Up-regulation of CXC chemokines and their receptors: implications for proinflammatory microenvironments of ovarian carcinomas and endometriosis

CXCR3 participates in asymmetric division of mouse oocytes by modulating actin dynamics

Extensive research has been conducted on the role of CXCR3 in immune responses and inflammation. However, the role of CXCR3 in the reproductive system, particularly in oocyte development, remains unknown. In this study, we present findings on the involvement of CXCR3 in the meiotic division process of mouse oocytes. We found CXCR3 was expressed consistently throughout the entire maturation process of mouse oocyte. Inhibition of CXCR3 impaired the asymmetric division of oocyte, while the injection of Cxcr3 mRNA was capable of restoring these defects. Further study showed that inhibition of CXCR3 perturbed spindle migration by affecting LIMK/cofilin pathway-mediated actin remodeling. Knockout of CXCR3 led to an upregulation of actin-binding protein and an increased ATP level in GV-stage oocytes, while maintaining normal actin dynamics during the process of meiosis. Additionally, we noticed the expression level of DYNLT1 is markedly elevated in CXCR3-null oocytes. DYNLT1 bound with the Arp2/3 complex, and knockdown of DYNLT1 in CXCR3-null oocytes impaired the organization of cytoplasmic actin, suggesting the regulatory role of DYNLT1 in actin organization, and the compensatory expression of DYNLT1 may contribute to maintain normal actin dynamics in CXCR3-knockout oocytes. In summary, our findings provide insights into the intricate network of actin dynamics associated with CXCR3 during oocyte meiosis.

The Role of CXCL11 and its Receptors in Cancer: Prospective but Challenging Clinical Targets

Chemokine ligand 11 is a member of the CXC chemokine family and exerts its biological function mainly through binding to CXCR3 and CXCR7. The CXCL11 gene is ubiquitously overexpressed in various human malignant tumors; however, its specific mechanisms vary among different cancer types. Recent studies have found that CXCL11 is involved in the activation of multiple oncogenic signaling pathways and is closely related to tumorigenesis, progression, chemotherapy tolerance, immunotherapy efficacy, and poor prognosis. Depending on the specific expression of its receptor subtype, CXCL11 also has a complex 2-fold role in tumours; therefore, directly targeting the structure-function of CXCL11 and its receptors may be a challenging task. In this review, we summarize the biological functions of CXCL11 and its receptors and their roles in various types of malignant tumors and point out the directions for clinical applications.

CXC chemokines influence immune surveillance in immunological disorders: Polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis

Reproductive health is a worldwide challenge, but it is of particular significance to women during their reproductive age. Several female reproductive problems, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, affect about 10 % of women and have a negative impact on their health, fertility, and quality of life. Small, chemotactic, and secreted cytokines are CXC chemokines. Both PCOS and endometriosis demonstrate dysregulation of CXC chemokines, which are critical to the development and progression of both diseases. Recent research has shown that both in humans and animals, CXC chemokines tend to cause inflammation. It has also been found that CXC chemokines are necessary for promoting angiogenesis and inflammatory responses. CXC chemokine overexpression is frequently associated with poor survival and prognosis. CXC chemokine levels in PCOS and endometriosis patients impact their circumstances significantly. Hence, CXC chemokines have significant potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The molecular mechanisms through which CXC chemokines promote inflammation and the development of PCOS and endometriosis are currently unknown. This article will discuss the functions of CXC chemokines in the promotion, development, and therapy of PCOS and endometriosis, as well as future research directions. The current state and future prospects of CXC chemokine -based therapeutic strategies in the management of PCOS and endometriosis are also highlighted.

Involvement in Tumorigenesis and Clinical Significance of CXCL1 in Reproductive Cancers: Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Ovarian Cancer and Prostate Cancer

C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) is a member of the CXC chemokine subfamily and a ligand for CXCR2. Its main function in the immune system is the chemoattraction of neutrophils. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews summarizing the significance of CXCL1 in cancer processes. To fill this gap, this work describes the clinical significance and participation of CXCL1 in cancer processes in the most important reproductive cancers: breast cancer, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. The focus is on both clinical aspects and the significance of CXCL1 in molecular cancer processes. We describe the association of CXCL1 with clinical features of tumors, including prognosis, ER, PR and HER2 status, and TNM stage. We present the molecular contribution of CXCL1 to chemoresistance and radioresistance in selected tumors and its influence on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells. Additionally, we present the impact of CXCL1 on the microenvironment of reproductive cancers, including its effect on angiogenesis, recruitment, and function of cancer-associated cells (macrophages, neutrophils, MDSC, and T_reg). The article concludes by summarizing the significance of introducing drugs targeting CXCL1. This paper also discusses the significance of ACKR1/DARC in reproductive cancers.

The Role of CXC Chemokines in Cancer Progression

CXC chemokines are small chemotactic and secreted cytokines. Studies have shown that CXC chemokines are dysregulated in multiple types of cancer and are closely correlated with tumor progression. The CXC chemokine family has a dual function in tumor development, either tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressive depending on the context of cellular signaling. Recent evidence highlights the pro-tumorigenic properties of CXC chemokines in most human cancers. CXC chemokines were found to play pivotal roles in promoting angiogenesis, stimulating inflammatory responses, and facilitating tumor metastases. Enhanced expression of CXC chemokines is always signatured with inferior survival and prognosis. The levels of CXC chemokines in cancer patients are in dynamic change according to the tumor contexts (e.g., chemotherapy resistance and tumor recurrence after surgery). Thus, CXC chemokines have great potential to be used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Currently, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of CXC chemokines on tumor inflammation and metastasis remain unclear and application of antagonists and neutralizing antibodies of CXC chemokines signaling for cancer therapy is still not fully established. This article will review the roles of CXC chemokines in promoting tumorigenesis and progression and address the future research directions of CXC chemokines for cancer treatment.

The Potential Importance of CXCL1 in the Physiological State and in Noncancer Diseases of the Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System and Skin

In this paper, we present a literature review of the role of CXC motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) in physiology, and in selected major non-cancer diseases of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system and skin. CXCL1, a cytokine belonging to the CXC sub-family of chemokines with CXC motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) as its main receptor, causes the migration and infiltration of neutrophils to the sites of high expression. This implicates CXCL1 in many adverse conditions associated with inflammation and the accumulation of neutrophils. The aim of this study was to describe the significance of CXCL1 in selected diseases of the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, chronic ischemic heart disease, hypertension, sepsis including sepsis-associated encephalopathy and sepsis-associated acute kidney injury), the respiratory system (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic rhinosinusitis, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), influenza, lung transplantation and ischemic-reperfusion injury and tuberculosis) and the skin (wound healing, psoriasis, sunburn and xeroderma pigmentosum). Additionally, the significance of CXCL1 is described in vascular physiology, such as the effects of CXCL1 on angiogenesis and arteriogenesis.

The Importance of CXCL1 in the Physiological State and in Noncancer Diseases of the Oral Cavity and Abdominal Organs

CXCL1 is a CXC chemokine, CXCR2 ligand and chemotactic factor for neutrophils. In this paper, we present a review of the role of the chemokine CXCL1 in physiology and in selected major non-cancer diseases of the oral cavity and abdominal organs (gingiva, salivary glands, stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys). We focus on the importance of CXCL1 on implantation and placentation as well as on human pluripotent stem cells. We also show the significance of CXCL1 in selected diseases of the abdominal organs, including the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity (periodontal diseases, periodontitis, Sjögren syndrome, Helicobacter pylori infection, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), HBV and HCV infection, liver ischemia and reperfusion injury, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), obesity and overweight, kidney transplantation and ischemic-reperfusion injury, endometriosis and adenomyosis).

Biological Role of Tumor/Stromal CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 in MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 Advanced Ovarian Cancer Patients

Simple Summary

Despite rapid progress in the research on epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), it is usually diagnosed during the advanced stage with only 30% of patients surviving longer than 5 years. This is the first study in which the whole CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 axis was systematically evaluated in tumor and stromal cells, through rigorous statistical methods in a prospective clinical trial. CXCL12 expression in cancer cells is associated with worse progression-free survival in stage III EOC patients, and deserves further attention as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target.

Abstract

This study investigated the prognostic role of the CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 axis in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients receiving first-line treatment within the MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 phase-IV trial. CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 expression was evaluated in the epithelial and stromal component of 308 EOC IHC-stained tumor samples. The statistical analysis focused on biomarkers’ expression, their association with other variables and prognostic value. Zero-inflated tests, shrinkage, bootstrap procedures, and multivariable models were applied. The majority of EOC (75.0%) expressed CXCR4 and CXCR7, 56.5% expressed the entire CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 axis, while only 4.6% were negative for CXCL12 and its cognate receptors, in regard to the epithelial component. Stromal CXCL12 and CXCR7, expressed in 11.2% and 65.5%, respectively, were associated with the FIGO stage. High CXCL12 in epithelial cancer cells was associated with shorter progression-free and overall survival. However, after adjusting for overfitting due to best cut-off multiplicity testing, the significance was lost. This is a wide-ranging, prospective study in which CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 were systematically evaluated in epithelial and stromal components, in selected stage III-IV EOC. Although CXCL12 was not prognostic, epithelial expression identified high-risk FIGO stage III patients for PFS. These data suggest that it might be worth studying the CXCL12 axis as a therapeutic target to improve treatment efficacy in EOC patients.

Integrated Molecular Characterization to Reveal the Association between Kynurenine 3-Monooxygenase Expression and Tumorigenesis in Human Breast Cancers

Kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) is overexpressed in several tumors and participates in the progression of breast cancer tumorigenesis, including cancer types such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This malignant gene is an enzyme in the kynurenine pathway, which is involved in the carcinogenesis of cancer through immune function manipulation. However, it remains unclear whether the role of the KMO contributes to tumorigenesis and immune functions in human breast cancer. In this study, we found that KMO was highly expressed in different types of tumors, especially in invasive ductal breast carcinoma. In addition, KMO expression was positively correlated with the malignant clinical features of patients with breast cancer, such as TNBC and a nodal-positive status, along with patients with a higher Nottingham prognostic index (NPI). Furthermore, the top ten KMO-correlated genes were the chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines known to be involved in the progression of various cancers, therefore, KMO may facilitate breast cancers via synergistically regulating inflammatory responses in tumors with these hub genes. Taken together, these findings highlight the tumor-promotion role of KMO in breast cancers and suggest that KMO can serve as a biomarker for prognosis prediction in breast cancer patients.

Immunologic factors involved in the malignant transformation of endometriosis to endometriosis-associated ovarian carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Endometriosis is a risk factor for low-grade serous, clear cell, and endometroid ovarian carcinoma. In both endometriosis and ovarian carcinoma, immunological factors are associated with clinical outcome. Chronic inflammation in endometriosis may be linked to tumorigenesis, but exact processes contributing to endometriosis-associated ovarian carcinoma remain unknown. This review aims to describe potential immunological factors involved in the malignant transformation of endometriosis into ovarian carcinoma.

METHODS

PubMed and Embase were searched from inception up to October 2020 for studies comparing immunological processes in endometriosis and endometriosis-associated ovarian carcinoma.

RESULTS

Detailed analysis of immune components in the malignant transformation of endometriosis into endometriosis-associated ovarian carcinoma is lacking. Altered levels of chemokines and cytokines as IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α are reported and the function, number and polarization of NK cells, dendritic cells, and monocytes differ between endometriosis and associated ovarian carcinoma compared to healthy tissue. In addition, altered inflammasome and complement systems, indicate a role for the immune system in the carcinogenesis of endometriosis.

CONCLUSION

Chronic inflammation in endometriosis may potentially drive inflammation-induced carcinogenesis in endometriosis-associated ovarian carcinoma. Exact immunological pathways and cellular processes remain unknown and require more thorough investigation.

Active Ratio Test (ART) as a Novel Diagnostic for Ovarian Cancer

Background: Despite substantial effort, there remains a lack of biomarker-based, clinically relevant testing for the accurate, non-invasive diagnostic or prognostic profiling of epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC). Our previous work demonstrated that whilst the inflammatory marker C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) has prognostic relevance in ovarian cancer, its use is complicated by the presence of multiple, N-terminally modified variants, mediated by several enzymes including Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 (DPP4). Methods: In this study, we provide the first evidence for the “Active Ratio Test” (ART) as a novel method to measure biologically relevant CXCL10 proteoforms in clinical samples. Results: In a cohort of 275 patients, ART accurately differentiated patients with malignant EOCs from those with benign gynaecological conditions (AUC 0.8617) and significantly out-performed CA125 alone. Moreover, ART combined with the measurement of CA125 and DPP4 significantly increased prognostic performance (AUC 0.9511; sensitivity 90.0%; specificity 91.7%; Cohen’s d > 1) for EOC detection. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that ART provides a useful method to accurately discriminate between patients with benign versus malignant EOC, and highlights their relevance to ovarian cancer diagnosis. This marker combination may also be applicable in broader screening applications, to identify or discriminate benign from malignant disease in asymptomatic women.

Loss of Cxcr4 in Endometriosis Reduces Proliferation and Lesion Number while Increasing Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Infiltration

Hyperactivation of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis occurs in endometriosis; the therapeutic potential of treatments aimed at global inhibition of the axis was recently reported. Because CXCR4 is predominantly expressed on epithelial cells in the uterus, this study explored the effects of targeted disruption of CXCR4 in endometriosis lesions. Uteri derived from adult female mice homozygous for a floxed allele of CXCR4 and co-expressing Cre recombinase under control of progesterone receptor promoter were sutured onto the peritoneum of cycling host mice expressing the green fluorescent protein. Four weeks after endometriosis induction, significantly lower number of lesions developed in Cxcr4-conditional knockout lesions relative to those in controls (37.5% vs. 68.8%, respectively). In lesions that developed in Cxcr4-knockout, reduced epithelial proliferation was associated with a lower ratio of epithelial to total lesion area compared with controls. Furthermore, while CD3⁺ lymphocytes were largely excluded from the epithelial compartment in control lesions, in Cxcr4-knockout lesions, CD3⁺ lymphocytes infiltrated the Cxcr4-deficient epithelium in the diestrus and proestrus stages. Current data demonstrate that local CXCR4 expression is necessary for proliferation of the epithelial compartment of endometriosis lesions, that its downregulation compromises lesion numbers, and suggest a role for epithelial CXCR4 in lesion immune evasion.

Endothelial cells under therapy-induced senescence secrete CXCL11, which increases aggressiveness of breast cancer cells

The effects of senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP) from therapy-induced senescent endothelial cells on tumor microenvironment (TME) remains to be clarified. Here, we investigated effects of ionizing radiation (IR)- and doxorubicin-induced senescent HUVEC on TME. MDA-MB-231 cancer cells treated with conditioned medium (CM) from senescent HUVEC or co-cultured with senescent HUVEC significantly increased cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We found that CXCL11 plays a principal role in the senescent CM-induced aggressive activities of MDA-MB-231 cells. When we treated HUVEC with a neutralizing anti-CXCL11 antibody or CXCL11 SiRNA, or treated MDA-MB-231 cells with CXCR3 SiRNA, we observed synergistic diminution of the ability of the HUVEC SASP to alter the migration and spheroid invasion of cancer cells. ERK activation was involved in the HUVEC SASP-induced aggressive activity of MDA-MB-231 cells. Finally, we observed the in vivo effect of CXCL11 from the senescent HUVEC in tumor-bearing mice. Together, our results demonstrate that SASP from endothelial cells experiencing therapy-induced senescence promotes the aggressive behavior of cancer cells, and that CXCL11 can potentially be targeted to prevent the adverse effects of therapy-induced senescent endothelial cells on the tumor microenvironment.

Endometrioid Carcinoma Arising from an Endometriosis-Associated Abdominal Wall Scar

Patient: Female, 45-year-old

Final Diagnosis: Endometrial cancer

Symptoms: Abdominal discomfort • abdominal distension

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: Hormone therapy • surgery removal

Specialty: Oncology

CXCL-10: a new candidate for melanoma therapy?

BACKGROUND

Melanoma is a malignancy that stems from melanocytes and is defined as the most dangerous skin malignancy in terms of metastasis and mortality rates. CXC motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), also known as interferon gamma-induced protein-10 (IP-10), is a small cytokine-like protein secreted by a wide variety of cell types. CXCL10 is a ligand of the CXC chemokine receptor-3 (CXCR3) and is predominantly expressed by T helper cells (Th cells), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), dendritic cells, macrophages, natural killer cells (NKs), as well as some epithelial and cancer cells. Similar to other chemokines, CXCL10 plays a role in immunomodulation, inflammation, hematopoiesis, chemotaxis and leukocyte trafficking.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent studies indicate that the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis may act as a double-edged sword in terms of pro- and anti-cancer activities in a variety of tissues and cells, especially in melanoma cells and their microenvironments. Most of these activities arise from the CXCR3 splice variants CXCR3-A, CXCR3-B and CXCR3-Alt. In this review, we discuss the pro- and anti-cancer properties of CXCL10 in various types of tissues and cells, particularly melanoma cells, including its potential as a therapeutic target.

Pharmacological blockage of the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in endometriosis leads to contrasting effects in proliferation, migration, and invasion

High levels of inflammatory factors including chemokines have been reported in peritoneal fluid and blood of women with endometriosis. CXCL12 mediates its action by interaction with its specific receptor, CXCR4, reported to be elevated in human endometriosis lesions and in the rat model of endometriosis. Activation of the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis increases cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. To obtain insights into the CXCR4 expression profile in lesions and endometrium, as well as functionality of the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in endometriosis, we analyzed the expression of CXCR4 in tissues on a human tissue array and studied CXCL12-mediated activation of proliferation, invasion, and migration in vitro. We observed differences in levels of nuclear CXCR4 expression among lesion types, being higher in ovarian lesions. Endometriotic cell lines (12Z) showed higher levels of CXCR4, proliferative and migratory potential, and AKT phosphorylation/kinase activity compared to untreated control cells (endometrial epithelial cells). CXCL12 and endometriotic stromal cell-enriched media increased proliferation of non-endometriotic epithelial cells. CXCL12 caused a significant increase in 12Z cell invasion but had no effect on migration; AMD3100, a CXCR4-specific inhibitor, significantly increased invasion of 12Z cells but decreased their migration. However, treatment with CXCL12 plus AMD3100 significantly decreased invasion and migration of 12Z cells. In conclusion, the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis is functional in endometriosis cells, but the expression of CXCR4 varies among lesions. CXCL12 promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion of endometriotic cells, while inducing AKT phosphorylation and activity, but pharmacologically blocking this axis in the absence of the ligand induced their invasiveness.

IFN-γ and other serum cytokines in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

SUMMARY

Altered immune responses have been reported in head and neck cancer, and some of these responses have been associated with poor clinical outcomes. A multiple-array technology platform was used to simultaneously evaluate the levels of 25 cytokines. Pre-treatment serum levels were evaluated in 31 HNSCC patients and 6 healthy controls. The levels of 8 cytokines, specifically IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IFN-γ and IP-10, were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Among cancer patients we observed lower levels of IFN-γ and IL-7 in cases with nodal metastases compared to those with cN0 disease. We observed increases in the levels of some serum cytokines in HNSCC patients, as well as reductions in selected cytokines associated with regional progression. These findings provide an intriguing perspective on the development and validation of novel markers for follow-up evaluations and predictions of regional spreading in HNSCC patients.

Elevated serum chemokines are independently associated with both endometriosis and uranium exposure

Endometriosis is a complex disease impacted by the hormonal and immune systems. Cytokines and chemokines are serum biomarkers that maybe useful to develop a noninvasive disease diagnosis. Individuals in the Fernald Community Cohort were exposed to uranium, a heavy metal with radioactive properties and estrogenic potential; therefore, serum samples from women in this cohort with or without uranium and with or without endometriosis were compared for alterations in chemokine, cytokine, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) levels. Control women were matched to endometriosis cases by uranium exposure, age, and body mass index. MMP levels were not altered. Five chemokines and one cytokine significantly increased in endometriosis cases versus controls irrespective of uranium exposure. Uranium exposure alone was associated with an increase in inflammatory chemokines. The majority of the elevated chemokines in endometriosis cases play important roles in attracting T helper-2 cells, which may be vital to understanding the immune response in endometriosis.

Noninvasive profiling of serum cytokines in breast cancer patients and clinicopathological characteristics

Cancers elicit an immune response by modifying the microenvironment. The immune system plays a pivotal role in cancer recognition and eradication. While the potential clinical value of infiltrating lymphocytes at the tumor site has been assessed in breast cancer, circulating cytokines – the molecules coordinating and fine-tuning immune response – are still poorly characterized.

Using two breast cancer cohorts (MicMa, n = 131, DCTB, n = 28) and the multiplex Luminex platform, we measured the levels of 27 cytokines in the serum of breast cancer patients prior to treatment. We investigated the cytokine levels in relation to clinicopathological characteristics and in perspective of the tumor infiltrating immune cells predicted from the bulk mRNA expression data.

Unsupervised clustering analysis of the serum cytokine levels in the MicMa cohort identified a cluster of pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and Th2-related cytokines which was associated with poor prognosis. Notably high levels of platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF) reflected a more aggressive tumor phenotype and larger tumor size. A significant positive correlation between serum levels of interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP10) and its mRNA expression at the tumor site suggested that tumor-IP10-production may outflow to the bloodstream. High IP10 serum levels were associated with a worse prognosis. Finally, we found serum levels of both PDGF and IP10 associated with enrichment scores of specific tumor infiltrating immune cells.

Our study suggests that monitoring cytokine circulating levels in breast cancer could be used to characterize breast cancers and the immune composition of their microenvironment through readily available biological material.

Inhibitory Effect of Alisma canaliculatum Ethanolic Extract on NF-κB-Dependent CXCR3 and CXCL10 Expression in TNFα-Exposed MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and its receptor CXC motif chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), play important roles in the motility of breast cancer cells. Alisma canaliculatum is a herb that has been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years in Korea and China. Whether A. canaliculatum inhibits the motility of metastatic breast cancer cells is not clear yet. In this study, we show that A. canaliculatum ethanolic extract (ACE) prevented tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα)-induced migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. ACE significantly attenuated TNFα-induced upregulation of CXCL10 and CXCR3 expression at the gene promoter level. Mechanistically, ACE inhibits TNFα-induced phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKK), IκB and p65/RelA, leading to the suppression of nuclear translocation of p65/RelA nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Also, ACE inhibited NF-κB-dependent CXCR3 and CXCL10 promoter activities. These results suggest that ACE abrogates TNFα-induced migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells through down-regulation of IKK-NF-κB-dependent CXCR3 and CXCL10 expression. Our results suggest that ACE has potential as a herbal supplement for the inhibition of breast cancer metastasis.

Feedback control of the CXCR7/CXCL11 chemokine axis by estrogen receptor α in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most intractable diseases, exhibiting tremendous molecular heterogeneity and lacking reliable methods for screening, resulting in late diagnosis and widespread peritoneal dissemination. Menopausal estrogen replacement therapy is a well‐recognized risk factor for OC, but little is known about how estrogen might contribute to this disease at the cellular level. This study identifies chemokine receptor CXCR7/ACKR3 as an estrogen‐responsive gene, whose expression is markedly enhanced by estrogen through direct recruitment of ERα and transcriptional active histone modifications in OC cells. The gene encoding CXCR7 chemokine ligand I‐TAC/CXCL11 was also upregulated by estrogen, resulting in Ser‐118 phosphorylation, activation, and recruitment of estrogen receptor ERα at the CXCR7 promoter locus for positive feedback regulation. Both CXCR7 and CXCL11, but not CXCR3 (also recognized to interact with CXCL11), were found to be significantly increased in stromal sections of microdissected tumors and positively correlated in mesenchymal subtype of OC. Estrogenic induction of mesenchymal markers SNAI1, SNAI2, and CDH2 expression, with a consequent increase in cancer cell migration, was shown to depend on CXCR7, indicating a key role for CXCR7 in mediating estrogen upregulation of mesenchymal markers to induce invasion of OC cells. These findings identify a feed‐forward mechanism that sustains activation of the CXCR7/CXCL11 axis under ERα control to induce the epithelial–mesenchymal transition pathway and metastatic behavior of OC cells. Such interplay underlies the complex gene profile heterogeneity of OC that promotes changes in tumor microenvironment and metastatic acquisition.

Chemokine Network and Overall Survival in TP53 Wild-Type and Mutant Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate among gynecological malignancies. Because chemokine network is involved in OC progression, we evaluated associations between chemokine expression and survival in tumor suppressor protein p53 (TP53) wild-type (TP53WT) and mutant (TP53m) OC datasets. TP53 was highly mutated in OC compared to other cancer types. Among OC subtypes, CXCL14 was predominantly expressed in clear cell OC, and CCL15 and CCL20 in mucinous OC. TP53WT endometrioid OC highly expressed CXCL14 compared to TP53m, showing better progression-free survival but no difference in overall survival (OS). TP53m serous OC highly expressed CCL8, CCL20, CXCL10 and CXCL11 compared to TP53WT. CXCL12 and CCL21 were associated with poor OS in TP53WT serous OC. CXCR2 was associated with poor OS in TP53m serous OC, while CXCL9, CCL5, CXCR4, CXCL11, and CXCL13 were associated with better OS. Taken together, specific chemokine signatures may differentially influence OS in TP53WT and TP53m OC.

CXCR3-deficient natural killer cells fail to migrate to B16F10 melanoma cells

Natural killer (NK) cells eliminate cancer cells in a contact-dependent manner. However, how NK cells find cancer cells remain unclear. Here, using time-lapse imaging, we investigated how individual NK cells migrate toward cancer cells. Although naïve B16F10 cancer cells produce low levels of chemokines, IFN-γ-treated B16F10 cells secreted high levels of CXCL10, low levels of CCL5, but did not secrete CCL2, CCL7, or CXCL12. Wild-type NK cells migrated well toward cancer cells and killed them, whereas NK cells deficient in CXCR3 did not. CXCR3-deficient NK cells also showed slower migration speed than did wild-type NK cells. Taken together, our data show that NK cells find cancer cells, at least in part, by sensing CXCL10 produced by cancer cells and suggest that a strategy to increase CXCL10 secretion by cancer cells may improve the efficacy of NK cell-based immunotherapy.

Basic mechanisms of vascularization in endometriosis and their clinical implications

BACKGROUND

Vascularization is a major hallmark in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. An increasing number of studies suggests that multiple mechanisms contribute to the vascularization of endometriotic lesions, including angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and inosculation.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

In this review, we provide an overview of the basic mechanisms of vascularization in endometriosis and give special emphasis on their future clinical implications in the diagnosis and therapy of the disease.

SEARCH METHODS

Literature searches were performed in PubMed for English articles with the key words 'endometriosis', 'endometriotic lesions', 'angiogenesis', 'vascularization', 'vasculogenesis', 'endothelial progenitor cells' and 'inosculation'. The searches included both animal and human studies. No restriction was set for the publication date.

OUTCOMES

The engraftment of endometriotic lesions is typically associated with angiogenesis, i.e. the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. This angiogenic process underlies the complex regulation by angiogenic growth factors and hormones, which activate intracellular pathways and associated signaling molecules. In addition, circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are mobilized from the bone marrow and recruited into endometriotic lesions, where they are incorporated into the endothelium of newly developing microvessels, referred to as vasculogenesis. Finally, preformed microvessels in shed endometrial fragments inosculate with the surrounding host microvasculature, resulting in a rapid blood supply to the ectopic tissue. These vascularization modes offer different possibilities for the establishment of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Angiogenic growth factors and EPCs may serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis and classification of endometriosis. Blood vessel formation and mature microvessels in endometriotic lesions may be targeted by means of anti-angiogenic compounds and vascular-disrupting agents.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

The establishment of vascularization-based approaches in the management of endometriosis still represents a major challenge. For diagnostic purposes, reliable angiogenic and vasculogenic biomarker panels exhibiting a high sensitivity and specificity must be identified. For therapeutic purposes, novel compounds selectively targeting the vascularization of endometriotic lesions without inducing severe side effects are required. Recent progress in the field of endometriosis research indicates that these goals may be achieved in the near future.

Different inflammatory responses of bovine oviductal epithelial cells in vitro to bacterial species with distinct pathogenicity characteristics and passage number

The bovine oviduct provides the site for fertilization and early embryonic development. Modifications to this physiological environment, for instance the presence of pathogenic bacterial species, could diminish reproductive success at early stages of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to elucidate the inflammatory responses of bovine oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC) to a pathogenic bacterial species (Trueperella pyogenes) and a potentially pathogenic bacterium (Bacillus pumilus). BOEC from four healthy animals were isolated, cultured in passage 0 (P0) and passaged until P3. Trypan blue staining determined BOEC viability during 24 h co-culture with different multiplicities of infection (MOI) of T. pyogenes (MOI 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 1) or B. pumilus (MOI 1 and 10). BOEC remained viable when co-cultured with T. pyogenes at MOI 0.01 and with B. pumilus at MOI 1 and 10. Extracted total RNA from control and bacteria co-cultured samples was subjected to reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTq-PCR) to determine mRNA expression of various studied genes. The rate of release of interleukin 8 (IL8) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) from BOEC was measured by ELISA after 24 h co-culture with bacteria. RT-qPCR of various selected pro-inflammatory factors revealed similar mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory factors in BOEC co-cultured with T. pyogenes and in the controls. Higher mRNA expression of IL 1A, -1B, tumor necrosis factor alpha and CXC ligand (CXCL) 1/2, -3, -5 and IL8 and PG synthesis enzymes in BOEC co-cultured with B. pumilus was observed. In the presence of B. pumilus a higher amount of IL8 and PGE₂ was released from BOEC than from controls. The viability and pro-inflammatory response of P3 BOEC incubated with bacteria was lower than in P0 BOEC. These findings illustrate the pathogenicity of T. pyogenes towards BOEC in detail and the potential role of B. pumilus in generating inflammation in oviductal cells. Culturing conditions influenced the pro-inflammatory responses of BOEC towards bacteria. Therefore, researchers conducting epithelial-bacterial in vitro co-culture should not underestimate the effects of these parameters.

Investigation of proliferation and migration of tongue squamous cell carcinoma promoted by three chemokines, MIP-3α, MIP-1β, and IP-10

The aim of this work was to investigate the role of chemokines in proliferation and migration of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). Out of the 80 cytokines surveyed by a human cytokine antibody array, three chemokines, macrophage inflammatory protein-3α (MIP-3α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β), and interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), showed elevated expression in TSCC cells (CAL-27 and UM-1), compared to the oral mucosal epithelial cells. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the high level of expression of MIP-3α in the TSCC tissues, especially in the high clinical stages. Furthermore, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining indicated that C-C chemokine receptor type 5, C-C chemokine receptor type 6, and C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3, which are the receptors for MIP-3α, MIP-1β, and IP-10, respectively, were expressed in the TSCC cells. Viability assay showed MIP-3α, MIP-1β, and IP-10 led to the proliferation of the CAL-27 cells. Interestingly, MIP-1β and IP-10 also induced apoptosis in the TSCC cells. Transwell invasion assay showed MIP-3α and IP-10 could increase the invasive capability of TSCC cells; consistently, the enzymatic activities of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 increased in the MIP-3α- and IP-10-treated cells. In summary, our results indicate the expression of MIP-3α, MIP-1β, and IP-10 increased in the TSCC cells. The elevated expression of MIP-3α and IP-10 promoted proliferation and migration of TSCC. These chemokines, along with their receptors, could be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for TSCC, especially for those in the high clinical stages.

CXCR3 mediates ascites-directed tumor cell migration and predicts poor outcome in ovarian cancer patients

Intraabdominal tumor dissemination is a major hallmark of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The CXCR3 chemokine receptor supports migration of tumor cells to metastatic sites, but its role in ovarian cancer metastasis is largely unknown. Herein, we first screened two independent cohorts of high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSCs, discovery set n=60, validation set n=117) and 102 metastatic lesions for CXCR3 expression. In primary tumors, CXCR3 was particularly overexpressed by tumor cells at the invasive front. In intraabdominal metastases, tumor cells revealed a strong CXCR3 expression regardless of its expression in the corresponding primary tumor, suggesting a selection of CXCR3-overexpressing cancer cells into peritoneal niches. In support of this, CXCR3 mediated the migration of tumor cell lines OVCAR3 and SKOV3 toward malignant ascites, which was inhibited by a monoclonal anti-CXCR3 antibody in vitro. These results were prospectively validated in ascites-derived tumor cells from EOC patients ex vivo (n=9). Moreover, tumor cell-associated overexpression of CXCR3 in advanced ovarian cancer patients was associated with a reduced progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), which remained independent of optimal debulking, age, FIGO stage and lymph node involvement (PFS: hazard ratio (HR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30–3.45, P=0.003; OS: HR 2.36, 95% CI 1.50–3.71, P<0.001). These results in ovarian cancer patients identify CXCR3 as a potential new target to confine peritoneal spread in ovarian cancer after primary cytoreductive surgery.

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Chemotactic Activity Is Induced by Elevated CXCl12 in Endometriosis

Endometriosis is an inflammatory gynecological disorder caused by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Endometriosis produces chemokines, including CXCL12, that attract bone marrow cells to the lesions. In this study, we describe the expression, localization, and chemotactic activity of CXCL12 in endometriotic lesions. Biopsies were collected both from women with endometriosis undergoing laparoscopy and control endometrium from women without endometriosis. Expression of CXCl12 and CXCR4 messenger RNA was increased approximately 4- and 6-fold, respectively, in endometriosis compared to eutopic endometrium. Immunohistochemistry of lesions revealed that CXCR4 was expressed in the stroma and epithelium in both endometriosis and control eutopic endometrium. The level of CXCR4 protein expression was significantly higher in all cellular compartments of the endometriotic lesions compared to control endometrium. CXCL12 protein expression was also higher in endometriotic lesions and was greatest in the epithelial compartment. CXCL12 was increased more in the condition media of cultured endometriosis than in controls as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Transwell chamber migration was used to demonstrate 2-fold increased chemoattraction of mouse bone marrow stem cells toward CXCL12 in the endometriotic-conditioned medium compared with eutopic endometrium. Our results indicate that a preferential recruitment of stem cells to endometriosis can explain how endometriosis outcompetes eutopic endometrium in recruiting the limited supply of circulating stem cells. The CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis is a potential target for the treatment of endometriosis and its associated disorders.

Identification of key genes involved in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Introduction

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the most common cancer originating from the nasopharynx.

Objective

To study the mechanisms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we analyzed GSE12452 microarray data.

Methods

GSE12452 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and included 31 nasopharyngeal carcinoma samples and 10 normal nasopharyngeal tissue samples. The differentially expressed genes were screened by ANOVA in the PGS package. Using the BiNGO plugin in Cytoscape and pathway enrichment analysis in the PGS package, functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed separately to predict potential functions of the differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, Transcription factor-differentially expressed gene pairs were searched, and then the transcription factor-differentially expressed gene regulatory network was visualized using Cytoscape software.

Results

A total of 487 genes were screened as differentially expressed genes between the nasopharyngeal carcinoma samples and the normal nasopharyngeal tissue samples. Enrichment analysis indicated that PTGS2 was involved in the regulation of biological process and small cell lung cancer. ZIC2 and OVOL1 may function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma through targeting significantly up-regulated genes (such as PTGS2, FN1, CXCL9 and CXCL10) in the Transcription factor-differentially expressed gene regulatory network (e.g., ZIC2→PTGS2 and OVOL1→CXCL10).

Conclusion

PTGS2, FN1, CXCL9, CXCL10, ZIC2 and OVOL1 might play roles in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

CXCL9 and CXCL10 predict survival and are regulated by cyclooxygenase inhibition in advanced serous ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are associated with improved survival in several epithelial cancers. The two chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 facilitate chemotactic recruitment of TILs, and their intratumoral accumulation is a conceivable way to improve TIL-dependent immune intervention in cancer. However, the prognostic impact of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is largely unknown.

METHODS

One hundred and eighty four cases of HGSC were immunohistochemically analyzed for CXCL9, CXCL10. TILs were assessed using CD3, CD56 and FOXP3 staining. Chemokine regulation was investigated using the ovarian cancer cell lines OV-MZ-6 and SKOV-3.

RESULTS

High expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 was associated with an approximately doubled overall survival (n=70, CXCL9: HR 0.41; P=0.006; CXCL10: HR 0.46; P=0.010) which was confirmed in an independent validation set (n=114; CXCL9: HR 0.60; P=0.019; CXCL10: HR 0.52; P=0.005). Expression of CXCR3 ligands significantly correlated with TILs. In human ovarian cancer cell lines the cyclooxygenase (COX) metabolite Prostaglandin E2 was identified as negative regulator of chemokine secretion, whereas COX inhibition by indomethacin significantly upregulated CXCL9 and CXCL10. In contrast, celecoxib, the only COX inhibitor prospectively evaluated for therapy of ovarian cancer, suppressed NF-κB activation and inhibited chemokine release.

CONCLUSION

Our results support the notion that CXCL9 and CXCL10 exert tumour-suppressive function by TIL recruitment in human ovarian cancer. COX inhibition by indomethacin, not by celecoxib, may be a promising approach to concomitantly improve immunotherapies.

The Serum Levels of the Soluble Factors sCD40L and CXCL1 Are Not Indicative of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a benign but troublesome gynecological condition, characterized by endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Lately, the discovery and validation of noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis is one of the main priorities in the field. As the disease elicits a chronic inflammatory reaction, we focused our interest on two factors well known to be involved in inflammation and neoplastic processes, namely, soluble CD40 Ligand and CXCL1, and asked whether differences in the serum levels of sCD40L and CXCL1 in endometriosis patients versus controls can serve as noninvasive disease markers. A total of n = 60 women were included in the study, 31 endometriosis patients and 29 controls, and the serum levels of sCD40L and CXCL1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of expression of both sCD40L and CXCL1 between patients and controls. This study adds useful clinical data showing that the serum levels of the soluble factors sCD40L and CXCL1 are not associated with endometriosis and are not suitable as biomarkers for disease diagnosis. However, we found a trend toward lower levels of sCD40L in the deep infiltrating endometriosis subgroup making it a potentially interesting target worth further investigation.

CXCL10 Expression Status is Prognostic in Patients with Advanced Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

CXCL10, a member of the CXC chemokine family, is known to mediate chemotaxis, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and cell growth. It is also reportedly involved in tumor development and can affect prognosis in several cancers. However, the precise relationship between CXCL10 and the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is not fully understood.

METHODS

We used ESCC tissue microarrays containing samples from 177 patients to test whether the CXCL10 expression status, determined using immunohistochemical analysis, is predictive of prognosis. We also tested whether CXCL10 expression status could serve as a clinically useful marker for evaluating the need for adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery.

RESULTS

We found that high CXCL10 expression in clinical samples was an independent prognostic factor and was predictive of a favorable 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival (p = 0.0102 and 0.0332, respectively). Additionally, no significant difference was detected between patients in the CXCL10-high group treated with surgery alone and those treated with surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. In the CXCL10-low group, on the other hand, patients treated with surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy had better 5-year overall survival than those treated with surgery alone.

CONCLUSIONS

High CXCL10 expression is an independent prognostic factor and has the potential to serve as a clinically useful marker of the need for adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery in patients with advanced thoracic ESCC.

Overexpression of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its correlation with favorable prognosis in gastric cancer

Chemokine receptor, CXCR3, has been increasingly reported to be involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, but limited data are available regarding the expression of CXCR3 in gastric cancer (GC). In the present study, the expressions of CXCR3 and its variants were detected in 96 GC and corresponding nontumor gastric tissues by immunohistochemical staining, in 40 freshly frozen GC and nontumor gastric tissues by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and in 10 freshly frozen GC and nontumor gastric tissues by Western blotting. Results revealed that an overexpression of CXCR3 occurs in GC tissues as compared to the nontumor gastric tissues. High level of CXCR3 expression was found to be inversely associated with invasion depth and metastasis (P = .030 and P = .019, respectively) and directly associated with improved overall survival (log-rank test, P < .001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that high CXCR3 expression acts an independent prognostic factor for GC patients (hazard ratio, 0.379 [0.196-0.734]; P = .004). The messenger RNA expression of both the CXCR3 variants, CXCR3-A and CXCR3-B, were up-regulated in GC tissues (P = .006 and P = .002, respectively), although CXCR3-B messenger RNA expression was significantly higher than CXCR3-A, with an average CXCR3-B to CXCR3-A ratio of 1.80. CXCR3-B protein expression was also up-regulated in GC tissues (P = .023). In conclusion, our study suggested a potential use of CXCR3 overexpression as a prognostic marker for GC and involvement of the up-regulation of CXCR3-B in favorable prognosis of GC patients.

Immunohistochemical Investigation of Metastasis-Related Chemokines in Deep-Infiltrating Endometriosis and Compromised Pelvic Sentinel Lymph Nodes

Endometriosis is a prevalent benign disease, despite sharing several similarities with malignancies, such as the possibility of lymphatic spread. In malignancies, chemokines play a sovereign role in the process of metastasis. Metastasis-related chemokine axes have not yet been assessed in deep-infiltrating endometriosis (DIE), and this investigation was the aim of our study. The expression of these chemokines was investigated by immunohistochemistry in rectovaginal DIE lesions and in matched pelvic sentinel lymph nodes (PSLNs) of patients with endometriosis (n = 27), and their expression in the eutopic endometrium (EE) of endometriosis-free women (n = 20) was used as controls. Their staining pattern in rectovaginal DIE, in endometriotic lesions affecting the PSLN as well as in the EE of patients without endometriosis was characterized for the first time. Overall, these chemokines were highly expressed in DIE and endometriosis in PSLN. Chemokines might be involved in the spread of endometriosis and should be further investigated.

Pathogenesis of Endometriosis: Roles of Retinoids and Inflammatory Pathways

Endometriosis is a nonmalignant, but potentially metastatic, gynecological condition manifested by the extrauterine growth of inflammatory endometrial implants. Ten percent of reproductive-age women are affected and commonly suffer pelvic pain and/or infertility. The theories of endometriosis histogenesis remain controversial, but retrograde menstruation and metaplasia each infer mechanisms that explain the immune cell responses observed around the ectopic lesions. Recent findings from our laboratories and others suggest that retinoic acid metabolism and action are fundamentally flawed in endometriotic tissues and even generically in women with endometriosis. The focus of our ongoing research is to develop medical therapies as adjuvants or alternatives to the surgical excision of these lesions. On the basis of concepts put forward in this review, we predict that the pharmacological actions and anticipated low side-effect profiles of retinoid supplementation might provide a new treatment option for the long-term management of this chronic and debilitating gynecological disease.

CXCR3 in carcinoma progression

CXCR3 is a G-protein coupled receptor which binds to ELR-negative CXC chemokines that have been found to impact immune responses, vascular develop, and wound repair. More recently, CXCR3 has been examined in the context of cancer and increased expression in many human tumors has been correlated with poor prognosis in breast, melanoma, colon and renal cancer patients. Three variants of CXCR3 are identified so far (CXCR3-A, CXCR3-B and CXCR3-alt) with the two primary ones, CXCR3-A and CXCR3-B, considered to induce opposite physiological functions. Generally, CXCR3-A, the predominant form in hematopoietic cells, appears to mediate tumor "go" signaling via promoting cell proliferation, survival, chemotaxis, invasion and metastasis; while CXCR3-B, the main form on formed elements including epithelial cells, appears to mediate tumor "stop" signaling via promoting growth suppression, apoptosis and vascular involution. Thus, aberrant expression of the isoforms CXCR3-A and CXCR3-B could affect tumor progression. In this review, we have discussed the profiles of CXCR3 variants and related signaling, as well as the role of CXCR3 variants in cancer.

CXCL10-induced migration of adoptively transferred human natural killer cells toward solid tumors causes regression of tumor growth in vivo

Adoptive infusion of natural killer (NK) cells is being increasingly explored as a therapy in patients with cancer, although clinical responses are thus far limited to patients with hematological malignancies. Inadequate homing of infused NK cells to the tumor site represents a key factor that may explain the poor anti-tumor effect of NK cell therapy against solid tumors. One of the major players in the regulation of lymphocyte chemotaxis is the chemokine receptor chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 3 (CXCR3) which is expressed on activated NK cells and induces NK cell migration toward gradients of the chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL9, 10 and 11). Here, we show that ex vivo expansion of human NK cells results in a tenfold increased expression of the CXCR3 receptor compared with resting NK cells (p = 0.04). Consequently, these NK cells displayed an improved migratory capacity toward solid tumors, which was dependent on tumor-derived CXCL10. In xenograft models, adoptively transferred NK cells showed increased migration toward CXCL10-transfected melanoma tumors compared with CXCL10-negative wild-type tumors, resulting in significantly reduced tumor burden and increased survival (median survival 41 vs. 32 days, p = 0.03). Furthermore, administration of interferon-gamma locally in the tumor stimulated the production of CXCL10 in subcutaneous melanoma tumors resulting in increased infiltration of adoptively transferred CXCR3-positive expanded NK cells. Our findings demonstrate the importance of CXCL10-induced chemoattraction in the anti-tumor response of adoptively transferred expanded NK cells against solid melanoma tumors.

CD26/DPPIV down-regulation in endometrial stromal cell migration in endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) in endometriosis exhibit increased cell motility under hypoxia.

DESIGN

Prospective case-control study.

SETTING

University research laboratory.

PATIENT(S)

Women with endometriosis (n = 18) or benign gynecological disease (n=19).

INTERVENTION(S)

Eutopic ESCs were cultured under normoxia (20% O2) or hypoxia (6.5% O2), and migration and invasion capacity assayed, with pathway-focused polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array and ELISAs performed. CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) expression was determined by flow cytometric analysis and enzymatic activity assay. The ESCs supplemented with Diprotin A (CD26 inhibitor), stromal cell-derived factor-1α, or AMD3100 (C-X-C motif receptor 4; CXCR4 blocker) were assayed for their migratory potential.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Endometrial stromal cell migration and invasion under hypoxia.

RESULT(S)

Endometriotic ESCs showed significantly higher migration and invasion through collagen gels under hypoxia compared with nonendometriotic ESCs. The PCR array revealed down-regulation of the migration inhibitor CD26/DPPIV and up-regulation of angiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth factor A, C-X-C motif Ligand 6; CXCL6) in endometriotic ESCs under hypoxia. The CD26/DPPIV surface expression and activity as well as angiogenic protein secretions suggested that the molecular mechanisms underlying aberrant migratory and angiogenic behavior in endometriotic ESCs. A combinatorial treatment with diprotin A and stromal cell-derived factor-1α effectively enhanced migration and invasion preferentially in endometriotic ESCs cultured hypoxically.

CONCLUSION(S)

Loss of CD26/DPPIV under hypoxia and the subsequent increase in migratory and angiogenic factors may favor conditions for lesion development in endometriosis.

Expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 transcript variants and CXCR7 in epithelial ovarian cancer

Chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR7, have been implicated in epithelial ovarian cancer progression and metastasis. However, limited data are available on the expression levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 variants and CXCR7 in human epithelial ovarian cancer. The present study aimed to characterize the expression pattern and levels of SDF-1, CXCR4 and CXCR7 in normal human ovaries and epithelial ovarian cancer. The expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 transcript variants and CXCR7 was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Plasma SDF-1α levels were determined by commercially available EIA kits and cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) levels were quantified by automated microparticle enzyme immunosorbent assay. High expression levels of SDF-1 transcript variant 1 were identified in ovarian cancer and control ovaries. By contrast, in both groups the expression levels of SDF-1 transcript variants 3 and 4 were extremely low. Furthermore, SDF-1 variant 1 levels were notably higher in epithelial ovarian cancer than in control ovaries, while data for the remaining transcripts were similar in both groups. CXCR4 transcript variant 2 and CXCR7 expression levels in normal and neoplastic ovaries were similar. In both groups, CXCR4 transcript variant 2 was not detected. Plasma SDF-1α levels were notably higher in females with epithelial ovarian cancer than in the control ovaries. Elevated levels of blood SDF-1α were found prior to surgery, 6 days after surgery and following completion of the first chemotherapy course. These increases were independent of the type of epithelial ovarian cancer. Our results suggest that the expression of SDF-1 and the genes controlling alternative splicing are elevated in epithelial ovarian cancer, leading to an increased formation of SDF-1 variant 1. Elevated plasma SDF-1α levels in epithelial ovarian cancer patients are not associated with the presence of tumors and/or metastases, however reflect a general response to the disease.

CXCL5 as a potential novel prognostic factor in early stage non-small cell lung cancer: results of a study of expression levels of 23 genes

As the current staging system is imprecise for estimating prognosis of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it is important to identify other methods for selecting high-risk patients after failed surgical treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of 23 genes as putative prognostic markers in early stage NSCLC. The study was performed on 109 pairs of tumor and matched unaffected lung tissue surgical specimens taken from stage I and II NSCLC patients. We evaluated the mRNA level of 23 genes using the real-time PCR method. The difference in the expression between the tumor and normal tissue for each gene was analyzed using a general linear model. The influence of gene expression on survival was analyzed by using the proportional hazards model. Eighteen out of the 23 genes showed statistically significant differences in expression between the tumor and non-tumor tissue. For 12 genes (ITGB1, ITGB3, CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCR3, CXCR4, TNF, CHKA, AGFG1, and CTC1), the expression was lower, and for six genes (ITGA5, IL8, IL6, CXCL2, CXCL3, and CXCL12), it was higher in the tumor tissue as compared to the matched normal tissue. Expression changes were more pronounced in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas or large cell carcinomas. Of all the analyzed genes, only CXCL5 was found to statistically significantly (p = 0.04) influence both overall and disease-free survival. Among the 23 genes previously suggested to be relevant for early staged NSCLC patients’ postoperative outcome, only CXCL5 showed a statistically significant prognostic effect.

Inhibition of CXCR7 extends survival following irradiation of brain tumours in mice and rats

Background:

In experimental models of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), irradiation (IR) induces local expression of the chemokine CXCL12/SDF-1, which promotes tumour recurrence. The role of CXCR7, the high-affinity receptor for CXCL12, in the tumour's response to IR has not been addressed.

Methods:

We tested CXCR7 inhibitors for their effects on tumour growth and/or animal survival post IR in three rodent GBM models. We used immunohistochemistry to determine where CXCR7 protein is expressed in the tumours and in human GBM samples. We used neurosphere formation assays with human GBM xenografts to determine whether CXCR7 is required for cancer stem cell (CSC) activity in vitro.

Results:

CXCR7 was detected on tumour cells and/or tumour-associated vasculature in the rodent models and in human GBM. In human GBM, CXCR7 expression increased with glioma grade and was spatially associated with CXCL12 and CXCL11/I-TAC. In the rodent GBM models, pharmacological inhibition of CXCR7 post IR caused tumour regression, blocked tumour recurrence, and/or substantially prolonged survival. CXCR7 expression levels on human GBM xenograft cells correlated with neurosphere-forming activity, and a CXCR7 inhibitor blocked sphere formation by sorted CSCs.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that CXCR7 inhibitors could block GBM tumour recurrence after IR, perhaps by interfering with CSCs.

p53 mutation in the genesis of metastasis

Development of metastatic cancer is a complex series of events that includes genesis of tumor-related vascular and lymphatic systems, enhanced cellular motility, and the capacity to invade and survive at distant sites, as well as evasion of host defences. The wild-type p53 protein plays key roles in controlling these facets of tumor progression, and loss of normal p53 function can be sufficient to predispose tumor cells to gain metastatic properties. In contrast, dominant p53 mutants that have gained oncogenic functions can actively drive metastasis through a variety of mechanisms. This chapter aims to highlight these processes.

Cancer cell-derived lymphotoxin mediates reciprocal tumour-stromal interactions in human ovarian cancer by inducing CXCL11 in fibroblasts

We have investigated the role of cytokine lymphotoxin in tumour-stromal interactions in human ovarian cancer. We found that lymphotoxin overexpression is commonly shared by the cancer cells of various ovarian cancer subtypes, and lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTBR) is expressed ubiquitously in both the cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In monoculture, we showed that ovarian cancer cells are not the major lymphotoxin-responsive cells. On the other hand, our co-culture studies demonstrated that the cancer cell-derived lymphotoxin induces chemokine expression in stromal fibroblasts through LTBR-NF-κB signalling. Amongst the chemokines being produced, we found that fibroblast-secreted CXCL11 promotes proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells via the chemokine receptor CXCR3. CXCL11 is highly expressed in CAFs in ovarian cancer biopsies, while CXCR3 is found in malignant cells in primary ovarian tumours. Additionally, the overexpression of CXCR3 is significantly associated with the tumour grade and lymph node metastasis of ovarian cancer, further supporting the role of CXCR3, which interacts with CXCL11, in promoting growth and metastasis of human ovarian cancer. Taken together, these results demonstrated that cancer-cell-derived lymphotoxin mediates reciprocal tumour-stromal interactions in human ovarian cancer by inducing CXCL11 in fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that lymphotoxin-LTBR and CXCL11-CXCR3 signalling represent therapeutic targets in ovarian cancer.

Proteasome inhibition increases recruitment of IκB kinase β (IKKβ), S536P-p65, and transcription factor EGR1 to interleukin-8 (IL-8) promoter, resulting in increased IL-8 production in ovarian cancer cells

Proinflammatory and pro-angiogenic chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8, CXCL8) contributes to ovarian cancer progression through its induction of tumor cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Proteasome inhibition by bortezomib, which has been used as a frontline therapy in multiple myeloma, has shown only limited effectiveness in ovarian cancer and other solid tumors. However, the responsible mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that proteasome inhibition dramatically increases the IL-8 expression and release in ovarian cancer cells. The responsible mechanism involves an increased nuclear accumulation of IκB kinase β (IKKβ) and an increased recruitment of the nuclear IKKβ, p65-phosphorylated at Ser-536, and the transcription factor early growth response-1 (EGR-1) to the endogenous IL-8 promoter. Coimmunoprecipitation studies identified the nuclear EGR-1 associated with IKKβ and with p65, with preferential binding to S536P-p65. Both IKKβ activity and EGR-1 expression are required for the increased IL-8 expression induced by proteasome inhibition in ovarian cancer cells. Interestingly, in multiple myeloma cells the IL-8 release is not increased by bortezomib. Together, these data indicate that the increased IL-8 release may represent one of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the decreased effectiveness of proteasome inhibition in ovarian cancer treatment and identify IKKβ and EGR-1 as potential new targets in ovarian cancer combination therapies.

Targeted gene silencing using a follicle-stimulating hormone peptide-conjugated nanoparticle system improves its specificity and efficacy in ovarian clear cell carcinoma in vitro

BACKGROUND

RNA interference technology has shown high therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. However, serum instability, poor tissue permeability and non-specific uptake of short interfering RNA (siRNA) limit its administration in vivo. To overcome these limitations and improve the specificity for ovarian cancer, we developed a targeted nanoparticle delivery system for siRNA. This system included follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) β 33-53 peptide as a targeting moiety that specifically recognized FSH receptor (FSHR) expressed on ovarian cancer cells. Growth regulated oncogene α (gro-α) has been reported to be involved in ovarian cancer development and progression. Thus, siRNA targeted to gro-α was used as an antitumor drug in this delivery system.

METHODS

FSH β 33-53 peptide-conjugated gro-α siRNA-loaded polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polyethylenimine (PEI) nanoparticles (FSH33-G-NP) were prepared and characterized by gel retardation assay and transmission electron microscopy. Particle size and zeta potential were determined. Expression of gro-α mRNA and protein was detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The proliferation, migration and invasion of the ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line ES-2 were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 assay, cell scratch assay and transwell migration assay.

RESULTS

A siRNA sequence that is effective in silencing gro-α expression was obtained and loaded into the targeted delivery system. Compared with gro-α siRNA-loaded nanoparticles without FSH peptide modification (G-NP), FSH33-G-NP significantly down-regulated gro-α expression in ES-2 cells at mRNA and protein levels. Consequently, the aggressive biological behaviors of ES-2 cells, including proliferation, migration and invasion, were suppressed after silencing gro-α expression, and the addition of the FSH β 33-53 peptide enhanced the suppressive effects.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that a FSHR-mediated delivery system could mediate the highly selective delivery of siRNA into ovarian cancer cells and that silencing gro-α expression could be a potential choice for ovarian cancer treatment.

Animal models for anti-angiogenic therapy in endometriosis

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease characterized by the growth of endometrium outside of the uterine cavity. It is often associated with dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain and infertility. One of the key requirements for endometriotic lesions to survive is development of a blood supply to support their growth. Indeed, dense vascularization is characteristic feature of endometriotic lesions. This has led to the idea that suppression of blood vessel growth (anti-angiogenic therapy) may be a successful therapeutic approach for endometriosis. Potential effectiveness of anti-angiogenic therapies has been assessed in some animal models but there are no reports of human clinical trials. Without understanding the specific mechanism by which endometriosis lesions establish a new blood supply, short-term animal experiments will have limited value for translation into human medicine. Further, it is crucial to use appropriate animal models to assess efficacy of anti-angiogenic compounds. Syngeneic and autologous rodent models, where endometrial fragments are auto-transplanted into the peritoneal cavity are commonly used in anti-angiogenic therapy studies. Another approach is xenograft models where human endometrium is engrafted into immunodeficient mice. Here we review the animal models and experimental techniques used to evaluate anti-angiogenic therapies for endometriosis. We also review our own work on the role of stromal cell derived factor-1 in the recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells in endometriotic lesion angiogenesis, and the effects of the anti-angiogenic peptide ABT-898, a thrombospondin-1 mimetic, on endometriotic lesion growth and vascular development.

Aberrant proliferation in CXCR7+ endothelial cells via degradation of the retinoblastoma protein

Angiogenesis is a critical factor in the growth and dissemination of solid tumors. Indeed, tumor vasculature is abnormal and contributes to the development and spread of malignancies by creating a hostile microenvironment. The alternative SDF-1/CXCL12 receptor, CXCR7, is frequently and specifically expressed in tumor-associated vessels. In this study, we examine the role of endothelium-expressed CXCR7 in tumor vascular dysfunction by specifically examining the contribution of CXCR7 to endothelial cell (EC) proliferation. We demonstrate that CXCR7 expression is sufficient to drive post-confluent growth in EC cultures. Further, we provide a novel mechanism for CXCR7-mediated proliferation via proteasomal degradation of the tumor suppressor protein Rb. These findings identify a heretofore unappreciated role for CXCR7 in vascular dysfunction and confirm this receptor as a plausible target for anti-tumor therapy.