1
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Maharati A, Moghbeli M. Role of microRNA-505 during tumor progression and metastasis. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 258:155344. [PMID: 38744001 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155344] [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: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Late diagnosis of cancer in advanced stages due to the lack of screening methods is considered as the main cause of poor prognosis and high mortality rate among these patients. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the molecular tumor biology in order to introduce biomarkers that can be used in cancer screening programs and early diagnosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have key roles in regulation of the cellular pathophysiological processes. Due to the high stability of miRNAs in body fluids, they are widely used as the non-invasive tumor markers. According to the numerous reports about miR-505 deregulation in a wide range of cancers, we investigated the role of miR-505 during tumor progression. It was shown that miR-505 mainly has the tumor suppressor functions through the regulation of signaling pathways, chromatin remodeling, and cellular metabolism. This review has an effective role in introducing miR-505 as a suitable marker for the early cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhosein Maharati
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Meysam Moghbeli
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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2
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Alexander WB, Wang W, Hill MA, O'Dell MR, Ruffolo LI, Guo B, Jackson KM, Ullman N, Friedland SC, McCall MN, Patel A, Figueroa-Guilliani N, Georger M, Belt BA, Whitney-Miller CL, Linehan DC, Murphy PJ, Hezel AF. Smad4 restricts injury-provoked biliary proliferation and carcinogenesis. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050358. [PMID: 38415925 PMCID: PMC10924230 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050358] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a deadly and heterogeneous type of cancer characterized by a spectrum of epidemiologic associations as well as genetic and epigenetic alterations. We seek to understand how these features inter-relate in the earliest phase of cancer development and through the course of disease progression. For this, we studied murine models of liver injury integrating the most commonly occurring gene mutations of CCA - including Kras, Tp53, Arid1a and Smad4 - as well as murine hepatobiliary cancer models and derived primary cell lines based on these mutations. Among commonly mutated genes in CCA, we found that Smad4 functions uniquely to restrict reactive cholangiocyte expansion to liver injury through restraint of the proliferative response. Inactivation of Smad4 accelerates carcinogenesis, provoking pre-neoplastic biliary lesions and CCA development in an injury setting. Expression analyses of Smad4-perturbed reactive cholangiocytes and CCA lines demonstrated shared enriched pathways, including cell-cycle regulation, MYC signaling and oxidative phosphorylation, suggesting that Smad4 may act via these mechanisms to regulate cholangiocyte proliferation and progression to CCA. Overall, we showed that TGFβ/SMAD4 signaling serves as a critical barrier restraining cholangiocyte expansion and malignant transformation in states of biliary injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B. Alexander
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Wenjia Wang
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Margaret A. Hill
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Michael R. O'Dell
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Luis I. Ruffolo
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Bing Guo
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Katherine M. Jackson
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Nicholas Ullman
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Scott C. Friedland
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Matthew N. McCall
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Ankit Patel
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | | | - Mary Georger
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Brian A. Belt
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Christa L. Whitney-Miller
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - David C. Linehan
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Patrick J. Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Aram F. Hezel
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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3
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Zhang L, Qiu ZH, Wei X, Yao M, Chen SK, He J, Ye JQ, Li YM, Chen LW. 10× single-cell sequencing revealed cellular composition heterogeneity in cardiac myxoma with malignant glandular properties. Microvasc Res 2024:104697. [PMID: 38801942 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2024.104697] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Cardiac myxoma is the most common primary cardiac tumor in adults. The histogenesis and cellular composition of myxoma are still unclear. This study aims to reveal the role of myxoma cell components and their gene expression in tumor development. We obtained single living cells by enzymatic digestion of tissues from 4 cases of surgically resected cardiac myxoma. Of course, there was 1 case of glandular myxoma and 3 cases of nonglandular myxoma. Then, 10× single-cell sequencing was performed. We identified 12 types and 11 types of cell populations in glandular myxoma and nonglandular myxoma, respectively. Heterogeneous epithelial cells are the main components of glandular myxoma. The similarities and differences in T cells in both glandular and nonglandular myxoma were analyzed by KEGG and GO. The most important finding was that there was active communication between T cells and epithelial cells. These results clarify the possible tissue occurrence and heterogeneity of cardiac myxoma and provide a theoretical basis and guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China; The Key Laboratory of Fujian Province Universities on Ion Channel and Signal Transduction in Cardiovascular Diseases, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, 350102, China
| | - Zhi-Huang Qiu
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China; Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, 350102, China; Fujian Provincial Special Reserve Talents Laboratory, 350102, China; Engineering Research Center of Tissue and Organ Regeneration, Fujian Province University, 350102 Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaozhen Wei
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China; The Key Laboratory of Fujian Province Universities on Ion Channel and Signal Transduction in Cardiovascular Diseases, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, 350102, China
| | - Mengge Yao
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China; The Key Laboratory of Fujian Province Universities on Ion Channel and Signal Transduction in Cardiovascular Diseases, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, 350102, China
| | - Shao-Kun Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Fujian Province Universities on Ion Channel and Signal Transduction in Cardiovascular Diseases, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, 350102, China
| | - Jian He
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China
| | - Jian-Qiang Ye
- Fujian Center for Safety Evaluation of New Drug, Fujian Medical University, 350102 Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu-Mei Li
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China; Fujian Center for Safety Evaluation of New Drug, Fujian Medical University, 350102 Fuzhou, China.
| | - Liang-Wan Chen
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 350001, China; Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, 350102, China; Fujian Provincial Special Reserve Talents Laboratory, 350102, China; Engineering Research Center of Tissue and Organ Regeneration, Fujian Province University, 350102 Fuzhou, China.
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4
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Gottumukkala SB, Ganesan TS, Palanisamy A. Comprehensive molecular interaction map of TGFβ induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition in breast cancer. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:53. [PMID: 38760412 PMCID: PMC11101644 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00378-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the prevailing cancers globally, with a high mortality rate. Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is an advanced stage of cancer, characterised by a highly nonlinear, heterogeneous process involving numerous singling pathways and regulatory interactions. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) emerges as a key mechanism exploited by cancer cells. Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGFβ)-dependent signalling is attributed to promote EMT in advanced stages of breast cancer. A comprehensive regulatory map of TGFβ induced EMT was developed through an extensive literature survey. The network assembled comprises of 312 distinct species (proteins, genes, RNAs, complexes), and 426 reactions (state transitions, nuclear translocations, complex associations, and dissociations). The map was developed by following Systems Biology Graphical Notation (SBGN) using Cell Designer and made publicly available using MINERVA ( http://35.174.227.105:8080/minerva/?id=Metastatic_Breast_Cancer_1 ). While the complete molecular mechanism of MBC is still not known, the map captures the elaborate signalling interplay of TGFβ induced EMT-promoting MBC. Subsequently, the disease map assembled was translated into a Boolean model utilising CaSQ and analysed using Cell Collective. Simulations of these have captured the known experimental outcomes of TGFβ induced EMT in MBC. Hub regulators of the assembled map were identified, and their transcriptome-based analysis confirmed their role in cancer metastasis. Elaborate analysis of this map may help in gaining additional insights into the development and progression of metastatic breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Trivadi Sundaram Ganesan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Anbumathi Palanisamy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, India.
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5
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Nie F, Zhang Q, Ma W, Yan J. miRNA-200c-3p deficiency promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in triple-negative breast cancer by activating CRKL expression. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:146. [PMID: 38717531 PMCID: PMC11078912 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01004-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in malignant progression of Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Many studies have confirmed that miRNA-200c-3p is related to EMT. And we found that it is involved in the regulation of EMT, but the exact mechanism is unclear. CRKL is highly expressed in a variety of tumors and plays a role in EMT. In this study, the potential targets of miRNA-200c-3p were searched in miRPathDB, Targetscan and PicTar. And there are 68 potential targets at the intersection of the three databases. Then, bioinformatics and text mining performed by Coremine Medica, and found that among 68 potential targets, CRKL has the strongest correlation with EMT in TNBC. Therefore, we speculated that miRNA-200c-3p involvement in EMT might be related to CRKL. To verify miRNA-200c-3p inhibits the malignant phenotype of TNBC by regulating CRKL, RT‒PCR, western blotting, Clonal formation assays,CCK-8 proliferation assays, transwell invasion assays, Luciferase reporter assay and nude mouse transplantation tumor assay were performed. In this study, we found that miRNA-200c-3p is under-expressed and EMT-related genes are up-regulated in TNBC, and miRNA-200c-3p can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, invasion and the expression of EMT-related genes and proteins in TNBC. Further research confirmed that miRNA-200c-3p could inhibit EMT by inhibiting the expression of CRKL that directly combining CRKL gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Nie
- Department of Oncology, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, No. 1 Chengbei Road, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China
| | - Qinfang Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, No. 1 Chengbei Road, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China
| | - WeiNa Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China.
| | - Jun Yan
- Department of Oncology, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, No. 1 Chengbei Road, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China.
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6
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Xu C, Chen J, Liang L, Chen S, Niu X, Sang R, Yang C, Rong R. Midkine promotes renal fibrosis by stabilizing C/EBPβ to facilitate endothelial-mesenchymal transition. Commun Biol 2024; 7:544. [PMID: 38714800 PMCID: PMC11076470 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06154-0] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous myofibroblasts are arisen from endothelial cells (ECs) through endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) triggered by TGF-β. However, the mechanism of ECs transforms to a different subtype, or whether there exists an intermediate state of ECs remains unclear. In present study, we demonstrate Midkine (MDK) mainly expressed by CD31 + ACTA2+ECs going through partial EndMT contribute greatly to myofibroblasts by spatial and single-cell transcriptomics. MDK is induced in TGF-β treated ECs, which upregulates C/EBPβ and increases EndMT genes, and these effects could be reversed by siMDK. Mechanistically, MDK promotes the binding ability of C/EBPβ with ACTA2 promoter by stabilizing the C/EBPβ protein. In vivo, knockout of Mdk or conditional knockout of Mdk in ECs reduces EndMT markers and significantly reverses fibrogenesis. In conclusion, our study provides a mechanistic link between the induction of EndMT by TGF-β and MDK, which suggests that blocking MDK provides potential therapeutic strategies for renal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuidi Xu
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Juntao Chen
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lifei Liang
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Siyue Chen
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xinhao Niu
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ruirui Sang
- Department of Transfusion, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Cheng Yang
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Zhangjiang Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Ruiming Rong
- Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Transfusion, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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7
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Miyazawa K, Itoh Y, Fu H, Miyazono K. Receptor-activated transcription factors and beyond: multiple modes of Smad2/3-dependent transmission of TGF-β signaling. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107256. [PMID: 38569937 PMCID: PMC11063908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is widely distributed throughout the body. Its receptor proteins, TGF-β type I and type II receptors, are also ubiquitously expressed. Therefore, the regulation of various signaling outputs in a context-dependent manner is a critical issue in this field. Smad proteins were originally identified as signal-activated transcription factors similar to signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins. Smads are activated by serine phosphorylation mediated by intrinsic receptor dual specificity kinases of the TGF-β family, indicating that Smads are receptor-restricted effector molecules downstream of ligands of the TGF-β family. Smad proteins have other functions in addition to transcriptional regulation, including post-transcriptional regulation of micro-RNA processing, pre-mRNA splicing, and m6A methylation. Recent technical advances have identified a novel landscape of Smad-dependent signal transduction, including regulation of mitochondrial function without involving regulation of gene expression. Therefore, Smad proteins are receptor-activated transcription factors and also act as intracellular signaling modulators with multiple modes of function. In this review, we discuss the role of Smad proteins as receptor-activated transcription factors and beyond. We also describe the functional differences between Smad2 and Smad3, two receptor-activated Smad proteins downstream of TGF-β, activin, myostatin, growth and differentiation factor (GDF) 11, and Nodal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Miyazawa
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.
| | - Yuka Itoh
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Hao Fu
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Kohei Miyazono
- Department of Applied Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory for Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
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8
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Li X, Wang Y, Wang X, Shen Y, Yuan Y, He Q, Mao S, Wu C, Zhou M. Downregulation of SMAD4 protects HaCaT cells against UVB-induced damage and oxidative stress through the activation of EMT. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2024:10.1007/s43630-024-00574-x. [PMID: 38684635 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-024-00574-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
As a member of the SMAD family, SMAD4 plays a crucial role in several cellular biological processes. However, its function in UVB radiation-induced keratinocyte damage is not yet clarified. Our study aims to provide mechanistic insight for the development of future UVB protective therapies and therapeutics involving SMAD4. HaCaT cells were treated with UVB, and the dose dependence and time dependence of UVB were measured. The cell function of UVB-treated HaCaT cells and the activity of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) after overexpression or silencing of SMAD4 was observed by flow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western Blots (WB). We found that a significant decrease in SMAD4 was observed in HaCaT cells induced by UVB. Our data confirm SMAD4 as a direct downstream target of miR-664. The down-regulation of SMAD4 preserved the viability of the UVB-treated HaCaT cells by inhibiting autophagy or apoptosis. Furthermore, the silencing of SMAD4 activated the EMT process in UVB-treated HaCaT cells. Down-regulation of SMAD4 plays a protective role in UVB-treated HaCaT cells via the activation of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangzhi Li
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, 545000, China
- Taizhou Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy & Artificial Intelligence, Taizhou Branch of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital (Taizhou Cancer Hospital), Taizhou, 317502, China
| | - Yimeng Wang
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
- Yancheng Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yancheng, 224000, China
| | - Xian Wang
- Department of Public Health and Management, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, 533000, China
| | - Yi Shen
- Department of Public Health and Management, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, 533000, China
| | - Yawen Yuan
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Qingquan He
- Taizhou Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy & Artificial Intelligence, Taizhou Branch of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital (Taizhou Cancer Hospital), Taizhou, 317502, China
| | - Shuyi Mao
- Nuclear Medicine Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, 545006, China
| | - Cailian Wu
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, 545000, China
| | - Meijuan Zhou
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
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9
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Wedler A, Bley N, Glaß M, Müller S, Rausch A, Lederer M, Urbainski J, Schian L, Obika KB, Simon T, Peters L, Misiak C, Fuchs T, Köhn M, Jacob R, Gutschner T, Ihling C, Sinz A, Hüttelmaier S. RAVER1 hinders lethal EMT and modulates miR/RISC activity by the control of alternative splicing. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3971-3988. [PMID: 38300787 PMCID: PMC11039986 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The RAVER1 protein serves as a co-factor in guiding the polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP)-dependent control of alternative splicing (AS). Whether RAVER1 solely acts in concert with PTBPs and how it affects cancer cell fate remained elusive. Here, we provide the first comprehensive investigation of RAVER1-controlled AS in cancer cell models. This reveals a pro-oncogenic role of RAVER1 in modulating tumor growth and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT). Splicing analyses and protein-association studies indicate that RAVER1 guides AS in association with other splicing regulators, including PTBPs and SRSFs. In cancer cells, one major function of RAVER1 is the stimulation of proliferation and restriction of apoptosis. This involves the modulation of AS events within the miR/RISC pathway. Disturbance of RAVER1 impairs miR/RISC activity resulting in severely deregulated gene expression, which promotes lethal TGFB-driven EMT. Among others, RAVER1-modulated splicing events affect the insertion of protein interaction modules in factors guiding miR/RISC-dependent gene silencing. Most prominently, in all three human TNRC6 proteins, RAVER1 controls AS of GW-enriched motifs, which are essential for AGO2-binding and the formation of active miR/RISC complexes. We propose, that RAVER1 is a key modulator of AS events in the miR/RISC pathway ensuring proper abundance and composition of miR/RISC effectors. This ensures balanced expression of TGFB signaling effectors and limits TGFB induced lethal EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Wedler
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Nadine Bley
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Markus Glaß
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Simon Müller
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Rausch
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Marcell Lederer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Julia Urbainski
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Laura Schian
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Kingsley-Benjamin Obika
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Theresa Simon
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Lara Meret Peters
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Claudia Misiak
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Tommy Fuchs
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Marcel Köhn
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Roland Jacob
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Tony Gutschner
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Christian Ihling
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Andrea Sinz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Stefan Hüttelmaier
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section for Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
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10
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Tsumuraya H, Okayama H, Katagata M, Matsuishi A, Fukai S, Ito M, Sakamoto W, Saito M, Momma T, Nakajima S, Mimura K, Kono K. TGFβ-Responsive Stromal Activation Occurs Early in Serrated Colorectal Carcinogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4626. [PMID: 38731846 PMCID: PMC11083568 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094626] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Activated TGFβ signaling in the tumor microenvironment, which occurs independently of epithelial cancer cells, has emerged as a key driver of tumor progression in late-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of TGFβ-activated stroma to serrated carcinogenesis, representing approximately 25% of CRCs and often characterized by oncogenic BRAF mutations. We used a transcriptional signature developed based on TGFβ-responsive, stroma-specific genes to infer TGFβ-dependent stromal activation and conducted in silico analyses in 3 single-cell RNA-seq datasets from a total of 39 CRC samples and 12 bulk transcriptomic datasets consisting of 2014 CRC and 416 precursor samples, of which 33 were serrated lesions. Single-cell analyses validated that the signature was expressed specifically by stromal cells, effectively excluding transcriptional signals derived from epithelial cells. We found that the signature was upregulated during malignant transformation and cancer progression, and it was particularly enriched in CRCs with mutant BRAF compared to wild-type counterparts. Furthermore, across four independent precursor datasets, serrated lesions exhibited significantly higher levels of TGFβ-responsive stromal activation compared to conventional adenomas. This large-scale analysis suggests that TGFβ-dependent stromal activation occurs early in serrated carcinogenesis. Our study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying CRC development via the serrated pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki Tsumuraya
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Hirokazu Okayama
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Masanori Katagata
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Akira Matsuishi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Satoshi Fukai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Misato Ito
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Wataru Sakamoto
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Motonobu Saito
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Tomoyuki Momma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Shotaro Nakajima
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
- Department of Multidisciplinary Treatment of Cancer and Regional Medical Support, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kosaku Mimura
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
- Department of Blood Transfusion and Transplantation Immunology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Koji Kono
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (H.T.); (M.K.); (A.M.); (S.F.); (M.I.); (W.S.); (M.S.); (T.M.); (S.N.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
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11
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Vallés-Martí A, de Goeij-de Haas RR, Henneman AA, Piersma SR, Pham TV, Knol JC, Verheij J, Dijk F, Halfwerk H, Giovannetti E, Jiménez CR, Bijlsma MF. Kinase activities in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with prognostic and therapeutic avenues. Mol Oncol 2024. [PMID: 38650175 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease with a limited number of known driver mutations but considerable cancer cell heterogeneity. Phosphoproteomics provides a direct read-out of aberrant signaling and the resultant clinically relevant phenotype. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics and phosphoproteomics were applied to 42 PDAC tumors. Data encompassed over 19 936 phosphoserine or phosphothreonine (pS/T; in 5412 phosphoproteins) and 1208 phosphotyrosine (pY; in 501 phosphoproteins) sites and a total of 3756 proteins. Proteome data identified three distinct subtypes with tumor intrinsic and stromal features. Subsequently, three phospho-subtypes were apparent: two tumor intrinsic (Phos1/2) and one stromal (Phos3), resembling known PDAC molecular subtypes. Kinase activity was analyzed by the Integrative iNferred Kinase Activity (INKA) scoring. Phospho-subtypes displayed differential phosphorylation signals and kinase activity, such as FGR and GSK3 activation in Phos1, SRC kinase family and EPHA2 in Phos2, and EGFR, INSR, MET, ABL1, HIPK1, JAK, and PRKCD in Phos3. Kinase activity analysis of an external PDAC cohort supported our findings and underscored the importance of PI3K/AKT and ERK pathways, among others. Interestingly, unfavorable patient prognosis correlated with higher RTK, PAK2, STK10, and CDK7 activity and high proliferation, whereas long survival was associated with MYLK and PTK6 activity, which was previously unknown. Subtype-associated activity profiles can guide therapeutic combination approaches in tumor and stroma-enriched tissues, and emphasize the critical role of parallel signaling pathways. In addition, kinase activity profiling identifies potential disease markers with prognostic significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Vallés-Martí
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Biology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Richard R de Goeij-de Haas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alex A Henneman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sander R Piersma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thang V Pham
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaco C Knol
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joanne Verheij
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Frederike Dijk
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Halfwerk
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start-Up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, San Giuliano Terme, Italy
| | - Connie R Jiménez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten F Bijlsma
- Cancer Biology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Danielpour D. Advances and Challenges in Targeting TGF-β Isoforms for Therapeutic Intervention of Cancer: A Mechanism-Based Perspective. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:533. [PMID: 38675493 PMCID: PMC11054419 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040533] [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] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The TGF-β family is a group of 25 kDa secretory cytokines, in mammals consisting of three dimeric isoforms (TGF-βs 1, 2, and 3), each encoded on a separate gene with unique regulatory elements. Each isoform plays unique, diverse, and pivotal roles in cell growth, survival, immune response, and differentiation. However, many researchers in the TGF-β field often mistakenly assume a uniform functionality among all three isoforms. Although TGF-βs are essential for normal development and many cellular and physiological processes, their dysregulated expression contributes significantly to various diseases. Notably, they drive conditions like fibrosis and tumor metastasis/progression. To counter these pathologies, extensive efforts have been directed towards targeting TGF-βs, resulting in the development of a range of TGF-β inhibitors. Despite some clinical success, these agents have yet to reach their full potential in the treatment of cancers. A significant challenge rests in effectively targeting TGF-βs' pathological functions while preserving their physiological roles. Many existing approaches collectively target all three isoforms, failing to target just the specific deregulated ones. Additionally, most strategies tackle the entire TGF-β signaling pathway instead of focusing on disease-specific components or preferentially targeting tumors. This review gives a unique historical overview of the TGF-β field often missed in other reviews and provides a current landscape of TGF-β research, emphasizing isoform-specific functions and disease implications. The review then delves into ongoing therapeutic strategies in cancer, stressing the need for more tools that target specific isoforms and disease-related pathway components, advocating mechanism-based and refined approaches to enhance the effectiveness of TGF-β-targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Danielpour
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Research Laboratories, The Division of General Medical Sciences-Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; ; Tel.: +1-216-368-5670; Fax: +1-216-368-8919
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Institute of Urology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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13
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Sun YM, Wu Y, Li GX, Liang HF, Yong TY, Li Z, Zhang B, Chen XP, Jin GN, Ding ZY. TGF-β downstream of Smad3 and MAPK signaling antagonistically regulate the viability and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition of liver progenitor cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:6588-6612. [PMID: 38604156 PMCID: PMC11042936 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver progenitor cells (LPCs) are a subpopulation of cells that contribute to liver regeneration, fibrosis and liver cancer initiation under different circumstances. RESULTS By performing adenoviral-mediated transfection, CCK-8 analyses, F-actin staining, transwell analyses, luciferase reporter analyses and Western blotting, we observed that TGF-β promoted cytostasis and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in LPCs. In addition, we confirmed that TGF-β activated the Smad and MAPK pathways, including the Erk, JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, and revealed that TGFβ-Smad signaling induced growth inhibition and partial EMT, whereas TGFβ-MAPK signaling had the opposite effects on LPCs. We further found that the activity of Smad and MAPK signaling downstream of TGF-β was mutually restricted in LPCs. Mechanistically, we found that TGF-β activated Smad signaling through serine phosphorylation of both the C-terminal and linker regions of Smad2 and 3 in LPCs. Additionally, TGFβ-MAPK signaling inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad3 but not Smad2 at the C-terminus, and it reinforced the linker phosphorylation of Smad3 at T179 and S213. We then found that overexpression of mutated Smad3 at linker phosphorylation sites intensifies TGF-β-induced cytostasis and EMT, mimicking the effects of MAPK inhibition in LPCs, whereas mutation of Smad3 at the C-terminus caused LPCs to blunt TGF-β-induced cytostasis and partial EMT. CONCLUSION These results suggested that TGF-β downstream of Smad3 and MAPK signaling were mutually antagonistic in regulating the viability and partial EMT of LPCs. This antagonism may help LPCs overcome the cytostatic effect of TGF-β under fibrotic conditions and maintain partial EMT and progenitor phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Min Sun
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Present address: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated First Hospital, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434000, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Gan-Xun Li
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Hui-Fang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Tu-Ying Yong
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Zifu Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Guan-Nan Jin
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Present address: Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Ze-Yang Ding
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Hubei Province for The Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery and Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
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14
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D'Amico S, Kirillov V, Petrenko O, Reich NC. STAT3 is a genetic modifier of TGF-beta induced EMT in KRAS mutant pancreatic cancer. eLife 2024; 13:RP92559. [PMID: 38573819 PMCID: PMC10994661 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92559] [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] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic mutations in KRAS are among the most common in cancer. Classical models suggest that loss of epithelial characteristics and the acquisition of mesenchymal traits are associated with cancer aggressiveness and therapy resistance. However, the mechanistic link between these phenotypes and mutant KRAS biology remains to be established. Here, we identify STAT3 as a genetic modifier of TGF-beta-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Gene expression profiling of pancreatic cancer cells identifies more than 200 genes commonly regulated by STAT3 and oncogenic KRAS. Functional classification of the STAT3-responsive program reveals its major role in tumor maintenance and epithelial homeostasis. The signatures of STAT3-activated cell states can be projected onto human KRAS mutant tumors, suggesting that they faithfully reflect characteristics of human disease. These observations have implications for therapeutic intervention and tumor aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D'Amico
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookUnited States
| | - Varvara Kirillov
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookUnited States
| | - Oleksi Petrenko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookUnited States
| | - Nancy C Reich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookUnited States
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15
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Chen HD, Ye Z, Hu HF, Fan GX, Hu YH, Li Z, Li BR, Ji SR, Zhou CJ, Xu XW, Yu XJ, Qin Y. SMAD4 endows TGF-β1-induced highly invasive tumor cells with ferroptosis vulnerability in pancreatic cancer. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024; 45:844-856. [PMID: 38057506 PMCID: PMC10943101 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-023-01199-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely aggressive malignancy prone to recurrence and metastasis. Studies show that tumor cells with increased invasive and metastatic potential are more likely to undergo ferroptosis. SMAD4 is a critical molecule in the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) pathway, which affects the TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) status. SMAD4 loss is observed in more than half of patients with PDAC. In this study, we investigated whether SMAD4-positive PDAC cells were prone to ferroptosis because of their high invasiveness. We showed that SMAD4 status almost determined the orientation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)-induced EMT via the SMAD4-dependent canonical pathway in PDAC, which altered ferroptosis vulnerability. We identified glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which inhibited ferroptosis, as a SMAD4 down-regulated gene by RNA sequencing. We found that SMAD4 bound to the promoter of GPX4 and decreased GPX4 transcription in PDAC. Furthermore, TGF-β1-induced high invasiveness enhanced sensitivity of SMAD4-positive organoids and pancreas xenograft models to the ferroptosis inducer RAS-selective lethal 3 (RSL3). Moreover, SMAD4 enhanced the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine combined with RSL3 in highly invasive PDAC cells. This study provides new ideas for the treatment of PDAC, especially SMAD4-positive PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-di Chen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zeng Ye
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hai-Feng Hu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Gui-Xiong Fan
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yu-Heng Hu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bo-Rui Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shun-Rong Ji
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chen-Jie Zhou
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Wu Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xian-Jun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yi Qin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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16
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Deng Z, Fan T, Xiao C, Tian H, Zheng Y, Li C, He J. TGF-β signaling in health, disease, and therapeutics. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:61. [PMID: 38514615 PMCID: PMC10958066 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01764-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a multifunctional cytokine expressed by almost every tissue and cell type. The signal transduction of TGF-β can stimulate diverse cellular responses and is particularly critical to embryonic development, wound healing, tissue homeostasis, and immune homeostasis in health. The dysfunction of TGF-β can play key roles in many diseases, and numerous targeted therapies have been developed to rectify its pathogenic activity. In the past decades, a large number of studies on TGF-β signaling have been carried out, covering a broad spectrum of topics in health, disease, and therapeutics. Thus, a comprehensive overview of TGF-β signaling is required for a general picture of the studies in this field. In this review, we retrace the research history of TGF-β and introduce the molecular mechanisms regarding its biosynthesis, activation, and signal transduction. We also provide deep insights into the functions of TGF-β signaling in physiological conditions as well as in pathological processes. TGF-β-targeting therapies which have brought fresh hope to the treatment of relevant diseases are highlighted. Through the summary of previous knowledge and recent updates, this review aims to provide a systematic understanding of TGF-β signaling and to attract more attention and interest to this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqin Deng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tao Fan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Chu Xiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - He Tian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yujia Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Chunxiang Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Jie He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
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17
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Tsanov KM, Barriga FM, Ho YJ, Alonso-Curbelo D, Livshits G, Koche RP, Baslan T, Simon J, Tian S, Wuest AN, Luan W, Wilkinson JE, Masilionis I, Dimitrova N, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Chaligné R, Pe’er D, Massagué J, Lowe SW. Metastatic site influences driver gene function in pancreatic cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.17.585402. [PMID: 38562717 PMCID: PMC10983983 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.17.585402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Driver gene mutations can increase the metastatic potential of the primary tumor1-3, but their role in sustaining tumor growth at metastatic sites is poorly understood. A paradigm of such mutations is inactivation of SMAD4 - a transcriptional effector of TGFβ signaling - which is a hallmark of multiple gastrointestinal malignancies4,5. SMAD4 inactivation mediates TGFβ's remarkable anti- to pro-tumorigenic switch during cancer progression and can thus influence both tumor initiation and metastasis6-14. To determine whether metastatic tumors remain dependent on SMAD4 inactivation, we developed a mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that enables Smad4 depletion in the pre-malignant pancreas and subsequent Smad4 reactivation in established metastases. As expected, Smad4 inactivation facilitated the formation of primary tumors that eventually colonized the liver and lungs. By contrast, Smad4 reactivation in metastatic disease had strikingly opposite effects depending on the tumor's organ of residence: suppression of liver metastases and promotion of lung metastases. Integrative multiomic analysis revealed organ-specific differences in the tumor cells' epigenomic state, whereby the liver and lungs harbored chromatin programs respectively dominated by the KLF and RUNX developmental transcription factors, with Klf4 depletion being sufficient to reverse Smad4's tumor-suppressive activity in liver metastases. Our results show how epigenetic states favored by the organ of residence can influence the function of driver genes in metastatic tumors. This organ-specific gene-chromatin interplay invites consideration of anatomical site in the interpretation of tumor genetics, with implications for the therapeutic targeting of metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaloyan M. Tsanov
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Francisco M. Barriga
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yu-Jui Ho
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Direna Alonso-Curbelo
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Geulah Livshits
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard P. Koche
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timour Baslan
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Janelle Simon
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sha Tian
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra N. Wuest
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wei Luan
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - John E. Wilkinson
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ignas Masilionis
- Computational & Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nevenka Dimitrova
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronan Chaligné
- Computational & Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dana Pe’er
- Computational & Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Joan Massagué
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott W. Lowe
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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Jiménez DJ, Javed A, Rubio-Tomás T, Seye-Loum N, Barceló C. Clinical and Preclinical Targeting of Oncogenic Pathways in PDAC: Targeted Therapeutic Approaches for the Deadliest Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2860. [PMID: 38474109 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. It is commonly diagnosed in advanced stages and therapeutic interventions are typically constrained to systemic chemotherapy, which yields only modest clinical outcomes. In this review, we examine recent developments in targeted therapy tailored to address distinct molecular pathway alteration required for PDAC. Our review delineates the principal signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms implicated in the initiation and progression of PDAC. Subsequently, we provide an overview of prevailing guidelines, ongoing investigations, and prospective research trajectories related to targeted therapeutic interventions, drawing insights from randomized clinical trials and other pertinent studies. This review focus on a comprehensive examination of preclinical and clinical data substantiating the efficacy of these therapeutic modalities, emphasizing the potential of combinatorial regimens and novel therapies to enhance the quality of life for individuals afflicted with PDAC. Lastly, the review delves into the contemporary application and ongoing research endeavors concerning targeted therapy for PDAC. This synthesis serves to bridge the molecular elucidation of PDAC with its clinical implications, the evolution of innovative therapeutic strategies, and the changing landscape of treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego J Jiménez
- Translational Pancreatic Cancer Oncogenesis Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Hospital Universitari Son Espases, 07120 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Aadil Javed
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Teresa Rubio-Tomás
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 70013 Herakleion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ndioba Seye-Loum
- Translational Pancreatic Cancer Oncogenesis Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Hospital Universitari Son Espases, 07120 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Carles Barceló
- Translational Pancreatic Cancer Oncogenesis Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Hospital Universitari Son Espases, 07120 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Jiang J, Wang Y, Sun M, Luo X, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Li S, Hu D, Zhang J, Wu Z, Chen X, Zhang B, Xu X, Wang S, Xu S, Huang W, Xia L. SOX on tumors, a comfort or a constraint? Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:67. [PMID: 38331879 PMCID: PMC10853543 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01834-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The sex-determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) family, composed of 20 transcription factors, is a conserved family with a highly homologous HMG domain. Due to their crucial role in determining cell fate, the dysregulation of SOX family members is closely associated with tumorigenesis, including tumor invasion, metastasis, proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stemness and drug resistance. Despite considerable research to investigate the mechanisms and functions of the SOX family, confusion remains regarding aspects such as the role of the SOX family in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and contradictory impacts the SOX family exerts on tumors. This review summarizes the physiological function of the SOX family and their multiple roles in tumors, with a focus on the relationship between the SOX family and TIME, aiming to propose their potential role in cancer and promising methods for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqing Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yufei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiangyuan Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zerui Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Siwen Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Dian Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Jiaqian Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhangfan Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases; Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases; Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake university school of medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Shengjun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases; Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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20
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Hasselluhn MC, Schlösser D, Versemann L, Schmidt GE, Ulisse M, Oschwald J, Zhang Z, Hamdan F, Xiao H, Kopp W, Spitalieri J, Kellner C, Schneider C, Reutlinger K, Nagarajan S, Steuber B, Sastra SA, Palermo CF, Appelhans J, Bohnenberger H, Todorovic J, Kostyuchek I, Ströbel P, Bockelmann A, König A, Ammer-Herrmenau C, Schmidleitner L, Kaulfuß S, Wollnik B, Hahn SA, Neesse A, Singh SK, Bastians H, Reichert M, Sax U, Olive KP, Johnsen SA, Schneider G, Ellenrieder V, Hessmann E. An NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN Complex Restricted to SMAD4-Deficient Pancreatic Cancer Guides Rational Therapies. Gastroenterology 2024; 166:298-312.e14. [PMID: 37913894 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The highly heterogeneous cellular and molecular makeup of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) not only fosters exceptionally aggressive tumor biology, but contradicts the current concept of one-size-fits-all therapeutic strategies to combat PDAC. Therefore, we aimed to exploit the tumor biological implication and therapeutic vulnerabilities of a clinically relevant molecular PDAC subgroup characterized by SMAD4 deficiency and high expression of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (SMAD4-/-/NFATc1High). METHODS Transcriptomic and clinical data were analyzed to determine the prognostic relevance of SMAD4-/-/NFATc1High cancers. In vitro and in vivo oncogenic transcription factor complex formation was studied by immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assays, and validated cross model and species. The impact of SMAD4 status on therapeutically targeting canonical KRAS signaling was mechanistically deciphered and corroborated by genome-wide gene expression analysis and genetic perturbation experiments, respectively. Validation of a novel tailored therapeutic option was conducted in patient-derived organoids and cells and transgenic as well as orthotopic PDAC models. RESULTS Our findings determined the tumor biology of an aggressive and chemotherapy-resistant SMAD4-/-/NFATc1High subgroup. Mechanistically, we identify SMAD4 deficiency as a molecular prerequisite for the formation of an oncogenic NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN transcription factor complex, which drives the expression of RRM1/2. RRM1/2 replenishes nucleoside pools that directly compete with metabolized gemcitabine for DNA strand incorporation. Disassembly of the NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN complex by mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling inhibition normalizes RRM1/2 expression and synergizes with gemcitabine treatment in vivo to reduce the proliferative index. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that PDAC characterized by SMAD4 deficiency and oncogenic NFATc1/SMAD3/cJUN complex formation exposes sensitivity to a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling inhibition and gemcitabine combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie C Hasselluhn
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Denise Schlösser
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Lennart Versemann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Geske E Schmidt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Maria Ulisse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Joana Oschwald
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Feda Hamdan
- Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Harry Xiao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Waltraut Kopp
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jessica Spitalieri
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christin Kellner
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Carolin Schneider
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kristina Reutlinger
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sankari Nagarajan
- Manchester Breast Centre and Manchester Cancer Research Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Steuber
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Stephen A Sastra
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Carmine F Palermo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Jennifer Appelhans
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jovan Todorovic
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Irina Kostyuchek
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Aiko Bockelmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Alexander König
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Ammer-Herrmenau
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Laura Schmidleitner
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer Center, Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Silke Kaulfuß
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Wollnik
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Stephan A Hahn
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Gastrointestinal Oncology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Albrecht Neesse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Shiv K Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Holger Bastians
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of Molecular Oncology, Section for Cellular Oncology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Reichert
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer Center, Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (a partnership between Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum and University Hospital Klinikum Rechts der Isar), Munich, Germany; Center for Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany; Center for Organoid Systems and Tissue Engineering, Technical University Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sax
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kenneth P Olive
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Günter Schneider
- Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lower Saxony, Goettingen and Hannover, Germany
| | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lower Saxony, Goettingen and Hannover, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Clinical Research Unit KFO5002, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lower Saxony, Goettingen and Hannover, Germany.
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21
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Kim S, Leem G, Choi J, Koh Y, Lee S, Nam SH, Kim JS, Park CH, Hwang HK, Min KI, Jo JH, Lee HS, Chung MJ, Park JY, Park SW, Song SY, Shin EC, Kang CM, Bang S, Park JE. Integrative analysis of spatial and single-cell transcriptome data from human pancreatic cancer reveals an intermediate cancer cell population associated with poor prognosis. Genome Med 2024; 16:20. [PMID: 38297291 PMCID: PMC10832111 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-024-01287-7] [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: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies using single-cell transcriptomic analysis have reported several distinct clusters of neoplastic epithelial cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment. However, their molecular characteristics and biological significance have not been clearly elucidated due to intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity. METHODS We performed single-cell RNA sequencing using enriched non-immune cell populations from 17 pancreatic tumor tissues (16 pancreatic cancer and one high-grade dysplasia) and generated paired spatial transcriptomic data from seven patient samples. RESULTS We identified five distinct functional subclusters of pancreatic cancer cells and six distinct cancer-associated fibroblast subclusters. We deeply profiled their characteristics, and we found that these subclusters successfully deconvoluted most of the features suggested in bulk transcriptome analysis of pancreatic cancer. Among those subclusters, we identified a novel cancer cell subcluster, Ep_VGLL1, showing intermediate characteristics between the extremities of basal-like and classical dichotomy, despite its prognostic value. Molecular features of Ep_VGLL1 suggest its transitional properties between basal-like and classical subtypes, which is supported by spatial transcriptomic data. CONCLUSIONS This integrative analysis not only provides a comprehensive landscape of pancreatic cancer and fibroblast population, but also suggests a novel insight to the dynamic states of pancreatic cancer cells and unveils potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongryong Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Galam Leem
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Junjeong Choi
- Department of Pharmacy and Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongjun Koh
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Suho Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hee Nam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Su Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Hee Park
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Kyoung Hwang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Pancreatobiliary Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Pancreatobiliary Cancer Center, Yonsei Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Il Min
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Hyun Jo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Seung Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon Jae Chung
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Youp Park
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Woo Park
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Si Young Song
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui-Cheol Shin
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Moo Kang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Pancreatobiliary Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Pancreatobiliary Cancer Center, Yonsei Cancer Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seungmin Bang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jong-Eun Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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22
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Wang H, Wang X, Xu L. Transforming growth factor-induced gene TGFBI is correlated with the prognosis and immune infiltrations of breast cancer. World J Surg Oncol 2024; 22:22. [PMID: 38245723 PMCID: PMC10799375 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-024-03301-z] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is a critical regulator of lung metastasis of breast cancer and is correlated with the prognosis of breast cancer. However, not all TGFβ stimulated genes were functional and prognostic in breast cancer lung metastatic progress. In this study, we tried to determine the prognosis of TGFβ stimulated genes in breast cancer. METHODS TGFβ stimulated genes in MDA-MB-231 cells and lung metastasis-associated genes in LM2-4175 cells were identified through gene expression microarray. The prognosis of the induced gene (TGFBI) in breast cancer was determined through bioinformatics analysis and validated using tissue microarray. The immune infiltrations of breast cancer were determined through "ESTIMATE" and "TIMER". RESULTS TGFBI was up-regulated by TGFβ treatment and over-expressed in LM2-4175 cells. Through bioinformatics analysis, we found that higher expression of TGFBI was associated with shorted lung metastasis-free survival, relapse-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival of breast cancer. Moreover, the prognosis of TGFBI was validated in 139 Chinese breast cancer patients. Chinese breast cancer patients with higher TGFBI expression had lower overall survival. Correspondingly, breast cancer patients with higher TGFBI methylation had higher overall survival. TGFBI was correlated with the score of the TGFβ signaling pathway and multiple immune-related signaling pathways in breast cancer. The stromal score, immune score, and the infiltrations of immune cells were also correlated with TGFBI expression in breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS TGFβ-induced gene TGFBI was correlated with the prognosis and immune infiltrations of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiwei Wang
- Medical Genetic Diagnosis and Therapy Center, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| | - Xinrui Wang
- Medical Genetic Diagnosis and Therapy Center, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Liangpu Xu
- Medical Genetic Diagnosis and Therapy Center, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
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23
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Wang J, Peng J, Chen Y, Nasser MI, Qin H. The role of stromal cells in epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and its therapeutic potential. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:13. [PMID: 38244071 PMCID: PMC10799841 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00867-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical tumor invasion and metastasis process. EMT enables tumor cells to migrate, detach from their original location, enter the circulation, circulate within it, and eventually exit from blood arteries to colonize in foreign sites, leading to the development of overt metastases, ultimately resulting in death. EMT is intimately tied to stromal cells around the tumor and is controlled by a range of cytokines secreted by stromal cells. This review summarizes recent research on stromal cell-mediated EMT in tumor invasion and metastasis. We also discuss the effects of various stromal cells on EMT induction and focus on the molecular mechanisms by which several significant stromal cells convert from foes to friends of cancer cells to fuel EMT processes via their secretions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). As a result, a better knowledge of the role of stromal cells in cancer cells' EMT may pave the path to cancer eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjing Wang
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Junmei Peng
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonglin Chen
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
- The Hengyang Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of Hunan Province Department of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
| | - M I Nasser
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hui Qin
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
- The Hengyang Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Critical Human Diseases Prevention of Hunan Province Department of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
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24
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Ungefroren H, Reimann J, Konukiewitz B, Braun R, Wellner UF, Lehnert H, Marquardt JU. RAC1b Collaborates with TAp73α-SMAD4 Signaling to Induce Biglycan Expression and Inhibit Basal and TGF-β-Driven Cell Motility in Human Pancreatic Cancer. Biomedicines 2024; 12:199. [PMID: 38255305 PMCID: PMC10813112 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010199] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer type characterized by a marked desmoplastic tumor stroma that is formed under the influence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Data from mouse models of pancreatic cancer have revealed that transcriptionally active p73 (TAp73) impacts the TGF-β pathway through activation of Smad4 and secretion of biglycan (Bgn). However, whether this pathway also functions in human PDAC cells has not yet been studied. Here, we show that RNA interference-mediated silencing of TAp73 in PANC-1 cells strongly reduced the stimulatory effect of TGF-β1 on BGN. TAp73-mediated regulation of BGN, and inhibition of TGF-β signaling through a (Smad-independent) ERK pathway, are reminiscent of what we previously observed for the small GTPase, RAC1b, prompting us to hypothesize that in human PDAC cells TAp73 and RAC1b are part of the same tumor-suppressive pathway. Like TAp73, RAC1b induced SMAD4 protein and mRNA expression. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of RAC1b reduced TAp73 mRNA levels, while ectopic expression of RAC1b increased them. Inhibition of BGN synthesis or depletion of secreted BGN from the culture medium reproduced the promigratory effect of RAC1b or TAp73 silencing and was associated with increased basal and TGF-β1-dependent ERK activation. BGN also phenocopied the effects of RAC1b or TAp73 on the expression of downstream effectors, like the EMT markers E-cadherin, Vimentin and SNAIL, as well as on negative regulation of the ALK2-SMAD1/5 arm of TGF-β signaling. Collectively, we showed that tumor-suppressive TAp73-Smad4-Bgn signaling also operates in human cells and that RAC1b likely acts as an upstream activator of this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Ungefroren
- First Department of Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Julissa Reimann
- First Department of Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Björn Konukiewitz
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Braun
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ulrich F. Wellner
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
| | | | - Jens-Uwe Marquardt
- First Department of Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
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25
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Chen H, Zhai C, Xu X, Wang H, Han W, Shen J. Multilevel Heterogeneity of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 16:59. [PMID: 38201487 PMCID: PMC10778489 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16010059] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Therapies that target both primary foci and liver metastasis are severely lacking. Therefore, understanding the features of metastatic tumor cells in the liver is valuable for the overall control of CRLM patients. In this review, we summarize the heterogeneity exhibited in CRLM from five aspects (gene, transcriptome, protein, metabolism, and immunity). In addition to genetic heterogeneity, the other four aspects exhibit significant heterogeneity. Compared to primary CRC, the dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins, the enhanced metabolic activity, and the increased infiltration of immunosuppressive cells are detected in CRLM. Preclinical evidence shows that targeting the EMT process or enhancing cellular metabolism may represent a novel approach to increasing the therapeutic efficacy of CRLM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Weidong Han
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China; (H.C.); (C.Z.); (X.X.); (H.W.)
| | - Jiaying Shen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China; (H.C.); (C.Z.); (X.X.); (H.W.)
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26
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Xu Y, Huang S, Li Z, Dai L, Wu H, Wang P, Yao X, Luo W, Liu Y, Yang W, Feng Y, Miao H, Xu J, Ye D. Single-cell RNA landscape of osteoimmune microenvironment in osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture and Kümmell's disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1276098. [PMID: 38161331 PMCID: PMC10755405 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1276098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enables specific analysis of cell populations at single-cell resolution; however, there is still a lack of single-cell-level studies to characterize the dynamic and complex interactions between osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) and Kümmell's disease (KD) in the osteoimmune microenvironment. In this study, we used scRNA-seq analysis to investigate the osteoimmune microenvironment and cellular composition in OVCFs and KD. Methods: ScRNA-seq was used to perform analysis of fractured vertebral bone tissues from one OVCF and one KD patients, and a total of 8,741 single cells were captured for single-cell transcriptomic analysis. The cellularity of human vertebral bone tissue was further analyzed using uniform manifold approximation and projection. Pseudo-time analysis and gene enrichment analysis revealed the biological function of cell fate and its counterparts. CellphoneDB was used to identify the interactions between bone cells and immune cells in the osteoimmune microenvironment of human vertebral bone tissue and their potential functions. Results: A cellular profile of the osteoimmune microenvironment of human vertebral bone tissue was established, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), pericytes, myofibroblasts, fibroblasts, chondrocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), granulocytes, monocytes, T cells, B cells, plasma cells, mast cells, and early erythrocytes. MSCs play an immunoregulatory function and mediate osteogenic differentiation and cell proliferation. The differentiation trajectory of osteoclasts in human vertebral bone tissue was also revealed. In addition, ECs actively participate in inflammatory infiltration and coupling with bone cells. T and B cells actively participate in regulating bone homeostasis. Finally, by identifying the interaction of ligand-receptor pairs, we found that immune cells and osteoclasts have bidirectional regulatory characteristics, have the effects of regulating bone resorption by osteoclasts and promoting bone formation, and are essential for bone homeostasis. It is also highlighted that CD8-TEM cells and osteoclasts might crosstalk via CD160-TNFRSF14 ligand-receptor interaction. Conclusion: Our analysis reveals a differential landscape of molecular pathways, population composition, and cell-cell interactions during OVCF development into KD. OVCFs exhibit a higher osteogenic differentiation capacity, owing to abundant immune cells. Conversely, KD results in greater bone resorption than bone formation due to depletion of MSCs and a relatively suppressed immune system, and this immune imbalance eventually leads to vertebral avascular necrosis. The site of action between immune cells and osteoclasts is expected to be a new therapeutic target, and these results may accelerate mechanistic and functional studies of osteoimmune cell types and specific gene action in vertebral avascular necrosis and pathological bone loss diseases, paving the way for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yude Xu
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suixiang Huang
- Department of Pain Medicine, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhencong Li
- Department of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Libing Dai
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peigeng Wang
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiguan Yao
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiming Liu
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weichao Yang
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Feng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haixiong Miao
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiake Xu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dongping Ye
- Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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27
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Schenkel JM, Pauken KE. Localization, tissue biology and T cell state - implications for cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Immunol 2023; 23:807-823. [PMID: 37253877 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00884-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tissue localization is a critical determinant of T cell immunity. CD8+ T cells are contact-dependent killers, which requires them to physically be within the tissue of interest to kill peptide-MHC class I-bearing target cells. Following their migration and extravasation into tissues, T cells receive many extrinsic cues from the local microenvironment, and these signals shape T cell differentiation, fate and function. Because major organ systems are variable in their functions and compositions, they apply disparate pressures on T cells to adapt to the local microenvironment. Additional complexity arises in the context of malignant lesions (either primary or metastatic), and this has made understanding the factors that dictate T cell function and longevity in tumours challenging. Moreover, T cell differentiation state influences how cues from the microenvironment are interpreted by tissue-infiltrating T cells, highlighting the importance of T cell state in the context of tissue biology. Here, we review the intertwined nature of T cell differentiation state, location, survival and function, and explain how dysfunctional T cell populations can adopt features of tissue-resident memory T cells to persist in tumours. Finally, we discuss how these factors have shaped responses to cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Schenkel
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Kristen E Pauken
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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28
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Schuhwerk H, Brabletz T. Mutual regulation of TGFβ-induced oncogenic EMT, cell cycle progression and the DDR. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 97:86-103. [PMID: 38029866 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
TGFβ signaling and the DNA damage response (DDR) are two cellular toolboxes with a strong impact on cancer biology. While TGFβ as a pleiotropic cytokine affects essentially all hallmarks of cancer, the multifunctional DDR mostly orchestrates cell cycle progression, DNA repair, chromatin remodeling and cell death. One oncogenic effect of TGFβ is the partial activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), conferring invasiveness, cellular plasticity and resistance to various noxae. Several reports show that both individual networks as well as their interface affect chemo-/radiotherapies. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly resolved. EMT often correlates with TGFβ-induced slowing of proliferation, yet numerous studies demonstrate that particularly the co-activated EMT transcription factors counteract anti-proliferative signaling in a partially non-redundant manner. Collectively, evidence piled up over decades underscore a multifaceted, reciprocal inter-connection of TGFβ signaling / EMT with the DDR / cell cycle progression, which we will discuss here. Altogether, we conclude that full cell cycle arrest is barely compatible with the propagation of oncogenic EMT traits and further propose that 'EMT-linked DDR plasticity' is a crucial, yet intricate facet of malignancy, decisively affecting metastasis formation and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Schuhwerk
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Thomas Brabletz
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
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29
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Zhang W, Dong J. Suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal-transition blue light therapy for reducing macrophage-mediated cancerous pulmonary fibrosis: An in-vitro study. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2023; 16:e202300253. [PMID: 37589213 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading killer among all types of cancer globally. As a key factor, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in pathological fibrosis and lung cancer metastasis. This study endeavors to investigate the effect of blue light at specific wavelengths of 405 nm and 415 nm (54 J/cm2 ) on EMT induced by TGF-β1 in A549 cells. The results revealed that the blue light irradiation reduced the morphological characteristics of EMT in the A549 cells, and cell-to-cell connections were weakened significantly. Molecular analysis showed upregulation of epithelial marker E-cadherin and downregulation of EMT marker vimentin. Additionally, exposure to blue light irradiation at 405 nm and 415 nm significantly decelerated the ability of invasion and migration. Moreover, cell viability was also investigated. Based on these findings, blue light can serve as a useful therapeutic option for inhibiting EMT in cases of lung cancer and fibrotic lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China
| | - Jianfei Dong
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China
- School of Future Science and Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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30
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Greendyk JD, Allen WE, Alexander HR, Beninato T, Eskander MF, Grandhi MS, Kennedy TJ, Langan RC, Maggi JC, De S, Court CM, Ecker BL. Association between SMAD4 Mutations and GATA6 Expression in Paired Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Tumor Specimens: Data from Two Independent Molecularly-Characterized Cohorts. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3058. [PMID: 38002058 PMCID: PMC10669842 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11113058] [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: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Several molecular biomarkers have been identified to guide induction treatment selection for localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). SMAD4 alterations and low GATA6 expression/modified "Moffitt" basal-like phenotype have each been associated with inferior survival uniquely for patients receiving 5-FU-based therapies. SMAD4 may directly regulate the expression of GATA6 in PDAC, pointing to a common predictive biomarker. To evaluate the relationship between SMAD4 mutations and GATA6 expression in human PDAC tumors, patients with paired SMAD4 mutation and GATA6 mRNA expression data in the TCGA and CPTAC were identified. In 321 patients (TCGA: n = 180; CPTAC: n = 141), the rate of SMAD4 alterations was 26.8%. The rate of SMAD4 alteration did not vary per tertile of normalized GATA6 expression (TCGA: p = 0.928; CPTAC: p = 0.828). In the TCGA, SMAD4 alterations and the basal-like phenotype were each associated with worse survival (log rank p = 0.077 and p = 0.080, respectively), but their combined presence did not identify a subset with uniquely inferior survival (p = 0.943). In the CPTAC, the basal-like phenotype was associated with significantly worse survival (p < 0.001), but the prognostic value was not influenced by the combined presence of SMAD4 alterations (p = 0.960). SMAD4 alterations were not associated with poor clinico-pathological features such as poor tumor grade, advanced tumor stage, positive lymphovascular invasion (LVI), or positive perineural invasion (PNI), compared with SMAD4-wildtype. Given that SMAD4 mutations were not associated with GATA6 expression or Moffitt subtype in two independent molecularly characterized PDAC cohorts, distinct biomarker-defined clinical trials are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D. Greendyk
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Health, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (J.D.G.); (W.E.A.)
| | - William E. Allen
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Health, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (J.D.G.); (W.E.A.)
| | - H. Richard Alexander
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Toni Beninato
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Mariam F. Eskander
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Miral S. Grandhi
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Timothy J. Kennedy
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Russell C. Langan
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA
| | - Jason C. Maggi
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA
| | - Subhajyoti De
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
| | - Colin M. Court
- Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA;
| | - Brett L. Ecker
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (H.R.A.); (T.B.); (M.F.E.); (M.S.G.); (T.J.K.); (R.C.L.); (J.C.M.); (S.D.)
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA
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31
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Zefferino R, Conese M. A Vaccine against Cancer: Can There Be a Possible Strategy to Face the Challenge? Possible Targets and Paradoxical Effects. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1701. [PMID: 38006033 PMCID: PMC10674257 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Is it possible to have an available vaccine that eradicates cancer? Starting from this question, this article tries to verify the state of the art, proposing a different approach to the issue. The variety of cancers and different and often unknown causes of cancer impede, except in some cited cases, the creation of a classical vaccine directed at the causative agent. The efforts of the scientific community are oriented toward stimulating the immune systems of patients, thereby preventing immune evasion, and heightening chemotherapeutic agents effects against cancer. However, the results are not decisive, because without any warning signs, metastasis often occurs. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on a vaccine that must be administered to a patient in order to prevent metastasis; metastasis is an event that leads to death, and thus, preventing it could transform cancer into a chronic disease. We underline the fact that the field has not been studied in depth, and that the complexity of metastatic processes should not be underestimated. Then, with the aim of identifying the target of a cancer vaccine, we draw attention to the presence of the paradoxical actions of different mechanisms, pathways, molecules, and immune and non-immune cells characteristic of the tumor microenvironment at the primary site and pre-metastatic niche in order to exclude possible vaccine candidates that have opposite effects/behaviors; after a meticulous evaluation, we propose possible targets to develop a metastasis-targeting vaccine. We conclude that a change in the current concept of a cancer vaccine is needed, and the efforts of the scientific community should be redirected toward a metastasis-targeting vaccine, with the increasing hope of eradicating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Zefferino
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Massimo Conese
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
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32
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South AP, Laimer M, Gueye M, Sui JY, Eichenfield LF, Mellerio JE, Nyström A. Type VII Collagen Deficiency in the Oncogenesis of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. J Invest Dermatol 2023; 143:2108-2119. [PMID: 37327859 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is a rare genetic skin disorder caused by COL7A1 sequence variations that result in type VII collagen deficits and cutaneous and extracutaneous manifestations. One serious complication of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, a leading driver of morbidity and mortality, especially among patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Type VII collagen deficits alter TGFβ signaling and evoke multiple other cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma progression-promoting activities within epidermal microenvironments. This review examines cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma pathophysiology in dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa with a focus on known oncogenesis pathways at play and explores the idea that therapeutic type VII collagen replacement may reduce cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P South
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | - Martin Laimer
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology and EB House Austria, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Jennifer Y Sui
- Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA; Division of Pediatric Dermatology, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Lawrence F Eichenfield
- Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA; Division of Pediatric Dermatology, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jemima E Mellerio
- St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Nyström
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, Freiburg, Germany
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33
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Akhurst RJ. From shape-shifting embryonic cells to oncology: The fascinating history of epithelial mesenchymal transition. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:100-114. [PMID: 37852342 PMCID: PMC10883734 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.10.003] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or transformation (EMT) is a cell shape-changing process that is utilized repeatedly throughout embryogenesis and is critical to the attainment of a precise body plan. In the adult, EMT is observed under both normal and pathological conditions, such as during normal wounding healing, during development of certain fibrotic states and vascular anomalies, as well as in some cancers when malignant cells progress to become more aggressive, invasive, and metastatic. Epithelia derived from any of the three embryonic germ layers can undergo EMT, including those derived from mesoderm, such as endothelial cells (sometimes termed Endo-MT) and those derived from endoderm such as fetal liver stroma. At the cellular level, EMT is defined as the transformation of epithelial cells towards a mesenchymal phenotype and is marked by attenuation of expression of epithelial markers and de novo expression of mesenchymal markers. This process is induced by extracellular factors and can be reversible, resulting in mesenchymal-to-epithelial transformation (MET). It is now clear that a cell can simultaneously express properties of both epithelia and mesenchyme, and that such transitional cell-types drive tumor cell heterogeneity, an important aspect of cancer progression, development of a stem-like cell state, and drug resistance. Here we review some of the earliest studies demonstrating the existence of EMT during embryogenesis and discuss the discovery of the extracellular factors and intracellular signaling pathways that contribute to this process, with components of the TGFβ signaling superfamily playing a prominent role. We mention early controversies surrounding in vivo EMT during embryonic development and in adult diseased states, and the maturation of the field to a stage wherein targeting EMT to control disease states is an aspirational goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Akhurst
- Department of Anatomy and UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, USA
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34
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Singh S, Gouri V, Samant M. TGF-β in correlation with tumor progression, immunosuppression and targeted therapy in colorectal cancer. Med Oncol 2023; 40:335. [PMID: 37855975 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02204-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a complex malignancy responsible for the second-highest cancer deaths worldwide. TGF-β maintains normal cellular homeostasis by inhibiting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis, but its elevated level is correlated with colorectal cancer progression, as TGF-β is a master regulator of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a critical step of metastasis. Tumors, including CRC, use elevated TGF-β levels to avoid immune surveillance by modulating immune cell differentiation, proliferation, and effector function. Presently, the treatment of advanced CRC is mainly based on chemotherapy, with multiple adverse effects. Thus, there is a need to develop alternate tactics because CRC continue to be mostly resistant to the present therapeutic regimen. TGF-β blockade has emerged as a promising therapeutic target in cancer therapy. Blocking TGF-β with phytochemicals and other molecules, such as antisense oligonucleotides, monoclonal antibodies, and bifunctional traps, alone or in combination, may be a safer and more effective way to treat CRC. Furthermore, combination immunotherapy comprising TGF-β blockers and immune checkpoint inhibitors is gaining popularity because both molecules work synergistically to suppress the immune system. Here, we summarize the current understanding of TGF-β as a therapeutic target for managing CRC and its context-dependent tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressing nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumeet Singh
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Vinita Gouri
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India
- Department of Zoology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Mukesh Samant
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India.
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35
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Simmler P, Ioannidi EI, Mengis T, Marquart KF, Asawa S, Van-Lehmann K, Kahles A, Thomas T, Schwerdel C, Aceto N, Rätsch G, Stoffel M, Schwank G. Mutant SF3B1 promotes malignancy in PDAC. eLife 2023; 12:e80683. [PMID: 37823551 PMCID: PMC10629822 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80683] [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: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The splicing factor SF3B1 is recurrently mutated in various tumors, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The impact of the hotspot mutation SF3B1K700E on the PDAC pathogenesis, however, remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that Sf3b1K700E alone is insufficient to induce malignant transformation of the murine pancreas, but that it increases aggressiveness of PDAC if it co-occurs with mutated KRAS and p53. We further show that Sf3b1K700E already plays a role during early stages of pancreatic tumor progression and reduces the expression of TGF-β1-responsive epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes. Moreover, we found that SF3B1K700E confers resistance to TGF-β1-induced cell death in pancreatic organoids and cell lines, partly mediated through aberrant splicing of Map3k7. Overall, our findings demonstrate that SF3B1K700E acts as an oncogenic driver in PDAC, and suggest that it promotes the progression of early stage tumors by impeding the cellular response to tumor suppressive effects of TGF-β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Simmler
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Eleonora I Ioannidi
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Tamara Mengis
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Kim Fabiano Marquart
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Simran Asawa
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Kjong Van-Lehmann
- Department of Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics Group, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Andre Kahles
- Department of Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics Group, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Tinu Thomas
- Department of Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics Group, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Cornelia Schwerdel
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Gunnar Rätsch
- Department of Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics Group, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
- Department of Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Biomedical Informatics Research, University Hospital ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Markus Stoffel
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Gerald Schwank
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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36
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Kuburich NA, Sabapathy T, Demestichas BR, Maddela JJ, den Hollander P, Mani SA. Proactive and reactive roles of TGF-β in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 95:120-139. [PMID: 37572731 PMCID: PMC10530624 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells adapt to varying stress conditions to survive through plasticity. Stem cells exhibit a high degree of plasticity, allowing them to generate more stem cells or differentiate them into specialized cell types to contribute to tissue development, growth, and repair. Cancer cells can also exhibit plasticity and acquire properties that enhance their survival. TGF-β is an unrivaled growth factor exploited by cancer cells to gain plasticity. TGF-β-mediated signaling enables carcinoma cells to alter their epithelial and mesenchymal properties through epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). However, TGF-β is a multifunctional cytokine; thus, the signaling by TGF-β can be detrimental or beneficial to cancer cells depending on the cellular context. Those cells that overcome the anti-tumor effect of TGF-β can induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to gain EMP benefits. EMP allows cancer cells to alter their cell properties and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), facilitating their survival. Due to the significant roles of TGF-β and EMP in carcinoma progression, it is essential to understand how TGF-β enables EMP and how cancer cells exploit this plasticity. This understanding will guide the development of effective TGF-β-targeting therapies that eliminate cancer cell plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick A Kuburich
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Thiru Sabapathy
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Breanna R Demestichas
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Joanna Joyce Maddela
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Petra den Hollander
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Sendurai A Mani
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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37
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Li K, Zeng X, Liu P, Zeng X, Lv J, Qiu S, Zhang P. The Role of Inflammation-Associated Factors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Inflamm Res 2023; 16:4301-4315. [PMID: 37791117 PMCID: PMC10544098 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s428358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), which originates in the head or neck tissues, is characterized by high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Inflammation is important in HNSCC prognosis. Inflammatory cells and their secreted factors contribute to the various stages of HNSCC development through multiple mechanisms. In this review, the mechanisms through which inflammatory factors, signaling pathways, and cells contribute to the initiation and progression of HNSCC have been discussed in detail. Furthermore, the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of targeting inflammation in HNSCC has been discussed to gain new insights into improving patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Li
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xianhai Zeng
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxia Zeng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Lv
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuqi Qiu
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Graduate and Scientific Research, Zunyi Medical University Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Longgang Otorhinolaryngology Hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
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38
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Massagué J, Sheppard D. TGF-β signaling in health and disease. Cell 2023; 186:4007-4037. [PMID: 37714133 PMCID: PMC10772989 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
The TGF-β regulatory system plays crucial roles in the preservation of organismal integrity. TGF-β signaling controls metazoan embryo development, tissue homeostasis, and injury repair through coordinated effects on cell proliferation, phenotypic plasticity, migration, metabolic adaptation, and immune surveillance of multiple cell types in shared ecosystems. Defects of TGF-β signaling, particularly in epithelial cells, tissue fibroblasts, and immune cells, disrupt immune tolerance, promote inflammation, underlie the pathogenesis of fibrosis and cancer, and contribute to the resistance of these diseases to treatment. Here, we review how TGF-β coordinates multicellular response programs in health and disease and how this knowledge can be leveraged to develop treatments for diseases of the TGF-β system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Massagué
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Dean Sheppard
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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39
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D’Amico S, Kirillov V, Petrenko O, Reich NC. STAT3 is a genetic modifier of TGF-beta induced EMT in KRAS mutant pancreatic cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.01.555946. [PMID: 37732258 PMCID: PMC10508731 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.01.555946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic mutations in KRAS are among the most common in cancer. Classical models suggest that loss of epithelial characteristics and the acquisition of mesenchymal traits are associated with cancer aggressiveness and therapy resistance. However, the mechanistic link between these phenotypes and mutant KRAS biology remains to be established. Here we identify STAT3 as a genetic modifier of TGF-beta-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Gene expression profiling of pancreatic cancer cells identifies more than 200 genes commonly regulated by STAT3 and oncogenic KRAS. Functional classification of STAT3 responsive program reveals its major role in tumor maintenance and epithelial homeostasis. The signatures of STAT3-activated cell states can be projected onto human KRAS mutant tumors, suggesting that they faithfully reflect characteristics of human disease. These observations have implications for therapeutic intervention and tumor aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D’Amico
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Varvara Kirillov
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Oleksi Petrenko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Nancy C. Reich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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40
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Shen G, Li Y, Zeng Y, Hong F, Zhang J, Wang Y, Zhang C, Xiang W, Wang J, Fang Z, Qi W, Yang X, Gao G, Zhou T. Kallistatin Deficiency Induces the Oxidative Stress-Related Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells: A Novel Protagonist in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:15. [PMID: 37682567 PMCID: PMC10500364 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.12.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction induced by oxidative stress-related epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of RPE is the primary underlying mechanism of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Kallistatin (KAL) is a secreted protein with an antioxidative stress effect. However, the relationship between KAL and EMT in RPE has not been determined. Therefore we aimed to explore the impact and mechanism of KAL in oxidative stress-induced EMT of RPE. Methods Sodium iodate (SI) was injected intraperitoneally to construct the AMD rat model and investigate the changes in RPE morphology and KAL expression. KAL knockout rats and KAL transgenic mice were used to explain the effects of KAL on EMT and oxidative stress. In addition, Snail overexpressed adenovirus and si-RNA transfected ARPE19 cells to verify the involvement of Snail in mediating KAL-suppressed EMT of RPE. Results AMD rats induced by SI expressed less KAL in the retina, and KAL knockout rats showed RPE dysfunction spontaneously where EMT and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production increased in RPE. In contrast, KAL overexpression attenuated EMT and ROS levels in RPE, even in TGF-β treatment. Mechanistically, Snail reversed the beneficial effect of KAL on EMT and ROS reduction. Moreover, KAL ameliorated SI-induced AMD-like pathological changes. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated that KAL inhibits oxidative stress-induced EMT by downregulating the transcription factor Snail. Herein, KAL knockout rats may be an appropriate animal model for observing spontaneous RPE dysfunction for AMD-like retinopathy, and KAL may represent a novel therapeutic target for treating dry AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanmei Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongcheng Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fuyan Hong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengwei Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhong Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Fang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiwei Qi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoquan Gao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Gene Manipulation and Biomacromolecular Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ti Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- China Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-Sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
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41
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Masugi Y, Takamatsu M, Tanaka M, Hara K, Inoue Y, Hamada T, Suzuki T, Arita J, Hirose Y, Kawaguchi Y, Nakai Y, Oba A, Sasahira N, Shimane G, Takeda T, Tateishi K, Uemura S, Fujishiro M, Hasegawa K, Kitago M, Takahashi Y, Ushiku T, Takeuchi K, Sakamoto M. Post-operative mortality and recurrence patterns in pancreatic cancer according to KRAS mutation and CDKN2A, p53, and SMAD4 expression. J Pathol Clin Res 2023; 9:339-353. [PMID: 37291757 PMCID: PMC10397380 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.323] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in KRAS, CDKN2A (p16), TP53, and SMAD4 genes have been major drivers of pancreatic carcinogenesis. The clinical course of patients with pancreatic cancer in relation to these driver alterations has not been fully characterised in large populations. We hypothesised that pancreatic carcinomas with different combinations of KRAS mutation and aberrant expression of CDKN2A, p53, and SMAD4 might show distinctive recurrence patterns and post-operative survival outcomes. To test this hypothesis, we utilised a multi-institutional cohort of 1,146 resected pancreatic carcinomas and assessed KRAS mutations by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction and CDKN2A, p53, and SMAD4 expression by immunohistochemistry. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were computed according to each molecular alteration and the number of altered genes using the Cox regression models. Multivariable competing risks regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations of the number of altered genes with specific patterns of recurrence. Loss of SMAD4 expression was associated with short DFS (multivariable HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.43) and OS times (multivariable HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.46). Compared to cases with 0-2 altered genes, cases with three and four altered genes had multivariable HRs for OS of 1.28 (95% CI, 1.09-1.51) and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.22-1.78), respectively (ptrend < 0.001). Patients with an increasing number of altered genes were more likely to have short DFS time (ptrend = 0.003) and to develop liver metastasis (ptrend = 0.006) rather than recurrence at local or other distant sites. In conclusion, loss of SMAD4 expression and an increasing number of altered genes were associated with unfavourable outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients. This study suggests that the accumulation of the four major driver alterations can confer a high metastatic potential to the liver, thereby impairing post-operative survival among patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Masugi
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
- Division of Diagnostic PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Manabu Takamatsu
- Division of PathologyCancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
- Department of PathologyCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Mariko Tanaka
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Kensuke Hara
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Yosuke Inoue
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic SurgeryCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Tsuyoshi Hamada
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Department of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic MedicineCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Tatsunori Suzuki
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Junichi Arita
- Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryAkita University Graduate School of MedicineAkitaJapan
| | - Yuki Hirose
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic SurgeryCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Yoshikuni Kawaguchi
- Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Yousuke Nakai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Department of Endoscopy and Endoscopic SurgeryThe University of Tokyo HospitalTokyoJapan
| | - Atsushi Oba
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic SurgeryCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Naoki Sasahira
- Department of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic MedicineCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Gaku Shimane
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Tsuyoshi Takeda
- Department of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic MedicineCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Keisuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Sho Uemura
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Mitsuhiro Fujishiro
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Kiyoshi Hasegawa
- Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Minoru Kitago
- Department of SurgeryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Yu Takahashi
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic SurgeryCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Tetsuo Ushiku
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Kengo Takeuchi
- Division of PathologyCancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
- Department of PathologyCancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer ResearchTokyoJapan
| | - Michiie Sakamoto
- Department of PathologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
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42
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Lominadze Z, Shaik MR, Choi D, Zaffar D, Mishra L, Shetty K. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Genetic Classification. Cancer J 2023; 29:249-258. [PMID: 37796642 PMCID: PMC10686192 DOI: 10.1097/ppo.0000000000000682] [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] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global burden, with management complicated by its heterogeneity, varying presentation, and relative resistance to therapy. Recent advances in the understanding of the genetic, molecular, and immunological underpinnings of HCC have allowed a detailed classification of these tumors, with resultant implications for diagnosis, prognostication, and selection of appropriate treatments. Through the correlation of genomic features with histopathology and clinical outcomes, we are moving toward a comprehensive and unifying framework to guide our diagnostic and therapeutic approach to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zurabi Lominadze
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
| | | | - Dabin Choi
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center
| | - Duha Zaffar
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Midtown Medical Center
| | - Lopa Mishra
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Divisions of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health
| | - Kirti Shetty
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
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43
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Liu X, Liu X, Du Y, Zou D, Tian C, Li Y, Lan X, David CJ, Sun Q, Chen M. Aberrant accumulation of Kras-dependent pervasive transcripts during tumor progression renders cancer cells dependent on PAF1 expression. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112979. [PMID: 37572321 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
KRAS is the most commonly mutated oncogene in human cancer, and mutant KRAS is responsible for over 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most lethal cancer. Here, we show that RNA polymerase II-associated factor 1 complex (PAF1C) is specifically required for survival of PDAC but not normal adult pancreatic cells. We show that PAF1C maintains cancer cell genomic stability by restraining overaccumulation of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) and promoter upstream transcripts (PROMPTs) driven by mutant Kras. Loss of PAF1C leads to cancer-specific lengthening and accumulation of pervasive transcripts on chromatin and concomitant aberrant R-loop formation and DNA damage, which, in turn, trigger cell death. We go on to demonstrate that the global transcriptional hyperactivation driven by Kras signaling during tumorigenesis underlies the specific demand for PAF1C by cancer cells. Our work provides insights into how enhancer transcription hyperactivation causes general transcription factor addiction during tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiangzheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yingxue Du
- Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Di Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chen Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xun Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Charles J David
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qianwen Sun
- Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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44
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Xiao Z, Todd L, Huang L, Noguera-Ortega E, Lu Z, Huang L, Kopp M, Li Y, Pattada N, Zhong W, Guo W, Scholler J, Liousia M, Assenmacher CA, June CH, Albelda SM, Puré E. Desmoplastic stroma restricts T cell extravasation and mediates immune exclusion and immunosuppression in solid tumors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5110. [PMID: 37607999 PMCID: PMC10444764 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40850-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The desmoplastic stroma in solid tumors presents a formidable challenge to immunotherapies that rely on endogenous or adoptively transferred T cells, however, the mechanisms are poorly understood. To define mechanisms involved, here we treat established desmoplastic pancreatic tumors with CAR T cells directed to fibroblast activation protein (FAP), an enzyme highly overexpressed on a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Depletion of FAP+ CAFs results in loss of the structural integrity of desmoplastic matrix. This renders these highly treatment-resistant cancers susceptible to subsequent treatment with a tumor antigen (mesothelin)-targeted CAR T cells and to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. Mechanisms include overcoming stroma-dependent restriction of T cell extravasation and/or perivascular invasion, reversing immune exclusion, relieving T cell suppression, and altering the immune landscape by reducing myeloid cell accumulation and increasing endogenous CD8+ T cell and NK cell infiltration. These data provide strong rationale for combining tumor stroma- and malignant cell-targeted therapies to be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Leslie Todd
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Estela Noguera-Ortega
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhen Lu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lili Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Meghan Kopp
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nimisha Pattada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Wenqun Zhong
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John Scholler
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Maria Liousia
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Charles-Antoine Assenmacher
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Steven M Albelda
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ellen Puré
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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45
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Xiao Z, Todd L, Huang L, Noguera-Ortega E, Lu Z, Huang L, Kopp M, Li Y, Pattada N, Zhong W, Guo W, Scholler J, Liousia M, Assenmacher CA, June CH, Albelda SM, Puré E. Desmoplastic stroma restricts T cell extravasation and mediates immune exclusion and immunosuppression in solid tumors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.13.536777. [PMID: 37090547 PMCID: PMC10120701 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.13.536777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
The desmoplastic stroma in solid tumors presents a formidable challenge to immunotherapies that rely on endogenous or adoptively transferred T cells, however, the mechanisms are poorly understood. To define mechanisms involved, we treat established desmoplastic pancreatic tumors with CAR T cells directed to fibroblast activation protein (FAP), an enzyme highly overexpressed on a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Depletion of FAP+CAFs results in loss of the structural integrity of desmoplastic matrix. This renders these highly treatment-resistant cancers susceptible to subsequent treatment with a tumor antigen (mesothelin)-targeted CAR and to anti-PD1 antibody therapy. Mechanisms include overcoming stroma-dependent restriction of T cell extravasation and/or perivascular invasion, reversing immune exclusion, relieving T cell suppression, and altering the immune landscape by reducing myeloid cell accumulation and increasing endogenous CD8+ T cell and NK cell infiltration. These data provide strong rationale for combining tumor stroma- and malignant cell-targeted therapies to be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Leslie Todd
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Estela Noguera-Ortega
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhen Lu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lili Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Meghan Kopp
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nimisha Pattada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wenqun Zhong
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Biology, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John Scholler
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maria Liousia
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Charles-Antoine Assenmacher
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H. June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Steven M. Albelda
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ellen Puré
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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46
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Lurje I, Gaisa NT, Weiskirchen R, Tacke F. Mechanisms of organ fibrosis: Emerging concepts and implications for novel treatment strategies. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 92:101191. [PMID: 37236017 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis, or tissue scarring, develops as a pathological deviation from the physiological wound healing response and can occur in various organs such as the heart, lung, liver, kidney, skin, and bone marrow. Organ fibrosis significantly contributes to global morbidity and mortality. A broad spectrum of etiologies can cause fibrosis, including acute and chronic ischemia, hypertension, chronic viral infection (e.g., viral hepatitis), environmental exposure (e.g., pneumoconiosis, alcohol, nutrition, smoking) and genetic diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency). Common mechanisms across organs and disease etiologies involve a sustained injury to parenchymal cells that triggers a wound healing response, which becomes deregulated in the disease process. A transformation of resting fibroblasts into myofibroblasts with excessive extracellular matrix production constitutes the hallmark of disease, however, multiple other cell types such as immune cells, predominantly monocytes/macrophages, endothelial cells, and parenchymal cells form a complex network of profibrotic cellular crosstalk. Across organs, leading mediators include growth factors like transforming growth factor-β and platelet-derived growth factor, cytokines like interleukin-10, interleukin-13, interleukin-17, and danger-associated molecular patterns. More recently, insights into fibrosis regression and resolution of chronic conditions have deepened our understanding of beneficial, protective effects of immune cells, soluble mediators and intracellular signaling. Further in-depth insights into the mechanisms of fibrogenesis can provide the rationale for therapeutic interventions and the development of targeted antifibrotic agents. This review gives insight into shared responses and cellular mechanisms across organs and etiologies, aiming to paint a comprehensive picture of fibrotic diseases in both experimental settings and in human pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Lurje
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nadine T Gaisa
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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47
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Hirose K, Omori Y, Ono Y, Mizukami Y, Kaneko Y, Maruyama T, Ohtani H, Furukawa T. Molecular comparison of concurrent components of high-grade dysplasia, adenocarcinoma, and sarcomatoid carcinoma in a case of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the gallbladder. Virchows Arch 2023; 483:261-266. [PMID: 36892636 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03524-7] [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: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Detailed genetic and immunohistochemical features of a sarcomatoid carcinoma of the gallbladder were reported. Studied was a resected gallbladder tumor involving the transverse colon, which was consisted of 3 histopathological neoplastic components, i.e., high-grade dysplasia, adenocarcinoma, and sarcomatoid carcinoma. The targeted amplicon sequencing showed somatic mutations in TP53 (p.S90fs) and ARID1A (c.4993 + 1G > T) in all of the 3 components. Copy numbers of CDKN2A and SMAD4 were decreased in the adenocarcinoma and the sarcomatoid component. Immunohistochemistry showed loss of expression of p53 and ARID1A in all components. p16 expression was lost in the adenocarcinoma and the sarcomatoid component, while SMAD4 expression was lost only in the latter. These results suggest that this sarcomatoid carcinoma may have developed by progression from high-grade dysplasia via adenocarcinoma with sequential accumulation of molecular aberrations involving p53, ARID1A, p16, and SMAD4. This information should serve to understand the molecular mechanism of this very intractable tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuya Hirose
- Department of Investigative Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yuko Omori
- Department of Investigative Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Sapporo Higashi Tokusyukai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Ono
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Sapporo Higashi Tokusyukai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Yusuke Mizukami
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Sapporo Higashi Tokusyukai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Kaneko
- Department of Surgery, Mito Saiseikai General Hospital, Mito, Japan
| | | | - Haruo Ohtani
- Department of Pathology, Mito Saiseikai General Hospital, Mito, Japan
| | - Toru Furukawa
- Department of Investigative Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan.
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48
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Ungefroren H, Konukiewitz B, Braun R, Wellner UF, Lehnert H, Marquardt JU. TAp73 Inhibits EMT and Cell Migration in Pancreatic Cancer Cells through Promoting SMAD4 Expression and SMAD4-Dependent Inhibition of ERK Activation. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3791. [PMID: 37568607 PMCID: PMC10417771 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a fatal disease due to early metastatic spread, late diagnosis and the lack of efficient therapies. A major driver of cancer progression and hurdle to successful treatment is transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Recent data from pancreatic cancer mouse models showed that transcriptionally active p73 (TAp73), a p53 family member, inhibits tumor progression through promoting tumor suppressive canonical TGF-β/Smad signaling, while preventing non-canonical TGF-β signaling through extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2. Here, we studied whether this mechanism also operates in human PDAC. Using the PDAC-derived tumor cell lines PANC-1, HPAFII and L3.6pl, we showed that TAp73 induces the expression of the epithelial marker and invasion suppressor E-cadherin and the common-mediator Smad, SMAD4, while at the same time suppressing expression of the EMT master regulator SNAIL and basal and TGF-β1-induced activation of ERK1 and ERK2. Using dominant-negative and RNA interference-based inhibition of SMAD4 function, we went on to show that inhibition of ERK activation by TAp73 is mediated through SMAD4. Intriguingly, both SMAD4 and the α isoform of TAp73-but not the β isoform-interfered with cell migration, as shown by xCELLigence technology. Our findings highlighted the role of TAp73-SMAD4 signaling in tumor suppression of human PDAC and identified direct inhibition of basal and TGF-β-stimulated pro-invasive ERK activation as an underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Ungefroren
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
- First Department of Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany;
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (R.B.); (U.F.W.)
| | - Björn Konukiewitz
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Rüdiger Braun
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (R.B.); (U.F.W.)
| | - Ulrich Friedrich Wellner
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (R.B.); (U.F.W.)
| | | | - Jens-Uwe Marquardt
- First Department of Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany;
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49
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Li Y, Han X, Lin Z, Wang C, Fu Z, Sun Q, Li C. G6PD activation in TNBC cells induces macrophage recruitment and M2 polarization to promote tumor progression. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:165. [PMID: 37237244 PMCID: PMC11073185 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04810-y] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is involved in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression. Metabolic crosstalk between cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages mediates tumor progression in TNBC. Molecular biological methods were applied to clarify the mechanism of the crosstalk between TNBC cells and M2 macrophages. In the present study, we verified that G6PD overexpression drives M2 macrophage polarization by directly combining with phospho-STAT1 and upregulating CCL2 and TGF-β1 secretion in TNBC cells. In turn, M2-like TAMs activated TNBC cells through IL-10 secretion, providing feedback to upregulate G6PD and promote TNBC cell migration and proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, we found that 6-AN (a specific inhibitor of G6PD) not only suppressed the cancer-driven polarization of macrophages toward the M2 phenotype but also inhibited the inherent M2 polarization of macrophages. Targeting the G6PD-regulated pentose phosphate pathway restrained TNBC progression and M2-type polarization of macrophages in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhoujun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Changjun Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Zhenkun Fu
- Department of Immunology, Wu Lien-Teh Institute, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Infection and Immunity, Harbin Medical University & Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Science, No.157 Baojian Street, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qiang Sun
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Chenggang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China.
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Giarrizzo M, LaComb JF, Bialkowska AB. The Role of Krüppel-like Factors in Pancreatic Physiology and Pathophysiology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108589. [PMID: 37239940 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) belong to the family of transcription factors with three highly conserved zinc finger domains in the C-terminus. They regulate homeostasis, development, and disease progression in many tissues. It has been shown that KLFs play an essential role in the endocrine and exocrine compartments of the pancreas. They are necessary to maintain glucose homeostasis and have been implicated in the development of diabetes. Furthermore, they can be a vital tool in enabling pancreas regeneration and disease modeling. Finally, the KLF family contains proteins that act as tumor suppressors and oncogenes. A subset of members has a biphasic function, being upregulated in the early stages of oncogenesis and stimulating its progression and downregulated in the late stages to allow for tumor dissemination. Here, we describe KLFs' function in pancreatic physiology and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Giarrizzo
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Joseph F LaComb
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Agnieszka B Bialkowska
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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