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Verdura S, Encinar JA, Gratchev A, Llop-Hernández À, López J, Serrano-Hervás E, Teixidor E, López-Bonet E, Martin-Castillo B, Micol V, Bosch-Barrera J, Cuyàs E, Menendez JA. Silibinin is a suppressor of the metastasis-promoting transcription factor ID3. Phytomedicine 2024; 128:155493. [PMID: 38484626 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155493] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ID3 (inhibitor of DNA binding/differentiation-3) is a transcription factor that enables metastasis by promoting stem cell-like properties in endothelial and tumor cells. The milk thistle flavonolignan silibinin is a phytochemical with anti-metastatic potential through largely unknown mechanisms. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE We have mechanistically investigated the ability of silibinin to inhibit the aberrant activation of ID3 in brain endothelium and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) models. METHODS Bioinformatic analyses were performed to investigate the co-expression correlation between ID3 and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) ligands/BMP receptors (BMPRs) genes in NSCLC patient datasets. ID3 expression was assessed by immunoblotting and qRT-PCR. Luciferase reporter assays were used to evaluate the gene sequences targeted by silibinin to regulate ID3 transcription. In silico computational modeling and LanthaScreen TR-FRET kinase assays were used to characterize and validate the BMPR inhibitory activity of silibinin. Tumor tissues from NSCLC xenograft models treated with oral silibinin were used to evaluate the in vivo anti-ID3 effects of silibinin. RESULTS Analysis of lung cancer patient datasets revealed a top-ranked positive association of ID3 with the BMP9 endothelial receptor ACVRL1/ALK1 and the BMP ligand BMP6. Silibinin treatment blocked the BMP9-induced activation of the ALK1-phospho-SMAD1/5-ID3 axis in brain endothelial cells. Constitutive, acquired, and adaptive expression of ID3 in NSCLC cells were all significantly downregulated in response to silibinin. Silibinin blocked ID3 transcription via BMP-responsive elements in ID3 gene enhancers. Silibinin inhibited the kinase activities of BMPRs in the micromolar range, with the lower IC50 values occurring against ACVRL1/ALK1 and BMPR2. In an in vivo NSCLC xenograft model, tumoral overexpression of ID3 was completely suppressed by systematically achievable oral doses of silibinin. CONCLUSIONS ID3 is a largely undruggable metastasis-promoting transcription factor. Silibinin is a novel suppressor of ID3 that may be explored as a novel therapeutic approach to interfere with the metastatic dissemination capacity of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Verdura
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - José Antonio Encinar
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), Elche 03202, Spain
| | - Alexei Gratchev
- Laboratory for Tumor Stromal Cell Biology, Institute of Carcinogenesis, Nikolaj Nikolajevich (N.N.) Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow 115478, Russia
| | - Àngela Llop-Hernández
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Júlia López
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Eila Serrano-Hervás
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Eduard Teixidor
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGir-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Department of Anatomical Pathology, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona 17007, Spain
| | - Begoña Martin-Castillo
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain
| | - Vicente Micol
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), Elche 03202, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Joaquim Bosch-Barrera
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGir-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Department of Medical Sciences, Medical School, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Cuyàs
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Javier A Menendez
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain.
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2
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Temprana-Salvador J, López-García P, Castellví Vives J, de Haro L, Ballesta E, Rojas Abusleme M, Arrufat M, Marques F, Casas JR, Gallego C, Pons L, Mate JL, Fernández PL, López-Bonet E, Bosch R, Martínez S, Ramón y Cajal S, Matias-Guiu X. DigiPatICS: Digital Pathology Transformation of the Catalan Health Institute Network of 8 Hospitals—Planification, Implementation, and Preliminary Results. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12040852. [PMID: 35453900 PMCID: PMC9025604 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12040852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Complete digital pathology transformation for primary histopathological diagnosis is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. Its advantages are clear with more efficient workflows, but there are many technical and functional difficulties to be faced. The Catalan Health Institute (ICS) has started its DigiPatICS project, aiming to deploy digital pathology in an integrative, holistic, and comprehensive way within a network of 8 hospitals, over 168 pathologists, and over 1 million slides each year. We describe the bidding process and the careful planning that was required, followed by swift implementation in stages. The purpose of the DigiPatICS project is to increase patient safety and quality of care, improving diagnosis and the efficiency of processes in the pathological anatomy departments of the ICS through process improvement, digital pathology, and artificial intelligence tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Temprana-Salvador
- Department of Pathology, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, CIBERONC, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (J.C.V.); (S.R.y.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-93-274-68-09
| | - Pablo López-García
- Functional Competence Center, Information Systems, Catalan Health Institute (Institut Català de la Salut), 08006 Barcelona, Spain; (P.L.-G.); (L.d.H.); (E.B.)
| | - Josep Castellví Vives
- Department of Pathology, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, CIBERONC, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (J.C.V.); (S.R.y.C.)
| | - Lluís de Haro
- Functional Competence Center, Information Systems, Catalan Health Institute (Institut Català de la Salut), 08006 Barcelona, Spain; (P.L.-G.); (L.d.H.); (E.B.)
| | - Eudald Ballesta
- Functional Competence Center, Information Systems, Catalan Health Institute (Institut Català de la Salut), 08006 Barcelona, Spain; (P.L.-G.); (L.d.H.); (E.B.)
| | - Matias Rojas Abusleme
- Center for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Centre de Telecomunicacions i Tecnologies de la Informació, CTTI), Catalan Health Institute (Institut Català de la Salut), 08006 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Miquel Arrufat
- Economic and Financial Management, Catalan Health Institute (Institut Català de la Salut), 08006 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Ferran Marques
- Image Processing Group, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (F.M.); (J.R.C.)
| | - Josep R. Casas
- Image Processing Group, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (F.M.); (J.R.C.)
| | - Carlos Gallego
- Digital Medical Imaging System of Catalonia (SIMDCAT), TIC Salut, 08005 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Laura Pons
- Department of Pathology, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.P.); (J.L.M.); (P.L.F.)
| | - José Luis Mate
- Department of Pathology, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.P.); (J.L.M.); (P.L.F.)
| | - Pedro Luis Fernández
- Department of Pathology, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.P.); (J.L.M.); (P.L.F.)
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Pathology, Doctor Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, 17007 Girona, Spain;
| | - Ramon Bosch
- Department of Pathology, Verge de la Cinta Hospital of Tortosa, 43500 Tarragona, Spain;
| | - Salomé Martínez
- Department of Pathology, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43005 Tarragona, Spain;
| | - Santiago Ramón y Cajal
- Department of Pathology, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, CIBERONC, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (J.C.V.); (S.R.y.C.)
| | - Xavier Matias-Guiu
- Department of Pathology, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, 25198 Lleida, Spain;
- Department of Pathology, Bellvitge University Hospital, CIBERONC, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
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Planellas P, Cornejo L, Farrés R, Pigem A, Timoteo A, Ortega N, Pellino G, Rodríguez-Hermosa JI, López-Bonet E, Fernández-Real JM, Codina-Cazador A. OUP accepted manuscript. BJS Open 2022; 6:6544101. [PMID: 35257139 PMCID: PMC8902345 DOI: 10.1093/bjsopen/zrac009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pere Planellas
- Correspondence to: Pere Planellas, Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona, Avinguda de França s/n, 17007, Girona, Spain (e-mail: )
| | - Lídia Cornejo
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Ramon Farrés
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Anna Pigem
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Ander Timoteo
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Nuria Ortega
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Gianluca Pellino
- Colorectal Surgery, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José-Ignacio Rodríguez-Hermosa
- Endocrine Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - José Manuel Fernández-Real
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Antoni Codina-Cazador
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital of Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
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4
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Cuyàs E, Fernández-Arroyo S, Buxó M, Pernas S, Dorca J, Álvarez I, Martínez S, Pérez-Garcia JM, Batista-López N, Rodríguez-Sánchez CA, Amillano K, Domínguez S, Luque M, Morilla I, Stradella A, Viñas G, Cortés J, Verdura S, Brunet J, López-Bonet E, Garcia M, Saidani S, Joven J, Martin-Castillo B, Menendez JA. Metformin induces a fasting- and antifolate-mimicking modification of systemic host metabolism in breast cancer patients. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 11:2874-2888. [PMID: 31076561 PMCID: PMC6535060 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Certain dietary interventions might improve the therapeutic index of cancer treatments. An alternative to the “drug plus diet” approach is the pharmacological reproduction of the metabolic traits of such diets. Here we explored the impact of adding metformin to an established therapeutic regimen on the systemic host metabolism of cancer patients. A panel of 11 serum metabolites including markers of mitochondrial function and intermediates/products of folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism were measured in paired baseline and post-treatment sera obtained from HER2-positive breast cancer patients randomized to receive either metformin combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and trastuzumab or an equivalent regimen without metformin. Metabolite profiles revealed a significant increase of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate and of the TCA intermediate α-ketoglutarate in the metformin-containing arm. A significant relationship was found between the follow-up levels of homocysteine and the ability of treatment arms to achieve a pathological complete response (pCR). In the metformin-containing arm, patients with significant elevations of homocysteine tended to have a higher probability of pCR. The addition of metformin to an established anti-cancer therapeutic regimen causes a fasting-mimicking modification of systemic host metabolism. Circulating homocysteine could be explored as a clinical pharmacodynamic biomarker linking the antifolate-like activity of metformin and biological tumor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Cuyàs
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Salvador Fernández-Arroyo
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain
| | - Maria Buxó
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Sonia Pernas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Breast Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Dorca
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Isabel Álvarez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.,Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Susana Martínez
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Norberto Batista-López
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - César A Rodríguez-Sánchez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Kepa Amillano
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Reus, Spain
| | - Severina Domínguez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Araba, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Maria Luque
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Idoia Morilla
- Department of Medical Oncology, Breast Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agostina Stradella
- Department of Medical Oncology, Breast Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Viñas
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Javier Cortés
- IOB Institute of Oncology, Hospital Quirónsalud, Madrid and Barcelona, Spain.,Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Verdura
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Joan Brunet
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet del Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Margarita Garcia
- Clinical Research Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Samiha Saidani
- Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Jorge Joven
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain
| | | | - Javier A Menendez
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
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5
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Cuyàs E, Buxó M, Ferri Iglesias MJ, Verdura S, Pernas S, Dorca J, Álvarez I, Martínez S, Pérez-Garcia JM, Batista-López N, Rodríguez-Sánchez CA, Amillano K, Domínguez S, Luque M, Morilla I, Stradella A, Viñas G, Cortés J, Joven J, Brunet J, López-Bonet E, Garcia M, Saidani S, Queralt Moles X, Martin-Castillo B, Menendez JA. The C Allele of ATM rs11212617 Associates With Higher Pathological Complete Remission Rate in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Neoadjuvant Metformin. Front Oncol 2019; 9:193. [PMID: 30984619 PMCID: PMC6447648 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The minor allele (C) of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs11212617, located near the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene, has been associated with an increased likelihood of treatment success with metformin in type 2 diabetes. We herein investigated whether the same SNP would predict clinical response to neoadjuvant metformin in women with early breast cancer (BC). Methods: DNA was collected from 79 patients included in the intention-to-treat population of the METTEN study, a phase 2 clinical trial of HER2-positive BC patients randomized to receive either metformin combined with anthracycline/taxane-based chemotherapy and trastuzumab or equivalent regimen without metformin, before surgery. SNP rs11212617 genotyping was assessed using allelic discrimination by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Logistic regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between the rs11212617 genotype and the ability of treatment arms to achieve a pathological complete response (pCR) in patients (odds ratio [OR]genotype×arm = 10.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-82.89, p = 0.028). In the metformin-containing arm, patients bearing the rs11212617 C allele had a significantly higher probability of pCR (OR A/C,C/C = 7.94, 95%CI: 1.60-39.42, p = 0.011). Conversely, no association was found between rs11212617 and clinical response in the reference arm (OR A/C,C/C = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.20-2.92, p = 0.700). After controlling for tumor size and hormone receptor status, the rs11212617 C allele remained a significant predictor of pCR solely in the metformin-containing arm. Conclusions: If reproducible, the rs11212617 C allele might warrant consideration as a predictive clinical biomarker to inform the personalized use of metformin in BC patients. Trial Registration: EU Clinical Trials Register, EudraCT number 2011-000490-30. Registered 28 February 2011, https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2011-000490-30/ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Cuyàs
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Buxó
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | | | - Sara Verdura
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Sonia Pernas
- Breast Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Dorca
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Isabel Álvarez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.,Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Susana Martínez
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Norberto Batista-López
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - César A Rodríguez-Sánchez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Kepa Amillano
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Reus, Spain
| | - Severina Domínguez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Araba, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Maria Luque
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Idoia Morilla
- Breast Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agostina Stradella
- Breast Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Viñas
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Javier Cortés
- Department of Medical Oncology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Joven
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain
| | - Joan Brunet
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet del Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Margarita Garcia
- Clinical Research Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Samiha Saidani
- Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | | | | | - Javier A Menendez
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.,Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
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6
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Martin-Castillo B, Pernas S, Dorca J, Álvarez I, Martínez S, Pérez-Garcia JM, Batista-López N, Rodríguez-Sánchez CA, Amillano K, Domínguez S, Luque M, Stradella A, Morilla I, Viñas G, Cortés J, Cuyàs E, Verdura S, Fernández-Ochoa Á, Fernández-Arroyo S, Segura-Carretero A, Joven J, Pérez E, Bosch N, Garcia M, López-Bonet E, Saidani S, Buxó M, Menendez JA. A phase 2 trial of neoadjuvant metformin in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy in women with early HER2-positive breast cancer: the METTEN study. Oncotarget 2018; 9:35687-35704. [PMID: 30479698 PMCID: PMC6235018 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The METTEN study assessed the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of adding metformin to neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus trastuzumab in early HER2-positive breast cancer (BC). Women with primary, non-metastatic HER2-positive BC were randomized (1:1) to receive metformin (850 mg twice-daily) for 24 weeks concurrently with 12 cycles of weekly paclitaxel plus trastuzumab, followed by four cycles of 3-weekly FE75C plus trastuzumab (arm A), or equivalent regimen without metformin (arm B), followed by surgery. Primary endpoint was the rate of pathological complete response (pCR) in the per-protocol efficacy population. pCR rate was numerically higher in the metformin-containing arm A (19 of 29 patients [65.5%, 95% CI: 47.3-80.1]) than in arm B (17 of 29 patients [58.6%, 95% CI: 40.7-74.5]; OR 1.34 [95% CI: 0.46-3.89], P = 0.589). The rate of breast-conserving surgery was 79.3% and 58.6% in arm A and B (P = 0.089), respectively. Blood metformin concentrations (6.2 μmol/L, 95% CI: 3.6-8.8) were within the therapeutic range. Seventy-six percent of patients completed the metformin-containing regimen; 13% of patients in arm A dropped out because of metformin-related gastrointestinal symptoms. The most common adverse events (AEs) of grade ≥3 were neutropenia in both arms and diarrhea in arm A. None of the serious AEs was deemed to be metformin-related. Addition of anti-diabetic doses of metformin to a complex neoadjuvant regimen was well tolerated and safe. Because the study was underpowered relative to its primary endpoint, the efficacy data should be interpreted with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Pernas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Breast Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Dorca
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Isabel Álvarez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Susana Martínez
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Norberto Batista-López
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - César A. Rodríguez-Sánchez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Kepa Amillano
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Reus, Spain
| | - Severina Domínguez
- Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Araba, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Maria Luque
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Agostina Stradella
- Department of Medical Oncology, Breast Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Idoia Morilla
- Department of Medical Oncology, Breast Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-Bellvitge Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Viñas
- Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
| | - Javier Cortés
- Department of Medical Oncology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisabet Cuyàs
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute, Girona, Spain
| | - Sara Verdura
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute, Girona, Spain
| | - Álvaro Fernández-Ochoa
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Research and Development of Functional Food Centre (CIDAF), Health Science Technological Park, Granada, Spain
| | - Salvador Fernández-Arroyo
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Antonio Segura-Carretero
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Research and Development of Functional Food Centre (CIDAF), Health Science Technological Park, Granada, Spain
| | - Jorge Joven
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Elsa Pérez
- Department of Radiology-IDI, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Neus Bosch
- Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Margarita Garcia
- Clinical Research Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Samiha Saidani
- Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Buxó
- Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Javier A. Menendez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Metabolism and Cancer Group, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain
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Cufí S, Vazquez-Martin A, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Corominas-Faja B, Cuyàs E, López-Bonet E, Martin-Castillo B, Joven J, Menendez JA. The anti-malarial chloroquine overcomes primary resistance and restores sensitivity to trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer. Sci Rep 2014; 3:2469. [PMID: 23965851 PMCID: PMC3749547 DOI: 10.1038/srep02469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy may control the de novo refractoriness of HER2 gene-amplified breast carcinomas to the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin). Tumor cells originally obtained from a patient who rapidly progressed on trastuzumab ab initio display increased cellular levels of the LC3-II protein--a finding that correlates with increased numbers of autophagosomes--and decreased levels of the autophagy receptor p62/SQSTM1, a protein selectively degraded by autophagy. Trastuzumab-refractory cells are in a state of "autophagy addiction" because genetic ablation of autophagy-specific genes (ATG8, ATG5, ATG12) notably reduces intrinsic refractoriness to trastuzumab. When the anti-malarial lysosomotropic drug chloroquine impedes autophagic resolution of the accumulation of autophagolysosomes formed in the presence of trastuzumab, cells commit to die by apoptosis. Accordingly, combination treatment with trastuzumab and chloroquine radically suppresses tumor growth by > 90% in a tumor xenograft completely refractory to trastuzumab. Adding chloroquine to trastuzumab-based regimens may therefore improve outcomes among women with autophagy-addicted HER2-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia Cufí
- 1] Metabolism & Cancer Group, Translational Research Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Girona (ICO-Girona), Girona, Spain [2] Molecular Oncology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGi), Girona, Spain [3]
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8
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Menendez JA, Alarcón T, Corominas-Faja B, Cuyàs E, López-Bonet E, Martin AG, Vellon L. Xenopatients 2.0: reprogramming the epigenetic landscapes of patient-derived cancer genomes. Cell Cycle 2014; 13:358-70. [PMID: 24406535 DOI: 10.4161/cc.27770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the science-fiction thriller film Minority Report, a specialized police department called "PreCrime" apprehends criminals identified in advance based on foreknowledge provided by 3 genetically altered humans called "PreCogs". We propose that Yamanaka stem cell technology can be similarly used to (epi)genetically reprogram tumor cells obtained directly from cancer patients and create self-evolving personalized translational platforms to foresee the evolutionary trajectory of individual tumors. This strategy yields a large stem cell population and captures the cancer genome of an affected individual, i.e., the PreCog-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cancer cells, which are immediately available for experimental manipulation, including pharmacological screening for personalized "stemotoxic" cancer drugs. The PreCog-iPS cancer cells will re-differentiate upon orthotopic injection into the corresponding target tissues of immunodeficient mice (i.e., the PreCrime-iPS mouse avatars), and this in vivo model will run through specific cancer stages to directly explore their biological properties for drug screening, diagnosis, and personalized treatment in individual patients. The PreCog/PreCrime-iPS approach can perform sets of comparisons to directly observe changes in the cancer-iPS cell line vs. a normal iPS cell line derived from the same human genetic background. Genome editing of PreCog-iPS cells could create translational platforms to directly investigate the link between genomic expression changes and cellular malignization that is largely free from genetic and epigenetic noise and provide proof-of-principle evidence for cutting-edge "chromosome therapies" aimed against cancer aneuploidy. We might infer the epigenetic marks that correct the tumorigenic nature of the reprogrammed cancer cell population and normalize the malignant phenotype in vivo. Genetically engineered models of conditionally reprogrammable mice to transiently express the Yamanaka stemness factors following the activation of phenotypic copies of specific cancer diseases might crucially evaluate a "reprogramming cure" for cancer. A new era of xenopatients 2.0 generated via nuclear reprogramming of the epigenetic landscapes of patient-derived cancer genomes might revolutionize the current personalized translational platforms in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier A Menendez
- Metabolism & Cancer Group; Translational Research Laboratory; Catalan Institute of Oncology; Girona, Spain; Molecular Oncology Group; Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI); Girona, Spain
| | - Tomás Alarcón
- Computational & Mathematical Biology Research Group; Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM); Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bruna Corominas-Faja
- Metabolism & Cancer Group; Translational Research Laboratory; Catalan Institute of Oncology; Girona, Spain; Molecular Oncology Group; Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI); Girona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Cuyàs
- Metabolism & Cancer Group; Translational Research Laboratory; Catalan Institute of Oncology; Girona, Spain; Molecular Oncology Group; Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI); Girona, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Anatomical Pathology; Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital of Girona; Girona, Spain
| | | | - Luciano Vellon
- IBYME; CONICET-Laboratorio de Immunohematología, Laboratorio de Química de Proteoglicanos y Matriz Extracelular; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Vazquez-Martin A, Cufí S, López-Bonet E, Corominas-Faja B, Cuyàs E, Vellon L, Iglesias JM, Leis O, Martín AG, Menendez JA. Reprogramming of non-genomic estrogen signaling by the stemness factor SOX2 enhances the tumor-initiating capacity of breast cancer cells. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:3471-7. [PMID: 24107627 DOI: 10.4161/cc.26692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The restoration of pluripotency circuits by the reactivation of endogenous stemness factors, such as SOX2, may provide a new paradigm in cancer development. The tumoral stem cell reprogramming hypothesis, i.e., the ability of stemness factors to redirect normal and differentiated tumor cells toward a less-differentiated and stem-like state, adds new layers of complexity to cancer biology, because the effects of such reprogramming may remain dormant until engaged later in response to (epi)genetic and/or (micro)environmental events. To test this hypothesis, we utilized an in vitro model of a SOX2-overexpressing cancer stem cell (CSC)-like cellular state that was recently developed in our laboratory by employing Yamanaka's nuclear reprogramming technology in the estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Despite the acquisition of distinct molecular features that were compatible with a breast CSC-like cellular state, such as strong aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, as detected by ALDEFLUOR, and overexpression of the SSEA-4 and CD44 breast CSC markers, the tumor growth-initiating ability of SOX2-overexpressing CSC-like MCF-7 cells solely occurred in female nude mice supplemented with estradiol when compared with MCF-7 parental cells. Ser118 phosphorylation of estrogen receptor α (ERα), which is a pivotal integrator of the genomic and nongenomic E 2/ERα signaling pathways, drastically accumulated in nuclear speckles in the interphase nuclei of SOX2-driven CSC-like cell populations. Moreover, SOX2-positive CSC-like cells accumulated significantly higher numbers of actively dividing cells, and the highest levels of phospho-Ser118-ERα occurred when chromosomes lined up on a metaphase plate. The previously unrecognized link between E 2/ERα signaling and SOX2-driven stem cell circuitry may significantly impact our current understanding of breast cancer initiation and progression, i.e., SOX2 can promote non-genomic E 2 signaling that leads to nuclear phospho-Ser118-ERα, which ultimately exacerbates genomic ER signaling in response to E 2. Because E 2 stimulation has been recently shown to enhance breast tumor-initiating cell survival by downregulating miR-140, which targets SOX2, the establishment of a bidirectional cross-talk interaction between the stem cell self-renewal regulator, SOX2, and the local and systemic ability of E 2 to increase breast CSC activity may have profound implications for the development of new CSC-directed strategies for breast cancer prevention and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Vazquez-Martin
- Metabolism & Cancer Group; Translational Research Laboratory; Catalan Institute of Oncology-Girona (ICO-Girona); Girona, Spain; Molecular Oncology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI); Girona, Spain
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10
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Corominas-Faja B, Cufí S, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Cuyàs E, López-Bonet E, Lupu R, Alarcón T, Vellon L, Iglesias JM, Leis O, Martín ÁG, Vazquez-Martin A, Menendez JA. Nuclear reprogramming of luminal-like breast cancer cells generates Sox2-overexpressing cancer stem-like cellular states harboring transcriptional activation of the mTOR pathway. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:3109-24. [PMID: 23974095 DOI: 10.4161/cc.26173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Energy metabolism plasticity enables stemness programs during the reprogramming of somatic cells to an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) state. This relationship may introduce a new era in the understanding of Warburg's theory on the metabolic origin of cancer at the level of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here, we used Yamanaka's stem cell technology in an attempt to create stable CSC research lines in which to dissect the transcriptional control of mTOR--the master switch of cellular catabolism and anabolism--in CSC-like states. The rare colonies with iPSC-like morphology, obtained following the viral transduction of the Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) stemness factors into MCF-7 luminal-like breast cancer cells (MCF-7/Rep), demonstrated an intermediate state between cancer cells and bona fide iPSCs. MCF-7/Rep cells notably overexpressed SOX2 and stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-4 proteins; however, other stemness-related markers (OCT4, NANOG, SSEA-1, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81) were found at low to moderate levels. The transcriptional analyses of OSKM factors confirmed the strong but unique reactivation of the endogenous Sox2 stemness gene accompanied by the silencing of the exogenous Sox2 transgene in MCF-7/Rep cells. Some but not all MCF-7/Rep cells acquired strong alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity compared with MCF-7 parental cells. SOX2-overexpressing MCF-7/Rep cells contained drastically higher percentages of CD44(+) and ALDEFLUOR-stained ALDH(bright) cells than MCF-7 parental cells. The overlap between differentially expressed mTOR signaling-related genes in 3 different SOX2-overexpressing CSC-like cell lines revealed a notable downregulation of 3 genes, PRKAA1 (which codes for the catalytic α 1 subunit of AMPK), DDIT4/REDD1 (a stress response gene that operates as a negative regulator of mTOR), and DEPTOR (a naturally occurring endogenous inhibitor of mTOR activity). The insulin-receptor gene (INSR) was differentially upregulated in MCF-7/Rep cells. Consistent with the downregulation of AMPK expression, immunoblotting procedures confirmed upregulation of p70S6K and increased phosphorylation of mTOR in Sox2-overexpressing CSC-like cell populations. Using an in vitro model of the de novo generation of CSC-like states through the nuclear reprogramming of an established breast cancer cell line, we reveal that the transcriptional suppression of mTOR repressors is an intrinsic process occurring during the acquisition of CSC-like properties by differentiated populations of luminal-like breast cancer cells. This approach may provide a new path for obtaining information about preventing the appearance of CSCs through the modulation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Corominas-Faja
- Metabolism & Cancer Group; Translational Research Laboratory; Catalan Institute of Oncology-Girona (ICO-Girona); Girona, Spain; Molecular Oncology; Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI); Girona, Spain
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11
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Menendez JA, Joven J, Cufí S, Corominas-Faja B, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Cuyàs E, Martin-Castillo B, López-Bonet E, Alarcón T, Vazquez-Martin A. The Warburg effect version 2.0: metabolic reprogramming of cancer stem cells. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:1166-79. [PMID: 23549172 DOI: 10.4161/cc.24479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
When fighting cancer, knowledge on metabolism has always been important. Today, it matters more than ever. The restricted cataloging of cancer genomes is quite unlikely to achieve the task of curing cancer, unless it is integrated into metabolic networks that respond to and influence the constantly evolving cancer stem cell (CSC) cellular states. Once the genomic era of carcinogenesis had pushed the 1920s Otto Warburg's metabolic cancer hypothesis into obscurity for decades, the most recent studies begin to support a new developing paradigm, in which the molecular logic behind the conversion of non-CSCs into CSCs can be better understood in terms of the "metabolic facilitators" and "metabolic impediments" that operate as proximate openings and roadblocks, respectively, for the transcriptional events and signal transduction programs that ultimately orchestrate the intrinsic and/or microenvironmental paths to CSC cellular states. Here we propose that a profound understanding of how human carcinomas install a proper "Warburg effect version 2.0" allowing them to "run" the CSCs' "software" programs should guide a new era of metabolo-genomic-personalized cancer medicine. By viewing metabolic reprogramming of CSCs as an essential characteristic that allows dynamic, multidimensional and evolving cancer populations to compete successfully for their expansion on the organism, we now argue that CSCs bioenergetics might be another cancer hallmark. A definitive understanding of metabolic reprogramming in CSCs may complement or to some extent replace, the 30-y-old paradigm of targeting oncogenes to treat human carcinomas, because it can be possible to metabolically create non-permissive or "hostile" metabotypes to prevent the occurrence of CSC cellular states with tumor- and metastasis-initiating capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier A Menendez
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Translational Research Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Girona (ICO-Girona), Girona, Spain.
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12
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Menendez JA, Joven J, Aragonès G, Barrajón-Catalán E, Beltrán-Debón R, Borrás-Linares I, Camps J, Corominas-Faja B, Cufí S, Fernández-Arroyo S, Garcia-Heredia A, Hernández-Aguilera A, Herranz-López M, Jiménez-Sánchez C, López-Bonet E, Lozano-Sánchez J, Luciano-Mateo F, Martin-Castillo B, Martin-Paredero V, Pérez-Sánchez A, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Riera-Borrull M, Rodríguez-Gallego E, Quirantes-Piné R, Rull A, Tomás-Menor L, Vazquez-Martin A, Alonso-Villaverde C, Micol V, Segura-Carretero A. Xenohormetic and anti-aging activity of secoiridoid polyphenols present in extra virgin olive oil: a new family of gerosuppressant agents. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:555-78. [PMID: 23370395 DOI: 10.4161/cc.23756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging can be viewed as a quasi-programmed phenomenon driven by the overactivation of the nutrient-sensing mTOR gerogene. mTOR-driven aging can be triggered or accelerated by a decline or loss of responsiveness to activation of the energy-sensing protein AMPK, a critical gerosuppressor of mTOR. The occurrence of age-related diseases, therefore, reflects the synergistic interaction between our evolutionary path to sedentarism, which chronically increases a number of mTOR activating gero-promoters (e.g., food, growth factors, cytokines and insulin) and the "defective design" of central metabolic integrators such as mTOR and AMPK. Our laboratories at the Bioactive Food Component Platform in Spain have initiated a systematic approach to molecularly elucidate and clinically explore whether the "xenohormesis hypothesis," which states that stress-induced synthesis of plant polyphenols and many other phytochemicals provides an environmental chemical signature that upregulates stress-resistance pathways in plant consumers, can be explained in terms of the reactivity of the AMPK/mTOR-axis to so-called xenohormetins. Here, we explore the AMPK/mTOR-xenohormetic nature of complex polyphenols naturally present in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a pivotal component of the Mediterranean style diet that has been repeatedly associated with a reduction in age-related morbid conditions and longer life expectancy. Using crude EVOO phenolic extracts highly enriched in the secoiridoids oleuropein aglycon and decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycon, we show for the first time that (1) the anticancer activity of EVOO secoiridoids is related to the activation of anti-aging/cellular stress-like gene signatures, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response, spermidine and polyamine metabolism, sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and NRF2 signaling; (2) EVOO secoiridoids activate AMPK and suppress crucial genes involved in the Warburg effect and the self-renewal capacity of "immortal" cancer stem cells; (3) EVOO secoiridoids prevent age-related changes in the cell size, morphological heterogeneity, arrayed cell arrangement and senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining of normal diploid human fibroblasts at the end of their proliferative lifespans. EVOO secoiridoids, which provide an effective defense against plant attack by herbivores and pathogens, are bona fide xenohormetins that are able to activate the gerosuppressor AMPK and trigger numerous resveratrol-like anti-aging transcriptomic signatures. As such, EVOO secoiridoids constitute a new family of plant-produced gerosuppressant agents that molecularly "repair" the aimless (and harmful) AMPK/mTOR-driven quasi-program that leads to aging and aging-related diseases, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier A Menendez
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Translational Research Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Spain.
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Alonso-Ruano M, López-Bonet E, Huerta-Anaya MV, Vila-Camps E, Bernadó L, Tuca-Rodríguez F, Suarez-Pumariega P, Menendez JA. Synchronous solid neuroendocrine breast carcinoma and abdominal lymphoma: A case report and review of the literature. Oncol Lett 2012; 5:459-462. [PMID: 23419985 PMCID: PMC3573045 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2012.1044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2012] [Accepted: 07/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are frequently associated with second primary malignancies (SPMs). Earlier studies have demonstrated that NETs are highly associated with synchronous or metachronous gastrointestinal and genitourinary SPMs. We report, for the first time, a case of pure NE breast carcinoma (NEBC) exhibiting all of the World Health Organization (WHO)-categorized morphological and phenotypic NE features (i.e., round solid nests of spindle cells, plasmacytoid cells, large clear or mucinous signet-ring cells with a peripheral palisading tendency and immunohistochemical positivity for the NE markers synaptophysin and chromogranin in more than 50% of the tumor cell population) along with synchronous abdominal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In the present study, we review the diagnosis, clinicopathological features and histogenetic profiling of NEBC and discuss the literature relevant to the clinical and anatomopathological management of this case. This previously unreported case of synchronous solid NEBC and abdominal lymphoma, together with earlier studies showing that primary symptoms are caused by SPMs in a significant subgroup of NET patients, strongly supports the notion that NETs should be cautiously considered to be index tumors. Therefore, risk-adapted clinicopathological follow-up with systematic investigation is strongly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Alonso-Ruano
- Departments of Gynecology, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona; Catalonia, Spain
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Vazquez-Martin A, Sauri-Nadal T, Menendez OJ, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Cufí S, Corominas-Faja B, López-Bonet E, Menendez JA. Ser2481-autophosphorylated mTOR colocalizes with chromosomal passenger proteins during mammalian cell cytokinesis. Cell Cycle 2012; 11:4211-21. [PMID: 23095638 DOI: 10.4161/cc.22551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Energy- and nutrient-sensing proteins such as AMPK, mTOR and S6K1 are now recognized as novel regulators of mitotic completion in proliferating cells. We investigated the cellular distribution of the Ser2481 autophosphorylation of mTOR, which directly monitors mTORC-specific catalytic activity, during mammalian cell mitosis and cytokinesis. Automated immunofluorescence experiments in human carcinoma cell lines revealed that phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) exhibited profound spatial and temporal dynamics during cell division. Phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) was strikingly enriched in mitotic cells, and in prophase, bright phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) staining could be clearly observed among condensed chromosomes. Phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) then redistributes from diffuse cytosolic staining that partially colocalizes with the mitotic spindle during the early phases of mitosis to the furrow at the onset of cytokinesis. Like the bona fide chromosomal passenger proteins (CPPs) INCENP and Aurora B, phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) displayed noteworthy accumulation in the central spindle midzone and the midbody regions, which persisted during the furrowing process. Accordingly, double-staining experiments confirmed that phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) largely colocalized with CCPs in the midbodies. The CPP-like mitotic localization of phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) was fully prevented by the microtubule-depolymerizing drug nocodazole; mitotic traveling of phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) to the midbody during telophase and cytokinesis, where it appears to be integrated into the CPP-driven cytokinetic machinery, may therefore require dynamic microtubules. Although the Ser2448-phosphorylated form of mTOR was also found at high levels during M-phase in human cancer cells, we failed to observe a significant association of phospho-mTOR (Ser2448) with CCP-positive mitotic and cytokinetic structures. Our findings add phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) to the growing list of phospho-active forms of proteins belonging to the AMPK/mTOR/S6K1 signaling axis that reside at the mitotic and cytokinetic apparatus. Future studies should elucidate how the specific ability of phospho-mTOR (Ser2481) to spatially and temporally couple to the cleavage furrow and midbody region as a CPP-like protein can signal to or from adjacent signaling complexes and/or with the basic machinery of cell abscission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Vazquez-Martin
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Translational Research Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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Oliveras-Ferraros C, Corominas-Faja B, Cufí S, Vazquez-Martin A, Martin-Castillo B, Iglesias JM, López-Bonet E, Martin ÁG, Menendez JA. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers primary resistance to trastuzumab (Herceptin). Cell Cycle 2012; 11:4020-32. [PMID: 22992620 DOI: 10.4161/cc.22225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The rate of inherent resistance to single-agent trastuzumab in HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast carcinomas is impressive at above 70%. Unfortunately, little is known regarding the distinctive genetic signatures that could predict trastuzumab refractoriness ab initio. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) molecular features, HER2 expression status and primary responses to trastuzumab were explored in the public Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) Breast Cancer Collection. Lentivirus-delivered small hairpin RNAs were employed to reduce specifically and stably the expression of EMT transcription factors in trastuzumab-refractory basal/HER2+ cells. Cell proliferation assays and pre-clinical nude mice xenograft-based studies were performed to assess the contribution of specific EMT transcription factors to inherent trastuzumab resistance. Primary sensitivity to trastuzumab was restricted to the SLUG/SNAIL2-negative subset of luminal/HER2+ cell lines, whereas all of the SLUG/SNAIL2-positive basal/HER2+ cell lines exhibited an inherent resistance to trastuzumab. The specific knockdown of SLUG/SNAIL2 suppressed the stem-related CD44+CD24(-/low) mesenchymal immunophenotype by transcriptionally upregulating the luminal epithelial marker CD24 in basal/HER2+ cells. Basal/HER2+ cells gained sensitivity to the growth-inhibitory effects of trastuzumab following SLUG/SNAIL2 gene depletion, which induced the expression of the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) genes involved in promoting an epithelial phenotype. The isolation of CD44+CD24(-/low) mesenchymal cells by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) confirmed their intrinsic unresponsiveness to trastuzumab. A reduction in tumor growth and dramatic gain in sensitivity to trastuzumab in vivo were confirmed when the SLUG/SNAIL2 knockdown basal/HER2+ cells were injected into nude mice. HER2 overexpression in a basal, rather than in a luminal molecular background, results in a basal/HER2+ breast cancer subtype that is intrinsically resistant to trastuzumab. EMT transcription factors might induce an enhanced phenotypic plasticity that would allow basal/HER2+ breast cancer cells to "enter" into and "exit" dynamically from trastuzumab-responsive stem cell-like states. The systematic determination of SLUG/SNAIL2 as a stem/CD44+CD24(-/low) cell-associated protein may improve the therapeutic management of HER2+ breast carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Oliveras-Ferraros
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Translational Research Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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Martin-Castillo B, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Vazquez-Martin A, Cufí S, Moreno JM, Corominas-Faja B, Urruticoechea A, Martín ÁG, López-Bonet E, Menendez JA. Basal/HER2 breast carcinomas: integrating molecular taxonomy with cancer stem cell dynamics to predict primary resistance to trastuzumab (Herceptin). Cell Cycle 2012; 12:225-45. [PMID: 23255137 DOI: 10.4161/cc.23274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
High rates of inherent primary resistance to the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) are frequent among HER2 gene-amplified breast carcinomas in both metastatic and adjuvant settings. The clinical efficacy of trastuzumab is highly correlated with its ability to specifically and efficiently target HER2-driven populations of breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). Intriguingly, many of the possible mechanisms by which cancer cells escape trastuzumab involve many of the same biomarkers that have been implicated in the biology of CS-like tumor-initiating cells. In the traditional, one-way hierarchy of CSCs in which all cancer cells descend from special self-renewing CSCs, HER2-positive CSCs can occur solely by self-renewal. Therefore, by targeting CSC self-renewal and resistance, trastuzumab is expected to induce tumor shrinkage and further reduce breast cancer recurrence rates when used alongside traditional therapies. In a new, alternate model, more differentiated non-stem cancer cells can revert to trastuzumab-refractory, CS-like cells via the activation of intrinsic or microenvironmental paths-to-stemness, such as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Alternatively, stochastic transitions of trastuzumab-responsive CSCs might also give rise to non-CSC cellular states that lack major attributes of CSCs and, therefore, can remain "hidden" from trastuzumab activity. Here, we hypothesize that a better understanding of the CSC/non-CSC social structure within HER2-overexpressing breast carcinomas is critical for trastuzumab-based treatment decisions in the clinic. First, we decipher the biological significance of CSC features and the EMT on the molecular effects and efficacy of trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Second, we reinterpret the genetic heterogeneity that differentiates trastuzumab-responders from non-responders in terms of CSC cellular states. Finally, we propose that novel predictive approaches aimed at better forecasting early tumor responses to trastuzumab should identify biological determinants that causally underlie the intrinsic flexibility of HER2-positive CSCs to "enter" into or "exit" from trastuzumab-sensitive states. An accurate integration of CSC cellular states and EMT-related biomarkers with the currently available breast cancer molecular taxonomy may significantly improve our ability to make a priori decisions about whether patients belonging to HER2 subtypes differentially enriched with a "mesenchymal transition signature" (e.g., luminal/HER2 vs. basal/HER2) would distinctly benefit from trastuzumab-based therapy ab initio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Martin-Castillo
- Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology-Girona (ICO-Girona), Catalonia, Spain
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Vazquez-Martin A, Cufí S, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Martin-Castillo B, Del Barco S, López-Bonet E, Menendez JA. Expression status of the autophagy-regulatory gene ATG6/BECN1 in ERBB2-positive breast carcinomas: bypassing ERBB2-induced oncogenic senescence to regulate the efficacy of ERBB2-targeted therapies. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2011; 50:284-90. [PMID: 21319263 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.20846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2010] [Revised: 11/20/2010] [Accepted: 11/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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Oliveras-Ferraros C, Vazquez-Martin A, Martin-Castilló B, Pérez-Martínez MC, Cufí S, Del Barco S, Bernado L, Brunet J, López-Bonet E, Menendez JA. Pathway-focused proteomic signatures in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer with a basal-like phenotype: new insights into de novo resistance to trastuzumab (Herceptin). Int J Oncol 2010; 37:669-78. [PMID: 20664936 DOI: 10.3892/ijo_00000716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Pioneering clinical studies in de novo refractoriness to the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab have suggested that HER2 gene-amplification can take place also in a basal-like molecular background to generate basal/HER2+ tumors intrinsically resistant to trastuzumab. Here, we first investigated the unique histogenesis of the basal/HER2+ phenotype in breast carcinomas. The presence of basal CK5/CK6 cytokeratin expression in HER2+ tumors revealed a significant overlap in the histological features of HER2+/CK5/6+ and basal-like breast carcinomas. Basal/HER2+ tumors were typically poorly differentiated, high-grade invasive ductal carcinomas with large geographic necrosis, pushing margins of invasion, syncytial arrangement of tumor cells, ribbon- or festoon-like architecture, squamous metaplasia, stromal lymphocytic infiltrates, high mitotic index and strong p53 positivity. Secondly, we performed low-scale proteomic approaches in JIMT-1 cells, a unique model of HER2-gene amplified trastuzumab-resistant breast carcinoma with a basal-like phenotype, to develop biomarker signatures that may differentiate trastuzumab-responsive from non-responsive tumors. When applying antibody-based array technology to the extracellular milieu of trastuzumab-refractory JIMT-1 and trastuzumab-sensitive SKBR3 cell cultures, JIMT-1 cells were found to secrete higher amounts of several growth factors including amphiregulin, EGF, IGFBP-6, PDGF-AA, neurotrophins, TGFbeta and VEGF. Semi-quantitative signaling node multi-target sandwich ELISAs revealed that JIMT-1 cells drastically overactivate RelA, the prosurvival subunit of NF-kappaB as compared to trastuzumab-sensitive luminal/HER2+ SKBR3 cells. When simultaneously assessing the activation status of 42 receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) using a human phospho-RTK array, JIMT-1 cells were found to constitutively display hyperactivation of the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-1R). High-content immunofluorescence imaging revealed that activated IGF-1R mainly localized at focal adhesion-like structures in JIMT-1 cells. In vitro wound healing assays suggested that this functional reorganization of the JIMT-1 cytoskeletal reorganization may account for an exacerbated trastuzumab-refractory 'migratogenic' phenotype. Forthcoming studies should validate the notion that identification of basal-like immunophenotypes and/or basal-like molecular signatures within HER2+ breast carcinomas may provide rapid means to define subgroups of breast cancer patients likely to display resistance to trastuzumab ab initio.
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Vilanova JC, Comet J, Barceló-Vidal C, Barceló J, López-Bonet E, Maroto A, Arzoz M, Moreno A, Areal J. Peripheral zone prostate cancer in patients with elevated PSA levels and low free-to-total PSA ratio: detection with MR imaging and MR spectroscopy. Radiology 2009; 253:135-43. [PMID: 19703854 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2531082049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To retrospectively assess the value of endorectal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and MR spectroscopy combined with the free-to-total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ratio for detecting prostate cancer in men with elevated PSA levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS The institutional review board approved the study, and all patients provided informed written consent. Endorectal MR imaging and MR spectroscopy were performed in 54 patients with PSA levels greater than 3 ng/mL but less than 15 ng/mL and free-to-total PSA ratio of less than 20%, followed by sextant biopsy in the peripheral zone. For each patient, MR imaging and MR spectroscopic findings, PSA level, and free-to-total PSA ratio were analyzed and compared with biopsy results and/or histopathologic tumor maps with regard to a sextant-modified distribution. The likelihood of cancer in each sextant according to MR and MR spectroscopic findings was graded independently on a scale of 1 (benign) to 5 (malignant). Detection accuracy and a multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the most accurate combination of imaging, and clinical tests were used to detect prostate cancer according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS The model incorporating MR imaging, MR spectroscopy, and free-to-total PSA ratio (AUC = 97.5%) was significantly more accurate in predicting prostate cancer than models using MR imaging alone (AUC = 85.1%; P = .007), MR spectroscopy alone (AUC = 87.2%; P = .041), or MR imaging and free-to-total PSA ratio combined (AUC = 90.8%; P = .038). CONCLUSION MR and MR spectroscopy combined with free-to-total PSA ratio improves the predictive value for prostate cancer detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan C Vilanova
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Clínica Girona, Lorenzana 36, 17002 Girona, Spain.
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Vazquez-Martin A, López-Bonet E, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Pérez-Martínez MC, Bernadó L, Menendez JA. Mitotic kinase dynamics of the active form of AMPK (phospho-AMPKalphaThr172) in human cancer cells. Cell Cycle 2009; 8:788-91. [PMID: 19221486 DOI: 10.4161/cc.8.5.7787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
When interrogating the activation status of AMP-activated protein kinase-measured as AMPKalpha(Thr172) phosphorylation-in tissue sections of human carcinomas and in cultured human cancer cells, the spatiotemporal dynamics of AMPK activity during the G(1)/S-to-M-phase transition strikingly resembles that of well-characterized "chromosomal passenger" proteins such as Aurora B, INCENP or Histone H3. The mitotic kinase behavior of the active form of AMPK may represent a candidate molecular link through which energy status directly influences tumorigenesis. A definitive elucidation of phospho-AMPKalpha(Thr172) in coordinating the chromosomal and cytoskeletal events of mitosis might radically amend our current perception of other AMPK-related diseases such as obesity, cardiac hypertrophy or accelerated aging syndromes.
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Vazquez-Martin A, Oliveras-Ferraros C, Bernadó L, López-Bonet E, Menendez JA. The serine 2481-autophosphorylated form of mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) is localized to midzone and midbody in dividing cancer cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2009; 380:638-43. [PMID: 19285014 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.01.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2009] [Accepted: 01/23/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Using a high-resolution, automated confocal high-content imaging system, we investigated the sub-cellular localization of the Serine 2481-autophosphorylated form of mTOR (PP-mTOR(Ser2481)) during mitosis and cytokinesis in human cancer cells. PP-mTOR(Ser2481) exhibited a punctate nuclear distribution in interphase cancer cells, with the number of PP-mTOR(Ser2481) nuclear speckles positively relating with the proliferative capacity of cancer cells. PP-mTOR(Ser2481) expression dynamically rearranged within the cytoplasm in a close association near and between separating chromosomes during early stages of mitosis. Towards the end of anaphase and in telophase, PP-mTOR(Ser2481) drastically focused on the midzone and ultimately in the centre of the midbody at the presumptive cleavage furrow. In cells at cytokinesis, PP-mTOR(Ser2481) appeared as a doublet facing each other at the apical ends of two daughter cells. Three-dimensional analysis confirmed that PP-mTOR(Ser2481) positioned at a ring structure wrapped round by microtubule bundles to connect daughter cells. These results reveal for the first time that PP-mTOR(Ser2481) may be unexpectedly involved in the terminal stages of cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Vazquez-Martin
- Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO Girona), Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital of Girona, Avenida de Francia s/n, E-17007 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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López-Bonet E, Alonso-Ruano M, Barraza G, Vazquez-Martin A, Bernadó L, Menendez JA. Solid neuroendocrine breast carcinomas: incidence, clinico-pathological features and immunohistochemical profiling. Oncol Rep 2008; 20:1369-1374. [PMID: 19020716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary pure neuroendocrine breast carcinomas (NEBC) have been considered special features within conventional breast carcinomas until recently. Indeed, the actual incidence of NEBC in BC populations has remained largely unknown due to the lack of unambiguous diagnostic criteria. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of breast tumors definitely established that the immunohistochemical expression of NE markers in more than 50% of the tumor cell population is the unique requisite for NEBC diagnosis. Herein, we sought to determine the incidence, the clinico-pathological features and the immunohistochemical profile of NEBC in a large series of 1368 infiltrating breast tumors collected from 1989 to 2008 in our institution (Dr Josep Trueta University Hospital, Girona, Catalonia). Twelve cases were initially selected to fulfil histopathological patterns compatible with NEBC. Clinical data along with histological and immunohistochemical profiles were collected in all cases. The criterion inclusion was the presence of more than 50% tumor immunoreactivity for one of NE markers including chromogranin, synaptophysin and CD56. Only 7 tumors fully satisfied the NEBC criteria established by the WHO (0.5% prevalence). All the NECB were grade 2 ductal carcinoma infiltrating (DCI) with tumor sizes ranging from 7 to 55 mm. Lymphovascular tumoral emboli was present in 4 cases (57.1% of NEBC) and mucinous features occurred in 2 cases (28.5% of NEBC). Axillary lymph nodes were metastatic in 3 cases (42.8% of NEBC). A positive status for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and synaptophysin was observed in 7 cases (100% of NEBC). None of the NEBC displayed HER2 overexpression. All the patients bearing NECB received hormone therapy and 4 of them underwent radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Of note, none of the NEBC patients died from BC-related causes after a median follow-up of 51 months. These findings revealed that: a) Pure solid NEBC do not significantly differ from other breast carcinomas in terms of general clinical features; b) NEBC do not exhibit an aggressive behavior despite the presence of adverse prognostic factors; and c) NEBC immunohistochemical profile mainly corresponds to that of the Luminal A BC subtype. Although it remains to be elucidated whether the good prognosis of NEBC relates to the intrinsic nature of the tumor and/or to a high rate of treatment responses, their immunohistochemical profile strongly suggest that NEBC belong to the Luminal A BC subtype. Forthcoming studies should definitely determine if the clinico-pathological features of NEBC indeed represent an independent good-prognosis subgroup of BC gene signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugeni López-Bonet
- Department of Pathology, Dr Josep Trueta University Hospital of Girona, E-17007 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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Oliveras-Ferraros C, Vazquez-Martin A, López-Bonet E, Martín-Castillo B, Del Barco S, Brunet J, Menendez JA. Growth and molecular interactions of the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab and the DNA cross-linking agent cisplatin in gefitinib-resistant MDA-MB-468 cells: new prospects in the treatment of triple-negative/basal-like breast cancer. Int J Oncol 2008; 33:1165-1176. [PMID: 19020749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Three prominent hallmarks of triple-negative/basal-like breast carcinomas, a subtype of breast cancer gene phenotype associated with poor relapse-free and overall survival, are overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), hyperactivation of the MEK/ERK transduction pathway and high sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents. The cytotoxic interaction between EGFR inhibitors (monoclonal antibodies such as cetuximab and small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as gefitinib) and DNA cross-linking agents (e.g. platinum derivatives) might represent a promising combination for the treatment of triple-negative/basal-like breast tumors that are dependent upon EGFR/MEK/ERK signaling. We evaluated the growth and molecular interactions of the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab (erbitux) and the DNA cross-linking agent cisplatin (cis-diammedichloroplatinum; CDDP) in the gefitinib-resistant MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line, an in vitro model system that shows many of the recurrent basal-like molecular abnormalities including ER-PR-HER2-negative status, TP53 deficiency, EGFR overexpression, PTEN loss and constitutive activation of the MEK/ERK pathway. Unlike other basal-like breast cancer models, MDA-MB-468 cells do not carry mutations of the key DNA repair gene BRCA1. Concurrent treatment with sub-optimal doses of cetuximab significantly enhanced CDDP-induced apoptotic cell death. However, an isobologram-based mathematical assessment of the nature of the interaction revealed a loss of synergism when employing a high-dose of cetuximab. Since BRCA1 depletion has been found to decrease DNA damage repair and cell survival in MDA-MB-468 cells when treated with DNA-damaging drugs, we employed ELISA-based quantitative analyses to measure BRCA1 protein levels in CDDP+/- cetuximab-treated cells. Cetuximab as single agent was as efficient as CDDP at increasing BRCA1 protein expression. Interestingly, cetuximab co-exposure significantly antagonized the ability of CDDP to up-regulate BRCA1 expression. Low-scale phosphor-proteomic approaches [i.e. phospho-receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) Array Proteome Profiler capable of simultaneously identifying the relative levels of phosphorylation of 42 different RTKs and 23 different MAPKs and other serine/threonine kinases, respectively] revealed the ability of Cetuximab, as single agent, to paradoxically induce hyper-phosphorylation of EGFR while concomitantly deactivating p42/44 (ERK1/ERK2) MAPK. Unexpectedly, ELISA-based quantitative analyses of EGFR protein content demonstrated that simultaneous exposure to cetuximab and optimal doses of CDDP completely depleted EGFR protein in MDA-MB-468 cells. Although these findings preclinically support, at least in part, ongoing clinical trials for 'triple-negative/basal-like' metastatic breast cancer patients who are receiving either cetuximab alone versus cetuximab plus carboplatin (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00232505), the unexpected ability of CDDP to promote a complete depletion of the cetuximab target EGFR further suggests that treatment schedules, cetuximab/CDDP doses and BRCA1 status should be carefully considered when combining anti-EGFR antibodies and platinum derivatives in triple-negative/basal-like breast carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Oliveras-Ferraros
- Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Dr Josep Trueta University Hospital of Girona, E-17007 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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Montserrat Orri V, López-Bonet E, Garijo G, Ordis M, Torrent N, Valiente CR, Alvarez JL. [Pure yolk sack tumor of the testis in adults: report of a case]. Actas Urol Esp 1996; 20:659-61. [PMID: 8975553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Report of one case of pure yolk sack testicular tumour in an adult patient. This was a stage I case which had been under observation for 3 years without further evidence of disease. Several aspects related with this type of germinal, non-seminomatous tumour of the testicle are commented upon.
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