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Kou Z, Liu C, Zhang W, Sun C, Liu L, Zhang Q. Heterogeneity of primary and metastatic CAFs: From differential treatment outcomes to treatment opportunities (Review). Int J Oncol 2024; 64:54. [PMID: 38577950 PMCID: PMC11015919 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2024.5642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared with primary tumor sites, metastatic sites appear more resistant to treatments and respond differently to the treatment regimen. It may be due to the heterogeneity in the microenvironment between metastatic sites and primary tumors. Cancer‑associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are widely present in the tumor stroma as key components of the tumor microenvironment. Primary tumor CAFs (pCAFs) and metastatic CAFs (mCAFs) are heterogeneous in terms of source, activation mode, markers and functional phenotypes. They can shape the tumor microenvironment according to organ, showing heterogeneity between primary tumors and metastases, which may affect the sensitivity of these sites to treatment. It was hypothesized that understanding the heterogeneity between pCAFs and mCAFs can provide a glimpse into the difference in treatment outcomes, providing new ideas for improving the rate of metastasis control in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixing Kou
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa Island 999078, Macau SAR, P.R. China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 621000, P.R. China
| | - Qiming Zhang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
- Department of Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100007, P.R. China
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Yan Z, Ruan B, Wang S, Du T, Shao X, Chen G, Wang L, Zhai D, Zhu S, Lu Z, Cao X. RNA-binding Protein QKI Inhibits Osteogenic Differentiation Via Suppressing Wnt Pathway. Arch Med Res 2023; 54:102853. [PMID: 37460362 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2023.102853] [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: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of MSCs differentiation is associated with many pathophysiological processes. Genetically modified MSCs transplantation helps restore bone loss efficiently. METHODS BMSCs-specific QKI overexpressing and knockdown mice were built to explore QKI's role in bone formation and fat accumulation. Primary BMSCs with QKI overexpression and knockout were subjected to osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. ALP staining and oil red O staining were performed to evaluate the differences between the groups. RNA immunoprecipitation was performed to identify the QKI-related pathway. QKI deficient BMSCs were transplanted into mice with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis to evaluate its therapeutic potential. RESULTS Mice harboring BMSC-specific transgenic QKI exhibited reduced bone mass, while BMSC-specific QKI-deficient mice showed an increase in bone mass. Osteogenic differentiation of QKI deficient BMSCs was promoted and adipogenic differentiation was inhibited, while QKI overexpression in BMSCs displayed the opposite effects. To define the underlying mechanisms, RIP sequencing was performed. Wnt pathway-related genes were the putative direct target mRNAs of QKI, Canonical Wnt pathway activation was involved in QKI's effects on osteogenic differentiation. RNA immunoprecipitation quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments further validated that QKI repressed the expressions of Wnt5b, Fzd7, Dvl3 and β-catenin via direct binding to their putative mRNA specific sites. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporotic mice transplanted with QKI deficient BMSCs exhibited less bone loss compared with mice transplanted with control BMSCs. CONCLUSIONS QKI suppressed BMSCs osteogenic differentiation by downregulating the expressions of Wnt5b, Fzd7, Dvl3 and β-catenin. Loss of QKI in BMSCs transplantation may provide a new strategy for the treatment of orthopedic diseases such as osteoporosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Yan
- PLA Institute of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Banjun Ruan
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianshu Du
- PLA Institute of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaolong Shao
- PLA Institute of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Guo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shu Zhu
- PLA Institute of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zifan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biopharmaceutics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaorui Cao
- PLA Institute of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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Windus LCE, Matigian N, Avery VM. Induction of Reactive Bone Stromal Fibroblasts in 3D Models of Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:861. [PMID: 37372146 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
A dynamic interplay between prostate cancer (PCa) cells and reactive bone stroma modulates the growth of metastases within the bone microenvironment. Of the stromal cells, metastasis-associated fibroblasts (MAFs) are known to contribute but are the least studied cell type in PCa tumour progression. It is the aim of the current study to establish a biologically relevant 3D in vitro model that mimics the cellular and molecular profiles of MAFs found in vivo. Using 3D in vitro cell culture models, the bone-derived fibroblast cell line, HS-5, was treated with conditioned media from metastatic-derived PCa cell lines, PC3 and MDA-PCa 2b, or mouse-derived fibroblasts 3T3. Two corresponding reactive cell lines were propagated: HS5-PC3 and HS5-MDA, and evaluated for alterations in morphology, phenotype, cellular behaviour, plus protein and genomic profiles. HS5-PC3 and HS5-MDA displayed distinct alterations in expression levels of N-Cadherin, non-functional E-Cadherin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Tenascin C, and vimentin, along with transforming growth factor receptor expression (TGF β R1 and R2), consistent with subpopulations of MAFs reported in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a reversion of HS5-PC3 towards a metastatic phenotype with an upregulation in pathways known to regulate cancer invasion, proliferation, and angiogenesis. The exploitation of these engineered 3D models could help further unravel the novel biology regulating metastatic growth and the role fibroblasts play in the colonisation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa C E Windus
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Nicholas Matigian
- QCIF Facility for Advanced Bioinformatics, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
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Stromal Co-Cultivation for Modeling Breast Cancer Dormancy in the Bone Marrow. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143344. [PMID: 35884405 PMCID: PMC9320268 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143344] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancers metastasize to the bone marrow before primary tumors can be detected. Bone marrow micrometastases are resistant to therapy, and while they are able to remain dormant for decades, they recur steadily and result in incurable metastatic disease. The bone marrow microenvironment maintains the dormancy and chemoresistance of micrometastases through interactions with multiple cell types and through structural and soluble factors. Modeling dormancy in vitro can identify the mechanisms of these interactions. Modeling also identifies mechanisms able to disrupt these interactions or define novel interactions that promote the reawakening of dormant cells. The in vitro modeling of the interactions of cancer cells with various bone marrow elements can generate hypotheses on the mechanisms that control dormancy, treatment resistance and reawakening in vivo. These hypotheses can guide in vivo murine experiments that have high probabilities of succeeding in order to verify in vitro findings while minimizing the use of animals in experiments. This review outlines the existing data on predominant stromal cell types and their use in 2D co-cultures with cancer cells.
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Cha S, Lee E, Won HH. Comprehensive characterization of distinct genetic alterations in metastatic breast cancer across various metastatic sites. NPJ Breast Cancer 2021; 7:93. [PMID: 34272397 PMCID: PMC8285498 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-021-00303-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the major cause of death in breast cancer patients. Although previous large-scale analyses have identified frequently altered genes specific to metastatic breast cancer (MBC) compared with those in primary breast cancer (PBC), metastatic site-specific altered genes in MBC remain largely uncharacterized. Moreover, large-scale analyses are required owing to the low expected frequency of such alterations, likely caused by tumor heterogeneity and late dissemination of breast cancer. To clarify MBC-specific genetic alterations, we integrated publicly available clinical and mutation data of 261 genes, including MBC drivers, from 4268 MBC and 5217 PBC patients from eight different cohorts. We performed meta-analyses and logistic regression analyses to identify MBC-enriched genetic alterations relative to those in PBC across 15 different metastatic site sets. We identified 11 genes that were more frequently altered in MBC samples from pan-metastatic sites, including four genes (SMARCA4, TSC2, ATRX, and AURKA) which were not identified previously. ARID2 mutations were enriched in treatment-naïve de novo and post-treatment MBC samples, compared with that in treatment-naïve PBC samples. In metastatic site-specific analyses, associations of ESR1 with liver metastasis and RICTOR with bone metastasis were significant, regardless of intrinsic subtypes. Among the 15 metastatic site sets, ESR1 mutations were enriched in the liver and depleted in the lymph nodes, whereas TP53 mutations showed an opposite trend. Seven potential MBC driver mutations showed similar preferential enrichment in specific metastatic sites. This large-scale study identified new MBC genetic alterations according to various metastatic sites and highlights their potential role in breast cancer organotropism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojin Cha
- Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Esak Lee
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Hong-Hee Won
- Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Wang Z, Liu J, Huang H, Ye M, Li X, Wu R, Liu H, Song Y. Metastasis-associated fibroblasts: an emerging target for metastatic cancer. Biomark Res 2021; 9:47. [PMID: 34112258 PMCID: PMC8194104 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00305-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis suggests a poor prognosis for cancer patients, and treatment strategies for metastatic cancer are still very limited. Numerous studies have shown that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a large component of the tumor microenvironment, contribute to tumor metastasis. Stromal fibroblasts at metastatic sites are different from CAFs within primary tumors and can be termed metastasis-associated fibroblasts (MAFs), and they also make great contributions to the establishment of metastatic lesions and the therapeutic resistance of metastatic tumors. MAFs are capable of remodeling the extracellular matrix of metastatic tumors, modulating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, promoting angiogenesis and enhancing malignant tumor phenotypes. Thus, MAFs can help establish premetastatic niches and mediate resistance to therapeutic strategies, including immunotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy. The results of preclinical studies suggest that targeting MAFs can alleviate the progression of metastatic cancer and mitigate therapeutic resistance, indicating that MAFs are a promising target for metastatic cancer. Here, we comprehensively summarize the existing evidence on MAFs and discuss their origins, generation, functions and related therapeutic strategies in an effort to provide a better understanding of MAFs and offer treatment perspectives for metastatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zimu Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, #305, East Zhongshan Road, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, #305, East Zhongshan Road, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hairong Huang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Jinling Hospital, 210002, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingxiang Ye
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, #305, East Zhongshan Road, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinying Li
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 210008, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ranpu Wu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Southeast University of Medicine, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongbing Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, #305, East Zhongshan Road, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yong Song
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, #305, East Zhongshan Road, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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Mandal CC. Osteolytic metastasis in breast cancer: effective prevention strategies. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2020; 20:797-811. [PMID: 32772585 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2020.1807950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women throughout the world. Patients who are diagnosed early generally have better prognosis and survivability. Indeed, advanced stage breast cancer often develops osteolytic metastases, leading to bone destruction. Although there are select drugs available to treat bone metastatic disease, these drugs have shown limited success. AREA COVERED This paper emphasizes updated mechanisms of bone remodeling and osteolytic bone metastases of breast cancer. This article also aims to explore the potential of novel natural and synthetic therapeutics in the effective prevention of breast cancer-induced osteolysis and osteolytic metastases of breast cancer. EXPERT OPINION Targeting TGFβ and BMP signaling pathways, along with osteoclast activity, appears to be a promising therapeutic strategy in the prevention of breast cancer-induced osteolytic bone destruction and metastatic growth at bone metastatic niches. Pilot studies in animal models suggest various natural and synthetic compounds and monoclonal antibodies as putative therapeutics in the prevention of breast cancer stimulated osteolytic activity. However, comprehensive pre-clinical studies demonstrating the PK/PD and in-depth understanding of molecular mechanism(s) by which these potential molecules exhibit anti-tumor growth and anti-osteolytic activity are still required to develop effective therapies against breast cancer-induced osteolytic bone disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandi C Mandal
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan , Ajmer, India
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