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Niu X, Liu W, Zhang Y, Liu J, Zhang J, Li B, Qiu Y, Zhao P, Wang Z, Wang Z. Cancer plasticity in therapy resistance: Mechanisms and novel strategies. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 76:101114. [PMID: 38924995 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101114] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Therapy resistance poses a significant obstacle to effective cancer treatment. Recent insights into cell plasticity as a new paradigm for understanding resistance to treatment: as cancer progresses, cancer cells experience phenotypic and molecular alterations, corporately known as cell plasticity. These alterations are caused by microenvironment factors, stochastic genetic and epigenetic changes, and/or selective pressure engendered by treatment, resulting in tumor heterogeneity and therapy resistance. Increasing evidence suggests that cancer cells display remarkable intrinsic plasticity and reversibly adapt to dynamic microenvironment conditions. Dynamic interactions between cell states and with the surrounding microenvironment form a flexible tumor ecosystem, which is able to quickly adapt to external pressure, especially treatment. Here, this review delineates the formation of cancer cell plasticity (CCP) as well as its manipulation of cancer escape from treatment. Furthermore, the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms driving CCP that promote the development of therapy resistance is summarized. Novel treatment strategies, e.g., inhibiting or reversing CCP is also proposed. Moreover, the review discusses the multiple lines of ongoing clinical trials globally aimed at ameliorating therapy resistance. Such advances provide directions for the development of new treatment modalities and combination therapies against CCP in the context of therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Niu
- China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China; Experimental Center of BIOQGene, YuanDong International Academy Of Life Sciences, 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenjing Liu
- Medical Oncology Department of Thoracic Cancer (2), Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Yinling Zhang
- Department of Oncology Radiotherapy 1, Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266042, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 101149, China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Department of Digestive Diseases 1, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Medical Imaging, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
| | - Zhongmiao Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases 1, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China.
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases 1, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China.
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Perucca P, Bassi E, Vetro M, Tricarico A, Prosperi E, Stivala LA, Cazzalini O. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and NF-kB pathways are promoted by a mutant form of DDB2, unable to bind PCNA, in UV-damaged human cells. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:616. [PMID: 38773406 PMCID: PMC11110260 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12368-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA-Damaged Binding protein 2 (DDB2) is a protein involved in the early step of Nucleotide Excision Repair. Recently, it has been reported that DDB2 is involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), key process in tumour invasiveness and metastasis formation. However, its role is not completely known. METHODS Boyden chamber and cell adhesion assays, and ICELLigence analysis were performed to detect HEK293 adhesion and invasion. Western blotting and gelatine zymography techniques were employed to assess the EMT protein levels and MMP enzymatic activity. Immunofluorescence analysis and pull-down assays facilitated the detection of NF-kB sub-cellular localization and interaction. RESULTS We have previously demonstrated that the loss of DDB2-PCNA binding favours genome instability, and increases cell proliferation and motility. Here, we have investigated the phenotypic and molecular EMT-like changes after UV DNA damage, in HEK293 clones stably expressing DDB2Wt protein or a mutant form unable to interact with PCNA (DDB2PCNA-), as well as in HeLa cells transiently expressing the same DDB2 constructs. Cells expressing DDB2PCNA- showed morphological modifications along with a reduced expression of E-cadherin, an increased activity of MMP-9 and an improved ability to migrate, in concomitance with a significant upregulation of EMT-associated Transcription Factors (TFs), whose expression has been reported to favour tumour invasion. We observed a higher expression of c-Myc oncogene, NF-kB, both regulating cell proliferation and metastatic process, as well as ZEB1, a TF significantly associated with tumorigenic potential and cell migratory ability. Interestingly, a novel interaction of DDB2 with NF-kB was detected and found to be increased in cells expressing the DDB2PCNA-, suggesting a direct modulation of NF-kB by DDB2. CONCLUSION These results highlight the role of DDB2-PCNA interaction in counteracting EMT since DDB2PCNA- protein induces in HEK293 transformed cells a gain of function contributing to the acquisition of a more aggressive phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Perucca
- Dipartimento di Medicina molecolare, Unità di Immunologia e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Bassi
- Dipartimento di Medicina molecolare, Unità di Immunologia e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Martina Vetro
- Dipartimento di Medicina molecolare, Unità di Immunologia e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Tricarico
- Dipartimento di Medicina molecolare, Unità di Immunologia e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ennio Prosperi
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare (IGM) del CNR, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lucia Anna Stivala
- Dipartimento di Medicina molecolare, Unità di Immunologia e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Ornella Cazzalini
- Dipartimento di Medicina molecolare, Unità di Immunologia e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Jiang W, Wang H, Dong X, Yu X, Zhao Y, Chen D, Yan B, Cheng J, Zhuo S, Wang H, Yan J. Pathomics Signature for Prognosis and Chemotherapy Benefits in Stage III Colon Cancer. JAMA Surg 2024; 159:519-528. [PMID: 38416471 PMCID: PMC10902777 DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.8015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Importance The current TNM staging system may not provide adequate information for prognostic purposes and to assess the potential benefits of chemotherapy for patients with stage III colon cancer. Objective To develop and validate a pathomics signature to estimate prognosis and benefit from chemotherapy using hematoxylin-eosin (H-E)-stained slides. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective prognostic study used data from consecutive patients with histologically confirmed stage III colon cancer at 2 medical centers between January 2012 and December 2015. A total of 114 pathomics features were extracted from digital H-E-stained images from Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, and a pathomics signature was constructed using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression model in the training cohort. The associations of the pathomics signature with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Patients at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, formed the validation cohort. Data analysis was conducted from September 2022 to March 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures The prognostic accuracy of the pathomics signature as well as its association with chemotherapy response were evaluated. Results This study included 785 patients (mean [SD] age, 62.7 [11.1] years; 437 [55.7%] male). A pathomics signature was constructed based on 4 features. Multivariable analysis revealed that the pathomics signature was an independent factor associated with DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.46 [95% CI, 2.89-4.13]; P < .001) and OS (HR, 2.78 [95% CI, 2.34-3.31]; P < .001) in the training cohort. Incorporating the pathomics signature into pathomics nomograms resulted in better performance for the estimation of prognosis than the traditional model in a concordance index comparison in the training cohort (DFS: HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.86-0.89] vs HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.71-0.75]; P < .001; OS: HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.84-0.86] vs HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.72-0.76]; P < .001) and validation cohort (DFS: HR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.82-0.85] vs HR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.67-0.72]; P < .001; OS: HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.78-0.82] vs HR, 0.69 [0.67-0.72]; P < .001). Further analysis revealed that patients with a low pathomics signature were more likely to benefit from chemotherapy (eg, combined cohort: DFS: HR, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.28-0.69]; P = .001; OS: HR, 0.43 [95% CI, 0.29-0.64]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that a pathomics signature could help identify patients most likely to benefit from chemotherapy in stage III colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Science, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huaiming Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Department of Colorectal Surgery & Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Supported by National Key Clinical Discipline, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xian Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yandong Zhao
- Department of Pathology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dexin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Botao Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxin Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Hui Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Department of Colorectal Surgery & Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Supported by National Key Clinical Discipline, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Gastrointestinal Tumor, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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Hong T, Xing J. Data- and theory-driven approaches for understanding paths of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Genesis 2024; 62:e23591. [PMID: 38553870 PMCID: PMC11017362 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Reversible transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cell states are a crucial form of epithelial plasticity for development and disease progression. Recent experimental data and mechanistic models showed multiple intermediate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) states as well as trajectories of EMT underpinned by complex gene regulatory networks. In this review, we summarize recent progress in quantifying EMT and characterizing EMT paths with computational methods and quantitative experiments including omics-level measurements. We provide perspectives on how these studies can help relating fundamental cell biology to physiological and pathological outcomes of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Hong
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville TN, USA
| | - Jianhua Xing
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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5
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Cao W, Wang X, Luo K, Li Y, Sun J, Fu R, Zhang Q, Hong N, Cheung E, Jin W. Single cell analyses of cancer cells identified two regulatorily and functionally distinct categories in differentially expressed genes among tumor subclones. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28071. [PMID: 38524605 PMCID: PMC10958426 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28071] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
To explore the feature of cancer cells and tumor subclones, we analyzed 101,065 single-cell transcriptomes from 12 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and 92 single cell genomes from one of these patients. We found cancer cells, endothelial cells and stromal cells in tumor tissue expressed much more genes and had stronger cell-cell interactions than their counterparts in normal tissue. We identified copy number variations (CNVs) in each cancer cell and found correlation between gene copy number and expression level in cancer cells at single cell resolution. Analysis of tumor subclones inferred by CNVs showed accumulation of mutations in each tumor subclone along lineage trajectories. We found differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor subclones had two populations: DEGCNV and DEGreg. DEGCNV, showing high CNV-expression correlation and whose expression differences depend on the differences of CNV level, enriched in housekeeping genes and cell adhesion associated genes. DEGreg, showing low CNV-expression correlation and mainly in low CNV variation regions and regions without CNVs, enriched in cytokine signaling genes. Furthermore, cell-cell communication analyses showed that DEGCNV tends to involve in cell-cell contact while DEGreg tends to involve in secreted signaling, which further support that DEGCNV and DEGreg are two regulatorily and functionally distinct categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR
| | - Xuefei Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kaiwen Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Li
- Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiahong Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruqing Fu
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ni Hong
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Edwin Cheung
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR
| | - Wenfei Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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6
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Varghese E, Samuel SM, Brockmueller A, Shakibaei M, Kubatka P, Büsselberg D. B7-H3 at the crossroads between tumor plasticity and colorectal cancer progression: a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:115-133. [PMID: 37768439 PMCID: PMC11016009 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10137-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
B7-H3 (B7 homology 3 protein) is an important transmembrane immunoregulatory protein expressed in immune cells, antigen-presenting cells, and tumor cells. Studies reveal a multifaceted role of B7-H3 in tumor progression by modulating various cancer hallmarks involving angiogenesis, immune evasion, and tumor microenvironment, and it is also a promising candidate for cancer immunotherapy. In colorectal cancer (CRC), B7-H3 has been associated with various aspects of disease progression, such as evasion of tumor immune surveillance, tumor-node metastasis, and poor prognosis. Strategies to block or interfere with B7-H3 in its immunological and non-immunological functions are under investigation. In this study, we explore the role of B7-H3 in tumor plasticity, emphasizing tumor glucose metabolism, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, apoptosis, and changing immune signatures in the tumor immune landscape. We discuss how B7-H3-induced tumor plasticity contributes to immune evasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Furthermore, we delve into the most recent advancements in targeting B7-H3-based tumor immunotherapy as a potential approach to CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Varghese
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Samson Mathews Samuel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Aranka Brockmueller
- Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 11, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Mehdi Shakibaei
- Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 11, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Kubatka
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mala Hora 4, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Dietrich Büsselberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
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Bose A, Datta S, Mandal R, Ray U, Dhar R. Increased heterogeneity in expression of genes associated with cancer progression and drug resistance. Transl Oncol 2024; 41:101879. [PMID: 38262110 PMCID: PMC10832509 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101879] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluctuations in the number of regulatory molecules and differences in timings of molecular events can generate variation in gene expression among genetically identical cells in the same environmental condition. This variation, termed as expression noise, can create differences in metabolic state and cellular functions, leading to phenotypic heterogeneity. Expression noise and phenotypic heterogeneity have been recognized as important contributors to intra-tumor heterogeneity, and have been associated with cancer growth, progression, and therapy resistance. However, how expression noise changes with cancer progression in actual cancer patients has remained poorly explored. Such an analysis, through identification of genes with increasing expression noise, can provide valuable insights into generation of intra-tumor heterogeneity, and could have important implications for understanding immune-suppression, drug tolerance and therapy resistance. In this work, we performed a genome-wide identification of changes in gene expression noise with cancer progression using single-cell RNA-seq data of lung adenocarcinoma patients at different stages of cancer. We identified 37 genes in epithelial cells that showed an increasing noise trend with cancer progression, many of which were also associated with cancer growth, EMT and therapy resistance. We found that expression of several of these genes was positively associated with expression of mitochondrial genes, suggesting an important role of mitochondria in generation of heterogeneity. In addition, we uncovered substantial differences in sample-specific noise profiles which could have implications for personalized prognosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Bose
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Subhasis Datta
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Rakesh Mandal
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Upasana Ray
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
| | - Riddhiman Dhar
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India.
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8
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Xu T, Verhagen MP, Teeuwssen M, Sun W, Joosten R, Sacchetti A, Ewing-Graham PC, Jansen MPHM, Boere IA, Bryce NS, Zeng J, Treutlein HR, Hook J, Hardeman EC, Gunning PW, Fodde R. Tropomyosin1 isoforms underlie epithelial to mesenchymal plasticity, metastatic dissemination, and resistance to chemotherapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Cell Death Differ 2024; 31:360-377. [PMID: 38365970 PMCID: PMC10923901 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01267-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity, defined as the ability of individual cells with stable genotypes to exert different phenotypes upon exposure to specific environmental cues, represent the quintessential hallmark of the cancer cell en route from the primary lesion to distant organ sites where metastatic colonization will occur. Phenotypic plasticity is driven by a broad spectrum of epigenetic mechanisms that allow for the reversibility of epithelial-to-mesenchymal and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions (EMT/MET). By taking advantage of the co-existence of epithelial and quasi-mesenchymal cells within immortalized cancer cell lines, we have analyzed the role of EMT-related gene isoforms in the regulation of epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) in high grade serous ovarian cancer. When compared with colon cancer, a distinct spectrum of downstream targets characterizes quasi-mesenchymal ovarian cancer cells, likely to reflect the different modalities of metastasis formation between these two types of malignancy, i.e. hematogenous in colon and transcoelomic in ovarian cancer. Moreover, upstream RNA-binding proteins differentially expressed between epithelial and quasi-mesenchymal subpopulations of ovarian cancer cells were identified that underlie differential regulation of EMT-related isoforms. In particular, the up- and down-regulation of RBM24 and ESRP1, respectively, represent a main regulator of EMT in ovarian cancer cells. To validate the functional and clinical relevance of our approach, we selected and functionally analyzed the Tropomyosin 1 gene (TPM1), encoding for a protein that specifies the functional characteristics of individual actin filaments in contractile cells, among the ovarian-specific downstream AS targets. The low-molecular weight Tpm1.8/9 isoforms are specifically expressed in patient-derived ascites and promote invasion through activation of EMT and Wnt signaling, together with a broad spectrum of inflammation-related pathways. Moreover, Tpm1.8/9 expression confers resistance to taxane- and platinum-based chemotherapy. Small molecule inhibitors that target the Tpm1 isoforms support targeting Tpm1.8/9 as therapeutic targets for the development of future tailor-made clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Xu
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mathijs P Verhagen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miriam Teeuwssen
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis (ETZ), Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Institut Curie, Laboratory of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Paris, France
| | - Rosalie Joosten
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Sacchetti
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Maurice P H M Jansen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid A Boere
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole S Bryce
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Jun Zeng
- Computist Bio-NanoTech, Scoresby, VIC, 3179, Australia
| | - Herbert R Treutlein
- Computist Bio-NanoTech, Scoresby, VIC, 3179, Australia
- Sanoosa Pty. Ltd, Moonee Ponds, VIC, 3039, Australia
| | - Jeff Hook
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Edna C Hardeman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter W Gunning
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Riccardo Fodde
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Mecca M, Picerno S, Cortellino S. The Killer's Web: Interconnection between Inflammation, Epigenetics and Nutrition in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2750. [PMID: 38473997 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052750] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a key contributor to both the initiation and progression of tumors, and it can be triggered by genetic instability within tumors, as well as by lifestyle and dietary factors. The inflammatory response plays a critical role in the genetic and epigenetic reprogramming of tumor cells, as well as in the cells that comprise the tumor microenvironment. Cells in the microenvironment acquire a phenotype that promotes immune evasion, progression, and metastasis. We will review the mechanisms and pathways involved in the interaction between tumors, inflammation, and nutrition, the limitations of current therapies, and discuss potential future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisabel Mecca
- Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), 85028 Rionero in Vulture, PZ, Italy
| | - Simona Picerno
- Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), 85028 Rionero in Vulture, PZ, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cortellino
- Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, Responsible Research Hospital, 86100 Campobasso, CB, Italy
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM), Clinical and Translational Oncology, 80138 Naples, NA, Italy
- S.H.R.O. Italia Foundation ETS, 10060 Candiolo, TO, Italy
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10
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Sehgal M, Ramu S, Vaz JM, Ganapathy YR, Muralidharan S, Venkatraghavan S, Jolly MK. Characterizing heterogeneity along EMT and metabolic axes in colorectal cancer reveals underlying consensus molecular subtype-specific trends. Transl Oncol 2024; 40:101845. [PMID: 38029508 PMCID: PMC10698572 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101845] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly heterogeneous with variable survival outcomes and therapeutic vulnerabilities. A commonly used classification system in CRC is the Consensus Molecular Subtypes (CMS) based on gene expression patterns. However, how these CMS categories connect to axes of phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity remains unclear. Here, in our analysis of CMS-specific TCGA data and 101 bulk transcriptomic datasets, we found the epithelial phenotype score to be consistently positively correlated with scores of glycolysis, OXPHOS and FAO pathways, while PD-L1 activity scores positively correlated with mesenchymal phenotype scoring, revealing possible interconnections among plasticity axes. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of patient samples revealed that that CMS2 and CMS3 subtype samples were relatively more epithelial as compared to CMS1 and CMS4. CMS1 revealed two subpopulations: one close to CMS4 (more mesenchymal) and the other closer to CMS2 or CMS3 (more epithelial), indicating a partial EMT-like behavior. Consistent observations were made in single-cell analysis of metabolic axes and PD-L1 activity scores. Together, our results quantify the patterns of two functional interconnected axes of phenotypic heterogeneity - EMT and metabolic reprogramming - in a CMS-specific manner in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manas Sehgal
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Soundharya Ramu
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Joel Markus Vaz
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, United States
| | | | - Srinath Muralidharan
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | | | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
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11
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Gu M, Ren B, Fang Y, Ren J, Liu X, Wang X, Zhou F, Xiao R, Luo X, You L, Zhao Y. Epigenetic regulation in cancer. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e495. [PMID: 38374872 PMCID: PMC10876210 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications are defined as heritable changes in gene activity that do not involve changes in the underlying DNA sequence. The oncogenic process is driven by the accumulation of alterations that impact genome's structure and function. Genetic mutations, which directly disrupt the DNA sequence, are complemented by epigenetic modifications that modulate gene expression, thereby facilitating the acquisition of malignant characteristics. Principals among these epigenetic changes are shifts in DNA methylation and histone mark patterns, which promote tumor development and metastasis. Notably, the reversible nature of epigenetic alterations, as opposed to the permanence of genetic changes, positions the epigenetic machinery as a prime target in the discovery of novel therapeutics. Our review delves into the complexities of epigenetic regulation, exploring its profound effects on tumor initiation, metastatic behavior, metabolic pathways, and the tumor microenvironment. We place a particular emphasis on the dysregulation at each level of epigenetic modulation, including but not limited to, the aberrations in enzymes responsible for DNA methylation and histone modification, subunit loss or fusions in chromatin remodeling complexes, and the disturbances in higher-order chromatin structure. Finally, we also evaluate therapeutic approaches that leverage the growing understanding of chromatin dysregulation, offering new avenues for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhi Gu
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Bo Ren
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xiaohong Liu
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xing Wang
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Feihan Zhou
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Ruiling Xiao
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xiyuan Luo
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Lei You
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yupei Zhao
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
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12
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Fontana R, Mestre-Farrera A, Yang J. Update on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity in Cancer Progression. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2024; 19:133-156. [PMID: 37758242 PMCID: PMC10872224 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051222-122423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular process by which epithelial cells lose their characteristics and acquire mesenchymal traits to promote cell movement. This program is aberrantly activated in human cancers and endows tumor cells with increased abilities in tumor initiation, cell migration, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. The EMT program in tumors is rarely binary and often leads to a series of gradual or intermediate epithelial-mesenchymal states. Functionally, epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) improves the fitness of cancer cells during tumor progression and in response to therapies. Here, we discuss the most recent advances in our understanding of the diverse roles of EMP in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance and address major clinical challenges due to EMP-driven phenotypic heterogeneity in cancer. Uncovering novel molecular markers and key regulators of EMP in cancer will aid the development of new therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer recurrence and overcome therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Fontana
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA;
| | - Aida Mestre-Farrera
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA;
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA;
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA
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13
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Mehta A, Stanger BZ. Lineage Plasticity: The New Cancer Hallmark on the Block. Cancer Res 2024; 84:184-191. [PMID: 37963209 PMCID: PMC10841583 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Plasticity refers to the ability of cells to adopt a spectrum of states or phenotypes. In cancer, it is a critical contributor to tumor initiation, progression, invasiveness, and therapy resistance, and it has recently been recognized as an emerging cancer hallmark. Plasticity can occur as a result of cell-intrinsic factors (e.g., genetic, transcriptional, or epigenetic fluctuations), or through cell-extrinsic cues (e.g., signaling from components of the tumor microenvironment or selective pressure from therapy). Over the past decade, technological advances, analysis of patient samples, and studies in mouse model systems have led to a deeper understanding of how such plastic states come about. In this review, we discuss: (i) the definition of plasticity; (ii) methods to measure and quantify plasticity; (iii) the clinical relevance of plasticity; and (iv) therapeutic hypotheses to modulate plasticity in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnav Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Ben Z. Stanger
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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14
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Brisset M, Mehlen P, Meurette O, Hollande F. Notch receptor/ligand diversity: contribution to colorectal cancer stem cell heterogeneity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1231416. [PMID: 37860822 PMCID: PMC10582728 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1231416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cell heterogeneity is a key contributor to therapeutic failure and post-treatment recurrence. Targeting cell subpopulations responsible for chemoresistance and recurrence seems to be an attractive approach to improve treatment outcome in cancer patients. However, this remains challenging due to the complexity and incomplete characterization of tumor cell subpopulations. The heterogeneity of cells exhibiting stemness-related features, such as self-renewal and chemoresistance, fuels this complexity. Notch signaling is a known regulator of cancer stem cell (CSC) features in colorectal cancer (CRC), though the effects of its heterogenous signaling on CRC cell stemness are only just emerging. In this review, we discuss how Notch ligand-receptor specificity contributes to regulating stemness, self-renewal, chemoresistance and cancer stem cells heterogeneity in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Brisset
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Cancer Cell Death Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Patrick Mehlen
- Cancer Cell Death Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Olivier Meurette
- Cancer Cell Death Laboratory, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052-CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Frédéric Hollande
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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15
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Smit MM, Feller KJ, You L, Chien MP. Protocol for profiling in vitro intratumor heterogeneity using spatially annotated single-cell sequencing. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102447. [PMID: 37453069 PMCID: PMC10384656 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102447] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we present a protocol for spatially annotated single-cell sequencing, a technique for spatially profiling intratumor heterogeneity with deep single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell resolution. By combining live-cell imaging and photopatterned illumination, we describe steps to identify regions of interest in an in vitro tumor model, label the selected cells with photoactivatable dyes, and isolate and subject them to scRNAseq. This protocol can be applied to a range of cell lines and could be expanded to tissue sections. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Smit et al. (2022).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe M Smit
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kate J Feller
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Li You
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Miao-Ping Chien
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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16
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Lee CC, Yu CJ, Panda SS, Chen KC, Liang KH, Huang WC, Wang YS, Ho PC, Wu HC. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) regulates HGFR signaling to promote colon cancer progression and metastasis. J Transl Med 2023; 21:530. [PMID: 37543570 PMCID: PMC10404369 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04390-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is known to highly expression and promotes cancer progression in many cancer types, including colorectal cancer. While metastasis is one of the main causes of cancer treatment failure, the involvement of EpCAM signaling in metastatic processes is unclear. We propose the potential crosstalk of EpCAM signaling with the HGFR signaling in order to govern metastatic activity in colorectal cancer. METHODS Immunoprecipitation (IP), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was conducted to explore the extracellular domain of EpCAM (EpEX) and HGFR interaction. Western blotting was taken to determine the expression of proteins in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. The functions of EpEX in CRC were investigated by proliferation, migration, and invasion analysis. The combined therapy was validated via a tail vein injection method for the metastasis and orthotopic colon cancer models. RESULTS This study demonstrates that the EpEX binds to HGFR and induces downstream signaling in colon cancer cells. Moreover, EpEX and HGF cooperatively mediate HGFR signaling. Furthermore, EpEX enhances the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and metastatic potential of colon cancer cells by activating ERK and FAK-AKT signaling pathways, and it further stabilizes active β-catenin and Snail proteins by decreasing GSK3β activity. Finally, we show that the combined treatment of an anti-EpCAM neutralizing antibody (EpAb2-6) and an HGFR inhibitor (crizotinib) significantly inhibits tumor progression and prolongs survival in metastatic and orthotopic animal models of colon cancer. CONCLUSION Our findings illuminate the molecular mechanisms underlying EpCAM signaling promotion of colon cancer metastasis, further suggesting that the combination of EpAb2-6 and crizotinib may be an effective strategy for treating cancer patients with high EpCAM expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Chiu Lee
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Jui Yu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Sushree Shankar Panda
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Chi Chen
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Kang-Hao Liang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
- Biomedical Translation Research Center (BioTReC), Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Chen Huang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shiuan Wang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chin Ho
- Biomedical Translation Research Center (BioTReC), Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Han-Chung Wu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.
- Biomedical Translation Research Center (BioTReC), Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.
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17
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Li X, Poire A, Jeong KJ, Zhang D, Chen G, Sun C, Mills GB. Single-cell trajectory analysis reveals a CD9 positive state to contribute to exit from stem cell-like and embryonic diapause states and transit to drug-resistant states. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:285. [PMID: 37542044 PMCID: PMC10403509 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01586-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bromo- and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitors (BETi) have been shown to decrease tumor growth in preclinical models and clinical trials. However, toxicity and rapid emergence of resistance have limited their clinical implementation. To identify state changes underlying acquisition of resistance to the JQ1 BETi, we reanalyzed single-cell RNAseq data from JQ1 sensitive and resistant SUM149 and SUM159 triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. Parental and JQ1-resistant SUM149 and SUM159 exhibited a stem cell-like and embryonic diapause (SCLED) cell state as well as a transitional cell state between the SCLED state that is present in both treatment naïve and JQ1 treated cells, and a number of JQ1 resistant cell states. A transitional cell state transcriptional signature but not a SCLED state transcriptional signature predicted worsened outcomes in basal-like breast cancer patients suggesting that transit from the SCLED state to drug-resistant states contributes to patient outcomes. Entry of SUM149 and SUM159 into the transitional cell state was characterized by elevated expression of the CD9 tetraspanin. Knockdown or inhibition of CD9-sensitized cells to multiple targeted and cytotoxic drugs in vitro. Importantly, CD9 knockdown or blockade sensitized SUM149 to JQ1 in vivo by trapping cells in the SCLED state and limiting transit to resistant cell states. Thus, CD9 appears to be critical for the transition from a SCLED state into treatment-resistant cell states and warrants exploration as a therapeutic target in basal-like breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Li
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China.
| | - Alfonso Poire
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Kang Jin Jeong
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Dong Zhang
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Chaoyang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Division of Oncological Sciences Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
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18
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Lee J, Roh JL. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity: Implications for Ferroptosis Vulnerability and Cancer Therapy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 185:103964. [PMID: 36931615 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.103964] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers polarized to a mesenchymal or poorly differentiated state can often evade cell death induced by conventional therapies. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition is involved in lipid metabolism and increases polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in cancer cells, contributing to chemo- and radio-resistance. Altered metabolism in cancer enables invasion and metastasis but is prone to lipid peroxidation under oxidative stress. Cancers with mesenchymal rather than epithelial signatures are highly vulnerable to ferroptosis. Therapy-resistant persister cancer cells show a high mesenchymal cell state and dependence on the lipid peroxidase pathway, which can respond more sensitively to ferroptosis inducers. Cancer cells may survive under specific metabolic and oxidative stress conditions, and targeting this unique defense system can selectively kill only cancer cells. Therefore, this article summarizes the core regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis in cancer, the relationship between ferroptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, and the implications of epithelial-mesenchymal transition for ferroptosis-based cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaewang Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, General Graduate School, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Lyel Roh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, General Graduate School, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Shi ZD, Pang K, Wu ZX, Dong Y, Hao L, Qin JX, Wang W, Chen ZS, Han CH. Tumor cell plasticity in targeted therapy-induced resistance: mechanisms and new strategies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:113. [PMID: 36906600 PMCID: PMC10008648 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01383-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the success of targeted therapies in cancer treatment, therapy-induced resistance remains a major obstacle to a complete cure. Tumor cells evade treatments and relapse via phenotypic switching driven by intrinsic or induced cell plasticity. Several reversible mechanisms have been proposed to circumvent tumor cell plasticity, including epigenetic modifications, regulation of transcription factors, activation or suppression of key signaling pathways, as well as modification of the tumor environment. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, tumor cell and cancer stem cell formation also serve as roads towards tumor cell plasticity. Corresponding treatment strategies have recently been developed that either target plasticity-related mechanisms or employ combination treatments. In this review, we delineate the formation of tumor cell plasticity and its manipulation of tumor evasion from targeted therapy. We discuss the non-genetic mechanisms of targeted drug-induced tumor cell plasticity in various types of tumors and provide insights into the contribution of tumor cell plasticity to acquired drug resistance. New therapeutic strategies such as inhibition or reversal of tumor cell plasticity are also presented. We also discuss the multitude of clinical trials that are ongoing worldwide with the intention of improving clinical outcomes. These advances provide a direction for developing novel therapeutic strategies and combination therapy regimens that target tumor cell plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Duo Shi
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Urology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Kun Pang
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhuo-Xun Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Yang Dong
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Hao
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jia-Xin Qin
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Medical College, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | - Cong-Hui Han
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China. .,Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. .,School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Jiangsu, China. .,Department of Urology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Heilongjiang, China.
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20
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Simple Detection and Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells from Colorectal Cancer Patients Using Poly(2-Methoxyethyl Acrylate)-Coated Plates. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043949. [PMID: 36835361 PMCID: PMC9959032 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we aimed to establish a simple detection method for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood sample of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients using poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA)-coated plates. Adhesion test and spike test using CRC cell lines assured efficacy of PMEA coating. A total of 41 patients with pathological stage II-IV CRC were enrolled between January 2018 and September 2022. Blood samples were concentrated by centrifugation by the OncoQuick tube, and then incubated overnight on PMEA-coated chamber slides. The next day, cell culture and immunocytochemistry with anti-EpCAM antibody were performed. Adhesion tests revealed good attachment of CRCs to PMEA-coated plates. Spike tests indicated that ~75% of CRCs from a 10-mL blood sample were recovered on the slides. By cytological examination, CTCs were identified in 18/41 CRC cases (43.9%). In cell cultures, spheroid-like structures or tumor-cell clusters were found in 18/33 tested cases (54.5%). Overall, CTCs and/or growing circulating tumor cells were found in 23/41 CRC cases (56.0%). History of chemotherapy or radiation was significantly negatively correlated with CTC detection (p = 0.02). In summary, we successfully captured CTCs from CRC patients using the unique biomaterial PMEA. Cultured tumor cells will provide important and timely information regarding the molecular basis of CTCs.
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21
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Feinberg AP, Levchenko A. Epigenetics as a mediator of plasticity in cancer. Science 2023; 379:eaaw3835. [PMID: 36758093 PMCID: PMC10249049 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw3835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
The concept of an epigenetic landscape describing potential cellular fates arising from pluripotent cells, first advanced by Conrad Waddington, has evolved in light of experiments showing nondeterministic outcomes of regulatory processes and mathematical methods for quantifying stochasticity. In this Review, we discuss modern approaches to epigenetic and gene regulation landscapes and the associated ideas of entropy and attractor states, illustrating how their definitions are both more precise and relevant to understanding cancer etiology and the plasticity of cancerous states. We address the interplay between different types of regulatory landscapes and how their changes underlie cancer progression. We also consider the roles of cellular aging and intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli in modulating cellular states and how landscape alterations can be quantitatively mapped onto phenotypic outcomes and thereby used in therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Feinberg
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Andre Levchenko
- Yale Systems Biology Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
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22
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Canciello A, Cerveró-Varona A, Peserico A, Mauro A, Russo V, Morrione A, Giordano A, Barboni B. "In medio stat virtus": Insights into hybrid E/M phenotype attitudes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1038841. [PMID: 36467417 PMCID: PMC9715750 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1038841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) refers to the ability of cells to dynamically interconvert between epithelial (E) and mesenchymal (M) phenotypes, thus generating an array of hybrid E/M intermediates with mixed E and M features. Recent findings have demonstrated how these hybrid E/M rather than fully M cells play key roles in most of physiological and pathological processes involving EMT. To this regard, the onset of hybrid E/M state coincides with the highest stemness gene expression and is involved in differentiation of either normal and cancer stem cells. Moreover, hybrid E/M cells are responsible for wound healing and create a favorable immunosuppressive environment for tissue regeneration. Nevertheless, hybrid state is responsible of metastatic process and of the increasing of survival, apoptosis and therapy resistance in cancer cells. The present review aims to describe the main features and the emerging concepts regulating EMP and the formation of E/M hybrid intermediates by describing differences and similarities between cancer and normal hybrid stem cells. In particular, the comprehension of hybrid E/M cells biology will surely advance our understanding of their features and how they could be exploited to improve tissue regeneration and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Canciello
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Adrián Cerveró-Varona
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessia Peserico
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Annunziata Mauro
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Valentina Russo
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Andrea Morrione
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO), Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Barbara Barboni
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
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23
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Network topology metrics explaining enrichment of hybrid epithelial mesenchymal phenotypes in metastasis. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010687. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and its reverse—Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transition (MET) are hallmarks of metastasis. Cancer cells use this reversible cellular programming to switch among Epithelial (E), Mesenchymal (M), and hybrid Epithelial/Mesenchymal (hybrid E/M) state(s) and seed tumors at distant sites. Hybrid E/M cells are often more aggressive and metastatic than the “pure” E and M cells. Thus, identifying mechanisms to inhibit hybrid E/M cells can be promising in curtailing metastasis. While multiple gene regulatory networks (GRNs) based mathematical models for EMT/MET have been developed recently, identifying topological signatures enriching hybrid E/M phenotypes remains to be done. Here, we investigate the dynamics of 13 different GRNs and report an interesting association between “hybridness” and the number of negative/positive feedback loops across the networks. While networks having more negative feedback loops favor hybrid phenotype(s), networks having more positive feedback loops (PFLs) or many HiLoops–specific combinations of PFLs, support terminal (E and M) phenotypes. We also establish a connection between “hybridness” and network-frustration by showing that hybrid phenotypes likely result from non-reinforcing interactions among network nodes (genes) and therefore tend to be more frustrated (less stable). Our analysis, thus, identifies network topology-based signatures that can give rise to, as well as prevent, the emergence of hybrid E/M phenotype in GRNs underlying EMP. Our results can have implications in terms of targeting specific interactions in GRNs as a potent way to restrict switching to the hybrid E/M phenotype(s) to curtail metastasis.
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24
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Küçükköse E, Peters NA, Ubink I, van Keulen VAM, Daghighian R, Verheem A, Laoukili J, Kranenburg O. KIT promotes tumor stroma formation and counteracts tumor-suppressive TGFβ signaling in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:617. [PMID: 35842424 PMCID: PMC9288482 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05078-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Expression profiling has identified four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS1-4) in colorectal cancer (CRC). The receptor tyrosine kinase KIT has been associated with the most aggressive subtype, CMS4. However, it is unclear whether, and how, KIT contributes to the aggressive features of CMS4 CRC. Here, we employed genome-editing technologies in patient-derived organoids (PDOs) to study KIT function in CRC in vitro and in vivo. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of the KIT gene caused a partial mesenchymal-to-epithelial phenotype switch and a strong reduction of intra-tumor stromal content. Vice versa, overexpression of KIT caused a partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal phenotype switch, a strong increase of intra-tumor stromal content, and high expression of TGFβ1. Surprisingly, the levels of phosphorylated SMAD2 were significantly lower in KIT-expressing versus KIT-deficient tumor cells. In vitro analyses showed that TGFβ signaling in PDOs limits their regenerative capacity. Overexpression of KIT prevented tumor-suppressive TGFβ signaling, while KIT deletion sensitized PDOs to TGFβ-mediated growth inhibition. Mechanistically, we found that KIT expression caused a strong reduction in the expression of SMAD2, a central mediator of canonical TGFβ signaling. We propose that KIT induces a pro-fibrotic tumor microenvironment by stimulating TGFβ expression, and protects the tumor cells from tumor-suppressive TGFβ signaling by inhibiting SMAD2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Küçükköse
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Niek A. Peters
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Inge Ubink
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Veere A. M. van Keulen
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roxanna Daghighian
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - André Verheem
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jamila Laoukili
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Onno Kranenburg
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Laboratory Translational Oncology, Division of Imaging and Cancer, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
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25
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Zhuang Y, Zhou J, Liu S, Wang Q, Qian J, Zou X, Peng H, Xue T, Jin Z, Wu C. Yiqi Jianpi Huayu Jiedu Decoction Inhibits Metastasis of Colon Adenocarcinoma by Reversing Hsa-miR-374a-3p/Wnt3/β-Catenin-Mediated Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Cellular Plasticity. Front Oncol 2022; 12:904911. [PMID: 35837105 PMCID: PMC9273741 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.904911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) accounts for 95% of colon cancer cases, with the 5-year survival rate significantly affected by local or distant metastases. Yiqi Jianpi Huayu Jiedu decoction (YJHJD), based on the theory of “nourish qi, invigorate the spleen, remove blood stasis, and detoxify”, has long been applied and shown to be remarkable in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. However, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of YJHJD have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we first confirmed hsa-miR-374a-3p as a tumor suppressor based on its lower expression in the plasma of patients with COAD with liver metastasis and association with more advanced local progression. We also verified WNT3 as a potential target of hsa-miR-374a-3p and observed its increased expression in COAD tissues. Furthermore, we showed that the hsa-miR-374a-3p/Wnt3/β-catenin axis was responsible for epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cellular plasticity in COAD, as well as poorer patient prognosis. Our results showed that YJHJD inhibited motility and colony potential in vitro, as well as liver metastasis of COAD in vivo. Moreover, YJHJD induced a reversal of EMT and cellular plasticity-related molecular expression, increased hsa-miR-374a-3p, and decreased Wnt3 and β-catenin levels. In addition, silencing of hsa-miR-374a-3p weakened YJHJD inhibition, whereas the β-catenin inhibitor XAV939 partially repaired it. Taken together, these results demonstrated that YJHJD suppressed the EMT and cellular plasticity of COAD by regulating hsa-miR-374a-3p/Wnt3/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwen Zhuang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinyong Zhou
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shenlin Liu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Qian
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xi Zou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Haiyan Peng
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Tian Xue
- Department of Education, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhichao Jin
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Cunen Wu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Cunen Wu,
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26
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Bocci F, Schneider-Stock R, Banerjee S. Editorial: Epithelial to Mesenchymal Plasticity in Colorectal Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:950980. [PMID: 35813213 PMCID: PMC9260675 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.950980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Bocci
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Regine Schneider-Stock
- Experimental Tumorpathology, Institute of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center-EMN (CCC), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sreeparna Banerjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- *Correspondence: Sreeparna Banerjee,
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27
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Cancer: More than a geneticist’s Pandora’s box. J Biosci 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-022-00254-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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28
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Suarez-Martinez E, Suazo-Sanchez I, Celis-Romero M, Carnero A. 3D and organoid culture in research: physiology, hereditary genetic diseases and cancer. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:39. [PMID: 35365227 PMCID: PMC8973959 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00775-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In nature, cells reside in tissues subject to complex cell–cell interactions, signals from extracellular molecules and niche soluble and mechanical signaling. These microenvironment interactions are responsible for cellular phenotypes and functions, especially in normal settings. However, in 2D cultures, where interactions are limited to the horizontal plane, cells are exposed uniformly to factors or drugs; therefore, this model does not reconstitute the interactions of a natural microenvironment. 3D culture systems more closely resemble the architectural and functional properties of in vivo tissues. In these 3D cultures, the cells are exposed to different concentrations of nutrients, growth factors, oxygen or cytotoxic agents depending on their localization and communication. The 3D architecture also differentially alters the physiological, biochemical, and biomechanical properties that can affect cell growth, cell survival, differentiation and morphogenesis, cell migration and EMT properties, mechanical responses and therapy resistance. This latter point may, in part, explain the failure of current therapies and affect drug discovery research. Organoids are a promising 3D culture system between 2D cultures and in vivo models that allow the manipulation of signaling pathways and genome editing of cells in a body-like environment but lack the many disadvantages of a living system. In this review, we will focus on the role of stem cells in the establishment of organoids and the possible therapeutic applications of this model, especially in the field of cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Suarez-Martinez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Universidad de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av Manuel Siurot sn, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.,CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Suazo-Sanchez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Universidad de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av Manuel Siurot sn, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.,CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Celis-Romero
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Universidad de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av Manuel Siurot sn, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.,CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amancio Carnero
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Universidad de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av Manuel Siurot sn, 41013, Sevilla, Spain. .,CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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29
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Liu Y, Zhou WL. LINC01315 accelerates the growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of colorectal cancer cells via activating the Wnt/β-catenin signal. Bioengineered 2022; 13:8396-8406. [PMID: 35322763 PMCID: PMC9161960 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2044275] [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] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) have been corroborated. To date, the pathological contributions of LINC01315 in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) property of CRC are still ambiguous. By silencing LINC01315, we disclosed that LINC01315 promoted the growth, metastatic characteristics, and the EMT of CRC cells in vitro. Mechanistically, LINC01315 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. LINC01315 bound to the β-catenin promoter and activated its transcription. In rescue experiments, ectopic overexpression of β-catenin counteracted the inhibiting effector-triggered by LINC01315 deletion. In summary, this preliminary study brings new insights to the pathological significance of the LINC01315/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangrao County People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong, China
| | - Wen Li Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangrao County People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong, China
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30
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Strating E, Wassenaar E, Verhagen M, Rauwerdink P, van Schelven S, de Hingh I, Rinkes IB, Boerma D, Witkamp A, Lacle M, Fodde R, Volckmann R, Koster J, Stedingk K, Giesel F, de Roos R, Poot A, Bol G, Lam M, Elias S, Kranenburg O. Fibroblast activation protein identifies Consensus Molecular Subtype 4 in colorectal cancer and allows its detection by 68Ga-FAPI-PET imaging. Br J Cancer 2022; 127:145-155. [PMID: 35296803 PMCID: PMC9276750 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01748-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In colorectal cancer (CRC), the consensus molecular subtype 4 (CMS4) is associated with therapy resistance and poor prognosis. Clinical diagnosis of CMS4 is hampered by locoregional and temporal variables influencing CMS classification. Diagnostic tools that comprehensively detect CMS4 are therefore urgently needed. Methods To identify targets for molecular CMS4 imaging, RNA sequencing data of 3232 primary CRC patients were explored. Heterogeneity of marker expression in relation to CMS4 status was assessed by analysing 3–5 tumour regions and 91.103 single-tumour cells (7 and 29 tumours, respectively). Candidate marker expression was validated in CMS4 peritoneal metastases (PM; n = 59). Molecular imaging was performed using the 68Ga-DOTA-FAPI-46 PET tracer. Results Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) mRNA identified CMS4 with very high sensitivity and specificity (AUROC > 0.91), and was associated with significantly shorter relapse-free survival (P = 0.0038). Heterogeneous expression of FAP among and within tumour lesions correlated with CMS4 heterogeneity (AUROC = 1.00). FAP expression was homogeneously high in PM, a near-homogeneous CMS4 entity. FAPI-PET identified focal and diffuse PM that were missed using conventional imaging. Extra-peritoneal metastases displayed extensive heterogeneity of tracer uptake. Conclusion FAP expression identifies CMS4 CRC. FAPI-PET may have value in the comprehensive detection of CMS4 tumours in CRC. This is especially relevant in patients with PM, for whom effective imaging tools are currently lacking. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Strating
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Wassenaar
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Surgery, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | | | - Paulien Rauwerdink
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Surgery, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne van Schelven
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ignace de Hingh
- Department of Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Inne Borel Rinkes
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Djamila Boerma
- Department of Surgery, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Arjen Witkamp
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Miangela Lacle
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Fodde
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Richard Volckmann
- Department of Oncogenomics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Koster
- Department of Oncogenomics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kris Stedingk
- Department of Oncogenomics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frederik Giesel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, University Hospital Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Remmert de Roos
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alex Poot
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Guus Bol
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marnix Lam
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Sjoerd Elias
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Onno Kranenburg
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Lab Translational Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. .,Utrecht Platform for Organoid Technology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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31
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Smit MM, Feller KJ, You L, Storteboom J, Begce Y, Beerens C, Chien MP. Spatially Annotated Single Cell Sequencing for Unraveling Intratumor Heterogeneity. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:829509. [PMID: 35273957 PMCID: PMC8902076 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.829509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Intratumor heterogeneity is a major obstacle to effective cancer treatment. Current methods to study intratumor heterogeneity using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) lack information on the spatial organization of cells. While state-of-the art spatial transcriptomics methods capture the spatial distribution, they either lack single cell resolution or have relatively low transcript counts. Here, we introduce spatially annotated single cell sequencing, based on the previously developed functional single cell sequencing (FUNseq) technique, to spatially profile tumor cells with deep scRNA-seq and single cell resolution. Using our approach, we profiled cells located at different distances from the center of a 2D epithelial cell mass. By profiling the cell patch in concentric bands of varying width, we showed that cells at the outermost edge of the patch responded strongest to their local microenvironment, behaved most invasively, and activated the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to migrate to low-confluence areas. We inferred cell-cell communication networks and demonstrated that cells in the outermost ∼10 cell wide band, which we termed the invasive edge, induced similar phenotypic plasticity in neighboring regions. Applying FUNseq to spatially annotate and profile tumor cells enables deep characterization of tumor subpopulations, thereby unraveling the mechanistic basis for intratumor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe M. Smit
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kate J. Feller
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Li You
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jelle Storteboom
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yasin Begce
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Cecile Beerens
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Miao-Ping Chien
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Miao-Ping Chien,
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Pan D, Jia D. Application of Single-Cell Multi-Omics in Dissecting Cancer Cell Plasticity and Tumor Heterogeneity. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:757024. [PMID: 34722635 PMCID: PMC8554142 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.757024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor heterogeneity, a hallmark of cancer, impairs the efficacy of cancer therapy and drives tumor progression. Exploring inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity not only provides insights into tumor development and progression, but also guides the design of personalized therapies. Previously, high-throughput sequencing techniques have been used to investigate the heterogeneity of tumor ecosystems. However, they could not provide a high-resolution landscape of cellular components in tumor ecosystem. Recently, advance in single-cell technologies has provided an unprecedented resolution to uncover the intra-tumoral heterogeneity by profiling the transcriptomes, genomes, proteomes and epigenomes of the cellular components and also their spatial distribution, which greatly accelerated the process of basic and translational cancer research. Importantly, it has been demonstrated that some cancer cells are able to transit between different states in order to adapt to the changing tumor microenvironment, which led to increased cellular plasticity and tumor heterogeneity. Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving cancer cell plasticity is critical for developing precision therapies. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in dissecting the cancer cell plasticity and tumor heterogeneity by use of single-cell multi-omics techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deshen Pan
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biology, Department of Urology, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Deshui Jia
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biology, Department of Urology, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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