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Zhu E, Xie Q, Huang X, Zhang Z. Application of spatial omics in gastric cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 262:155503. [PMID: 39128411 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155503] [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: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC), a globally prevalent and lethal malignancy, continues to be a key research focus. However, due to its considerable heterogeneity and complex pathogenesis, the treatment and diagnosis of gastric cancer still face significant challenges. With the rapid development of spatial omics technology, which provides insights into the spatial information within tumor tissues, it has emerged as a significant tool in gastric cancer research. This technology affords new insights into the pathology and molecular biology of gastric cancer for scientists. This review discusses recent advances in spatial omics technology for gastric cancer research, highlighting its applications in the tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor heterogeneity, tumor genesis and development mechanisms, and the identification of potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Moreover, this article highlights spatial omics' potential in precision medicine and summarizes existing challenges and future directions. It anticipates spatial omics' continuing impact on gastric cancer research, aiming to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for patients. With this review, we aim to offer a comprehensive overview to scientists and clinicians in gastric cancer research, motivating further exploration and utilization of spatial omics technology. Our goal is to improve patient outcomes, including survival rates and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erran Zhu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Grade 20, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Qi Xie
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Grade 20, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Xinqi Huang
- Excellent Class, Clinical Medicine, Grade 20, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Cancer Research Institute of Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Hunan; Department of Pathology, Department of Pathology of Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, China.
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2
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Reitsam NG, Grosser B, Steiner DF, Grozdanov V, Wulczyn E, L'Imperio V, Plass M, Müller H, Zatloukal K, Muti HS, Kather JN, Märkl B. Converging deep learning and human-observed tumor-adipocyte interaction as a biomarker in colorectal cancer. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2024; 4:163. [PMID: 39147895 PMCID: PMC11327259 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-024-00589-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-Adipose-Feature (TAF) as well as SARIFA (Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas) are two histologic features/biomarkers linking tumor-associated adipocytes to poor outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Whereas TAF was identified by deep learning (DL) algorithms, SARIFA was established as a human-observed histopathologic biomarker. METHODS To study the overlap between TAF and SARIFA, we performed a systematic pathological review of TAF based on all published image tiles. Additionally, we analyzed the presence/absence of TAF in SARIFA-negative CRC cases to elucidate the biologic and prognostic role of a direct tumor-adipocyte contact. TCGA-CRC gene expression data is investigated to assess the association of FABP4 (fatty-acid binding protein 4) and CD36 (fatty-acid translocase) with both TAF and CRC prognosis. RESULTS By investigating the TAF/SARIFA overlap, we show that many TAF patches correspond to the recently described SARIFA-phenomenon. Even though there is a pronounced morphological and biological overlap, there are differences in the concepts. The presence of TAF in SARIFA-negative CRCs is not associated with poor outcomes in this cohort, potentially highlighting the importance of a direct tumor-adipocyte interaction. Upregulation of FABP4 and CD36 gene expression seem both linked to a poor prognosis in CRC. CONCLUSIONS By proving the substantial overlap between human-observed SARIFA and DL-based TAF as morphologic biomarkers, we demonstrate that linking DL-based image features to independently developed histopathologic biomarkers is a promising tool in the identification of clinically and biologically meaningful biomarkers. Adipocyte-tumor-cell interactions seem to be crucial in CRC, which should be considered as biomarkers for further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Ellery Wulczyn
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Vincenzo L'Imperio
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pathology, University of Milano-Bicocca, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Fondazione San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | - Markus Plass
- Medical University of Graz, Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Graz, Austria
| | - Heimo Müller
- Medical University of Graz, Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Graz, Austria
| | - Kurt Zatloukal
- Medical University of Graz, Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Graz, Austria
| | - Hannah S Muti
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jakob N Kather
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
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Zhu L, Jiang Q, Meng J, Zhao H, Lin J. Pan-cancer analysis of COL15A1: an immunological and prognostic biomarker. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:325. [PMID: 39088036 PMCID: PMC11294514 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01200-z] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Collagen, type XV, alpha 1 (COL15A1) belongs to the collagen superfamily, which can influence disease progression by modulating immune pathways. Although the growing number of investigations demonstrating the indispensable role of COL15A1 in the progression of certain tumors, no pan-cancer assessment of COL15A1 is accessible to date. Therefore, the available data was used to explore the role of COL15A1 in 33 types of tumors and to investigate their potential immune function. Numerous bioinformatics approaches were used to research the potential oncogenic role of COL15A1, including analysis of tumor prognosis, microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutational burden (TMB), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), drug sensitivity, immune cell infiltration, and the correlation between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and COL15A1 expression. The outcome implies that most tumors had a high expression of COL15A1, and COL15A1 manifested different relationships with prognosis in different tumors, including both positive and negative correlations. COL15A1 was also found to have a significant correlation with MSI, TMB, and immune infiltrating cells. Our study suggests that COL15A1 may serve as a prognostic marker for malignancy because of its differential expression in tissues and their function in tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhu
- Graduate School, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Department of General Surgery, Panjin Liao-Oil Field Gem Flower Hospital, Panjin, Liaoning, China
| | - Qianheng Jiang
- School of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jun Meng
- Department of General Surgery, Panjin Liao-Oil Field Gem Flower Hospital, Panjin, Liaoning, China
| | - Haichun Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Panjin Liao-Oil Field Gem Flower Hospital, Panjin, Liaoning, China
| | - Jie Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Liaoning Provincial Cancer Hospital, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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Märkl B, Reitsam NG, Grochowski P, Waidhauser J, Grosser B. The SARIFA biomarker in the context of basic research of lipid-driven cancers. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:165. [PMID: 39085485 PMCID: PMC11291993 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00662-2] [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: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SARIFA was very recently introduced as a histomorphological biomarker with strong prognostic power for colorectal, gastric, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. It is characterized by the direct contact between tumor cells and adipocytes due to a lack of stromal reaction. This can be easily evaluated on routinely available H&E-slides with high interobserver agreement. SARIFA also reflects a specific tumor biology driven by metabolic reprogramming. Tumor cells in SARIFA-positive tumors benefit from direct interaction with adipocytes as an external source of lipids. Numerous studies have shown that lipid metabolism is crucial in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. We found that the interaction between tumor cells and adipocytes was not triggered by obesity, as previously assumed. Instead, we believe that this is due to an immunological mechanism. Knowledge about lipid metabolism in cancer from basic experiments can be transferred to develop strategies targeting this reprogramed metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Przemyslaw Grochowski
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Waidhauser
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
- Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
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Offermans K, Reitsam NG, Simons CCJM, Grosser B, Zimmermann J, Grabsch HI, Märkl B, van den Brandt PA. The relationship between Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA), Warburg-subtype and survival: results from a large prospective series of colorectal cancer patients. Cancer Metab 2024; 12:21. [PMID: 38992781 PMCID: PMC11241902 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-024-00349-z] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) is a recently identified haematoxylin & eosin (H&E)based histopathologic biomarker in gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), defined as direct contact between tumour cells and adipocytes at the tumour invasion front. The current study aimed at validating the prognostic relevance of SARIFA in a large population-based CRC series as well as at investigating the relationship between SARIFA-status and previously established Warburg-subtypes, both surrogates of the metabolic state of the tumour cells. METHODS SARIFA-status (positive versus negative) was determined on H&E slides of 1,727 CRC specimens. Warburg-subtype (high versus moderate versus low) data was available from our previous study. The associations between SARIFA-status, Warburg-subtype, clinicopathological characteristics and CRC-specific as well as overall survival were investigated. RESULTS 28.7% (n=496) CRC were SARIFA-positive. SARIFA-positivity was associated with more advanced disease stage, higher pT category, and more frequent lymph node involvement (all p<0.001). SARIFA-positivity was more common in Warburg-high CRC. 44.2% (n=219) of SARIFA-positive CRCs were Warburg-high compared to 22.8% (n=113) being Warburg-low and 33.1% (n=164) being Warburg-moderate (p<0.001). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, patients with SARIFA-positive CRCs had significantly poorer CRC-specific (HRCRC-specific 1.65; 95% CI 1.41-1.93) and overall survival (HRoverall survival 1.46; 95% CI 1.28-1.67) independent of clinically known risk factors and independent of Warburg-subtype. Combining the SARIFA-status and the Warburg-subtype to a combination score (SARIFA-negative/Warburg-high versus SARIFA-positive/Warburg-low versus SARIFA-positive/Warburg-high, and so on) did not improve the survival prediction compared to the use of SARIFA-status alone (SARIFA-negative + Warburg-high: HRCRC-specific 1.08; 95% CI 0.84-1.38; SARIFA-positive + Warburg-low: HRCRC-specific 1.79; 95% CI 1.32-2.41; SARIFA-positive + Warburg-high: HRCRC-specific 1.58; 95% CI 1.23-2.04). CONCLUSIONS Our current study is the by far largest external validation of SARIFA-positivity as a novel independent negative prognostic H&E-based biomarker in CRC. In addition, our study shows that SARIFA-positivity is associated with the Warburg-high subtype. Further research is warranted to provide a more mechanistic understanding of the underlying tumour biology. Based on our data, we conclude SARIFA-status should be implemented in pathologic routine practice to stratify CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Offermans
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | - Colinda C J M Simons
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Heike I Grabsch
- Department of Pathology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
- Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Piet A van den Brandt
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
- Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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Grochowski P, Grosser B, Sommer F, Probst A, Waidhauser J, Schenkirsch G, Reitsam NG, Märkl B. The Concept of Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as a new prognostic biomarker for lipid-driven cancers holds true in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:768. [PMID: 38926671 PMCID: PMC11210040 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12519-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a 'difficult-to-treat' entity. To forecast its prognosis, we introduced a new biomarker, SARIFA (stroma areactive invasion front areas), which are areas at the tumour invasion front lacking desmoplastic stroma reaction upon malignant invasion in the surrounding tissue, leading to direct contact between tumour cells and adipocytes. SARIFA showed its significance in gastric and colorectal carcinoma, revealing lipid metabolism alternations that promote tumour progression. METHODS We reviewed the SARIFA status of 166 PDAC cases on all available H&E-stained tumour slides from archival Whipple-resection specimens. SARIFA positivity was defined as SARIFA detection in at least 66% of the available slides. To investigate alterations in tumour metabolism and microenvironment, we performed immunohistochemical staining for FABP4, CD36 and CD68. To verify and quantify a supposed delipidation of adipocytes, adipose tissue was digitally morphometrised. RESULTS In total, 53 cases (32%) were classified as SARIFA positive and 113 (68%) as SARIFA negative. Patients with SARIFA-positive PDAC showed a significantly worse overall survival compared with SARIFA-negative cases (median overall survival: 11.0 months vs. 22.0 months, HR: 1.570 (1.082-2.278), 95% CI, p = 0.018), which was independent from other prognostic markers (p = 0.014). At the invasion front of SARIFA-positive PDAC, we observed significantly higher expression of FABP4 (p < 0.0001) and higher concentrations of CD68+ macrophages (p = 0.031) related to a higher risk of tumour progression. CD36 staining showed no significant expression differences. The adipocyte areas at the invasion front were significantly smaller, with mean values of 4021 ± 1058 µm2 and 1812 ± 1008 µm2 for the SARIFA-negative and -positive cases, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS SARIFA is a promising prognostic biomarker for PDAC. Its assessment is characterised by simplicity and low effort. The mechanisms behind SARIFA suggest a tumour-promoting increased lipid metabolism and altered immune background, both showing new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Florian Sommer
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Probst
- Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Waidhauser
- Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
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Reitsam NG, Grosser B, Enke JS, Mueller W, Westwood A, West NP, Quirke P, Märkl B, Grabsch HI. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA): a novel histopathologic biomarker in colorectal cancer patients and its association with the luminal tumour proportion. Transl Oncol 2024; 44:101913. [PMID: 38593584 PMCID: PMC11024380 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101913] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) is a novel prognostic histopathologic biomarker measured at the invasive front in haematoxylin & eosin (H&E) stained colon and gastric cancer resection specimens. The aim of the current study was to validate the prognostic relevance of SARIFA-status in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and investigate its association with the luminal proportion of tumour (PoT). METHODS We established the SARIFA-status in 164 CRC resection specimens. The relationship between SARIFA-status, clinicopathological characteristics, recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and PoT was investigated. RESULTS SARIFA-status was positive in 22.6% of all CRCs. SARIFA-positivity was related to higher pT, pN, pTNM stage and high grade of differentiation. SARIFA-positivity was associated with shorter RFS independent of known prognostic factors analysing all CRCs (RFS: hazard ratio (HR) 2.6, p = 0.032, CSS: HR 2.4, p = 0.05) and shorter RFS and CSS analysing only rectal cancers. SARIFA-positivity, which was measured at the invasive front, was associated with PoT-low (p = 0.009), e.g., higher stroma content, and lower vessel density (p = 0.0059) measured at the luminal tumour surface. CONCLUSION Here, we validated the relationship between SARIFA-status and prognosis in CRC patients and provided first evidence for a potential prognostic relevance in the subgroup of rectal cancer patients. Interestingly, CRCs with different SARIFA-status also showed histological differences measurable at the luminal tumour surface. Further studies to better understand the relationship between high luminal intratumoural stroma content and absence of a stroma reaction at the invasive front (SARIFA-positivity) are warranted and may inform future treatment decisions in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - B Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - J S Enke
- Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - W Mueller
- Gemeinschaftspraxis Pathologie, Starnberg, Germany
| | - A Westwood
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - N P West
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - P Quirke
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - B Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - H I Grabsch
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Department of Pathology, GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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Ren L, Huang D, Liu H, Ning L, Cai P, Yu X, Zhang Y, Luo N, Lin H, Su J, Zhang Y. Applications of single‑cell omics and spatial transcriptomics technologies in gastric cancer (Review). Oncol Lett 2024; 27:152. [PMID: 38406595 PMCID: PMC10885005 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a prominent contributor to global cancer-related mortalities, and a deeper understanding of its molecular characteristics and tumor heterogeneity is required. Single-cell omics and spatial transcriptomics (ST) technologies have revolutionized cancer research by enabling the exploration of cellular heterogeneity and molecular landscapes at the single-cell level. In the present review, an overview of the advancements in single-cell omics and ST technologies and their applications in GC research is provided. Firstly, multiple single-cell omics and ST methods are discussed, highlighting their ability to offer unique insights into gene expression, genetic alterations, epigenomic modifications, protein expression patterns and cellular location in tissues. Furthermore, a summary is provided of key findings from previous research on single-cell omics and ST methods used in GC, which have provided valuable insights into genetic alterations, tumor diagnosis and prognosis, tumor microenvironment analysis, and treatment response. In summary, the application of single-cell omics and ST technologies has revealed the levels of cellular heterogeneity and the molecular characteristics of GC, and holds promise for improving diagnostics, personalized treatments and patient outcomes in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Ren
- School of Healthcare Technology, Chengdu Neusoft University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611844, P.R. China
| | - Danni Huang
- Department of Radiology, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine Affiliated Haikou People's Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570208, P.R. China
| | - Hongjiang Liu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Aba Teachers College, Aba, Sichuan 624099, P.R. China
| | - Lin Ning
- School of Healthcare Technology, Chengdu Neusoft University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611844, P.R. China
| | - Peiling Cai
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610106, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolong Yu
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute, Material Science and Engineering Institute of Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, P.R. China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P.R. China
| | - Nanchao Luo
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Aba Teachers College, Aba, Sichuan 624099, P.R. China
| | - Hao Lin
- Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 611731, P.R. China
| | - Jinsong Su
- Research Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P.R. China
| | - Yinghui Zhang
- School of Healthcare Technology, Chengdu Neusoft University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611844, P.R. China
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Ren F, Fei Q, Qiu K, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Sun L. Liquid biopsy techniques and lung cancer: diagnosis, monitoring and evaluation. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:96. [PMID: 38561776 PMCID: PMC10985944 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03026-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer stands as the most prevalent form of cancer globally, posing a significant threat to human well-being. Due to the lack of effective and accurate early diagnostic methods, many patients are diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Although surgical resection is still a potential means of eradicating lung cancer, patients with advanced lung cancer usually miss the best chance for surgical treatment, and even after surgical resection patients may still experience tumor recurrence. Additionally, chemotherapy, the mainstay of treatment for patients with advanced lung cancer, has the potential to be chemo-resistant, resulting in poor clinical outcomes. The emergence of liquid biopsies has garnered considerable attention owing to their noninvasive nature and the ability for continuous sampling. Technological advancements have propelled circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs), tumor metabolites, tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), and tumor-associated antigens (TAA) to the forefront as key liquid biopsy biomarkers, demonstrating intriguing and encouraging results for early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of lung cancer. This review provides an overview of molecular biomarkers and assays utilized in liquid biopsies for lung cancer, encompassing CTCs, ctDNA, non-coding RNA (ncRNA), EVs, tumor metabolites, TAAs and TEPs. Furthermore, we expound on the practical applications of liquid biopsies, including early diagnosis, treatment response monitoring, prognostic evaluation, and recurrence monitoring in the context of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Ren
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shen Yang, 110000, China
| | - Qian Fei
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shen Yang, 110000, China
| | - Kun Qiu
- Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shen Yang, 110000, China
| | - Yuanjie Zhang
- Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shen Yang, 110000, China
| | - Heyang Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shen Yang, 110000, China.
| | - Lei Sun
- Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shen Yang, 110000, China.
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Reitsam NG, Grozdanov V, Löffler CML, Muti HS, Grosser B, Kather JN, Märkl B. Novel biomarker SARIFA in colorectal cancer: highly prognostic, not genetically driven and histologic indicator of a distinct tumor biology. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:207-216. [PMID: 37990064 PMCID: PMC10874891 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00695-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
SARIFA (Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas) has recently emerged as a promising histopathological biomarker for colon and gastric cancer. To elucidate the underlying tumor biology, we assessed SARIFA-status in tissue specimens from The-Cancer-Genome-Atlas (TCGA) cohorts COAD (colonic adenocarcinoma) and READ (rectal adenocarcinoma). For the final analysis, 207 CRC patients could be included, consisting of 69 SARIFA-positive and 138 SARIFA-negative cases. In this external validation cohort, H&E-based SARIFA-positivity was strongly correlated with unfavorable overall, disease-specific, and progression-free survival, partly outperforming conventional prognostic factors. SARIFA-positivity was not associated with known high-risk genetic profiles, such as BRAF V600E mutations or microsatellite-stable status. Transcriptionally, SARIFA-positive CRCs exhibited an overlap with CRC consensus molecular subtypes CMS1 and CMS4, along with distinct differential gene expression patterns, linked to lipid metabolism and increased stromal cell infiltration scores (SIIS). Gene-expression-based drug sensitivity prediction revealed a differential treatment response in SARIFA-positive CRCs. In conclusion, SARIFA represents the H&E-based counterpart of an aggressive tumor biology, demonstrating a partial overlap with CMS1/4 and also adding a further biological layer related to lipid metabolism. Our findings underscore SARIFA-status as an ideal biomarker for refined patient stratification and novel drug developments, particularly given its cost-effective assessment based on routinely available H&E slides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
| | | | - Chiara M L Löffler
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hannah S Muti
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | - Jakob N Kather
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
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11
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Grosser B, Emmerson J, Reitsam NG, Cunningham D, Nankivell M, Langley RE, Allum WH, Trepel M, Märkl B, Grabsch HI. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) improves prognostic risk stratification of perioperative chemotherapy treated oesophagogastric cancer patients from the MAGIC and the ST03 trial. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:457-466. [PMID: 38123705 PMCID: PMC10844337 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02515-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumour-associated fat cells without desmoplastic stroma reaction at the invasion front (Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA)) is a prognostic biomarker in gastric and colon cancer. The clinical utility of the SARIFA status in oesophagogastric cancer patients treated with perioperative chemotherapy is currently unknown. METHODS The SARIFA status was determined in tissue sections from patients recruited into the MAGIC (n = 292) or ST03 (n = 693) trials treated with surgery alone (S, MAGIC) or perioperative chemotherapy (MAGIC, ST03). The relationship between SARIFA status, clinicopathological factors, overall survival (OS) and treatment was analysed. RESULTS The SARIFA status was positive in 42% MAGIC trial S patients, 28% MAGIC and 48% ST03 patients after pre-operative chemotherapy. SARIFA status was related to OS in MAGIC trial S patients and was an independent prognostic biomarker in ST03 trial patients (HR 1.974, 95% CI 1.555-2.507, p < 0.001). ST03 patients with lymph node metastasis (ypN + ) and SARIFA-positive tumours had poorer OS than patients with ypN+ and SARIFA-negative tumours (plogrank < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The SARIFA status has clinical utility as prognostic biomarker in oesophagogastric cancer patients irrespective of treatment modality. Whilst underlying biological mechanisms warrant further investigation, the SARIFA status might be used to identify new drug targets, potentially enabling repurposing of existing drugs targeting lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Jake Emmerson
- Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - David Cunningham
- Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Matthew Nankivell
- Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, London, UK
| | - Ruth E Langley
- Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, London, UK
| | - William H Allum
- Department of Oncology and Department of Surgery, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Martin Trepel
- Haematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Heike I Grabsch
- Department of Pathology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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12
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Enke JS, Groß M, Grosser B, Sipos E, Steinestel J, Löhr P, Waidhauser J, Lapa C, Märkl B, Reitsam NG. SARIFA as a new histopathological biomarker is associated with adverse clinicopathological characteristics, tumor-promoting fatty-acid metabolism, and might predict a metastatic pattern in pT3a prostate cancer. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:65. [PMID: 38216952 PMCID: PMC10785487 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11771-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, we introduced Stroma-AReactive-Invasion-Front-Areas (SARIFA) as a novel hematoxylin-eosin (H&E)-based histopathologic prognostic biomarker for various gastrointestinal cancers, closely related to lipid metabolism. To date, no studies on SARIFA, which is defined as direct tumor-adipocyte-interaction, beyond the alimentary tract exist. Hence, the objective of our current investigation was to study the significance of SARIFA in pT3a prostate cancer (PCa) and explore its association with lipid metabolism in PCa as lipid metabolism plays a key role in PCa development and progression. METHODS To this end, we evaluated SARIFA-status in 301 radical prostatectomy specimens and examined the relationship between SARIFA-status, clinicopathological characteristics, overall survival, and immunohistochemical expression of FABP4 and CD36 (proteins closely involved in fatty-acid metabolism). Additionally, we investigated the correlation between SARIFA and biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) and PSMA-positive recurrences in PET/CT imaging in a patient subgroup. Moreover, a quantitative SARIFA cut-off was established to further understand the underlying tumor biology. RESULTS SARIFA positivity occurred in 59.1% (n = 178) of pT3a PCas. Our analysis demonstrated that SARIFA positivity is strongly associated with established high-risk features, such as R1 status, extraprostatic extension, and higher initial PSA values. Additionally, we observed an upregulation of immunohistochemical CD36 expression specifically at SARIFAs (p = 0.00014). Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed a trend toward poorer outcomes, particularly in terms of BRFS (p = 0.1). More extensive tumor-adipocyte interaction, assessed as quantity-dependent SARIFA-status on H&E slides, is also significantly associated with high-risk features, such as lymph node metastasis, and seems to be associated with worse survival outcomes (p = 0.16). Moreover, SARIFA positivity appeared to be linked to more distant lymph node and bone metastasis, although statistical significance was slightly not achieved (both p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to introduce SARIFA as easy-and-fast-to-assess H&E-based biomarker in locally advanced PCa. SARIFA as the histopathologic correlate of a distinct tumor biology, closely related to lipid metabolism, could pave the way to a more detailed patient stratification and to the development of novel drugs targeting lipid metabolism in pT3a PCa. On the basis of this biomarker discovery study, further research efforts on the prognostic and predictive role of SARIFA in PCa can be designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna S Enke
- Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Groß
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Eva Sipos
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Julie Steinestel
- Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Phillip Löhr
- Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Waidhauser
- Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Constantin Lapa
- Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
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13
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Grosser B, Heyer CM, Austgen J, Sipos E, Reitsam NG, Hauser A, VanSchoiack A, Kroeppler D, Vlasenko D, Probst A, Novotny A, Weichert W, Keller G, Schlesner M, Märkl B. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) proves prognostic relevance in gastric carcinoma and is based on a tumor-adipocyte interaction indicating an altered immune response. Gastric Cancer 2024; 27:72-85. [PMID: 37874427 PMCID: PMC10761465 DOI: 10.1007/s10120-023-01436-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, we presented Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as a new histomorphologic negative prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer. It is defined as direct contact between tumor cells and fat cells. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the underlying genomic, transcriptional, and immunological mechanisms of the SARIFA phenomenon. METHODS To address these questions, SARIFA was classified on H&E-stained tissue sections of three cohorts: an external cohort (n = 489, prognostic validation), the TCGA-STAD cohort (n = 194, genomic and transcriptomic analysis), and a local cohort (n = 60, digital spatial profiling (whole transcriptome) and double RNA in situ hybridization/immunostaining of cytokines). RESULTS SARIFA status proved to be an independent negative prognostic factor for overall survival in an external cohort of gastric carcinomas. In TCGA-STAD cohort, SARIFA is not driven by distinct genomic alterations, whereas the gene expression analyses showed an upregulation of FABP4 in SARIFA-positive tumors. In addition, the transcriptional regulations of white adipocyte differentiation, triglyceride metabolism, and catabolism were upregulated in pathway analyses. In the DSP analysis of SARIFA-positive tumors, FABP4 and the transcriptional regulation of white adipocyte differentiation were upregulated in macrophages. Additionally, a significantly lower expression of the cytokines IL6 and TNFα was observed at the invasion front. CONCLUSIONS SARIFA proves to be a strong negative prognostic biomarker in advanced gastric cancer, implicating an interaction of tumor cells with tumor-promoting adipocytes with crucial changes in tumor cell metabolism. SARIFA is not driven by tumor genetics but is very likely driven by an altered immune response as a causative mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Christian M Heyer
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Austgen
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Eva Sipos
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Hauser
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Dmytro Vlasenko
- General and Visceral Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Probst
- Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Novotny
- Department of Surgery, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gisela Keller
- Institute of Pathology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Schlesner
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
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14
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Kalajahi HG, Yari A, Amini M, Catal T, Ahmadpour Youshanlui M, Pourbagherian O, Zhmurov CS, Mokhtarzadeh A. Therapeutic effect of microRNA-21 on differentially expressed hub genes in gastric cancer based on systems biology. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21906. [PMID: 38081950 PMCID: PMC10713559 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49225-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of mortality for many people. Cancer's initiating factors are poorly understood. miR-21 has a crucial function in several malignancies, particularly GC. Furthermore, it has been shown that miR-21 is critical for the emergence and advancement of GC. This work intends to identify new genes which expression is associated with the activity of mir-21 in GC and to investigate the effect of downregulation of mir-21 on these genes and gastric tumorigenesis. We utilized the gene expression profiles of GCs from an Array database (GSE13911) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control and gastric cancer groups. Using weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) in R, the Gene co-expression network was reconstructed. The microRNA-mRNA network was then reconstructed using the miRWalk database, and by investigating the microRNA-mRNA network, the genes that have an association with mir-21 were found. To implement the functional investigation, MKN and AGS cell lines were transfected with anti-miR-21 next. Subsequently, MTT proliferation was utilized to assess the cell's vitality. qRT-PCR was then used to evaluate the anticipated levels of gene expression in both GC cell lines. This study discovered and predicted CCL28, NR3C2, and SNYPO2 as the targets of miR-21 (GC), which are downregulated through gastric tumorigenesis, showing great potential as therapeutic and diagnostic targets. The suppression of miR-21 in gastric GC cells led to the inhibition of cell proliferation and decreased expression of CCL28, NR3C2, and SNYPO2 genes. This study established that miR-21, via downregulating these genes, contributes significantly to the development of GC. In addition, systems biology techniques identified CCL28, NR3C2, and SNYPO2 genes as possible GC surveillance and therapy components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesam Ghafouri Kalajahi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Uskudar University, Uskudar, 34662, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - AmirHossein Yari
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amini
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tunc Catal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Uskudar University, Uskudar, 34662, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Omid Pourbagherian
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Cigdem Sezer Zhmurov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Uskudar University, Uskudar, 34662, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Ahad Mokhtarzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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15
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Muti HS, Röcken C, Behrens HM, Löffler CML, Reitsam NG, Grosser B, Märkl B, Stange DE, Jiang X, Velduizen GP, Truhn D, Ebert MP, Grabsch HI, Kather JN. Deep learning trained on lymph node status predicts outcome from gastric cancer histopathology: a retrospective multicentric study. Eur J Cancer 2023; 194:113335. [PMID: 37862795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
AIM Gastric cancer (GC) is a tumour entity with highly variant outcomes. Lymph node metastasis is a prognostically adverse biomarker. We hypothesised that GC primary tissue contains information that is predictive of lymph node status and patient prognosis and that this information can be extracted using deep learning (DL). METHODS Using three patient cohorts comprising 1146 patients, we trained and validated a DL system to predict lymph node status directly from haematoxylin and eosin-stained GC tissue sections. We investigated the concordance between the DL-based prediction from the primary tumour slides (aiN score) and the histopathological lymph node status (pN). Furthermore, we assessed the prognostic value of the aiN score alone and when combined with the pN status. RESULTS The aiN score predicted the pN status reaching area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.71 in the training cohort and 0.69 and 0.65 in the two test cohorts. In a multivariate Cox analysis, the aiN score was an independent predictor of patient survival with hazard ratios of 1.5 in the training cohort and of 1.3 and 2.2 in the two test cohorts. A combination of the aiN score and the pN status prognostically stratified patients by survival with p-values <0.05 in logrank tests. CONCLUSION GC primary tumour tissue contains additional prognostic information that is accessible using the aiN score. In combination with the pN status, this can be used for personalised management of GC patients after prospective validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah S Muti
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christoph Röcken
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Chiara M L Löffler
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Daniel E Stange
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gregory P Velduizen
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel Truhn
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Aachen, Germany
| | - Matthias P Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center, Mannheim, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Healthy Metabolism, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike I Grabsch
- Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Department of Pathology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Jakob N Kather
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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16
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Alterations in Natural Killer Cells in Colorectal Cancer Patients with Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA). Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030994. [PMID: 36765951 PMCID: PMC9913252 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, our group introduced Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as an independent prognostic predictor for a poorer outcome in colon cancer patients, which is probably based on immunologic alterations combined with a direct tumor-adipocyte interaction: the two together reflecting a distinct tumor biology. Considering it is already known that peripheral immune cells are altered in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, this study aims to investigate the changes in lymphocyte subsets in SARIFA-positive cases and correlate these changes with the local immune response. METHODS Flow cytometry was performed to analyze B, T, and natural killer (NK) cells in the peripheral blood (PB) of 45 CRC patients. Consecutively, lymphocytes in PB, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and CD56+ and CD57+ lymphocytes at the invasion front and the tumor center were compared between patients with SARIFA-positive and SARIFA-negative CRCs. RESULTS Whereas no differences could be observed regarding most PB lymphocyte populations as well as TILs, NK cells were dramatically reduced in the PB of SARIFA-positive cases. Moreover, CD56 and CD57 immunohistochemistry suggested SARIFA-status-dependent changes regarding NK cells and NK-like lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION This study proves that our newly introduced biomarker, SARIFA, comes along with distinct immunologic alterations, especially regarding NK cells.
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17
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Identification of FABP7 as a Potential Biomarker for Predicting Prognosis and Antiangiogenic Drug Efficacy of Glioma. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:2091791. [PMID: 35783014 PMCID: PMC9249527 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2091791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective Glioma is a common malignant tumor of the central nervous system with extremely poor prognosis. An efficient molecular marker for diagnosis and treatment is urgently needed. Fatty acid binding protein 7(FABP7), which regulates intracellular lipid metabolism, is highly expressed in nervous system tumors, but its prognostic value remains undetermined. The present study investigated the relationship between FABP7 expression and prognosis in glioma patients by bioinformatics analysis, as well as immunohistochemically evaluating the effect of FABP7 expression on the efficacy of antiangiogenic drugs. Methods Gene expression and clinical data on patients with glioma were collected from the China Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) database, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Levels of FABP7 expression and their association with the clinicopathologic characteristics of glioma patients were analyzed in the CGGA database. The relationships between FABP7 expression and clinical findings, such as survival and prognostic, were determined and used for nomogram construction. Mechanisms of action of FABP7 were assessed using GSEA software. FABP7 expression in the tissues of glioma patients treated with apatinib was evaluated immunohistochemically. Results FABP7 was highly expressed in glioma samples, with higher FABP7 expression associated with poorer patient prognosis and more advanced clinicopathological features. Bioinformatics analysis, including survival, receiver operating characteristic curve, and univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, showed that FABP7 was independently prognostic of outcomes in glioma patients. GSEA analysis showed that FABP7 was associated with angiogenesis, with FABP7 having correlation coefficients > 0.4 with seven factors in the angiogenic pathway, POSTN, TIMP1, PDGFA, FGFR1, S100A4, COL5A2, and STC1, and the expression of these factors related to patient prognosis. Immunohistochemistry showed that FABP7 expression was higher in glioma patients with poor survival after apatinib treatment. Conclusions High FABP7 expression is associated with poor prognosis in glioma patients. FABP7, which is important for glioma angiogenesis, may serve as an independent prognostic predictor in glioma patients.
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Communicator-Driven Data Preprocessing Improves Deep Transfer Learning of Histopathological Prediction of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081964. [PMID: 35454869 PMCID: PMC9031738 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis and its diagnosis can be challenging. Histopathological slides can be digitalized and their analysis can then be supported by computer algorithms. For this purpose, computer algorithms (neural networks) need to be trained to detect the desired tissue type (e.g., pancreatic cancer). However, raw training data often contain many different tissue types. Here we show a preprocessing step using two communicators that sort unfitting tissue tiles into a new dataset class. Using the improved dataset neural networks distinguished pancreatic cancer from other tissue types on digitalized histopathological slides including lymph node metastases. Abstract Pancreatic cancer is a fatal malignancy with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Early detection in primary and secondary locations is critical, but fraught with challenges. While digital pathology can assist with the classification of histopathological images, the training of such networks always relies on a ground truth, which is frequently compromised as tissue sections contain several types of tissue entities. Here we show that pancreatic cancer can be detected on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) sections by convolutional neural networks using deep transfer learning. To improve the ground truth, we describe a preprocessing data clean-up process using two communicators that were generated through existing and new datasets. Specifically, the communicators moved image tiles containing adipose tissue and background to a new data class. Hence, the original dataset exhibited improved labeling and, consequently, a higher ground truth accuracy. Deep transfer learning of a ResNet18 network resulted in a five-class accuracy of about 94% on test data images. The network was validated with independent tissue sections composed of healthy pancreatic tissue, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and pancreatic cancer lymph node metastases. The screening of different models and hyperparameter fine tuning were performed to optimize the performance with the independent tissue sections. Taken together, we introduce a step of data preprocessing via communicators as a means of improving the ground truth during deep transfer learning and hyperparameter tuning to identify pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma primary tumors and metastases in histological tissue sections.
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