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Febrero B, Ruiz-Manzanera JJ, Ros-Madrid I, Hernández AM, Orenes-Piñero E, Rodríguez JM. Tumor microenvironment in thyroid cancer: Immune cells, patterns, and novel treatments. Head Neck 2024; 46:1486-1499. [PMID: 38380767 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor immune microenvironment of thyroid cancer is the heterogeneous histological space in which tumor cells coexist with host cells. Published data from this review were identified by search and selection database of Pubmed, Elsevier, and Science Direct. Searching was made in two steps using different keywords. In thyroid pathology, the inflammatory response is very important, and might have a key role finding new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, particularly in thyroid cancer. Different immune cells may be more or less present in different types of thyroid cancer and may even have different functions, hence the importance of knowing their presence in different thyroid tumor pathologies. Cancer-related inflammation could be a useful target for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies by analyzing peritumoral and intratumoral immune cells in different types of thyroid tumors. Moreover, novel strategies for thyroid cancer treatments, such as monoclonal antibodies targeting checkpoint inhibitors, are emerging as promising alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Febrero
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, General Surgery Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Juan José Ruiz-Manzanera
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, General Surgery Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Ros-Madrid
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonio Miguel Hernández
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
| | - Esteban Orenes-Piñero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-A, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Manuel Rodríguez
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, General Surgery Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
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2
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Turner N, Hamidi S, Ouni R, Rico R, Henderson YC, Puche M, Alekseev S, Colunga-Minutti JG, Zafereo ME, Lai SY, Kim ST, Cabanillas ME, Nurieva R. Emerging therapeutic options for follicular-derived thyroid cancer in the era of immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1369780. [PMID: 38868771 PMCID: PMC11167082 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1369780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Although most follicular-derived thyroid cancers are well differentiated and have an overall excellent prognosis following treatment with surgery and radioiodine, management of advanced thyroid cancers, including iodine refractory disease and poorly differentiated/undifferentiated subtypes, is more challenging. Over the past decade, better understanding of the genetic drivers and immune milieu of advanced thyroid cancers has led to significant progress in the management of these patients. Numerous targeted kinase inhibitors are now approved by the U.S Food and Drug administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced, radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) as well as anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Immunotherapy has also been thoroughly studied and has shown promise in selected cases. In this review, we summarize the progress in the understanding of the genetic landscape and the cellular and molecular basis of radioiodine refractory-DTC and ATC, as well as discuss the current treatment options and future therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naimah Turner
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sarah Hamidi
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rim Ouni
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rene Rico
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ying C. Henderson
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Maria Puche
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering, Houston Christian University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sayan Alekseev
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Program of Biology, College of Sciences, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Jocelynn G. Colunga-Minutti
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Program of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mark E. Zafereo
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Stephen Y. Lai
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sang T. Kim
- Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Maria E. Cabanillas
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Roza Nurieva
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Program of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), Houston, TX, United States
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3
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Choi YS, Jeon MJ, Doolittle WKL, Song DE, Kim K, Kim WB, Kim WG. Macrophage-Induced Carboxypeptidase A4 Promotes the Progression of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Thyroid 2024. [PMID: 38666696 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2023.0427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Background: The density of tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is associated with poor prognosis. However, the crosstalk between macrophages and ATC cells is poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the impact of macrophages on cancer cell phenotypes. We found a new mediator between M2 macrophages and ATC cells through proteomics analysis. Methods: The role of macrophages in proliferation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells was evaluated using coculture assay and conditioned medium (CM). Secretory factors in the CM from single or coculture were identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry proteomics analysis. We evaluated the role of the secretory factor in proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. In vivo xenograft model was used to evaluate the effect of the factor. Results: M2 macrophages significantly increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells, whereas M1 macrophages decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells. Based on proteomic analysis of CM, we identify carboxypeptidase A4 (CPA4) as a mediator of the crosstalk between macrophages and ATC cells. CPA4 was only detected in the coculture media of M2 macrophage/8505C, and its expression in cancer cells increased by M2 macrophage. The expression of CPA4 protein was significantly higher in human thyroid cancers, particularly in ATCs, than normal and benign tissues. A bioinformatics analysis of public data revealed that CPA4 expression was associated with poor prognosis and dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer. Knockdown of CPA4 suppressed proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells, consistent with the decrease of STAT3, ERK, and AKT/mTOR phosphorylation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker expression. In addition, the increased expression of CPA4 in cancer cells by M2 macrophage stimulation induced the polarization of macrophages to the M2 phenotype, which formed a positive feedback loop. Xenograft tumors did not develop after CPA4 knockdown. Conclusions: Our data suggest that CPA4 stimulates the progression of thyroid cancer by mediating between M2 macrophages and ATC cells. CPA4 can be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon-Sook Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Ji Jeon
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Kyung Lee Doolittle
- Department of Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Dong Eun Song
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyunggon Kim
- Departments of Convergence Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Bae Kim
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Gu Kim
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Chen J, Xiao Z, Wu H. Research progress of immunotherapy against anaplastic thyroid cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1365055. [PMID: 38595813 PMCID: PMC11002090 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1365055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is the most aggressive type of thyroid cancer. While ATC is rare, its mortality is high. Standard treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, have demonstrated limited efficacy in managing ATC. However, the advent of immunotherapy has significantly improved the prognosis for patients with ATC. Immunotherapy effectively targets and eliminates tumor cells by using the power of the body's immune cells. The neoantigen is an atypical protein generated by somatic mutation, is exclusively observed in neoplastic cells, and is devoid of central tolerance. Neoantigens exhibit enhanced specificity towards tumor cells and display robust immunogenic properties. Currently, neoantigen therapy is primarily applied in immune checkpoint inhibitors and cellular immunotherapy, encompassing adoptive immunotherapy and tumor vaccines. This study discusses the mechanism, tumor microenvironment, clinical trials, adverse events, limitations and future directions associated with ATC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hongyan Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
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Su JY, Huang T, Zhang JL, Lu JH, Wang ML, Yan J, Lin RB, Lin SY, Wang J. Leveraging molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors treat advanced thyroid carcinoma to achieve thyroid carcinoma redifferentiation. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:407-428. [PMID: 38455407 PMCID: PMC10915323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer can be classified into three different types based on the degree of differentiation: well-differentiated, poorly differentiated, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Well-differentiated thyroid cancer refers to cancer cells that closely resemble normal thyroid cells, while poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma are characterized by cells that have lost their resemblance to normal thyroid cells. Advanced thyroid carcinoma, regardless of its degree of differentiation, is known to have a higher likelihood of disease progression and is generally associated with a poor prognosis. However, the process through which well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma transforms into anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, also known as "dedifferentiation", has been a subject of intensive research. In recent years, there have been significant breakthroughs in the treatment of refractory advanced thyroid cancer. Clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of dedifferentiated thyroid cancer. These drugs work by targeting specific molecules or proteins in cancer cells to inhibit their growth or by enhancing the body's immune response against the cancer cells. This article aims to explore some of the possible mechanisms behind the dedifferentiation process in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. It also discusses the clinical effects of molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors in thyroid cancer patients with different degrees of differentiation. Furthermore, it offers insights into the future trends in the treatment of advanced thyroid cancer, highlighting the potential for improved outcomes and better patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yang Su
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ting Huang
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jia-Lin Zhang
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jin-Hua Lu
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meng-Lei Wang
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiang Yan
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ren-Bin Lin
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sheng-You Lin
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jue Wang
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou 310007, Zhejiang, China
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6
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Landa I, Cabanillas ME. Genomic alterations in thyroid cancer: biological and clinical insights. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2024; 20:93-110. [PMID: 38049644 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-023-00920-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Tumours can arise from thyroid follicular cells if they acquire driver mutations that constitutively activate the MAPK signalling pathway. In addition, a limited set of additional mutations in key genes drive tumour progression towards more aggressive and less differentiated disease. Unprecedented insights into thyroid tumour biology have come from the breadth of thyroid tumour sequencing data from patients and the wide range of mutation-specific mechanisms identified in experimental models, in combination with the genomic simplicity of thyroid cancers. This knowledge is gradually being translated into refined strategies to stratify, manage and treat patients with thyroid cancer. This Review summarizes the biological underpinnings of the genetic alterations involved in thyroid cancer initiation and progression. We also provide a rationale for and discuss specific examples of how to implement genomic information to inform both recommended and investigational approaches to improve thyroid cancer prognosis, redifferentiation strategies and targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Landa
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Maria E Cabanillas
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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7
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Califano I, Smulever A, Jerkovich F, Pitoia F. Advances in the management of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: transforming a life-threatening condition into a potentially treatable disease. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2024; 25:123-147. [PMID: 37648897 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-023-09833-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an infrequent thyroid tumor that usually occurs in elderly patients. There is often a history of previous differentiated thyroid cancer suggesting a biological progression. It is clinically characterized by a locally invasive cervical mass of rapid onset. Metastases are found at diagnosis in 50% of patients. Due to its adverse prognosis, a prompt diagnosis is crucial. In patients with unresectable or metastatic disease, multimodal therapy (chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy) has yielded poor outcomes with 12-month overall survival of less than 20%. Recently, significant progress has been made in understanding the oncogenic pathways of ATC, leading to the identification of BRAF V600E mutations as the driver oncogene in nearly 40% of cases. The combination of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib (D) and MEK inhibitor trametinib (T) showed outstanding response rates in BRAF-mutated ATC and is now considered the standard of care in this setting. Recently, it was shown that neoadjuvant use of DT followed by surgery achieved 24-month overall survival rates of 80%. Although these approaches have changed the management of ATC, effective therapies are still needed for patients with BRAF wild-type ATC, and high-quality evidence is lacking for most aspects of this neoplasia. Additionally, in real-world settings, timely access to multidisciplinary care, molecular testing, and targeted therapies continues to be a challenge. Health policies are warranted to ensure specialized treatment for ATC.The expanding knowledge of ATC´s molecular biology, in addition to the ongoing clinical trials provides hope for the development of further therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Califano
- Endocrinology Division, Instituto de Oncología AH Roffo, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Anabella Smulever
- Endocrinology Division, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Jerkovich
- Endocrinology Division, Hospital de Clínicas, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fabian Pitoia
- Endocrinology Division, Hospital de Clínicas, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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8
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Lee M, Morris LGT. Genetic alterations in thyroid cancer mediating both resistance to BRAF inhibition and anaplastic transformation. Oncotarget 2024; 15:36-48. [PMID: 38275291 PMCID: PMC10812235 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
A subset of thyroid cancers present at advanced stage or with dedifferentiated histology and have limited response to standard therapy. Tumors harboring the BRAF V600E mutation may be treated with BRAF inhibitors; however, tumor response is often short lived due to multiple compensatory resistance mechanisms. One mode of resistance is the transition to an alternative cell state, which on rare occasions can correspond to tumor dedifferentiation. DNA sequencing and RNA expression profiling show that thyroid tumors that dedifferentiate after BRAF inhibition are enriched in known genetic alterations that mediate resistance to BRAF blockade, and may also drive tumor dedifferentiation, including mutations in the PI3K/AKT/MTOR (PIK3CA, MTOR), MAP/ERK (MET, NF2, NRAS, RASA1), SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex (ARID2, PBRM1), and JAK/STAT pathways (JAK1). Given these findings, recent investigations have evaluated the efficacy of dual-target therapies; however, continued lack of long-term tumor control illustrates the complex and multifactorial nature of these compensatory mechanisms. Transition to an immune-suppressed state is another correlate of BRAF inhibitor resistance and tumor dedifferentiation, suggesting a possible role for concurrent targeted therapy with immunotherapy. Investigations into combined targeted and immunotherapy are ongoing, but early results with checkpoint inhibitors, viral therapies, and CAR T-cells suggest enhanced anti-tumor immune activity with these combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Luc GT Morris
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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9
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Landa I, Thornton CEM, Xu B, Haase J, Krishnamoorthy GP, Hao J, Knauf JA, Herbert ZT, Martínez P, Blasco MA, Ghossein R, Fagin JA. Telomerase Upregulation Induces Progression of Mouse BrafV600E-Driven Thyroid Cancers and Triggers Nontelomeric Effects. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:1163-1175. [PMID: 37478162 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-23-0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in the promoter of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene are the paradigm of a cross-cancer alteration in a noncoding region. TERT promoter mutations (TPM) are biomarkers of poor prognosis in cancer, including thyroid tumors. TPMs enhance TERT transcription, which is otherwise silenced in adult tissues, thus reactivating a bona fide oncoprotein. To study TERT deregulation and its downstream consequences, we generated a Tert mutant promoter mouse model via CRISPR/Cas9 engineering of the murine equivalent locus (Tert-123C>T) and crossed it with thyroid-specific BrafV600E-mutant mice. We also employed an alternative model of Tert overexpression (K5-Tert). Whereas all BrafV600E animals developed well-differentiated papillary thyroid tumors, 29% and 36% of BrafV600E+Tert-123C>T and BrafV600E+K5-Tert mice progressed to poorly differentiated cancers at week 20, respectively. Tert-upregulated tumors showed increased mitosis and necrosis in areas of solid growth, and older animals displayed anaplastic-like features, that is, spindle cells and macrophage infiltration. Murine TPM increased Tert transcription in vitro and in vivo, but temporal and intratumoral heterogeneity was observed. RNA-sequencing of thyroid tumor cells showed that processes other than the canonical Tert-mediated telomere maintenance role operate in these specimens. Pathway analysis showed that MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling, as well as processes not previously associated with this tumor etiology, involving cytokine, and chemokine signaling, were overactivated. These models constitute useful preclinical tools to understand the cell-autonomous and microenvironment-related consequences of Tert-mediated progression in advanced thyroid cancers and other aggressive tumors carrying TPMs. IMPLICATIONS Telomerase-driven cancer progression activates pathways that can be dissected and perhaps therapeutically exploited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Landa
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caitlin E M Thornton
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Jacob Haase
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Gnana P Krishnamoorthy
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Jingzhu Hao
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey A Knauf
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Zachary T Herbert
- Molecular Biology Core Facilities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Paula Martínez
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - María A Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ronald Ghossein
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - James A Fagin
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
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10
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Khromov T, Fischer L, Leha A, Bremmer F, Fischer A, Schliephake H, Rahat MA, Brockmeyer P. Combined Biomarker System Predicts Prognosis in Patients with Metastatic Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4924. [PMID: 37894290 PMCID: PMC10605069 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15204924] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with poor patient prognosis. Metastasis is a complex process involving various proteins, tumor cell alterations, including changes attributable to the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and interactions with the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we investigate a combined protein marker system consisting of connexin 43 (Cx43), EMMPRIN (CD147), E-cadherin, and vimentin, with a focus on their roles in the invasive metastatic progression of OSCC and their potential utility in predicting prognosis. METHODS We conducted an immunohistochemical analysis to assess the protein expression profiles of Cx43, EMMPRIN, E-cadherin, and vimentin using tissue samples obtained from 24 OSCC patients. The metastatic process was mapped through different regions of interest (ROIs), including adjacent healthy oral mucosa (OM), center of primary OSCC, invasive front (IF), and local cervical lymph node metastases (LNM). The primary clinical endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS Substantial changes in the expression profiles of the different marker proteins were observed among the different ROIs, with all p-values < 0.05, signifying statistical significance. Multivariable Cox regression analysis results showed a significant effect of increased EMMPRIN expression toward the IF on DFS (p = 0.019) and OS (p = 0.023). Furthermore, the combined predictive analysis showed a significant predictive value of the marker system for DFS (p = 0.0017) and OS (p = 0.00044). CONCLUSIONS The combined marker system exhibited a significant ability to predict patient prognosis. An increase in EMMPRIN expression toward the IF showed the strongest effect and could be an interesting new antimetastatic therapy approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Khromov
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany; (T.K.); (A.F.)
| | - Lucas Fischer
- Department of Urology, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Andreas Leha
- Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Felix Bremmer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Andreas Fischer
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany; (T.K.); (A.F.)
| | - Henning Schliephake
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Michal Amit Rahat
- Immunotherapy Laboratory, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa 3436212, Israel;
- Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3109601, Israel
| | - Phillipp Brockmeyer
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
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11
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Jannin A, Giudici F, de la Fouchardière C, Al Ghuzlan A, Wassermann J, Chougnet CN, Drui D, Godbert Y, Ilouz F, Bardet S, Zanetta S, Roudaut N, Batisse Lignier M, Groussin L, Klein M, Zerdoud S, Lamartina L, Baudin E, Decaussin-Petrucci M, Leteurtre E, Borson Chazot F, Do Cao C, Borget I, Hadoux J. Factors Associated with Survival in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: A Multicenter Study from the ENDOCAN-TUTHYREF Network. Thyroid 2023; 33:1190-1200. [PMID: 37855745 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2023.0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Background: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare and frequently fatal type of thyroid cancer. The degree of heterogeneity in survival rates for ATC is incompletely studied. This study evaluated the factors associated with overall survival (OS) of patients with ATC using multicenter real-world data from a national tertiary care center network in France. Methods: In this multicenter, retrospective cohort study, all patients with ATC diagnosed between 2010 and 2020 were identified from the national database of the French ENDOCAN-TUTHYREF network. Factors associated with OS were examined in multivariable analyses using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: The study included 360 patients. Of these, 220 (61%) were female and the median age was 72 years (interquartile range: 62-80). The percentages of patients with pure and mixed (synchronously-transformed) ATC (p-ATC and st-ATC) were 62.5% and 26.7%, respectively. The median OS was 6.8 months [confidence interval, CI: 5.5-8.1]: not reached for stage IVa, 11.4 months [8.2-17.8] for IVb, and 4.6 months [3.5-5.7] for IVc. Surgery, radiation therapy to the neck, chemotherapy, and best supportive care were administered to 69 (19.2%), 214 (59.4%), 254 (70.6%), and 66 (18.3%) patients, respectively. In a multivariable analysis, including stage IVb-IVc patients, significantly higher OS was observed in patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance-status of 0-1 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.6; [CI, 0.4-0.9], p < 0.02), stage IVb [HR, 0.5; CI, 0.4-0.8, p < 0.001], and multimodal treatment (surgery and chemoradiotherapy) [HR, 0.07; CI, 0.04-0.1, p < 0.001]. Variables associated with significantly worse OS included: p-ATC (vs. st-ATC) [HR, 1.83; CI, 1.33-2.51, p = 0.001] and a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) >5.05 [HR, 2.05, CI, 1.39-3.05, p < 0.001]. Conclusions: Factors independently associated with improved OS in ATC included: European Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, disease stage, multimodality treatment, synchronously transformed ATC, and lower NLR. Long-term OS was observed in selected patients with ATC who underwent multimodal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Jannin
- CHU Lille, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism, Lille, France
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-U1277-CANTHER-Cancer-Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Lille, France
| | - Fabiola Giudici
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Oncostat, U1018, CESP, Inserm, Paris-Saclay University, "Ligue Contre le Cancer" labeled team, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Abir Al Ghuzlan
- Department of Biology and Pathology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus and University Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Johanna Wassermann
- Medical Oncology Department and Thyroid and Endocrine Tumors Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, AP-HP, IUC, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Cecile N Chougnet
- Endocrine Oncology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital (AP-HP), Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Drui
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Service d'Endocrinologie-Diabétologie et Nutrition, l'institut du thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Yann Godbert
- Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology Department, Institute of Bergonié, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Stéphane Bardet
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Unit, Center François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Sylvie Zanetta
- Nuclear Medicine Department, Center Georges François Leclerc, Dijon, France
| | - Nathalie Roudaut
- Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Brest, Brest, France
| | | | - Lionel Groussin
- Endocrine Department, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Marc Klein
- Department of Endocrinology, CHU de Nancy, Hôpital de Brabois, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Slimane Zerdoud
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute Claudius Regaud, Oncology University Institute, IUCT Oncopole, Toulouse, France
| | - Livia Lamartina
- Département d'imagerie, Service d'Oncologie Endocrinienne, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Eric Baudin
- Département d'imagerie, Service d'Oncologie Endocrinienne, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Myriam Decaussin-Petrucci
- Research on Healthcare Performance (RESHAPE), INSERM U1290, EA 3738 CICLY, Université Lyon 1, Claude Bernard, Lyon, France
- Service d'Anatomopathologie, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitalier Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Emmanuelle Leteurtre
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-U1277-CANTHER-Cancer-Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Lille, France
| | - Francoise Borson Chazot
- Research on Healthcare Performance (RESHAPE), INSERM U1290, EA 3738 CICLY, Université Lyon 1, Claude Bernard, Lyon, France
- Endocrinology Department, Hospice Civils de Lyon, Hospital Louis-Pradel, Bron, France
| | - Christine Do Cao
- CHU Lille, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism, Lille, France
| | - Isabelle Borget
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
- Oncostat, U1018, CESP, Inserm, Paris-Saclay University, "Ligue Contre le Cancer" labeled team, Villejuif, France
| | - Julien Hadoux
- Département d'imagerie, Service d'Oncologie Endocrinienne, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
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Pinto AT, Pojo M, Rodrigues R, Sousa DP, Matthiesen R, Carvalho AS, Beck HC, Pires C, Eduardo R, Pereira JS, Leite V, Cavaco BM. SPRY4 as a Potential Mediator of the Anti-Tumoral Role of Macrophages in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4387. [PMID: 37686663 PMCID: PMC10487195 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the most lethal subtype of thyroid cancer, with high invasive and metastatic potential, not responding to conventional treatments. Its aggressiveness may be influenced by macrophages, which are abundant cells in the tumor microenvironment. To investigate the role of macrophages in ATC aggressiveness, indirect co-cultures were established between ATC cell lines and THP-1-derived macrophages. Macrophages significantly increased both the migration and invasion of T235 cells (p < 0.01; p < 0.01), contrasting with a decrease in C3948 (p < 0.001; p < 0.05), with mild effects in T238 migration (p < 0.01) and C643 invasion (p < 0.05). Flow cytometry showed upregulation of CD80 (pro-inflammatory, anti-tumoral) and downregulation of CD163 (anti-inflammatory, pro-tumoral) in macrophages from co-culture with T235 (p < 0.05) and C3948 (p < 0.05), respectively. Accordingly, we found an upregulation of secreted pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., GM-CSF, IL-1α; p < 0.05) in C3948-macrophage co-cultures. Proteomic analysis showed the upregulation of SPRY4, an inhibitor of the MAPK pathway, in C3948 cells from co-culture. SPRY4 silencing promoted cancer cell invasion, reverting the reduced invasion of C3948 caused by macrophages. Our findings support that macrophages play a role in ATC cell aggressiveness. SPRY4 is a possible modulator of macrophage-ATC cell communication, with a tumor suppressor role relevant for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Teresa Pinto
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (iBiMED), Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marta Pojo
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
| | - Ricardo Rodrigues
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
| | - Diana Pacheco Sousa
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
| | - Rune Matthiesen
- NMS Research, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.M.); (A.S.C.)
| | - Ana Sofia Carvalho
- NMS Research, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.M.); (A.S.C.)
| | - Hans C. Beck
- Centre for Clinical Proteomics, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Odense University Hospital, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark;
| | - Carolina Pires
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
| | - Rodrigo Eduardo
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
| | - Joana Simões Pereira
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
- Serviço de Endocrinologia, IPOLFG, 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Valeriano Leite
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
- Serviço de Endocrinologia, IPOLFG, 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal
- NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Branca Maria Cavaco
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM), Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.P.); (R.R.); (D.P.S.); (C.P.); (R.E.); (J.S.P.); (V.L.); (B.M.C.)
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Fagin JA, Krishnamoorthy GP, Landa I. Pathogenesis of cancers derived from thyroid follicular cells. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:631-650. [PMID: 37438605 PMCID: PMC10763075 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00598-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The genomic simplicity of differentiated cancers derived from thyroid follicular cells offers unique insights into how oncogenic drivers impact tumour phenotype. Essentially, the main oncoproteins in thyroid cancer activate nodes in the receptor tyrosine kinase-RAS-BRAF pathway, which constitutively induces MAPK signalling to varying degrees consistent with their specific biochemical mechanisms of action. The magnitude of the flux through the MAPK signalling pathway determines key elements of thyroid cancer biology, including differentiation state, invasive properties and the cellular composition of the tumour microenvironment. Progression of disease results from genomic lesions that drive immortalization, disrupt chromatin accessibility and cause cell cycle checkpoint dysfunction, in conjunction with a tumour microenvironment characterized by progressive immunosuppression. This Review charts the genomic trajectories of these common endocrine tumours, while connecting them to the biological states that they confer.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Fagin
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Gnana P Krishnamoorthy
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Iñigo Landa
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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Leandro-García LJ, Landa I. Mechanistic Insights of Thyroid Cancer Progression. Endocrinology 2023; 164:bqad118. [PMID: 37503738 PMCID: PMC10403681 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs) are primarily initiated by mutations that activate the MAPK signaling cascade, typically at BRAF or RAS oncoproteins. DTCs can evolve to more aggressive forms, specifically, poorly differentiated (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC), by acquiring additional genetic alterations which deregulate key pathways. In this review, we focused on bona fide mutations involved in thyroid cancer progression for which consistent mechanistic data exist. Here we summarized the relevant literature, spanning approximately 2 decades, highlighting genetic alterations that are unquestionably enriched in PDTC/ATC. We describe the relevant functional data obtained in multiple in vitro and in vivo thyroid cancer models employed to study genetic alterations in the following genes and functional groups: TP53, effectors of the PI3K/AKT pathway, TERT promoter, members of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, NF2, and EIF1AX. In addition, we briefly discuss other genetic alterations that are selected in aggressive thyroid tumors but for which mechanistic data is still either limited or nonexistent. Overall, we argue for the importance conveyed by preclinical studies for the clinical translation of genomic knowledge of thyroid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Javier Leandro-García
- Hereditary Endocrine Cancer Group, Human Cancer Genetics Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Iñigo Landa
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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15
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Gao X, Hong C, Xie Y, Zeng X. Immunotherapy or targeted therapy: What will be the future treatment for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma? Front Oncol 2023; 13:1103147. [PMID: 37007127 PMCID: PMC10063970 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1103147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare and aggressive form of thyroid carcinoma (TC). Currently, there are no effective treatments for this condition. In the past few years, targeted therapy and immunotherapy have made significant progress in ATC treatment. Several common genetic mutations have been found in ATC cells, involving different molecular pathways related to tumor progression, and new therapies that act on these molecular pathways have been studied to improve the quality of life of these patients. In 2018, the FDA approved dabrafenib combined with trametinib to treat BRAF-positive ATC, confirming its therapeutic potential. At the same time, the recent emergence of immunotherapy has also attracted wide attention from researchers. While immunotherapy for ATC is still in the experimental stage, numerous studies have shown that immunotherapy is a potential therapy for ATC. In addition, it has also been found that the combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy may enhance the anti-tumor effect of targeted therapy. In recent years, there has been some progress in the study of targeted therapy or immunotherapy combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, showing the prospect of combined therapy in ATC. In this review, we analyze the response mechanism and potential effects of targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and combination therapy in ATC treatment and explore the future of treatment for ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoni Gao
- Department of Thyroid and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Thyroid Cancer, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Chengcheng Hong
- Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Thyroid Cancer, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Department of Thyroid and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Thyroid Cancer, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiangtai Zeng
- Department of Thyroid and Hernia Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Institute of Thyroid Diseases, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangtai Zeng,
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Chevalier B, Karleskind O, Jannin A, Farchi O, Vermaut C, Escande A, Baillet C, Espiard S, Vantyghem MC, Carnaille B, Leteurtre E, Do Cao C. Complete pathological response following chemotherapy and radiotherapy in two cases of advanced anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Eur Thyroid J 2023; 12:ETJ-22-0111. [PMID: 36377723 PMCID: PMC9874961 DOI: 10.1530/etj-22-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer with a bleak prognosis. Favorable outcomes are rare but help decipher molecular pathophysiology, investigate prognosis factors, and discover new therapeutic targets. CASE PRESENTATION Two patients were diagnosed with locally advanced nonresectable ATC, one with metastatic extension. Each patient received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, allowing thyroid surgical resection. In both cases, the pathological examination was consistent with complete response with no viable tumor cells. After follow-ups of 48 and 70 months, both patients remain disease-free. Molecular explorations on thyroid biopsies revealed microsatellite instability (MSI) and alterations on mismatch repair-gene complex, also PTEN and ATM variants in both cases. Both also presented with non-classical immune infiltrate composed of equal parts T CD4+ lymphocytes and macrophages. CONCLUSION We report two cases of patients cured from advanced ATC and for the first time provide genetic and immunological explorations in this setting. It seems with these two cases that MSI-ATCs may indicate a better prognosis. Our study hypothesizes different responsible mechanisms including increased sensitivity to chemoradiotherapy and/or immune tumor infiltrate modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Chevalier
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
- University of Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Arnaud Jannin
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
- University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Olivier Farchi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hormonology Metabolism Nutrition Oncology, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
| | - Catherine Vermaut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hormonology Metabolism Nutrition Oncology, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
| | - Alexandre Escande
- Academic Department of Radiation Oncology, Oscar Lambret Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lille, France
- CRIStAL UMR CNRS 9189, University of Lille, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France
| | - Clio Baillet
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
| | - Stéphanie Espiard
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
- University of Lille, Lille, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), European Genomic Institute for Diabetes (EGID), CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Marie-Christine Vantyghem
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
- University of Lille, Lille, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), European Genomic Institute for Diabetes (EGID), CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Emmanuelle Leteurtre
- University of Lille, Lille, France
- Department of Pathology, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-U1277 - CANTHER - Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Lille, France
| | - Christine Do Cao
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France
- Correspondence should be addressed to C D Cao:
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The Multifaceted Role of Connexins in Tumor Microenvironment Initiation and Maintenance. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020204. [PMID: 36829482 PMCID: PMC9953436 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Today's research on the processes of carcinogenesis and the vital activity of tumor tissues implies more attention be paid to constituents of the tumor microenvironment and their interactions. These interactions between cells in the tumor microenvironment can be mediated via different types of protein junctions. Connexins are one of the major contributors to intercellular communication. They form the gap junctions responsible for the transfer of ions, metabolites, peptides, miRNA, etc., between neighboring tumor cells as well as between tumor and stromal cells. Connexin hemichannels mediate purinergic signaling and bidirectional molecular transport with the extracellular environment. Additionally, connexins have been reported to localize in tumor-derived exosomes and facilitate the release of their cargo. A large body of evidence implies that the role of connexins in cancer is multifaceted. The pro- or anti-tumorigenic properties of connexins are determined by their abundance, localization, and functionality as well as their channel assembly and non-channel functions. In this review, we have summarized the data on the contribution of connexins to the formation of the tumor microenvironment and to cancer initiation and progression.
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Landa I, Thornton CEM, Xu B, Haase J, Krishnamoorthy GP, Hao J, Knauf JA, Herbert ZT, Blasco MA, Ghossein R, Fagin JA. Telomerase reactivation induces progression of mouse Braf V600E -driven thyroid cancers without telomere lengthening. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.24.525280. [PMID: 36747657 PMCID: PMC9900760 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.24.525280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in the promoter of the telomerase reverse transcriptase ( TERT ) gene are the paradigm of a cross-cancer alteration in a non-coding region. TERT promoter mutations (TPMs) are biomarkers of poor prognosis in several tumors, including thyroid cancers. TPMs enhance TERT transcription, which is otherwise silenced in adult tissues, thus reactivating a bona fide oncoprotein. To study TERT deregulation and its downstream consequences, we generated a Tert mutant promoter mouse model via CRISPR/Cas9 engineering of the murine equivalent locus (Tert -123C>T ) and crossed it with thyroid-specific Braf V600E -mutant mice. We also employed an alternative model of Tert overexpression (K5-Tert). Whereas all Braf V600E animals developed well-differentiated papillary thyroid tumors, 29% and 36% of Braf V600E +Tert -123C>T and Braf V600E +K5-Tert mice progressed to poorly differentiated thyroid cancers at week 20, respectively. Braf+Tert tumors showed increased mitosis and necrosis in areas of solid growth, and older animals from these cohorts displayed anaplastic-like features, i.e., spindle cells and macrophage infiltration. Murine Tert promoter mutation increased Tert transcription in vitro and in vivo , but temporal and intra-tumoral heterogeneity was observed. RNA-sequencing of thyroid tumor cells showed that processes other than the canonical Tert-mediated telomere maintenance role operate in these specimens. Pathway analysis showed that MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling, as well as processes not previously associated with this tumor etiology, involving cytokine and chemokine signaling, were overactivated. Braf+Tert animals remained responsive to MAPK pathway inhibitors. These models constitute useful pre-clinical tools to understand the cell-autonomous and microenvironment-related consequences of Tert-mediated progression in advanced thyroid cancers and other aggressive tumors carrying TPMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Landa
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin EM Thornton
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacob Haase
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gnana P. Krishnamoorthy
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jingzhu Hao
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Knauf
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Zachary T Herbert
- Molecular Biology Core Facilities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - María A Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ronald Ghossein
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - James A Fagin
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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Pan Z, Bao L, Lu X, Hu X, Li L, Chen J, Jin T, Zhang Y, Tan Z, Huang P, Ge M. IL2RA +VSIG4 + tumor-associated macrophage is a key subpopulation of the immunosuppressive microenvironment in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166591. [PMID: 36328145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Extensive infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages was correlated poor prognosis in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). However, the heterogeneity and characteristics of the ATC-associated macrophages (ATAMs) in ATC remain far from clear. We combined single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis and gene expression microarray datasets to assess the molecular signature of ATAMs. Compared with normal thyroid-associated macrophages (NTAMs), 778 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) significantly changed in ATAMs compared with NTAMs. These DEGs were correlated with oxidative phosphorylation (M2 phenotype) and phagocytosis (M1 phenotype). Moreover, ATAMs highly expressed pro-tumor genes associated with angiogenesis, fibrosis, metalloprotease activity, and metastasis. Notably, we identified one ATC-specific subset, IL2RA+ VSIG4+ ATAMs, co-expressed M1 and M2 markers. The infiltration of IL2RA+ VSIG4+ ATAMs showed strong correlation with BRAF and RAS signaling, and its high infiltration was associated with favorable prognosis in thyroid-cancer patients. IL2RA+ VSIG4+ ATAMs were associated with increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (B cells, CD8+ T cells, Tregs). IL2RA+ VSIG4+ ATAMs interacted with CD8+ T cells and Tregs through immune checkpoints (such as LGALS9_HAVCR2), cytokines (such as CXCL10_CXCR3), and receptors (such as CSF1R_CSF1), thereby forming an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Multiplex immunohistochemistry staining and coculture experiment confirmed that ATC cancer cells were able to induce the polarization of IL2RA+ VSIG4+ ATAMs. Besides, we identified several novel ATC-specific immune checkpoint genes including the immunosuppressive molecule VSIG4, LAIR1, and LILRB2. Expression of VSIG4 was also significantly correlated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (B cells, CD8+ T cells, Tregs). In conclusion, our study revealed an ATC-specific ATAM subset with bifunctional phenotype, which provided a comprehensive insight to delineate the molecular characteristics of ATC-associated macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongfu Pan
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lisha Bao
- Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Xixuan Lu
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinming Chen
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Tiefeng Jin
- Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo Tan
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China; Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Minghua Ge
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China; Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China.
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20
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Luo Y, Yang YC, Ma B, Xu WB, Liao T, Wang Y. Integrated analysis of novel macrophage related signature in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Endocrine 2022; 78:517-530. [PMID: 36070052 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-022-03179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) have a very poor prognosis. Immunotherapy is a potential treatment, while the current outcome is limited which may be due to the complicated tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) is the most abundant cell in the TME of ATC. We aimed to clarify the novel indicators based on TAM in ATC. METHODS Transcriptome files were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis, cox regression, support vector machine, and random forest were utilized to identify TAM-related prognostic genes. Consensus clustering and principal component analysis were performed for integrated analysis. Moreover, external validation (Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center cohort) was conducted in 23 ATC samples via immunohistochemistry. RESULTS ATC patients with an abundance of TAMs had a poorer prognosis. Four TAM related genes (FZD6, RBBP8, PREX1, HSD3B7) were identified and a TAM-related prognostic index (TAMRPI) was constructed with high area under the curve (AUC). Next, high TAMRPI was related to the higher level of TAM infiltration and upregulation of several pathways, such as E2F targets, IL6-JAK-STAT3, and G2M checkpoint. Immune checkpoint TIM-3 and CSF1R were positively associated with TAMRPI, and dysfunction of T cells was increased in high TAMRPI subset. Moreover, in the external validation of protein level, strong expression of TAM related genes was related to poorer prognosis, which was further supported by time-dependent AUC analysis. CONCLUSION TAM is negatively correlated to the prognosis of ATC. FZD6, RBBP8, PREX1, and HSD3B7 are potential biomarkers of ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Luo
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Chen Yang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ben Ma
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Bo Xu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian Liao
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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21
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Palacios LM, Peyret V, Viano ME, Geysels RC, Chocobar YA, Volpini X, Pellizas CG, Nicola JP, Motran CC, Rodriguez-Galan MC, Fozzatti L. TIM3 Expression in Anaplastic-Thyroid-Cancer-Infiltrating Macrophages: An Emerging Immunotherapeutic Target. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1609. [PMID: 36358310 PMCID: PMC9687546 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a clinically aggressive form of undifferentiated thyroid cancer with limited treatment options. Immunotherapy for patients with ATC remains challenging. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute over 50% of ATC-infiltrating cells, and their presence is associated with a poor prognosis. Consequently, the development of new therapies targeting immune checkpoints in TAMs is considered a promising therapeutic approach for ATC. We have previously shown that soluble factors secreted by ATC cells induced pro-tumor M2-like polarization of human monocytes by upregulating the levels of the inhibitory receptor TIM3. Here, we extended our observations on ATC-cell-induced xenograft tumors. We observed a large number of immune cells infiltrating the ATC xenograft tumors. Significantly, 24-28% of CD45+ immune cells were macrophages (CD11b+ F4/80+). We further showed that 40% of macrophages were polarized toward a M2-like phenotype, as assessed by CD206 expression and by a significant increase in the Arg1/iNOS (M2/M1) ratio. Additionally, we found that ATC xenograft tumors had levels of TIM3 expression when determined by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays. Interestingly, we detected the expression of TIM3 in macrophages in ATC tumors by flow cytometry assays. Furthermore, TIM3 expression correlated with macrophage marker expression in human ATC. Our studies show that TIM3 is a newly identified immune checkpoint in macrophages. Since TIM3 is known as a negative immune regulator, it should be considered as a promising immunotherapeutic target for ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz Maria Palacios
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Victoria Peyret
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Hospital de Endocrinología y Metabolismo Dr. Arturo Oñativia, Salta 4400, Argentina
| | - María Estefania Viano
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Romina Celeste Geysels
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Yair Aron Chocobar
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Ximena Volpini
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Claudia Gabriela Pellizas
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Juan Pablo Nicola
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Claudia Cristina Motran
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - María Cecilia Rodriguez-Galan
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Laura Fozzatti
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIBICI-CONICET), Córdoba 5000, Argentina
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22
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Rabold K, Zoodsma M, Grondman I, Kuijpers Y, Bremmers M, Jaeger M, Zhang B, Hobo W, Bonenkamp HJ, de Wilt JHW, Janssen MJR, Cornelissen LAM, van Engen-van Grunsven ICH, Mulder WJM, Smit JWA, Adema GJ, Netea MG, Li Y, Xu CJ, Netea-Maier RT. Reprogramming of myeloid cells and their progenitors in patients with non-medullary thyroid carcinoma. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6149. [PMID: 36257966 PMCID: PMC9579179 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33907-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells, crucial players in antitumoral defense, are affected by tumor-derived factors and treatment. The role of myeloid cells and their progenitors prior to tumor infiltration is poorly understood. Here we show single-cell transcriptomics and functional analyses of the myeloid cell lineage in patients with non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (TC) and multinodular goiter, before and after treatment with radioactive iodine compared to healthy controls. Integrative data analysis indicates that monocytes of TC patients have transcriptional upregulation of antigen presentation, reduced cytokine production capacity, and overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Interestingly, these cancer-related pathological changes are partially removed upon treatment. In bone marrow, TC patients tend to shift from myelopoiesis towards lymphopoiesis, reflected in transcriptional differences. Taken together, distinct transcriptional and functional changes in myeloid cells arise before their infiltration of the tumor and are already initiated in bone marrow, which suggests an active role in forming the tumor immune microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Rabold
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martijn Zoodsma
- grid.512472.7Department of Computational Biology for Individualised Infection Medicine, Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany ,grid.452370.70000 0004 0408 1805TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Inge Grondman
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yunus Kuijpers
- grid.512472.7Department of Computational Biology for Individualised Infection Medicine, Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany ,grid.452370.70000 0004 0408 1805TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Manita Bremmers
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Haematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Jaeger
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Bowen Zhang
- grid.512472.7Department of Computational Biology for Individualised Infection Medicine, Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany ,grid.452370.70000 0004 0408 1805TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Willemijn Hobo
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Han J. Bonenkamp
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes H. W. de Wilt
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel J. R. Janssen
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lenneke A. M. Cornelissen
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Willem J. M. Mulder
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA ,grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.6852.90000 0004 0398 8763Department of Biochemical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W. A. Smit
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gosse J. Adema
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mihai G. Netea
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300Department of Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Yang Li
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands ,grid.512472.7Department of Computational Biology for Individualised Infection Medicine, Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany ,grid.452370.70000 0004 0408 1805TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Cheng-Jian Xu
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands ,grid.512472.7Department of Computational Biology for Individualised Infection Medicine, Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany ,grid.452370.70000 0004 0408 1805TWINCORE, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Romana T. Netea-Maier
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Jones JC, Bodenstine TM. Connexins and Glucose Metabolism in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710172. [PMID: 36077565 PMCID: PMC9455984 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Connexins are a family of transmembrane proteins that regulate diverse cellular functions. Originally characterized for their ability to mediate direct intercellular communication through the formation of highly regulated membrane channels, their functions have been extended to the exchange of molecules with the extracellular environment, and the ability to modulate numerous channel-independent effects on processes such as motility and survival. Notably, connexins have been implicated in cancer biology for their context-dependent roles that can both promote or suppress cancer cell function. Moreover, connexins are able to mediate many aspects of cellular metabolism including the intercellular coupling of nutrients and signaling molecules. During cancer progression, changes to substrate utilization occur to support energy production and biomass accumulation. This results in metabolic plasticity that promotes cell survival and proliferation, and can impact therapeutic resistance. Significant progress has been made in our understanding of connexin and cancer biology, however, delineating the roles these multi-faceted proteins play in metabolic adaptation of cancer cells is just beginning. Glucose represents a major carbon substrate for energy production, nucleotide synthesis, carbohydrate modifications and generation of biosynthetic intermediates. While cancer cells often exhibit a dependence on glycolytic metabolism for survival, cellular reprogramming of metabolic pathways is common when blood perfusion is limited in growing tumors. These metabolic changes drive aggressive phenotypes through the acquisition of functional traits. Connections between glucose metabolism and connexin function in cancer cells and the surrounding stroma are now apparent, however much remains to be discovered regarding these relationships. This review discusses the existing evidence in this area and highlights directions for continued investigation.
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24
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Nakazawa T, Nagasaka T, Yoshida K, Hasegawa A, Guo F, Wu D, Hiroshima K, Katoh R. Expression of T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domains (TIGIT) in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. BMC Endocr Disord 2022; 22:204. [PMID: 35971106 PMCID: PMC9377113 DOI: 10.1186/s12902-022-01113-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint proteins have not been fully examined in follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive carcinomas. Even multimodal treatment does not result in favorable clinical outcomes for patients with ATC. Anti-tumor immunity has therefore been highlighted as having therapeutic promise for ATC. METHODS We examined a novel immune checkpoint receptor, T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domains (TIGIT), in variable thyroid lesions: adenomatous goiter, follicular adenoma, and thyroid carcinoma (TC) using immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS Our IHC results showed that TIGIT expression was detected in cancer cells of MTC and high-grade TC: poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and ATC. Neoplastic cells were positive for TIGIT in four of five MTCs (80.0%), 17 of 31 ATCs (54.8%) and in 3 of 12 PDTCs (25.0%). TIGIT was not detected in any adenomatous goiters, thyroid benign tumors, or differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTCs). Intriguingly, ATC cells showing pleomorphic/giant cell features were positive for TIGIT, while ATC cells with other cell morphologies lacked the immunoreactivity. Intra-tumoral immune cell was inclined to be enriched in TIGI-positive ATC. Although coexisting papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) components demonstrated high-grade microscopic features, neither the PTC nor follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) components expressed TIGT in any composite ATCs. CONCLUSION TIGIT was immunohistochemically found in MTC with high frequency and partially in high-grade TC. TIGIT expression in cancer cells may be beneficial for a potential utility in MTC and a subset of high-grade TC, especially ATC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadao Nakazawa
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan.
| | - Takuya Nagasaka
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan
| | - Keita Yoshida
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan
| | - Atsuko Hasegawa
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan
| | - Feng Guo
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan
| | - Kenzo Hiroshima
- Department of Pathology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center (TYMC), 477-96 Owada-Shinden, Yachiyo-shi, Chiba, 276-8524, Japan
| | - Ryohei Katoh
- Department of Pathology, Ito Hospital, Shibuya, Tokyo, 150-8308, Japan
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25
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Liu Q, Sun W, Zhang H. Roles and new Insights of Macrophages in the Tumor Microenvironment of Thyroid Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:875384. [PMID: 35479325 PMCID: PMC9035491 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.875384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most thyroid cancers have a good and predictable prognosis, the anaplastic, medullary, and refractory thyroid cancers still prone to recurrence and metastasis, resulting in poor prognosis. Although a number of newly developed targeted therapies have begun to be indicated for the above types of thyroid cancer in recent years, their ability to improve overall survival remain hindered by low efficacy. As the largest component of immune cells in tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages play a key role in the invasion and metastasis of thyroid cancer. There is much evidence that the immune system, tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cell interactions may revolutionize traditional therapeutic directions. Tumor-associated macrophages have been extensively studied in a variety of tumors, however, research on the relationship between thyroid cancer and macrophages is still insufficient. In this review, we summarize the functions of tumor-associated macrophages in different types of thyroid cancer, their cytokines or chemokines effect on thyroid cancer and the mechanisms that promote tumor proliferation and migration. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms by which tumor-associated macrophages maintain the stemness of thyroid cancer and potential strategies for targeting tumor-associated macrophages to treat thyroid cancer.
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Jannin A, Escande A, Al Ghuzlan A, Blanchard P, Hartl D, Chevalier B, Deschamps F, Lamartina L, Lacroix L, Dupuy C, Baudin E, Do Cao C, Hadoux J. Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: An Update. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14041061. [PMID: 35205809 PMCID: PMC8869821 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14041061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare and undifferentiated form of thyroid cancer. Its prognosis is poor: the median overall survival (OS) of patients varies from 4 to 10 months after diagnosis. However, a doubling of the OS time may be possible owing to a more systematic use of molecular tests for targeted therapies and integration of fast-track dedicated care pathways for these patients in tertiary centers. The diagnostic confirmation, if needed, requires an urgent biopsy reread by an expert pathologist with additional immunohistochemical and molecular analyses. Therapeutic management, defined in multidisciplinary meetings, respecting the patient's choice, must start within days following diagnosis. For localized disease diagnosed after primary surgical treatment, adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy is recommended. In the event of locally advanced or metastatic disease, the prognosis is very poor. Treatment should then involve chemotherapy or targeted therapy and decompressive cervical radiotherapy. Here we will review current knowledge on ATC and provide perspectives to improve the management of this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Jannin
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Lille University Hospital, 59000 Lille, France; (A.J.); (B.C.); (C.D.C.)
- H. Warembourg School of Medicine, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France;
| | - Alexandre Escande
- H. Warembourg School of Medicine, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France;
- Academic Radiation Oncology Department, Oscar Lambret Center, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Abir Al Ghuzlan
- Cancer Medical Pathology and Biology Department, Institute Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France;
| | - Pierre Blanchard
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France;
| | - Dana Hartl
- Département d’Anesthésie, Chirurgie et Interventionnel (DACI), Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France;
| | - Benjamin Chevalier
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Lille University Hospital, 59000 Lille, France; (A.J.); (B.C.); (C.D.C.)
- H. Warembourg School of Medicine, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France;
| | - Frédéric Deschamps
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Paris, France;
| | - Livia Lamartina
- Cancer Medicine Department, Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France; (L.L.); (E.B.)
| | - Ludovic Lacroix
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France;
| | | | - Eric Baudin
- Cancer Medicine Department, Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France; (L.L.); (E.B.)
| | - Christine Do Cao
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Lille University Hospital, 59000 Lille, France; (A.J.); (B.C.); (C.D.C.)
| | - Julien Hadoux
- Cancer Medicine Department, Institute Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France; (L.L.); (E.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-142116361
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Tarabichi M, Demetter P, Craciun L, Maenhaut C, Detours V. Thyroid cancer under the scope of emerging technologies. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 541:111491. [PMID: 34740746 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The vast majority of thyroid cancers originate from follicular cells. We outline outstanding issues at each step along the path of cancer patient care, from prevention to post-treatment follow-up and highlight how emerging technologies will help address them in the coming years. Three directions will dominate the coming technological landscape. Genomics will reveal tumoral evolutionary history and shed light on how these cancers arise from the normal epithelium and the genomics alteration driving their progression. Transcriptomics will gain cellular and spatial resolution providing a full account of intra-tumor heterogeneity and opening a window on the microenvironment supporting thyroid tumor growth. Artificial intelligence will set morphological analysis on an objective quantitative ground laying the foundations of a systematic thyroid tumor classification system. It will also integrate into unified representations the molecular and morphological perspectives on thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Tarabichi
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Pieter Demetter
- Department of Pathology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ligia Craciun
- Department of Pathology, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carine Maenhaut
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Vincent Detours
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
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Garcia-Alvarez A, Hernando J, Carmona-Alonso A, Capdevila J. What is the status of immunotherapy in thyroid neoplasms? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:929091. [PMID: 35992118 PMCID: PMC9389039 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.929091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has changed the treatment of patients with advanced cancer, with different phase III trials showing durable responses across different histologies. This review focuses on the preclinical and clinical evidence of potential predictive biomarkers of response and efficacy of immunotherapy in thyroid neoplasms. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) staining by immunohistochemistry has shown higher expression in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) compared to other subtypes. The tumor mutational burden in thyroid neoplasms is low but seems to be higher in ATC. Immune infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment (TME) differ between the different thyroid neoplasm subtypes. In general, differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has a higher number of tumor-associated lymphocytes and regulatory T cells (Tregs), while ATC and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) display a high density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Nevertheless, results from clinical trials with immunotherapy as monotherapy or combinations have shown limited efficacy. Further investigation into new strategies aside from anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4)/programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 antibodies, validation of predictive biomarkers, and better population selection for clinical trials in thyroid neoplasms is more than needed in the near future.
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Lu X, Bao L, Pan Z, Ge M. Immunotherapy for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: the present and future. Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2021; 50:675-684. [PMID: 35347912 PMCID: PMC8931605 DOI: 10.3724/zdxbyxb-2021-0273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the most malignant tumor of endocrine system, which is an urgent medical problem to be solved. At present, immunotherapy studies on ATC mainly include cutting off the recruitment of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), inducing the reprogramming of TAM and restoring its phagocytic function, targeting related immune checkpoints on T cells and natural killer cells, tumor vaccines based on oncolytic viruses and dendritic cells, and adoptive immunotherapy. Among them, immunotherapy strategies represented by targeted blocking of programmed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 at immune checkpoint have been preliminarily confirmed to benefit ATC patients, especially the combination of molecular targeted inhibitors and immunotherapy has shown excellent therapeutic effects. Due to the great heterogeneity of ATC, it is expected to provide more therapeutic strategies for patients of ATC by carrying out various immunotherapy studies including biological, immune and cellular therapies and exploring the therapeutic potential of the next generation of immune checkpoint inhibitors. This article reviews the potential immunotherapeutic targets of ATC and the progress of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixuan Lu
- 1. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Center of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
- 2. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Lisha Bao
- 1. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Center of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
- 2. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Zongfu Pan
- 2. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases, Hangzhou 310014, China
- 3. Department of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Center, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Minghua Ge
- 1. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Center of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
- 2. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases, Hangzhou 310014, China
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Jarboe T, Tuli NY, Chakraborty S, Maniyar RR, DeSouza N, Xiu-Min Li, Moscatello A, Geliebter J, Tiwari RK. Inflammatory Components of the Thyroid Cancer Microenvironment: An Avenue for Identification of Novel Biomarkers. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1350:1-31. [PMID: 34888842 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-83282-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States is on the rise with an appreciably high disease recurrence rate of 20-30%. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), although rare in occurrence, is an aggressive form of cancer with limited treatment options and bleak cure rates. This chapter uses discussions of in vitro models that are representative of papillary, anaplastic, and follicular thyroid cancer to evaluate the crosstalk between specific cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which serves as a highly heterogeneous realm of signaling cascades and metabolism that are associated with tumorigenesis. The cellular constituents of the TME carry out varying characteristic immunomodulatory functions that are discussed throughout this chapter. The aforementioned cell types include cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), endothelial cells (ECs), and cancer stem cells (CSCs), as well as specific immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), mast cells, T regulatory (Treg) cells, CD8+ T cells, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). TAM-mediated inflammation is associated with a poor prognosis of thyroid cancer, and the molecular basis of the cellular crosstalk between macrophages and thyroid cancer cells with respect to inducing a metastatic phenotype is not yet known. The dynamic nature of the physiological transition to pathological metastatic phenotypes when establishing the TME encompasses a wide range of characteristics that are further explored within this chapter, including the roles of somatic mutations and epigenetic alterations that drive the genetic heterogeneity of cancer cells, allowing for selective advantages that aid in their proliferation. Induction of these proliferating cells is typically accomplished through inflammatory induction, whereby chronic inflammation sets up a constant physiological state of inflammatory cell recruitment. The secretions of these inflammatory cells can alter the genetic makeup of proliferating cells, which can in turn, promote tumor growth.This chapter also presents an in-depth analysis of molecular interactions within the TME, including secretory cytokines and exosomes. Since the exosomal cargo of a cell is a reflection and fingerprint of the originating parental cells, the profiling of exosomal miRNA derived from thyroid cancer cells and macrophages in the TME may serve as an important step in biomarker discovery. Identification of a distinct set of tumor suppressive miRNAs downregulated in ATC-secreted exosomes indicates their role in the regulation of tumor suppressive genes that may increase the metastatic propensity of ATC. Additionally, the high expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in studies looking at thyroid cancer and activated macrophage conditioned media suggests the existence of an inflammatory TME in thyroid cancer. New findings are suggestive of the presence of a metastatic niche in ATC tissues that is influenced by thyroid tumor microenvironment secretome-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), mediated by a reciprocal interaction between the pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and the thyroid cancer cells. Thus, targeting the metastatic thyroid carcinoma microenvironment could offer potential therapeutic benefits and should be explored further in preclinical and translational models of human metastatic thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Jarboe
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Neha Y Tuli
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Sanjukta Chakraborty
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachana R Maniyar
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicole DeSouza
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Xiu-Min Li
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | | | - Jan Geliebter
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Raj K Tiwari
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
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Chakraborty S, Carnazza M, Jarboe T, DeSouza N, Li XM, Moscatello A, Geliebter J, Tiwari RK. Disruption of Cell-Cell Communication in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer as an Immunotherapeutic Opportunity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1350:33-66. [PMID: 34888843 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-83282-7_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid cancer incidence is increasing at an alarming rate, almost tripling every decade. About 44,280 new cases of thyroid cancer (12,150 in men and 32,130 in women) are estimated to be diagnosed in 2021, with an estimated death toll of around 2200. Although most thyroid tumors are treatable and associated with a favorable outcome, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is extremely aggressive with a grim prognosis of 6-9 months post-diagnosis. A large contributing factor to this aggressive nature is that ATC is completely refractory to mainstream therapies. Analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) associated with ATC can relay insight to the pathological realm that encompasses tumors and aids in cancer progression and proliferation. The TME is defined as a complex niche that surrounds a tumor and involves a plethora of cellular components whose secretions can modulate the environment in order to favor tumor progression. The cellular heterogeneity of the TME contributes to its dynamic function due to the presence of both immune and nonimmune resident, infiltrating, and interacting cell types. Associated immune cells discussed in this chapter include macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Nonimmune cells also play a role in the establishment and proliferation of the TME, including neuroendocrine (NE) cells, adipocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and fibroblasts. The dynamic nature of the TME contributes greatly to cancer progression.Recent work has found ATC tissues to be defined by a T cell-inflamed "hot" tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) as evidenced by presence of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells. These tumor types are amenable to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. This therapeutic avenue, as of 2021, has remained unexplored in ATC. New studies should seek to explore the therapeutic feasibility of a combination therapy, through the use of a small molecule inhibitor with ICB in ATC. Screening of in vitro model systems representative of papillary, anaplastic, and follicular thyroid cancer explored the expression of 29 immune checkpoint molecules. There are higher expressions of HVEM, BTLA, and CD160 in ATC cell lines when compared to the other TC subtypes. The expression level of HVEM was more than 30-fold higher in ATC compared to the others, on average. HVEM is a member of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, which acts as a bidirectional switch through interaction with BTLA, CD160, and LIGHT, in a cis or trans manner. Given the T cell-inflamed hot TIME in ATC, expression of HVEM on tumor cells was suggestive of a possibility for complex crosstalk of HVEM with inflammatory cytokines. Altogether, there is emerging evidence of a T cell-inflamed TIME in ATC along with the expression of immune checkpoint proteins HVEM, BTLA, and CD160 in ATC. This can open doors for combination therapies using small molecule inhibitors targeting downstream effectors of MAPK pathway and antagonistic antibodies targeting the HVEM/BTLA axis as a potentially viable therapeutic avenue for ATC patients. With this being stated, the development of adaptive resistance to targeted therapies is inevitable; therefore, using a combination therapy that targets the TIME can serve as a preemptive tactic against the characteristic therapeutic resistance that is seen in ATC. The dynamic nature of the TME, including the immune cells, nonimmune cells, and acellular components, can serve as viable targets for combination therapy in ATC. Understanding the complex interactions of these associated cells and the paradigm in which their secretions and components can serve as immunomodulators are critical points of understanding when trying to develop therapeutics specifically tailored for the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjukta Chakraborty
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michelle Carnazza
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Tara Jarboe
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Nicole DeSouza
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Xiu-Min Li
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | | | - Jan Geliebter
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Raj K Tiwari
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
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Senescent Thyrocytes, Similarly to Thyroid Tumor Cells, Elicit M2-like Macrophage Polarization In Vivo. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10100985. [PMID: 34681084 PMCID: PMC8533427 DOI: 10.3390/biology10100985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Several studies including ours suggest a pro-tumoral role of senescent thyrocytes in thyroid tumors. On the other hand, M2-like tumor associated macrophages infiltration increases with thyroid cancer aggressiveness. In this work, we used senescent thyrocytes and thyroid tumor cells as models of early and late tumor stages, respectively, and demonstrated their in vivo capability to recruit and polarize macrophages toward a pro-tumoral M2-like phenotype. These findings pave the way for the design of new therapeutic approaches for thyroid tumors based on the elimination or activity modulation of senescent cells and/or infiltrating macrophages. Abstract Inflammation plays a critical role in thyroid cancer onset and progression. We previously characterized the in vitro interplay between macrophages and senescent human thyrocytes and thyroid tumor-derived cell lines, modeling the early and the late thyroid tumor phases, respectively. We reported that both models are able to induce pro-tumoral M2-like macrophage polarization, through the activation of the COX2-PGE2 axis. Here, we investigated the presence of macrophage infiltrating cells in mouse xenografts derived from the above described cells models. We showed that subcutaneous injection in immunodeficient mice of both senescent human thyrocytes and thyroid tumor-derived cell lines elicits macrophage recruitment. Furthermore, considering the type of macrophage infiltrate, we observed a stronger infiltration of Arginase I positive cells (M2-like). Overall, these results demonstrate the in vivo capability of senescent and tumor thyroid cells to recruit and polarize macrophages, suggesting that the promotion of a pro-tumoral microenvironment through tumor associated macrophages may occurs in late as well as in early thyroid tumor stages, favoring tumor onset and progression.
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Secreted Factors by Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells Induce Tumor-Promoting M2-like Macrophage Polarization through a TIM3-Dependent Mechanism. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194821. [PMID: 34638305 PMCID: PMC8507981 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Among the different types of thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is one of the most aggressive tumors. Characterized for its undifferentiated cells, it spreads quickly to distant organs and does not respond well to standardized therapy. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify new targets that can be translated into therapeutic approaches. ATCs are heavily infiltrated by Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs), and its infiltration density is associated with decreased survival. However, the functional role of TAMs in ATC is still unclear. Our results provide valuable insights into the processes in which soluble factors produced by ATC cells induce M2-like polarization of human monocytes through T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing protein-3 (TIM3). TIM3 in TAMs should now be further evaluated as a possible potential novel target for treating ATC. Abstract Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a highly aggressive type of thyroid cancer (TC). Currently, no effective target treatments are available that can improve overall survival, with ATC representing a major clinical challenge because of its remarkable lethality. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most evident cells in ATCs, and their high density is correlated with a poor prognosis. However, the mechanisms of how TAMs promote ATC progression remain poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrated that the treatment of human monocytes (THP-1 cells) with ATC cell-derived conditioned media (CM) promoted macrophage polarization, showing high levels of M2 markers. Furthermore, we found that STAT3 was activated, and this was correlated with an increased expression and secretion of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6. Remarkably, the M2-like macrophages obtained revealed tumor-promoting activity. A cytokine array analysis demonstrated that M2-like macrophage-derived CM contained high levels of TIM3, which is an important immune regulatory molecule. Consistently, TIM3 expression was up-regulated in THP-1 cells cultured with ATC cell-derived CM. Moreover, TIM3 blockade significantly reversed the polarization of THP-1 cells induced by ATC cell-secreted soluble factors. We validated the clinical significance of the TIM3 in human TC by analyzing public datasets and found that the expression of TIM3 and its ligand galectin 9 was significantly higher in human TC tissue samples than in normal thyroid tissues. Taken together, our findings identified a new mechanism by which TIM3 induces tumor-promoting M2-like macrophage polarization in TC. Furthermore, TIM3 interference might be a potential tool for treatment of patients with ATC.
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FOXE1-Dependent Regulation of Macrophage Chemotaxis by Thyroid Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147666. [PMID: 34299284 PMCID: PMC8307198 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box E1 (FOXE1) is a lineage-restricted transcription factor involved in thyroid cancer susceptibility. Cancer-associated polymorphisms map in regulatory regions, thus affecting the extent of gene expression. We have recently shown that genetic reduction of FOXE1 dosage modifies multiple thyroid cancer phenotypes. To identify relevant effectors playing roles in thyroid cancer development, here we analyse FOXE1-induced transcriptional alterations in thyroid cells that do not express endogenous FOXE1. Expression of FOXE1 elicits cell migration, while transcriptome analysis reveals that several immune cells-related categories are highly enriched in differentially expressed genes, including several upregulated chemokines involved in macrophage recruitment. Accordingly, FOXE1-expressing cells induce chemotaxis of co-cultured monocytes. We then asked if FOXE1 was able to regulate macrophage infiltration in thyroid cancers in vivo by using a mouse model of cancer, either wild type or with only one functional FOXE1 allele. Expression of the same set of chemokines directly correlates with FOXE1 dosage, and pro-tumourigenic M2 macrophage infiltration is decreased in tumours with reduced FOXE1. These data establish a novel link between FOXE1 and macrophages recruitment in the thyroid cancer microenvironment, highlighting an unsuspected function of this gene in the crosstalk between neoplastic and immune cells that shape tumour development and progression.
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Lv J, Liu C, Chen FK, Feng ZP, Jia L, Liu PJ, Yang ZX, Hou F, Deng ZY. M2‑like tumour‑associated macrophage‑secreted IGF promotes thyroid cancer stemness and metastasis by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Mol Med Rep 2021; 24:604. [PMID: 34184083 PMCID: PMC8258465 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
M2‑like tumour‑associated macrophages (TAMs) have been demonstrated to promote the growth of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). However, the underlying mechanism of M2‑like TAMs in ATC remains unclear. Thus, in the present study, the role and mechanism of M2‑like TAMs in ATC were investigated. M2‑like TAMs were induced by treatment with PMA, plus IL‑4 and IL‑13, and identified by flow cytometry. Transwell and sphere formation assays were applied to assess the invasion and stemness of ATC cells. The expression levels of insulin‑like growth factor (IGF)‑1 and IGF‑2 were examined by ELISA and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Proteins related to the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were examined via western blotting. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of the M2‑like TAM markers CD68 and CD206 in ATC tissues and thyroid adenoma tissues. It was found that treatment with PMA plus IL‑4 and IL‑13 successfully induced M2‑like TAMs. Following co‑culture with M2‑like TAMs, the invasive ability and stemness of ATC cells were significantly increased. The expression levels of the EMT‑related markers N‑cadherin and Vimentin, the stemness‑related markers Oct4, Sox2 and CD133, and the insulin receptor (IR)‑A/IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) were markedly upregulated, whereas E‑cadherin expression was significantly decreased. In addition, the production of IGF‑1 and IGF‑2 was significantly increased. Of note, exogenous IGF‑1/IGF‑2 promoted the invasion and stemness of C643 cells, whereas blocking IGF‑1 and IGF‑2 inhibited metastasis and stemness by repressing IR‑A/IGF‑1R‑mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling in the co‑culture system. IHC results showed that the expression of CD68 and CD206 was obviously increased in ATC tissues. To conclude, M2‑like TAMs accelerated the metastasis and increased the stemness of ATC cells, and the underlying mechanism may be related to the section of IGF by M2‑like TAMs, which activates the IR‑A/IGF1R‑mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Fu-Kun Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Ping Feng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Li Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Peng-Jie Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Xian Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Fei Hou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Yong Deng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
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Poorly Differentiated and Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: Insights into Genomics, Microenvironment and New Drugs. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133200. [PMID: 34206867 PMCID: PMC8267688 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the last decades, many researchers produced promising data concerning genetics and tumor microenvironment of poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). They are trying to tear the veil covering these orphan cancers, suggesting new therapeutic weapons as single or combined therapies. Abstract PDTC and ATC present median overall survival of 6 years and 6 months, respectively. In spite of their rarity, patients with PDTC and ATC represent a significant clinical problem, because of their poor survival and the substantial inefficacy of classical therapies. We reviewed the newest findings about genetic features of PDTC and ATC, from mutations occurring in DNA to alterations in RNA. Therefore, we describe their tumor microenvironments (both immune and not-immune) and the interactions between tumor and neighboring cells. Finally, we recapitulate how this upcoming evidence are changing the treatment of PDTC and ATC.
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Cameselle-García S, Abdulkader-Sande S, Sánchez-Ares M, Rodríguez-Carnero G, Garcia-Gómez J, Gude-Sampedro F, Abdulkader-Nallib I, Cameselle-Teijeiro JM. PD-L1 expression and immune cells in anaplastic carcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma of the human thyroid gland: A retrospective study. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:553. [PMID: 34093774 PMCID: PMC8170268 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) and poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) have limited treatment options, and immune profiling may help select patients for immunotherapy. The prevalence and relevance of programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) expression and the presence of immune cells in ATC and PDTC has not yet been well established. The present study investigated PD-L1 expression (clone 22C3) and cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and dendritic cells, in whole tissue sections of 15 cases of ATC and 13 cases of PDTC. Immunohistochemical PD-L1 expression using a tumor proportion score (TPS) with a 1% cut-off was detected in 9/15 (60%) of ATC cases and 1/13 (7.7%) of PDTC cases (P=0.006). PD-L1 expression in TILs was limited to the ATC group (73.3 vs. 0% in ATC and PDTC, respectively). In the ATC group, the TPS for tumor positive PD-L1 expression revealed a non-significant trend towards worse survival, but no difference was observed when investigating PD-L1 expression in TILs and TAMs. In addition to increased PD-L1 expression, all ATC cases exhibited significantly increased CD3+ and CD8+ T cells, CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages, and S100+ dendritic cells compared with the PDTC cases. Loss of mutL homolog 1 and PMS1 homolog 2 expression was observed in one ATC case with the highest PD-L1 expression, as well as in the only PDTC case positive for PD-L1. Notably, the latter was the only PDTC case exhibiting positivity for p53 and a cellular microenvironment similar to ATC. The current results indicated that PD-L1 expression was frequent in ATC, but rare in PDTC. In addition to PD-L1, the present study suggested that microsatellite instability may serve a role in both the TME and the identification of immunotherapy candidates among patients with PDTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Cameselle-García
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Complex of Ourense, Galician Healthcare Service, 32005 Ourense, Spain
| | - Sámer Abdulkader-Sande
- Department of Pathology, Clinical University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Galician Healthcare Service, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María Sánchez-Ares
- Department of Pathology, Clinical University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Galician Healthcare Service, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Gemma Rodríguez-Carnero
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Clinical University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Galician Healthcare Service, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jesús Garcia-Gómez
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Complex of Ourense, Galician Healthcare Service, 32005 Ourense, Spain
| | - Francisco Gude-Sampedro
- Department of Epidemiology, Clinical University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Galician Healthcare Service, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ihab Abdulkader-Nallib
- Department of Pathology, Clinical University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Galician Healthcare Service, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - José Manuel Cameselle-Teijeiro
- Department of Pathology, Clinical University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Galician Healthcare Service, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Xu W, Li C, Ma B, Lu Z, Wang Y, Jiang H, Luo Y, Yang Y, Wang X, Liao T, Ji Q, Wang Y, Wei W. Identification of Key Functional Gene Signatures Indicative of Dedifferentiation in Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:641851. [PMID: 33996555 PMCID: PMC8113627 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.641851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer. Many of them can relapse to dedifferentiated thyroid cancer (DDTC) and exhibit different gene expression profiles. The underlying mechanism of dedifferentiation and the involved genes or pathways remained to be investigated. Methods: A discovery cohort obtained from patients who received surgical resection in the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) and two validation cohorts derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used to screen out differentially expressed genes in the dedifferentiation process. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was constructed to identify modules highly related to differentiation. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to identify pathways related to differentiation, and all differentially expressed genes were grouped by function based on the GSEA and literature reviewing data. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to control the number of variables in each group. Next, we used logistic regression to build a gene signature in each group to indicate differentiation status, and we computed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate the indicative performance of each signature. Results: A total of 307 upregulated and 313 downregulated genes in poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) compared with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and normal thyroid (NT) were screened out in FUSCC cohort and validated in two GEO cohorts. WGCNA of 620 differential genes yielded the seven core genes with the highest correlation with thyroid differentiation score (TDS). Furthermore, 395 genes significantly correlated with TDS in univariate logistic regression analysis were divided into 11 groups. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of the gene signature of group transcription and epigenetic modification, signal and substance transport, extracellular matrix (ECM), and metabolism in the training set [The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort] and validation set (combined GEO cohort) were both >0.75. The gene signature based on group transcription and epigenetic modification, cilia formation and movement, and proliferation can reflect the patient's disease recurrence state. Conclusion: The dedifferentiation of DTC is affected by a variety of mechanisms including many genes. The gene signature of group transcription and epigenetic modification, signal and substance transport, ECM, and metabolism can be used as biomarkers for DDTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibo Xu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cuiwei Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ben Ma
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongwu Lu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyi Jiang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yichen Yang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian Liao
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinghai Ji
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjun Wei
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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A bi-directional dialog between vascular cells and monocytes/macrophages regulates tumor progression. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2021; 40:477-500. [PMID: 33783686 PMCID: PMC8213675 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-021-09958-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer progression largely depends on tumor blood vessels as well on immune cell infiltration. In various tumors, vascular cells, namely endothelial cells (ECs) and pericytes, strongly regulate leukocyte infiltration into tumors and immune cell activation, hence the immune response to cancers. Recently, a lot of compelling studies unraveled the molecular mechanisms by which tumor vascular cells regulate monocyte and tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) recruitment and phenotype, and consequently tumor progression. Reciprocally, TAMs and monocytes strongly modulate tumor blood vessel and tumor lymphatic vessel formation by exerting pro-angiogenic and lymphangiogenic effects, respectively. Finally, the interaction between monocytes/TAMs and vascular cells is also impacting several steps of the spread of cancer cells throughout the body, a process called metastasis. In this review, the impact of the bi-directional dialog between blood vascular cells and monocytes/TAMs in the regulation of tumor progression is discussed. All together, these data led to the design of combinations of anti-angiogenic and immunotherapy targeting TAMs/monocyte whose effects are briefly discussed in the last part of this review.
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Bible KC, Kebebew E, Brierley J, Brito JP, Cabanillas ME, Clark TJ, Di Cristofano A, Foote R, Giordano T, Kasperbauer J, Newbold K, Nikiforov YE, Randolph G, Rosenthal MS, Sawka AM, Shah M, Shaha A, Smallridge R, Wong-Clark CK. 2021 American Thyroid Association Guidelines for Management of Patients with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Thyroid 2021; 31:337-386. [PMID: 33728999 PMCID: PMC8349723 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2020.0944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but highly lethal form of thyroid cancer. Since the guidelines for the management of ATC by the American Thyroid Association were first published in 2012, significant clinical and scientific advances have occurred in the field. The aim of these guidelines is to inform clinicians, patients, and researchers on published evidence relating to the diagnosis and management of ATC. Methods: The specific clinical questions and topics addressed in these guidelines were based on prior versions of the guidelines, stakeholder input, and input of the Task Force members (authors of the guideline). Relevant literature was reviewed, including serial PubMed searches supplemented with additional articles. The American College of Physicians Guideline Grading System was used for critical appraisal of evidence and grading strength of recommendations. Results: The guidelines include the diagnosis, initial evaluation, establishment of treatment goals, approaches to locoregional disease (surgery, radiotherapy, targeted/systemic therapy, supportive care during active therapy), approaches to advanced/metastatic disease, palliative care options, surveillance and long-term monitoring, and ethical issues, including end of life. The guidelines include 31 recommendations and 16 good practice statements. Conclusions: We have developed evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical decision-making in the management of ATC. While all care must be individualized, such recommendations provide, in our opinion, optimal care paradigms for patients with ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith C. Bible
- Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Electron Kebebew
- Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - James Brierley
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan P. Brito
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Maria E. Cabanillas
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Antonio Di Cristofano
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Robert Foote
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Thomas Giordano
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jan Kasperbauer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kate Newbold
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Fulham Road, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yuri E. Nikiforov
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gregory Randolph
- Division of Thyroid and Parathyroid Endocrine Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - M. Sara Rosenthal
- Program for Bioethics and Markey Cancer Center Oncology Ethics Program, Departments Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Anna M. Sawka
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Manisha Shah
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ashok Shaha
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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Rodjakovic D, Salm L, Beldi G. Function of Connexin-43 in Macrophages. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1412. [PMID: 33573367 PMCID: PMC7866802 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have helped to increase the understanding of the function of Connexin-43 (Cx43) in macrophages (Mφ). The various roles of Cx43 in Mφs range from migration, antigen-presentation and some forms of intercellular communication to more delicate processes, such as electrochemical support in the propagation of the heartbeat, immunomodulatory regulation in the lungs and in macrophage-differentiation. Its relevance in pathophysiology becomes evident in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), tumours and HIV, in which aberrant functioning of Cx43 has been described. However, the involvement of Cx43 in other Mφ functions, such as phagocytosis and polarisation, and its involvement in other types of local and systemic inflammation, are still unclear and need further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Rodjakovic
- Department for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.R.); (L.S.)
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lilian Salm
- Department for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.R.); (L.S.)
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Guido Beldi
- Department for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; (D.R.); (L.S.)
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland
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Fozzatti L, Cheng SY. Tumor Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: A Synergistic Crosstalk to Promote Thyroid Cancer. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul) 2020; 35:673-680. [PMID: 33161690 PMCID: PMC7803596 DOI: 10.3803/enm.2020.401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Although most thyroid cancer patients are successfully treated and have an excellent prognosis, a percentage of these patients will develop aggressive disease and, eventually, progress to anaplastic thyroid cancer. Since most patients with this type of aggressive thyroid carcinoma will die from the disease, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Tumor cells live in a complex and dynamic tumor microenvironment composed of different types of stromal cells. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most important cell components in the tumor microenvironment of most solid tumors, including thyroid cancer. CAFs originate mainly from mesenchymal cells and resident fibroblasts that are activated and reprogrammed in response to paracrine factors and cytokines produced and released by tumor cells. Upon reprogramming, which is distinguished by the expression of different marker proteins, CAFs synthesize and secret soluble factors. The secretome of CAFs directly impacts different functions of tumor cells. This bi-directional interplay between CAFs and tumor cells within the tumor microenvironment ends up fostering tumor cancer progression. CAFs are therefore key regulators of tumor progression and represent an under-explored therapeutic target in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fozzatti
- Center for Research in Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology (CIBICI)-National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), School of Chemical Sciences, National University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
- Corresponding authors: Laura Fozzatti, Center for Research in Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology (CIBICI)-National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Haya de la Torre y Medina Allende, X5000HUA, Cordoba, Argentina, Tel: +54-351-535-3851, Fax: +54-351-433-3048, E-mail:
| | - Sheue-yann Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Sheue-yann Cheng, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 5128, Bethesda, MD 20892-4264, USA, Tel: +1-240-760-7828, Fax: +1-240-541-4498, E-mail:
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Feng K, Ma R, Zhang L, Li H, Tang Y, Du G, Niu D, Yin D. The Role of Exosomes in Thyroid Cancer and Their Potential Clinical Application. Front Oncol 2020; 10:596132. [PMID: 33335859 PMCID: PMC7736410 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.596132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) is rapidly increasing worldwide. The diagnostic accuracy and dynamics of TC need to be improved, and traditional treatments are not effective enough for patients with poorly differentiated thyroid cancer. Exosomes are membrane vesicles secreted specifically by various cells and are involved in intercellular communication. Recent studies have shown that exosomes secreted by TC cells contribute to tumor progression, angiogenesis and metastasis. Exosomes in liquid biopsies can reflect the overall molecular information of tumors, and have natural advantages in diagnosing TC. Exosomes also play an important role in tumor therapy due to their special physicochemical properties. TC patients will benefit as more exosome patterns are discovered. In this review, we discuss the role of TC-derived exosomes in tumorigenesis and development, and describe the application of exosomes in the diagnosis and treatment of TC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixiang Feng
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China.,Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Runsheng Ma
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China.,Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lele Zhang
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongqiang Li
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yifeng Tang
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Gongbo Du
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China.,Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongpeng Niu
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China.,Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Detao Yin
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Thyroid Surgery, Key Discipline Laboratory of Clinical Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, China
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Abe I, Lam AKY. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: Updates on WHO classification, clinicopathological features and staging. Histol Histopathol 2020; 36:239-248. [PMID: 33170501 DOI: 10.14670/hh-18-277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon carcinoma representing 1 to 4% of all thyroid cancers. The carcinoma is most common in females of the eight decades. It is a locally advanced cancer with frequent infiltration of surrounding organs, blood vessels and skin of neck. Paraneoplastic manifestations could occur. Approximately half of the patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma had distant metastasis with lung and brain as the most frequent sites of metastasis. The median survival of patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma reported was from 1 to 6 months. The terminology of the cancer in World Health Organization is "anaplastic thyroid carcinoma" rather than "undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma". In the latest American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, there are updates on T and N categories. To conclude, updated knowledge of clinicopathological features, classification, pathological staging will improve our understanding of the cancer and will help in the management of the patients with this aggressive cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ichiro Abe
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Destistry, Gold Coast campus, Griffith University, gold Coast, Australia.,Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Alfred King-Yin Lam
- Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Destistry, Gold Coast campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
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45
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French JD. Immunotherapy for advanced thyroid cancers - rationale, current advances and future strategies. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2020; 16:629-641. [PMID: 32839578 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-020-0398-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, the field of cancer immunotherapy has been revolutionized by immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) technologies. Success across a broad spectrum of cancers has led to a paradigm shift in therapy for patients with advanced cancer. Early data are now accumulating in progressive thyroid cancers treated with single-agent ICB therapies and combination approaches that incorporate ICB technologies. This Review discusses our current knowledge of the immune response in thyroid cancers, the latest and ongoing immune-based approaches, and the future of immunotherapies in thyroid cancer. Physiologically relevant preclinical mouse models and human correlative research studies will inform development of the next stage of immune-based therapies for patients with advanced thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jena D French
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.
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Rabold K, Aschenbrenner A, Thiele C, Boahen CK, Schiltmans A, Smit JWA, Schultze JL, Netea MG, Adema GJ, Netea-Maier RT. Enhanced lipid biosynthesis in human tumor-induced macrophages contributes to their protumoral characteristics. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2020-000638. [PMID: 32943450 PMCID: PMC7500191 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-000638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (TC) and neuroblastoma (NB), being associated with a poor prognosis for patients. However, little is known about how tumors steer the specific metabolic phenotype and function of TAMs. Methods In a human coculture model, transcriptome, metabolome and lipidome analysis were performed on TC-induced and NB-induced macrophages. The metabolic shift was correlated to functional readouts, such as cytokine production and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, including pharmacological inhibition of metabolic pathways. Results Based on transcriptome and metabolome analysis, we observed a strong upregulation of lipid biosynthesis pathways in TAMs. Subsequently, lipidome analysis revealed that tumor-induced macrophages have an increased total lipid content and enriched levels of intracellular lipids, especially phosphoglycerides and sphingomyelins. Strikingly, this metabolic shift in lipid synthesis contributes to their protumoral functional characteristics: blocking key enzymes of lipid biosynthesis in the tumor-induced macrophages reversed the increased inflammatory cytokines and the capacity to produce ROS, two well-known protumoral factors in the TME. Conclusions Taken together, our data show that tumor cells can stimulate lipid biosynthesis in macrophages to induce protumoral cytokine and ROS responses and advocate lipid biosynthesis as a potential therapeutic target to reprogram the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Rabold
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands .,Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Aschenbrenner
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department for Genomics & Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Bonn, Germany
| | - Christoph Thiele
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Lipids, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Bonn, Germany
| | - Collins K Boahen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Schiltmans
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes W A Smit
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim L Schultze
- Department for Genomics & Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Bonn, Germany
| | - Mihai G Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Immunology and Metabolism, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), Bonn, Germany
| | - Gosse J Adema
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Romana T Netea-Maier
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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47
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San Román Gil M, Pozas J, Molina-Cerrillo J, Gómez J, Pian H, Pozas M, Carrato A, Grande E, Alonso-Gordoa T. Current and Future Role of Tyrosine Kinases Inhibition in Thyroid Cancer: From Biology to Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4951. [PMID: 32668761 PMCID: PMC7403957 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer represents a heterogenous disease whose incidence has increased in the last decades. Although three main different subtypes have been described, molecular characterization is progressively being included in the diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm of these patients. In fact, thyroid cancer is a landmark in the oncological approach to solid tumors as it harbors key genetic alterations driving tumor progression that have been demonstrated to be potential actionable targets. Within this promising and rapid changing scenario, current efforts are directed to improve tumor characterization for an accurate guidance in the therapeutic management. In this sense, it is strongly recommended to perform tissue genotyping to patients that are going to be considered for systemic therapy in order to select the adequate treatment, according to recent clinical trials data. Overall, the aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review on the molecular biology of thyroid cancer focusing on the key role of tyrosine kinases. Additionally, from a clinical point of view, we provide a thorough perspective, current and future, in the treatment landscape of this tumor.
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MESH Headings
- Adenocarcinoma, Follicular/enzymology
- Adenocarcinoma, Follicular/genetics
- Adenocarcinoma, Follicular/therapy
- Adenoma, Oxyphilic/enzymology
- Adenoma, Oxyphilic/genetics
- Adenoma, Oxyphilic/therapy
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use
- Carcinoma, Medullary/enzymology
- Carcinoma, Medullary/genetics
- Carcinoma, Medullary/therapy
- Carcinoma, Papillary/enzymology
- Carcinoma, Papillary/genetics
- Carcinoma, Papillary/therapy
- Clinical Trials as Topic
- Combined Modality Therapy
- Disease Management
- Forecasting
- Genes, Neoplasm
- Humans
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Immunoconjugates/therapeutic use
- Immunotherapy
- Iodine Radioisotopes/therapeutic use
- Molecular Targeted Therapy
- Multicenter Studies as Topic
- Neoplasm Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/antagonists & inhibitors
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors
- Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
- Thyroid Neoplasms/enzymology
- Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics
- Thyroid Neoplasms/therapy
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- María San Román Gil
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (M.S.R.G.); (J.P.); (M.P.); (A.C.); (T.A.-G.)
| | - Javier Pozas
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (M.S.R.G.); (J.P.); (M.P.); (A.C.); (T.A.-G.)
| | - Javier Molina-Cerrillo
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (M.S.R.G.); (J.P.); (M.P.); (A.C.); (T.A.-G.)
- The Ramon y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), CIBERONC, 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Medicine School, Alcalá University, 28805 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.); (H.P.)
| | - Joaquín Gómez
- Medicine School, Alcalá University, 28805 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.); (H.P.)
- General Surgery Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor Pian
- Medicine School, Alcalá University, 28805 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.); (H.P.)
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Pozas
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (M.S.R.G.); (J.P.); (M.P.); (A.C.); (T.A.-G.)
| | - Alfredo Carrato
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (M.S.R.G.); (J.P.); (M.P.); (A.C.); (T.A.-G.)
- The Ramon y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), CIBERONC, 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Medicine School, Alcalá University, 28805 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.); (H.P.)
| | - Enrique Grande
- Medical Oncology Department, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 28033 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Teresa Alonso-Gordoa
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (M.S.R.G.); (J.P.); (M.P.); (A.C.); (T.A.-G.)
- The Ramon y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), CIBERONC, 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Medicine School, Alcalá University, 28805 Madrid, Spain; (J.G.); (H.P.)
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MacDonald L, Jenkins J, Purvis G, Lee J, Franco AT. The Thyroid Tumor Microenvironment: Potential Targets for Therapeutic Intervention and Prognostication. Discov Oncol 2020; 11:205-217. [PMID: 32548798 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-020-00390-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy and incidences are rising rapidly, in both pediatric and adult populations. Many thyroid tumors are successfully treated which results in low mortality rates, but there is often a significant morbidity associated with thyroid cancer treatments. For patients with tumors that are not successfully treated with surgical resection or radioactive iodine treatment, prognosis is dramatically reduced. Patients diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer face a very grim prognosis with a median survival of 6 months post-diagnosis. There is a critical need to identify patients who are at greatest risk of developing persistent disease and progressing to poorly differentiated or anaplastic disease. Furthermore, development of treatments associated with less morbidity would represent a significant improvement for thyroid cancer survivors. It is well established the stromal cells and components of the tumor microenvironment can drive tumor progression and resistance to therapy. Here we review the current state of what is known regarding the thyroid tumor microenvironment and how these factors may contribute to thyroid tumor pathogenesis. Study of the tumor microenvironment within thyroid cancer is a relatively new field, and more studies are needed to dissect the complex and dynamic crosstalk between thyroid tumor cells and its tumor niche.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Grace Purvis
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua Lee
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aime T Franco
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Lv J, Chen FK, Liu C, Liu PJ, Feng ZP, Jia L, Yang ZX, Hou F, Deng ZY. Zoledronic acid inhibits thyroid cancer stemness and metastasis by repressing M2-like tumor-associated macrophages induced Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Life Sci 2020; 256:117925. [PMID: 32522570 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This study aims to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of zoledronic acid (ZA) on the incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) tumorigenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Human mononuclear cells THP-1 were differentiated into M2-like tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) by incubation with PMA followed by additional incubation of IL-4 and IL-13. TC cells TPC-1 and IHH4 were co-cultured with M2-like TAMs. Identification of M2-like TAMs markers were determined by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry. Cell proliferation, stemness and migration/invasion ability were measured by colony, sphere formation assay and transwell assay, respectively. The expression levels of cell stemness, EMT and Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related factors were verified by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. A subcutaneous tumor model was established in nude mice to examine the in vivo effects of ZA. KEY FINDINGS M2-like TAMs were enriched in TC tissues, and they promoted the colony/sphere formation, accompanied with a down-regulated expression in E-cadherin and an up-regulated expression in N-cadherin, Vimentin and other stemness-associated markers (CD133, Oct4, c-Myc) in TC cells. The effects were suppressed when ZA co-treatment was given, because ZA inhibited the polarization of M2-like TAMs and β-catenin entry into the nucleus. Moreover, in agreement with in vitro data, ZA also limited subcutaneous tumor formation and macrophage enrichment in nude mice. SIGNIFICANCE ZA suppressed M2-like TAMs induced TC cell proliferation, stemness and metastasis through inhibiting M2-like TAMs polarization and Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which sheds light on the mechanisms of TC and provides avenues for the development of clinical therapy to TC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Fu-Kun Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Peng-Jie Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Zhi-Ping Feng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Li Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Zhi-Xian Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Fei Hou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Deng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China.
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50
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Xu B, Qin T, Yu J, Giordano TJ, Sartor MA, Koenig RJ. Novel role of ASH1L histone methyltransferase in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:8834-8845. [PMID: 32398261 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is one of the most aggressive human malignancies, with an average life expectancy of ∼6 months from the time of diagnosis. The genetic and epigenetic changes that underlie this malignancy are incompletely understood. We found that ASH1-like histone lysine methyltransferase (ASH1L) is overexpressed in ATC relative to the much less aggressive and more common differentiated thyroid cancer. This increased expression was due at least in part to reduced levels of microRNA-200b-3p (miR-200b-3p), which represses ASH1L expression, in ATC. Genetic knockout of ASH1L protein expression in ATC cell lines decreased cell growth both in culture and in mouse xenografts. RNA-Seq analysis of ASH1L knockout versus WT ATC cell lines revealed that ASH1L is involved in the regulation of numerous cancer-related genes and gene sets. The pro-oncogenic long noncoding RNA colon cancer-associated transcript 1 (CCAT1) was one of the most highly (approximately 68-fold) down-regulated transcripts in ASH1L knockout cells. Therefore, we investigated CCAT1 as a potential mediator of the growth-inducing activity of ASH1L. Supporting this hypothesis, CCAT1 knockdown in ATC cells decreased their growth rate, and ChIP-Seq data indicated that CCAT1 is likely a direct target of ASH1L's histone methyltransferase activity. These results indicate that ASH1L contributes to the aggressiveness of ATC and suggest that ASH1L, along with its upstream regulator miR-200b-3p and its downstream mediator CCAT1, represents a potential therapeutic target in ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Xu
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
| | - Tingting Qin
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jingcheng Yu
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Thomas J Giordano
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Maureen A Sartor
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ronald J Koenig
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
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