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Kopenhaver J, Crutcher M, Waldman SA, Snook AE. The shifting paradigm of colorectal cancer treatment: a look into emerging cancer stem cell-directed therapeutics to lead the charge toward complete remission. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2021; 21:1335-1345. [PMID: 33977849 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1929167] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Despite advances in early detection, ~25% of patients are late stage, and treated patients have <12% chance of survival after five years. Tumor relapse and metastasis are the main causes of patient death. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare population of cancer cells characterized by properties of self-renewal, chemo- and radio-resistance, tumorigenicity, and high plasticity. These qualities make CSCs particularly important for metastasic seeding, DNA-damage resistance, and tumor repopulating.Areas Covered: The following review article focuses on the role of CRC-SCs in tumor initiation, metastasis, drug resistance, and tumor relapse, as well as on potential therapeutic options for targeting CSCs.Expert Opinion: Current studies are underway to better isolate and discriminate CSCs from normal stem cells and to produce CSC-targeted therapeutics. The intestinal receptor, guanylate cyclase C (GUCY2C) could potentially provide a unique therapeutic target for both non-stem cells and CSCs alike in colorectal cancer through immunotherapies. Indeed, immunotherapies targeting CSCs have the potential to break the treatment-recurrence cycle in the management of advanced malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kopenhaver
- Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Madison Crutcher
- Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States.,Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Scott A Waldman
- Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Adam E Snook
- Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
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Krishn SR, Salem I, Quaglia F, Naranjo NM, Agarwal E, Liu Q, Sarker S, Kopenhaver J, McCue PA, Weinreb PH, Violette SM, Altieri DC, Languino LR. The αvβ6 integrin in cancer cell-derived small extracellular vesicles enhances angiogenesis. J Extracell Vesicles 2020; 9:1763594. [PMID: 32595914 PMCID: PMC7301698 DOI: 10.1080/20013078.2020.1763594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [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: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PrCa) cells crosstalk with the tumour microenvironment by releasing small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). sEVs, as well as large extracellular vesicles (LEVs), isolated via iodixanol density gradients from PrCa cell culture media, express the epithelial-specific αvβ6 integrin, which is known to be induced in cancer. In this study, we show sEV-mediated protein transfer of αvβ6 integrin to microvascular endothelial cells (human microvascular endothelial cells 1 - HMEC1) and demonstrate that de novo αvβ6 integrin expression is not caused by increased mRNA levels. Incubation of HMEC1 with sEVs isolated from PrCa PC3 cells that express the αvβ6 integrin results in a highly significant increase in the number of nodes, junctions and tubules. In contrast, incubation of HMEC1 with sEVs isolated from β6 negative PC3 cells, generated by shRNA against β6, results in a reduction in the number of nodes, junctions and tubules, a decrease in survivin levels and an increase in a negative regulator of angiogenesis, pSTAT1. Furthermore, treatment of HMEC1 with sEVs generated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated down-regulation of β6, causes up-regulation of pSTAT1. Overall, our findings suggest that αvβ6 integrin in cancer sEVs regulates angiogenesis during PrCa progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Ram Krishn
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Israa Salem
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Fabio Quaglia
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Nicole M Naranjo
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Ekta Agarwal
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, USA.,Immunology, Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Qin Liu
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Srawasti Sarker
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Jessica Kopenhaver
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Peter A McCue
- Department of Pathology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | | | | | - Dario C Altieri
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, USA.,Immunology, Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Lucia R Languino
- Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
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