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Hakuno SK, Janson SGT, Trietsch MD, de Graaf M, de Jonge-Muller E, Crobach S, Harryvan TJ, Boonstra JJ, Dinjens WNM, Slingerland M, Hawinkels LJAC. Endoglin and squamous cell carcinomas. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1112573. [PMID: 37396898 PMCID: PMC10313935 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1112573] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the fact that the role of endoglin on endothelial cells has been extensively described, its expression and biological role on (epithelial) cancer cells is still debatable. Especially its function on squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells is largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated SCC endoglin expression and function in three types of SCCs; head and neck (HNSCC), esophageal (ESCC) and vulvar (VSCC) cancers. Endoglin expression was evaluated in tumor specimens and 14 patient-derived cell lines. Next to being expressed on angiogenic endothelial cells, endoglin is selectively expressed by individual SCC cells in tumor nests. Patient derived HNSCC, ESCC and VSCC cell lines express varying levels of endoglin with high interpatient variation. To assess the function of endoglin in signaling of TGF-β ligands, endoglin was overexpressed or knocked out or the signaling was blocked using TRC105, an endoglin neutralizing antibody. The endoglin ligand BMP-9 induced strong phosphorylation of SMAD1 independent of expression of the type-I receptor ALK1. Interestingly, we observed that endoglin overexpression leads to strongly increased soluble endoglin levels, which in turn decreases BMP-9 signaling. On the functional level, endoglin, both in a ligand dependent and independent manner, did not influence proliferation or migration of the SCC cells. In conclusion, these data show endoglin expression on individual cells in the tumor nests in SCCs and a role for (soluble) endoglin in paracrine signaling, without directly affecting proliferation or migration in an autocrine manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Hakuno
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Stefanus G. T. Janson
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marjolijn D. Trietsch
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Gynecology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Manon de Graaf
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Eveline de Jonge-Muller
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Stijn Crobach
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Tom J. Harryvan
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jurjen J. Boonstra
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Winand N. M. Dinjens
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marije Slingerland
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lukas J. A. C. Hawinkels
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Dang H, Harryvan TJ, Liao CY, Danen EHJ, Spalburg VNLN, Kielbasa SM, Mei H, Goeman JJ, de Jonge-Muller ES, Janson SGT, van der Reijden JJ, Crobach S, Hardwick JCH, Boonstra JJ, de Miranda NFCC, Hawinkels LJAC. Cancer-associated fibroblasts are key determinants of cancer cell invasion in the earliest stage of colorectal cancer. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:107-131. [PMID: 37085135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Improving clinical management of early-stage colorectal cancers (T1CRCs) requires a better understanding of their underlying biology. Accumulating evidence shows that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important determinants of tumor progression in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), but their role in the initial stages of CRC tumorigenesis is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of T1CAFs to early CRC progression. METHODS Primary T1CAFs and patient-matched normal fibroblasts (NFs) were isolated from endoscopic biopsies of histologically confirmed T1CRCs and normal mucosa, respectively. The impact of T1CAFs and NFs on tumor behavior was studied using 3D co-culture systems with primary T1CRC organoids and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling assays. Whole transcriptome sequencing and gene silencing were used to pinpoint mediators of T1CAF functions. RESULTS In 3D multicellular cultures, matrix invasion of T1CRC organoids was induced by T1CAFs, but not by matched NFs. Enhanced T1CRC invasion was accompanied by T1CAF-induced ECM remodeling and upregulation of CD44 in epithelial cells. RNA sequencing of 10 NF-T1CAF pairs revealed 404 differentially expressed genes, with significant enrichment for ECM-related pathways in T1CAFs. Cathepsin H, a cysteine-type protease that was specifically upregulated in T1CAFs but not in fibroblasts from pre-malignant lesions or advanced CRCs, was identified as a key factor driving matrix remodeling by T1CAFs. Finally, we showed high abundance of Cathepsin H-expressing T1CAFs at the invasive front of primary T1CRC sections. CONCLUSION Already in the earliest stage of CRC, cancer cell invasion is promoted by CAFs via direct interactions with epithelial cancer cells and stage-specific, Cathepsin H-dependent ECM remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Dang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tom J Harryvan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chen-Yi Liao
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre of Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Erik H J Danen
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre of Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Vienna N L N Spalburg
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Szymon M Kielbasa
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hailiang Mei
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jelle J Goeman
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline S de Jonge-Muller
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stefanus G T Janson
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Johan J van der Reijden
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stijn Crobach
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - James C H Hardwick
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jurjen J Boonstra
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lukas J A C Hawinkels
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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