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Dankó B, Hess J, Unger K, Samaga D, Walz C, Walch A, Sun N, Baumeister P, Zeng PYF, Walter F, Marschner S, Späth R, Gires O, Herkommer T, Dazeh R, Matos T, Kreutzer L, Matschke J, Eul K, Klauschen F, Pflugradt U, Canis M, Ganswindt U, Mymryk JS, Wollenberg B, Nichols AC, Belka C, Zitzelsberger H, Lauber K, Selmansberger M. Metabolic pathway-based subtypes associate glycan biosynthesis and treatment response in head and neck cancer. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:116. [PMID: 38783045 PMCID: PMC11116554 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00602-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy that remains a significant challenge in clinical management due to frequent treatment failures and pronounced therapy resistance. While metabolic dysregulation appears to be a critical factor in this scenario, comprehensive analyses of the metabolic HNSCC landscape and its impact on clinical outcomes are lacking. This study utilized transcriptomic data from four independent clinical cohorts to investigate metabolic heterogeneity in HNSCC and define metabolic pathway-based subtypes (MPS). In HPV-negative HNSCCs, MPS1 and MPS2 were identified, while MPS3 was enriched in HPV-positive cases. MPS classification was associated with clinical outcome post adjuvant radio(chemo)therapy, with MPS1 consistently exhibiting the highest risk of therapeutic failure. MPS1 was uniquely characterized by upregulation of glycan (particularly chondroitin/dermatan sulfate) metabolism genes. Immunohistochemistry and pilot mass spectrometry imaging analyses confirmed this at metabolite level. The histological context and single-cell RNA sequencing data identified the malignant cells as key contributors. Globally, MPS1 was distinguished by a unique transcriptomic landscape associated with increased disease aggressiveness, featuring motifs related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immune signaling, cancer stemness, tumor microenvironment assembly, and oncogenic signaling. This translated into a distinct histological appearance marked by extensive extracellular matrix remodeling, abundant spindle-shaped cancer-associated fibroblasts, and intimately intertwined populations of malignant and stromal cells. Proof-of-concept data from orthotopic xenotransplants replicated the MPS phenotypes on the histological and transcriptome levels. In summary, this study introduces a metabolic pathway-based classification of HNSCC, pinpointing glycan metabolism-enriched MPS1 as the most challenging subgroup that necessitates alternative therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedek Dankó
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Julia Hess
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kristian Unger
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Samaga
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Walz
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Axel Walch
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Na Sun
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Baumeister
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Y F Zeng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Franziska Walter
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Marschner
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Richard Späth
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Olivier Gires
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Timm Herkommer
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ramin Dazeh
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thaina Matos
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lisa Kreutzer
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Johann Matschke
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen a partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Katharina Eul
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Frederick Klauschen
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrike Pflugradt
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Canis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Ute Ganswindt
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Joe S Mymryk
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara Wollenberg
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
- Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Anthony C Nichols
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Claus Belka
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Horst Zitzelsberger
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kirsten Lauber
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Selmansberger
- Research Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany.
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer, " Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany.
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Zhang J, Ran H, Wang Z, Liu P, Kang C, Zeng X, Qiu S, Zhang P. Identification of galactosamine-(N-acetyl)-6-sulfatase (GALNS) as a novel therapeutic target in progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Discov Oncol 2023; 14:171. [PMID: 37707658 PMCID: PMC10501037 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00782-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a commonly diagnosed malignancy in southern China and southeast Asia. Previous studies have identified galactosamine-(N-acetyl)-6-sulfatase (GALNS) as a potential biomarker for multiple cancers. However, it is unknown whether GALNS plays a role in NPC development, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found that GALNS is overexpressed in NPC cell lines and tissues compared to the normal nasopharyngeal counterparts. Knocking down GALNS expression in the NPC cells significantly decreased their proliferation in vitro, and inhibited xenograft growth in a mouse model. Mechanistically, the anti-proliferative effect of GALNS silencing was the result of autophagy induction via the inhibition of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. Taken together, GALNS drives the progression of NPC via PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling-mediated autophagy, and is therefore a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong Ran
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China
| | - Chenglin Kang
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China
| | - Xianhai Zeng
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China.
| | - Shuqi Qiu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China.
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, 3004 Longgang Avenue, Shenzhen, NoGuangdong, China.
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Kabzinski J, Kucharska-Lusina A, Majsterek I. RNA-Based Liquid Biopsy in Head and Neck Cancer. Cells 2023; 12:1916. [PMID: 37508579 PMCID: PMC10377854 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a prevalent and diverse group of malignancies with substantial morbidity and mortality rates. Early detection and monitoring of HNC are crucial for improving patient outcomes. Liquid biopsy, a non-invasive diagnostic approach, has emerged as a promising tool for cancer detection and monitoring. In this article, we review the application of RNA-based liquid biopsy in HNC. Various types of RNA, including messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), small nuclear RNA (snRNA), small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), circular RNA (circRNA) and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA), are explored as potential biomarkers in HNC liquid-based diagnostics. The roles of RNAs in HNC diagnosis, metastasis, tumor resistance to radio and chemotherapy, and overall prognosis are discussed. RNA-based liquid biopsy holds great promise for the early detection, prognosis, and personalized treatment of HNC. Further research and validation are necessary to translate these findings into clinical practice and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Kabzinski
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, MolecoLAB A6, Mazowiecka 5, 92-215 Lodz, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kucharska-Lusina
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, MolecoLAB A6, Mazowiecka 5, 92-215 Lodz, Poland
| | - Ireneusz Majsterek
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, MolecoLAB A6, Mazowiecka 5, 92-215 Lodz, Poland
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Corti A, De Cecco L, Cavalieri S, Lenoci D, Pistore F, Calareso G, Mattavelli D, de Graaf P, Leemans CR, Brakenhoff RH, Ravanelli M, Poli T, Licitra L, Corino V, Mainardi L. MRI-based radiomic prognostic signature for locally advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: development, testing and comparison with genomic prognostic signatures. Biomark Res 2023; 11:69. [PMID: 37455307 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00494-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND . At present, the prognostic prediction in advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is based on the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system, and the most used imaging modality in these patients is magnetic resonance image (MRI). With the aim to improve the prediction, we developed an MRI-based radiomic signature as a prognostic marker for overall survival (OS) in OCSCC patients and compared it with published gene expression signatures for prognosis of OS in head and neck cancer patients, replicated herein on our OCSCC dataset. METHODS For each patient, 1072 radiomic features were extracted from T1 and T2-weighted MRI (T1w and T2w). Features selection was performed, and an optimal set of five of them was used to fit a Cox proportional hazard regression model for OS. The radiomic signature was developed on a multi-centric locally advanced OCSCC retrospective dataset (n = 123) and validated on a prospective cohort (n = 108). RESULTS The performance of the signature was evaluated in terms of C-index (0.68 (IQR 0.66-0.70)), hazard ratio (HR 2.64 (95% CI 1.62-4.31)), and high/low risk group stratification (log-rank p < 0.001, Kaplan-Meier curves). When tested on a multi-centric prospective cohort (n = 108), the signature had a C-index of 0.62 (IQR 0.58-0.64) and outperformed the clinical and pathologic TNM stage and six out of seven gene expression prognostic signatures. In addition, the significant difference of the radiomic signature between stages III and IVa/b in patients receiving surgery suggests a potential association of MRI features with the pathologic stage. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the present study suggests that MRI signatures, containing non-invasive and cost-effective remarkable information, could be exploited as prognostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Corti
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Cavalieri
- Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Deborah Lenoci
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Pistore
- Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Calareso
- Radiology Department, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Mattavelli
- Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Pim de Graaf
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C René Leemans
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud H Brakenhoff
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marco Ravanelli
- Unit of Radiology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Tito Poli
- Maxillo-Facial Surgery Division, Head and Neck Department, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Lisa Licitra
- Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Corino
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Cardiotech Lab, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Mainardi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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High Expression of POGK Predicts Poor Prognosis in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Oncol 2022; 29:8650-8667. [PMID: 36421335 PMCID: PMC9688978 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29110682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Kruppel-associated box (KRAB) proteins reportedly play a dual role in neoplastic transformation. At present, little is known about the function of the proteins encoded by the human pogo transposable element derived with KRAB domain (POGK) gene. Herein, we evaluated the prognostic significance of POGK expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS The data of HCC patients was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. To determine the relationship between POGK and clinical features, logistic regression was applied. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between POGK and survival rates. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were conducted to identify the enriched pathways and functions associated with POGK. RESULTS A total of 374 HCC patients were identified in TCGA. POGK was significantly upregulated in HCC and correlated with tumor status (p = 0.036), race (p = 0.025), weight (p = 0.002), body mass index (p = 0.033), histologic grade (p < 0.001), and alpha-fetoprotein (p < 0.001). High POGK expression in HCC patients correlated with a poor outcome in terms of overall survival (p = 0.0018), progression-free survival (p = 0.0087), relapse-free survival (p = 0.045), and disease-specific survival (p = 0.014), according to Kaplan-Meier analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of POGK expression for HCC diagnosis was 0.891. GSEA showed that high POGK expression might activate mitotic prometaphase, kinesins, homologous DNA pairing and strand exchange, MET activates PTK2 signaling pathway, G1 to S cell cycle control, Aurora B pathway, ncRNAs involved in WNT signaling pathway, hepatitis C, and ncRNAs involved in the STAT3 signaling pathway. POGK expression correlated with the abundance of adaptive and innate immunocytes in HCC. CONCLUSION High expression of POGK has high diagnostic and prognostic values in patients with HCC. Moreover, POGK expression is correlated with immune infiltration in HCC.
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DeepClassPathway: Molecular pathway aware classification using explainable deep learning. Eur J Cancer 2022; 176:41-49. [PMID: 36191385 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HPV-associated head and neck cancer is correlated with favorable prognosis; however, its underlying biology is not fully understood. We propose an explainable convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier, DeepClassPathway, that predicts HPV-status and allows patient-specific identification of molecular pathways driving classifier decisions. METHODS The CNN was trained to classify HPV-status on transcriptome data from 264 (13% HPV-positive) and tested on 85 (25% HPV-positive) head and neck squamous carcinoma patients after transformation into 2D-treemaps representing molecular pathways. Grad-CAM saliency was used to quantify pathways contribution to individual CNN decisions. Model stability was assessed by shuffling pathways within 2D-images. RESULTS The classification performance of the CNN-ensembles achieved ROC-AUC/PR-AUC of 0.96/0.90 for all treemap variants. Quantification of the averaged pathway saliency heatmaps consistently identified KRAS, spermatogenesis, bile acid metabolism, and inflammation signaling pathways as the four most informative for classifying HPV-positive patients and MYC targets, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and protein secretion pathways for HPV-negative patients. CONCLUSION We have developed and applied an explainable CNN classification approach to transcriptome data from an oncology cohort with typical sample size that allows classification while accounting for the importance of molecular pathways in individual-level decisions.
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Hess J, Unger K, Maihoefer C, Schüttrumpf L, Weber P, Marschner S, Wintergerst L, Pflugradt U, Baumeister P, Walch A, Woischke C, Kirchner T, Werner M, Sörensen K, Baumann M, Tinhofer I, Combs SE, Debus J, Schäfer H, Krause M, Linge A, von der Grün J, Stuschke M, Zips D, Canis M, Lauber K, Ganswindt U, Henke M, Zitzelsberger H, Belka C. Integration of p16/HPV DNA Status with a 24-miRNA-Defined Molecular Phenotype Improves Clinically Relevant Stratification of Head and Neck Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153745. [PMID: 35954409 PMCID: PMC9367561 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), regarded as a distinct clinical entity, are characterized by a considerably favourable prognosis after radio(chemo)therapy and a not yet fully understood distinct molecular pathogenesis. We aimed to develop a miRNA-signature that identifies HPV-associated HNSCC according to their specific molecular pathogenesis, and to characterise the transcriptome compared to HPV-negative HNSCC. We performed miRNA expression profiling of n = 229 HPV characterized HNSCC specimens of patients treated by adjuvant radio(chemo) therapy. Using lasso-regression, a 24-miRNA signature predicting HPV-status was built in a multicentre cohort and validated in a single-centre cohort. Its combination with p16/HPV DNA status improved clinically relevant risk stratification, allowed the identification of an HPV-associated patient subgroup with impaired overall survival, and might be considered for future clinical decision-making. miRNA-transcriptome integration identified HPV-specific signaling pathways. Abstract Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) generally have a more favourable prognosis. We hypothesized that HPV-associated HNSCC may be identified by an miRNA-signature according to their specific molecular pathogenesis, and be characterized by a unique transcriptome compared to HPV-negative HNSCC. We performed miRNA expression profiling of two p16/HPV DNA characterized HNSCC cohorts of patients treated by adjuvant radio(chemo)therapy (multicentre DKTK-ROG n = 128, single-centre LMU-KKG n = 101). A linear model predicting HPV status built in DKTK-ROG using lasso-regression was tested in LMU-KKG. LMU-KKG tumours (n = 30) were transcriptome profiled for differential gene expression and miRNA-integration. A 24-miRNA signature predicted HPV-status with 94.53% accuracy (AUC: 0.99) in DKTK-ROG, and 86.14% (AUC: 0.86) in LMU-KKG. The prognostic values of 24-miRNA- and p16/HPV DNA status were comparable. Combining p16/HPV DNA and 24-miRNA status allowed patient sub-stratification and identification of an HPV-associated patient subgroup with impaired overall survival. HPV-positive tumours showed downregulated MAPK, Estrogen, EGFR, TGFbeta, WNT signaling activity. miRNA-mRNA integration revealed HPV-specific signaling pathway regulation, including PD−L1 expression/PD−1 checkpoint pathway in cancer in HPV-associated HNSCC. Integration of clinically established p16/HPV DNA with 24-miRNA signature status improved clinically relevant risk stratification, which might be considered for future clinical decision-making with respect to treatment de-escalation in HPV-associated HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hess
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (K.U.); (P.W.); (L.W.); (H.Z.)
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-3187-3517
| | - Kristian Unger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (K.U.); (P.W.); (L.W.); (H.Z.)
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelius Maihoefer
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Lars Schüttrumpf
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Weber
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (K.U.); (P.W.); (L.W.); (H.Z.)
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
| | - Sebastian Marschner
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ludmila Wintergerst
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (K.U.); (P.W.); (L.W.); (H.Z.)
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
| | - Ulrike Pflugradt
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp Baumeister
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Axel Walch
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany;
| | - Christine Woischke
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (C.W.); (T.K.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Thomas Kirchner
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (C.W.); (T.K.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Martin Werner
- Institute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; (M.W.); (K.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (H.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Kristin Sörensen
- Institute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; (M.W.); (K.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (H.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Michael Baumann
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.B.); (M.K.); (A.L.)
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01309 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ingeborg Tinhofer
- Department of Radiooncology and Radiotherapy, Charité University Hospital Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephanie E. Combs
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Radiation Medicine (IRM), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Debus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center (HIT), University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Heidelberg, and Clinical cooperation unit Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Schäfer
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (H.S.); (M.H.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mechthild Krause
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.B.); (M.K.); (A.L.)
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01309 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden—Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology—OncoRay Dresden, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Annett Linge
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.B.); (M.K.); (A.L.)
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01309 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jens von der Grün
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Stuschke
- Department of Radiotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Zips
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Tübingen, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Canis
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Kirsten Lauber
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ute Ganswindt
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Henke
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (H.S.); (M.H.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Horst Zitzelsberger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (K.U.); (P.W.); (L.W.); (H.Z.)
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (C.M.); (L.S.); (S.M.); (U.P.); (P.B.); (M.C.); (K.L.); (U.G.); (C.B.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
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8
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Development and Validation of a Necroptosis-Related Prognostic Model in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:8402568. [PMID: 35222645 PMCID: PMC8881120 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8402568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Necroptosis is a new regulated cell-death mechanism that plays a critical role in various cancers. However, few studies have considered necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) as prognostic indexes for cancer. As one of the most common cancers in the world, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) lacks effective diagnostic strategies at present. Hence, a series of novel prognostic indexes are required to support clinical diagnosis. Recently, many studies have confirmed that necroptosis was a key regulated mechanism in HNSCC, but no systematic study has ever studied the correlation between necroptosis-related signatures and the prognosis of HNSCC. Thus, in the current study, we aimed to construct a risk model of necroptosis-related signatures for HNSCC. We acquired 159 NRGs from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and compared them with samples of normal tissue downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), ultimately screening 38 differentially expressed NRGs (DE-NRGs). Then, by Cox regression analysis, we successfully identified 7 NRGs as prognostic factors. We next separated patients into high- and low-risk groups via the prognostic model consisting of 7 NRGs. Individuals in the high-risk group had much shorter overall survival (OS) times than their counterparts. Furthermore, using Cox regression analysis, we confirmed the necroptosis-related prognostic model to be an independent prognostic factor for HNSCC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis proved the predictive ability of this model. Finally, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets (GSE65858, GSE4163) were used as independent databases to verify the model’s predictive ability, and similar results obtained from two data sets confirmed our conclusion. Collectively, in this study, we first referred to necroptosis-related signatures as an independent prognostic model for cancer via bioinformatics measures, and the necroptosis-related prognostic model we constructed could precisely forecast the OS time of patients with HNSCC. Utilizing the model may significantly improve the diagnostic rate and provide a series of new targets for treatment in the future.
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9
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Weber P, Künstner A, Hess J, Unger K, Marschner S, Idel C, Ribbat-Idel J, Baumeister P, Gires O, Walz C, Rietzler S, Valeanu L, Herkommer T, Kreutzer L, Klymenko O, Drexler G, Kirchner T, Maihöfer C, Ganswindt U, Walch A, Sterr M, Lickert H, Canis M, Rades D, Perner S, Berriel Diaz M, Herzig S, Lauber K, Wollenberg B, Busch H, Belka C, Zitzelsberger H. Therapy-related transcriptional subtypes in matched primary and recurrent head and neck cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 28:1038-1052. [PMID: 34965946 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-2244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The genetic relatedness between primary and recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) reflects the extent of heterogeneity and therapy-driven selection of tumor subpopulations. Yet, current treatment of recurrent HNSCC ignores the molecular characteristics of therapy-resistant tumor populations. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN From 150 tumors, 74 primary HNSCCs were RNA-sequenced and 38 matched primary/recurrent tumor pairs were both, whole-exome and RNA-sequenced. Transcriptome analysis determined the predominant classical (CL), basal (BA) and inflamed-mesenchymal (IMS) transcriptional subtypes according to an established classification. Genomic alterations and clonal compositions of tumors were evaluated from whole-exome data. RESULTS While CL and IMS subtypes were more common in primary HNSCC with low recurrence rates, the BA subtype was more prevalent and stable in recurrent tumors. The BA subtype was associated with a transcriptional signature of partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (p-emt) and early recurrence. In 44% of matched cases, the dominant subtype changed from primary to recurrent tumors, preferably from IMS to BA or CL. Gene set enrichment analysis identified upregulation of Hypoxia, p-emt and radiation resistance signatures and downregulation of tumor inflammation in recurrences compared to index tumors. A relevant subset of primary/recurrent tumor pairs presented no evidence for a common clonal origin. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed a high degree of genetic and transcriptional heterogeneity between primary/recurrent tumors, suggesting therapy-related selection of a transcriptional subtype with characteristics unfavorable for therapy. We conclude that therapy decisions should be based on genetic and transcriptional characteristics of recurrences rather than primary tumors to enable optimally tailored treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Weber
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Axel Künstner
- Luebeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology and Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
- University Cancer Center Schleswig-Holstein, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Julia Hess
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Kristian Unger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Marschner
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Idel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Julika Ribbat-Idel
- Institute of Pathology, University of Luebeck and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Philipp Baumeister
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Olivier Gires
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Walz
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sibylle Rietzler
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Valeanu
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Timm Herkommer
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Kreutzer
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Olena Klymenko
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Guido Drexler
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Kirchner
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelius Maihöfer
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Ute Ganswindt
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Axel Walch
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael Sterr
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Heiko Lickert
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Canis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Rades
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Sven Perner
- Institute of Pathology, University of Luebeck and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Germany
- Pathology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Mauricio Berriel Diaz
- Institute of Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Herzig
- Institute of Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Kirsten Lauber
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Wollenberg
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
- Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Hauke Busch
- Luebeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology and Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
- University Cancer Center Schleswig-Holstein, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
| | - Horst Zitzelsberger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer," Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, DKTK, Munich, Germany
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10
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Schoetz U, Klein D, Hess J, Shnayien S, Spoerl S, Orth M, Mutlu S, Hennel R, Sieber A, Ganswindt U, Luka B, Thomsen AR, Unger K, Jendrossek V, Zitzelsberger H, Blüthgen N, Belka C, Unkel S, Klinger B, Lauber K. Early senescence and production of senescence-associated cytokines are major determinants of radioresistance in head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:1162. [PMID: 34911941 PMCID: PMC8674332 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04454-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Resistance against radio(chemo)therapy-induced cell death is a major determinant of oncological treatment failure and remains a perpetual clinical challenge. The underlying mechanisms are manifold and demand for comprehensive, cancer entity- and subtype-specific examination. In the present study, resistance against radiotherapy was systematically assessed in a panel of human head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines and xenotransplants derived thereof with the overarching aim to extract master regulators and potential candidates for mechanism-based pharmacological targeting. Clonogenic survival data were integrated with molecular and functional data on DNA damage repair and different cell fate decisions. A positive correlation between radioresistance and early induction of HNSCC cell senescence accompanied by NF-κB-dependent production of distinct senescence-associated cytokines, particularly ligands of the CXCR2 chemokine receptor, was identified. Time-lapse microscopy and medium transfer experiments disclosed the non-cell autonomous, paracrine nature of these mechanisms, and pharmacological interference with senescence-associated cytokine production by the NF-κB inhibitor metformin significantly improved radiotherapeutic performance in vitro and in vivo. With regard to clinical relevance, retrospective analyses of TCGA HNSCC data and an in-house HNSCC cohort revealed that elevated expression of CXCR2 and/or its ligands are associated with impaired treatment outcome. Collectively, our study identifies radiation-induced tumor cell senescence and the NF-κB-dependent production of distinct senescence-associated cytokines as critical drivers of radioresistance in HNSCC whose therapeutic targeting in the context of multi-modality treatment approaches should be further examined and may be of particular interest for the subgroup of patients with elevated expression of the CXCR2/ligand axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Schoetz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, Philipps-University Marburg, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Diana Klein
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Julia Hess
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Seyd Shnayien
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Steffen Spoerl
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Orth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Samet Mutlu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roman Hennel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Anja Sieber
- Institute of Pathology, Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,IRI Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Ganswindt
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Benedikt Luka
- Division for Cariology, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Andreas R Thomsen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Kristian Unger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Verena Jendrossek
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Horst Zitzelsberger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Nils Blüthgen
- Institute of Pathology, Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,IRI Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Steffen Unkel
- Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bertram Klinger
- Institute of Pathology, Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,IRI Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kirsten Lauber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Munich, Germany. .,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Munich, Munich, Germany.
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11
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Ma W, Cao Q, She W. Identification and clinical validation of gene signatures with grade and survival in head and neck carcinomas. Braz J Med Biol Res 2021; 54:e11069. [PMID: 34550272 PMCID: PMC8457684 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x2020e11069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to explore gene expression profiles that drive malignancy from low- to high-grade head and neck carcinomas (HNC), as well as to analyze their correlations with survival. Gene expressions and clinical data of HNC were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository. The significantly differential genes (SDGs) between low- and high-grade HNC were screened. Cox regressions were performed to identify prognostic SDGs of progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The genes were experimentally validated by RT-PCR in clinical tissue specimens. Thirty-five SDGs were identified in 47 low-grade and 30 high-grade HNC samples. Cox regression analyses showed that CXCL14, SLC44A1, and UBD were significantly associated with DSS, and PPP2R2C and SLC44A1 were associated with PFS. Patients were grouped into high-risk or low-risk groups for prognosis based on gene signatures. High-risk patients had significantly shorter DSS and PFS than low-risk patients (P=0.033 and P=0.010, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression showed HPV (P=0.033), lymph node status (P=0.032), and residual status (P<0.044) were independent risk factors for PFS. ROC curves showed the risk score had better efficacy to predict survival both for DSS and PFS (AUC=0.858 and AUC=0.901, respectively). The results showed CXCL14 and SLC44A1 were significantly overexpressed in the low-grade HNC tissues and the UBD were overexpressed in the high-grade HNC tissues. Our results suggested that SDGs had different expression profiles between the low-grade and high-grade HNC, and these genes may serve as prognostic biomarkers to predict survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qing Cao
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wandong She
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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12
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Identification and Complete Validation of Prognostic Gene Signatures for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cancers: Integrated Approach Covering Different Anatomical Locations. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02354-20. [PMID: 33361419 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02354-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects squamous epithelium and is a major cause of cervical cancer (CC) and a subset of head and neck cancers (HNC). Virus-induced tumorigenesis, molecular alterations, and related prognostic markers are expected to be similar between the two cancers, but they remain poorly understood. We present integrated molecular analysis of HPV-associated tumors from TCGA and GEO databases and identify prognostic biomarkers. Analysis of gene expression profiles identified common upregulated genes and pathways of DNA replication and repair in the HPV-associated tumors. We established 34 prognostic gene signatures with a universal cutoff value in TCGA-CC using Elastic Net Cox regression analysis. We were able to externally validate our results in the TCGA-HNC and several GEO data sets, and demonstrated prognostic power in HPV-associated HNC, but not in HPV-negative cancers. The HPV-related prognostic and predictive indicator did not discriminate other cancers, except bladder urothelial carcinoma. These results identify and completely validate a highly selective prognostic system and its cross-usefulness in HPV-associated cancers, regardless of the tumor's anatomical subsite.IMPORTANCE Persistent infection with high-risk HPV interferes with cell function regulation and causes cell mutations, which accumulate over the long term and eventually develop into cancer. Results of pathway enrichment analysis presumably showed this accumulation of intracellular damage during the chronic HPV-infected state. We used highly advanced statistical methods to identify the most appropriate genes and coefficients and developed the HPV-related prognostic and predictive indicator (HPPI) risk scoring system. We applied the same cutoff value to training and validation sets and demonstrated good prognostic performance in both data sets, and confirmed a consistent trend in external validation. Moreover, HPPI presented significant validation results for bladder cancer suspected to be related to HPV. This suggested that our risk scoring system based on the prognostic gene signature could play an important role in the development of treatment strategies for patients with HPV-related cancer.
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13
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Corradini S, Niyazi M, Verellen D, Valentini V, Walsh S, Grosu AL, Lauber K, Giaccia A, Unger K, Debus J, Pieters BR, Guckenberger M, Senan S, Budach W, Rad R, Mayerle J, Belka C. X-change symposium: status and future of modern radiation oncology-from technology to biology. Radiat Oncol 2021; 16:27. [PMID: 33541387 PMCID: PMC7863262 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-021-01758-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Future radiation oncology encompasses a broad spectrum of topics ranging from modern clinical trial design to treatment and imaging technology and biology. In more detail, the application of hybrid MRI devices in modern image-guided radiotherapy; the emerging field of radiomics; the role of molecular imaging using positron emission tomography and its integration into clinical routine; radiation biology with its future perspectives, the role of molecular signatures in prognostic modelling; as well as special treatment modalities such as brachytherapy or proton beam therapy are areas of rapid development. More clinically, radiation oncology will certainly find an important role in the management of oligometastasis. The treatment spectrum will also be widened by the rational integration of modern systemic targeted or immune therapies into multimodal treatment strategies. All these developments will require a concise rethinking of clinical trial design. This article reviews the current status and the potential developments in the field of radiation oncology as discussed by a panel of European and international experts sharing their vision during the "X-Change" symposium, held in July 2019 in Munich (Germany).
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Corradini
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| | - Maximilian Niyazi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Verellen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Iridium Network, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vincenzo Valentini
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A.Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica S. Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Anca-L Grosu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kirsten Lauber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Amato Giaccia
- Division of Radiation and Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Kristian Unger
- Integrative Biology Group, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Debus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bradley R Pieters
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Guckenberger
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Suresh Senan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilfried Budach
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Roland Rad
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), TU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Mayerle
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
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14
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Characterization of Copy-Number Variations and Possible Candidate Genes in Recurrent Pregnancy Losses. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020141. [PMID: 33499090 PMCID: PMC7911754 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that embryonic chromosomal abnormalities (both in the number of chromosomes and the structure) account for 50% of early pregnancy losses. However, little is known regarding the potential differences in the incidence and distribution of chromosomal abnormalities between patients with sporadic abortion (SA) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), let alone the role of submicroscopic copy-number variations (CNVs) in these cases. The aim of the present study was to systematically evaluate the role of embryonic chromosomal abnormalities and CNVs in the etiology of RPL compared with SA. Over a 3-year period, 1556 fresh products of conception (POCs) from miscarriage specimens were investigated using single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-array) and CNV sequencing (CNV-seq) in this study, along with further functional enrichment analysis. Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 57.52% (895/1556) of all cases. Comparisons of the incidence and distributions of chromosomal abnormalities within the SA group and RPL group and within the different age groups were performed. Moreover, 346 CNVs in 173 cases were identified, including 272 duplications, 2 deletions and 72 duplications along with deletions. Duplications in 16q24.3 and 16p13.3 were significantly more frequent in RPL cases, and thereby considered to be associated with RPL. There were 213 genes and 131 signaling pathways identified as potential RPL candidate genes and signaling pathways, respectively, which were centered primarily on six functional categories. The results of the present study may improve our understanding of the etiologies of RPL and assist in the establishment of a population-based diagnostic panel of genetic markers for screening RPL amongst Chinese women.
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15
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Schinke H, Heider T, Herkommer T, Simon F, Blancke Soares A, Kranz G, Samaga D, Dajka L, Feuchtinger A, Walch A, Valeanu L, Walz C, Kirchner T, Canis M, Baumeister P, Belka C, Maihöfer C, Marschner S, Pflugradt U, Ganswindt U, Hess J, Zitzelsberger H, Gires O. Digital scoring of EpCAM and slug expression as prognostic markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Mol Oncol 2020; 15:1040-1053. [PMID: 33340247 PMCID: PMC8024715 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) have poor clinical outcome owing to therapy resistance and frequent recurrences that are among others attributable to tumor cells in partial epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (pEMT). We compared side‐by‐side software‐based and visual quantification of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of epithelial marker EpCAM and EMT regulator Slug in n = 102 primary HNSCC to assess optimal analysis protocols. IHC scores incorporated expression levels and percentages of positive cells. Digital and visual evaluation of membrane‐associated EpCAM yielded correlating scorings, whereas visual evaluation of nuclear Slug resulted in significantly higher overall scores. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis defined the median EpCAM expression levels resulting from visual quantification as an independent prognostic factor of overall survival. Slug expression levels resulting from digital quantification were an independent prognostic factor of recurrence‐free survival, locoregional recurrence‐free survival, and disease‐specific survival. Hence, we propose to use visual assessment for the membrane‐associated EpCAM protein, whereas nuclear protein Slug assessment was more accurate following digital measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Schinke
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Theresa Heider
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Timm Herkommer
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Florian Simon
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandra Blancke Soares
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Gisela Kranz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Samaga
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Laura Dajka
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Annette Feuchtinger
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Axel Walch
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Laura Valeanu
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Walz
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Kirchner
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Canis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp Baumeister
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelius Maihöfer
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Marschner
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrike Pflugradt
- Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Ute Ganswindt
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Julia Hess
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Horst Zitzelsberger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Olivier Gires
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer", Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
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16
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Comparison of GeneChip, nCounter, and Real-Time PCR-Based Gene Expressions Predicting Locoregional Tumor Control after Primary and Postoperative Radiochemotherapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Mol Diagn 2020; 22:801-810. [PMID: 32247864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This article compares the expression and applicability of biomarkers, from single genes and gene signatures, identified in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using the GeneChip Human Transcriptome Array 2.0, nCounter, and real-time PCR analyses. Two multicenter, retrospective cohorts of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from the German Cancer Consortium Radiation Oncology Group who received postoperative radiochemotherapy or primary radiochemotherapy were considered. Real-time PCR was performed for a limited number of 38 genes of the cohort who received postoperative radiochemotherapy only. Correlations between the methods were evaluated by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Patients were stratified based on the expression of putative cancer stem cell markers, hypoxia-associated gene signatures, and a previously developed seven-gene signature. Locoregional tumor control was compared between these patient subgroups using log-rank tests. Gene expressions obtained from nCounter analyses were moderately correlated to GeneChip analyses (median ρ = approximately 0.68). A higher correlation was obtained between nCounter analyses and real-time PCR (median ρ = 0.84). Significant associations with locoregional tumor control were observed for most of the considered biomarkers evaluated by GeneChip and nCounter analyses. In general, all applied biomarkers (single genes and gene signatures) classified approximately 70% to 85% of the patients similarly. Overall, gene signatures seem to be more robust and had a better transferability among different measurement methods.
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17
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Zhang NN, Lin T, Xiao M, Li QS, Li X, Yang L, Wang CL, Wang YL. Transcriptome sequencing analysis of mono‑ADP‑ribosylation in colorectal cancer cells. Oncol Rep 2020; 43:1413-1428. [PMID: 32323815 PMCID: PMC7107792 DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global health concern. The role of epigenetics in tumors has garnered increasing interest. ADP ribosylation is an epigenetic modification that is associated with a variety of biological functions and diseases, and its association with tumor development and progression has been hypothesized. However, due to the limitations of available techniques and methods, ADP ribosylation of specific sites is difficult to determine. In previous studies, it was shown that arginine-117 of histone 3 (H3R117) in Lovo cells can be modified by mono-ADP-ribosylation. This site was mutated and Lovo cells overexpressing this mutant construct were established. In the present study, the expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between untransfected Lovo cells and H3R117A Lovo cells was analyzed. A total of 58,174 DEGs were identified, of which 2,324 were significantly differentially expressed (q-value <0.05; fold change >2). Functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment was used to analyze the functions and possible roles of the DEGs. The DEGs were enriched in pathways associated with metabolic process, catalytic activity, organelle and chromatin structure, and dynamics. Through this comprehensive and systematic analysis, the role of mono-ADP-ribosylation in CRC was examined, providing a foundation for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Ning Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Ting Lin
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Ming Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Qing-Shu Li
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Xian Li
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Lian Yang
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Chuan-Ling Wang
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Lan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
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18
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Serafini MS, Lopez-Perez L, Fico G, Licitra L, De Cecco L, Resteghini C. Transcriptomics and Epigenomics in head and neck cancer: available repositories and molecular signatures. CANCERS OF THE HEAD & NECK 2020; 5:2. [PMID: 31988797 PMCID: PMC6971871 DOI: 10.1186/s41199-020-0047-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
For many years, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has been considered as a single entity. However, in the last decades HNSCC complexity and heterogeneity have been recognized. In parallel, high-throughput omics techniques had allowed picturing a larger spectrum of the behavior and characteristics of molecules in cancer and a large set of omics web-based tools and informative repository databases have been developed. The objective of the present review is to provide an overview on biological, prognostic and predictive molecular signatures in HNSCC. To contextualize the selected data, our literature survey includes a short summary of the main characteristics of omics data repositories and web-tools for data analyses. The timeframe of our analysis was fixed, encompassing papers published between January 2015 and January 2019. From more than 1000 papers evaluated, 61 omics studies were selected: 33 investigating mRNA signatures, 11 and 13 related to miRNA and other non-coding-RNA signatures and 4 analyzing DNA methylation signatures. More than half of identified signatures (36) had a prognostic value but only in 10 studies selection of a specific anatomical sub-site (8 oral cavity, 1 oropharynx and 1 both oral cavity and oropharynx) was performed. Noteworthy, although the sample size included in many studies was limited, about one-half of the retrieved studies reported an external validation on independent dataset(s), strengthening the relevance of the obtained data. Finally, we highlighted the development and exploitation of three gene-expression signatures, whose clinical impact on prognosis/prediction of treatment response could be high. Based on this overview on omics-related literature in HNSCC, we identified some limits and strengths. The major limits are represented by the low number of signatures associated to DNA methylation and to non-coding RNA (miRNA, lncRNA and piRNAs) and the availability of a single dataset with multiple omics on more than 500 HNSCC (i.e. TCGA). The major strengths rely on the integration of multiple datasets through meta-analysis approaches and on the growing integration among omics data obtained on the same cohort of patients. Moreover, new approaches based on artificial intelligence and informatic analyses are expected to be available in the next future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara S Serafini
- 1Integrated Biology Platform, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Lopez-Perez
- 2Life Supporting Technologies, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Fico
- 2Life Supporting Technologies, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lisa Licitra
- 3Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy.,4University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- 1Integrated Biology Platform, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Resteghini
- 3Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
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19
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Definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients with squamous cell cancers of the head and neck - results from an unselected cohort of the clinical cooperation group "Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer". Radiat Oncol 2020; 15:7. [PMID: 31906998 PMCID: PMC6945615 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-019-1452-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is a standard treatment for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. There is a clinical need for a stratification of this prognostically heterogeneous group of tumors in order to optimize treatment of individual patients. We retrospectively reviewed all patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx, treated with dCRT from 09/2008 until 03/2016 at the Department of Radiation Oncology, LMU Munich. Here we report the clinical results of the cohort which represent the basis for biomarker discovery and molecular genetic research within the framework of a clinical cooperation group. METHODS Patient data were collected and analyzed for outcome and treatment failures with regard to previously described and established risk factors. RESULTS We identified 184 patients with a median follow-up of 65 months and a median age of 64 years. Patients received dCRT with a median dose of 70 Gy and simultaneous chemotherapy in 90.2% of cases, mostly mitomycin C / 5-FU in concordance with the ARO 95-06 trial. The actuarial 3-year overall survival (OS), local, locoregional and distant failure rates were 42.7, 29.8, 34.0 and 23.4%, respectively. Human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx cancer (HPVOPC) and smaller gross tumor volume were associated with significantly improved locoregional tumor control rate, disease-free survival (DFS) and OS in multivariate analysis. Additionally, lower hemoglobin levels were significantly associated with impaired DFS und OS in univariate analysis. The extent of lymph node involvement was associated with distant failure, DFS and OS. Moreover, 92 patients (50%) of our cohort have been treated in concordance with the ARO 95-06 study, corroborating the results of this study. CONCLUSION Our cohort is a large unselected monocentric cohort of HNSCC patients treated with dCRT. Tumor control rates and survival rates compare favorably with the results of previously published reports. The clinical data, together with the available tumor samples from biopsies, will allow translational research based on molecular genetic analyses.
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20
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Makarov V, Gorlin A. Meta-analysis of gene expression for development and validation of a diagnostic biomarker panel for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Comput Biol Chem 2019; 82:74-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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21
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Gatti V, Fierro C, Annicchiarico-Petruzzelli M, Melino G, Peschiaroli A. ΔNp63 in squamous cell carcinoma: defining the oncogenic routes affecting epigenetic landscape and tumour microenvironment. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:981-1001. [PMID: 30845357 PMCID: PMC6487733 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a treatment‐refractory tumour which arises from the epithelium of diverse anatomical sites such as oesophagus, head and neck, lung and skin. Accumulating evidence has revealed a number of genomic, clinical and molecular features commonly observed in SCC of distinct origins. Some of these genetic events culminate in fostering the activity of ΔNp63, a potent oncogene which exerts its pro‐tumourigenic effects by regulating specific transcriptional programmes to sustain malignant cell proliferation and survival. In this review, we will describe the genetic and epigenetic determinants underlying ΔNp63 oncogenic activities in SCC, and discuss some relevant transcriptional effectors of ΔNp63, emphasizing their impact in modulating the crosstalk between tumour cells and tumour microenvironment (TME).
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Gatti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Claudia Fierro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Italy
| | | | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Italy.,Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Angelo Peschiaroli
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Rome, Italy
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Bai S, Zhang P, Zhang JC, Shen J, Xiang X, Yan YB, Xu ZQ, Zhang J, Long L, Wang C, Shi P, Yang L, Chen W, Liu H. A gene signature associated with prognosis and immune processes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck 2019; 41:2581-2590. [PMID: 30839132 DOI: 10.1002/hed.25731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a poor prognosis that has not significantly improved in the past several decades. A prognostic-related signature was needed. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas and GSE41613 databases were downloaded as a training and validation set, respectively. We identified 12 genes that demonstrated progression and prognostic value, and then, a gene signature was constructed. RESULTS This classification could reflect distinct characteristics, phenotypically and molecularly, among HNSCC tumors. It could stratify patients with significantly different survival rates (median survival: 2083 days vs 927 days; P = 3.85E-08) in the training cohort and validation cohort (P = 0.007) and was significantly involved in immune/inflammatory response and tumor progression processes. CONCLUSIONS This bioinformatics-based signature suggested the presence of two distinct populations of patients with HNSCC with distinguishable phenotypic characteristics and clinical outcomes and might provide insight for new types of immune therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Bai
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jian-Cheng Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Shen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xu Xiang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying-Bin Yan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhen-Qi Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Long
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Shi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Tianjin, China
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