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Sui F, Wang G, Liu J, Yuan M, Chen P, Yao Y, Zhang S, Ji M, Hou P. Targeting NG2 relieves the resistance of BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cells to BRAF inhibitors. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:238. [PMID: 38795180 PMCID: PMC11127897 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05280-6] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024]
Abstract
BRAFV600E represents a constitutively active onco-kinase and stands as the most prevalent genetic alteration in thyroid cancer. However, the clinical efficacy of small-molecule inhibitors targeting BRAFV600E is often limited by acquired resistance. Here, we find that nerve/glial antigen 2 (NG2), also known as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), is up-regulated in thyroid cancers, and its expression is increased with tumor progression in a BRAFV600E-driven thyroid cancer mouse model. Functional studies show that NG2 knockout almost does not affect tumor growth, but significantly improves the response of BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cells to BRAF inhibitor PLX4720. Mechanistically, the blockade of ERK-dependent feedback by BRAF inhibitor can activate receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling, causing the resistance to this inhibitor. NG2 knockout attenuates the PLX4720-mediated feedback activation of several RTKs, improving the sensitivity of BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cells to this inhibitor. Based on this finding, we propose and demonstrate an alternative strategy for targeting NG2 to effectively treat BRAF-mutant thyroid cancers by combining multiple kinase inhibitor (MKI) Sorafenib or Lenvatinib with PLX4720. Thus, this study uncovers a new mechanism in which NG2 contributes to the resistance of BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cells to BRAF inhibitor, and provides a promising therapeutic option for BRAF-mutant thyroid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Sui
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Guanjie Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Juan Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Mengmeng Yuan
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Pu Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Yao Yao
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Shaoqiang Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Meiju Ji
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China.
| | - Peng Hou
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, P.R. China.
- Key Laboratory for Tumor Precision Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China.
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Song Q, Xu H, Wu H, Dong J, Ji S, Zhang X, Zhang Z, Hu W. Pseudogene CSPG4P12 inhibits colorectal cancer progression by attenuating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Braz J Med Biol Res 2024; 57:e13645. [PMID: 38808892 PMCID: PMC11136487 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x2024e13645] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers. Pseudogenes have been identified as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in the development of various cancers. However, the function of pseudogene CSPG4P12 in colorectal cancer remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of CSPG4P12 in colorectal cancer and explore the possible underlying mechanism. The difference of CSPG4P12 expression between colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues was analyzed using the online Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) database. Cell viability and colony formation assays were conducted to evaluate cell viability. Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion capacities. Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins. Colorectal cancer tissues had lower CSPG4P12 expression than adjacent normal tissues. The overexpression of CSPG4P12 inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in colorectal cancer cells. Overexpressed CSPG4P12 promoted the expression of E-cadherin, whereas it inhibited the expression of vimentin, N-cadherin, and MMP9. These findings suggested that CSPG4P12 inhibits colorectal cancer development and may serve as a new potential target for colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinqin Song
- Department of Oncology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Affiliated Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, China
| | - Hongxue Xu
- School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Hongjiao Wu
- School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Jing Dong
- Affiliated Tangshan Gongren Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Shanshan Ji
- Affiliated Tangshan Gongren Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- College of Life Science, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Affiliated Tangshan Gongren Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Wanning Hu
- Department of Oncology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Affiliated Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, China
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Liu Y, Hu S, Teng M, Qing Y, Dong X, Chen L, Ai K. A novel anoikis-related prognostic signature associated with prognosis and immune infiltration landscape in lung adenocarcinoma. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3610. [PMID: 37985130 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3610] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most prevalent malignancies in the world is lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), with a large number of people dying from lung cancer each year. Anoikis has a crucial function in tumor metastasis, promoting cancer cell shedding and survival from the primary tumor site. However, the role of anoikis in LUAD is still unclear. METHODS The GeneCard database (https://www.genecards.org/) was utilized to obtain anoikis-related genes with correlation greater than 0.4. Differential analysis was employed to acquire differential genes. Univariate, multifactorial Cox analyses and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were then utilized to capture genes connected to overall survival time. These genes were used to build prognostic models. The predictive model was analyzed and visualized. Survival analysis was conducted on the model and risk scores were calculated. The TCGA samples were split into groups of low and high risk depending on risk scores. A Gene Expression Omnibus database sample was used for external verification. Immunization estimates were performed using ESTIMATE, CiberSort and single sample gene set enrichment analysis. The connection between the prognostic gene model and immune cells was analyzed. Drug susceptibility prediction analysis was performed. The clinical information for samples was extracted and analyzed. RESULTS We selected six genes related to anoikis in LUAD to construct a prognosis model (CDC25C, ITPRIP, SLCO1B3, CDX2, CSPG4 and PIK3CG). Compared with cases of high-risk scores, the overall survival of those with low risk was significantly elevated based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Immune function analysis exhibited that different risk groups had different immune states. The results of ESTIMATE, CiberSort and single sample gene set enrichment analysis showed great gaps in immunization between patients in the two groups. The normogram of the risk score and the LUAD clinicopathological features was constructed. Principal component analysis showed that this model could effectively distinguish the two groups of LUAD patients. CONCLUSIONS We integrated multiple anoikis-related genes to build a prognostic model. This investigation demonstrates that anoikis-related genes can be used as a stratification element for fine therapy of individuals with LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiqi Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Meixin Teng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yang Qing
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Xiao Dong
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Linsong Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaixing Ai
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Qiu Y, Ye W, Wang C, Zang J. Prognostic significance and immunoinfiltration analysis of genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and energy metabolism in bladder urothelial carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:13312-13328. [PMID: 38015710 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205242] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and aberrant energy metabolism are pivotal biological processes in tumor progression, significantly impacting tumor prognosis. However, the relationship between EMT, energy metabolism, and the immune microenvironment in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) remains inadequately understood. METHODS Bladder cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas were categorized into two groups via clustering analysis to elucidate disparities in expression, prognostic significance, and immune infiltration of genes associated with EMT and energy metabolism between these groups. Key genes associated with EMT and energy metabolism in BLCA were identified through Cox multifactorial regression analysis, immune infiltration analysis, etc. Subsequently, their prognostic significance in BLCA was validated. RESULTS Cluster analysis revealed significant differences in the expression of genes associated with EMT and energy metabolism between the two groups. Group 2 exhibited significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared to Group 1. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) emerged as the most critical gene associated with EMT, energy metabolism, prognosis, and immune infiltration in BLCA. Immunohistochemical assays demonstrated differential expression of CSPG4 in bladder tumors and normal bladder tissues, with high CSPG4 expression correlating with a poorer BLCA prognosis. Furthermore, CSPG4 exhibited an association with the immune checkpoint molecule programmed death-1 (PD1) in BLCA. CONCLUSIONS EMT and energy metabolism exert pivotal influences on the immune microenvironment in BLCA. CSPG4 holds promise as a prognostic biomarker for patients with BLCA, offering valuable insights into potential immunotherapeutic strategies for this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Qiu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Ye
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin Zang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, China
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Giraudo L, Cattaneo G, Gammaitoni L, Iaia I, Donini C, Massa A, Centomo ML, Basiricò M, Vigna E, Pisacane A, Picciotto F, Berrino E, Marchiò C, Merlini A, Paruzzo L, Poletto S, Caravelli D, Biolato AM, Bortolot V, Landoni E, Ventin M, Ferrone CR, Aglietta M, Dotti G, Leuci V, Carnevale-Schianca F, Sangiolo D. CSPG4 CAR-redirected Cytokine Induced Killer lymphocytes (CIK) as effective cellular immunotherapy for HLA class I defective melanoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:310. [PMID: 37993874 PMCID: PMC10664597 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02884-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Even acknowledging the game-changing results achieved in the treatment of metastatic melanoma with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), a large proportion of patients (40-60%) still fail to respond or relapse due to the development of resistance. Alterations in the expression of Human Leukocyte Antigen class I (HLA-I) molecules are considered to play a major role in clinical resistance to ICI. Cellular immunotherapy with HLA-independent CAR-redirected lymphocytes is a promising alternative in this challenging setting and dedicated translational models are needed. METHODS In this study, we propose an HLA-independent therapeutic strategy with Cytokine Induced Killer lymphocytes (CIK) genetically engineered with a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) targeting the tumor antigen CSPG4 as effector mechanism. We investigated the preclinical antitumor activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK in vitro and in a xenograft murine model focusing on patient-derived melanoma cell lines (Mel) with defective expression of HLA-I molecules. RESULTS We successfully generated CSPG4-CAR.CIK from patients with metastatic melanoma and reported their intense activity in vitro against a panel of CSPG4-expressing patient-derived Mel. The melanoma killing activity was intense, even at very low effector to target ratios, and not influenced by the expression level (high, low, defective) of HLA-I molecules on target cells. Furthermore, CAR.CIK conditioned medium was capable of upregulating the expression of HLA-I molecules on melanoma cells. A comparable immunomodulatory effect was replicated by treatment of Mel cells with exogenous IFN-γ and IFN-α. The antimelanoma activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK was successfully confirmed in vivo, obtaining a significant tumor growth inhibition of an HLA-defective Mel xenograft in immunodeficient mice. CONCLUSIONS In this study we reported the intense preclinical activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK against melanoma, including those with low or defective HLA-I expression. Our findings support CSPG4 as a valuable CAR target in melanoma and provide translational rationale for clinical studies exploring CAR-CIK cellular immunotherapies within the challenging setting of patients not responsive or relapsing to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Giraudo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Giulia Cattaneo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy.
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Loretta Gammaitoni
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Ilenia Iaia
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Chiara Donini
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Annamaria Massa
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Maria Laura Centomo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Marco Basiricò
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Elisa Vigna
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Alberto Pisacane
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Franco Picciotto
- Dermatologic Surgery Section, Department of Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria (AOU) Città Della Salute E Della Scienza, Turin, TO, Italy
| | - Enrico Berrino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Corso Dogliotti 14, 10126, Turin, TO, Italy
| | - Caterina Marchiò
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Corso Dogliotti 14, 10126, Turin, TO, Italy
| | - Alessandra Merlini
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Luca Paruzzo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Stefano Poletto
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Daniela Caravelli
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
| | - Andrea Michela Biolato
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
- Cytoskeleton and Cancer Progression, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Valentina Bortolot
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Elisa Landoni
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Marco Ventin
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cristina R Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Massimo Aglietta
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Valeria Leuci
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | | | - Dario Sangiolo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Strada Provinciale 142 Km 3.95, 10060, Candiolo, TO, Italy.
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043, Orbassano, TO, Italy.
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Li Y, Xu K, Zhang Y, Mao H, Qiu Q, Yan Z, Liu X, Du Y, Chen Z. Identification of a basement membrane-related genes signature with immune correlation in bladder urothelial carcinoma and verification in vitro. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1021. [PMID: 37872487 PMCID: PMC10591420 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11340-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is the most common genitourinary cancer and the prognosis of patients is often poor. However, studies of basement membrane-related genes (BM-related genes) in BLCA are less reported. Therefore, we established a BM-related genes signature to explore their functional and prognostic value in BLCA. METHODS In this study, a BM-related genes signature was constructed by LASSO-Cox regression analysis, and then a series of bioinformatics methods was used to assess the accuracy and validity of the signature. We constructed a nomogram for clinical application and also screened for possible therapeutic drugs. To investigate the functions and pathways affected by BM-related genes in BLCA, we performed functional enrichment analyses. In addition, we analyzed the immune cell infiltration landscape and immune checkpoint-related genes in the high and low-risk groups. Finally, we confirmed the prognostic value of BM-related genes in BLCA in vitro. RESULTS Combining multiple bioinformatics approaches, we identified a seven-gene signature. The accuracy and validity of this signature in predicting BLCA patients were confirmed by the test cohort. In addition, the risk score was strongly correlated with prognosis, immune checkpoint genes, drug sensitivity, and immune cell infiltration landscape. The risk score is an independent prognostic factor for BLCA patients. Further experiments revealed that all seven signature genes were differentially expressed between BLCA cell lines and normal bladder cells. Finally, overexpression of LAMA2 inhibited the migration and invasion ability of BLCA cell lines. CONCLUSIONS In summary, the BM-related genes signature was able to predict the prognosis of BLCA patients accurately, indicating that the BM-related genes possess great clinical value in the diagnosis and treatment of BLCA. Moreover, LAMA2 could be a potential therapeutic target, which provides new insights into the application of the BM-related genes in BLCA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanze Li
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Hu Mao
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Qiangmin Qiu
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiwei Yan
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Xiuheng Liu
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
| | - Yang Du
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
| | - Zhiyuan Chen
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
- Institute of Urologic Disease, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
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Mungra N, Biteghe FAN, Malindi Z, Huysamen AM, Karaan M, Hardcastle NS, Bunjun R, Chetty S, Naran K, Lang D, Richter W, Hunter R, Barth S. CSPG4 as a target for the specific killing of triple-negative breast cancer cells by a recombinant SNAP-tag-based antibody-auristatin F drug conjugate. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:12203-12225. [PMID: 37432459 PMCID: PMC10465649 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05031-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is phenotypic of breast tumors lacking expression of the estrogen receptor (ER), the progesterone receptor (PgR), and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The paucity of well-defined molecular targets in TNBC, coupled with the increasing burden of breast cancer-related mortality, emphasizes the need to develop targeted diagnostics and therapeutics. While antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as revolutionary tools in the selective delivery of drugs to malignant cells, their widespread clinical use has been hampered by traditional strategies which often give rise to heterogeneous mixtures of ADC products. METHODS Utilizing SNAP-tag technology as a cutting-edge site-specific conjugation method, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4)-targeting ADC was engineered, encompassing a single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) conjugated to auristatin F (AURIF) via a click chemistry strategy. RESULTS After showcasing the self-labeling potential of the SNAP-tag component, surface binding and internalization of the fluorescently labeled product were demonstrated on CSPG4-positive TNBC cell lines through confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The cell-killing ability of the novel AURIF-based recombinant ADC was illustrated by the induction of a 50% reduction in cell viability at nanomolar to micromolar concentrations on target cell lines. CONCLUSION This research underscores the applicability of SNAP-tag in the unambiguous generation of homogeneous and pharmaceutically relevant immunoconjugates that could potentially be instrumental in the management of a daunting disease like TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelakshi Mungra
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
- Centre for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Washington, 98101 USA
| | - Fleury A. N. Biteghe
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Zaria Malindi
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Laser Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, 2028 South Africa
| | - Allan M. Huysamen
- Department of Chemistry, PD Hahn Building, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Maryam Karaan
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Natasha S. Hardcastle
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Rubina Bunjun
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Shivan Chetty
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2000 South Africa
| | - Krupa Naran
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Dirk Lang
- Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | | | - Roger Hunter
- Department of Chemistry, PD Hahn Building, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Stefan Barth
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
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Grossauer A, Uranowska K, Kitzwögerer M, Mostegel M, Breiteneder H, Hafner C. Immunohistochemical detection of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 protein in primary and metastatic melanoma. Oncol Lett 2023; 26:382. [PMID: 37559576 PMCID: PMC10407859 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, continues to be a major challenge for clinicians. New targeted therapies with kinase inhibitors or drugs which modify the immune response are often accompanied by the development of resistance or severe side effects. In this context, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), a highly immunogenic melanoma tumor antigen, could be a potential target for alternative therapeutic approaches. The aim of the present study was to identify differences in the levels of CSPG4 protein expression in primary and metastatic melanomas as well as to analyze correlations between CSPG4 expression and histopathological data and patient characteristics. A total of 189 melanoma tissue samples from Lower Austria, including primary melanomas and melanoma metastases, were immunohistochemically stained for the expression of CSPG4 and statistical analyses were performed. A total of 65.6% of melanoma tissue samples stained positive for the expression of CSPG4. Primary nodular and primary superficial spreading melanomas demonstrated a significantly higher number of positively stained tissue samples for CSPG4 compared with primary lentigo maligna melanomas. No significant differences in the expression of CSPG4 were demonstrated between primary melanomas and melanoma metastases. The present study supports the advancement of the understanding of CSPG4 tissue expression patterns in melanoma patients and provides additional information for further investigation of CSPG4 as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Grossauer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Poelten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, A-3100 St. Poelten, Austria
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Krems, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, A-3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Karolina Uranowska
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Poelten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, A-3100 St. Poelten, Austria
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Melitta Kitzwögerer
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital St. Poelten, A-3100 St. Poelten, Austria
| | - Margit Mostegel
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Krems, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, A-3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Heimo Breiteneder
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christine Hafner
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Poelten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, A-3100 St. Poelten, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute of Dermatological Research, Karl Landsteiner Gesellschaft, A-3100 St. Poelten, Austria
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9
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Huang Y, Zeng A, Song L. Facts and prospects of peptide in targeted therapy and immune regulation against triple-negative breast cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1255820. [PMID: 37691919 PMCID: PMC10485606 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1255820] [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: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. Due to the lack of specific therapeutic targets, treatment options are limited, and the recurrence and metastasis rate is high, the overall survival of patients is poor. However, with the discovery of some new targets and the corresponding immune regulation after targeting these targets, TNBC has a new hope in treatment. The peptide has a simple structure, strong binding affinity, and high stability, and has great potential in targeted therapy and immune regulation against TNBC. This review will discuss how single peptides and peptide combinations target triple-negative breast cancer to exert immunomodulatory effects. Among them, single peptides target specific receptors on TNBC cells, act as decoys to target key ligands in the regulatory pathway, and target TME-related cells. The combinations of peptides work in the form of cancer vaccines, engineered exosomes, microRNAs and other immune-related molecular pathways, immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T cells, and drug-peptide conjugates. This article is mainly dedicated to exploring new treatment methods for TNBC to improve the curative effect and prolong the survival time of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiu Huang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Anqi Zeng
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology and Clinical Application, Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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10
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Xiong Q, Zhu J, Zhang Y, Deng H. CAR-NK cell therapy for glioblastoma: what to do next? Front Oncol 2023; 13:1192128. [PMID: 37404752 PMCID: PMC10315652 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1192128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a malignant tumor with the highest morbidity and mortality in the central nervous system. Conventional surgical resection combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy has a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. The 5-year survival rate of patients is less than 10%. In tumor immunotherapy, CAR-T cell therapy represented by chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells has achieved great success in hematological tumors. However, the application of CAR-T cells in solid tumors such as glioblastoma still faces many challenges. CAR-NK cells are another potential adoptive cell therapy strategy after CAR-T cells. Compared with CAR-T cell therapy, CAR-NK cells have similar anti-tumor effects. CAR-NK cells can also avoid some deficiencies in CAR-T cell therapy, a research hotspot in tumor immunity. This article summarizes the preclinical research status of CAR-NK cells in glioblastoma and the problems and challenges faced by CAR-NK in glioblastoma.
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11
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VT68.2: An Antibody to Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) Displays Reactivity against a Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate Antigen. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032506. [PMID: 36768830 PMCID: PMC9917008 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The anti-CSPG4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have shown anti-tumor activity and therapeutic potential for treating breast cancer. In addition, CSPG4 is a dominant tumor-associated antigen that is also involved in normal-tissue development in humans. Therefore, the potential for off-tumor activity remains a serious concern when targeting CSPG4 therapeutically. Previous work suggested that glycans contribute to the binding of specific anti-CSPG4 antibodies to tumor cells, but the specificity and importance of this contribution are unknown. In this study, the reactivity of anti-CSPG4 mAbs was characterized with a peptide mimetic of carbohydrate antigens expressed in breast cancer. ELISA, flow cytometry, and microarray assays were used to screen mAbs for their ability to bind to carbohydrate-mimicking peptides (CMPs), cancer cells, and glycans. The mAb VT68.2 displayed a distinctly strong binding to a CMP (P10s) and bound to triple-negative breast cancer cells. In addition, VT68.2 showed a higher affinity for N-linked glycans that contain terminal fucose and fucosylated lactosamines. The functional assays demonstrated that VT68.2 inhibited cancer cell migration. These results define the glycoform reactivity of an anti-CSPG4 antibody and may lead to the development of less toxic therapeutic approaches that target tumor-specific glyco-peptides.
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12
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Wang X, Chen Z, Li B, Fan J, Xu W, Xiao J. Immunotherapy as a Promising Option for the Treatment of Advanced Chordoma: A Systemic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010264. [PMID: 36612259 PMCID: PMC9818311 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010264] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarize the function and efficacy of immunotherapy as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of advanced chordoma. METHODS Literature search was conducted by two reviewers independently. Case reports, case series and clinical trials of immunotherapy for chordoma were retrieved systematically from Pubmed, Web of Science, Scoupus and Cochrane Library. Clinical outcome data extracted from the literature included median progression-free survival (PFS), median overall survival (OS), clinical responses and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS All studies were published between 2015 and 2022. Twenty-two eligible studies were selected for systemic review. PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were the most common used immunotherapy agents in chordoma, among which Pembrolizumab was the most frequently prescribed. CTLA-4 antibody was only used as combination therapy in chordoma. Dose Limiting Toxicity (DLT) was not observed in any vaccine targeting brachyury, and injection site response was the most frequent AV. The response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) were the most generally used evaluation standard in chordoma immunotherapy, and none of the included studies employed the Choi criteria. CONCLUSIONS No clinical data have demonstrated that CTLA-4 ICIs combined with PD-1/PD-L1 ICIs is more effective than ICIs monotherapy in treating chordoma, and ICIs in combination with other therapies exhibit more toxicity than monotherapy. PD-1/PD-L1 ICIs monotherapy is recommended as an immunotherapy in patients with advanced chordoma, which may even benefit PD-L1-negative patients. The brachyury vaccine has shown good safety in chordoma patients, and future clinical trials should focus on how to improve its therapeutic efficacy. The use of immunomodulatory agents is a promising therapeutic option, though additional clinical trials are required to evaluate their safety and effectiveness. RECIST does not seem to be an appropriate standard for assessing medications of intratumoral immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Wei Xu
- Correspondence: (W.X.); (J.X.); Tel./Fax: +86-021-13761278657 (W.X.); +86-021-13701785283 (J.X.); +(086)-021-81885634 (W.X. & J.X.)
| | - Jianru Xiao
- Correspondence: (W.X.); (J.X.); Tel./Fax: +86-021-13761278657 (W.X.); +86-021-13701785283 (J.X.); +(086)-021-81885634 (W.X. & J.X.)
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13
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Interaction of Arsenic Exposure and Transcriptomic Profile in Basal Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225598. [PMID: 36428691 PMCID: PMC9688807 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) is recognized as risk factor for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). We have followed-up 7000 adults for 6 years who were exposed to As and had manifest As skin toxicity. Of them, 1.7% developed BCC (males = 2.2%, females = 1.3%). In this study, we compared transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing data from the very first 26 BCC cases and healthy skin tissue from independent 16 individuals. Genes in “ cell carcinoma pathway”, “Hedgehog signaling pathway”, and “Notch signaling pathway” were overexpressed in BCC, confirming the findings from earlier studies in BCC in other populations known to be exposed to As. However, we found that the overexpression of these known pathways was less pronounced in patients with high As exposure (urinary As creatinine ratio (UACR) > 192 µg/gm creatinine) than patients with low UACR. We also found that high UACR was associated with impaired DNA replication pathway, cellular response to different DNA damage repair mechanisms, and immune response. Transcriptomic data were not strongly suggestive of great potential for immune checkpoint inhibitors; however, it suggested lower chance of platinum drug resistance in BCC patients with high UACR compared high platinum drug resistance potential in patients with lower UACR.
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14
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Baldavira CM, Prieto TG, Machado-Rugolo J, de Miranda JT, de Oliveira LKR, Velosa APP, Teodoro WR, Ab’Saber A, Takagaki T, Capelozzi VL. Modeling extracellular matrix through histo-molecular gradient in NSCLC for clinical decisions. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1042766. [PMID: 36452484 PMCID: PMC9703002 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1042766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer still represents a global health problem, being the main type of tumor responsible for cancer deaths. In this context, the tumor microenvironment, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) pose as extremely relevant. Thus, this study aimed to explore the prognostic value of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Wnt signaling, and ECM proteins expression in patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with clinical stages I-IIIA. For that, we used 120 tissue sections from patients and evaluated the immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to each of these markers. We also used in silico analysis to validate our data. We found a strong expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, which reflects the differential ECM invasion process. Therefore, we also noticed a strong expression of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and collagens III and V. This suggests that, after EMT, the basal membrane (BM) enhanced the motility of invasive cells. EMT proteins were directly associated with WNT5A, and collagens III and V, which suggests that the WNT pathway drives them. On the other hand, heparan sulfate (HS) was associated with WNT3A and SPARC, while WNT1 was associated with CS. Interestingly, the association between WNT1 and Col IV suggested negative feedback of WNT1 along the BM. In our cohort, WNT3A, WNT5A, heparan sulfate and SPARC played an important role in the Cox regression model, influencing the overall survival (OS) of patients, be it directly or indirectly, with the SPARC expression stratifying the OS into two groups: 97 months for high expression; and 65 for low expression. In conclusion, the present study identified a set of proteins that may play a significant role in predicting the prognosis of NSCLC patients with clinical stages I-IIIA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juliana Machado-Rugolo
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Health Technology Assessment Center, Clinical Hospital, Medical School of São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jurandir Tomaz de Miranda
- Rheumatology Division of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lizandre Keren Ramos de Oliveira
- Rheumatology Division of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Pereira Velosa
- Rheumatology Division of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Walcy Rosolia Teodoro
- Rheumatology Division of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Ab’Saber
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Teresa Takagaki
- Division of Pneumology, Instituto do Coração (Incor), University of São Paulo Medical School (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vera Luiza Capelozzi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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15
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Nota SPFT, Osei-Hwedieh DO, Drum DL, Wang X, Sabbatino F, Ferrone S, Schwab JH. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 expression in chondrosarcoma: A potential target for antibody-based immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:939166. [PMID: 36110930 PMCID: PMC9468862 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.939166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chondrosarcoma is a common primary bone malignancy whose phenotype increases with its histologic grade. They are relatively resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy limiting curative options for disseminated disease. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is a cell surface proteoglycan that is highly expressed across various human cancers, including chondrosarcoma, and has restricted distribution in healthy tissues, making it an attractive target for the antibody-based therapy. CSPG4 specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies have been shown to be effective in treating other cancers such as melanoma and triple negative breast cancer. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of CSPG4 in human chondrosarcoma and to assess the efficacy of CSPG4 specific CAR T cells in lysing chondrosarcoma cells in vitro. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), we stained a tissue microarray containing primary conventional and dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma from 76 patients with CSPG4 specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In addition, we incubated 2 chondrosarcoma cell lines with CSPG4-targeting CAR T cells and subsequently evaluated cell survival. Our results showed medium to high expression of CSPG4 in 29 of 41 (71%) conventional chondrosarcoma tumors and in 3 of 20 (15%) dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma tumors. CSPG4 expression showed a positive association with time to metastasis and survival in both subtypes. CSPG4 CAR T treated cell lines showed a lysis of respectively >80% and 70% demonstrating CSPG4-targeted CAR T cells effective in killing CSPG4-positive chondrosarcoma tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd P. F. T. Nota
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Section of Orthopaedic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - David O. Osei-Hwedieh
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Section of Orthopaedic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David L. Drum
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Section of Orthopaedic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Francesco Sabbatino
- Section of Orthopaedic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Section of Orthopaedic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Joseph H. Schwab
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Section of Orthopaedic Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Joseph H. Schwab,
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16
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Emergence of Nanotechnology as a Powerful Cavalry against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050542. [PMID: 35631368 PMCID: PMC9143332 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is considered one of the un-manageable types of breast cancer, involving devoid of estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER 2) receptors. Due to their ability of recurrence and metastasis, the management of TNBC remains a mainstay challenge, despite the advancements in cancer therapies. Conventional chemotherapy remains the only treatment regimen against TNBC and suffers several limitations such as low bioavailability, systemic toxicity, less targetability, and multi-drug resistance. Although various targeted therapies have been introduced to manage the hardship of TNBC, they still experience certain limitations associated with the survival benefits. The current research thus aimed at developing and improving the strategies for effective therapy against TNBC. Such strategies involved the emergence of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are designated as nanocavalries, loaded with various agents (drugs, genes, etc.) to battle the progression and metastasis of TNBC along with overcoming the limitations experienced by conventional chemotherapy and targeted therapy. This article documents the treatment regimens of TNBC along with their efficacy towards different subtypes of TNBC, and the various nanotechnologies employed to increase the therapeutic outcome of FDA-approved drug regimens.
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17
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Ni N, Fang X, Mullens DA, Cai JJ, Ivanov I, Bartholin L, Li Q. Transcriptomic Profiling of Gene Expression Associated with Granulosa Cell Tumor Development in a Mouse Model. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092184. [PMID: 35565312 PMCID: PMC9105549 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare sex cord-stromal tumors, accounting for ~5% ovarian tumors. The etiology of GCTs remains poorly defined. Genetically engineered mouse models are potentially valuable for understanding the pathogenesis of GCTs. Mice harboring constitutively active TGFβ signaling (TGFBR1-CA) develop ovarian GCTs that phenocopy several hormonal and molecular characteristics of human GCTs. To determine molecular alterations in the ovary upon TGFβ signaling activation, we performed transcriptomic profiling of gene expression associated with GCT development using ovaries from 1-month-old TGFBR1-CA mice and age-matched controls. RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis coupled with the validation of select target genes revealed dysregulations of multiple cellular events and signaling molecules/pathways. The differentially expressed genes are enriched not only for known GCT-related pathways and tumorigenic events but also for signaling events potentially mediated by neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, relaxin signaling, insulin signaling, and complements in TGFBR1-CA ovaries. Additionally, a comparative analysis of our data in mice with genes dysregulated in human GCTs or granulosa cells overexpressing a mutant FOXL2, the genetic hallmark of adult GCTs, identified some common genes altered in both conditions. In summary, this study has revealed the molecular signature of ovarian GCTs in a mouse model that harbors the constitutive activation of TGFBR1. The findings may be further exploited to understand the pathogenesis of a class of poorly defined ovarian tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Ni
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.N.); (X.F.); (J.J.C.)
| | - Xin Fang
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.N.); (X.F.); (J.J.C.)
| | - Destiny A. Mullens
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (D.A.M.); (I.I.)
| | - James J. Cai
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.N.); (X.F.); (J.J.C.)
| | - Ivan Ivanov
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (D.A.M.); (I.I.)
| | - Laurent Bartholin
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France;
- Centre Léon Bérard, F-69008 Lyon, France
| | - Qinglei Li
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.N.); (X.F.); (J.J.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-979-862-2009
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18
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Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4, a targetable oncoantigen that promotes ovarian cancer growth, invasion, cisplatin resistance and spheroid formation. Transl Oncol 2021; 16:101318. [PMID: 34942534 PMCID: PMC8695353 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a highly heterogeneous disease encompassing several distinct molecular subtypes and clinical entities. Despite the initial success of surgical debulking and adjuvant chemotherapy, recurrence with chemotherapy resistant tumors is common in patients with EOC and leads to poor overall survival. The extensive genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity associated with ovarian cancers has hindered the identification of effective prognostic and predictive biomarkers in EOC patients. In the current studies, we identify a tumor cell surface oncoantigen, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), as an independent risk factor for decreased survival of patients with EOC. Our results show that CSPG4 promotes EOC cell invasion, cisplatin resistance and spheroid formation in vitro and tumor expansion in vivo. Mechanistically, spheroid formation and tumor cell invasion are due to CSPG4-stimulated expression of the mesenchymal transcription factor ZEB1. Furthermore, we have developed a novel monoclonal anti-CSGP4 antibody against the juxtamembrane domain of the core protein that limits CSPG4-stimulated ZEB1 expression, tumor cell invasion and promotes EOC apoptosis within spheroid cultures. We therefore propose that CSPG4 expression drives phenotypic heterogeneity and malignant progression in EOC tumors. These studies further demonstrate that CSPG4 expression levels are a potential diagnostic biomarker in EOC and indicate that targeting cells which express this oncoantigen could limit recurrence and improve outcomes in patients with EOC.
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19
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Pankova V, Thway K, Jones RL, Huang PH. The Extracellular Matrix in Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Pathobiology and Cellular Signalling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:763640. [PMID: 34957097 PMCID: PMC8696013 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.763640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas are rare cancers of mesenchymal origin or differentiation comprising over 70 different histological subtypes. Due to their mesenchymal differentiation, sarcomas are thought to produce and deposit large quantities of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Interactions between ECM ligands and their corresponding adhesion receptors such as the integrins and the discoidin domain receptors play key roles in driving many fundamental oncogenic processes including uncontrolled proliferation, cellular invasion and altered metabolism. In this review, we focus on emerging studies that describe the key ECM components commonly found in soft tissue sarcomas and discuss preclinical and clinical evidence outlining the important role that these proteins and their cognate adhesion receptors play in sarcomagenesis. We conclude by providing a perspective on the need for more comprehensive in-depth analyses of both the ECM and adhesion receptor biology in multiple histological subtypes in order to identify new drug targets and prognostic biomarkers for this group of rare diseases of unmet need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeriya Pankova
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, United Kingdom
| | - Khin Thway
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, United Kingdom
- Sarcoma Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin L. Jones
- Sarcoma Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, United Kingdom
| | - Paul H. Huang
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Paul H. Huang,
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20
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Man F, Koers A, Karagiannis P, Josephs DH, Bax HJ, Gilbert AE, Dodev TS, Mele S, Chiarruttini G, Crescioli S, Chauhan J, Blower JE, Cooper MS, Spicer J, Karagiannis SN, Blower PJ. In vivo trafficking of a tumor-targeting IgE antibody: molecular imaging demonstrates rapid hepatobiliary clearance compared to IgG counterpart. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1966970. [PMID: 34513315 PMCID: PMC8425638 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1966970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
IgE antibodies elicit powerful immune responses, recruiting effector cells to tumors more efficiently and with greater cytotoxicity than IgG antibodies. Consequently, IgE antibodies are a promising alternative to conventional IgG-based therapies in oncology (AllergoOncology). As the pharmacokinetics of IgE antibodies are less well understood, we used molecular imaging in mice to compare the distribution and elimination of IgE and IgG antibodies targeting the human tumor-associated antigen chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4). Anti-CSPG4 IgE and IgG1 antibodies with human Fc domains were radiolabeled with 111In. CSPG4-expressing A375 human melanoma xenografts implanted in NOD-scid IL2rg-/- mice were also engrafted with human immune cells by intravenous administration. 111In-anti-CSPG4 antibodies were administered intravenously. Their distribution was determined by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and ex vivo gamma-counting over 120 h. SPECT imaging was conducted from 0 to 60 min after antibody administration to precisely measure the early phase of IgE distribution. 111In-labeled anti-CSPG4 IgG and IgE showed serum stability in vitro of >92% after 5 days. In A375 xenograft-bearing mice, anti-CSPG4 IgE showed much faster blood clearance and higher accumulation in the liver compared to anti-CSPG4 IgG. However, tumor-to-blood and tumor-to-muscle ratios were similar between the antibody isotypes and higher compared with a non-tumor-targeting isotype control IgE. IgE excretion was much faster than IgG. In non-tumor-bearing animals, early SPECT imaging revealed a blood clearance half-life of 10 min for IgE. Using image-based quantification, we demonstrated that the blood clearance of IgE is much faster than that of IgG while the two isotypes showed comparable tumor-to-blood ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Man
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Alexander Koers
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Panagiotis Karagiannis
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Debra H. Josephs
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Heather J. Bax
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Amy E. Gilbert
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Tihomir S. Dodev
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, London, UK
- Allergic Mechanisms in Asthma, Asthma UK Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Silvia Mele
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Giulia Chiarruttini
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Silvia Crescioli
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Jitesh Chauhan
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Julia E. Blower
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Margaret S. Cooper
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - James Spicer
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, London, UK
- Cancer Centre at Guy’s, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sophia N. Karagiannis
- School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London, UK
| | - Philip J. Blower
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
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21
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Lin Z, Wu Z, Luo W. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy: The Light of Day for Osteosarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174469. [PMID: 34503279 PMCID: PMC8431424 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary As a novel immunotherapy, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved encouraging results in leukemia and lymphoma. Furthermore, CAR-T cells have been explored in the treatment of osteosarcoma (OS). However, there is no strong comprehensive evidence to support their efficacy. Therefore, we reviewed the current evidence on CAR-T cells for OS to demonstrate their feasibility and provide new options for the treatment of OS. Abstract Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant bone tumor, arising mainly in children and adolescents. With the introduction of multiagent chemotherapy, the treatments of OS have remarkably improved, but the prognosis for patients with metastases is still poor, with a five-year survival rate of 20%. In addition, adverse effects brought by traditional treatments, including radical surgery and systemic chemotherapy, may seriously affect the survival quality of patients. Therefore, new treatments for OS await exploitation. As a novel immunotherapy, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved encouraging results in treating cancer in recent years, especially in leukemia and lymphoma. Furthermore, researchers have recently focused on CAR-T therapy in solid tumors, including OS. In this review, we summarize the safety, specificity, and clinical transformation of the targets in treating OS and point out the direction for further research.
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22
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Sharif GM, Campbell MJ, Nasir A, Sengupta S, Graham GT, Kushner MH, Kietzman WB, Schmidt MO, Pearson GW, Loudig O, Fineberg S, Wellstein A, Riegel AT. An AIB1 Isoform Alters Enhancer Access and Enables Progression of Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2021; 81:4230-4241. [PMID: 34135000 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIB1Δ4 is an N-terminally truncated isoform of the oncogene amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1) with increased expression in high-grade human ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). However, the role of AIB1Δ4 in DCIS malignant progression has not been defined. Here we CRISPR-engineered RNA splice junctions to produce normal and early-stage DCIS breast epithelial cells that expressed only AIB1Δ4. These cells showed enhanced motility and invasion in 3D cell culture. In zebrafish, AIB1Δ4-expressing cells enabled invasion of parental cells when present in a mixed population. In mouse xenografts, a subpopulation of AIB1Δ4 cells mixed with parental cells enhanced tumor growth, recurrence, and lung metastasis. AIB1Δ4 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing revealed enhanced binding to regions including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) genomic recognition sites. H3K27ac and H3K4me1 genomic engagement patterns revealed selective activation of breast cancer-specific enhancer sites by AIB1Δ4. AIB1Δ4 cells displayed upregulated inflammatory response genes and downregulated PPAR signaling gene expression patterns. In the presence of AIB1Δ4 enabler cells, parental cells increased NF-κB and WNT signaling. Cellular cross-talk was inhibited by the PPARγ agonist efatutazone but was enhanced by treatment with the GR agonist dexamethasone. In conclusion, expression of the AIB1Δ4-selective cistrome in a small subpopulation of cells triggers an "enabler" phenotype hallmarked by an invasive transcriptional program and collective malignant progression in a heterogeneous tumor population. SIGNIFICANCE: A minor subset of early-stage breast cancer cells expressing AIB1Δ4 enables bulk tumor cells to become invasive, suggesting that selective eradication of this population could impair breast cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada M Sharif
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Moray J Campbell
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Apsra Nasir
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Surojeet Sengupta
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Medical Research Center, Austin, Minnesota
| | - Garrett T Graham
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Max H Kushner
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - William B Kietzman
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Marcel O Schmidt
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Gray W Pearson
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Olivier Loudig
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, New Jersey
| | - Susan Fineberg
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York
| | - Anton Wellstein
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Anna T Riegel
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia.
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23
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Quintarelli C, Camera A, Ciccone R, Alessi I, Del Bufalo F, Carai A, Del Baldo G, Mastronuzzi A, De Angelis B. Innovative and Promising Strategies to Enhance Effectiveness of Immunotherapy for CNS Tumors: Where Are We? Front Immunol 2021; 12:634031. [PMID: 34163465 PMCID: PMC8216238 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.634031] [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: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are several immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors under evaluation, currently none of these approaches have received approval from the regulatory agencies. CNS tumors, especially glioblastomas, are tumors characterized by highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, limiting the possibility of effectively eliciting an immune response. Moreover, the peculiar anatomic location of these tumors poses relevant challenges in terms of safety, since uncontrolled hyper inflammation could lead to cerebral edema and cranial hypertension. The most promising strategies of immunotherapy in neuro-oncology consist of the use of autologous T cells redirected against tumor cells through chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) constructs or genetically modified T-cell receptors. Trials based on native or genetically engineered oncolytic viruses and on vaccination with tumor-associated antigen peptides are also under evaluation. Despite some sporadic complete remissions achieved in clinical trials, the outcome of patients with CNS tumors treated with different immunotherapeutic approaches remains poor. Based on the lessons learned from these unsatisfactory experiences, novel immune-therapy approaches aimed at overcoming the profound immunosuppressive microenvironment of these diseases are bringing new hope to reach the cure for CNS tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Quintarelli
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.,Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Camera
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Roselia Ciccone
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Iside Alessi
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Del Bufalo
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Carai
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Del Baldo
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Mastronuzzi
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Biagio De Angelis
- Department Onco-Hematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
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24
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Maggs L, Cattaneo G, Dal AE, Moghaddam AS, Ferrone S. CAR T Cell-Based Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Glioblastoma. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:662064. [PMID: 34113233 PMCID: PMC8185049 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.662064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Current treatment options typically consist of surgery followed by chemotherapy or more frequently radiotherapy, however, median patient survival remains at just over 1 year. Therefore, the need for novel curative therapies for GBM is vital. Characterization of GBM cells has contributed to identify several molecules as targets for immunotherapy-based treatments such as EGFR/EGFRvIII, IL13Rα2, B7-H3, and CSPG4. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes collected from a patient can be genetically modified to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific for an identified tumor antigen (TA). These CAR T cells can then be re-administered to the patient to identify and eliminate cancer cells. The impressive clinical responses to TA-specific CAR T cell-based therapies in patients with hematological malignancies have generated a lot of interest in the application of this strategy with solid tumors including GBM. Several clinical trials are evaluating TA-specific CAR T cells to treat GBM. Unfortunately, the efficacy of CAR T cells against solid tumors has been limited due to several factors. These include the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, inadequate trafficking and infiltration of CAR T cells and their lack of persistence and activity. In particular, GBM has specific limitations to overcome including acquired resistance to therapy, limited diffusion across the blood brain barrier and risks of central nervous system toxicity. Here we review current CAR T cell-based approaches for the treatment of GBM and summarize the mechanisms being explored in pre-clinical, as well as clinical studies to improve their anti-tumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Maggs
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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25
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Iezzi M, Quaglino E, Amici A, Lollini PL, Forni G, Cavallo F. DNA vaccination against oncoantigens: A promise. Oncoimmunology 2021; 1:316-325. [PMID: 22737607 PMCID: PMC3382874 DOI: 10.4161/onci.19127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The emerging evidence that DNA vaccines elicit a protective immune response in rodents, dogs and cancer patients, coupled with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of an initial DNA vaccine to treat canine tumors is beginning to close the gap between the optimistic experimental data and their difficult application in a clinical setting. Here we review a series of conceptual and biotechnological advances that are working together to make DNA vaccines targeting molecules that play important roles during cancer progression (oncoantigens) a promise with near-term clinical impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Iezzi
- Aging Research Centre; G. d'Annunzio University; Chieti, Italy
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26
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Gawaly A, Elkholy R, Hagag R, Abd El-Lateef A, Allam A. Diagnostic and prognostic value of neuron-glial antigen 2 expression in adult acute myeloid leukemia. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY 2021; 46:75. [DOI: 10.4103/ejh.ejh_61_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
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27
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Monosomy 3 Influences Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Gene Expression in Uveal Melanoma Patients; Consequences for Liquid Biopsy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249651. [PMID: 33348918 PMCID: PMC7767066 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite outstanding advances in diagnosis and the treatment of primary uveal melanoma (UM), nearly 50% of UM patients develop metastases via hematogenous dissemination, driven by the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Despite the failure in UM to date, a liquid biopsy may offer a feasible non-invasive approach for monitoring metastatic disease progression and addressing protracted dormancy. To detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in UM patients, we evaluated the mRNA expression of EMT-associated transcription factors in CD45-depleted blood fraction, using qRT-PCR. ddPCR was employed to assess UM-specific GNA11, GNAQ, PLCβ4, and CYSLTR2 mutations in plasma DNA. Moreover, microarray analysis was performed on total RNA isolated from tumor tissues to estimate the prognostic value of EMT-associated gene expression. In total, 42 primary UM and 11 metastatic patients were enrolled. All CD45-depleted samples were negative for CTC when compared to the peripheral blood fraction of 60 healthy controls. Tumor-specific mutations were detected in the plasma of 21.4% patients, merely, in 9.4% of primary UM, while 54.5% in metastatic patients. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of differentially expressed EMT genes showed significant differences between monosomy 3 and disomy 3 tumors. Newly identified genes can serve as non-invasive prognostic biomarkers that can support therapeutic decisions.
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28
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Leuci V, Donini C, Grignani G, Rotolo R, Mesiano G, Fiorino E, Gammaitoni L, D'Ambrosio L, Merlini A, Landoni E, Medico E, Capellero S, Giraudo L, Cattaneo G, Iaia I, Pignochino Y, Basiricò M, Vigna E, Pisacane A, Fagioli F, Ferrone S, Aglietta M, Dotti G, Sangiolo D. CSPG4-Specific CAR.CIK Lymphocytes as a Novel Therapy for the Treatment of Multiple Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Histotypes. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:6321-6334. [PMID: 32900797 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-0357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE No effective therapy is available for unresectable soft-tissue sarcomas (STS). This unmet clinical need prompted us to test whether chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4)-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected cytokine-induced killer lymphocytes (CAR.CIK) are effective in eliminating tumor cells derived from multiple STS histotypes in vitro and in immunodeficient mice. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The experimental platform included patient-derived CAR.CIK and cell lines established from multiple STS histotypes. CAR.CIK were transduced with a retroviral vector encoding second-generation CSPG4-specific CAR (CSPG4-CAR) with 4-1BB costimulation. The functional activity of CSPG4-CAR.CIK was explored in vitro, in two- and three-dimensional STS cultures, and in three in vivo STS xenograft models. RESULTS CSPG4-CAR.CIK were efficiently generated from patients with STS. CSPG4 was highly expressed in multiple STS histotypes by in silico analysis and on all 16 STS cell lines tested by flow cytometry. CSPG4-CAR.CIK displayed superior in vitro cytolytic activity against multiple STS histotypes as compared with paired unmodified control CIK. CSPG4-CAR.CIK also showed strong antitumor activity against STS spheroids; this effect was associated with tumor recruitment, infiltration, and matrix penetration. CSPG4-CAR.CIK significantly delayed or reversed tumor growth in vivo in three STS xenograft models (leiomyosarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, and fibrosarcoma). Tumor growth inhibition persisted for up to 2 weeks following the last administration of CSPG4-CAR.CIK. CONCLUSIONS This study has shown that CSPG4-CAR.CIK effectively targets multiple STS histotypes in vitro and in immunodeficient mice. These results provide a strong rationale to translate the novel strategy we have developed into a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Leuci
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Donini
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Ramona Rotolo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Giulia Mesiano
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Erika Fiorino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessandra Merlini
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Elisa Landoni
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Enzo Medico
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Sonia Capellero
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Lidia Giraudo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Giulia Cattaneo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Ilenia Iaia
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Ymera Pignochino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Basiricò
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Elisa Vigna
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Franca Fagioli
- Pediatric Onco-Hematology, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Massimo Aglietta
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Dario Sangiolo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy. .,Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
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29
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The Emerging Role of Exosomes in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114072. [PMID: 32517240 PMCID: PMC7312915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes, the smallest group of extracellular vesicles, carry proteins, miRNA, mRNA, DNA, and lipids, which they efficiently deliver to recipient cells, generating a communication network. Exosomes strongly contribute to the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Isolation of exosomes from HNSCC cell culture or patient’s plasma allows for analyzing their molecular cargo and functional role in immune suppression and tumor progression. Immune affinity-based separation of different exosome subsets, such as tumor-derived or T cell-derived exosomes, from patient’s plasma simultaneously informs about tumor status and immune dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the recent understanding of how exosomes behave in the HNSCC tumor microenvironment and why they are promising liquid biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy in HNSCC.
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30
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Toledo AG, Pihl J, Spliid CB, Persson A, Nilsson J, Pereira MA, Gustavsson T, Choudhary S, Oo HZ, Black PC, Daugaard M, Esko JD, Larson G, Salanti A, Clausen TM. An affinity chromatography and glycoproteomics workflow to profile the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans that interact with malarial VAR2CSA in the placenta and in cancer. Glycobiology 2020; 30:989-1002. [PMID: 32337544 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwaa039] [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: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is the placental receptor for the VAR2CSA malaria protein, expressed at the surface of infected erythrocytes during Plasmodium falciparum infection. Infected cells adhere to syncytiotrophoblasts or get trapped within the intervillous space by binding to a determinant in a 4-O-sulfated CS chains. However, the exact structure of these glycan sequences remains unclear. VAR2CSA-reactive CS is also expressed by tumor cells, making it an attractive target for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics. The identities of the proteoglycans carrying these modifications in placental and cancer tissues remain poorly characterized. This information is clinically relevant since presentation of the glycan chains may be mediated by novel core proteins or by a limited subset of established proteoglycans. To address this question, VAR2CSA-binding proteoglycans were affinity-purified from the human placenta, tumor tissues and cancer cells and analyzed through a specialized glycoproteomics workflow. We show that VAR2CSA-reactive CS chains associate with a heterogenous group of proteoglycans, including novel core proteins. Additionally, this work demonstrates how affinity purification in combination with glycoproteomics analysis can facilitate the characterization of CSPGs with distinct CS epitopes. A similar workflow can be applied to investigate the interaction of CSPGs with other CS binding lectins as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Gómez Toledo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jessica Pihl
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Charlotte B Spliid
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrea Persson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of SE405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jonas Nilsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of SE405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marina Ayres Pereira
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tobias Gustavsson
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Swati Choudhary
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Htoo Zarni Oo
- Vancouver Prostate Center, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H3Z6, Canada
| | - Peter C Black
- Vancouver Prostate Center, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H3Z6, Canada
| | - Mads Daugaard
- Vancouver Prostate Center, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H3Z6, Canada
| | - Jeffrey D Esko
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Göran Larson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of SE405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Mandel Clausen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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31
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Theodoraki MN, Matsumoto A, Beccard I, Hoffmann TK, Whiteside TL. CD44v3 protein-carrying tumor-derived exosomes in HNSCC patients' plasma as potential noninvasive biomarkers of disease activity. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1747732. [PMID: 32313730 PMCID: PMC7153843 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1747732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular cargo of tumor-cell-derived exosomes (TEX) mimics that of parental tumor cells. Thus, TEX could potentially serve as noninvasive biomarkers of cancer progression. However, separation of TEX from non-TEX in patients’ plasma requires tumor antigen-specific detection reagents. CD44v3 has been of interest as a potential biomarker of disease progression in HNSCC, because its overexpression in tumor cells associates with poor outcome. Here, CD44v3+ TEX immunocaptured from plasma of 44 HNSCC patients and 7 healthy donors (HDs) were evaluated as potential biomarkers of disease activity and stage. Exosomes were isolated from plasma of by size exclusion chromatography. Using anti-CD44v3 or anti-CD3 mAbs on beads, CD44v3+ TEX CD3(-)TEX-enriched exosomes were immunocaptured from supernatants of nonmalignant or HNSCC cell lines and from patients’ plasma. On-bead flow cytometry was used for the detection of FAS-L, PD-L1, TGFF-β. CSPG4 or EGFR on exosomes. The TEX expression profiles were correlated to clinicopathological parameters. Relative florescence intensity (RFI) values for CD44v3 were higher (p < .01) on TEX from HNSCC cell lines or on CD44v3+ CD3(-) plasma-derived exosomes. RFI values of CD44v3 on CD3(-) exosomes were higher (p < .005) in patients than in HDs and correlated (p < .05) with the UICC stage and lymph node metastasis. In HNSCC patients, CD44v3+ exosomes higher levels of immunosuppressive proteins compared to CD44v3(-) exosomes (p < .05-p < .005), and RFI values for these markers correlated with higher disease stages and lymph node metastasis. Isolation of CD44v3+ exosomes by immunocapture allowed for enrichment of TEX which are potentially promising liquid biomarkers of the tumor burden and disease stage in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Nicole Theodoraki
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - Akihiro Matsumoto
- Departments of Immunology and Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Inga Beccard
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas K Hoffmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - Theresa L Whiteside
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Departments of Immunology and Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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32
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Chondroitin Sulphate Proteoglycans in the Tumour Microenvironment. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1272:73-92. [PMID: 32845503 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-48457-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Proteoglycans are macromolecules that are essential for the development of cells, human diseases and malignancies. In particular, chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) accumulate in tumour stroma and play a key role in tumour growth and invasion by driving multiple oncogenic pathways in tumour cells and promoting crucial interactions in the tumour microenvironment (TME). These pathways involve receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signalling via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade and integrin signalling via the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which sustains the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2).Human CSPG4 is a type I transmembrane protein that is associated with the growth and progression of human brain tumours. It regulates cell signalling and migration by interacting with components of the extracellular matrix, extracellular ligands, growth factor receptors, intracellular enzymes and structural proteins. Its overexpression by tumour cells, perivascular cells and precursor/progenitor cells in gliomas suggests that it plays a role in their origin, progression and neo-angiogenesis and its aberrant expression in tumour cells may be a promising biomarker to monitor malignant progression and patient survival.The aim of this chapter is to review and discuss the role of CSPG4 in the TME of human gliomas, including its potential as a druggable therapeutic target.
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Zhang J, Sun B, Zhang K, Chen Z, Yang W, Wu G, Tian L, Xiao Z, Zhang B, Chen S, Le A, Qian Y, Ye S, Zhai R, Fan X. Screening and surveillance of multiple solid tumours using plasma placental-like chondroitin sulfate A (pl-CSA). Int J Med Sci 2020; 17:161-169. [PMID: 32038099 PMCID: PMC6990888 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.39444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Placental-like chondroitin sulfate A (pl-CSA) is known to be exclusively synthesized in multiple cancer tissues and associated with disease severity. Here, we aimed to assess whether pl-CSA is released into bio-fluids and can serve as a cancer biomarker. Methods: A novel ELISA was developed to analyse pl-CSA content in bio-fluids using pl-CSA binding protein and an anti-pl-CSA antibody. Immunohistochemical staining of tissue chips was used as the gold standard control. Results: The developed ELISA method was specific and sensitive (1.22 μg/ml). The pl-CSA content was significantly higher in lysates and supernatants of cancer cell lines than in those of normal cell lines, in plasma from mouse cancer models than in that from control mice, and in plasma from patients with oesophageal, cervical, ovarian, or lung cancer than in that from healthy controls. Similar to the tissue chip analysis, which showed a significant difference in pl-CSA positivity between cancer tissues and normal adjacent tissues, the plasma pl-CSA analysis had 100% sensitivity and specificity for differentiating oesophageal and lung cancer patients from healthy controls. Importantly, in oesophageal and lung cancer patients, the pl-CSA content was significantly higher in late-stage disease than in early-stage disease, and it dramatically decreased after surgical resection of the tumour. Conclusion: These data indicate a direct link between plasma pl-CSA content and tumour presence, indicating that plasma pl-CSA may be a non-invasive biomarker with clinical applicability for the screening and surveillance of patients with multiple types of solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juzuo Zhang
- Center for Reproduction and Health Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, "Double First-Class" Applied Characteristic Discipline of Bioengineering in Hunan High Educational Institution, Huaihua, 418000, China
| | - Beini Sun
- Center for Reproduction and Health Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Kang Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Wuzhou People's Hospital, Wuzhou, 54300, China
| | - Zhilong Chen
- Center for Reproduction and Health Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Wenhan Yang
- Carson Cancer Center, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Guodong Wu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Li Tian
- Carson Cancer Center, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhonglin Xiao
- Center for Reproduction and Health Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Baozhen Zhang
- Center for Reproduction and Health Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shiling Chen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Aiwen Le
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518052, China
| | - Youhui Qian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shaowu Ye
- Department of Oncology, Wuzhou People's Hospital, Wuzhou, 54300, China
| | - Rihong Zhai
- Carson Cancer Center, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiujun Fan
- Center for Reproduction and Health Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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34
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Rigoglio NN, Rabelo ACS, Borghesi J, de Sá Schiavo Matias G, Fratini P, Prazeres PHDM, Pimentel CMMM, Birbrair A, Miglino MA. The Tumor Microenvironment: Focus on Extracellular Matrix. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1245:1-38. [PMID: 32266651 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-40146-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates the development and maintains tissue homeostasis. The ECM is composed of a complex network of molecules presenting distinct biochemical properties to regulate cell growth, survival, motility, and differentiation. Among their components, proteoglycans (PGs) are considered one of the main components of ECM. Its composition, biomechanics, and anisotropy are exquisitely tuned to reflect the physiological state of the tissue. The loss of ECM's homeostasis is seen as one of the hallmarks of cancer and, typically, defines transitional events in tumor progression and metastasis. In this chapter, we discuss the types of proteoglycans and their roles in cancer. It has been observed that the amount of some ECM components is increased, while others are decreased, depending on the type of tumor. However, both conditions corroborate with tumor progression and malignancy. Therefore, ECM components have an increasingly important role in carcinogenesis and this leads us to believe that their understanding may be a key in the discovery of new anti-tumor therapies. In this book, the main ECM components will be discussed in more detail in each chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathia Nathaly Rigoglio
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Silveira Rabelo
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jessica Borghesi
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo de Sá Schiavo Matias
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paula Fratini
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alexander Birbrair
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria Angelica Miglino
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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35
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Tang F, Lord MS, Stallcup WB, Whitelock JM. Cell surface chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) binds to the basement membrane heparan sulphate proteoglycan, perlecan, and is involved in cell adhesion. J Biochem 2018; 163:399-412. [PMID: 29462330 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvy008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is a cell surface proteoglycan highly expressed by tumour, perivascular and oligodendrocyte cells and known to be involved cell adhesion and migration. This study showed that CSPG4 was present as a proteoglycan on the cell surface of two melanoma cell lines, MM200 and Me1007, as well as shed into the conditioned medium. CSPG4 from the two melanoma cell lines differed in the amount of chondroitin sulphate (CS) decoration, as well as the way the protein core was fragmented. In contrast, the CSPG4 expressed by a colon carcinoma cell line, WiDr, was predominantly as a protein core on the cell surface lacking glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. This study demonstrated that CSPG4 immunopurified from the melanoma cell lines formed a complex with perlecan synthesized by the same cultured cells. Mechanistic studies showed that CSPG4 bound to perlecan via hydrophobic protein-protein interactions involving multiple sites on perlecan including the C-terminal region. Furthermore, this study revealed that CSPG4 interacted with perlecan to support cell adhesion and actin polymerization. Together these data suggest a novel mechanism by which CSPG4 expressing cells might attach to perlecan-rich matrices so as those found in connective tissues and basement membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengying Tang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Level 5 Samuels Building, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Megan S Lord
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Level 5 Samuels Building, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - William B Stallcup
- Tumour Microenvironment and Cancer Immunology Program, Cancer Centre, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - John M Whitelock
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Level 5 Samuels Building, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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36
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Eisenstein A, Gonzalez EC, Raghunathan R, Xu X, Wu M, McLean EO, McGee J, Ryu B, Alani RM. Emerging Biomarkers in Cutaneous Melanoma. Mol Diagn Ther 2018; 22:203-218. [PMID: 29411301 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-018-0318-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Earlier identification of aggressive melanoma remains a goal in the field of melanoma research. With new targeted and immune therapies that have revolutionized the care of patients with melanoma, the ability to predict progression and monitor or predict response to therapy has become the new focus of research into biomarkers in melanoma. In this review, promising biomarkers are highlighted. These biomarkers have been used to diagnose melanoma as well as predict progression to advanced disease and response to therapy. The biomarkers take various forms, including protein expression at the level of tissue, genetic mutations of cancer cells, and detection of circulating DNA. First, a brief description is provided about the conventional tissue markers used to stage melanoma, including tumor depth. Next, protein biomarkers, which provide both diagnostic and prognostic information, are described. This is followed by a discussion of important genetic mutations, microRNA, and epigenetic modifications that can provide therapeutic and prognostic material. Finally, emerging serologic biomarkers are reviewed, including circulating melanoma cells and exosomes. Overall the goal is to identify biomarkers that aid in the earlier identification and improved treatment of aggressive melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eisenstein
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Estela Chen Gonzalez
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Rekha Raghunathan
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Xixi Xu
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Muzhou Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Emily O McLean
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Jean McGee
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Byungwoo Ryu
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
| | - Rhoda M Alani
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
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37
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Kasten BB, Oliver PG, Kim H, Fan J, Ferrone S, Zinn KR, Buchsbaum DJ. 212Pb-Labeled Antibody 225.28 Targeted to Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4 for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy in Mouse Models. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19040925. [PMID: 29561763 PMCID: PMC5979285 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19040925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis. There is a clinical need for effective, targeted therapy strategies that destroy both differentiated TNBC cells and TNBC cancer initiating cells (CICs), as the latter are implicated in the metastasis and recurrence of TNBC. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is overexpressed on differentiated tumor cells and CICs obtained from TNBC patient specimens, suggesting that CSPG4 may be a clinically relevant target for the imaging and therapy of TNBC. The purpose of this study was to determine whether α-particle radioimmunotherapy (RIT) targeting TNBC cells using the CSPG4-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) 225.28 as a carrier was effective at eliminating TNBC tumors in preclinical models. To this end, mAb 225.28 labeled with 212Pb (212Pb-225.28) as a source of α-particles for RIT was used for in vitro Scatchard assays and clonogenic survival assays with human TNBC cells (SUM159 and 2LMP) grown as adherent cells or non-adherent CIC-enriched mammospheres. Immune-deficient mice bearing orthotopic SUM159 or 2LMP xenografts were injected i.v. with the targeted (225.28) or irrelevant isotype-matched control (F3-C25) mAbs, labeled with 99mTc, 125I, or 212Pb for in vivo imaging, biodistribution, or tumor growth inhibition studies. 212Pb-225.28 bound to adherent SUM159 and 2LMP cells and to CICs from SUM159 and 2LMP mammospheres with a mean affinity of 0.5 nM. Nearly ten times more binding sites per cell were present on SUM159 cells and CICs compared with 2LMP cells. 212Pb-225.28 was six to seven times more effective than 212Pb-F3-C25 at inhibiting SUM159 cell and CIC clonogenic survival (p < 0.05). Radiolabeled mAb 225.28 showed significantly higher uptake than radiolabeled mAb F3-C25 in SUM159 and 2LMP xenografts (p < 0.05), and the uptake of 212Pb-225.28 in TNBC xenografts was correlated with target epitope expression. 212Pb-225.28 caused dose-dependent growth inhibition of SUM159 xenografts; 0.30 MBq 212Pb-225.28 was significantly more effective than 0.33 MBq 212Pb-F3-C25 at inhibiting tumor growth (p < 0.01). These results suggest that CSPG4-specific 212Pb-225.28 is a useful reagent for RIT of CSPG4-expressing tumors, including metastatic TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin B Kasten
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Patsy G Oliver
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Harrison Kim
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Jinda Fan
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Kurt R Zinn
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Department of Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Donald J Buchsbaum
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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38
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Pellegatta S, Savoldo B, Di Ianni N, Corbetta C, Chen Y, Patané M, Sun C, Pollo B, Ferrone S, DiMeco F, Finocchiaro G, Dotti G. Constitutive and TNFα-inducible expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 in glioblastoma and neurospheres: Implications for CAR-T cell therapy. Sci Transl Med 2018; 10:eaao2731. [PMID: 29491184 PMCID: PMC8713441 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aao2731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The heterogeneous expression of tumor-associated antigens limits the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected T cells (CAR-Ts) for the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM). We have found that chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is highly expressed in 67% of the GBM specimens with limited heterogeneity. CSPG4 is also expressed on primary GBM-derived cells, grown in vitro as neurospheres (GBM-NS), which recapitulate the histopathology and molecular characteristics of primary GBM. CSPG4.CAR-Ts efficiently controlled the growth of GBM-NS in vitro and in vivo upon intracranial tumor inoculation. Moreover, CSPG4.CAR-Ts were also effective against GBM-NS with moderate to low expression of CSPG4. This effect was mediated by the in vivo up-regulation of CSPG4 on tumor cells, induced by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) released by the microglia surrounding the tumor. Overall, the constitutive and TNFα-inducible expression of CSPG4 in GBM may greatly reduce the risk of tumor cell escape observed when targeted antigens are heterogeneously expressed on tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Pellegatta
- Unit of Molecular Neuro-Oncology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Natalia Di Ianni
- Unit of Molecular Neuro-Oncology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Cristina Corbetta
- Unit of Molecular Neuro-Oncology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Yuhui Chen
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Monica Patané
- Unit of Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Chuang Sun
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bianca Pollo
- Unit of Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Francesco DiMeco
- Department of Neuro-Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Gaetano Finocchiaro
- Unit of Molecular Neuro-Oncology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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39
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Prieto C, López-Millán B, Roca-Ho H, Stam RW, Romero-Moya D, Rodríguez-Baena FJ, Sanjuan-Pla A, Ayllón V, Ramírez M, Bardini M, De Lorenzo P, Valsecchi MG, Stanulla M, Iglesias M, Ballerini P, Carcaboso ÁM, Mora J, Locatelli F, Bertaina A, Padilla L, Rodríguez-Manzaneque JC, Bueno C, Menéndez P. NG2 antigen is involved in leukemia invasiveness and central nervous system infiltration in MLL-rearranged infant B-ALL. Leukemia 2017; 32:633-644. [PMID: 28943635 PMCID: PMC5843903 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2017.294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL)-rearranged (MLLr) infant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (iMLLr-B-ALL) has a dismal prognosis and is associated with a pro-B/mixed phenotype, therapy refractoriness and frequent central nervous system (CNS) disease/relapse. Neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG2) is specifically expressed in MLLr leukemias and is used in leukemia immunophenotyping because of its predictive value for MLLr acute leukemias. NG2 is involved in melanoma metastasis and brain development; however, its role in MLL-mediated leukemogenesis remains elusive. Here we evaluated whether NG2 distinguishes leukemia-initiating/propagating cells (L-ICs) and/or CNS-infiltrating cells (CNS-ICs) in iMLLr-B-ALL. Clinical data from the Interfant cohort of iMLLr-B-ALL demonstrated that high NG2 expression associates with lower event-free survival, higher number of circulating blasts and more frequent CNS disease/relapse. Serial xenotransplantation of primary MLL-AF4+ leukemias indicated that NG2 is a malleable marker that does not enrich for L-IC or CNS-IC in iMLLr-B-All. However, NG2 expression was highly upregulated in blasts infiltrating extramedullar hematopoietic sites and CNS, and specific blockage of NG2 resulted in almost complete loss of engraftment. Indeed, gene expression profiling of primary blasts and primografts revealed a migratory signature of NG2+ blasts. This study provides new insights on the biology of NG2 in iMLLr-B-ALL and suggests NG2 as a potential therapeutic target to reduce the risk of CNS disease/relapse and to provide safer CNS-directed therapies for iMLLr-B-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Prieto
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - B López-Millán
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - H Roca-Ho
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - R W Stam
- Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Princess Maxima Center for Paediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - D Romero-Moya
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F J Rodríguez-Baena
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain
| | - A Sanjuan-Pla
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - V Ayllón
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain
| | - M Ramírez
- Oncohematología, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Bardini
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo Monza, Italy
| | - P De Lorenzo
- Interfant Trial Data Center, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - M G Valsecchi
- Interfant Trial Data Center, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - M Stanulla
- Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - M Iglesias
- Pathology Service, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Ballerini
- Pediatric Hematology, A. Trousseau Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Á M Carcaboso
- Developmental Tumor Biology Laboratory, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Mora
- Developmental Tumor Biology Laboratory, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Locatelli
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Rome, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - A Bertaina
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Rome, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - L Padilla
- Biomed Division, LEITAT Technological Centre, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Manzaneque
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain
| | - C Bueno
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Menéndez
- Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain.,Instituciò Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract
Chordoma is a locally aggressive primary malignancy of the axial skeleton. The gold standard for treatment is en bloc resection, with some centers now advocating for the use of radiation to help mitigate the risk of recurrence. Local recurrence is common, and salvaging local failures is quite difficult. Chemotherapy has been ineffective and small molecule targeted therapy has had only marginal benefits in small subsets of patients with rare tumor phenotypes or refractory disease. Recent successes utilizing immunotherapy in a variety of cancers has led to a resurgence of interest in modifying the host immune system to develop new ways to treat tumors. This review will discuss these studies and will highlight the early studies employing immune strategies for the treatment of chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalin S Patel
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street Yawkey Building Suite 3A, Boston, MA, 02114-2696, USA
| | - Joseph H Schwab
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street Yawkey Building Suite 3A, Boston, MA, 02114-2696, USA.
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41
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Colia V, Stacchiotti S. Medical treatment of advanced chordomas. Eur J Cancer 2017; 83:220-228. [PMID: 28750274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2017.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Chordoma is a very rare bone sarcoma that can arise from any site along the spine and from the skull base. En bloc resection is the gold standard for treatment while radiation therapy has been shown to provide both curative and palliative benefit. Unfortunately, local recurrences are common, even after a complete surgical resection, and up to 40% of patients suffer from distant metastases, while salvage treatments are challenging. Patients carrying an advanced disease need a systemic treatment. Unluckily, conventional chordoma are insensitive to cytotoxic chemotherapy that is considered the standard treatment option in patients with metastatic sarcoma. In the last decade, innovative therapies have been introduced, positively impacting disease control and patients' quality of life. In addition, a better understanding of the molecular characteristics of chordoma allowed to detect new potential targets. This review is focused on the pharmacological management of patients affected by an advanced disease, starting with a summary of data available on conventional chemotherapy, then moving to a deeper analysis of available data on molecular agents and immunotherapy, and finally providing an update on ongoing clinical trials and future prospective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Colia
- Adult Mesenchymal Tumour and Rare Cancer Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Silvia Stacchiotti
- Adult Mesenchymal Tumour and Rare Cancer Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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42
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Rolih V, Barutello G, Iussich S, De Maria R, Quaglino E, Buracco P, Cavallo F, Riccardo F. CSPG4: a prototype oncoantigen for translational immunotherapy studies. J Transl Med 2017; 15:151. [PMID: 28668095 PMCID: PMC5494135 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-017-1250-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Thanks to striking progress in both the understanding of anti-tumor immune response and the characterization of several tumor associated antigens (TAA), a more rational design and more sophisticated strategies for anti-tumor vaccination have been possible. However, the effectiveness of cancer vaccines in clinical trial is still partial, indicating that additional studies are needed to optimize their design and their pre-clinical testing. Indeed, anti-tumor vaccination success relies on the choice of the best TAA to be targeted and on the translational power of the pre-clinical model used to assess its efficacy. The chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-4 (CSPG4) is a cell surface proteoglycan overexpressed in a huge range of human and canine neoplastic lesions by tumor cells, tumor microenvironment and cancer initiating cells. CSPG4 plays a central role in the oncogenic pathways required for malignant progression and metastatization. Thanks to these features and to its poor expression in adult healthy tissues, CSPG4 represents an ideal oncoantigen and thus an attractive target for anti-tumor immunotherapy. In this review we explore the potential of CSPG4 immune-targeting. Moreover, since it has been clearly demonstrated that spontaneous canine tumors mimic the progression of human malignancies better than any other pre-clinical model available so far, we reported also our results indicating that CSPG4 DNA vaccination is safe and effective in significantly increasing the survival of canine melanoma patients. Therefore, anti-CSPG4 vaccination strategy could have a substantial impact for the treatment of the wider population of spontaneous CSPG4-positive tumor affected dogs with a priceless translational value and a revolutionary implication for human oncological patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Rolih
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Barutello
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Selina Iussich
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Raffaella De Maria
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Elena Quaglino
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Buracco
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Federica Cavallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Riccardo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
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43
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CSPG4: A Target for Selective Delivery of Human Cytolytic Fusion Proteins and TRAIL. Biomedicines 2017; 5:biomedicines5030037. [PMID: 28657611 PMCID: PMC5618295 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines5030037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chondroitin-sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is a transmembrane glycoprotein overexpressed on malignant cells in several cancer types with only limited expression on normal cells. CSPG4 is implicated in several signaling pathways believed to drive cancer progression, particularly proliferation, motility and metastatic spread. Expression may serve as a prognostic marker for survival and risk of relapse in treatment-resistant malignancies including melanoma, triple negative breast cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This tumor-associated overexpression of CSPG4 points towards a highly promising therapeutic target for antibody-guided cancer therapy. Monoclonal αCSPG4 antibodies have been shown to inhibit cancer progression by blocking ligand access to the CSPG4 extracellular binding sites. Moreover, CSPG4-directed antibody conjugates have been shown to be selectively internalized by CSPG4-expressing cancer cells via endocytosis. CSPG4-directed immunotherapy may be approached in several ways, including: (1) antibody-based fusion proteins for the selective delivery of a pro-apoptotic factors such as tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand to agonistic death receptors 4 and 5 on the cell surface; and (2) CSPG4-specific immunotoxins which bind selectively to diseased cells expressing CSPG4, are internalized by them and induce arrest of biosynthesis, closely followed by initiation of apoptotic signaling. Here we review various methods of exploiting tumor-associated CSPG4 expression to improve targeted cancer therapy.
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44
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Seiler R, Oo HZ, Tortora D, Clausen TM, Wang CK, Kumar G, Pereira MA, Ørum-Madsen MS, Agerbæk MØ, Gustavsson T, Nordmaj MA, Rich JR, Lallous N, Fazli L, Lee SS, Douglas J, Todenhöfer T, Esfandnia S, Battsogt D, Babcook JS, Al-Nakouzi N, Crabb SJ, Moskalev I, Kiss B, Davicioni E, Thalmann GN, Rennie PS, Black PC, Salanti A, Daugaard M. An Oncofetal Glycosaminoglycan Modification Provides Therapeutic Access to Cisplatin-resistant Bladder Cancer. Eur Urol 2017; 72:142-150. [PMID: 28408175 DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2017.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) improves survival of unselected patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), only a minority responds to therapy and chemoresistance remains a major challenge in this disease setting. OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical significance of oncofetal chondroitin sulfate (ofCS) glycosaminoglycan chains in cisplatin-resistant MIBC and to evaluate these as targets for second-line therapy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS An ofCS-binding recombinant VAR2CSA protein derived from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (rVAR2) was used as an in situ, in vitro, and in vivo ofCS-targeting reagent in cisplatin-resistant MIBC. The ofCS expression landscape was analyzed in two independent cohorts of matched pre- and post-NAC-treated MIBC patients. INTERVENTION An rVAR2 protein armed with cytotoxic hemiasterlin compounds (rVAR2 drug conjugate [VDC] 886) was evaluated as a novel therapeutic strategy in a xenograft model of cisplatin-resistant MIBC. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Antineoplastic effects of targeting ofCS. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS In situ, ofCS was significantly overexpressed in residual tumors after NAC in two independent patient cohorts (p<0.02). Global gene-expression profiling and biochemical analysis of primary tumors and cell lines revealed syndican-1 and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 as ofCS-modified proteoglycans in MIBC. In vitro, ofCS was expressed on all MIBC cell lines tested, and VDC886 eliminated these cells in the low-nanomolar IC50 concentration range. In vivo, VDC886 effectively retarded growth of chemoresistant orthotopic bladder cancer xenografts and prolonged survival (p=0.005). The use of cisplatin only for the generation of chemoresistant xenografts are limitations of our animal model design. CONCLUSIONS Targeting ofCS provides a promising second-line treatment strategy in cisplatin-resistant MIBC. PATIENT SUMMARY Cisplatin-resistant bladder cancer overexpresses particular sugar chains compared with chemotherapy-naïve bladder cancer. Using a recombinant protein from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, we can target these sugar chains, and our results showed a significant antitumor effect in cisplatin-resistant bladder cancer. This novel treatment paradigm provides therapeutic access to bladder cancers not responding to cisplatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Seiler
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Urology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Htoo Zarni Oo
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Davide Tortora
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Thomas M Clausen
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Chris K Wang
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Gunjan Kumar
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marina Ayres Pereira
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maj S Ørum-Madsen
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mette Ø Agerbæk
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tobias Gustavsson
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mie A Nordmaj
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Nada Lallous
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ladan Fazli
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sherry S Lee
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - James Douglas
- Department of Urology, University Hospital of Southampton, Hampshire, UK
| | - Tilman Todenhöfer
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shaghayegh Esfandnia
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Nader Al-Nakouzi
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Simon J Crabb
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Southampton, Hampshire, UK
| | | | - Bernhard Kiss
- Department of Urology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Paul S Rennie
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Peter C Black
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ali Salanti
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Daugaard
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Zymeworks Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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45
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Agerbæk MØ, Pereira MA, Clausen TM, Pehrson C, Oo HZ, Spliid C, Rich JR, Fung V, Nkrumah F, Neequaye J, Biggar RJ, Reynolds SJ, Tosato G, Pullarkat ST, Ayers LW, Theander TG, Daugaard M, Bhatia K, Nielsen MA, Mbulaiteye SM, Salanti A. Burkitt lymphoma expresses oncofetal chondroitin sulfate without being a reservoir for placental malaria sequestration. Int J Cancer 2017; 140:1597-1608. [PMID: 27997697 PMCID: PMC5318225 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a malignant disease, which is frequently found in areas with holoendemic Plasmodium falciparum malaria. We have previously found that the VAR2CSA protein is present on malaria-infected erythrocytes and facilitates a highly specific binding to the placenta. ofCS is absent in other non-malignant tissues and thus VAR2CSA generally facilitates parasite sequestration and accumulation in pregnant women. In this study, we show that the specific receptor for VAR2CSA, the oncofetal chondroitin sulfate (ofCS), is likewise present in BL tissue and cell lines. We therefore explored whether ofCS in BL could act as anchor site for VAR2CSA-expressing infected erythrocytes. In contrast to the placenta, we found no evidence of in vivo sequestering of infected erythrocytes in the BL tissue. Furthermore, we found VAR2CSA-specific antibody titers in children with endemic BL to be lower than in control children from the same malaria endemic region. The abundant presence of ofCS in BL tissue and the absence of ofCS in non-malignant tissue encouraged us to examine whether recombinant VAR2CSA could be used to target BL. We confirmed the binding of VAR2CSA to BL-derived cells and showed that a VAR2CSA drug conjugate efficiently killed the BL-derived cell lines in vitro. These results identify ofCS as a novel therapeutic BL target and highlight how VAR2CSA could be used as a tool for the discovery of novel approaches for directing BL therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mette Ø. Agerbæk
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marina A. Pereira
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas M. Clausen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Caroline Pehrson
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Htoo Zarni Oo
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Charlotte Spliid
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Janet Neequaye
- Department of Child Health, Korle Bu University Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
| | - Robert J. Biggar
- Institute of Health and Biotechnology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Steven J. Reynolds
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Giovanna Tosato
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sheeja T. Pullarkat
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Leona W. Ayers
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Thor G. Theander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Daugaard
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Kishor Bhatia
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Morten A. Nielsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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46
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Fenton M, Whiteside TL, Ferrone S, Boyiadzis M. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-4 (CSPG4)-specific monoclonal antibody 225.28 in detection of acute myeloid leukemia blasts. Oncol Res 2017; 22:117-21. [PMID: 25706398 PMCID: PMC7838444 DOI: 10.3727/096504014x14174484758503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-4 (CSPG4), a membrane-bound proteoglycan known to be expressed on the surface of malignant cells, has a restricted distribution in normal tissues. CSPG4 is a potential candidate tumor marker. We investigate CSPG4 expression on blasts in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and its relation with cytogenetic abnormalities and molecular markers known to have prognostic significance in this disease. Using hybridoma technology, we generated a specific monoclonal antibody (mAb), mAb 225.28, reactive with CSPG4. Blast samples obtained from the peripheral blood of newly diagnosed AML patients were analyzed for CSPG4 expression using the CSPG4-specific mAb and multiparameter flow cytometry. The results were correlated with cytogenetic and molecular characteristics of AML. CSPG4 was found to be expressed on a variable fraction of leukemic blasts in all AML patients with different leukemia morphology, including monoblastic cases. Reactivity of CSPG4-specific mAb with leukemic blasts was not limited to those with the rearranged MLL gene. CSPG4 was also expressed on AML blasts with a complex karyotype, FLT3 mutation, or NPM1 mutation. The results indicate that CSPG4 is expressed and detectable by flow cytometry using the mAb 225.28 on a proportion of blasts of all subtypes of AML irrespective of cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities. mAb 225.28 could be useful in detecting AML blasts by flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moon Fenton
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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47
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Winship A, Van Sinderen M, Heffernan-Marks A, Dimitriadis E. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan protein is stimulated by interleukin 11 and promotes endometrial epithelial cancer cell proliferation and migration. Int J Oncol 2017; 50:798-804. [PMID: 28098860 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2017.3848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer. We identified interleukin 11 (IL11) as a critical mediator of endometrial tumourigenesis and demonstrated that IL11 regulates chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG4) in human placental trophoblasts. CSPG4 is a cell membrane protein overexpressed in numerous human cancers, although its role in endometrial cancer has not been investigated. We examined CSPG4 expression and localization in primary human type I endometrioid grade (G) 1-3 tumours by qPCR and immunohistochemistry and determined whether IL11 stimulated CSPG4. IL11 upregulated CSPG4 mRNA in HEC1A (G2-derived endometrial epithelial cancer cell line) cells. IL11 administration to BALB/c nude mice enhanced HEC1A xenograft tumour growth and increased CSPG4 protein in tumours. CSPG4 mRNA was unchanged between human G1-3 endometrial cancer and control tissues. CSPG4 protein levels were elevated in the epithelium of G2 and G3 endometrial cancer and in the tumour-associated stroma of G3 tumour tissues compared to proliferative phase or post-menopausal endometrium. CSPG4 knockdown by siRNA reduced HEC1A proliferation and migration in vitro and reduced gene expression of the key epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulator SNAIL. Our data suggest that CSPG4 inhibition may impair endometrial cancer progression by reducing cancer cell proliferation, migration and potentially EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Winship
- Centre for Reproductive Health, The Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, 3168 VIC, Australia
| | - Michelle Van Sinderen
- Centre for Reproductive Health, The Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, 3168 VIC, Australia
| | - Ariella Heffernan-Marks
- Centre for Reproductive Health, The Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, 3168 VIC, Australia
| | - Eva Dimitriadis
- Centre for Reproductive Health, The Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, 3168 VIC, Australia
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48
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Clausen TM, Pereira MA, Al Nakouzi N, Oo HZ, Agerbæk MØ, Lee S, Ørum-Madsen MS, Kristensen AR, El-Naggar A, Grandgenett PM, Grem JL, Hollingsworth MA, Holst PJ, Theander T, Sorensen PH, Daugaard M, Salanti A. Oncofetal Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans Are Key Players in Integrin Signaling and Tumor Cell Motility. Mol Cancer Res 2016; 14:1288-1299. [PMID: 27655130 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Many tumors express proteoglycans modified with oncofetal chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains (ofCS), which are normally restricted to the placenta. However, the role of ofCS in cancer is largely unknown. The function of ofCS in cancer was analyzed using the recombinant ofCS-binding VAR2CSA protein (rVAR2) derived from the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum We demonstrate that ofCS plays a key role in tumor cell motility by affecting canonical integrin signaling pathways. Binding of rVAR2 to tumor cells inhibited the interaction of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which correlated with decreased phosphorylation of Src kinase. Moreover, rVAR2 binding decreased migration, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells in vitro Mass spectrometry of ofCS-modified proteoglycan complexes affinity purified from tumor cell lines on rVAR2 columns revealed an overrepresentation of proteins involved in cell motility and integrin signaling, such as integrin-β1 (ITGB1) and integrin-α4 (ITGA4). Saturating concentrations of rVAR2 inhibited downstream integrin signaling, which was mimicked by knockdown of the core chondroitin sulfate synthesis enzymes β-1,3-glucuronyltransferase 1 (B3GAT1) and chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (CSGALNACT1). The ofCS modification was highly expressed in both human and murine metastatic lesions in situ and preincubation or early intravenous treatment of tumor cells with rVAR2 inhibited seeding and spreading of tumor cells in mice. This was associated with a significant increase in survival of the animals. These data functionally link ofCS modifications with cancer cell motility and further highlights ofCS as a novel therapeutic cancer target. IMPLICATIONS The cancer-specific expression of ofCS aids in metastatic phenotypes and is a candidate target for therapy. Mol Cancer Res; 14(12); 1288-99. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Mandel Clausen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marina Ayres Pereira
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nader Al Nakouzi
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Htoo Zarni Oo
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Molecular Pathology and Cell Imaging Laboratory, Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mette Ø Agerbæk
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sherry Lee
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Maj Sofie Ørum-Madsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anders Riis Kristensen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amal El-Naggar
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul M Grandgenett
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Jean L Grem
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Michael A Hollingsworth
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Peter J Holst
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thor Theander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Poul H Sorensen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mads Daugaard
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. .,Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Molecular Pathology and Cell Imaging Laboratory, Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Jamil NSM, Azfer A, Worrell H, Salter DM. Functional roles of CSPG4/NG2 in chondrosarcoma. Int J Exp Pathol 2016; 97:178-86. [PMID: 27292772 DOI: 10.1111/iep.12189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CSPG4/NG2 is a multifunctional transmembrane protein with limited distribution in adult tissues including articular cartilage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible roles of CSPG4/NG2 in chondrosarcomas and to establish whether this molecule may have potential for targeted therapy. Stable knock-down of CSPG4/NG2 in the JJ012 chondrosarcoma cell line by shRNA resulted in decreased cell proliferation and migration as well as a decrease in gene expression of the MMP (matrix metalloproteinase) 3 protease and ADAMTS4 (aggrecanase). Chondrosarcoma cells in which CSPG4/NG2 was knocked down were more sensitive to doxorubicin than wild-type cells. The results indicate that CSPG4/NG2 has roles in regulating chondrosarcoma cell function in relation to growth, spread and resistance to chemotherapy and that anti-CSPG4/NG2 therapies may have potential in the treatment of surgically unresectable chondrosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuor S M Jamil
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC IGMM, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Asim Azfer
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC IGMM, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Harrison Worrell
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC IGMM, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Donald M Salter
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC IGMM, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Schoenfeld AJ, Wang X, Wang Y, Hornicek FJ, Nielsen GP, Duan Z, Ferrone S, Schwab JH. CSPG4 as a prognostic biomarker in chordoma. Spine J 2016; 16:722-7. [PMID: 26689475 PMCID: PMC8708033 DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2015.11.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are currently no generally accepted biomarkers used in the clinical treatment of chordoma tumors. CSPG4 has been associated with disease severity in other tumors. PURPOSE This study aimed to characterize the frequency of CSPG4 expression in chordoma tumors and to correlate it with disease severity and clinical outcome. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective review of clinical outcomes and immunohistochemical staining using tissue micro-array was carried out. PATIENT SAMPLE The sample comprised 86 patients treated for chordoma at a single center (1985-2007). OUTCOME MEASURES Survival and incidence of metastases were the outcome measures. METHODS Pathologic specimens of chordoma tumors were evaluated for the expression of CSPG4 by immunohistochemical staining with mAbs. Chi-square testing and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were used to evaluate the impact of CSPG4 expression on survival and incidence of metastases, while controlling for patient age, sex, and surgical margins. RESULTS Average patient age at the time of presentation was 59.8 years (standard deviation [SD] 13.7). Average follow-up was 6.5 years (SD 4.8). Twenty (23%) patients developed metastatic disease. At the time of final follow-up, 57 patients (66%) had died. Chordoma tumors from 62 patients (72%) stained positive for CSPG4. CSPG4 expression more than doubled the risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.3; 95% CI 1.04, 5.17). CSPG4 positive tumors were also associated with an increased risk of metastatic disease (31% for CSPG4 positive tumors vs. 0% in CSPG4 negative, p=.02). CONCLUSIONS Results presented here support the consideration of using CSPG4 as a biomarker establishing the prognosis for chordoma tumors. A positive CSPG4 stain may be associated with an increased risk of metastasis and mortality from disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Schoenfeld
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yangyang Wang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Francis J Hornicek
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - G Petur Nielsen
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Zhenfeng Duan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Departments of Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Joseph H Schwab
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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