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Liu Q, Yao F, Wu L, Xu T, Na J, Shen Z, Liu X, Shi W, Zhao Y, Liao Y. Heterogeneity and interplay: the multifaceted role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor and therapeutic strategies. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:2395-2417. [PMID: 38602644 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03492-7] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The journey of cancer development is a multifaceted and staged process. The array of treatments available for cancer varies significantly, dictated by the disease's type and stage. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), prevalent across various cancer types and stages, play a pivotal role in tumor genesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. The strategy of concurrently targeting cancer cells and CAFs holds great promise in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus intently on CAFs, delving into their critical role in cancer's progression. We begin by exploring the origins, classification, and surface markers of CAFs. Following this, we emphasize the key cytokines and signaling pathways involved in the interplay between cancer cells and CAFs and their influence on the tumor immune microenvironment. Additionally, we examine current therapeutic approaches targeting CAFs. This article underscores the multifarious roles of CAFs within the tumor microenvironment and their potential applications in cancer treatment, highlighting their importance as key targets in overcoming drug resistance and enhancing the efficacy of tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Fei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Liangliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Tianyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Jintong Na
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Zhen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Xiyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Yuan Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Targeting Oncology, National Center for International Research of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
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Zhi FH, Liu W, Yang HS, Luo HH, Feng YF, Lei YY. Exploring the relationship between the interleukin family and lung adenocarcinoma through Mendelian randomization and RNA sequencing analysis. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:436. [PMID: 39264458 PMCID: PMC11393260 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still one of the most prevalent malignancies. Interleukin factors are closely associated with the initiation and progression of cancer. However, the relationship between interleukin factors and LUAD has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to use Mendelian randomization (MR) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses to identify the interleukin factors associated with the onset and progression of LUAD. METHODS Exposure-related instrumental variables were selected from interleukin factor summary datasets. The LUAD summary dataset from FINGENE served as the outcome. MR and sensitivity analyses were conducted to screen for interleukin factors associated with LUAD occurrence. Transcriptome analyses revealed the role of interleukin factors in lung tissues. The results were validated through Western blotting and further confirmed with driver gene-negative patients from multiple centers. Potential mechanisms influencing LUAD occurrence and development were explored using bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq data. RESULTS MR analysis indicated that elevated plasma levels of IL6RB, IL27RA, IL22RA1, and IL16 are causally associated with increased LUAD risk, while IL18R1 and IL11RA exhibit the opposite effect. Transcriptome analyses revealed that IL11RA, IL18R1, and IL16 were downregulated in tumor tissues compared with normal lung tissue, but only higher expression of IL11RA correlated with improved prognosis in patients with LUAD from different centers and persisted even in driver-gene negative patients. The IL11RA protein level was lower in various LUAD cell lines than in human bronchial epithelial cells. The genes co-expressed with IL11RA were enriched in the Ras signaling pathway and glycosylation processes. Fibroblasts were the primary IL11RA-expressing cell population, with IL11RA+fibroblasts exhibiting a more immature state. The genes differentially expressed between IL11RA+and IL11RA- fibroblasts were involved in the PI3K-Akt/TNF signaling pathway. CONCLUSION According to the MR and transcriptome analyses, the downregulation of IL11RA was closely related to the occurrence and development of LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Hang Zhi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao-Shuai Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-He Luo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan-Fen Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yi-Yan Lei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
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Guo T, Xu J. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: a versatile mediator in tumor progression, metastasis, and targeted therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:1095-1116. [PMID: 38602594 PMCID: PMC11300527 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been demonstrated to play a significant role in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the major component of TME and exhibit heterogeneous properties in their communication with tumor cells. This heterogeneity of CAFs can be attributed to various origins, including quiescent fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipocytes, pericytes, endothelial cells, and mesothelial cells. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing has identified diverse phenotypes of CAFs, with myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) and inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) being the most acknowledged, alongside newly discovered subtypes like antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs). Due to these heterogeneities, CAFs exert multiple functions in tumorigenesis, cancer stemness, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, metabolism, and metastasis. As a result, targeted therapies aimed at the TME, particularly focusing on CAFs, are rapidly developing, fueling the promising future of advanced tumor-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchen Guo
- Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junfen Xu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China.
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Glorieux C, Liu S, Trachootham D, Huang P. Targeting ROS in cancer: rationale and strategies. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:583-606. [PMID: 38982305 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-024-00979-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems are transient but essential molecules that are generated and eliminated by a complex set of delicately balanced molecular machineries. Disruption of redox homeostasis has been associated with various human diseases, especially cancer, in which increased ROS levels are thought to have a major role in tumour development and progression. As such, modulation of cellular redox status by targeting ROS and their regulatory machineries is considered a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Recently, there has been major progress in this field, including the discovery of novel redox signalling pathways that affect the metabolism of tumour cells as well as immune cells in the tumour microenvironment, and the intriguing ROS regulation of biomolecular phase separation. Progress has also been made in exploring redox regulation in cancer stem cells, the role of ROS in determining cell fate and new anticancer agents that target ROS. This Review discusses these research developments and their implications for cancer therapy and drug discovery, as well as emerging concepts, paradoxes and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Glorieux
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shihua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Peng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
- Metabolic Innovation Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Zhu H, Jin RU. The role of the fibroblast in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:319-327. [PMID: 38626060 PMCID: PMC11155289 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000001032] [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] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the number one risk factor for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a deadly cancer with limited treatment options that has been increasing in incidence in the US. In this report, we discuss current studies on the role of mesenchyme and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in BE and EAC, and we highlight translational prospects of targeting these cells. RECENT FINDINGS New insights through studies using single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNA seq) have revealed an important emerging role of the mesenchyme in developmental signaling and cancer initiation. BE and EAC share similar stromal gene expression, as functional classifications of nonepithelial cells in BE show a remarkable similarity to EAC CAFs. Several recent sc-RNA seq studies and novel organoid fibroblast co-culture systems have characterized the subgroups of fibroblasts in BE and EAC, and have shown that these cells can directly influence the epithelium to induce BE development and cancer progression. Targeting the CAFs in EAC with may be a promising novel therapeutic strategy. SUMMARY The fibroblasts in the surrounding mesenchyme may have a direct role in influencing altered epithelial plasticity during BE development and progression to EAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huili Zhu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Li X, González-Maroto C, Tavassoli M. Crosstalk between CAFs and tumour cells in head and neck cancer. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:303. [PMID: 38926351 PMCID: PMC11208506 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02053-9] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are amongst the most aggressive, complex, and heterogeneous malignancies. The standard of care treatments for HNC patients include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or their combination. However, around 50% do not benefit while suffering severe toxic side effects, costing the individuals and society. Decades have been spent to improve HNSCC treatment outcomes with only limited success. Much of the research in HNSCC treatment has focused on understanding the genetics of the HNSCC malignant cells, but it has become clear that tumour microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the progression as well as treatment response in HNSCC. Understanding the crosstalk between cancer cells and TME is crucial for inhibiting progression and treatment resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the predominant component of stroma in HNSCC, serve as the primary source of extra-cellular matrix (ECM) and various pro-tumoral composites in TME. The activation of CAFs in HNSCC is primarily driven by cancer cell-secreted molecules, which in turn induce phenotypic changes, elevated secretive status, and altered ECM production profile. Concurrently, CAFs play a pivotal role in modulating the cell cycle, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to targeted and chemoradiotherapy in HNSCC cells. This modulation occurs through interactions with secreted molecules or direct contact with the ECM or CAF. Co-culture and 3D models of tumour cells and other TME cell types allows to mimic the HNSCC tumour milieu and enable modulating tumour hypoxia and reprograming cancer stem cells (CSC). This review aims to provide an update on the development of HNSCC tumour models comprising CAFs to obtain better understanding of the interaction between CAFs and tumour cells, and for providing preclinical testing platforms of current and combination with emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Celia González-Maroto
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mahvash Tavassoli
- Head and Neck Oncology Group, Centre for Host Microbiome Interaction, King's College London, Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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El Herch I, Tornaas S, Dongre HN, Costea DE. Heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-promoting roles in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1340024. [PMID: 38966131 PMCID: PMC11222324 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1340024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a major influence on disease progression and therapy response. One of the predominant stromal cell types in the TME of HNSCC is cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). CAF constitute a diverse cell population and we are only at the beginning of characterizing and understanding the functions of various CAF subsets. CAF have been shown to interact with tumor cells and other components of the TME to shape mainly a favourable microenvironment for HNSCC progression, although some studies report existence of tumor-restraining CAF subtypes. The numerous pathways used by CAF to promote tumorigenesis may represent potential therapeutic targets. This review summarizes current knowledge on the origins, subtypes and mechanisms employed by CAF in HNSCC. The aim is to contribute to the understanding on how CAF actively influence the TME and modulate different immune cell types, as well as cancer cells, to establish a conducive setting for cancer growth. Although CAF are currently a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of other types of cancer, there is no significant therapeutic advancement in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imane El Herch
- University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Gade Laboratory for Pathology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO), Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Stian Tornaas
- Gade Laboratory for Pathology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO), Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Harsh Nitin Dongre
- Gade Laboratory for Pathology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO), Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Daniela Elena Costea
- Gade Laboratory for Pathology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO), Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Ahuja S, Sureka N, Zaheer S. Unraveling the intricacies of cancer-associated fibroblasts: a comprehensive review on metabolic reprogramming and tumor microenvironment crosstalk. APMIS 2024. [PMID: 38873945 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13447] [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: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are crucial component of tumor microenvironment (TME) which undergo significant phenotypic changes and metabolic reprogramming, profoundly impacting tumor growth. This review delves into CAF plasticity, diverse origins, and the molecular mechanisms driving their continuous activation. Emphasis is placed on the intricate bidirectional crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells, promoting cancer cell survival, proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion. Metabolic reprogramming, a cancer hallmark, extends beyond cancer cells to CAFs, contributing to the complex metabolic interplay within the TME. The 'reverse Warburg effect' in CAFs mirrors the Warburg effect, involving the export of high-energy substrates to fuel cancer cells, supporting their rapid proliferation. Molecular regulations by key players like p53, Myc, and K-RAS orchestrate this metabolic adaptation. Understanding the metabolic symbiosis between CAFs and tumor cells opens avenues for targeted therapeutic strategies to disrupt this dynamic crosstalk. Unraveling CAF-mediated metabolic reprogramming provides valuable insights for developing novel anticancer therapies. This comprehensive review consolidates current knowledge, shedding light on CAFs' multifaceted roles in the TME and offering potential targets for future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Ahuja
- Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Niti Sureka
- Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Sufian Zaheer
- Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Oberholtzer N, Mills S, Mehta S, Chakraborty P, Mehrotra S. Role of antioxidants in modulating anti-tumor T cell immune resposne. Adv Cancer Res 2024; 162:99-124. [PMID: 39069371 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2024.05.003] [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] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
It has been well established that in addition to oxygen's vital in cellular respiration, a disruption of oxygen balance can lead to increased stress and oxidative injury. Similarly, reduced oxygen during tumor proliferation and invasion generates a hypoxic tumor microenvironment, resulting in dysfunction of immune cells and providing a conducive milieu for tumors to adapt and grow. Strategies to improve the persistence tumor reactive T cells in the highly oxidative tumor environment are being pursued for enhancing immunotherapy outcomes. To this end, we have focused on various strategies that can help increase or maintain the antioxidant capacity of T cells, thus reducing their susceptibility to oxidative stress/damage. Herein we lay out an overview on the role of oxygen in T cell signaling and how pathways regulating oxidative stress or antioxidant signaling can be targeted to enhance immunotherapeutic approaches for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Oberholtzer
- Department of Surgery, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Stephanie Mills
- Department of Surgery, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Shubham Mehta
- Department of Surgery, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Paramita Chakraborty
- Department of Surgery, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Shikhar Mehrotra
- Department of Surgery, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
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10
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Xiao Y, Wang Z, Gu M, Wei P, Wang X, Li W. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: heterogeneity and their role in the tumor immune response. Clin Exp Med 2024; 24:126. [PMID: 38864912 PMCID: PMC11169017 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-024-01375-3] [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: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
In recent decades, many reports have been published on the composition and function of the tumor microenvironment (TME), among which cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have received much attention. CAFs have different degrees of heterogeneity in terms of their origin, phenotype, and function and can be divided into different subpopulations. These subgroups may play different roles in the occurrence and development of tumors. In addition, CAFs are closely associated with tumor immunity and have been found to regulate immune cell activity and to suppress the tumor immune response. In this review, we systematize the heterogeneity and characteristics of CAFs, discuss how specific CAF subgroups contribute to cancer progression by inducing an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and finally, we examine the future clinical applications of CAF subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Xiao
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyu Wang
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Gu
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Panjian Wei
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojue Wang
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Weiying Li
- Cancer Research Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing, China.
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Tornaas S, Kleftogiannis D, Fromreide S, Smeland HYH, Aarstad HJ, Vintermyr OK, Akslen LA, Costea DE, Dongre HN. Development of a high dimensional imaging mass cytometry panel to investigate spatial organization of tissue microenvironment in formalin-fixed archival clinical tissues. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31191. [PMID: 38803925 PMCID: PMC11128903 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31191] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
To decipher the interactions between various components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor cells in a preserved spatial context, a multiparametric approach is essential. In this pursuit, imaging mass cytometry (IMC) emerges as a valuable tool, capable of concurrently analyzing up to 40 parameters at subcellular resolution. In this study, a set of antibodies was selected to spatially resolve multiple cell types and TME elements, including a comprehensive panel targeted at dissecting the heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), a pivotal TME component. This antibody panel was standardized and optimized using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE) samples from different organs/lesions known to express the markers of interest. The final composition of the antibody panel was determined based on the performance of conjugated antibodies in both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and IMC. Tissue images were segmented employing the Steinbock framework. Unsupervised clustering of single-cell data was carried out using a bioinformatics pipeline developed in R program. This paper provides a detailed description of the staining procedure and analysis workflow. Subsequently, the panel underwent validation on clinical FFPE samples from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The panel and bioinformatics pipeline established here proved to be robust in characterizing different TME components of HNSCC while maintaining a high degree of spatial detail. The platform we describe shows promise for understanding the clinical implications of TMA heterogeneity in large patient cohorts with FFPE tissues available in diagnostic biobanks worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stian Tornaas
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Dimitrios Kleftogiannis
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
- Computional Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Siren Fromreide
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Hilde Ytre-Hauge Smeland
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
- Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Hans Jørgen Aarstad
- Department for Ear-Nose-and-Throat, Head and Neck Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Lars Andreas Akslen
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
- Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Daniela Elena Costea
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
- Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Harsh Nitin Dongre
- Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
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12
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Bingham V, Harewood L, McQuaid S, Craig SG, Revolta JF, Kim CS, Srivastava S, Quezada-Marín J, Humphries MP, Salto-Tellez M. Topographic analysis of pancreatic cancer by TMA and digital spatial profiling reveals biological complexity with potential therapeutic implications. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11361. [PMID: 38762572 PMCID: PMC11102543 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62031-0] [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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal human malignancies. Tissue microarrays (TMA) are an established method of high throughput biomarker interrogation in tissues but may not capture histological features of cancer with potential biological relevance. Topographic TMAs (T-TMAs) representing pathophysiological hallmarks of cancer were constructed from representative, retrospective PDAC diagnostic material, including 72 individual core tissue samples. The T-TMA was interrogated with tissue hybridization-based experiments to confirm the accuracy of the topographic sampling, expression of pro-tumourigenic and immune mediators of cancer, totalling more than 750 individual biomarker analyses. A custom designed Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) panel and a spatial distribution-specific transcriptomic evaluation were also employed. The morphological choice of the pathophysiological hallmarks of cancer was confirmed by protein-specific expression. Quantitative analysis identified topography-specific patterns of expression in the IDO/TGF-β axis; with a heterogeneous relationship of inflammation and desmoplasia across hallmark areas and a general but variable protein and gene expression of c-MET. NGS results highlighted underlying genetic heterogeneity within samples, which may have a confounding influence on the expression of a particular biomarker. T-TMAs, integrated with quantitative biomarker digital scoring, are useful tools to identify hallmark specific expression of biomarkers in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Bingham
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Louise Harewood
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Stephen McQuaid
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
- Cellular Pathology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Stephanie G Craig
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Julia F Revolta
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Chang S Kim
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Shambhavi Srivastava
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Javier Quezada-Marín
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Matthew P Humphries
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK.
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
- University of Leeds, St James' University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
| | - Manuel Salto-Tellez
- Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence, The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7AE, UK.
- Cellular Pathology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute for Cancer Research, London, UK.
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13
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Kundu M, Butti R, Panda VK, Malhotra D, Das S, Mitra T, Kapse P, Gosavi SW, Kundu GC. Modulation of the tumor microenvironment and mechanism of immunotherapy-based drug resistance in breast cancer. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:92. [PMID: 38715072 PMCID: PMC11075356 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, the most frequent female malignancy, is often curable when detected at an early stage. The treatment of metastatic breast cancer is more challenging and may be unresponsive to conventional therapy. Immunotherapy is crucial for treating metastatic breast cancer, but its resistance is a major limitation. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is vital in modulating the immunotherapy response. Various tumor microenvironmental components, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are involved in TME modulation to cause immunotherapy resistance. This review highlights the role of stromal cells in modulating the breast tumor microenvironment, including the involvement of CAF-TAM interaction, alteration of tumor metabolism leading to immunotherapy failure, and other latest strategies, including high throughput genomic screening, single-cell and spatial omics techniques for identifying tumor immune genes regulating immunotherapy response. This review emphasizes the therapeutic approach to overcome breast cancer immune resistance through CAF reprogramming, modulation of TAM polarization, tumor metabolism, and genomic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Kundu
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Brainware University, West Bengal, 700125, India
| | - Ramesh Butti
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA
| | - Venketesh K Panda
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Diksha Malhotra
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Sumit Das
- National Centre for Cell Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Tandrima Mitra
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Prachi Kapse
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Suresh W Gosavi
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Gopal C Kundu
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
- Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
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14
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Liu Y, Huang H, Yang X, Huang D, Wang X, Yuan M, Hong L. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of NOX4 as a biomarker for pan-cancer prognosis and immune infiltration. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:7437-7447. [PMID: 38663913 PMCID: PMC11087120 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205769] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) has been proven to be associated with the prognosis of tumors in multiple cancers and can serve as a potential immunotherapy target to provide new treatment options for various tumors. In this study, our aim is to conduct an in-depth investigation of NOX4 across a range of cancer types to determine the relationship between NOX4 and tumors. METHODS Utilizing large-scale transcriptomic and clinical data from public databases, a systematic examination of NOX4 expression patterns was performed in pan-cancer cohorts. Survival analysis, methylation analysis, and correlation studies were employed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic significance of NOX4 in diverse cancer types. Additionally, an exploration of the relationship between NOX4 expression and immune infiltration across various tumors was conducted. RESULTS The analyses unveiled a consistent upregulation of NOX4 expression in multiple cancer types relative to normal tissues, indicating its potential as a universal cancer biomarker. Elevated NOX4 expression significantly correlated with poor overall survival in several cancers. Furthermore, the study demonstrated a robust correlation between NOX4 expression and immune cell infiltration, signifying its involvement in the modulation of the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS This study imparts valuable insights into the potential applications of NOX4 in cancer research, highlighting its significance as a multifaceted biomarker with diagnostic, prognostic, and immunomodulatory implications across diverse malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Liu
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hua Huang
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xijun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Danhe Huang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiongwei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingyu Yuan
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lianqing Hong
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Wang H, Chen Y, Wei R, Zhang J, Zhu J, Wang W, Wang Z, Wupur Z, Li Y, Meng H. Synergistic Chemoimmunotherapy Augmentation via Sequential Nanocomposite Hydrogel-Mediated Reprogramming of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Osteosarcoma. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2309591. [PMID: 38113900 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
In osteosarcoma, immunotherapy often faces hurdles posed by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that secrete dense extracellular matrix components and cytokines. Directly removing CAFs may prove ineffective and even promote tumor metastasis. To address this challenge, a sequential nanocomposite hydrogel that reshapes CAF behavior is developed, enhancing tumor-infiltrating T-cells in osteosarcoma. The approach utilizes an injectable blend of carboxymethyl chitosan and tetrabasic polyethylene glycol, forming a hydrogel for controlled release of a potent CAF suppressor (Nox4 inhibitor, Nox4i) and liposomal Doxorubicin (L-Dox) to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) upon in situ administration. Nox4i effectively counters CAF activation, overcoming T-cell exclusion mechanisms, followed by programmed L-Dox release for ICD induction in stroma-rich osteosarcoma models. Combining the co-delivery gel with αPD-1 checkpoint inhibitor further enhances its effectiveness in an orthotopic osteosarcoma model. Immunophenotyping data underscore a significant boost in tumor T-cell infiltration and favorable anti-tumor immunity at the whole-animal level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yu Chen
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Ran Wei
- Musculoskeletal Tumor Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Jinlong Zhang
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Jiahui Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Wenbin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhenfei Wang
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zulpikar Wupur
- Qiushi College, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yujing Li
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Huan Meng
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
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16
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Hu J, Lazar AJ, Ingram D, Wang WL, Zhang W, Jia Z, Ragoonanan D, Wang J, Xia X, Mahadeo K, Gorlick R, Li S. Cell membrane-anchored and tumor-targeted IL-12 T-cell therapy destroys cancer-associated fibroblasts and disrupts extracellular matrix in heterogenous osteosarcoma xenograft models. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e006991. [PMID: 38199607 PMCID: PMC10806671 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006991] [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] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extracellular matrix (ECM) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play major roles in tumor progression, metastasis, and the poor response of many solid tumors to immunotherapy. CAF-targeted chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy cannot infiltrate ECM-rich tumors such as osteosarcoma. METHOD In this study, we used RNA sequencing to assess whether the recently invented membrane-anchored and tumor-targeted IL-12-armed (attIL12) T cells, which bind cell-surface vimentin (CSV) on tumor cells, could destroy CAFs to disrupt the ECM. We established an in vitro model of the interaction between osteosarcoma CAFs and attIL12-T cells to uncover the underlying mechanism by which attIL12-T cells penetrate stroma-enriched osteosarcoma tumors. RESULTS RNA sequencing demonstrated that attIL12-T cell treatment altered ECM-related gene expression. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed disruption or elimination of high-density CAFs and ECM in osteosarcoma xenograft tumors following attIL12-T cell treatment, and CAF/ECM density was inversely correlated with T-cell infiltration. Other IL12-armed T cells, such as wild-type IL-12-targeted or tumor-targeted IL-12-T cells, did not disrupt the ECM because this effect depended on the engagement between CSV on the tumor cell and its ligand on the attIL12-T cells. Mechanistic studies found that attIL12-T cell treatment elevated IFNγ production on interacting with CSV+ tumor cells, suppressing transforming growth factor beta secretion and in turn upregulating FAS-mediated CAF apoptosis. CAF destruction reshaped the tumor stroma to favor T-cell infiltration and tumor inhibition. CONCLUSIONS This study unveiled a novel therapy-attIL12-T cells-for targeting CAFs/ECM. These findings are highly relevant to humans because CAFs are abundant in human osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiemiao Hu
- Department of Pediatrics-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alexander J Lazar
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Universiy of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Davis Ingram
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wei-Lien Wang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wendong Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Zhiliang Jia
- Department of Pediatrics-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Dristhi Ragoonanan
- Department of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Xueqing Xia
- Department of Pediatrics-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kris Mahadeo
- Department of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Richard Gorlick
- Department of Pediatrics-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Shulin Li
- Department of Pediatrics-Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Shi A, Yan M, Pang B, Pang L, Wang Y, Lan Y, Zhang X, Xu J, Ping Y, Hu J. Dissecting cellular states of infiltrating microenvironment cells in melanoma by integrating single-cell and bulk transcriptome analysis. BMC Immunol 2023; 24:52. [PMID: 38082384 PMCID: PMC10714533 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-023-00587-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellular states of different immune cells can affect the activity of the whole immune microenvironment. METHODS Here, leveraging reference profiles of microenvironment cell states that were constructed based on single-cell RNA-seq data of melanoma, we dissected the composition of microenvironment cell states across 463 skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) bulk samples through CIBERSORT-based deconvolution of gene expression profiles and revealed high heterogeneity of their distribution. Correspondence analysis on the estimated cellular fractions of melanoma bulk samples was performed to identify immune phenotypes. Based on the publicly available clinical survival and therapy data, we analyzed the relationship between immune phenotypes and clinical outcomes of melanoma. RESULTS By analysis of the relationships among those cell states, we further identified three distinct tumor microenvironment immune phenotypes: "immune hot/active", "immune cold-suppressive" and "immune cold-exhausted". They were characterized by markedly different patterns of cell states: most notably the CD8 T Cytotoxic state, CD8 T Mixed state, B non-regulatory state and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), depicting distinct types of antitumor immune response (or immune activity). These phenotypes had prognostic significance for progression-free survival and implications in response to immune therapy in an independent cohort of anti-PD1 treated melanoma patients. CONCLUSIONS The proposed strategy of leveraging single-cell data to dissect the composition of microenvironment cell states in individual bulk tumors can also extend to other cancer types, and our results highlight the importance of microenvironment cell states for the understanding of tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiai Shi
- School of Intelligent Medicine and Biotechnology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541100, Guangxi, China
| | - Min Yan
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Bo Pang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lin Pang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yihan Wang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yujia Lan
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinyuan Xu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Yanyan Ping
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Jing Hu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
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18
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Chai K, Wang C, Zhou J, Mu W, Gao M, Fan Z, Lv G. Quenching thirst with poison? Paradoxical effect of anticancer drugs. Pharmacol Res 2023; 198:106987. [PMID: 37949332 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Anticancer drugs have been developed with expectations to provide long-term or at least short-term survival benefits for patients with cancer. Unfortunately, drug therapy tends to provoke malignant biological and clinical behaviours of cancer cells relating not only to the evolution of resistance to specific drugs but also to the enhancement of their proliferation and metastasis abilities. Thus, drug therapy is suspected to impair long-term survival in treated patients under certain circumstances. The paradoxical therapeutic effects could be described as 'quenching thirst with poison', where temporary relief is sought regardless of the consequences. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which tumours react on drug-induced stress to maintain viability is crucial to develop rational targeting approaches which may optimize survival in patients with cancer. In this review, we describe the paradoxical adverse effects of anticancer drugs, in particular how cancer cells complete resistance evolution, enhance proliferation, escape from immune surveillance and metastasize efficiently when encountered with drug therapy. We also describe an integrative therapeutic framework that may diminish such paradoxical effects, consisting of four main strategies: (1) targeting endogenous stress response pathways, (2) targeting new identities of cancer cells, (3) adaptive therapy- exploiting subclonal competition of cancer cells, and (4) targeting tumour microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Chai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Chuanlei Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jianpeng Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Wentao Mu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Menghan Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhongqi Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Guoyue Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
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Chen B, Liu X, Yu P, Xie F, Kwan JSH, Chan WN, Fang C, Zhang J, Cheung AHK, Chow C, Leung GWM, Leung KT, Shi S, Zhang B, Wang S, Xu D, Fu K, Wong CC, Wu WKK, Chan MWY, Tang PMK, Tsang CM, Lo KW, Tse GMK, Yu J, To KF, Kang W. H. pylori-induced NF-κB-PIEZO1-YAP1-CTGF axis drives gastric cancer progression and cancer-associated fibroblast-mediated tumour microenvironment remodelling. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1481. [PMID: 37983931 PMCID: PMC10659770 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1481] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common tumours in East Asia countries and is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori utilizes virulence factors, CagA and VacA, to up-regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines and activate NF-κB signaling. Meanwhile, the PIEZO1 upregulation and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) enrichment were found in GC progression. However, the mechanisms of PIEZO1 upregulation and its involvement in GC progression have not been fully elucidated. METHODS The CAF enrichment and clinical significance were investigated in animal models and primary samples. The expression of NF-κB and PIEZO1 in GC was confirmed by immunohistochemistry staining, and expression correlation was analysed in multiple GC datasets. GSEA and Western blot analysis revealed the YAP1-CTGF axis regulation by PIEZO1. The stimulatory effects of CTGF on CAFs were validated by the co-culture system and animal studies. Patient-derived organoid and peritoneal dissemination models were employed to confirm the role of the PIEZO1-YAP1-CTGF cascade in GC. RESULTS Both CAF signature and PIEZO1 were positively correlated with H. pylori infection. PIEZO1, a mechanosensor, was confirmed as a direct downstream of NF-κB to promote the transformation from intestinal metaplasia to GC. Mechanistic studies revealed that PIEZO1 transduced the oncogenic signal from NF-κB into YAP1 signaling, a well-documented oncogenic pathway in GC progression. PIEZO1 expression was positively correlated with the YAP1 signature (CTGF, CYR61, and c-Myc, etc.) in primary samples. The secreted CTGF by cancer cells stimulated the CAF infiltration to form a stiffened collagen-enrichment microenvironment, thus activating PIEZO1 to form a positive feedback loop. Both PIEZO1 depletion by shRNA and CTGF inhibition by Procyanidin C1 enhanced the efficacy of 5-FU in suppressing the GC cell peritoneal metastasis. CONCLUSION This study elucidates a novel driving PIEZO1-YAP1-CTGF force, which opens a novel therapeutic avenue to block the transformation from precancerous lesions to GC. H. pylori-NF-κB activates the PIEZO1-YAP1-CTGF axis to remodel the GC microenvironment by promoting CAF infiltration. Targeting PIEZO1-YAP1-CTGF plus chemotherapy might serve as a potential therapeutic option to block GC progression and peritoneal metastasis.
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20
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Dang H, Sheng J, Tang P, Peng X, Zhang R, Zhao X, Hu J, Xu T. The role and mechanism of NADPH oxidase in the development and progression of thyroid carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2023; 13:4366-4375. [PMID: 37818067 PMCID: PMC10560939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the fastest increasing cancer in both men and women and is the most common endocrine cancer. Researchers have gradually intensified their research on the mechanism of thyroid cancer development. Within this realm, Oxidative stress is often believed to play a causal and contributory role in thyroid cancer development. NADPH oxidase is one of the important sources of reactive oxygen species for tumor cell growth and is involved in the biological processes of thyroid tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. However, the mechanism of NADPH oxidase in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer is still not very clear at present. Clarifying the role and mechanism of NADPH oxidase in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer will help to develop new strategies for the prevention and treatment of thyroid cancer as early as possible, and improve the survival rates of thyroid tumor patients. This article reviews the research progress on the mechanism of NADPH oxidase in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Dang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianfeng Sheng
- Department of Thyroid, Head, Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Ping Tang
- Department of Thyroid, Head, Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiujuan Peng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Renfei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoji Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Department of Thyroid, Head, Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Department of Thyroid, Head, Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Third Hospital of Mianyang (Sichuan Mental Health Center)No. 190 The East Jiannan Road, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China
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21
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Pizurica M, Larmuseau M, Van der Eecken K, de Schaetzen van Brienen L, Carrillo-Perez F, Isphording S, Lumen N, Van Dorpe J, Ost P, Verbeke S, Gevaert O, Marchal K. Whole Slide Imaging-Based Prediction of TP53 Mutations Identifies an Aggressive Disease Phenotype in Prostate Cancer. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2970-2984. [PMID: 37352385 PMCID: PMC10538366 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-3113] [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: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
In prostate cancer, there is an urgent need for objective prognostic biomarkers that identify the metastatic potential of a tumor at an early stage. While recent analyses indicated TP53 mutations as candidate biomarkers, molecular profiling in a clinical setting is complicated by tumor heterogeneity. Deep learning models that predict the spatial presence of TP53 mutations in whole slide images (WSI) offer the potential to mitigate this issue. To assess the potential of WSIs as proxies for spatially resolved profiling and as biomarkers for aggressive disease, we developed TiDo, a deep learning model that achieves state-of-the-art performance in predicting TP53 mutations from WSIs of primary prostate tumors. In an independent multifocal cohort, the model showed successful generalization at both the patient and lesion level. Analysis of model predictions revealed that false positive (FP) predictions could at least partially be explained by TP53 deletions, suggesting that some FP carry an alteration that leads to the same histological phenotype as TP53 mutations. Comparative expression and histologic cell type analyses identified a TP53-like cellular phenotype triggered by expression of pathways affecting stromal composition. Together, these findings indicate that WSI-based models might not be able to perfectly predict the spatial presence of individual TP53 mutations but they have the potential to elucidate the prognosis of a tumor by depicting a downstream phenotype associated with aggressive disease biomarkers. SIGNIFICANCE Deep learning models predicting TP53 mutations from whole slide images of prostate cancer capture histologic phenotypes associated with stromal composition, lymph node metastasis, and biochemical recurrence, indicating their potential as in silico prognostic biomarkers. See related commentary by Bordeleau, p. 2809.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Pizurica
- Internet Technology and Data Science Lab (IDLab/IMEC), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Maarten Larmuseau
- Internet Technology and Data Science Lab (IDLab/IMEC), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | | | - Louise de Schaetzen van Brienen
- Internet Technology and Data Science Lab (IDLab/IMEC), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Francisco Carrillo-Perez
- Department of Architecture and Computer Technology (ATC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Simon Isphording
- Internet Technology and Data Science Lab (IDLab/IMEC), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Nicolaas Lumen
- Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jo Van Dorpe
- Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Piet Ost
- Department of Radiotherapy, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sofie Verbeke
- Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Olivier Gevaert
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Kathleen Marchal
- Internet Technology and Data Science Lab (IDLab/IMEC), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
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22
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Raudenska M, Balvan J, Hanelova K, Bugajova M, Masarik M. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: Mediators of head and neck tumor microenvironment remodeling. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188940. [PMID: 37331641 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are involved in critical aspects of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) pathogenesis, such as the formation of a tumor-permissive extracellular matrix structure, angiogenesis, or immune and metabolic reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment (TME), with implications for metastasis and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The pleiotropic effect of CAFs in TME is likely to reflect the heterogeneity and plasticity of their population, with context-dependent effects on carcinogenesis. The specific properties of CAFs provide many targetable molecules that could play an important role in the future therapy of HNSCC. In this review article, we will focus on the role of CAFs in the TME of HNSCC tumors. We will also discuss clinically relevant agents targeting CAFs, their signals, and signaling pathways, which are activated by CAFs in cancer cells, with the potential for repurposing for HNSCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Raudenska
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Balvan
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Klara Hanelova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Maria Bugajova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Masarik
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University / Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Pathophysiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, / U Nemocnice 5, CZ-128 53 Prague, Czech Republic.
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23
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Liu WJ, Wang L, Zhou FM, Liu SW, Wang W, Zhao EJ, Yao QJ, Li W, Zhao YQ, Shi Z, Qiu JG, Jiang BH. Elevated NOX4 promotes tumorigenesis and acquired EGFR-TKIs resistance via enhancing IL-8/PD-L1 signaling in NSCLC. Drug Resist Updat 2023; 70:100987. [PMID: 37392558 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.100987] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been widely used for human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. However, acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs is the major barrier of treatment success, and new resistance mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that elevated NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) expression was associated with acquired EGFR-TKIs resistance. Gefitinib is the first-generation FDA-approved EGFR-TKI, and osimertinib is the third-generation FDA-approved EGFR-TKI. We demonstrated that NOX4 knockdown in the EGFR-TKI resistant cells enabled the cells to become sensitive to gefitinib and osimertinib treatment, while forced expression of NOX4 in the sensitive parental cells was sufficient to induce resistance to gefitinib and osimertinib in the cells. To elucidate the mechanism of NOX4 upregulation in increasing TKIs resistance, we found that knockdown of NOX4 significantly down-regulated the expression of transcription factor YY1. YY1 bound directly to the promoter region of IL-8 to transcriptionally activate IL-8 expression. Interestingly, knockdown of NOX4 and IL-8 decreased programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, which provide new insight on TKIs resistance and immune escape. We found that patients with higher NOX4 and IL-8 expression levels showed a shorter survival time compared to those with lower NOX4 and IL-8 expression levels in response to the anti-PD-L1 therapy. Knockdown of NOX4, YY1 or IL-8 alone inhibited angiogenesis and tumor growth. Furthermore, the combination of NOX4 inhibitor GKT137831 and gefitinib had synergistic effect to inhibit cell proliferation and tumor growth and to increase cellular apoptosis. These findings demonstrated that NOX4 and YY1 were essential for mediating the acquired EGFR-TKIs resistance. IL-8 and PD-L1 are two downstream targets of NOX4 to regulate TKIs resistance and immunotherapy. These molecules may be used as potential new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for overcoming TKIs resistance in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jing Liu
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Lin Wang
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Feng-Mei Zhou
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Shu-Wen Liu
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Wei Wang
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Er-Jiang Zhao
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Quan-Jun Yao
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Yan-Qiu Zhao
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Zhi Shi
- Department of Cell Biology & Institute of Biomedicine, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Jian-Ge Qiu
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China.
| | - Bing-Hua Jiang
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, The Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China.
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24
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Huang J, Tsang WY, Li ZH, Guan XY. The Origin, Differentiation, and Functions of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Gastrointestinal Cancer. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:503-511. [PMID: 37451403 PMCID: PMC10462789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence has shown the importance of the tumor microenvironment in tumorigenesis and progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most infiltrated stroma cells of the tumor microenvironment in gastrointestinal tumors. CAFs play crucial roles in tumor development and therapeutic response by biologically secreting soluble factors or structurally remodeling the extracellular matrix. Conceivably, CAFs may become excellent targets for tumor prevention and treatment. However, the limited knowledge of the heterogeneity of CAFs represents a huge challenge for clinically targeting CAFs. In this review, we summarize the newest understanding of gastrointestinal CAFs, with a special focus on their origin, differentiation, and function. We also discuss the current understanding of CAF subpopulations as shown by single-cell technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Huang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai-Ying Tsang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhi-Hong Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Huizhou, China.
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25
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Alonso-Juarranz M, Mascaraque M, Carrasco E, Gracia-Cazaña T, De La Sen O, Gilaberte Y, Gonzalez S, Juarranz Á, Falahat F. The Distinctive Features behind the Aggressiveness of Oral and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3227. [PMID: 37370836 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas arise from stratified squamous epithelia. Here, a comparative analysis based on recent studies defining the genetic alterations and composition of the stroma of oral and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC and CSCC, respectively) was performed. Both carcinomas share some but not all histological and genetic features. This review was focused on how mutations in tumor suppressor genes and protooncogenes cooperate to determine the differentiation, aggressiveness, and metastatic potential of OSCC and CSCC. In fact, driver mutations in tumor suppressor genes are more frequently observed in OSCC than CSCC. These include mutations in TP53 (encoding pP53 protein), CDKN2A (encoding cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A), FAT1 (encoding FAT atypical cadherin 1), and KMT2D (encoding lysine methyltransferase 2D), with the exception of NOTCH (encoding Notch receptor 1), whose mutation frequency is lower in OSCC compared to CSCC. Finally, we describe the differential composition of the tumor microenvironment and how this influences the aggressiveness of each tumor type. Although both OSCC and CSCC tumors are highly infiltrated by immune cells, high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been more frequently reported as predictors of better outcomes in OSCC than CSCC. In conclusion, OSCC and CSCC partially share genetic alterations and possess different causal factors triggering their development. The tumor microenvironment plays a key role determining the outcome of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Alonso-Juarranz
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Mascaraque
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Translational Research Unit, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Elisa Carrasco
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tamara Gracia-Cazaña
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Oscar De La Sen
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Gilaberte
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Salvador Gonzalez
- Department of Experimental Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángeles Juarranz
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Farzin Falahat
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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26
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Gandhi V, Mahajan A, Kansal YP. An Immunohistochemical Analysis for Evaluating the Diagnostic Role of Myofibroblasts in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma using α-Smooth Muscle Actin Antibody. Adv Biomed Res 2023; 12:123. [PMID: 37434928 PMCID: PMC10331533 DOI: 10.4103/abr.abr_160_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One of the most common types of malignancies affecting the head and neck region is oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Little less is known about the role of myofibroblasts in the pathogenetic process of OSCC. Hence, we assessed the involvement of myofibroblasts in the invasive process of OSCC using α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) antibody. Materials and Methods Four study groups in total were organized as follows: 40 cases each of well-differentiated OSCC (WDOSCC), moderately differentiated OSCC (MDOSCC), poorly differentiated OSCC (PDOSCC), and controls make up Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4, respectively. The percentage of α-SMA immunopositive cells and staining intensity (A) multiplied together to determine the final staining score (B). The final staining index was produced by multiplying staining intensity (A) by the proportion of immunopositive cells that were stained with α-SMA (B) (FSI). Score Zero was graded as Index Zero by FSI while scores One and Two received an Index Low rating, scores Three and Four an Index Moderate rating, and scores Six and Nine an Index High rating. Results Significantly higher expression of myofibroblast was observed in OSCC group in comparison with the control group. However; no significant difference in myofibroblast expression was observed while comparing different grades of OSCC. Conclusion We recommend using myofibroblasts as a stromal marker to track the severity and development of OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Gandhi
- Department of Human Anatomy, SGRD University of Health Sciences, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Anupama Mahajan
- Department of Human Anatomy, SGRD Medical College and Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Yash Pal Kansal
- Department of General Pathology, Dasmesh Institute of Research and Dental Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab, India
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27
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Arima Y, Matsueda S, Saya H. Significance of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in the Interactions of Cancer Cells with the Tumor Microenvironment of Heterogeneous Tumor Tissue. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092536. [PMID: 37174001 PMCID: PMC10177529 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092536] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a key role in cancer development and progression, as well as contributes to the therapeutic resistance and metastasis of cancer cells. The TME is heterogeneous and consists of multiple cell types, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), endothelial cells, and immune cells, as well as various extracellular components. Recent studies have revealed cross talk between cancer cells and CAFs as well as between CAFs and other TME cells, including immune cells. Signaling by transforming growth factor-β, derived from CAFs, has recently been shown to induce remodeling of tumor tissue, including the promotion of angiogenesis and immune cell recruitment. Immunocompetent mouse cancer models that recapitulate interactions of cancer cells with the TME have provided insight into the TME network and support the development of new anticancer therapeutic strategies. Recent studies based on such models have revealed that the antitumor action of molecularly targeted agents is mediated in part by effects on the tumor immune environment. In this review, we focus on cancer cell-TME interactions in heterogeneous tumor tissue, and we provide an overview of the basis for anticancer therapeutic strategies that target the TME, including immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimi Arima
- Cancer Center, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
| | - Satoko Matsueda
- Cancer Center, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Saya
- Cancer Center, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
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28
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Chhabra Y, Weeraratna AT. Fibroblasts in cancer: Unity in heterogeneity. Cell 2023; 186:1580-1609. [PMID: 37059066 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cells do not exist in isolation in vivo, and carcinogenesis depends on the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), composed of a myriad of cell types and biophysical and biochemical components. Fibroblasts are integral in maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, even before a tumor develops, pro-tumorigenic fibroblasts in close proximity can provide the fertile 'soil' to the cancer 'seed' and are known as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In response to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors, CAFs reorganize the TME enabling metastasis, therapeutic resistance, dormancy and reactivation by secreting cellular and acellular factors. In this review, we summarize the recent discoveries on CAF-mediated cancer progression with a particular focus on fibroblast heterogeneity and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Chhabra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Ashani T Weeraratna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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29
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Song J, He GN, Dai L. A comprehensive review on celastrol, triptolide and triptonide: Insights on their pharmacological activity, toxicity, combination therapy, new dosage form and novel drug delivery routes. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114705. [PMID: 37062220 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Celastrol, triptolide and triptonide are the most significant active ingredients of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF). In 2007, the 'Cell' journal ranked celastrol, triptolide, artemisinin, capsaicin and curcumin as the five natural drugs that can be developed into modern medicinal compounds. In this review, we collected relevant data from the Web of Science, PubMed and China Knowledge Resource Integrated databases. Some information was also acquired from government reports and conference papers. Celastrol, triptolide and triptonide have potent pharmacological activity and evident anti-cancer, anti-tumor, anti-obesity and anti-diabetes effects. Because these compounds have demonstrated unique therapeutic potential for acute and chronic inflammation, brain injury, vascular diseases, immune diseases, renal system diseases, bone diseases and cardiac diseases, they can be used as effective drugs in clinical practice in the future. However, celastrol, triptolide and triptonide have certain toxic effects on the liver, kidney, cholangiocyte heart, ear and reproductive system. These shortcomings limit their clinical application. Suitable combination therapy, new dosage forms and new routes of administration can effectively reduce toxicity and increase the effect. In recent years, the development of different targeted drug delivery formulations and administration routes of celastrol and triptolide to overcome their toxic effects and maximise their efficacy has become a major focus of research. However, in-depth investigation is required to elucidate the mechanisms of action of celastrol, triptolide and triptonide, and more clinical trials are required to assess the safety and clinical value of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Song
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China; Shandong Yuze Pharmaceutical Industry Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd, Dezhou, China
| | - Guan-Nan He
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan 250014, China
| | - Long Dai
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
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30
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Munkácsy G, Santarpia L, Győrffy B. Therapeutic Potential of Tumor Metabolic Reprogramming in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24086945. [PMID: 37108109 PMCID: PMC10138520 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24086945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, with clinical features of high metastatic potential, susceptibility to relapse, and poor prognosis. TNBC lacks the expression of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It is characterized by genomic and transcriptional heterogeneity and a tumor microenvironment (TME) with the presence of high levels of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), immunogenicity, and an important immunosuppressive landscape. Recent evidence suggests that metabolic changes in the TME play a key role in molding tumor development by impacting the stromal and immune cell fractions, TME composition, and activation. Hence, a complex inter-talk between metabolic and TME signaling in TNBC exists, highlighting the possibility of uncovering and investigating novel therapeutic targets. A better understanding of the interaction between the TME and tumor cells, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of cell-cell communication signaling, may uncover additional targets for better therapeutic strategies in TNBC treatment. In this review, we aim to discuss the mechanisms in tumor metabolic reprogramming, linking these changes to potential targetable molecular mechanisms to generate new, physical science-inspired clinical translational insights for the cure of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyöngyi Munkácsy
- National Laboratory for Drug Research and Development, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Oncology Biomarker Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Balázs Győrffy
- Department of Bioinformatics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 5-7, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 5-7, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
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31
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Boudreau HE, Korzeniowska A, Leto TL. Mutant p53 and NOX4 are modulators of a CCL5-driven pro-migratory secretome. Free Radic Biol Med 2023; 199:17-25. [PMID: 36804453 PMCID: PMC10081791 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.02.012] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we showed wild-type (WT) and mutant (mt) forms of p53 differentially regulate ROS generation by NADPH oxidase-4 (NOX4). We found that WT-p53 suppresses TGF-β-induced NOX4, ROS production, and cell migration, whereas tumor-associated mt-p53 proteins enhance NOX4 expression and cell migration by TGF-β/SMAD3-dependent mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the role of mutant p53-induced NOX4 on the cancer cell secretome and the effects NOX4 signaling have on the tumor microenvironment (TME). We found conditioned media collected from H1299 lung epithelial cells stably expressing either mutant p53-R248Q or R273H promotes the migration and invasion of naïve H1299 cells and chemotactic recruitment of THP-1 monocytes. These effects were diminished with conditioned media from cells co-transfected with dominant negative NOX4 (P437H). We utilized immunoblot-based cytokine array analysis to identify factors in mutant p53 H1299 cell conditioned media that promote cell migration and invasion. We found CCL5 was significantly reduced in conditioned media from H1299 cells co-expressing p53-R248Q and dominant negative NOX4. Moreover, neutralization of CCL5 reduced autocrine-mediated H1299 cell mobility. Furthermore, CCL5 and TGF-beta from M2-polarized macrophages have a significant role in crosstalk and H1299 cell migration and invasion. Collectively, our findings provide further insight into NOX4-based communication in the tumor microenvironment and its potential as a therapeutic target affecting metastatic disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard E Boudreau
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Molecular Defenses Section, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Agnieszka Korzeniowska
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Molecular Defenses Section, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Thomas L Leto
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Molecular Defenses Section, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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32
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Charytonowicz D, Brody R, Sebra R. Interpretable and context-free deconvolution of multi-scale whole transcriptomic data with UniCell deconvolve. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1350. [PMID: 36906603 PMCID: PMC10008582 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36961-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We introduce UniCell: Deconvolve Base (UCDBase), a pre-trained, interpretable, deep learning model to deconvolve cell type fractions and predict cell identity across Spatial, bulk-RNA-Seq, and scRNA-Seq datasets without contextualized reference data. UCD is trained on 10 million pseudo-mixtures from a fully-integrated scRNA-Seq training database comprising over 28 million annotated single cells spanning 840 unique cell types from 898 studies. We show that our UCDBase and transfer-learning models achieve comparable or superior performance on in-silico mixture deconvolution to existing, reference-based, state-of-the-art methods. Feature attribute analysis uncovers gene signatures associated with cell-type specific inflammatory-fibrotic responses in ischemic kidney injury, discerns cancer subtypes, and accurately deconvolves tumor microenvironments. UCD identifies pathologic changes in cell fractions among bulk-RNA-Seq data for several disease states. Applied to lung cancer scRNA-Seq data, UCD annotates and distinguishes normal from cancerous cells. Overall, UCD enhances transcriptomic data analysis, aiding in assessment of cellular and spatial context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Charytonowicz
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Brody
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Sebra
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Icahn Genomics Institute, New York, NY, USA.
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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Hanley CJ, Waise S, Ellis MJ, Lopez MA, Pun WY, Taylor J, Parker R, Kimbley LM, Chee SJ, Shaw EC, West J, Alzetani A, Woo E, Ottensmeier CH, Rose-Zerilli MJJ, Thomas GJ. Single-cell analysis reveals prognostic fibroblast subpopulations linked to molecular and immunological subtypes of lung cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:387. [PMID: 36720863 PMCID: PMC9889778 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35832-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are poorly characterised cells that variably impact tumour progression. Here, we use single cell RNA-sequencing, multiplexed immunohistochemistry and digital cytometry (CIBERSORTx) to identify and characterise three major fibroblast subpopulations in human non-small cell lung cancer: adventitial, alveolar and myofibroblasts. Alveolar and adventitial fibroblasts (enriched in control tissue samples) localise to discrete spatial niches in histologically normal lung tissue and indicate improved overall survival rates when present in lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD). Trajectory inference identifies three phases of control tissue fibroblast activation, leading to myofibroblast enrichment in tumour samples: initial upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, followed by stress-response signalling and ultimately increased expression of fibrillar collagens. Myofibroblasts correlate with poor overall survival rates in LUAD, associated with loss of epithelial differentiation, TP53 mutations, proximal molecular subtypes and myeloid cell recruitment. In squamous carcinomas myofibroblasts were not prognostic despite being transcriptomically equivalent. These findings have important implications for developing fibroblast-targeting strategies for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Hanley
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
- Cancer Research UK and NIHR Southampton Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Sara Waise
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Matthew J Ellis
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Maria A Lopez
- Department of Histopathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Wai Y Pun
- Department of Histopathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Julian Taylor
- Department of Histopathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Rachel Parker
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Lucy M Kimbley
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Serena J Chee
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology (ISMIB) and Liverpool Experimental Cancer Medicines Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7BE, UK
| | - Emily C Shaw
- Department of Histopathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Jonathan West
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Aiman Alzetani
- Department of Thoracic surgery, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Edwin Woo
- Department of Thoracic surgery, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Christian H Ottensmeier
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Cancer Research UK and NIHR Southampton Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology (ISMIB) and Liverpool Experimental Cancer Medicines Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7BE, UK
| | - Matthew J J Rose-Zerilli
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Gareth J Thomas
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
- Cancer Research UK and NIHR Southampton Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
- Department of Histopathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
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Sarkar M, Nguyen T, Gundre E, Ogunlusi O, El-Sobky M, Giri B, Sarkar TR. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: The chief architect in the tumor microenvironment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1089068. [PMID: 36793444 PMCID: PMC9923123 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1089068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Stromal heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in malignancy and therapeutic resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the major players in tumor stroma. The heterogeneous sources of origin and subsequent impacts of crosstalk with breast cancer cells flaunt serious challenges before current therapies to cure triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and other cancers. The positive and reciprocal feedback of CAFs to induce cancer cells dictates their mutual synergy in establishing malignancy. Their substantial role in creating a tumor-promoting niche has reduced the efficacy of several anti-cancer treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Over the years, there has been an emphasis on understanding CAF-induced therapeutic resistance in order to enhance cancer therapy results. CAFs, in the majority of cases, employ crosstalk, stromal management, and other strategies to generate resilience in surrounding tumor cells. This emphasizes the significance of developing novel strategies that target particular tumor-promoting CAF subpopulations, which will improve treatment sensitivity and impede tumor growth. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the origin and heterogeneity of CAFs, their role in tumor progression, and altering the tumor response to therapeutic agents in breast cancer. In addition, we also discuss the potential and possible approaches for CAF-mediated therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Tristan Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Esheksha Gundre
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Olajumoke Ogunlusi
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Mohanad El-Sobky
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Biplab Giri
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, English Bazar, India
| | - Tapasree Roy Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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The Tumor Microenvironment in Tumorigenesis and Therapy Resistance Revisited. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020376. [PMID: 36672326 PMCID: PMC9856874 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumorigenesis is a complex and dynamic process involving cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions that allow tumor cell growth, drug resistance and metastasis. This review provides an updated summary of the role played by the tumor microenvironment (TME) components and hypoxia in tumorigenesis, and highlight various ways through which tumor cells reprogram normal cells into phenotypes that are pro-tumorigenic, including cancer associated- fibroblasts, -macrophages and -endothelial cells. Tumor cells secrete numerous factors leading to the transformation of a previously anti-tumorigenic environment into a pro-tumorigenic environment. Once formed, solid tumors continue to interact with various stromal cells, including local and infiltrating fibroblasts, macrophages, mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial cells, pericytes, and secreted factors and the ECM within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME is key to tumorigenesis, drug response and treatment outcome. Importantly, stromal cells and secreted factors can initially be anti-tumorigenic, but over time promote tumorigenesis and induce therapy resistance. To counter hypoxia, increased angiogenesis leads to the formation of new vascular networks in order to actively promote and sustain tumor growth via the supply of oxygen and nutrients, whilst removing metabolic waste. Angiogenic vascular network formation aid in tumor cell metastatic dissemination. Successful tumor treatment and novel drug development require the identification and therapeutic targeting of pro-tumorigenic components of the TME including cancer-associated- fibroblasts (CAFs) and -macrophages (CAMs), hypoxia, blocking ECM-receptor interactions, in addition to the targeting of tumor cells. The reprogramming of stromal cells and the immune response to be anti-tumorigenic is key to therapeutic success. Lastly, this review highlights potential TME- and hypoxia-centered therapies under investigation.
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Single-Cell and Transcriptome-Based Immune Cell-Related Prognostic Model in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2023; 2023:5355269. [PMID: 36925653 PMCID: PMC10014191 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5355269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Traditional studies mostly focus on the role of single gene in regulating clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), while it ignores the impact of tumour heterogeneity on disease progression. The purpose of this study is to construct a prognostic risk model for ccRCC by analysing the differential marker genes related to immune cells in the single-cell database to provide help in clinical diagnosis and targeted therapy. Single-cell data and ligand-receptor relationship pair data were downloaded from related publications, and ccRCC phenotype and expression profile data were downloaded from TCGA and CPTAC. Based on the DEGs of each cluster acquired from single-cell data, immune cell marker genes, and ligand-receptor gene data, we constructed a multilayer network. Then, the genes in the network and the genes in TCGA were used to construct the WGCNA network, which screened out prognosis-associated genes for subsequent analysis. Finally, a prognostic risk scoring model was obtained, and CPTAC data showed that the effectiveness of this model was good. A nomogram based on the predictive model for predicting the overall survival was established, and internal validation was performed well. Our findings suggest that the predictive model built and based on the immune cell scRNA-seq will enable us to judge the prognosis of patients with ccRCC and provide more accurate directions for basic relevant research and clinical practice.
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Zhao X, He Y, Pan Y, Ye L, Liu L, Mou X, Fu L. Integrated clinical analysis and data mining assessed the impact of NOX4 on the immune microenvironment and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1044526. [PMID: 36874093 PMCID: PMC9978331 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1044526] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic cancer is complex. which forms forms a microenvironment with high immunosuppression, ischemia and hypoxia, which promotes tumor proliferation and migration, inhibit the anti-tumor immune response. NOX4 plays an important role in tumor microenvironment and has a significant relationship with the occurrence, development and drug resistance of tumor. Methods Firstly, NOX4 expression in pancreatic cancer tissues under different pathological conditions was detected by applying immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray (TMA). Transcriptome RNA sequencing data and clinical data of 182 pancreatic cancer samples were downloaded and collated from the UCSC xena database. 986 NOX4-related lncRNAs were filtered by Spearman correlation analysis. prognosis-related NOX4-related lncRNAs and NRlncSig Score were finally obtained by univariate and multivariate Cox regression with Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (Lasso) analysis in pancreatic cancer patients. we plotted Kaplan -Meier and time-dependent ROC curves (ROC) to assess the validity in predicting the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. The ssGSEA analysis was applied to explore the immune microenvironment of pancreatic cancer patients as well as to discuss the immune cells and immune status separately. Results We found that a mature tumor marker, NOX4, play different roles in different clinical subgroups by immunohistochemical analysis and clinical data. Finally, 2 NOX4-related lncRNAs were determined by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis, univariate Cox analysis and multivariate COX analysis. The ROC curve and DCA curve showed that NRS Score had better predictive ability than independent prognosis-related lncRNA and other clinicopathologic indicators. We obtained the relative abundance of 28 infiltrating immune cells by ssGSEA analysis and found a significant positive correlation between the abundance of anti-tumor immune cells and tumor-promoting immune cells in the risk-classified microenvironment. No matter NRS Score or AC092667.2, RP11-349A8.3 was significantly correlated with immune infiltrating cells. Meanwhile, the IC50 of conventional chemotherapeutic agents in high-score group were significantly lower than those in low-score group. Conclusion As a mature tumor marker, NOX4-related lncRNAs provide new research strategies for prognostic evaluation, molecular mechanism and clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yichen He
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,College of pharmacy, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi Pan
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,College of pharmacy, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Luyi Ye
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Longcai Liu
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaozhou Mou
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Luoqin Fu
- General Surgery, Cancer Center, Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Zulaziz N, Chai SJ, Lim KP. The origins, roles and therapies of cancer associated fibroblast in liver cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1151373. [PMID: 37035187 PMCID: PMC10076538 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1151373] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer. It is often preceded by chronic inflammation such as liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Different cell types are believed to give rise to liver-specific cancer associated fibroblast (CAF), these include resident fibroblast, hepatic stellate cell, liver cancer cell, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell and mesenchymal stromal cell. The abundance of fibroblasts has contributed to the cancer progression, immune modulation and treatment resistance in HCC. In this review, we discussed the origins, subtypes and roles of cancer associated fibroblasts in HCC. Their specific roles in shaping the tumor microenvironment, facilitating cancer growth, and modulating different immune cell types to confer a permissive environment for cancer growth. CAF is now an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment, however specific therapeutic development in HCC is still lacking. Hence, we have included preclinical and clinical development of CAF-specific interventions for other cancer types in this review. However, most CAF-specific therapies have resulted in disappointing clinical outcomes, likely due to the difficulties in differentiating CAF from normal fibroblast. A thorough understanding of the characteristics and functionalities of CAF is warranted to further improve the therapeutic efficacy of anti-CAF therapies.
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Mellone M, Piotrowska K, Venturi G, James L, Bzura A, Lopez MA, James S, Wang C, Ellis MJ, Hanley CJ, Buckingham JF, Cox KL, Hughes G, Valge-Archer V, King EV, Beers SA, Jaquet V, Jones GD, Savelyeva N, Sayan E, Parsons JL, Durant S, Thomas GJ. ATM Regulates Differentiation of Myofibroblastic Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Can Be Targeted to Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance. Cancer Res 2022; 82:4571-4585. [PMID: 36353752 PMCID: PMC9755965 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Myofibroblastic cancer-associated fibroblast (myoCAF)-rich tumors generally contain few T cells and respond poorly to immune-checkpoint blockade. Although myoCAFs are associated with poor outcome in most solid tumors, the molecular mechanisms regulating myoCAF accumulation remain unclear, limiting the potential for therapeutic intervention. Here, we identify ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) as a central regulator of the myoCAF phenotype. Differentiating myofibroblasts in vitro and myoCAFs cultured ex vivo display activated ATM signaling, and targeting ATM genetically or pharmacologically could suppress and reverse differentiation. ATM activation was regulated by the reactive oxygen species-producing enzyme NOX4, both through DNA damage and increased oxidative stress. Targeting fibroblast ATM in vivo suppressed myoCAF-rich tumor growth, promoted intratumoral CD8 T-cell infiltration, and potentiated the response to anti-PD-1 blockade and antitumor vaccination. This work identifies a novel pathway regulating myoCAF differentiation and provides a rationale for using ATM inhibitors to overcome CAF-mediated immunotherapy resistance. SIGNIFICANCE ATM signaling supports the differentiation of myoCAFs to suppress T-cell infiltration and antitumor immunity, supporting the potential clinical use of ATM inhibitors in combination with checkpoint inhibition in myoCAF-rich, immune-cold tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Mellone
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Klaudia Piotrowska
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Venturi
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Lija James
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aleksandra Bzura
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Maria A. Lopez
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sonya James
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Chuan Wang
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, Cancer Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J. Ellis
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Hanley
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine F. Buckingham
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry L. Cox
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth Hughes
- Bioscience, Oncology Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Viia Valge-Archer
- Bioscience, Oncology Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Emma V. King
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen A. Beers
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent Jaquet
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Centre Médical Universitaire, Genève, Switzerland
| | - George D.D. Jones
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Savelyeva
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, Cancer Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Emre Sayan
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jason L. Parsons
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, Cancer Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Durant
- Bioscience, Oncology Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth J. Thomas
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Zhou J, Schwenk-Zieger S, Kranz G, Walz C, Klauschen F, Dhawan S, Canis M, Gires O, Haubner F, Baumeister P, Kohlbauer V. Isolation and characterization of head and neck cancer-derived peritumoral and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Front Oncol 2022; 12:984138. [PMID: 36544698 PMCID: PMC9760815 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.984138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are characterized by strong cellular and molecular heterogeneity and treatment resistance entailing poor survival. Besides cell-intrinsic properties, carcinoma cells receive important cues from non-malignant cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major component of the TME that impact on the molecular make-up of malignant cells and have a decisive function in tumor progression. However, the potential functionality of fibroblasts within tumor-adjacent, macroscopically normal tissue remains poorly explored. Methods Here, we isolated primary peritumoral fibroblasts (PtFs) from macroscopically normal tissue in vicinity of primary human papillomavirus-negative and -positive oropharyngeal HNSCC and compared their phenotype and functionality with matched CAFs (n = 5 pairs) and with human oral fibroblasts (hOFs). Results Expression patterns of CD90, CD73, CD105, smooth muscle actin, Vimentin, and S100A4 were comparable in PtFs, CAFs, and hOFs. Cell proliferation and doubling times of CAFs and PtFs were heterogeneous across patients (n =2 PtF>CAF; n = 1 CAF>PtF; n = 2 CAF=PtF) and reflected inferior growth than hOFs. Furthermore, PtFs displayed an reduced heterogeneity in cell size compared to matched CAFs, which were characterized by the presence of single large cells. Overall, conditioned supernatants from CAFs had more frequently growth-promoting effects on a panel of carcinoma cell lines of the upper aerodigestive tract carcinoma cell lines (Cal27, Cal33, FaDu, and Kyse30), whereas significant differences in migration-inducing effects demonstrated a higher potential of PtFs. Except for Kyse30, CAFs were significantly superior to hOFs in promoting proliferation, while PtFs induced stronger migration than hOFs in all carcinoma lines tested. Analysis of soluble factors demonstrated significantly increased VEGF-A production in CAFs (except in pat.8), and significantly increased PDGF-BB production in PtFs of two patients. Tube formation assays confirmed a significantly enhanced angiogenic potential of conditioned supernatants from CAFs compared to hOFs on human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Discussion Hence, matched CAFs and PtFs present in HNSCC patients are heterogeneous in their proliferation-, migration-, and angiogenesis-promoting capacity. Despite this heterogeneity, CAFs induced stronger carcinoma cell proliferation and HUVEC tube formation overall, whereas PtFs promoted migration of tumor cells more strongly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiefu Zhou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Sabina Schwenk-Zieger
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Gisela Kranz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Walz
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Frederik Klauschen
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sharduli Dhawan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Canis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany,Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Olivier Gires
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany,Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Frank Haubner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp Baumeister
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany,Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Vera Kohlbauer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany,*Correspondence: Vera Kohlbauer,
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Jenkins BH, Buckingham JF, Hanley CJ, Thomas GJ. Targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts: Challenges, opportunities and future directions. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 240:108231. [PMID: 35718294 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a common cell in the tumour microenvironment with diverse tumour-promoting functions. Their presence in tumours is commonly associated with poor prognosis making them attractive therapeutic targets, particularly in the context of immunotherapy where CAFs have been shown to promote resistance to checkpoint blockade. Previous attempts to inhibit CAFs clinically have not been successful, however, in part due to a lack of understanding of CAF heterogeneity and function, with some fibroblast populations potentially being tumour suppressive. Recent single-cell transcriptomic studies have advanced our understanding of fibroblast phenotypes in normal tissues and cancers, allowing for a more precise characterisation of CAF subsets and providing opportunities to develop new therapies. Here we review recent advances in the field, focusing on the evolving area of therapeutic CAF targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin H Jenkins
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
| | | | | | - Gareth J Thomas
- School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
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42
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Zhu L, Zhao Y, Liu T, Chen M, Qian WP, Jiang B, Barwick BG, Zhang L, Styblo TM, Li X, Yang L. Inhibition of NADPH Oxidase-ROS Signal using Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles for Overcoming Radioresistance in Cancer Therapy. ACS NANO 2022; 16:18708-18728. [PMID: 36256454 PMCID: PMC9764083 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Upregulation of NADPH oxidases (NOXs) in cancer cells leads to chronic increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and adaptation to a high ROS level for cell survival and, thereby, low sensitivity to radiotherapy. To overcome resistance to radiotherapy, we have developed a bioactive and CD44 targeted hyaluronic acid nanoparticle encapsulated with an NOX inhibitor, GKT831 (HANP/GKT831). We found that HANP/GKT831 had stronger inhibitory effects on ROS generation and cell proliferation than that of GKT831 alone in cancer cells. Systemic delivery of HANP/GKT831 led to the targeted accumulation in breast cancer patient derived xenograft (PDX) tumors in nude mice. Importantly, the combination of systemic delivery of HANP/GKT831 with a low dose of local radiotherapy significantly enhanced tumor growth inhibition in breast cancer PDX models. Our results showed that HANP/GKT831 primed tumor cells to radiation-induced DNA damage and cell death by downregulation of DNA repair function and oncogenic signal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhu
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
| | - Yi Zhao
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
- Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Tongrui Liu
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
| | - Minglong Chen
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Wei Ping Qian
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
| | - Binghua Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Benjamin G Barwick
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
| | - Lumeng Zhang
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Toncred M Styblo
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
| | - Xiaoxian Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
| | - Lily Yang
- Department of Surgery and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, Georgia, United States
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43
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Fan T, Lu J, Niu D, Zhang Y, Wang B, Zhang B, Zhang Z, He X, Peng N, Li B, Fang H, Gong Z, Zhang L. Immune and non-immune cell subtypes identify novel targets for prognostic and therapeutic strategy: A study based on intratumoral heterogenicity analysis of multicenter scRNA-seq datasets in lung adenocarcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1046121. [PMID: 36483553 PMCID: PMC9723329 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1046121] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common type of lung cancer and the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Despite the improvement of traditional and immunological therapies, the clinical outcome of LUAD is still far from satisfactory. Patients given the same treatment regimen had different responses and clinical outcomes due to the heterogeneity of LUAD. How to identify the targets based on heterogeneity analysis is crucial for treatment strategies. Recently, the single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has been used to investigate the tumor microenvironment (TME) based on cell-specific changes and shows prominently valuable for biomarker prediction. In this study, we systematically analyzed a meta-dataset from the multiple LUAD scRNA-seq datasets in LUAD, identified 15 main types of cells and 57 cell subgroups, and revealed a series of potential biomarkers in M2b, exhausted CD8+T, endothelial cells, fibroblast, and metabolic patterns in TME, which further validated with immunofluorescence in clinical cohorts of LUAD. In the prognosis analysis, M0 macrophage and T cell activation were shown correlated to a better prognosis (p<0.05). Briefly, our study provided insights into the heterogeneity of LUAD and assisted in novel therapeutic strategies for clinical outcome improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Fan
- The Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jian Lu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Suzhou Science and Technology Town Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Delei Niu
- The Department of Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- The Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Bin Wang
- The Department of Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- The Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Zugui Zhang
- Value Institute, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Xinjiai He
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Nan Peng
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Biao Li
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Huilong Fang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Gong
- Sino-Cell Biomed Institutes of Medical Cell and Pharmaceutical Proteins, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China,Department of Basic Medicine, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, Hunan, China,*Correspondence: Li Zhang, ; Zheng Gong,
| | - Li Zhang
- The Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Li Zhang, ; Zheng Gong,
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Li C, Qiu Y, Zhang Y. Research Progress on Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts to Tackle Treatment-Resistant NSCLC. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1411. [PMID: 36422541 PMCID: PMC9696940 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for most lung cancer cases and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Treatment options for lung cancer are no longer limited to surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, as targeted therapy and immunotherapy offer a new hope for patients. However, drug resistance in chemotherapy and targeted therapy, and the low response rates to immunotherapy remain important challenges. Similar to tumor development, drug resistance occurs because of significant effects exerted by the tumor microenvironment (TME) along with cancer cell mutations. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of the TME and possess multiple functions, including cross-talking with cancer cells, remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), secretion of various cytokines, and promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which in turn provide support for the growth, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance of cancer cells. Therefore, CAFs represent valuable therapeutic targets for lung cancer. Herein, we review the latest progress in the use of CAFs as potential targets and mediators of drug resistance for NSCLC treatment. We explored the role of CAFs on the regulation of the TME and surrounding ECM, with particular emphasis on treatment strategies involving combined CAF targeting within the current framework of cancer treatment.
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Geng Y, Feng J, Huang H, Wang Y, Yi X, Wei S, Zhang M, Li Z, Wang W, Hu W. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of tumor immune microenvironment characteristics in colorectal cancer liver metastasis. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022; 10:1170. [PMID: 36467341 PMCID: PMC9708492 DOI: 10.21037/atm-22-5270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver metastasis is the leading cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and the precise mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to analyze the cellular and molecular heterogeneity between CRC primary lesion and corresponding liver metastasis, and to clarify the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in synchronous liver metastasis of CRC. METHODS A case of microsatellite stable (MSS) sigmoid carcinoma with synchronous liver metastasis was selected, and tissues from the primary tumor and the liver metastasis were collected for scRNA-seq. The EdgeR package software was used to identify the differentially expressed genes between cells. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed and the clusterProfiler R package was used for Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. The SCENIC and CellphoneDB packages were used to reconstruct the transcriptional regulatory networks and to analyze the intercellular interaction network, respectively. RESULTS Compared to the primary tumor, the proportion of myeloid cells in the metastatic tumor was significantly increased, while B cells and plasma cells were decreased. In the metastatic tumor, the myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) characteristic gene, mannose receptor C-type 1 (MRC1) and tumor associated macrophage 2 (TAM2)-related gene, were highly expressed. Furthermore, angiogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and endothelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of myeloid cells were also significantly enhanced. There were less myeloid cells in primary tumors, and these were mainly monocytes and TAM1; while the number of TAM2 was significantly upregulated in the metastatic samples. In liver metastasis, the T cell population was exhausted, and this was accompanied by a significant increase in the number of CD4+ T cells and a decrease in the number of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, some immune checkpoint molecules were highly expressed. Interactions between myeloid cells and other cell populations appeared to be strong. CONCLUSIONS The TME of CRC liver metastasis is significantly immunosuppressed. Interactions between myeloid cells and other cell populations in the TME contribute to the establishment of a pro-metastatic niche that promotes colonization and growth of CRC cells in the liver. TAMs may be a potential immunotherapeutic target for MSS CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Geng
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Jun Feng
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xing Yi
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Wei
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Mingyue Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Zhong Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Wenwei Hu
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
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46
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Shi K, Li Y, Yang L, Zhang Z, Guo D, Zhang J, Lu Y. Profiling transcriptional heterogeneity of epithelium, fibroblasts, and immune cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by single-cell RNA sequencing. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22620. [PMID: 36260317 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200898r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies with complex tumor microenvironment (TME) which has been proven to be associated with therapeutic failure or resistance. A deeper understanding of the complex TME and cellular heterogeneity is urgently needed in ESCC. Here, we generated single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 25 796 immune and 8197 non-immune cells from three primary tumor and paired normal samples in ESCC patients. The results revealed intratumoral and intertumoral epithelium heterogeneity and tremendously differences in tumor and normal epithelium. The infiltration of myofibroblasts, one subtype of fibroblasts, might play important roles in the progression of ESCC. We also found that some differentially expressed genes and markers in epithelium and fibroblast subtypes showed prognostic values for ESCC. Diverse cell subtypes of T cells and myeloid cells were identified, including tumor-enriched HAVCR2+ CD4+ T cells with significantly exhausted signature. The epithelium and myeloid cells had more frequent cell-cell communication compared with epithelium and T cells. Taken together, this study provided in-depth insights into the cellular heterogeneity of TME in ESCC and highlighted potential therapeutic targets including for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yueqi Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Liang Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zichao Zhang
- Linyi Health School of Shandong Province, Linyi, China.,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Dan Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinzhong Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yucheng Lu
- Biobank of Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China.,Central Laboratory of Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
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Thiery J. Modulation of the antitumor immune response by cancer-associated fibroblasts: mechanisms and targeting strategies to hamper their immunosuppressive functions. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2022; 3:598-629. [PMID: 36338519 PMCID: PMC9630350 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2022.00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are highly heterogeneous players that shape the tumor microenvironment and influence tumor progression, metastasis formation, and response to conventional therapies. During the past years, some CAFs subsets have also been involved in the modulation of immune cell functions, affecting the efficacy of both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Consequently, the implication of these stromal cells in the response to immunotherapeutic strategies raised major concerns. In this review, current knowledge of CAFs origins and heterogeneity in the tumor stroma, as well as their effects on several immune cell populations that explain their immunosuppressive capabilities are summarized. The current development of therapeutic strategies for targeting this population and their implication in the field of cancer immunotherapy is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Thiery
- INSERM, UMR 1186, 94800 Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94805 Villejuif, France
- University Paris Saclay, Faculty of Medicine, 94270 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
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48
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Huang L, Liao C, Wu H, Huang P. PLCE1 is a poor prognostic marker and may promote immune escape from osteosarcoma by the CD70-CD27 signaling pathway. Bosn J Basic Med Sci 2022; 22:992-1004. [PMID: 35765945 PMCID: PMC9589306 DOI: 10.17305/bjbms.2022.7416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1) is involved in the pathogenesis of many cancers. However, the biological role of PLCE1 in osteosarcoma (OS) is still poorly understood. The prognostic survival analysis was performed on the PLCE1gene in the TARGET data set and the differential expression of PLCE1 in OS tissue and normal bone tissue on the tissue chip was detected by immunohistochemistry. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis was implemented to explore the relationship between PLCE1 and immune genes. Finally, PLCE1 was silenced to explore its biological function in OS cells. The results of tissue chip immunohistochemistry showed that PLCE1 expression in OS tissue was higher than in normal bone tissue. The survival curve of PLCE1 and its corresponding receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) showed that PLCE1 had a significant effect on the survival status of patients with OS and that the prognosis of patients with high PLCE1 expression was relatively poor. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis and qRT-PCR assays found that PLCE1 may promote immune escape from OS via CD70-CD27 signaling pathway. Silencing of PLCE1 causes the following biological behaviors of OS cells: it promotes apoptosis, inhibits proliferation of OS cells, and inhibits the ability of cell migration and invasion. PLCE1 is a poor prognostic marker and a potential key factor affecting the immune status of the OS tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linhai Huang
- Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Wuming District, Nanning, China
| | - Chundi Liao
- Division of Radiology, Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Wuming District, Nanning, China
| | - Hanhua Wu
- Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Wuming District, Nanning, China
| | - Piwei Huang
- Division of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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49
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Zhou X, Ni Y, Liang X, Lin Y, An B, He X, Zhao X. Mechanisms of tumor resistance to immune checkpoint blockade and combination strategies to overcome resistance. Front Immunol 2022; 13:915094. [PMID: 36189283 PMCID: PMC9520263 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.915094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has rapidly transformed the treatment paradigm for various cancer types. Multiple single or combinations of ICB treatments have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, providing more options for patients with advanced cancer. However, most patients could not benefit from these immunotherapies due to primary and acquired drug resistance. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanisms of ICB resistance is urgently needed to improve clinical outcomes. Here, we focused on the changes in the biological functions of CD8+ T cells to elucidate the underlying resistance mechanisms of ICB therapies and summarized the advanced coping strategies to increase ICB efficacy. Combinational ICB approaches and individualized immunotherapies require further in-depth investigation to facilitate longer-lasting efficacy and a more excellent safety of ICB in a broader range of patients.
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50
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Bonneaud TL, Lefebvre CC, Nocquet L, Basseville A, Roul J, Weber H, Campone M, Juin PP, Souazé F. Targeting of MCL-1 in breast cancer-associated fibroblasts reverses their myofibroblastic phenotype and pro-invasive properties. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:787. [PMID: 36104324 PMCID: PMC9474880 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05214-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are a major cellular component of epithelial tumors. In breast cancers in particular these stromal cells have numerous tumorigenic effects in part due to their acquisition of a myofibroblastic phenotype. Breast CAFs (bCAFs) typically express MCL-1. We show here that pharmacological inhibition or knock down of this regulator of mitochondrial integrity in primary bCAFs directly derived from human samples mitigates myofibroblastic features. This decreases expression of genes involved in actomyosin organization and contractility (associated with a cytoplasmic retention of the transcriptional regulator, yes-associated protein-YAP) and decreases bCAFs ability to promote cancer cells invasion in 3D coculture assays. Our findings underscore the usefulness of targeting MCL-1 in breast cancer ecosystems, not only to favor death of cancer cells but also to counteract the tumorigenic activation of fibroblasts with which they co-evolve. Mechanistically, pharmacological inhibition of MCL-1 with a specific BH3 mimetic promotes mitochondrial fragmentation in bCAFs. Inhibition of the mitochondrial fission activity of DRP-1, which interacts with MCL-1 upon BH3 mimetic treatment, allows the maintenance of the myofibroblastic phenotype of bCAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L. Bonneaud
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France
| | - Chloé C. Lefebvre
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France
| | - Lisa Nocquet
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France
| | - Agnes Basseville
- grid.418191.40000 0000 9437 3027Omics Data Science Unit, ICO, Angers, France
| | - Julie Roul
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France ,ICO René Gauducheau, Saint Herblain, France
| | - Hugo Weber
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France
| | - Mario Campone
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France ,ICO René Gauducheau, Saint Herblain, France
| | - Philippe P. Juin
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France ,ICO René Gauducheau, Saint Herblain, France
| | - Frédérique Souazé
- grid.4817.a0000 0001 2189 0784Université de Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, 44000 Nantes, France ,SIRIC ILIAD, Nantes, Angers, France
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