including 3D culture and hypoxia. We analysed outcomes from these and compiled our findings into distinct groupings to ascertain which biomimetic parameters correlated with specific responses. We found a number of biomimetic features which primed cancer cells to respond in a manner which matched in vivo response.
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12
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Delle Cave D, Rizzo R, Sainz B, Gigli G, del Mercato LL, Lonardo E. The Revolutionary Roads to Study Cell-Cell Interactions in 3D In Vitro Pancreatic Cancer Models. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:930. [PMID: 33672435 PMCID: PMC7926501 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer, the fourth most common cancer worldwide, shows a highly unsuccessful therapeutic response. In the last 10 years, neither important advancements nor new therapeutic strategies have significantly impacted patient survival, highlighting the need to pursue new avenues for drug development discovery and design. Advanced cellular models, resembling as much as possible the original in vivo tumor environment, may be more successful in predicting the efficacy of future anti-cancer candidates in clinical trials. In this review, we discuss novel bioengineered platforms for anticancer drug discovery in pancreatic cancer, from traditional two-dimensional models to innovative three-dimensional ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Delle Cave
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, National Research Council (CNR-IGB), Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Rizzo
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (R.R.); (G.G.); (L.L.d.M.)
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas “Alberto Sols” (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Spain and Chronic Diseases and Cancer, Area 3-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigacion Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Gigli
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (R.R.); (G.G.); (L.L.d.M.)
- Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, via Arnesano, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Loretta L. del Mercato
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (R.R.); (G.G.); (L.L.d.M.)
| | - Enza Lonardo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, National Research Council (CNR-IGB), Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy;
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13
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Masullo U, Cavallo A, Greco MR, Reshkin SJ, Mastrodonato M, Gallo N, Salvatore L, Verri T, Sannino A, Cardone RA, Madaghiele M. Semi-interpenetrating polymer network cryogels based on poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and collagen as potential off-the-shelf platforms for cancer cell research. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2021; 109:1313-1326. [PMID: 33427396 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.34792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In the present work, we investigated the potential of novel semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) cryogels, obtained through ultraviolet exposure of aqueous mixtures of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and type I collagen, as tunable off-the-shelf platforms for 3D cancer cell research. We synthesized semi-IPN cryogels with variable collagen amounts (0.1% and 1% w/v) and assessed the effect of collagen on key cryogel properties for cell culture, for example, porosity, degradation rate and mechanical stiffness. Then, we investigated the ability of the cryogels to sustain the long-term growth of two pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell populations, the parenchymal Panc1 cells and their derived cancer stem cells. Results revealed that both cell lines efficiently infiltrated, attached and expanded in the cryogels over a period of 14 days. However, only when grown in the cryogels with the highest collagen concentration, both cell lines reproduced their characteristic growth pattern previously observed in collagen-enriched organotypic cultures, biomimetic of the highly fibrotic PDAC stroma. Cellular preembedding in Matrigel, that is, the classical approach to develop/grow organoids, interfered with an efficient intra-scaffold migration and growth. Although preliminary, these findings highlight the potential of the proposed cryogels as reproducible and tunable cancer cell research platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugo Masullo
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Anna Cavallo
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Stephan J Reshkin
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Nunzia Gallo
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Luca Salvatore
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Tiziano Verri
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sannino
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Marta Madaghiele
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
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14
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Sommariva M, Gagliano N. E-Cadherin in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Multifaceted Actor during EMT. Cells 2020; 9:E1040. [PMID: 32331358 PMCID: PMC7226001 DOI: 10.3390/cells9041040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a step-wise process observed in normal and tumor cells leading to a switch from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. In tumors, EMT provides cancer cells with a metastatic phenotype characterized by E-cadherin down-regulation, cytoskeleton reorganization, motile and invasive potential. E-cadherin down-regulation is known as a key event during EMT. However, E-cadherin expression can be influenced by the different experimental settings and environmental stimuli so that the paradigm of EMT based on the loss of E-cadherin determining tumor cell behavior and fate often becomes an open question. In this review, we aimed at focusing on some critical points in order to improve the knowledge of the dynamic role of epithelial cells plasticity in EMT and, specifically, address the role of E-cadherin as a marker for the EMT axis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicoletta Gagliano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy;
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15
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Pally D, Pramanik D, Bhat R. An Interplay Between Reaction-Diffusion and Cell-Matrix Adhesion Regulates Multiscale Invasion in Early Breast Carcinomatosis. Front Physiol 2019; 10:790. [PMID: 31456688 PMCID: PMC6700745 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00790] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The progression of cancer in the breast involves multiple reciprocal interactions between malignantly transformed epithelia, surrounding untransformed but affected stromal cells, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) that is remodeled during the process. A quantitative understanding of the relative contribution of such interactions to phenotypes associated with cancer cells can be arrived at through the construction of increasingly complex experimental and computational models. Herein, we introduce a multiscale three-dimensional (3D) organo- and pathotypic experimental assay that approximates, to an unprecedented extent, the histopathological complexity of a tumor disseminating into its surrounding stromal milieu via both bulk and solitary motility dynamics. End point and time-lapse microscopic observations of this assay allow us to study the earliest steps of cancer invasion as well as the dynamical interactions between the epithelial and stromal compartments. We then simulate our experimental observations using the modeling environment Compucell3D that is based on the Glazier-Graner-Hogeweg model. The computational model, which comprises adhesion between cancer cells and the matrices, cell proliferation and apoptosis, and matrix remodeling through reaction-diffusion-based morphogen dynamics, is first trained to phenocopy controls run with the experimental model, wherein one or the other matrices have been removed. The trained computational model successfully predicts phenotypes of the experimental counterparts that are subjected to pharmacological treatments (inhibition of N-linked glycosylation and matrix metalloproteinase activity) and scaffold modulation (alteration of collagen density). Further parametric exploration-based simulations suggest that specific permissive regimes of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions, operating in the context of a reaction-diffusion-regulated ECM dynamics, promote multiscale invasion of breast cancer cells and determine the extent to which the latter migrate through their surrounding stroma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ramray Bhat
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
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16
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Flørenes VA, Flem-Karlsen K, McFadden E, Bergheim IR, Nygaard V, Nygård V, Farstad IN, Øy GF, Emilsen E, Giller-Fleten K, Ree AH, Flatmark K, Gullestad HP, Hermann R, Ryder T, Wernhoff P, Mælandsmo GM. A Three-dimensional Ex Vivo Viability Assay Reveals a Strong Correlation Between Response to Targeted Inhibitors and Mutation Status in Melanoma Lymph Node Metastases. Transl Oncol 2019; 12:951-958. [PMID: 31096111 PMCID: PMC6520638 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although clinical management of melanoma has changed considerably in recent years, intrinsic treatment resistance remains a severe problem and strategies to design personal treatment regimens are highly warranted. We have applied a three-dimensional (3D) ex vivo drug efficacy assay, exposing disaggregated cells from 38 freshly harvested melanoma lymph node metastases and 21 patient derived xenografts (PDXs) to clinical relevant drugs for 7 days, and examined its potential to evaluate therapy response. A strong association between Vemurafenib response and BRAF mutation status was achieved (P < .0001), while enhanced viability was seen in some NRAS mutated tumors. BRAF and NRAS mutated tumors responded comparably to the MEK inhibitor Cobimetinib. Based on the ex vivo results, two tumors diagnosed as BRAF wild-type by routine pathology examinations had to be re-evaluated; one was subsequently found to have a complex V600E mutation, the other a double BRAF mutation (V600E/K601 N). No BRAF inhibitor resistance mechanisms were identified, but PIK3CA and NF1 mutations were identified in two highly responsive tumors. Concordance between ex vivo drug responses using tissue from PDXs and corresponding patient tumors demonstrate that PDX models represent an indefinite source of tumor material that may allow ex vivo evaluation of numerous drugs and combinations, as well as studies of underlying molecular mechanisms. In conclusion, we have established a rapid and low cost ex vivo drug efficacy assay applicable on tumor tissue from patient biopsies. The 3D/spheroid format, limiting the influence from normal adjacent cells and allowing assessment of drug sensitivity to numerous drugs in one week, confirms its potential as a supplement to guide clinical decision, in particular in identifying non-responding patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivi Ann Flørenes
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Karine Flem-Karlsen
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway; Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Erin McFadden
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Inger Riise Bergheim
- Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vigdis Nygaard
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vegard Nygård
- Department of Core Facilities, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Inger Nina Farstad
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway; Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Geir Frode Øy
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Elisabeth Emilsen
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Karianne Giller-Fleten
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Hansen Ree
- Department of Oncology, Akershus University Hospital, N-1478 Lørenskog, Norway; Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjersti Flatmark
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway; Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Hans Petter Gullestad
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Robert Hermann
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Truls Ryder
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Patrik Wernhoff
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Gunhild Mari Mælandsmo
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway; Institute of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT-Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
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17
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Totti S, Allenby MC, Dos Santos SB, Mantalaris A, Velliou EG. A 3D bioinspired highly porous polymeric scaffolding system for in vitro simulation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. RSC Adv 2018; 8:20928-20940. [PMID: 35542351 PMCID: PMC9080900 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra02633e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive disease with an extremely low survival rate. This is due to the (i) poor prognosis and (ii) high resistance of the disease to current treatment options. The latter is partly due to the very complex and dense tissue/tumour microenvironment of pancreatic cancer, which contributes to the disease's progression and the inhibition of apoptotic pathways. Over the last years, advances in tissue engineering and the development of three-dimensional (3D) culture systems have shed more light into cancer research by enabling a more realistic recapitulation of the niches and structure of the tumour microenvironment. Herein, for the first time, 3D porous polyurethane scaffolds were fabricated and coated with fibronectin to mimic features of the structure and extracellular matrix present in the pancreatic cancer tumour microenvironment. The developed 3D scaffold could support the proliferation of the pancreatic tumour cells, which was enhanced with the presence of fibronectin, for a month, which is a significantly prolonged in vitro culturing duration. Furthermore, in situ imaging of cellular and biomarker distribution showed the formation of dense cellular masses, the production of collagen-I by the cells and the formation of environmental stress gradients (e.g. HIF-1α) with similar heterogeneity trends to the ones reported in in vivo studies. The results obtained in this study suggest that this bioinspired porous polyurethane based scaffold has great potential for in vitro high throughput studies of pancreatic cancer including drug and treatment screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Totti
- Bioprocess and Biochemical Engineering Group (BioProChem), Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Surrey Guildford GU2 7XH UK 0044-(0)-1483686577
| | - Mark C Allenby
- Biological Systems Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Susana Brito Dos Santos
- Biological Systems Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Athanasios Mantalaris
- Biological Systems Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Eirini G Velliou
- Bioprocess and Biochemical Engineering Group (BioProChem), Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Surrey Guildford GU2 7XH UK 0044-(0)-1483686577
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18
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Biondani G, Zeeberg K, Greco MR, Cannone S, Dando I, Dalla Pozza E, Mastrodonato M, Forciniti S, Casavola V, Palmieri M, Reshkin SJ, Cardone RA. Extracellular matrix composition modulates PDAC parenchymal and stem cell plasticity and behavior through the secretome. FEBS J 2018; 285:2104-2124. [PMID: 29660229 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers. Its aggressiveness is driven by an intense fibrotic desmoplastic reaction in which the increasingly collagen I-rich extracellular matrix (ECM) and several cell types, including cancer stem cells (CSCs), create a tumor-supportive environment. However, how ECM composition regulates CSC dynamics and their relationship with the principle parenchymal tumor population to promote early invasive growth is not yet characterized. For this, we utilized a platform of 3D organotypic cultures composed of laminin-rich Matrigel, representative of an early tumor, plus increasing concentrations of collagen I to simulate malignant stroma progression. As ECM collagen I increases, CSCs progress from a rapidly growing, vascular phenotype to a slower growing, avascular phase, while maintaining their endothelial-like gene signatures. This transition is supported autocrinically by the CSCs and paracrinically by the parenchymal cells via their ECM-dependent secretomes. Indeed, when growing on an early tumor ECM, the CSCs are dedicated toward the preparation of a vascular niche by (a) activating their growth program, (b) secreting high levels of proangiogenic factors which stimulate both angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry, and (c) overexpressing VEGFR-2, which is activated by VEGF secreted by both the CSC and parenchymal cells. On Matrigel, the more differentiated parenchymal tumor cell population had reduced growth but a high invasive capacity. This concerted high local invasion of parenchymal cells into the CSC-derived vascular network suggests that a symbiotic relationship between the parenchymal cells and the CSCs underlies the initiation and maintenance of early PDAC infiltration and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Biondani
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, Biochemistry Section, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Katrine Zeeberg
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Cannone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Ilaria Dando
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, Biochemistry Section, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Elisa Dalla Pozza
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, Biochemistry Section, University of Verona, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Forciniti
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, Biochemistry Section, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Valeria Casavola
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Marta Palmieri
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, Biochemistry Section, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Stephan Joel Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
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