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Everest‐Dass A, Nersisyan S, Maar H, Novosad V, Schröder‐Schwarz J, Freytag V, Stuke JL, Beine MC, Schiecke A, Haider M, Kriegs M, Elakad O, Bohnenberger H, Conradi L, Raygorodskaya M, Krause L, von Itzstein M, Tonevitsky A, Schumacher U, Maltseva D, Wicklein D, Lange T. Spontaneous metastasis xenograft models link CD44 isoform 4 to angiogenesis, hypoxia, EMT and mitochondria-related pathways in colorectal cancer. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:62-90. [PMID: 37849446 PMCID: PMC10766209 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematogenous metastasis limits the survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Here, we illuminated the roles of CD44 isoforms in this process. Isoforms 3 and 4 were predominantly expressed in CRC patients. CD44 isoform 4 indicated poor outcome and correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and decreased oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) in patients; opposite associations were found for isoform 3. Pan-CD44 knockdown (kd) independently impaired primary tumor formation and abrogated distant metastasis in CRC xenografts. The xenograft tumors mainly expressed the clinically relevant CD44 isoforms 3 and 4. Both isoforms were enhanced in the paranecrotic, hypoxic tumor regions but were generally absent in lung metastases. Upon CD44 kd, tumor angiogenesis was increased in the paranecrotic areas, accompanied by reduced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and CEACAM5 but increased E-cadherin expression. Mitochondrial genes and proteins were induced upon pan-CD44 kd, as were OxPhos genes. Hypoxia increased VEGF release from tumor spheres, particularly upon CD44 kd. Genes affected upon CD44 kd in xenografts specifically overlapped concordantly with genes correlating with CD44 isoform 4 (but not isoform 3) in patients, validating the clinical relevance of the used model and highlighting the metastasis-promoting role of CD44 isoform 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Everest‐Dass
- Institute for GlycomicsGriffith University, Gold Coast CampusAustralia
| | - Stepan Nersisyan
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
- Institute of Molecular BiologyThe National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of ArmeniaYerevanArmenia
- Armenian Bioinformatics Institute (ABI)YerevanArmenia
- Present address:
Computational Medicine CenterThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Hanna Maar
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Victor Novosad
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
| | | | - Vera Freytag
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Johanna L. Stuke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Mia C. Beine
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Alina Schiecke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Marie‐Therese Haider
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Malte Kriegs
- Department of Radiobiology and Radiation OncologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Omar Elakad
- Institute of PathologyUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGermany
| | | | - Lena‐Christin Conradi
- Clinic for General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGermany
| | | | - Linda Krause
- Institute of Medical Biometry and EpidemiologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for GlycomicsGriffith University, Gold Coast CampusAustralia
| | - Alexander Tonevitsky
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Art Photonics GmbHBerlinGermany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
- Medical School BerlinGermany
| | - Diana Maltseva
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - Daniel Wicklein
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyUniversity of MarburgGermany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
- Institute of Anatomy IJena University HospitalGermany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG)Jena and LeipzigGermany
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Genduso S, Freytag V, Schetler D, Kirchner L, Schiecke A, Maar H, Wicklein D, Gebauer F, Bröker K, Stürken C, Milde-Langosch K, Oliveira-Ferrer L, Ricklefs FL, Ewald F, Wolters-Eisfeld G, Riecken K, Unrau L, Krause L, Bohnenberger H, Offermann A, Perner S, Sebens S, Lamszus K, Diehl L, Linder S, Jücker M, Schumacher U, Lange T. Tumor cell integrin β4 and tumor stroma E-/P-selectin cooperatively regulate tumor growth in vivo. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:23. [PMID: 36932441 PMCID: PMC10022201 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01413-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immunological composition of the tumor microenvironment has a decisive influence on the biological course of cancer and is therefore of profound clinical relevance. In this study, we analyzed the cooperative effects of integrin β4 (ITGB4) on tumor cells and E-/P-selectin on endothelial cells within the tumor stroma for regulating tumor growth by shaping the local and systemic immune environment. METHODS We used several preclinical mouse models for different solid human cancer types (xenograft and syngeneic) to explore the role of ITGB4 (shRNA-mediated knockdown in tumor cells) and E-/P-selectins (knockout in mice) for tumor growth; effects on apoptosis, proliferation and intratumoral signaling pathways were determined by histological and biochemical methods and 3D in vitro experiments; changes in the intratumoral and systemic immune cell composition were determined by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry; chemokine levels and their attracting potential were measured by ELISA and 3D invasion assays. RESULTS We observed a very robust synergism between ITGB4 and E-/P-selectin for the regulation of tumor growth, accompanied by an increased recruitment of CD11b+ Gr-1Hi cells with low granularity (i.e., myeloid-derived suppressor cells, MDSCs) specifically into ITGB4-depleted tumors. ITGB4-depleted tumors undergo apoptosis and actively attract MDSCs, well-known to promote tumor growth in several cancers, via increased secretion of different chemokines. MDSC trafficking into tumors crucially depends on E-/P-selectin expression. Analyses of clinical samples confirmed an inverse relationship between ITGB4 expression in tumors and number of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a distinct vulnerability of ITGB4Lo tumors for MDSC-directed immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Genduso
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vera Freytag
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Schetler
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lennart Kirchner
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alina Schiecke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hanna Maar
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy I, Cancer Center Central Germany, Jena University Hospital, Teichgraben 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Daniel Wicklein
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Marburg, Robert-Koch-Strasse 8, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Florian Gebauer
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Katharina Bröker
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christine Stürken
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Medical University, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karin Milde-Langosch
- Department of Gynecology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Franz L Ricklefs
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Ewald
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerrit Wolters-Eisfeld
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Research Institute Childrens' Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kristoffer Riecken
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ludmilla Unrau
- Institue of Experimental Immunology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Linda Krause
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anne Offermann
- Institute of Pathology, University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sven Perner
- Institute of Pathology, University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Susanne Sebens
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University (CAU) and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, 24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - Katrin Lamszus
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Linda Diehl
- Institue of Experimental Immunology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Linder
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Jücker
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
- Medical School Berlin, Leipziger Platz 10, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
- Institute of Anatomy I, Cancer Center Central Germany, Jena University Hospital, Teichgraben 7, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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Nersisyan S, Ahlers AK, Lange T, Wicklein D, Galatenko A, Bohnenberger H, Elakad O, Conradi LC, Genduso S, Maar H, Schiecke A, Maltseva D, Raygorodskaya M, Makarova J, Schumacher U, Tonevitsky A. Low expression of CD24 is associated with poor survival in colorectal cancer. Biochimie 2021; 192:91-101. [PMID: 34637894 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In this study we analyzed expression of CD24 in a cohort of colorectal cancer patients using immunohistochemistry staining of CD24. We found a significant association between absence or low expression of CD24 (10% of membranous and 55% of cytoplasmic staining) and shortened patient survival. Protein localization played a crucial role in the prognosis: membranous form was the major and prognostic one in primary tumors, while cytoplasmic expression was elevated in liver metastases compared to the primary tumors and contained prognostic information. Then, using The Cancer Genome Atlas Colon Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-COAD) RNA-seq data, we showed that CD24 mRNA level was two-fold decreased in primary colorectal cancers compared to adjacent normal mucosa. Like the protein staining data, ten percent of patients with the lowest mRNA expression levels of CD24 in primary tumors had reduced survival compared to the ones with higher expression. To explain these findings mechanistically, shRNA-mediated CD24 knockdown was performed in HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. It resulted in the increase of cell migration in vitro, no changes in proliferation and apoptosis, and a slight decrease in cell invasion. As increased cell migration is a hallmark of metastasis formation, this finding corroborates the association of a decreased CD24 expression with poor prognosis. Differential gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of genes involved in cell migration in the group of patients with low CD24 expression, including integrin subunit α3 and α3, β3 subunits of laminin 332. Further co-expression analysis identified SPI1, STAT1 and IRF1 transcription factors as putative master-regulators in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stepan Nersisyan
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; SRC Bioclinicum, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ann-Kristin Ahlers
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Wicklein
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexei Galatenko
- Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; Moscow Center for Fundamental and Applied Mathematics, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Omar Elakad
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lena-Christin Conradi
- Clinic for General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Genduso
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hanna Maar
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alina Schiecke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Diana Maltseva
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; SRC Bioclinicum, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Raygorodskaya
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; SRC Bioclinicum, Moscow, Russia
| | - Julia Makarova
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Tonevitsky
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; SRC Bioclinicum, Moscow, Russia.
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Kemper M, Schiecke A, Maar H, Nikulin S, Poloznikov A, Galatenko V, Tachezy M, Gebauer F, Lange T, Riecken K, Tonevitsky A, Aigner A, Izbicki J, Schumacher U, Wicklein D. Integrin alpha-V is an important driver in pancreatic adenocarcinoma progression. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:214. [PMID: 34174926 PMCID: PMC8235815 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01946-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Background Mesothelial E- and P-selectins substantially mediate the intraperitoneal spread of Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells in xenograft models. In the absence of selectins in the host, the integrin subunit alpha-V (ITGAV, CD51) was upregulated in the remaining metastatic deposits. Here we present the first experimental study to investigate if ITGAV plays a functional role in PDA tumor growth and progression with a particular focus on intraperitoneal carcinomatosis. Methods Knockdown of ITGAV was generated using an RNA interference-mediated approach in two PDA cell lines. Tumor growth, intraperitoneal and distant metastasis were analyzed in a xenograft model. Cell lines were characterized in vitro. Gene expression of the xenograft tumors was analyzed. Patient samples were histologically classified and associations to survival were evaluated. Results The knockdown of ITGAV in PDA cells strongly reduces primary tumor growth, peritoneal carcinomatosis and spontaneous pulmonary metastasis. ITGAV activates latent TGF-β and thereby drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Combined depletion of ITGAV on the tumor cells and E- and P-selectins in the tumor-host synergistically almost abolishes intraperitoneal spread. Accordingly, high expression of ITGAV in PDA cells was associated with reduced survival in patients. Conclusion Combined depletion of ITGAV in PDA cells and E- and P-selectins in host mice massively suppresses intraperitoneal carcinomatosis of PDA cells xenografted into immunodeficient mice, confirming the hypothesis of a partly redundant adhesion cascade of metastasizing cancer cells. Our data strongly encourage developing novel therapeutic approaches for the combined targeting of E- and P-selectins and ITGAV in PDA. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-01946-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Kemper
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. .,Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Alina Schiecke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hanna Maar
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sergey Nikulin
- Dmitry Rogachev Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Poloznikov
- Dmitry Rogachev Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir Galatenko
- Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Michael Tachezy
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Gebauer
- Department of General, Visceral and Tumor Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kristoffer Riecken
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Tonevitsky
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Higher School of Economics University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Achim Aigner
- Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jakob Izbicki
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Wicklein
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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