1
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Hermosilla VE, Gyenis L, Rabalski AJ, Armijo ME, Sepúlveda P, Duprat F, Benítez-Riquelme D, Fuentes-Villalobos F, Quiroz A, Hepp MI, Farkas C, Mastel M, González-Chavarría I, Jackstadt R, Litchfield DW, Castro AF, Pincheira R. Casein kinase 2 phosphorylates and induces the SALL2 tumor suppressor degradation in colon cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:223. [PMID: 38493149 PMCID: PMC10944491 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06591-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Spalt-like proteins are Zinc finger transcription factors from Caenorhabditis elegans to vertebrates, with critical roles in development. In vertebrates, four paralogues have been identified (SALL1-4), and SALL2 is the family's most dissimilar member. SALL2 is required during brain and eye development. It is downregulated in cancer and acts as a tumor suppressor, promoting cell cycle arrest and cell death. Despite its critical functions, information about SALL2 regulation is scarce. Public data indicate that SALL2 is ubiquitinated and phosphorylated in several residues along the protein, but the mechanisms, biological consequences, and enzymes responsible for these modifications remain unknown. Bioinformatic analyses identified several putative phosphorylation sites for Casein Kinase II (CK2) located within a highly conserved C-terminal PEST degradation motif of SALL2. CK2 is a serine/threonine kinase that promotes cell proliferation and survival and is often hyperactivated in cancer. We demonstrated that CK2 phosphorylates SALL2 residues S763, T778, S802, and S806 and promotes SALL2 degradation by the proteasome. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of CK2 with Silmitasertib (CX-4945) restored endogenous SALL2 protein levels in SALL2-deficient breast MDA-MB-231, lung H1299, and colon SW480 cancer cells. Silmitasertib induced a methuosis-like phenotype and cell death in SW480 cells. However, the phenotype was significantly attenuated in CRISPr/Cas9-mediated SALL2 knockout SW480 cells. Similarly, Sall2-deficient tumor organoids were more resistant to Silmitasertib-induced cell death, confirming that SALL2 sensitizes cancer cells to CK2 inhibition. We identified a novel CK2-dependent mechanism for SALL2 regulation and provided new insights into the interplay between these two proteins and their role in cell survival and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- V E Hermosilla
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Dept of Orofacial Sciences and Dept of Anatomy, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - L Gyenis
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - A J Rabalski
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Odyssey Therapeutics, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M E Armijo
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - P Sepúlveda
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - F Duprat
- Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - D Benítez-Riquelme
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - F Fuentes-Villalobos
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Inmunovirología. Departamento de Microbiologia. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - A Quiroz
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - M I Hepp
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Morfología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - C Farkas
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Morfología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - M Mastel
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120 Heidelberg. Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - I González-Chavarría
- Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - R Jackstadt
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120 Heidelberg. Cancer Progression and Metastasis Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D W Litchfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - A F Castro
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - R Pincheira
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
- Laboratorio de Transducción de Señales y Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
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2
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González-Loyola A, Bovay E, Kim J, Lozano TW, Sabine A, Renevey F, Arroz-Madeira S, Rapin A, Wypych TP, Rota G, Durot S, Velin D, Marsland B, Guarda G, Delorenzi M, Zamboni N, Luther SA, Petrova TV. FOXC2 controls adult lymphatic endothelial specialization, function, and gut lymphatic barrier preventing multiorgan failure. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/29/eabf4335. [PMID: 34272244 PMCID: PMC8284898 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf4335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms maintaining adult lymphatic vascular specialization throughout life and their role in coordinating inter-organ communication to sustain homeostasis remain elusive. We report that inactivation of the mechanosensitive transcription factor Foxc2 in adult lymphatic endothelium leads to a stepwise intestine-to-lung systemic failure. Foxc2 loss compromised the gut epithelial barrier, promoted dysbiosis and bacterial translocation to peripheral lymph nodes, and increased circulating levels of purine metabolites and angiopoietin-2. Commensal microbiota depletion dampened systemic pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, corrected intestinal lymphatic dysfunction, and improved survival. Foxc2 loss skewed the specialization of lymphatic endothelial subsets, leading to populations with mixed, pro-fibrotic identities and to emergence of lymph node-like endothelial cells. Our study uncovers a cross-talk between lymphatic vascular function and commensal microbiota, provides single-cell atlas of lymphatic endothelial subtypes, and reveals organ-specific and systemic effects of dysfunctional lymphatics. These effects potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, or lymphedema.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra González-Loyola
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Esther Bovay
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Jaeryung Kim
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Tania Wyss Lozano
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Amélie Sabine
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Francois Renevey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Arroz-Madeira
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Alexis Rapin
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Tomasz P Wypych
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Giorgia Rota
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Durot
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology ETH, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Velin
- Service of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Marsland
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Greta Guarda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Mauro Delorenzi
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Zamboni
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology ETH, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Sanjiv A Luther
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - Tatiana V Petrova
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland.
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Dionellis VS, Norkin M, Karamichali A, Rossetti GG, Huelsken J, Ordonez-Moran P, Halazonetis TD. Genomic Instability Profiles at the Single Cell Level in Mouse Colorectal Cancers of Defined Genotypes. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061267. [PMID: 33809306 PMCID: PMC7999300 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of many human CRCs have been sequenced, revealing a large number of genetic alterations. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the accumulation of these alterations are still being debated. In this study, we examined colorectal tumours that developed in mice with Apclox/lox, LSL-KrasG12D, and Tp53lox/lox targetable alleles. Organoids were derived from single cells and the spectrum of mutations was determined by exome sequencing. The number of single nucleotide substitutions (SNSs) correlated with the age of the tumour, but was unaffected by the number of targeted cancer-driver genes. Thus, tumours that expressed mutant Apc, Kras, and Tp53 alleles had as many SNSs as tumours that expressed only mutant Apc. In contrast, the presence of large-scale (>10 Mb) copy number alterations (CNAs) correlated strongly with Tp53 inactivation. Comparison of the SNSs and CNAs present in organoids derived from the same tumour revealed intratumoural heterogeneity consistent with genomic lesions accumulating at significantly higher rates in tumour cells compared to normal cells. The rate of acquisition of SNSs increased from the early stages of cancer development, whereas large-scale CNAs accumulated later, after Tp53 inactivation. Thus, a significant fraction of the genomic instability present in cancer cells cannot be explained by aging processes occurring in normal cells before oncogenic transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasilis S. Dionellis
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (V.S.D.); (A.K.); (G.G.R.)
| | - Maxim Norkin
- Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory, Swiss Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), ISREC, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Angeliki Karamichali
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (V.S.D.); (A.K.); (G.G.R.)
| | - Giacomo G. Rossetti
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (V.S.D.); (A.K.); (G.G.R.)
| | - Joerg Huelsken
- Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory, Swiss Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), ISREC, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Correspondence: (J.H.); (P.O.-M.); (T.D.H.)
| | - Paloma Ordonez-Moran
- Division of Cancer & Stem Cells, School of Medicine, Centre for Cancer Sciences, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Correspondence: (J.H.); (P.O.-M.); (T.D.H.)
| | - Thanos D. Halazonetis
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (V.S.D.); (A.K.); (G.G.R.)
- Correspondence: (J.H.); (P.O.-M.); (T.D.H.)
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Jian M, Ren L, He G, Lin Q, Tang W, Chen Y, Chen J, Liu T, Ji M, Wei Y, Chang W, Xu J. A novel patient-derived organoids-based xenografts model for preclinical drug response testing in patients with colorectal liver metastases. J Transl Med 2020; 18:234. [PMID: 32532289 PMCID: PMC7291745 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02407-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds Cancer-related mortality in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is predominantly caused by development of colorectal liver metastases (CLMs). How to screen the sensitive chemotherapy and targeted therapy is the key element to improve the prognosis of CLMs patients. The study aims to develop patient-derived organoids-based xenografted liver metastases (PDOX-LM) model of CRC, to recapitulate the clinical drug response. Methods We transplanted human CRC primary tumor derived organoids in murine spleen to obtain xenografted liver metastases in murine liver. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, whole-exome and RNA sequencing, and drug response testing were utilized to identify the homogeneity in biological and genetic characteristics, and drug response between the PDOX-LM models and donor liver metastases. Results We successfully established PDOX-LM models from patients with CLMs. IHC staining showed that positive expression of CEA, Ki67, VEGF, FGFR2 in donor liver metastases were also well preserved in matched xenografted liver metastases. Whole-exon sequencing and transcriptome analysis showed that both xenografted and donor liver metastases were highly concordant in somatic variants (≥ 0.90 frequency of concordance) and co-expression of driver genes (Pearson’s correlation coefficient reach up to 0.99, P = 0.001). Furthermore, drug response testing showed that the PDOX-LM models can closely recapitulated the clinical response to mFOLFOX6 regiments. Conclusions This PDOX-LM model provides a more convenient and informative platform for preclinical testing of individual tumors by retaining the histologic and genetic features of donor liver metastases. This technology holds great promise to predict treatment sensitivity for patients with CLMs undergoing chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Jian
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Li Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Guodong He
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Qi Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Wentao Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yijiao Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Tianyu Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Meiling Ji
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Ye Wei
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Wenju Chang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China. .,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Jianmin Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200030, China. .,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Colorectal Cancer Minimally Invasive, Shanghai, 200030, China.
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5
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Maitra R, Thavornwatanayong T, Venkatesh MK, Chandy C, Vachss D, Augustine T, Guzik H, Koba W, Liu Q, Goel S. Development and Characterization of a Genetic Mouse Model of KRAS Mutated Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E5677. [PMID: 31766149 PMCID: PMC6888417 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with KRAS mutated colorectal cancer (CRC) represent a cohort with unmet medical needs, with limited options of FDA-approved therapies. Representing 40-45% of all CRC patients, they are considered ineligible to receive anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies that have added a significant therapeutic benefit for KRAS wild type CRC patients. Although several mouse models of CRC have been developed during the past decade, one genetically resembling the KRAS mutated CRC is yet to be established. In this study C57 BL/6 mice with truncated adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) floxed allele was crossed with heterozygous KRAS floxed outbred mice to generate an APCf/f KRAS+/f mouse colony. In another set of breeding, APC floxed mice were crossed with CDX2-Cre-ERT2 mice and selected for APCf/f CDX2-Cre-ERT2 after the second round of inbreeding. The final model of the disease was generated by the cross of the two parental colonies and viable APC f/f KRAS +/f CDX2-Cre-ERT2 (KPC: APC) were genotyped and characterized. The model animals were tamoxifen (TAM) induced to generate tumors. Micro-positron emission tomography (PET) scan was used to detect and measure tumor volume and standard uptake value (SUV). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to establish neoplasm and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to determine histological similarities with human FFPE biopsies. The MSI/microsatellite stable (MSS) status was determined. Finally, the tumors were extensively characterized at the molecular level to establish similarities with human CRC tumors. The model KPC: APC animals are conditional mutants that developed colonic tumors upon induction with tamoxifen in a dose-dependent manner. The tumors were confirmed to be malignant within four weeks of induction by H&E staining and higher radioactive [18F] fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake (SUV) in micro-PET scan. Furthermore, the tumors histologically and molecularly resembled human colorectal carcinoma. Post tumor generation, the KPC: APC animals died of cachexia and rectal bleeding. Implications: This model is an excellent preclinical platform to molecularly characterize the KRAS mutated colorectal tumors and discern appropriate therapeutic strategies to improve disease management and overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhashree Maitra
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
- Department of Biology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY 10033, USA
| | - Thongthai Thavornwatanayong
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
| | - Madhu Kumar Venkatesh
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
| | - Carol Chandy
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
| | - Dov Vachss
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
| | - Titto Augustine
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
| | - Hillary Guzik
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;
| | - Wade Koba
- Department of Radiology (Nuclear Medicine), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA;
| | - Sanjay Goel
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; (T.T.); (M.K.V.); (C.C.); (D.V.); (T.A.)
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6
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Esfahani SA, Heidari P, Kucherlapati MH, Ferrer JM, Kucherlapati RS, Mahmood U. Optical imaging with a novel cathepsin-activatable probe for enhanced detection of colorectal cancer. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING 2019; 9:230-242. [PMID: 31772821 PMCID: PMC6872479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated a cysteine cathepsin-activatable optical imaging probe (LUM015) with improved kinetics relative to larger macromolecules for detection and characterization of colorectal cancer (CRC), and thereby assessed its potential use in fluorescence-guided colonoscopy. We showed that LUM015 is stable in plasma. In-vitro studies demonstrated selectivity of LUM015 for targeting cathepsins; there was robust increase in emitted fluorescence signal from the cathepsin overexpressing HT-29 CRC cells within 1-5 minutes after incubation with LUM015 compared to the cells incubated with combination of LUM015 and a pan-protease inhibitor (as negative control). Biodistribution, differential accumulation of the probe in the tumor and tumor-to-background fluorescence signal ratio of LUM015 were compared to ProSense680, a commercially available protease-activatable optical imaging probe, over 24 hours after intravenous injection of the probes in nude mice with subcutaneously implanted HT-29 tumors. LUM015 showed distinct kinetics compared to ProSense680 with time to peak signal for subcutaneous tumor-to-colon ratio of 3.3±0.3 (mean ± SD) at 4-8 hours compared to 2.9±0.2 at 24 hours, respectively (n=8 for each group). Near-infrared fluorescence imaging and dual channel colonoscopy of the mice with orthotopic colon tumors showed tumor-to-colon ratio of 3.7±0.2 in HT-29 tumors (n=4), 2.8±0.1 in genetically engineered mice with APCKOKrasLSL-G12Dp53flox/flox mutation (n=4), and 4.1±0.1 in mice with APCLoxP/LoxPMsh2LoxP/LoxP mutation (n=4) at 6 hours after LUM015 administration. Immunohistochemistry and laser confocal microscopy of the extracted tumors confirmed high expression of cysteine cathepsins in all colon tumor types tested. Optical imaging with cathepsin-activatable LUM015 in multiple models of CRC highlights its potential for increasing the efficacy of CRC screening and therapeutic procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadi A Esfahani
- Athinoula A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
| | - Pedram Heidari
- Athinoula A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
| | - Melanie H Kucherlapati
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s HospitalBoston, MA, USA
| | | | - Raju S Kucherlapati
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s HospitalBoston, MA, USA
| | - Umar Mahmood
- Athinoula A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
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7
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Plummer R, Papageorge M, Ciomek N, Liu T, Yoo J. Myofibroblasts Enhance Tumor Growth in a Novel Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer. J Surg Res 2019; 244:374-381. [PMID: 31325658 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.06.051] [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: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Communication between colorectal cancer and stromal cells alters the tumor microenvironment to regulate locoregional disease and cancer progression. However, colon cancer-stromal cell interactions are difficult to study in vivo. Limitations of existing animal models include the use of immunocompromised mice, the inability to genetically modify a cell population in a single organ system, or a lack of anatomic context. Our goal was to develop a novel mouse model of colorectal cancer that is capable of studying tumor-stromal cell interactions in the native colon of immune-competent mice. METHODS Primary mouse myofibroblasts were isolated from the colon of C57BL/6 mice and were grown in cell culture. Genetically defined (ApcΔ/Δ; Kras G12D/+; Trp53Δ/Δ) primary mouse colon cancer cells were suspended in serum-free media (20 μL) at varying concentrations (5 × 103 to 4 × 104 cells) either alone or in combination with syngeneic myofibroblasts (2 × 105 cells). After isoflurane anesthesia, a colonoscopy was performed on immune-competent 8- to 10-week-old C57BL/6 mice with endoscopic microinjection of the cell suspension into the submucosal space of the colon wall utilizing a small animal colonoscope. Surveillance endoscopy was used to assess for tumor growth, along with histologic analysis. Tumor size is presented on a grading system based on tumor diameter relative to colon circumference. RESULTS A total of 33 mice were injected with a survival rate of 88% (29/33). Endoscopic microinjection of colorectal cancer cells resulted in dose-dependent tumor growth in the distal mouse colon that could be assessed endoscopically without animal sacrifice. Growth curves varied depending on the concentration of injected colorectal cancer cells, with no growth at the lowest concentration of injected cells (5 × 103 cells), progressive growth over 4 wk using 1-2 × 104 cells, while the highest colorectal cancer cell concentration (4 × 104 cells) led to larger tumors at week 1 followed by a steady decline in tumor growth over the 4-wk time period. Combined microinjection of 2 × 104 colorectal cancer cells with 2 × 105 myofibroblasts resulted in much larger tumors that persisted over the 4-wk time period and which were composed primarily of colorectal cancer cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy after coinjection of colorectal cancer cells with green fluorescent protein positive myofibroblasts confirmed that the injected myofibroblasts are present and remain viable over the 4-wk time period. CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic submucosal microinjection of primary mouse colorectal cancer cells is feasible and leads to reliable and reproducible short-term growth of colon tumors in immune-competent mice. Coinjection of primary mouse colorectal cancer cells with syngeneic myofibroblasts leads to enhanced tumor growth. Coimplantation of colorectal cancer cells with syngeneic myofibroblasts provides a novel platform to study tumor-stromal interactions in the native colon of immune-competent mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Plummer
- Department of Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marianna Papageorge
- Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Natalie Ciomek
- Department of Pathology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tiegang Liu
- Department of Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James Yoo
- Department of Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
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8
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Sebolt-Leopold JS. Development of Preclinical Models to Understand and Treat Colorectal Cancer. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2018; 31:199-204. [PMID: 29720906 DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1602240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The establishment and validation of preclinical models that faithfully recapitulate the pathogenesis and treatment response of human colorectal cancer (CRC) is critical to expedient therapeutic advances in the clinical management of this disease. Integral to the application of precision medicine for patients diagnosed with metastatic CRC is the need to understand the molecular determinants of response for a given therapy. Preclinical models of CRC have proven invaluable in answering many of our basic questions relating to the molecular aberrations that drive colorectal tumor progression. This review will address the comparative merits and limitations of the broad spectrum of in vitro and in vivo models available for study of colorectal tumors and their response to experimental therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith S Sebolt-Leopold
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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9
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Roper J, Tammela T, Akkad A, Almeqdadi M, Santos SB, Jacks T, Yilmaz ÖH. Colonoscopy-based colorectal cancer modeling in mice with CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and organoid transplantation. Nat Protoc 2018; 13:217-234. [PMID: 29300388 PMCID: PMC6145089 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2017.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Most genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of colorectal cancer are limited by tumor formation in the small intestine, a high tumor burden that limits metastasis, and the need to generate and cross mutant mice. Cell line or organoid transplantation models generally produce tumors in ectopic locations-such as the subcutaneous space, kidney capsule, or cecal wall-that do not reflect the native stromal environment of the colon mucosa. Here, we describe detailed protocols to rapidly and efficiently induce site-directed tumors in the distal colon of mice that are based on colonoscopy-guided mucosal injection. These techniques can be adapted to deliver viral vectors carrying Cre recombinase, CRISPR-Cas9 components, CRISPR-engineered mouse tumor organoids, or human cancer organoids to mice to model the adenoma-carcinoma-metastasis sequence of tumor progression. The colonoscopy injection procedure takes ∼15 min, including preparation. In our experience, anyone with reasonable hand-eye coordination can become proficient with mouse colonoscopy and mucosal injection with a few hours of practice. These approaches are ideal for a wide range of applications, including assessment of gene function in tumorigenesis, examination of tumor-stroma interactions, studies of cancer metastasis, and translational research with patient-derived cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Roper
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tuomas Tammela
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Adam Akkad
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mohammad Almeqdadi
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sebastian B Santos
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tyler Jacks
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ömer H Yilmaz
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Fumagalli A, Suijkerbuijk SJE, Begthel H, Beerling E, Oost KC, Snippert HJ, van Rheenen J, Drost J. A surgical orthotopic organoid transplantation approach in mice to visualize and study colorectal cancer progression. Nat Protoc 2018; 13:235-247. [DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2017.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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11
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Lau AN, Israelsen WJ, Roper J, Sinnamon MJ, Georgeon L, Dayton TL, Hillis AL, Yilmaz OH, Di Vizio D, Hung KE, Vander Heiden MG. PKM2 is not required for colon cancer initiated by APC loss. Cancer Metab 2017; 5:10. [PMID: 29214019 PMCID: PMC5707917 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-017-0172-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer cells express the M2 isoform of the glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase (PKM2). PKM2 expression is not required for some cancers, and PKM2 loss can promote cancer progression; however, PKM2 has been reported to be essential in other tumor contexts, including a proposed non-metabolic role in β-catenin nuclear translocation. PKM2 is expressed in colon cancers where loss of the Apc tumor suppressor results in β-catenin nuclear translocation and aberrant activation of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. Whether PKM2 is required in this colon cancer context has not been investigated. RESULTS Colon tumorigenesis was induced in mice harboring conditional Apc and Pkm2 alleles, and tumor progression was monitored by serial colonoscopy. PKM2 deletion had no effect on overall survival, the number of mice that developed tumors, or the number of tumors that developed per animal. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated PKM2 expression in wild-type tumors and the expected loss of PKM2 expression in tumors from Pkm2 conditional mice. Loss of PKM2 resulted in pyruvate kinase M1 expression but had no effect on nuclear β-catenin staining. These findings are consistent with tumor growth and activated Wnt signaling despite PKM2 loss in this model. We also found a large fraction of human colon cancers had very low or undetectable levels of PKM2 expression. CONCLUSIONS PKM2 is not required for Apc-deficient colon cancer or for nuclear translocation of β-catenin in Apc-null tumor cells. These findings suggest that PKM2 expression is not required for colon tumor formation or progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison N. Lau
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - William J. Israelsen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - Jatin Roper
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111 USA
| | - Mark J. Sinnamon
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111 USA
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Larissa Georgeon
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111 USA
| | - Talya L. Dayton
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Alissandra L. Hillis
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Omer H. Yilmaz
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Dolores Di Vizio
- Departments of Surgery, Biomedical Sciences, and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Kenneth E. Hung
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111 USA
| | - Matthew G. Vander Heiden
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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12
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O’Rourke KP, Loizou E, Livshits G, Schatoff EM, Baslan T, Manchado E, Simon J, Romesser P, Leach B, Han T, Pauli C, Beltran H, Rubin MA, Dow LE, Lowe SW. Transplantation of engineered organoids enables rapid generation of metastatic mouse models of colorectal cancer. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:577-582. [PMID: 28459450 PMCID: PMC5462850 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death in the developed world, yet facile preclinical models that mimic the natural stages of CRC progression are lacking. Through the orthotopic engraftment of colon organoids we describe a broadly usable immunocompetent CRC model that recapitulates the entire adenoma-adenocarcinoma-metastasis axis in vivo. The engraftment procedure takes less than 5 minutes, shows efficient tumor engraftment in two-thirds of mice, and can be achieved using organoids derived from genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), wild-type organoids engineered ex vivo, or from patient-derived human CRC organoids. In this model, we describe the genotype and time-dependent progression of CRCs from adenocarcinoma (6 weeks), to local disseminated disease (11-12 weeks), and spontaneous metastasis (>20 weeks). Further, we use the system to show that loss of dysregulated Wnt signaling is critical for the progression of disseminated CRCs. Thus, our approach provides a fast and flexible means to produce tailored CRC mouse models for genetic studies and pre-clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P O’Rourke
- Weill Cornell Medicine/Rockefeller University/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, NY
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Evangelia Loizou
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Geulah Livshits
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Emma M Schatoff
- Weill Cornell Medicine/Rockefeller University/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, NY
- Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Timour Baslan
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Eusebio Manchado
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Janelle Simon
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Paul Romesser
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Benjamin Leach
- Meyer Cancer Center, Hematology & Medical Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Teng Han
- Meyer Cancer Center, Hematology & Medical Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Chantal Pauli
- Meyer Cancer Center, Hematology & Medical Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Himisha Beltran
- Meyer Cancer Center, Hematology & Medical Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Mark A Rubin
- Meyer Cancer Center, Hematology & Medical Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Meyer Cancer Center, Hematology & Medical Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Scott W Lowe
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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13
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Roper J, Tammela T, Cetinbas NM, Akkad A, Roghanian A, Rickelt S, Almeqdadi M, Wu K, Oberli MA, Sánchez-Rivera FJ, Park YK, Liang X, Eng G, Taylor MS, Azimi R, Kedrin D, Neupane R, Beyaz S, Sicinska ET, Suarez Y, Yoo J, Chen L, Zukerberg L, Katajisto P, Deshpande V, Bass AJ, Tsichlis PN, Lees J, Langer R, Hynes RO, Chen J, Bhutkar A, Jacks T, Yilmaz ÖH. In vivo genome editing and organoid transplantation models of colorectal cancer and metastasis. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:569-576. [PMID: 28459449 PMCID: PMC5462879 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In vivo interrogation of the function of genes implicated in tumorigenesis is limited by the need to generate and cross germline mutant mice. Here we describe approaches to model colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastasis, which rely on in situ gene editing and orthotopic organoid transplantation in mice without cancer-predisposing mutations. Autochthonous tumor formation is induced by CRISPR-Cas9-based editing of the Apc and Trp53 tumor suppressor genes in colon epithelial cells and by orthotopic transplantation of Apc-edited colon organoids. ApcΔ/Δ;KrasG12D/+;Trp53Δ/Δ (AKP) mouse colon organoids and human CRC organoids engraft in the distal colon and metastasize to the liver. Finally, we apply the orthotopic transplantation model to characterize the clonal dynamics of Lgr5+ stem cells and demonstrate sequential activation of an oncogene in established colon adenomas. These experimental systems enable rapid in vivo characterization of cancer-associated genes and reproduce the entire spectrum of tumor progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Roper
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tuomas Tammela
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Naniye Malli Cetinbas
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam Akkad
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ali Roghanian
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Steffen Rickelt
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mohammad Almeqdadi
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katherine Wu
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthias A Oberli
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Yoona K Park
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xu Liang
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - George Eng
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Martin S Taylor
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roxana Azimi
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dmitriy Kedrin
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachit Neupane
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Semir Beyaz
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ewa T Sicinska
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yvelisse Suarez
- Department of Pathology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James Yoo
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lillian Chen
- Department of Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lawrence Zukerberg
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pekka Katajisto
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam J Bass
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Philip N Tsichlis
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jacqueline Lees
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richard O Hynes
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jianzhu Chen
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arjun Bhutkar
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tyler Jacks
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ömer H Yilmaz
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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14
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Kawada K, Iwamoto M, Sakai Y. Mechanisms underlying 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation in colorectal cancer. World J Radiol 2016; 8:880-886. [PMID: 27928469 PMCID: PMC5120247 DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v8.i11.880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is a diagnostic tool to evaluate metabolic activity by measuring accumulation of FDG, an analogue of glucose, and has been widely used for detecting small tumors, monitoring treatment response and predicting patients’ prognosis in a variety of cancers. However, the molecular mechanism of FDG accumulation into tumors remains to be investigated. It is well-known that most cancers are metabolically active with elevated glucose metabolism, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. The underlying mechanisms for elevated glucose metabolism in cancer tissues are complex. Recent reports have indicated the potential of FDG-PET/CT scans in predicting mutational status (e.g., KRAS gene mutation) of colorectal cancer (CRC), which suggests that FDG-PET/CT scans may play a key role in determining therapeutic strategies by non-invasively predicting treatment response to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy. In this review, we summarize the current findings investigating the molecular mechanism of 18F-FDG accumulation in CRC.
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15
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Porru M, Zizza P, Franceschin M, Leonetti C, Biroccio A. EMICORON: A multi-targeting G4 ligand with a promising preclinical profile. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2016; 1861:1362-1370. [PMID: 27838395 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the last decade, guanine G-rich sequences folding into G-quadruplex (G4) structures have received a lot of attention and their biological role is now a matter of large debate. Rising amounts of experimental evidence have validated several G-rich motifs as molecular targets in cancer treatment. Despite that an increasing number of small molecules has been reported to possess excellent G4 stabilizing properties, none of them has progressed through the drug-development pipeline due to their poor drug-like properties. In this context, the identification of G4 ligands with more favorable pharmacological properties and with a well-defined target activity could be fruitful for anticancer therapy application. SCOPE OF REVIEW This manuscript outlines the current state of knowledge regarding EMICORON, a G4-interactive molecule structurally and biologically similar, on the one side, to coronene and, on the other side, to a bay-monosubstituted perylene. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Overall this work evidences that EMICORON, a new promising G4 ligand, possesses a marked antitumoral activity both standing alone and in combination with chemotherapeutics. Moreover, EMICORON represents a good example of multimodal class of antitumoral drug, able to simultaneously affect multiple targets participating in several distinct signaling pathways, thus simplifying the treatment modalities and improving the selectivity against cancer cells. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Due to the importance of G4 forming sequences in crucial biological processes participating in tumor progression, their successful targeting with small molecules could represent a very important innovation in the development of effective therapeutic strategies against cancer. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "G-quadruplex" Guest Editor: Dr. Concetta Giancola and Dr. Daniela Montesarchio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Porru
- SAFU, Department of Research, Diagnosis and Innovative Technologies, Translational Research Area, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Pasquale Zizza
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Italy.
| | - Marco Franceschin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Leonetti
- SAFU, Department of Research, Diagnosis and Innovative Technologies, Translational Research Area, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Annamaria Biroccio
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Italy.
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16
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Animal models of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis. Cancer Lett 2016; 387:114-120. [PMID: 26850374 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Liver metastasis is a leading cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer. Investigating the mechanisms of liver metastasis and control of disease progression are important strategies for improving survival of these patients. Liver metastasis is a multi-step process and relevant models representing these steps are necessary to understand the mechanism of liver metastasis and establish appropriate treatments. Recently, the development of animal models for use in metastasis research has greatly increased; however, there is still a lack of models that sufficiently represent human cancer. Thus, in order to select an optimal model for of a given study, it is necessary to fully understand the characteristics of each animal model. In this review, we describe the mouse models currently used for colorectal cancer with liver metastasis, their characteristics, and their pros and cons. This may help us specify the mechanism of liver metastasis and provide evidence relevant to clinical applications.
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17
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Porru M, Artuso S, Salvati E, Bianco A, Franceschin M, Diodoro MG, Passeri D, Orlandi A, Savorani F, D'Incalci M, Biroccio A, Leonetti C. Targeting G-Quadruplex DNA Structures by EMICORON Has a Strong Antitumor Efficacy against Advanced Models of Human Colon Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2015; 14:2541-51. [PMID: 26304235 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-15-0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
We previously identified EMICORON as a novel G-quadruplex (G4) ligand showing high selectivity for G4 structures over the duplex DNA, causing telomere damage and inhibition of cell proliferation in transformed and tumor cells. Here, we evaluated the antitumoral effect of EMICORON on advanced models of human colon cancer that could adequately predict human clinical outcomes. Our results showed that EMICORON was well tolerated in mice, as no adverse effects were reported, and a low ratio of sensitivity across human and mouse bone marrow cells was observed, indicating a good potential for reaching similar blood levels in humans. Moreover, EMICORON showed a marked therapeutic efficacy, as it inhibited the growth of patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and orthotopic colon cancer and strongly reduced the dissemination of tumor cells to lymph nodes, intestine, stomach, and liver. Finally, activation of DNA damage and impairment of proliferation and angiogenesis are proved to be key determinants of EMICORON antitumoral activity. Altogether, our results, performed on advanced experimental models of human colon cancer that bridge the translational gap between preclinical and clinical studies, demonstrated that EMICORON had an unprecedented antitumor activity warranting further studies of EMICORON-based combination treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Porru
- Experimental Chemotherapy Laboratory, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Artuso
- Experimental Chemotherapy Laboratory, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Erica Salvati
- Experimental Chemotherapy Laboratory, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Daniela Passeri
- Department of Biopathology and Image Diagnostics, Anatomic Pathology Institute, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Augusto Orlandi
- Department of Biopathology and Image Diagnostics, Anatomic Pathology Institute, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Savorani
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maurizio D'Incalci
- Department of Oncology, Pharmacological Research Institute "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria Biroccio
- Experimental Chemotherapy Laboratory, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
| | - Carlo Leonetti
- Experimental Chemotherapy Laboratory, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
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Golovko D, Kedrin D, Yilmaz ÖH, Roper J. Colorectal cancer models for novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 10:1217-29. [PMID: 26295972 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2015.1079618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite increased screening rates and advances in targeted therapy, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. CRC models that recapitulate key features of human disease are essential to the development of novel and effective therapeutics. Classic methods of modeling CRC such as human cell lines and xenograft mice, while useful for many applications, carry significant limitations. Recently developed in vitro and in vivo models overcome some of these deficiencies and thus can be utilized to better model CRC for mechanistic and translational research. AREAS COVERED The authors review established models of in vitro cell culture and describe advances in organoid culture for studying normal and malignant intestine. They also discuss key features of classic xenograft models and describe other approaches for in vivo CRC research, including patient-derived xenograft, carcinogen-induced, orthotopic transplantation and transgenic mouse models. We also describe mouse models of metastatic CRC. EXPERT OPINION No single model is optimal for drug discovery in CRC. Genetically engineered models overcome many limitations of xenograft models. Three-dimensional organoids can be efficiently derived from both normal and malignant tissue for large-scale in vitro and in vivo (transplantation) studies and are thus a significant advance in CRC drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Golovko
- a 1 Tufts Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Molecular Oncology Research Institute , Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Dmitriy Kedrin
- b 2 MIT, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Department of Biology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,c 3 Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Division of Gastroenterology , Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ömer H Yilmaz
- b 2 MIT, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Department of Biology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,d 4 Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Department of Pathology , Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jatin Roper
- a 1 Tufts Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Molecular Oncology Research Institute , Boston, MA 02111, USA .,b 2 MIT, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Department of Biology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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19
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Gould SE, Junttila MR, de Sauvage FJ. Translational value of mouse models in oncology drug development. Nat Med 2015; 21:431-9. [PMID: 25951530 DOI: 10.1038/nm.3853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Much has been written about the advantages and disadvantages of various oncology model systems, with the overall finding that these models lack the predictive power required to translate preclinical efficacy into clinical activity. Despite assertions that some preclinical model systems are superior to others, no single model can suffice to inform preclinical target validation and molecule selection. This perspective provides a balanced albeit critical view of these claims of superiority and outlines a framework for the proper use of existing preclinical models for drug testing and discovery. We also highlight gaps in oncology mouse models and discuss general and pervasive model-independent shortcomings in preclinical oncology work, and we propose ways to address these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E Gould
- Department of Molecular Oncology at Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Melissa R Junttila
- Department of Molecular Oncology at Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Frederic J de Sauvage
- Department of Molecular Oncology at Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
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20
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Belmont PJ, Jiang P, McKee TD, Xie T, Isaacson J, Baryla NE, Roper J, Sinnamon MJ, Lee NV, Kan JLC, Guicherit O, Wouters BG, O'Brien CA, Shields D, Olson P, VanArsdale T, Weinrich SL, Rejto P, Christensen JG, Fantin VR, Hung KE, Martin ES. Resistance to dual blockade of the kinases PI3K and mTOR in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer models results in combined sensitivity to inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase EGFR. Sci Signal 2014; 7:ra107. [PMID: 25389372 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2005516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Targeted blockade of aberrantly activated signaling pathways is an attractive therapeutic strategy for solid tumors, but drug resistance is common. KRAS is a frequently mutated gene in human cancer but remains a challenging clinical target. Inhibitors against KRAS signaling mediators, namely, PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) and mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), have limited clinical efficacy as single agents in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer (CRC). We investigated potential bypass mechanisms to PI3K/mTOR inhibition in KRAS-mutant CRC. Using genetically engineered mouse model cells that had acquired resistance to the dual PI3K/mTOR small-molecule inhibitor PF-04691502, we determined with chemical library screens that inhibitors of the ERBB [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)] family restored the sensitivity to PF-04691502. Although EGFR inhibitors alone have limited efficacy in reducing KRAS-mutant tumors, we found that PF-04691502 induced the abundance, phosphorylation, and activity of EGFR, ERBB2, and ERBB3 through activation of FOXO3a (forkhead box O 3a), a transcription factor inhibited by the PI3K to AKT pathway. PF-04691502 also induced a stem cell-like gene expression signature. KRAS-mutant patient-derived xenografts from mice treated with PF-04691502 had a similar gene expression signature and exhibited increased EGFR activation, suggesting that this drug-induced resistance mechanism may occur in patients. Combination therapy with dacomitinib (a pan-ERBB inhibitor) restored sensitivity to PF-04691502 in drug-resistant cells in culture and induced tumor regression in drug-resistant allografts in mice. Our findings suggest that combining PI3K/mTOR and EGFR inhibitors may improve therapeutic outcome in patients with KRAS-mutant CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Belmont
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
| | - Ping Jiang
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Trevor D McKee
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Medical Biophysics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Tao Xie
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Jason Isaacson
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Nicole E Baryla
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Jatin Roper
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Mark J Sinnamon
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Nathan V Lee
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Julie L C Kan
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Oivin Guicherit
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Bradly G Wouters
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Medical Biophysics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada. Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Catherine A O'Brien
- University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - David Shields
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Peter Olson
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Todd VanArsdale
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Scott L Weinrich
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Paul Rejto
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - James G Christensen
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Valeria R Fantin
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Kenneth E Hung
- Pfizer Biotherapeutics Clinical Research, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA
| | - Eric S Martin
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
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21
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Sakuma S, Yu JYH, Quang T, Hiwatari KI, Kumagai H, Kao S, Holt A, Erskind J, McClure R, Siuta M, Kitamura T, Tobita E, Koike S, Wilson K, Richards-Kortum R, Liu E, Washington K, Omary R, Gore JC, Pham W. Fluorescence-based endoscopic imaging of Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen to improve early detection of colorectal cancer. Int J Cancer 2014; 136:1095-103. [PMID: 25052906 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) antigen belongs to the mucin-type tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen. Notably, TF antigen is overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) but is rarely expressed in normal colonic tissue. Increased TF antigen expression is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. In this study, we sought to validate a novel nanobeacon for imaging TF-associated CRC in a preclinical animal model. We developed and characterized the nanobeacon for use with fluorescence colonoscopy. In vivo imaging was performed on an orthotopic rat model of CRC. Both white light and fluorescence colonoscopy methods were utilized to establish the ratio-imaging index for the probe. The nanobeacon exhibited specificity for TF-associated cancer. Fluorescence colonoscopy using the probe can detect lesions at the stage which is not readily confirmed by conventional visualization methods. Further, the probe can report the dynamic change of TF expression as tumor regresses during chemotherapy. Data from this study suggests that fluorescence colonoscopy can improve early CRC detection. Supplemented by the established ratio-imaging index, the probe can be used not only for early detection, but also for reporting tumor response during chemotherapy. Furthermore, since the data obtained through in vivo imaging confirmed that the probe was not absorbed by the colonic mucosa, no registered toxicity is associated with this nanobeacon. Taken together, these data demonstrate the potential of this novel probe for imaging TF antigen as a biomarker for the early detection and prediction of the progression of CRC at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Sakuma
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
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22
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Turker NS, Heidari P, Kucherlapati R, Kucherlapati M, Mahmood U. An EGFR targeted PET imaging probe for the detection of colonic adenocarcinomas in the setting of colitis. Am J Cancer Res 2014; 4:893-903. [PMID: 25057314 PMCID: PMC4107290 DOI: 10.7150/thno.9425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is a serious complication associated with inflammatory bowel disease, often indistinguishable by screening with conventional FDG PET probes. We have developed an alternative EGFR-targeted PET imaging probe that may be used to overcome this difficulty, and successfully assessed its utility for neoplastic lesion detection in preclinical models. Cetuximab F(ab′)2 fragments were enzymatically generated, purified, and DOTA-conjugated. Radiolabeling was performed with 67Ga for cell based studies and 64Cu for in vivo imaging. Competitive binding studies were performed on CT26 cells to assess affinity (KD) and receptors per cell (Bmax). In vivo imaging using the EGFR targeted PET probe and 18F FDG was performed on CT26 tumor bearing mice in both control and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induced colitis settings. Spontaneous adenomas in genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of colon cancer were additionally imaged. The EGFR imaging agent was generated with high purity (> 98%), with a labeling efficiency of 60 ± 5% and ≥99% radiochemical purity. The KD was 6.6 ± 0.7 nM and the Bmax for CT26 cells was 3.3 ± 0.1 × 106 receptors/cell. Target to background ratios (TBR) for CT26 tumors compared to colonic uptake demonstrated high values for both 18F-FDG (3.95 ± 0.13) and the developed 64Cu-DOTA-cetuximab-F(ab′)2 probe (4.42 ± 0.11) in control mice. The TBR for the EGFR targeted probe remained high (3.78 ± 0.06) in the setting of colitis, while for 18F FDG, this was markedly reduced (1.54 ± 0.08). Assessment of the EGFR targeted probe in the GEM models demonstrated a correlation between radiotracer uptake in spontaneous colonic lesions and the EGFR staining level ex vivo. A clinically translatable PET imaging probe was successfully developed to assess EGFR. The imaging agent can detect colonic tumors with a high TBR for detection of in situ lesions in the setting of colitis, and opens the possibility for a new approach for screening high-risk patients.
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23
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Roper J, Martin ES, Hung KE. Overview of genetically engineered mouse models of colorectal carcinoma to enable translational biology and drug development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 65:14.29.1-10. [PMID: 24934606 DOI: 10.1002/0471141755.ph1429s65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical models for colorectal cancer (CRC) are critical for translational biology and drug development studies to characterize and treat this condition. Mouse models of human cancer are particularly popular because of their relatively low cost, short life span, and ease of use. Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of CRC are engineered from germline or somatic modification of critical tumor suppressor genes and/or oncogenes that drive mutations in human disease. Detailed in this overview are the salient features of several useful colorectal cancer GEMMs and their value as tools for translational biology and preclinical drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Roper
- Division of Gastroenterology and Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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24
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Belmont PJ, Budinska E, Jiang P, Sinnamon MJ, Coffee E, Roper J, Xie T, Rejto PA, Derkits S, Sansom OJ, Delorenzi M, Tejpar S, Hung KE, Martin ES. Cross-species analysis of genetically engineered mouse models of MAPK-driven colorectal cancer identifies hallmarks of the human disease. Dis Model Mech 2014; 7:613-23. [PMID: 24742783 PMCID: PMC4036469 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.013904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective treatment options for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) are limited, survival rates are poor and this disease continues to be a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite being a highly heterogeneous disease, a large subset of individuals with sporadic CRC typically harbor relatively few established 'driver' lesions. Here, we describe a collection of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of sporadic CRC that combine lesions frequently altered in human patients, including well-characterized tumor suppressors and activators of MAPK signaling. Primary tumors from these models were profiled, and individual GEMM tumors segregated into groups based on their genotypes. Unique allelic and genotypic expression signatures were generated from these GEMMs and applied to clinically annotated human CRC patient samples. We provide evidence that a Kras signature derived from these GEMMs is capable of distinguishing human tumors harboring KRAS mutation, and tracks with poor prognosis in two independent human patient cohorts. Furthermore, the analysis of a panel of human CRC cell lines suggests that high expression of the GEMM Kras signature correlates with sensitivity to targeted pathway inhibitors. Together, these findings implicate GEMMs as powerful preclinical tools with the capacity to recapitulate relevant human disease biology, and support the use of genetic signatures generated in these models to facilitate future drug discovery and validation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Belmont
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Eva Budinska
- Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic. Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ping Jiang
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Mark J Sinnamon
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Erin Coffee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Jatin Roper
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Tao Xie
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Paul A Rejto
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Sahra Derkits
- The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Garscube Estate, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Owen J Sansom
- The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Garscube Estate, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Mauro Delorenzi
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Tejpar
- University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kenneth E Hung
- Pfizer Biotherapeutics Clinical Research, Cambridge, 02140 MA, USA
| | - Eric S Martin
- Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research and Development, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
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25
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Roper J, Sinnamon MJ, Coffee EM, Belmont P, Keung L, Georgeon-Richard L, Wang WV, Faber AC, Yun J, Yilmaz ÖH, Bronson RT, Martin ES, Tsichlis PN, Hung KE. Combination PI3K/MEK inhibition promotes tumor apoptosis and regression in PIK3CA wild-type, KRAS mutant colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 2014; 347:204-11. [PMID: 24576621 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2014.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
PI3K inhibition in combination with other agents has not been studied in the context of PIK3CA wild-type, KRAS mutant cancer. In a screen of phospho-kinases, PI3K inhibition of KRAS mutant colorectal cancer cells activated the MAPK pathway. Combination PI3K/MEK inhibition with NVP-BKM120 and PD-0325901 induced tumor regression in a mouse model of PIK3CA wild-type, KRAS mutant colorectal cancer, which was mediated by inhibition of mTORC1, inhibition of MCL-1, and activation of BIM. These findings implicate mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic mechanisms as determinants for the efficacy of PI3K/MEK inhibition in the treatment of PIK3CA wild-type, KRAS mutant cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Roper
- Tufts Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Tufts Medical Center, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Mark J Sinnamon
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Systems Biology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erin M Coffee
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Peter Belmont
- Celgene, Discovery, Oncology Research, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lily Keung
- Tufts Medical Center, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Larissa Georgeon-Richard
- Tufts Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wei Vivian Wang
- Tufts Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Anthony C Faber
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jihye Yun
- Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Department of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ömer H Yilmaz
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Roderick T Bronson
- Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eric S Martin
- Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Philip N Tsichlis
- Tufts Medical Center, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth E Hung
- Pfizer Biotherapeutics Clinical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States
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26
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Ward JM, Treuting PM. Rodent intestinal epithelial carcinogenesis: pathology and preclinical models. Toxicol Pathol 2013; 42:148-61. [PMID: 24178574 DOI: 10.1177/0192623313505156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Colon cancer is a major human malignancy that afflicts millions of people throughout the world each year. Genetics and diet play large roles in colon carcinogenesis although chemicals may also contribute. For the past 40 years, scientists have studied experimentally induced intestinal carcinogenesis in rodents in order to elucidate the etiology and mechanisms involved. Comparative histopathology has revealed many similarities of rodent and human intestinal cancers. Comparative molecular pathology has also shown genetic similarities. More recently, genetically engineered mice and inflammatory colon cancer models have been used for investigating mechanisms and potential chemopreventive and treatment modalities. This review will focus on comparative histopathology and nonclinical models.
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27
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Faber AC, Coffee EM, Costa C, Dastur A, Ebi H, Hata AN, Yeo AT, Edelman EJ, Song Y, Tam AT, Boisvert JL, Milano RJ, Roper J, Kodack DP, Jain RK, Corcoran RB, Rivera MN, Ramaswamy S, Hung KE, Benes CH, Engelman JA. mTOR inhibition specifically sensitizes colorectal cancers with KRAS or BRAF mutations to BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibition by suppressing MCL-1. Cancer Discov 2013; 4:42-52. [PMID: 24163374 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-13-0315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancers harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations are refractory to current targeted therapies. Using data from a high-throughput drug screen, we have developed a novel therapeutic strategy that targets the apoptotic machinery using the BCL-2 family inhibitor ABT-263 (navitoclax) in combination with a TORC1/2 inhibitor, AZD8055. This combination leads to efficient apoptosis specifically in KRAS- and BRAF-mutant but not wild-type (WT) colorectal cancer cells. This specific susceptibility results from TORC1/2 inhibition leading to suppression of MCL-1 expression in mutant, but not WT, colorectal cancers, leading to abrogation of BIM/MCL-1 complexes. This combination strategy leads to tumor regressions in both KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models of colorectal cancer, but not in the corresponding KRAS-WT colorectal cancer models. These data suggest that the combination of BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibitors with TORC1/2 inhibitors constitutes a promising targeted therapy strategy to treat these recalcitrant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Faber
- 1Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center; 2Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; 3Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center; 4Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; and 5Radiation Oncology, Steele Lab for Tumor Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
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28
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Ruggeri BA, Camp F, Miknyoczki S. Animal models of disease: pre-clinical animal models of cancer and their applications and utility in drug discovery. Biochem Pharmacol 2013; 87:150-61. [PMID: 23817077 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical models of human cancers are indispensable in the drug discovery and development process for new cancer drugs, small molecules and biologics. They are however imperfect facsimiles of human cancers given the genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity of the latter and the multiplicity of dysregulated survival and growth-regulatory pathways that characterize this spectrum of diseases. This review discusses pre-clinical tumor models - traditional ectopic xenografts, orthotopic xenografts, genetically engineered tumor models, primary human tumorgrafts, and various multi-stage carcinogen-induced tumor models - their advantages, limitations, physiological and pathological relevance. Collectively, these animal models represent a portfolio of test systems that should be utilized at specific stages in the drug discovery process in a pragmatic and hierarchical manner of increasing complexity, physiological relevance, and clinical predictability of the human response. Additionally, evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic agents emerging from drug discovery programs in a variety of pre-clinical models can better mimic the heterogeneity of human cancers and also aid in establishing dose levels, dose regimens and drug combinations for use in clinical trials. Nonetheless, despite the sophistication and physiological relevance of these human cancer models (e.g., genetically engineered tumor models and primary human tumografts), the ultimate proof of concept for efficacy and safety of novel oncology therapeutics lies in humans. The judicious interpretation and extrapolation of data derived from these models to humans, and a correspondingly greater emphasis placed on translational medical research in early stage clinical trials, are essential to improve on the current clinical attrition rates for novel oncology therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce A Ruggeri
- Oncology Discovery & Product Development, Global Branded R & D, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc, 145 Brandywine Parkway, West Chester, PA 19380, USA.
| | - Faye Camp
- Oncology Discovery & Product Development, Global Branded R & D, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc, 145 Brandywine Parkway, West Chester, PA 19380, USA
| | - Sheila Miknyoczki
- Oncology Discovery & Product Development, Global Branded R & D, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc, 145 Brandywine Parkway, West Chester, PA 19380, USA
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29
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Di Nicolantonio F, Bardelli A. Mouse models of Kras-mutant colorectal cancer: valuable GEMMs for drug testing? Clin Cancer Res 2013; 19:2794-6. [PMID: 23613316 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-0339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The development of effective therapies for colorectal cancer depends on the ability of preclinical models to faithfully recapitulate the molecular and biologic behavior of human tumors. This study reports on the characterization of colorectal genetically engineered mouse models and their derivative cell lines carrying wild-type or oncogenic Kras with concomitant Apc and p53 loss.
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