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Guo M, Sheng W, Yuan X, Wang X. Neutrophils as promising therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 140:112888. [PMID: 39133956 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an extremely poor prognosis and presents significant treatment challenges. Liver metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with pancreatic cancer. Recent studies have highlighted the significant impact of neutrophils on tumor occurrence and progression, as well as their crucial role in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment. Neutrophil infiltration plays a critical role in the progression and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Neutrophils contribute to pancreatic cancer liver metastasis through various mechanisms, including angiogenesis, immune suppression, immune evasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Therefore, targeting neutrophils holds promise as an important therapeutic strategy for inhibiting pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. This article provides a summary of research findings on the involvement of neutrophils in pancreatic cancer liver metastasis and analyzes their potential as therapeutic targets. This research may provide new insights for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and improve the prognosis of patients with this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Guo
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu University, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wanying Sheng
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu University, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xiao Yuan
- Cancer Institute of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu University, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
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Wu Y, Zhang J, Tian Y, Chi Shing Cho W, Xu HX, Lin ZX, Xian YF. 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 overcomes gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer by inhibiting LAMC2-Modulated ABC transporters. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00390-4. [PMID: 39270979 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.09.006] [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: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gemcitabine (GEM) is the first-line drug for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but drug resistance severely restricts its chemotherapeutic efficacy. Laminin subunit γ2 (LAMC2) plays a crucial role in extracellular matrix formation in the development of GEM-resistance. However, the biological function of LAMC2 in GEM resistance and its molecular mechanisms are still unclear. 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2), one of the principal active components isolated from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, possesses strong anti-tumor effects. However, the effects of Rh2 on overcoming GEM resistance and its action mechanisms remain to be elucidated. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the efficacy of Rh2 on overcoming GEM resistance and to explore its underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS Clinical study, Western blotting, publicly available databasesand bioinformatic analyses were performed to investigate the protein expression of LAMC2 in the GEM-resistant PDAC patients and the acquired GEM-resistant PDAC cells. Then, the effects of Rh2 on overcoming the GEM resistance in PDAC were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Stable silencing or overexpression of LAMC2 in the GEM-resistant PDAC cells were established for validating the role of LAMC2 on Rh2 overcoming the GEM resistance in PDAC. RESULTS The protein expression of LAMC2 was markedly increased in the GEM-resistant PDAC patient biopsies compared to the sensitive cases. The protein expression of LAMC2 was significantly higher in the acquired GEM-resistant PDAC cells than that in their parental cells. Rh2 enhanced the chemosensitivity of GEM in the GEM-resistant PDAC cells, and inhibited the tumor growth of Miapaca-2-GR cell-bearing mice and Krastm4TyjTrp53tm1BrnTg (Pdx1-cre/Esr1*) #Dam/J (KPC) mice. Rh2 effectively reversed the GEM resistance in Miapaca-2-GR and Capan-2-GR cells by inhibiting LAMC2 expression through regulating the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Knockdown of LAMC2 enhanced the chemosensitivity of GEM and the effects of Rh2 on overcoming the GEM resistance in PDAC cells and the orthotopic PDAC mouse model. Conversely, LAMC2 overexpression aggravated the chemoresistance of GEM and abolished the effects of Rh2 on overcoming GEM resistance via modulating ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters leading to the active GEM efflux. CONCLUSIONS LAMC2 plays an important role in the GEM resistance in PDAC, and Rh2 is a potential adjuvant for overcoming the chemoresistance of GEM in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuanyang Tian
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - William Chi Shing Cho
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Department of Pathology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hong-Xi Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, PR China
| | - Zhi-Xiu Lin
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China; Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; The Chinese University of Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Specialty Clinic cum Clinical Teaching and Research Centre, School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yan-Fang Xian
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China; The Chinese University of Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Specialty Clinic cum Clinical Teaching and Research Centre, School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Vázquez-Bellón N, Martínez-Bosch N, García de Frutos P, Navarro P. Hallmarks of pancreatic cancer: spotlight on TAM receptors. EBioMedicine 2024; 107:105278. [PMID: 39137571 PMCID: PMC11367522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents the most prevalent type of pancreatic cancer and ranks among the most aggressive tumours, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 11%. Projections indicate that by 2030, it will become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. PDAC presents distinctive hallmarks contributing to its dismal prognosis: (i) late diagnosis, (ii) heterogenous and complex mutational landscape, (iii) high metastatic potential, (iv) dense fibrotic stroma, (v) immunosuppressive microenvironment, and (vi) high resistance to therapy. Mounting evidence has shown a role for TAM (Tyro3, AXL, MerTK) family of tyrosine kinase receptors in PDAC initiation and progression. This review aims to describe the impact of TAM receptors on the defining hallmarks of PDAC and discuss potential future directions using these proteins as novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and targets for precision therapy in PDAC, an urgent unmet clinical need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Vázquez-Bellón
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; PhD Program in Biomedicine, Facultat de Medicina (Campus Clínic), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Neus Martínez-Bosch
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo García de Frutos
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, Unidad Asociada IMIM/IIBB-CSIC, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pilar Navarro
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.
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4
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Repici A, Ardizzone A, De Luca F, Colarossi L, Prestifilippo A, Pizzino G, Paterniti I, Esposito E, Capra AP. Signaling Pathways of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Contribute to the Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Glioblastoma. Cells 2024; 13:361. [PMID: 38391974 PMCID: PMC10886920 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors are a diverse collection of neoplasms affecting the brain with a high prevalence rate in people of all ages around the globe. In this pathological context, glioblastoma, a form of glioma that belongs to the IV-grade astrocytoma group, is the most common and most aggressive form of the primary brain tumors. Indeed, despite the best treatments available including surgery, radiotherapy or a pharmacological approach with Temozolomide, glioblastoma patients' mortality is still high, within a few months of diagnosis. Therefore, to increase the chances of these patients surviving, it is critical to keep finding novel treatment opportunities. In the past, efforts to treat glioblastoma have mostly concentrated on customized treatment plans that target specific mutations such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, Neurotrophic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase (NTRK) fusions, or multiple receptors using multi-kinase inhibitors like Sunitinib and Regorafenib, with varying degrees of success. Here, we focused on the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL that has been identified as a mediator for tumor progression and therapy resistance in various cancer types, including squamous cell tumors, small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer. Activated AXL leads to a significant increase in tumor proliferation, tumor cell migration, and angiogenesis in different in vitro and in vivo models of cancer since this receptor regulates interplay with apoptotic, angiogenic and inflammatory pathways. Based on these premises, in this review we mainly focused on the role of AXL in the course of glioblastoma, considering its primary biological mechanisms and as a possible target for the application of the most recent treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Repici
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Alessio Ardizzone
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Fabiola De Luca
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Lorenzo Colarossi
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; (L.C.); (A.P.); (G.P.)
| | - Angela Prestifilippo
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; (L.C.); (A.P.); (G.P.)
| | - Gabriele Pizzino
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; (L.C.); (A.P.); (G.P.)
| | - Irene Paterniti
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Emanuela Esposito
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Anna Paola Capra
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
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Fang F, Dai Y, Wang H, Ji Y, Liang X, Peng X, Li J, Zhao Y, Li C, Wang D, Li Y, Zhang D, Zhang D, Geng M, Liu H, Ai J, Zhou Y. Structure-based drug discovery of novel fused-pyrazolone carboxamide derivatives as potent and selective AXL inhibitors. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4918-4933. [PMID: 38045061 PMCID: PMC10692477 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As a novel and promising antitumor target, AXL plays an important role in tumor growth, metastasis, immunosuppression and drug resistance of various malignancies, which has attracted extensive research interest in recent years. In this study, by employing the structure-based drug design and bioisosterism strategies, we designed and synthesized in total 54 novel AXL inhibitors featuring a fused-pyrazolone carboxamide scaffold, of which up to 20 compounds exhibited excellent AXL kinase and BaF3/TEL-AXL cell viability inhibitions. Notably, compound 59 showed a desirable AXL kinase inhibitory activity (IC50: 3.5 nmol/L) as well as good kinase selectivity, and it effectively blocked the cellular AXL signaling. In turn, compound 59 could potently inhibit BaF3/TEL-AXL cell viability (IC50: 1.5 nmol/L) and significantly suppress GAS6/AXL-mediated cancer cell invasion, migration and wound healing at the nanomolar level. More importantly, compound 59 oral administration showed good pharmacokinetic profile and in vivo antitumor efficiency, in which we observed significant AXL phosphorylation suppression, and its antitumor efficacy at 20 mg/kg (qd) was comparable to that of BGB324 at 50 mg/kg (bid), the most advanced AXL inhibitor. Taken together, this work provided a valuable lead compound as a potential AXL inhibitor for the further antitumor drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yang Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Drug Discovery & Development Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yinchun Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xuewu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xia Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jiyuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yangrong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chunpu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Danyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yazhou Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Meiyu Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai 264117, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Jing Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Drug Discovery & Development Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
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6
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DeRyckere D, Huelse JM, Earp HS, Graham DK. TAM family kinases as therapeutic targets at the interface of cancer and immunity. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:755-779. [PMID: 37667010 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Novel treatment approaches are needed to overcome innate and acquired mechanisms of resistance to current anticancer therapies in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment. The TAM (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) family receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are potential therapeutic targets in a wide range of cancers. In cancer cells, TAM RTKs activate signalling pathways that promote cell survival, metastasis and resistance to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies. TAM RTKs also function in innate immune cells, contributing to various mechanisms that suppress antitumour immunity and promote resistance to immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, TAM antagonists provide an unprecedented opportunity for both direct and immune-mediated therapeutic activity provided by inhibition of a single target, and are likely to be particularly effective when used in combination with other cancer therapies. To exploit this potential, a variety of agents have been designed to selectively target TAM RTKs, many of which have now entered clinical testing. This Review provides an essential guide to the TAM RTKs for clinicians, including an overview of the rationale for therapeutic targeting of TAM RTKs in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment, a description of the current preclinical and clinical experience with TAM inhibitors, and a perspective on strategies for continued development of TAM-targeted agents for oncology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Department of Medicine, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Brown BA, Lazzara MJ. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals microenvironment context-specific routes for epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreas cancer cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.30.542969. [PMID: 37398348 PMCID: PMC10312528 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.30.542969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
In the PDAC tumor microenvironment, multiple factors initiate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that occurs heterogeneously among transformed ductal cells, but it is unclear if different drivers promote EMT through common or distinct signaling pathways. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify the transcriptional basis for EMT in pancreas cancer cells in response to hypoxia or EMT-inducing growth factors. Using clustering and gene set enrichment analysis, we find EMT gene expression patterns that are unique to the hypoxia or growth factor conditions or that are common between them. Among the inferences from the analysis, we find that the FAT1 cell adhesion protein is enriched in epithelial cells and suppresses EMT. Further, the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is preferentially expressed in hypoxic mesenchymal cells in a manner correlating with YAP nuclear localization, which is suppressed by FAT1 expression. AXL inhibition prevents EMT in response to hypoxia but not growth factors. Relationships between FAT1 or AXL expression with EMT were confirmed through analysis of patient tumor scRNA-seq data. Further exploration of inferences from this unique dataset will reveal additional microenvironment context-specific signaling pathways for EMT that may represent novel drug targets for PDAC combination therapies.
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Zong G, Wang X, Guo X, Zhao Q, Wang C, Shen S, Xiao W, Yang Q, Jiang W, Shen J, Wan R. NAT10-mediated AXL mRNA N4-acetylcytidine modification promotes pancreatic carcinoma progression. Exp Cell Res 2023; 428:113620. [PMID: 37156457 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Although the patient's survival time in various cancers has significantly increased in recent decades, the overall 5-year survival rate of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has remained virtually unchanged due to rapid progression and metastasis. While N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) has been identified as a regulator of mRNA acetylation in many malignancies, its role in PDAC remains unclear. Here, we found that NAT10 mRNA and protein levels were upregulated in PDAC tissues. Increased NAT10 protein expression was significantly correlated with poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Through our experiments, we demonstrated that NAT10 acted as an oncogene to promote PDAC tumorigenesis and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NAT10 exerts its oncogenic effects by promoting mRNA stability of receptor tyrosine kinase AXL in an ac4C-dependent manner leading to increased AXL expression and further promoting PDAC cell proliferation and metastasis. Together, our findings highlight the critical of NAT10 in PDAC progression and reveal a novel epigenetic mechanism by which modified mRNA acetylation promotes PDAC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanzhao Zong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi Medical College, China
| | - Xingya Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiuyan Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chuanyang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shien Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqin Xiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiliang Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Rong Wan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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9
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Pantelaiou-Prokaki G, Reinhardt O, Georges NS, Agorku DJ, Hardt O, Prokakis E, Mieczkowska IK, Deppert W, Wegwitz F, Alves F. Basal-like mammary carcinomas stimulate cancer stem cell properties through AXL-signaling to induce chemotherapy resistance. Int J Cancer 2023; 152:1916-1932. [PMID: 36637144 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34429] [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: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is the most aggressive and heterogeneous breast cancer (BC) subtype. Conventional chemotherapies represent next to surgery the most frequently employed treatment options. Unfortunately, resistant tumor phenotypes often develop, resulting in therapeutic failure. To identify the early events occurring upon the first drug application and initiating chemotherapy resistance in BLBC, we leveraged the WAP-T syngeneic mammary carcinoma mouse model and we developed a strategy combining magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS)-based tumor cell enrichment with high-throughput transcriptome analyses. We discovered that chemotherapy induced a massive gene expression reprogramming toward stemness acquisition to tolerate and survive the cytotoxic treatment in vitro and in vivo. Retransplantation experiments revealed that one single cycle of cytotoxic drug combination therapy (Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin and 5-Fluorouracil) suffices to induce resistant tumor cell phenotypes in vivo. We identified Axl and its ligand Pros1 as highly induced genes driving cancer stem cell (CSC) properties upon chemotherapy in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, from our analysis of BLBC patient datasets, we found that AXL expression is also strongly correlated with CSC-gene signatures, a poor response to conventional therapies and worse survival outcomes in those patients. Finally, we demonstrate that AXL inhibition sensitized BLBC-cells to cytotoxic treatment in vitro. Together, our data support AXL as a promising therapeutic target to optimize the efficiency of conventional cytotoxic therapies in BLBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garyfallia Pantelaiou-Prokaki
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Translational Molecular Imaging, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Reinhardt
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Translational Molecular Imaging, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nadine S Georges
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - David J Agorku
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, R&D Reagents, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Olaf Hardt
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, R&D Reagents, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Evangelos Prokakis
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Iga K Mieczkowska
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Deppert
- University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Institute for Tumor Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Wegwitz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frauke Alves
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Translational Molecular Imaging, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Clinic for Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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10
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Jagadeeshan S, Prasad M, Badarni M, Lulu TB, Liju VB, Mathukkada S, Saunders C, Shnerb AB, Zorea J, Yegodayev KM, Wainer M, Vtorov L, Allon I, Cohen O, Gausdal G, Friedmann-Morvinski D, Cheong SC, Ho AL, Rosenberg AJ, Kessler L, Burrows F, Kong D, Grandis JR, Gutkind JS, Elkabets M. Mutated HRAS Activates YAP1-AXL Signaling to Drive Metastasis of Head and Neck Cancer. Cancer Res 2023; 83:1031-1047. [PMID: 36753744 PMCID: PMC10073343 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
The survival rate for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) diagnosed with cervical lymph node (cLN) or distant metastasis is low. Genomic alterations in the HRAS oncogene are associated with advanced tumor stage and metastasis in HNC. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which mutated HRAS (HRASmut) facilitates HNC metastasis could lead to improved treatment options for patients. Here, we examined metastasis driven by mutant HRAS in vitro and in vivo using HRASmut human HNC cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, and a novel HRASmut syngeneic model. Genetic and pharmacological manipulations indicated that HRASmut was sufficient to drive invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Targeted proteomic analysis showed that HRASmut promoted AXL expression via suppressing the Hippo pathway and stabilizing YAP1 activity. Pharmacological blockade of HRAS signaling with the farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib activated the Hippo pathway and reduced the nuclear export of YAP1, thus suppressing YAP1-mediated AXL expression and metastasis. AXL was required for HRASmut cells to migrate and invade in vitro and to form regional cLN and lung metastases in vivo. In addition, AXL-depleted HRASmut tumors displayed reduced lymphatic and vascular angiogenesis in the primary tumor. Tipifarnib treatment also regulated AXL expression and attenuated VEGFA and VEGFC expression, thus regulating tumor-induced vascular formation and metastasis. Our results indicate that YAP1 and AXL are crucial factors for HRASmut-induced metastasis and that tipifarnib treatment can limit the metastasis of HNC tumors with HRAS mutations by enhancing YAP1 cytoplasmic sequestration and downregulating AXL expression. SIGNIFICANCE Mutant HRAS drives metastasis of head and neck cancer by switching off the Hippo pathway to activate the YAP1-AXL axis and to stimulate lymphovascular angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Jagadeeshan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Manu Prasad
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Mai Badarni
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Talal Ben Lulu
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Vijayasteltar Belsamma Liju
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sooraj Mathukkada
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Claire Saunders
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Avital Beeri Shnerb
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan Zorea
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ksenia M Yegodayev
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Monica Wainer
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Liza Vtorov
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Irit Allon
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Institute of Pathology, Barzilai University Medical Center, Ashqelon, Israel
| | - Ofir Cohen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Dinorah Friedmann-Morvinski
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sok Ching Cheong
- Translational Cancer Biology, Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Alan L Ho
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY and Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Ari J Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Dexin Kong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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11
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Bellomo G, Rainer C, Quaranta V, Astuti Y, Raymant M, Boyd E, Stafferton R, Campbell F, Ghaneh P, Halloran CM, Hammond DE, Morton JP, Palmer D, Vimalachandran D, Jones R, Mielgo A, Schmid MC. Chemotherapy-induced infiltration of neutrophils promotes pancreatic cancer metastasis via Gas6/AXL signalling axis. Gut 2022; 71:2284-2299. [PMID: 35022267 PMCID: PMC9554050 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-325272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly metastatic disease and cytotoxic chemotherapy is the standard of care treatment for patients with advanced disease. Here, we investigate how the microenvironment in PDAC liver metastases reacts to chemotherapy and its role in metastatic disease progression post-treatment, an area which is poorly understood. DESIGN The impact of chemotherapy on metastatic disease progression and immune cell infiltrates was characterised using flow and mass cytometry combined with transcriptional and histopathological analysis in experimental PDAC liver metastases mouse models. Findings were validated in patient derived liver metastases and in an autochthonous PDAC mouse model. Human and murine primary cell cocultures and ex vivo patient-derived liver explants were deployed to gain mechanistical insights on whether and how chemotherapy affects the metastatic tumour microenvironment. RESULTS We show that in vivo, chemotherapy induces an initial infiltration of proinflammatory macrophages into the liver and activates cytotoxic T cells, leading only to a temporary restraining of metastatic disease progression. However, after stopping treatment, neutrophils are recruited to the metastatic liver via CXCL1 and 2 secretion by metastatic tumour cells. These neutrophils express growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) which leads to AXL receptor activation on tumour cells enabling their regrowth. Disruption of neutrophil infiltration or inhibition of the Gas6/AXL signalling axis in combination with chemotherapy inhibits metastatic growth. Chemotherapy increases Gas6 expression in circulating neutrophils from patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer and recombinant Gas6 is sufficient to promote tumour cell proliferation ex vivo, in patient-derived metastatic liver explants. CONCLUSION Combining chemotherapy with Gas6/AXL or neutrophil targeted therapy could provide a therapeutic benefit for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Bellomo
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Carolyn Rainer
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Valeria Quaranta
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Yuliana Astuti
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Meirion Raymant
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Elzbieta Boyd
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ruth Stafferton
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Fiona Campbell
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Paula Ghaneh
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Dean E Hammond
- Molecular Physiology and Cell Signalling, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Daniel Palmer
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Dale Vimalachandran
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Robert Jones
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ainhoa Mielgo
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michael C Schmid
- Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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12
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Hartl L, Maarschalkerweerd PAF, Butler JM, Manz XD, Thijssen VLJL, Bijlsma MF, Duitman J, Spek CA. C/EBPδ Suppresses Motility-Associated Gene Signatures and Reduces PDAC Cell Migration. Cells 2022; 11:3334. [PMID: 36359732 PMCID: PMC9655908 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most aggressive human cancers and occurs globally at an increasing incidence. Metastases are the primary cause of cancer-related death and, in the majority of cases, PDAC is accompanied by metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, making it a particularly lethal cancer. Regrettably, to date, no curative treatment has been developed for patients with metastatic disease, resulting in a 5-year survival rate of only 11%. We previously found that the protein expression of the transcription factor CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein Delta (C/EBPδ) negatively correlates with lymph node involvement in PDAC patients. To better comprehend the etiology of metastatic PDAC, we explored the role of C/EBPδ at different steps of the metastatic cascade, using established in vitro models. We found that C/EBPδ has a major impact on cell motility, an important prerequisite for tumor cells to leave the primary tumor and to reach distant sites. Our data suggest that C/EBPδ induces downstream pathways that modulate actin cytoskeleton dynamics to reduce cell migration and to induce a more epithelial-like cellular phenotype. Understanding the mechanisms dictating epithelial and mesenchymal features holds great promise for improving the treatment of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Hartl
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pien A. F. Maarschalkerweerd
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joe M. Butler
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Xue D. Manz
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location VU University Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Victor L. J. L. Thijssen
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC Location VU University Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten F. Bijlsma
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - JanWillem Duitman
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection & Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C. Arnold Spek
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Krebs N, Klein L, Wegwitz F, Espinet E, Maurer HC, Tu M, Penz F, Küffer S, Xu X, Bohnenberger H, Cameron S, Brunner M, Neesse A, Kishore U, Hessmann E, Trumpp A, Ströbel P, Brekken RA, Ellenrieder V, Singh SK. Axon guidance receptor ROBO3 modulates subtype identity and prognosis via AXL-associated inflammatory network in pancreatic cancer. JCI Insight 2022; 7:154475. [PMID: 35993361 PMCID: PMC9462476 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.154475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic pancreatic cancer (PDAC) has a poor clinical outcome with a 5-year survival rate below 3%. Recent transcriptome profiling of PDAC biopsies has identified 2 clinically distinct subtypes - the "basal-like" (BL) subtype with poor prognosis and therapy resistance compared with the less aggressive and drug-susceptible "classical" (CLA) subtype. However, the mechanistic events and environmental factors that promote the BL subtype identity are not very clear. Using preclinical models, patient-derived xenografts, and FACS-sorted PDAC patient biopsies, we report here that the axon guidance receptor, roundabout guidance receptor 3 (ROBO3), promotes the BL metastatic program via a potentially unique AXL/IL-6/phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) regulatory axis. RNA-Seq identified a ROBO3-mediated BL-specific gene program, while tyrosine kinase profiling revealed AXL as the key mediator of the p-STAT3 activation. CRISPR/dCas9-based ROBO3 silencing disrupted the AXL/p-STAT3 signaling axis, thereby halting metastasis and enhancing therapy sensitivity. Transcriptome analysis of resected patient tumors revealed that AXLhi neoplastic cells associated with the inflammatory stromal program. Combining AXL inhibitor and chemotherapy substantially restored a CLA phenotypic state and reduced disease aggressiveness. Thus, we conclude that a ROBO3-driven hierarchical network determines the inflammatory and prometastatic programs in a specific PDAC subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Krebs
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and
| | - Lukas Klein
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and
| | - Florian Wegwitz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisa Espinet
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.,HI-STEM: The Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine gGmbH, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapy, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapy in Oncology Program (Oncobell), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hans Carlo Maurer
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Mengyu Tu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and
| | - Frederike Penz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and
| | | | - Xingbo Xu
- Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, and
| | | | - Silke Cameron
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and
| | - Marius Brunner
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and
| | - Albrecht Neesse
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and,Clinical Research Unit 5002, KFO5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Uday Kishore
- Biosciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and,Clinical Research Unit 5002, KFO5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Trumpp
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.,HI-STEM: The Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine gGmbH, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Institute of Pathology,,Clinical Research Unit 5002, KFO5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rolf A. Brekken
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Departments of Surgery and Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and,Clinical Research Unit 5002, KFO5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shiv K. Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology and,Clinical Research Unit 5002, KFO5002, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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14
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Chiasakul T, Zwicker JI. The impact of warfarin on overall survival in cancer patients. Thromb Res 2022; 213:S113-S119. [PMID: 35769870 PMCID: PMC9236137 DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with cancer. Warfarin has largely been replaced by low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWHs) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) as the standard of care in cancer-associated VTE. The survival benefit of these anticoagulants over warfarin in the cancer population was not demonstrated in clinical trials, possibly due to insufficient sample size and limited follow-up duration. There are emerging population-based studies suggesting that warfarin may be associated with improved overall survival in cancers and may have a protective effect against certain types of cancers. Warfarin may exert its anti-neoplastic properties through both coagulation pathway -dependent and -independent mechanisms, the latter of which are mediated by inhibition of the Gas6-AXL signaling pathway. Further research should emphasize on identifying clinical and laboratory predictors of beneficial effects of warfarin. In this review article, we summarize and update the current evidence regarding the potential impact of warfarin on the overall survival of cancer patients and incidence of cancer, as well as review the potential mechanism of such effect and future perspectives.
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15
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Martínez-Bosch N, Cristóbal H, Iglesias M, Gironella M, Barranco L, Visa L, Calafato D, Jiménez-Parrado S, Earl J, Carrato A, Manero-Rupérez N, Moreno M, Morales A, Guerra C, Navarro P, García de Frutos P. Soluble AXL is a novel blood marker for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and differential diagnosis from chronic pancreatitis. EBioMedicine 2022; 75:103797. [PMID: 34973624 PMCID: PMC8724936 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Early diagnosis is crucial for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is proteolytically processed releasing a soluble form (sAXL) into the blood stream. Here we explore the use of sAXL as a biomarker for PDAC. Methods AXL was analysed by immunohistochemistry in human pancreatic tissue samples. RNA expression analysis was performed using TCGA/GTEx databases. The plasma concentrations of sAXL, its ligand GAS6, and CA19-9 were studied in two independent cohorts, the HMar cohort (n = 59) and the HClinic cohort (n = 142), including healthy controls, chronic pancreatitis (CP) or PDAC patients, and in a familial PDAC cohort (n = 68). AXL expression and sAXL release were studied in PDAC cell lines and murine models. Findings AXL is increased in PDAC and precursor lesions as compared to CP or controls. sAXL determined in plasma from two independent cohorts was significantly increased in the PDAC group as compared to healthy controls or CP patients. Patients with high levels of AXL have a lower overall survival. ROC analysis of the plasma levels of sAXL, GAS6, or CA19-9 in our cohorts revealed that sAXL outperformed CA19-9 for discriminating between CP and PDAC. Using both sAXL and CA19-9 increased the diagnostic value. These results were validated in murine models, showing increased sAXL specifically in animals developing PDAC but not those with precursor lesions or acinar tumours. Interpretation sAXL appears as a biomarker for early detection of PDAC and PDAC–CP discrimination that could accelerate treatment and improve its dismal prognosis. Funding This work was supported by grants PI20/00625 (PN), RTI2018-095672-B-I00 (AM and PGF), PI20/01696 (MG) and PI18/01034 (AC) from MICINN-FEDER and grant 2017/SGR/225 (PN) from Generalitat de Catalunya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Martínez-Bosch
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helena Cristóbal
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mar Iglesias
- Department of Pathology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Hospital del Mar, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Oncología (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Meritxell Gironella
- Gastrointestinal & Pancreatic Oncology Group, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD); Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and IDIBAPS; Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Barranco
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Visa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Domenico Calafato
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Jiménez-Parrado
- Molecular Oncology Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Julie Earl
- Molecular Epidemiology and Predictive Tumour Markers Group, Medical Oncology Research Laboratory, Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain. CIBERONC
| | - Alfredo Carrato
- Molecular Epidemiology and Predictive Tumour Markers Group, Medical Oncology Research Laboratory, Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain. CIBERONC
| | - Noemí Manero-Rupérez
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Moreno
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Morales
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, CIBEREHD and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Guerra
- Molecular Oncology Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Navarro
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pablo García de Frutos
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, Unidad Asociada IMIM/IIBB-CSIC; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
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16
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Shi B, Chu J, Huang T, Wang X, Li Q, Gao Q, Xia Q, Luo S. The Scavenger Receptor MARCO Expressed by Tumor-Associated Macrophages Are Highly Associated With Poor Pancreatic Cancer Prognosis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:771488. [PMID: 34778091 PMCID: PMC8586414 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.771488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-targeting therapies have become attractive strategies for immunotherapy. Deficiency of MARCO significantly inhibits tumor progression and metastasis in murine models of pancreatic cancer. However, the role of MARCO in patients with pancreatic cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we analyzed tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-related changes using the Cancer Genome Atlas database. We observed a significant enrichment of M2 macrophages in pancreatic cancer tissues. We found that several pro-tumor markers are increased in cancer tissues, including CD163, CD206, SIRPα, LILRB1, SIGLEC10, AXL, MERTK, and MARCO. Crucially, MARCO is highly or exclusively expressed in pancreatic cancer across many types of solid tumors, suggesting its significant role in pancreatic cancer. Next, we investigated the expression of MARCO in relation to the macrophage marker CD163 in a treatment-naïve pancreatic cancer cohort after surgery (n = 65). MARCO and CD163 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. We observed increased expression of CD163 and MARCO in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with paracancerous tissues. Furthermore, we observed a large variation in CD163 and MARCO expression in pancreatic cancer tissues among cases, suggesting the heterogeneous expression of these two markers among patients. Correlation to clinical data indicated a strong trend toward worse survival for patients with high CD163 and MARCO macrophage infiltration. Moreover, high CD163 and MARCO expression negatively affected the disease-free survival and overall survival rates of patients with pancreatic cancer. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that CD163 and MARCO expression was an independent indicator of pancreatic cancer prognosis. In conclusion, high CD163 and MARCO expression in cancer tissues is a negative prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer after surgery. Furthermore, anti-MARCO may be a novel therapy that is worth studying in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bian Shi
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junfeng Chu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqian Wang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiujian Li
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qilong Gao
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qingxin Xia
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Suxia Luo
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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