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Boesch M, Baty F, Rassouli F, Kowatsch T, Joerger M, Früh M, Brutsche MH. Non-pharmaceutical interventions to optimize cancer immunotherapy. Oncoimmunology 2023; 12:2255459. [PMID: 37791231 PMCID: PMC10543347 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2255459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The traditional picture of cancer patients as weak individuals requiring maximum rest and protection is beginning to dissolve. Too much focus on the medical side and one's own vulnerability and mortality might be counterproductive and not doing justice to the complexity of human nature. Unlike cytotoxic and lympho-depleting treatments, immune-engaging therapies strengthen the immune system and are typically less harmful for patients. Thus, cancer patients receiving checkpoint inhibitors are not viewed as being vulnerable per se, at least not in immunological and physical terms. This perspective article advocates a holistic approach to cancer immunotherapy, with an empowered patient in the center, focusing on personal resources and receiving domain-specific support from healthcare professionals. It summarizes recent evidence on non-pharmaceutical interventions to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade and improve quality of life. These interventions target behavioral factors such as diet, physical activity, stress management, circadian timing of checkpoint inhibitor infusion, and waiving unnecessary co-medication curtailing immunotherapy efficacy. Non-pharmaceutical interventions are universally accessible, broadly applicable, instantly actionable, scalable, and economically sustainable, creating value for all stakeholders involved. Most importantly, this holistic framework re-emphasizes the patient as a whole and harnesses the full potential of anticancer immunity and checkpoint blockade, potentially leading to survival benefits. Digital therapeutics are proposed to accompany the patients on their mission toward change in lifestyle-related behaviors for creating optimal conditions for treatment efficacy and personal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Florent Baty
- Lung Center, Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Frank Rassouli
- Lung Center, Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kowatsch
- Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Medicine, University of St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Technology, Management, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Joerger
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Martin Früh
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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2
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Al-Hawary SIS, Alsalamy A, Gupta R, Alsaab HO, Hjazi A, Edilboyev U, Ramadan MF, Hussien BM, Ahmed M, Hosseini-Fard SR. VAV3 in human cancers: Mechanism and clinical implication. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 248:154681. [PMID: 37467637 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) are primarily involved in signal transmission between cell membrane receptors and intracellular mediators. Upon replacing GDP with GTP, GEFs can alter their conformation, resulting in their binding to downstream effectors, such as GTPases like Ras homologous (Rho). VAV GEF family are versatile proteins working as an adaptor mediator and GEF for Rho GTPase. They act as a phosphorylation-dependent molecular switcher, fluctuating between active (tyrosine phosphorylated) and inactive (non-phosphorylated) conformation in cell signaling. Accumulating data showed that VAV3 is implicated in cancer progression. The higher levels of VAV3 in human cancers proposed that it may have an oncogenic role in cancer progression. Available studies demonstrated that VAV3 promoted cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), colony formation, cell cycle, survival, migration and invasion, and suppressed cell apoptosis. In addition, other studies indicated that VAV3 may have a prognostic value in cancer as well as it may act as a mediator in cancer chemoresistance. Here, we aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of VAV3 in cancer progression as well as to review its value as a prognostic biomarker and chemoresistance mediator in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Alsalamy
- College of Engineering, Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Al-Muthanna 66002, Iraq
| | - Reena Gupta
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, District-Mathura, U.P., 281406, India
| | - Hashem O Alsaab
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Unarbek Edilboyev
- Department of Engineering Graphics and Design Theory, Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, National Research University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | | | - Beneen M Hussien
- Medical Laboratory Technology Department, College of Medical Technology, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
| | - Muhja Ahmed
- Medical Technical College, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Seyed Reza Hosseini-Fard
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Resistance to chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy in ovarian cancer. MEMO-MAGAZINE OF EUROPEAN MEDICAL ONCOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12254-019-0478-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Hatina J, Boesch M, Sopper S, Kripnerova M, Wolf D, Reimer D, Marth C, Zeimet AG. Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell Heterogeneity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1139:201-221. [PMID: 31134503 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-14366-4_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian carcinoma features pronounced clinical, histopathological, and molecular heterogeneity. There is good reason to believe that parts of this heterogeneity can be explained by differences in the respective cell of origin, with a self-renewing fallopian tube secretory cell being likely responsible for initiation of an overwhelming majority of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (i.e., type II tumors according to the recent dualistic classification), whereas there are several mutually non-exclusive possibilities for the initiation of type I tumors, including ovarian surface epithelium stem cells, endometrial cells, or even cells of extra-Müllerian origin. Interestingly, both fallopian tube self-renewing secretory cells and ovarian surface epithelium stem cells seem to be characterized by an overlapping array of stemness signaling pathways, especially Wnt/β-catenin. Apart from this variability in the respective cell of origin, the particular clinical behavior of ovarian carcinoma strongly suggests an underlying stem cell component with a crucial impact. This becomes especially evident in high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas treated with classical chemotherapy, which entails a gradual evolution of chemoresistant disease without any apparent selection of clones carrying obvious chemoresistance-associated mutations. Several cell surface markers (e.g., CD24, CD44, CD117, CD133, and ROR1) as well as functional approaches (ALDEFLUOR™ and side population assays) have been used to identify and characterize putative ovarian carcinoma stem cells. We have recently shown that side population cells exhibit marked heterogeneity on their own, which can hamper their straightforward therapeutic targeting. An alternative strategy for stemness-depleting interventions is to target the stem cell niche, i.e., the specific microanatomical structure that secures stem cell maintenance and survival through provision of a set of stem cell-promoting and differentiation-antagonizing factors. Besides identifying direct or indirect therapeutic targets, profiling of side population cells and other ovarian carcinoma stem cell subpopulations can reveal relevant prognostic markers, as exemplified by our recent discovery of the Vav3.1 transcript variant, which filters out a fraction of prognostically unfavorable ovarian carcinoma cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Hatina
- Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Institute of Biology, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | | | - Sieghart Sopper
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.,Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Kripnerova
- Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Institute of Biology, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Wolf
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Daniel Reimer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christian Marth
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alain G Zeimet
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Hudson LG, Gillette JM, Kang H, Rivera MR, Wandinger-Ness A. Ovarian Tumor Microenvironment Signaling: Convergence on the Rac1 GTPase. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10100358. [PMID: 30261690 PMCID: PMC6211091 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10100358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment for epithelial ovarian cancer is complex and rich in bioactive molecules that modulate cell-cell interactions and stimulate numerous signal transduction cascades. These signals ultimately modulate all aspects of tumor behavior including progression, metastasis and therapeutic response. Many of the signaling pathways converge on the small GTPase Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (Rac)1. In addition to regulating actin cytoskeleton remodeling necessary for tumor cell adhesion, migration and invasion, Rac1 through its downstream effectors, regulates cancer cell survival, tumor angiogenesis, phenotypic plasticity, quiescence, and resistance to therapeutics. In this review we discuss evidence for Rac1 activation within the ovarian tumor microenvironment, mechanisms of Rac1 dysregulation as they apply to ovarian cancer, and the potential benefits of targeting aberrant Rac1 activity in this disease. The potential for Rac1 contribution to extraperitoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer is addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie G Hudson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Jennifer M Gillette
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Huining Kang
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Melanie R Rivera
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Angela Wandinger-Ness
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
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Boesch M, Sopper S, Marth C, Fiegl H, Wiedemair A, Rössler J, Hatina J, Wolf D, Reimer D, Zeimet AG. Evaluation of Vav3.1 as prognostic marker in endometrial cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2018; 144:2067-2076. [PMID: 30083818 PMCID: PMC6153599 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-018-2725-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vav3 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that regulates the activity of Rho/Rac family GTPases. In a study on ovarian cancer, we recently demonstrated pronounced prognostic and predictive value of Vav3.1, a specific truncation variant of the parental Vav3 gene. Here, we sought to investigate the role of Vav3.1 in the most prevalent gynecological tumor entity, endometrial cancer. METHODS Vav3.1 transcript levels were determined in a large cohort of endometrial cancer patients using variant-specific PCR (n = 239), and non-malignant endometrial tissue served as control (n = 26). Expression levels of Vav3.1 were stratified according to established clinicopathological characteristics and correlated to long-term patient survival (average follow-up of > 7.5 years). Type 1 and type 2 cancers were separately investigated. RESULTS While Vav3.1 was markedly overexpressed in endometrial cancer tissue, we could not detect associations with clinical parameters related to prognosis, such as FIGO stage and tumor grade. Kaplan-Meier estimators of different measures of survival failed to show prognostic significance of Vav3.1 in endometrial cancer. Lack of prognostic value was observed for both type 1 and type 2 cancers. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that Vav3.1 is not suited as a marker of cancer progression and/or treatment response in endometrial cancer. Feasibility and potential benefit of targeting Vav3.1 in endometrial cancer needs to be evaluated in future studies, proceeding from its clear, roughly ten-fold, induction in the malignant endometrium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Boesch
- Lungenzentrum, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Rorschacherstrasse 95, 9007, St. Gallen, Switzerland. .,Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. .,Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute (TKFI), 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. .,Oncotyrol, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine GmbH, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Sieghart Sopper
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.,Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute (TKFI), 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.,Oncotyrol, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine GmbH, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christian Marth
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Heidi Fiegl
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Annemarie Wiedemair
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Julia Rössler
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jiri Hatina
- Department of Biology and Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine Pilsen, Charles University Prague, 30100, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Wolf
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.,Oncotyrol, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine GmbH, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.,Medical Clinic III, Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Clinic Bonn (UKB), 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniel Reimer
- Oncotyrol, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine GmbH, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alain G Zeimet
- Oncotyrol, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine GmbH, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. .,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Bustelo XR. RHO GTPases in cancer: known facts, open questions, and therapeutic challenges. Biochem Soc Trans 2018; 46:741-760. [PMID: 29871878 PMCID: PMC7615761 DOI: 10.1042/bst20170531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RHO GTPases have been traditionally associated with protumorigenic functions. While this paradigm is still valid in many cases, recent data have unexpectedly revealed that RHO proteins can also play tumor suppressor roles. RHO signaling elements can also promote both pro- and antitumorigenic effects using GTPase-independent mechanisms, thus giving an extra layer of complexity to the role of these proteins in cancer. Consistent with these variegated roles, both gain- and loss-of-function mutations in RHO pathway genes have been found in cancer patients. Collectively, these observations challenge long-held functional archetypes for RHO proteins in both normal and cancer cells. In this review, I will summarize these data and discuss new questions arising from them such as the functional and clinical relevance of the mutations found in patients, the mechanistic orchestration of those antagonistic functions in tumors, and the pros and cons that these results represent for the development of RHO-based anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xosé R Bustelo
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Boesch M, Reimer D, Sopper S, Wolf D, Zeimet AG. (Iso-)form Matters: Differential Implication of Vav3 Variants in Ovarian Cancer. Oncologist 2018; 23:757-759. [PMID: 29674438 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2017-0683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Boesch
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Oncotyrol - Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria
- Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute (TKFI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Daniel Reimer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sieghart Sopper
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute (TKFI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dominik Wolf
- Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Medical Clinic III, University Clinic Bonn (UKB), Bonn, Germany
| | - Alain G Zeimet
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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