1
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Morii E. Tumor heterogeneity from the viewpoint of pathologists. Pathol Int 2023; 73:394-405. [PMID: 37638598 DOI: 10.1111/pin.13366] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Morphological and functional heterogeneity are found in tumors, with the latter reflecting the different levels of resistance against antitumor therapies. In a therapy-resistant subpopulation, the expression levels of differentiation markers decrease, and those of immature markers increase. In addition, this subpopulation expresses genes involved in drug metabolism, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1). Because of their similarity to stem cells, cells in the latter therapy-resistant subpopulation are called cancer stem cells (CSCs). Like normal stem cells, CSCs were originally thought not to arise from non-CSCs, but this hierarchical model is too simple. It is now believed that CSCs are generated from non-CSCs. The plasticity of tumor phenotypes between CSCs and non-CSCs causes difficulty in completely curing tumors. In this review, focusing on ALDH1A1 as a marker for CSCs or immature tumor cells, the dynamics of ALDH1A1-expressing tumor cells and their regulatory mechanisms are described, and the plausible regulatory mechanisms of plasticity of ALDH1A1 expression phenotype are discussed. Genetic mutations are a significant factor for tumorigenesis, but non-mutational epigenetic reprogramming factors yielding tumor heterogeneity are also crucial in determining tumor characteristics. Factors influencing non-mutational epigenetic reprogramming in tumors are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Morii
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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2
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Liu CC, Wu CL, Lin MX, Sze CI, Gean PW. Disulfiram Sensitizes a Therapeutic-Resistant Glioblastoma to the TGF-β Receptor Inhibitor. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910496. [PMID: 34638842 PMCID: PMC8508702 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite neurosurgery following radiation and chemotherapy, residual glioblastoma (GBM) cells develop therapeutic resistance (TR) leading to recurrence. The GBM heterogeneity confers TR. Therefore, an effective strategy must target cancer stem cells (CSCs) and other malignant cancer cells. TGF-β and mesenchymal transition are the indicators for poor prognoses. The activity of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) is a functional CSC marker. However, the interplay between TGF-β and ALDHs remains unclear. We developed radiation-resistant and radiation-temozolomide-resistant GBM models to investigate the underlying mechanisms conferring TR. Galunisertib is a drug targeting TGF-β receptors. Disulfiram (DSF) is an anti-alcoholism drug which functions by inhibiting ALDHs. The anti-tumor effects of combining DSF and Galunisertib were evaluated by in vitro cell grow, wound healing, Transwell assays, and in vivo orthotopic GBM model. Mesenchymal-like phenotype was facilitated by TGF-β in TR GBM. Additionally, TR activated ALDHs. DSF inhibited TR-induced cell migration and tumor sphere formation. However, DSF did not affect the tumor growth in vivo. Spectacularly, DSF sensitized TR GBM to Galunisertib both in vitro and in vivo. ALDH activity positively correlated with TGF-β-induced mesenchymal properties in TR GBM. CSCs and mesenchymal-like GBM cells targeted together by combining DSF and Galunisertib may be a good therapeutic strategy for recurrent GBM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Chuan Liu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
| | - Cheng-Lin Wu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Xuan Lin
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
| | - Chun-I Sze
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
- Correspondence: (C.-I.S.); (P.-W.G.)
| | - Po-Wu Gean
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-I.S.); (P.-W.G.)
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3
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Poturnajova M, Kozovska Z, Matuskova M. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 and 1A3 isoforms - mechanism of activation and regulation in cancer. Cell Signal 2021; 87:110120. [PMID: 34428540 PMCID: PMC8505796 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In some types of human cancer, aldehyde dehydrogenases represent stemness markers and their expression is associated with advanced disease stages and poor prognosis. Although several biological functions are mediated by their product Retinoid acid, the molecular mechanism is tissue-dependent and only partially understood. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the role of ALDH in solid tumours, especially ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 isoforms, regarding the molecular mechanism of their transcription and regulation, and their crosstalk with main molecular pathways resulting in the excessive proliferation, chemoresistance, stem cells properties and invasiveness. The recent knowledge of the regulatory effect of lnRNA on ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 is discussed too. Aldehyde dehydrogenases are important stem cell markers in many human cancer types. ALDH1A1 or ALDH1A3 activation participates in tumour progression, chemoresistance, stem-cell properties and invasiveness. ALDH1A1 interacts with oncogenic pathways Notch, NRF, CXCR4, Polycomb, MDR, and HOX.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Poturnajova
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Z Kozovska
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - M Matuskova
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Kusumoto S, Kurashige M, Ohshima K, Tahara S, Matsui T, Nojima S, Hattori S, Morii E. An immature inhibin-α-expressing subpopulation of ovarian clear cell carcinoma cells is related to an unfavorable prognosis. Cancer Med 2021; 10:1485-1500. [PMID: 33611864 PMCID: PMC7940216 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3801] [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: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibin‐α, a member of transforming growth factor‐β, is elevated in multiple tumors, but its specific roles are poorly understood. Here, we examined the feature of inhibin‐α‐expressing cells in ovarian tumors. Immunohistochemically, inhibin‐α‐expressing tumor cells were detected only in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) among various types of ovarian tumors. By comparing the expression of inhibin‐α and Ki‐67, inhibin‐α‐expressing tumor cells were revealed to be less proliferative. When spheroids and chemoresistant cells were derived from OCCC cell lines, the expression level of inhibin‐α was elevated, and that of an immature marker, aldehyde dehydrogenase, was also elevated. In consistent with this, inhibin‐α expression was correlated with other immature markers, such as OCT3/4 and SOX2, and inversely correlated with proliferative marker MKI67 in public database on OCCC. Knockdown of inhibin‐α in OCCC cell decreased chemoresistance. Moreover, prognostic analysis with 69 surgically resected OCCC cases revealed that the increased inhibin‐α expression was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor. These findings suggested that inhibin‐α‐expressing subpopulation of OCCC tumor cells appeared to be less proliferative, immature, and angiogenic and to be related to acceleration of malignant progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Kusumoto
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masako Kurashige
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenji Ohshima
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Tahara
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Matsui
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nojima
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hattori
- Division of Biomedical Statistics, Department of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, and Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eiichi Morii
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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5
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Tahara S, Nojima S, Ohshima K, Hori Y, Kurashige M, Wada N, Motoyama Y, Okuzaki D, Ikeda JI, Morii E. Serum deprivation-response protein regulates aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 through integrin-linked kinase signaling in endometrioid carcinoma cells. Cancer Sci 2019; 110:1804-1813. [PMID: 30907484 PMCID: PMC6500992 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrioid carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common malignancies of the female genital system. We reported previously that aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), a predominant isoform of the ALDH family in mammals and a potential marker of normal and malignant stem cells, is related to the tumorigenic potential of EC. We compared the levels of various proteins in human EC cells with high and low ALDH1 expression using shotgun proteomics and found that serum deprivation‐response protein (SDPR) was preferentially expressed in cells with high ALDH1 expression. Also known as cavin‐2, SDPR is a member of the cavin protein family, which is required for the formation of caveolae. Using SDPR‐knockout EC cells generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we revealed that SDPR was correlated with invasion, migration, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition, and colony formation, as well as the expression of ALDH1. RNA sequencing showed that integrin‐linked kinase (ILK) signaling is involved in the effect of SDPR on ALDH1. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the localization of ILK at the cell cortex was disrupted by SDPR knockout, potentially interfering with ILK signaling. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis of clinical samples showed that SDPR is related to histological characteristics associated with invasiveness, such as poor differentiation, lymphatic invasion, and the microcystic, elongated, and fragmented histopathological pattern. This is, to our knowledge, the first report that SDPR is related to tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichiro Tahara
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nojima
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenji Ohshima
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yumiko Hori
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masako Kurashige
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoki Wada
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuichi Motoyama
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Okuzaki
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichiro Ikeda
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eiichi Morii
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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6
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Morii E. Heterogeneity of tumor cells in terms of cancer-initiating cells. J Toxicol Pathol 2016; 30:1-6. [PMID: 28190919 PMCID: PMC5293686 DOI: 10.1293/tox.2016-0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors derive from a single cell clone but consist of heterogeneous cell subpopulations with diverse features and functions. A limited number of subclones with a selective advantage can initiate tumors when inoculated into immunocompromised mice, and are called cancer-initiating cells (CICs). CICs can be isolated from the bulk of tumors on the basis of their characteristics, such as high reagent efflux, degradation of reactive oxygen species, and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. Under normal conditions, new CICs are produced by existing CICs rather than non-CICs. However, under stress conditions, non-CICs can occasionally produce CICs, a phenomenon known as plasticity. The dynamic exchange between CICs and non-CICs may enable tumors to survive under unfavorable conditions. CICs are located in a small portion of tumors. This suggests that microenvironmental factors induce or inhibit the CIC phenotype, which might be regulated by intercellular signaling between tumor cells. This review describes isolation of CICs from tumor cell populations and the microenvironmental factors that regulate CIC phenotypes in uterine cancer and lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Morii
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Rodriguez-Torres M, Allan AL. Aldehyde dehydrogenase as a marker and functional mediator of metastasis in solid tumors. Clin Exp Metastasis 2015; 33:97-113. [PMID: 26445849 PMCID: PMC4740561 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-015-9755-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence indicating that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity selects for cancer cells with increased aggressiveness, capacity for sustained proliferation, and plasticity in primary tumors. However, emerging data also suggests an important mechanistic role for the ALDH family of isoenzymes in the metastatic activity of tumor cells. Recent studies indicate that ALDH correlates with either increased or decreased metastatic capacity in a cellular context-dependent manner. Importantly, it appears that different ALDH isoforms support increased metastatic capacity in different tumor types. This review assesses the potential of ALDH as biological marker and mechanistic mediator of metastasis in solid tumors. In many malignancies, most notably in breast cancer, ALDH activity and expression appears to be a promising marker and potential therapeutic target for treating metastasis in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Rodriguez-Torres
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alison L Allan
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada. .,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada. .,Department of Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada. .,Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada. .,London Regional Cancer Program, Room A4-132, 790 Commissioners Road East, London, ON, N6A 4L6, Canada.
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Aldehyde Dehydragenase 1 and Nodal as Significant Prognostic Markers in Colorectal Cancer. Pathol Oncol Res 2015; 22:121-7. [PMID: 26358078 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-015-9984-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze prognostic significance of aldehyde dehydragenase 1 (ALDH1) and Nodal expression in patients with colorectal cancer. ALDH1 and Nodal expressions were observed based on the immunohistochemistry staining from 108 colorectal cancer patients. Scores were given to the staining intensity and percentage of positive cells, and sum of two scores for each case was used to define the groups of ALDH1 and Nodal. We also investigated the protein and mRNA levels of ALDH1 and Nodal by Western blot and qRT-PCR assays. The results were analyzed with the clinicopathologic parameters of these patients. The results indicated that expressions of ALDH1 and Nodal were significantly correlated with the differentiation degree, metastasis, number of tumor positive lymph nodes and AJCC stage. ALDH1 was inclined to express more in the worse differentiated degrees, lymph node metastasis, and worse AJCC stage of colorectal cancer patients. And the expression of Nodal was inversely compared with ALDH1.While the expression of ALDH1 was inversely correlated with the Nodal (r = -0.709, P < 0.01).
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