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Chen B, Liu J. Advances in ovarian tumor stem cells and therapy. Cell Biochem Biophys 2024:10.1007/s12013-024-01385-8. [PMID: 38955927 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-024-01385-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is considered the most lethal among all gynecological malignancies due to its early metastatic dissemination, extensive spread, and malignant ascites. The current standard of care for advanced ovarian cancer involves a combination of cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy utilizing platinum-based and taxane-based agents. Although initial treatment yields clinical remission in 70-80% of patients, the majority eventually develop treatment resistance and tumor recurrence. A growing body of evidence indicates the existence of cancer stem cells within diverse solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, which function as a subpopulation to propel tumor growth and disease advancement by means of drug resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. The presence of ovarian cancer stem cells is widely considered to be a significant contributor to the unfavorable clinical outcomes observed in patients with ovarian cancer, as they play a crucial role in mediating chemotherapy resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. Ovarian cancer stem cells possess the capacity to reassemble within the entirety of the tumor following conventional treatment, thereby instigating the recurrence of ovarian cancer and inducing resistance to treatment. Consequently, the creation of therapeutic approaches aimed at eliminating ovarian cancer stem cells holds great potential for the management of ovarian cancer. These cells are regarded as one of the most auspicious targets and mechanisms for the treatment of ovarian cancer. There is a pressing need for a comprehensive comprehension of the fundamental mechanisms of ovarian cancer's recurrence, metastasis, and drug resistance, alongside the development of effective strategies to overcome chemoresistance, metastasis, and recurrence. The implementation of cancer stem cell therapies may potentially augment the tumor cells' sensitivity to existing chemotherapy protocols, thereby mitigating the risks of tumor metastasis and recurrence, and ultimately improving the survival rates of ovarian cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biqing Chen
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
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2
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Ding J, Zhang Y, Che Y. Ovarian cancer stem cells: Critical roles in anti-tumor immunity. Front Genet 2022; 13:998220. [PMID: 36437919 PMCID: PMC9685611 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.998220] [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: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a significant cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Over the past 3 decades, there has been a high incidence of recurrent chemoresistant disease, despite the relative effectiveness of current treatment strategies. This is partly attributed to cancer stem cells (CSC), a subpopulation that has acquired stem cell properties that allow these cells to evade standard chemotherapy and cause disease recurrence. Therefore, there is an urgent need for basic knowledge about CSC to develop innovative therapeutic approaches for ovarian cancer. These CSC subpopulations have been identified in ovarian cancer cell lines, tumors or ascites, and findings suggest that ovarian CSCs may be as heterogeneous as the disease itself. CSCs regulate the phenotype and function of immune cells involved in antitumor immunity, so a better understanding of the signaling pathways that interact between CSCs, immune cells and tumor cells will pave the way for the clinical application of CS in cancer immunotherapy. This review will focus on the markers currently used to identify and isolate these cells summarize current knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for CSC-dependent regulation of antitumor immune responses. We will discuss the signaling pathways involved in CSC survival, replication, and differentiation as well as potential therapeutic targeting strategies.
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3
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Guo T, Zhu Y, Yue M, Wang F, Li Z, Lin M. The Therapeutic Effects of DDP/CD44-shRNA Nanoliposomes in AMF on Ovarian Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:811783. [PMID: 35402279 PMCID: PMC8989969 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.811783] [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: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Globally, ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignant tumors, and the overall curative effect has been unsatisfactory for years. Exploring and investigating novel therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer are an imperative need. Methods Using manganese zinc ferrite nanoparticles (PEG-MZF-NPs) as gene transferring vector and drug delivery carrier, a new combinatorial regimen for the target treatment of ovarian cancer by integrating CD44-shRNA, DDP (cisplatin) and magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) together was designed and investigated in vivo and in vitro in this study. Results PEG-MZF-NPs/DDP/CD44-shRNA nanoliposomes were successfully prepared, and TEM detection indicated that they were 15–20 nm in diameter, with good magnetothermal effect in AMF, similar to the previously prepared PEG-MZF-NPs. Under the action of AMF, PEG-MZF-NPs/shRNA/DDP nanoliposomes effectively inhibited ovarian tumors’ growth, restrained the cancer cells’ proliferation and invasion, and promoted cell apoptosis. VEGF, survivin, BCL-2, and BCL-xl proteins significantly decreased, while caspase-3 and caspase-9 proteins markedly increased both in vitro and in vivo, far better than any of the individual therapies did. Moreover, no significant effects were found on bone marrow hematopoiesis and liver and kidney function of nude mice intervened by the combinatorial therapeutic regimen. Conclusion In the present study, we developed PEG-MZF-NPs/DDP/CD44-shRNA magnetic nanoliposomes and inaugurated an integrated therapy through the synergistic effect of MFH, gene therapy, and chemotherapy, and it shows a satisfactory therapeutic effect on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo, much better than any single treatment regimen did, with no significant side effects. This study provides a new promising method for ovarian cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Guo
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taizhou, China
| | - Yinxing Zhu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taizhou, China
| | - Miao Yue
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taizhou, China
| | - Fujin Wang
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taizhou, China
| | - Zhifeng Li
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taizhou, China
| | - Mei Lin
- Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taizhou, China
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Xin L, Xiao W, Che L, Liu J, Miccio L, Bianco V, Memmolo P, Ferraro P, Li X, Pan F. Label-Free Assessment of the Drug Resistance of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells in a Microfluidic Holographic Flow Cytometer Boosted through Machine Learning. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:31046-31057. [PMID: 34841147 PMCID: PMC8613806 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
About 75% of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients suffer from relapsing and develop drug resistance after primary chemotherapy. The commonly used clinical examinations and biological tumor tissue models for chemotherapeutic sensitivity are time-consuming and expensive. Research studies showed that the cell morphology-based method is promising to be a new route for chemotherapeutic sensitivity evaluation. Here, we offer how the drug resistance of EOC cells can be assessed through a label-free and high-throughput microfluidic flow cytometer equipped with a digital holographic microscope reinforced by machine learning. It is the first time that such type of assessment is performed to the best of our knowledge. Several morphologic and texture features at a single-cell level have been extracted from the quantitative phase images. In addition, we compared four common machine learning algorithms, including naive Bayes, decision tree, K-nearest neighbors, support vector machine (SVM), and fully connected network. The result shows that the SVM classifier achieves the optimal performance with an accuracy of 92.2% and an area under the curve of 0.96. This study demonstrates that the proposed method achieves high-accuracy, high-throughput, and label-free assessment of the drug resistance of EOC cells. Furthermore, it reflects strong potentialities to develop data-driven individualized chemotherapy treatments in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Xin
- Key
Laboratory of Precision Opto-mechatronics Technology, School of Instrumentation
& Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang
University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wen Xiao
- Key
Laboratory of Precision Opto-mechatronics Technology, School of Instrumentation
& Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang
University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Leiping Che
- Key
Laboratory of Precision Opto-mechatronics Technology, School of Instrumentation
& Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang
University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - JinJin Liu
- Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University
People’s Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Lisa Miccio
- CNR,
Institute of Applied Sciences & Intelligent Systems (ISASI) “E.
Caianiello”, via
Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vittorio Bianco
- CNR,
Institute of Applied Sciences & Intelligent Systems (ISASI) “E.
Caianiello”, via
Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Pasquale Memmolo
- CNR,
Institute of Applied Sciences & Intelligent Systems (ISASI) “E.
Caianiello”, via
Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Pietro Ferraro
- CNR,
Institute of Applied Sciences & Intelligent Systems (ISASI) “E.
Caianiello”, via
Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Xiaoping Li
- Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University
People’s Hospital, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Feng Pan
- Key
Laboratory of Precision Opto-mechatronics Technology, School of Instrumentation
& Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang
University, Beijing 100191, China
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5
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Zhang J, Sang X, Zhang R, Chi J, Bai W. CD105 expression is associated with invasive capacity in ovarian cancer and promotes invasiveness by inhibiting NDRG1 and regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Am J Transl Res 2021; 13:12461-12479. [PMID: 34956466 PMCID: PMC8661161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the association of CD105 (endoglin) with the invasiveness of paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer (OC) cells and explores the potential mechanism. A paclitaxel-resistant OC cell line OC3/TAX300, which expresses the stem cell marker CD105 and has a high invasive potential, was established in our previous study. After CD105 knockdown using CD105 siRNA, the invasiveness of the OC cells was decreased, and the chemo-resistance was reversed, but the CD105 overexpression was related to the poor survival of the primary OC patients. The differentially expressed genes were investigated in the OC cells after the CD105 knockdown. The results showed that, in the CD105-siRNA transfected cells, the expressions of some genes (such as KIAA0125, SSTR5-AS1, CDH18, MIAT, NDRG1, E-cadherin, DUSP1, MAL, MYC, and JAK3) were significantly upregulated, but the expressions of other genes (such as PRKAR2B, KLK10, DDX17, and lncRNA SNHG7) were markedly downregulated. Several genes, such as NDRG1 and E-cadherin, are known to be related to cancer metastasis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A KEGG analysis found that 264 signaling pathways changed after the CD105 knockdown, of which 27 signaling pathways showed significant enrichment. Our results show that CD105 is related to the metastasis of OC and may promote the EMT of OC by inhibiting NDRG1 and E-cadherin. MYC, JAK3, and IKBKB mediate the CD105-induced metastasis of OC via the MAPK/PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in the OC cells. Therefore, inhibiting the CD105 expression may be useful for treating OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University Haidian, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Xiubo Sang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University Haidian, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University Haidian, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Jingjing Chi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University Haidian, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Wenpei Bai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University Haidian, Beijing 100038, China
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Nowicki A, Kulus M, Wieczorkiewicz M, Pieńkowski W, Stefańska K, Skupin-Mrugalska P, Bryl R, Mozdziak P, Kempisty B, Piotrowska-Kempisty H. Ovarian Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells-Cellular and Molecular Characteristics, Signaling Pathways, and Usefulness as a Diagnostic Tool in Medicine and Oncology. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164178. [PMID: 34439332 PMCID: PMC8394875 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ovarian cancer is still a high-risk, metastatic disease, often diagnosed at a late stage. Difficulties in its treatment are associated with high resistance to chemotherapy and recurrence. Responsible for the malignant features of cancer are considered to be cancer stem cells (CSCs), which generate new cells by modifying various signaling pathways. Signaling pathways are crucial for the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and self-renewal of CSCs. New therapies based on the use of inhibitors that block CSC growth and proliferation signals are being investigated. The current histological classification of ovarian tumors, their epidemiology, and the recent knowledge of ovarian CSCs, with particular emphasis on their molecular basis, are important considerations. Abstract Despite the increasing development of medicine, ovarian cancer is still a high-risk, metastatic disease that is often diagnosed at a late stage. In addition, difficulties in its treatment are associated with high resistance to chemotherapy and frequent relapse. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), recently attracting significant scientific interest, are considered to be responsible for the malignant features of tumors. CSCs, as the driving force behind tumor development, generate new cells by modifying different signaling pathways. Moreover, investigations on different types of tumors have shown that signaling pathways are key to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulation, metastasis, and self-renewal of CSCs. Based on these established issues, new therapies are being investigated based on the use of inhibitors to block CSC growth and proliferation signals. Many reports indicate that CSC markers play a key role in cancer metastasis, with hopes placed in their targeting to block this process and eliminate relapses. Current histological classification of ovarian tumors, their epidemiology, and the most recent knowledge of ovarian CSCs, with particular emphasis on their molecular background, are important aspects for consideration. Furthermore, the importance of signaling pathways involved in tumor growth, development, and metastasis, is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Nowicki
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-631 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Kulus
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 87-100 Torun, Poland; (M.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Maria Wieczorkiewicz
- Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
| | - Wojciech Pieńkowski
- Division of Perinatology and Women’s Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-535 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Stefańska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Paulina Skupin-Mrugalska
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-780 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Rut Bryl
- Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Paul Mozdziak
- Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;
| | - Bartosz Kempisty
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 87-100 Torun, Poland; (M.K.); (B.K.)
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland;
- Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland;
- Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;
| | - Hanna Piotrowska-Kempisty
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-631 Poznan, Poland;
- Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
- Correspondence:
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7
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Mohan A, Raj Rajan R, Mohan G, Kollenchery Puthenveettil P, Maliekal TT. Markers and Reporters to Reveal the Hierarchy in Heterogeneous Cancer Stem Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:668851. [PMID: 34150761 PMCID: PMC8209516 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.668851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A subpopulation within cancer, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), regulates tumor initiation, chemoresistance, and metastasis. At a closer look, CSCs show functional heterogeneity and hierarchical organization. The present review is an attempt to assign marker profiles to define the functional heterogeneity and hierarchical organization of CSCs, based on a series of single-cell analyses. The evidences show that analogous to stem cell hierarchy, self-renewing Quiescent CSCs give rise to the Progenitor CSCs with limited proliferative capacity, and later to a Progenitor-like CSCs, which differentiates to Proliferating non-CSCs. Functionally, the CSCs can be tumor-initiating cells (TICs), drug-resistant CSCs, or metastasis initiating cells (MICs). Although there are certain marker profiles used to identify CSCs of different cancers, molecules like CD44, CD133, ALDH1A1, ABCG2, and pluripotency markers [Octamer binding transcriptional factor 4 (OCT4), SOX2, and NANOG] are used to mark CSCs of a wide range of cancers, ranging from hematological malignancies to solid tumors. Our analysis of the recent reports showed that a combination of these markers can demarcate the heterogeneous CSCs in solid tumors. Reporter constructs are widely used for easy identification and quantification of marker molecules. In this review, we discuss the suitability of reporters for the widely used CSC markers that can define the heterogeneous CSCs. Since the CSC-specific functions of CD44 and CD133 are regulated at the post-translational level, we do not recommend the reporters for these molecules for the detection of CSCs. A promoter-based reporter for ABCG2 may also be not relevant in CSCs, as the expression of the molecule in cancer is mainly regulated by promoter demethylation. In this context, a dual reporter consisting of one of the pluripotency markers and ALDH1A1 will be useful in marking the heterogeneous CSCs. This system can be easily adapted to high-throughput platforms to screen drugs for eliminating CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrutha Mohan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Reshma Raj Rajan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Gayathri Mohan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
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8
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Mohan A, Raj R R, Mohan G, K P P, Thomas Maliekal T. Reporters of Cancer Stem Cells as a Tool for Drug Discovery. Front Oncol 2021; 11:669250. [PMID: 33968778 PMCID: PMC8100607 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.669250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In view of the importance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in chemoresistance, metastasis and recurrence, the biology of CSCs were explored in detail. Based on that, several modalities were proposed to target them. In spite of the several clinical trials, a successful CSC-targeting drug is yet to be identified. The number of molecules screened and entered for clinical trial for CSC-targeting is comparatively low, compared to other drugs. The bottle neck is the lack of a high-throughput adaptable screening strategy for CSCs. This review is aimed to identify suitable reporters for CSCs that can be used to identify the heterogeneous CSC populations, including quiescent CSCs, proliferative CSCs, drug resistant CSCs and metastatic CSCs. Analysis of the tumor microenvironment regulating CSCs revealed that the factors in CSC-niche activates effector molecules that function as CSC markers, including pluripotency markers, CD133, ABCG2 and ALDH1A1. Among these factors OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, ABCG2 and ALDH1A1 are ideal for making reporters for CSCs. The pluripotency molecules, like OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG, regulate self-renewal, chemoresistance and metastasis. ABCG2 is a known regulator of drug resistance while ALDH1A1 modulates self-renewal, chemoresistance and metastasis. Considering the heterogeneity of CSCs, including a quiescent population and a proliferative population with metastatic ability, we propose the use of a combination of reporters. A dual reporter consisting of a pluripotency marker and a marker like ALDH1A1 will be useful in screening drugs that target CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrutha Mohan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.,Centre for Doctoral Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Reshma Raj R
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Gayathri Mohan
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Padmaja K P
- Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
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9
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Listik E, Horst B, Choi AS, Lee NY, Győrffy B, Mythreye K. A bioinformatic analysis of the inhibin-betaglycan-endoglin/CD105 network reveals prognostic value in multiple solid tumors. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249558. [PMID: 33819300 PMCID: PMC8021191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibins and activins are dimeric ligands belonging to the TGFβ superfamily with emergent roles in cancer. Inhibins contain an α-subunit (INHA) and a β-subunit (either INHBA or INHBB), while activins are mainly homodimers of either βA (INHBA) or βB (INHBB) subunits. Inhibins are biomarkers in a subset of cancers and utilize the coreceptors betaglycan (TGFBR3) and endoglin (ENG) for physiological or pathological outcomes. Given the array of prior reports on inhibin, activin and the coreceptors in cancer, this study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis, assessing their functional prognostic potential in cancer using a bioinformatics approach. We identify cancer cell lines and cancer types most dependent and impacted, which included p53 mutated breast and ovarian cancers and lung adenocarcinomas. Moreover, INHA itself was dependent on TGFBR3 and ENG/CD105 in multiple cancer types. INHA, INHBA, TGFBR3, and ENG also predicted patients' response to anthracycline and taxane therapy in luminal A breast cancers. We also obtained a gene signature model that could accurately classify 96.7% of the cases based on outcomes. Lastly, we cross-compared gene correlations revealing INHA dependency to TGFBR3 or ENG influencing different pathways themselves. These results suggest that inhibins are particularly important in a subset of cancers depending on the coreceptor TGFBR3 and ENG and are of substantial prognostic value, thereby warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Listik
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Ben Horst
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Alex Seok Choi
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Nam. Y. Lee
- Division of Pharmacology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- TTK Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, and Semmelweis University Department of Bioinformatics and 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Karthikeyan Mythreye
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
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10
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Ollauri-Ibáñez C, Ayuso-Íñigo B, Pericacho M. Hot and Cold Tumors: Is Endoglin (CD105) a Potential Target for Vessel Normalization? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1552. [PMID: 33800564 PMCID: PMC8038031 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors are complex masses formed by malignant but also by normal cells. The interaction between these cells via cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and enzymes that remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM) constitutes the tumor microenvironment (TME). This TME can be determinant in the prognosis and the response to some treatments such as immunotherapy. Depending on their TME, two types of tumors can be defined: hot tumors, characterized by an immunosupportive TME and a good response to immunotherapy; and cold tumors, which respond poorly to this therapy and are characterized by an immunosuppressive TME. A therapeutic strategy that has been shown to be useful for the conversion of cold tumors into hot tumors is vascular normalization. In this review we propose that endoglin (CD105) may be a useful target of this strategy since it is involved in the three main processes involved in the generation of the TME: angiogenesis, inflammation, and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) accumulation. Moreover, the analysis of endoglin expression in tumors, which is already used in the clinic to study the microvascular density and that is associated with worse prognosis, could be used to predict a patient's response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Miguel Pericacho
- Renal and Cardiovascular Research Unit, Group of Physiopathology of the Vascular Endothelium (ENDOVAS), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (C.O.-I.); (B.A.-Í.)
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11
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Fattahi F, Saeednejad Zanjani L, Vafaei S, Habibi Shams Z, Kiani J, Naseri M, Gheytanchi E, Madjd Z. Expressions of TWIST1 and CD105 markers in colorectal cancer patients and their association with metastatic potential and prognosis. Diagn Pathol 2021; 16:26. [PMID: 33752711 PMCID: PMC7983220 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-021-01088-1] [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: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background TWIST1 and CD105, which contribute to tumor malignancy, are overexpressed in cancers. Accordingly, TWIST1 enhances epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes the formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Also, CD105 is a neoangiogenesis marker in endothelial cells, which is introduced as a CSC marker in tumoral epithelial cells in several types of cancers. The present study was aimed to investigate expressions of TWIST1 and CD105 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods Expressions of TWIST1 and CD105 in 250 CRC tissue samples were evaluated using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays (TMAs). In this regard, TWIST1 expression was investigated in the subcellular locations (cytoplasm and nucleus), while CD105 was mapped in endothelial cells and cytoplasmic tumor cells of CRC tissues. The association between the expression of these markers and clinicopathological parameters, as well as survival outcomes were analyzed. Results Results indicate a statistically significant association between higher nuclear expression levels of TWIST1 and distant metastases in CRC (P = 0.040) patients. In addition, it was shown that the increased nuclear expression of TWIST1 had a poor prognostic value for disease-specific survival (DSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.042, P = 0.043, respectively) in patients with CRC. Moreover, analysis of CD105 expression level has revealed that there is a statistically significant association between the increased expression of CD105 in tumoral epithelial cells and more advanced TNM stage (P = 0.050). Conclusions Our results demonstrate that nuclear TWIST1 and cytoplasmic CD105 expressions in tumor cells had associations with more aggressive tumor behavior and more advanced diseases in CRC cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Fattahi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leili Saeednejad Zanjani
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Vafaei
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Jafar Kiani
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marzieh Naseri
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elmira Gheytanchi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Postal Code: 14496-14530, Hemmat Street (Highway), Next to Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Pathology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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12
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Endoglin in the Spotlight to Treat Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063186. [PMID: 33804796 PMCID: PMC8003971 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A spotlight has been shone on endoglin in recent years due to that fact of its potential to serve as both a reliable disease biomarker and a therapeutic target. Indeed, endoglin has now been assigned many roles in both physiological and pathological processes. From a molecular point of view, endoglin mainly acts as a co-receptor in the canonical TGFβ pathway, but also it may be shed and released from the membrane, giving rise to the soluble form, which also plays important roles in cell signaling. In cancer, in particular, endoglin may contribute to either an oncogenic or a non-oncogenic phenotype depending on the cell context. The fact that endoglin is expressed by neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells within the tumor microenvironment suggests new possibilities for targeted therapies. Here, we aimed to review and discuss the many roles played by endoglin in different tumor types, as well as the strong evidence provided by pre-clinical and clinical studies that supports the therapeutic targeting of endoglin as a novel clinical strategy.
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13
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Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells: Characterization and Role in Tumorigenesis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1330:151-169. [PMID: 34339036 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-73359-9_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a heterogenous disease with variable clinicopathological and molecular mechanisms being responsible for tumorigenesis. Despite substantial technological improvement, lack of early diagnosis contributes to its highest mortality. Ovarian cancer is considered to be the most lethal female gynaecological cancer across the world. Conventional treatment modules with platinum- and Taxane-based chemotherapy can cause an initial satisfactory improvement in ovarian cancer patients. However, approximately 75-80% patients of advanced stage ovarian cancer, experience relapse and nearly 40% have overall poor survival rate. It has been observed that a subpopulation of cells referred as cancer stem cells (CSCs), having self renewal property, escape the conventional chemotherapy because of their quiescent nature. Later, these CSCs following its interaction with microenvironment and release of various inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases, induce invasion and propagation to distant organs of the body mainly peritoneal cavity. These CSCs can be enriched by their specific surface markers such as CD44, CD117, CD133 and intracellular enzyme such as aldehyde dehydrogenase. This tumorigenicity is further aggravated by the epithelial to mesenchymal transition of CSCs and neovascularisation via epigenetic reprogramming and over-expression of various signalling cascades such as Wnt/β-catenin, NOTCH, Hedgehog, etc. to name a few. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of various cellular events involving interaction between cancer cells and cancer stem cells as well as its surrounding micro environmental components would be of unmet need to achieve the ultimate goal of better management of ovarian cancer patients. This chapter deals with the impact of ovarian cancer stem cells in tumorigenesis which would help in the implementation of basic research into the clinical field in the form of translational research in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality in ovarian cancer patients through amelioration of diagnosis and impoverishment of therapeutic resistance.
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14
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Szyposzynska A, Bielawska-Pohl A, Krawczenko A, Doszyn O, Paprocka M, Klimczak A. Suppression of Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth by AT-MSC Microvesicles. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239143. [PMID: 33266317 PMCID: PMC7730946 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transport of bioactive cargo of microvesicles (MVs) into target cells can affect their fate and behavior and change their microenvironment. We assessed the effect of MVs derived from human immortalized mesenchymal stem cells of adipose tissue-origin (HATMSC2-MVs) on the biological activity of the ovarian cancer cell lines ES-2 (clear cell carcinoma) and OAW-42 (cystadenocarcinoma). The HATMSC2-MVs were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy, and flow cytometry. The anti-tumor properties of HATMSC2-MVs were assessed using MTT for metabolic activity and flow cytometry for cell survival, cell cycle progression, and phenotype. The secretion profile of ovarian cancer cells was evaluated with a protein antibody array. Both cell lines internalized HATMSC2-MVs, which was associated with a decreased metabolic activity of cancer cells. HATMSC2-MVs exerted a pro-apoptotic and/or necrotic effect on ES-2 and OAW-42 cells and increased the expression of anti-tumor factors in both cell lines compared to control. In conclusion, we confirmed an effective transfer of HATMSC2-MVs into ovarian cancer cells that resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation via different pathways, apoptosis and/or necrosis, which, with high likelihood, is related to the presence of different anti-tumor factors secreted by the ES-2 and OAW-42 cells.
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15
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Establishment of a bladder cancer cell line expressing both mesenchymal and epithelial lineage-associated markers. Hum Cell 2020; 34:675-687. [PMID: 33165868 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-020-00456-1] [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: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Several experimental models including patient biopsies, animal models, and cell lines have been recommended to study the mechanism of bladder cancer development. After several passages in culture, cell lines lose some original features, and no longer resemble the cells of their original tumor. This makes it necessary to establish various cell lines. In an attempt to establish a new cell line for bladder cancer, JAM-ICR (RRID: CVCL_A9QB) was derived from a 64-year-old man diagnosed with a high-grade tumor. This cell line was characterized in multiple experiments involving morphological studies, immunophenotyping (by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry), karyotyping, short tandem repeat analysis, colony-forming assays, migration and invasion assays, and chemosensitivity to anti-cancer drugs. JAM-ICR cells are pale with an irregular polygonal shape, and show some similarities to mesenchymal stem cells but with a wider shape and shorter arms. Phenotypic assessment demonstrated the simultaneous expression of mesenchymal-(vimentin, desmin, CD29, CD90, and CD106) and epithelial lineage (pan-cytokeratin) markers, which supports a phenotype similar to epithelial-mesenchymal transition for this cell line. JAM-ICR displayed high metastatic potential and stem-like properties, i.e., self-renewal, colony forming, and the coexpression of TRA-1 with CD44 and CD166. Furthermore, this cell line was significantly more resistant to doxorubicin in comparison to the 5637 cell line. These features make JAM-ICR a new bladder cancer cell line with metastatic potential and stem-like properties, which may be potentially useful as a model to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bladder cancer pathogenesis or evaluate new drugs.
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16
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Etzerodt A, Moulin M, Doktor TK, Delfini M, Mossadegh-Keller N, Bajenoff M, Sieweke MH, Moestrup SK, Auphan-Anezin N, Lawrence T. Tissue-resident macrophages in omentum promote metastatic spread of ovarian cancer. J Exp Med 2020; 217:133611. [PMID: 31951251 PMCID: PMC7144521 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20191869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play important roles in cancer progression. Here, we have characterized the ontogeny and function of TAM subsets in a mouse model of metastatic ovarian cancer that is representative for visceral peritoneal metastasis. We show that the omentum is a critical premetastatic niche for development of invasive disease in this model and define a unique subset of CD163+ Tim4+ resident omental macrophages responsible for metastatic spread of ovarian cancer cells. Transcriptomic analysis showed that resident CD163+ Tim4+ omental macrophages were phenotypically distinct and maintained their resident identity during tumor growth. Selective depletion of CD163+ Tim4+ macrophages in omentum using genetic and pharmacological tools prevented tumor progression and metastatic spread of disease. These studies describe a specific role for tissue-resident macrophages in the invasive progression of metastatic ovarian cancer. The molecular pathways of cross-talk between tissue-resident macrophages and disseminated cancer cells may represent new targets to prevent metastasis and disease recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Etzerodt
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morgane Moulin
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France.,Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Koed Doktor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | | | - Marc Bajenoff
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France
| | - Michael H Sieweke
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France.,Centre for Regenerative Therapies, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Søren Kragh Moestrup
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Toby Lawrence
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France.,Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.,Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
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17
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Dzobo K, Senthebane DA, Ganz C, Thomford NE, Wonkam A, Dandara C. Advances in Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells within the Tumor Microenvironment: An Updated Review. Cells 2020; 9:E1896. [PMID: 32823711 PMCID: PMC7464860 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite great strides being achieved in improving cancer patients' outcomes through better therapies and combinatorial treatment, several hurdles still remain due to therapy resistance, cancer recurrence and metastasis. Drug resistance culminating in relapse continues to be associated with fatal disease. The cancer stem cell theory posits that tumors are driven by specialized cancer cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells known to be resistant to therapy and cause metastasis. Whilst the debate on whether CSCs are the origins of the primary tumor rages on, CSCs have been further characterized in many cancers with data illustrating that CSCs display great abilities to self-renew, resist therapies due to enhanced epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) properties, enhanced expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) membrane transporters, activation of several survival signaling pathways and increased immune evasion as well as DNA repair mechanisms. CSCs also display great heterogeneity with the consequential lack of specific CSC markers presenting a great challenge to their targeting. In this updated review we revisit CSCs within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and present novel treatment strategies targeting CSCs. These promising strategies include targeting CSCs-specific properties using small molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy, microRNA mediated inhibitors, epigenetic methods as well as targeting CSC niche-microenvironmental factors and differentiation. Lastly, we present recent clinical trials undertaken to try to turn the tide against cancer by targeting CSC-associated drug resistance and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Dzobo
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Wernher and Beit Building (South), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (D.A.S.); (C.G.)
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Dimakatso Alice Senthebane
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Wernher and Beit Building (South), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (D.A.S.); (C.G.)
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Chelene Ganz
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Wernher and Beit Building (South), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (D.A.S.); (C.G.)
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Nicholas Ekow Thomford
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (N.E.T.); (A.W.); (C.D.)
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Ambroise Wonkam
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (N.E.T.); (A.W.); (C.D.)
| | - Collet Dandara
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (N.E.T.); (A.W.); (C.D.)
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Schoonderwoerd MJA, Goumans MJTH, Hawinkels LJAC. Endoglin: Beyond the Endothelium. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10020289. [PMID: 32059544 PMCID: PMC7072477 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Keywords: endoglin; CD105 TGF-β; BMP9; ALK-1; TRC105; tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J. A. Schoonderwoerd
- Department of Gastrenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lukas J. A. C. Hawinkels
- Department of Gastrenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-71-526-6736
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19
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Brossa A, Buono L, Fallo S, Fiorio Pla A, Munaron L, Bussolati B. Alternative Strategies to Inhibit Tumor Vascularization. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E6180. [PMID: 31817884 PMCID: PMC6940973 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20246180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells present in tumors show different origin, phenotype, and genotype with respect to the normal counterpart. Various mechanisms of intra-tumor vasculogenesis sustain the complexity of tumor vasculature, which can be further modified by signals deriving from the tumor microenvironment. As a result, resistance to anti-VEGF therapy and activation of compensatory pathways remain a challenge in the treatment of cancer patients, revealing the need to explore alternative strategies to the classical anti-angiogenic drugs. In this review, we will describe some alternative strategies to inhibit tumor vascularization, including targeting of antigens and signaling pathways overexpressed by tumor endothelial cells, the development of endothelial vaccinations, and the use of extracellular vesicles. In addition, anti-angiogenic drugs with normalizing effects on tumor vessels will be discussed. Finally, we will present the concept of endothelial demesenchymalization as an alternative approach to restore normal endothelial cell phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Brossa
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Universitty of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (A.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.)
| | - Lola Buono
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Universitty of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (A.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.)
| | - Sofia Fallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Universitty of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (A.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.)
| | - Alessandra Fiorio Pla
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (A.F.P.); (L.M.)
| | - Luca Munaron
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (A.F.P.); (L.M.)
| | - Benedetta Bussolati
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Universitty of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (A.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.)
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20
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CD105 Is Expressed in Ovarian Cancer Precursor Lesions and Is Required for Metastasis to the Ovary. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11111710. [PMID: 31684072 PMCID: PMC6896092 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
: Most high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSCs) initiate from the fallopian tube epithelium and then metastasize to the ovary and throughout the abdomen. Genomic analyses suggest that most HGSCs seed the ovary prior to abdominal dissemination. Similarly, animal models support a critical role for the ovary in driving abdominal dissemination. Thus, HGSC cell recruitment to the ovary appears to be a critical component of HGSC cell metastasis. We sought to identify factors driving HGSC recruitment to the ovary. We identified CD105 (endoglin, or ENG, a TGF- receptor family member) as a mediator of HGSC cell ovarian recruitment. We found that CD105 was expressed on both serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) cells (STICs-HGSC precursors in the fallopian tube epithelium) and HGSC cells. Using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE), we showed that high CD105 expression by HGSC cells correlated with a metastatic signature. Furthermore, intravenous injection of CD105(+) HGSC tumor cells, but not CD105(-), resulted in ovarian-specific metastasis and abdominal dissemination of disease. CD105 knockdown or blockade with a clinically relevant CD105-neutralizing mAb (TRC105), inhibited HGSC metastasis, reduced ascites, and impeded growth of abdominal tumor nodules, thereby improving overall survival in animal models of ovarian cancer. CD105 knockdown was associated with a reduction in TGF-signaling. Together, our data support CD105 as a critical mediator of ovarian cancer spread to the ovary and implicate it as a potential therapeutic target.
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21
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Zhou J, Du Y, Lu Y, Luan B, Xu C, Yu Y, Zhao H. CD44 Expression Predicts Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer Patients Through Promoting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) by Regulating Snail, ZEB1, and Caveolin-1. Front Oncol 2019; 9:802. [PMID: 31497537 PMCID: PMC6712994 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: CD44, a transmembrane glycoprotein, is involved in the generation of a stem cell niche and maintaining stem cell quiescence. The aim of this study was to evaluate its contribution to ovarian cancer prognosis and progression, as well as explore the possible mechanisms. Materials and Methods: The expression of CD44 in tissue microarray of 90 ovarian cancer patients was detected by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were used to evaluate the factors associated with 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival. CD44 was knocked down by small interfering RNA, the expression of Snail, ZEB1, and Caveolin-1 in a stable Snail-expressing ovarian cancer cell line HO8910PM-Snail (HOPM-Snail) and its control cell line HO8910PM-vector (HOPM) was detected by western blotting analysis. Cell clone formation, migration, and invasion of HOPM-Snail and HOPM cells with CD44 silencing were examined by 3-D culture assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay, respectively. Results: Over-expression of CD44 was associated with advanced histological grade (p = 0.014) and FIGO stage (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that CD44 expression was an independent prognostic factor to predict both overall survival (p = 0.004) and disease-free survival (p = 0.025) of ovarian cancer patients. Down-regulation of CD44 expression by small silencing RNA abrogated both basal Snail expression and TGF-β1-induced Snail expression in HOPM and HOPM-Snail cells. In addition, CD44 knockdown caused a decrease in ZEB1 expression. RPPA data indicated that Caveolin-1 may be another regulative target of CD44, and western blotting analysis confirmed that CD44 knockdown caused an increase in Caveolin-1 expression. However, there was no noticeable reciprocal regulation among ZEB1, Caveolin-1, and Snail. Moreover, CD44 knockdown caused a decrease in cell clone formation, migration, and invasion of HOPM and HOPM-Snail cells. Conclusions: As both Snail and ZEB1 are crucial inducers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), our data suggested that CD44 may be crucial for the EMT process of ovarian cancer. Therefore, CD44 may be a potential prognostic marker as well as treatment target for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Zhou
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Du
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiling Lu
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Baoxin Luan
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Congjian Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinhua Yu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongbo Zhao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
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