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Acharya SS, Kundu CN. Havoc in harmony: Unravelling the intricacies of angiogenesis orchestrated by the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Treat Rev 2024; 127:102749. [PMID: 38714074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells merely exist in isolation; rather, they exist in an intricate microenvironment composed of blood vessels, signalling molecules, immune cells, stroma, fibroblasts, and the ECM. The TME provides a setting that is favourable for the successful growth and survivance of tumors. Angiogenesis is a multifaceted process that is essential for the growth, invasion, and metastasis of tumors. TME can be visualized as a "concert hall," where various cellular and non-cellular factors perform in a "symphony" to orchestrate tumor angiogenesis and create "Havoc" instead of "Harmony". In this review, we comprehensively summarized the involvement of TME in regulating tumor angiogenesis. Especially, we have focused on immune cells and their secreted factors, inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and their role in altering the TME. We have also deciphered the crosstalk among various cell types that further aids the process of tumor angiogenesis. Additionally, we have highlighted the limitations of existing anti-angiogenic therapy and discussed various potential strategies that could be used to overcome these challenges and improve the efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushree Subhadra Acharya
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be University (Institute of Eminence), Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha Pin-751024, India.
| | - Chanakya Nath Kundu
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be University (Institute of Eminence), Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha Pin-751024, India.
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2
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Milosevic V, Östman A. Interactions between cancer-associated fibroblasts and T-cells: functional crosstalk with targeting and biomarker potential. Ups J Med Sci 2024; 129:10710. [PMID: 38863724 PMCID: PMC11165253 DOI: 10.48101/ujms.v129.10710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogeneous cell population recognized as a key component of the tumour microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts are known to play an important role in maintaining and remodelling the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tumour stroma, supporting cancer progression and inhibiting the immune system's response against cancer cells. This review aims to summarize the immunomodulatory roles of CAFs, particularly focussing on their T-cell suppressive effects. Cancer-associated fibroblasts have several ways by which they can affect the tumour's immune microenvironment (TIME). For example, their interactions with macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) create an immunosuppressive milieu that can indirectly affect T-cell anticancer immunity and enable immune evasion. In addition, a number of recent studies have confirmed CAF-mediated direct suppressive effects on T-cell anticancer capacity through ECM remodelling, promoting the expression of immune checkpoints, cytokine secretion and the release of extracellular vesicles. The consequential impact of CAFs on T-cell function is then reflected in affecting T-cell proliferation and apoptosis, migration and infiltration, differentiation and exhaustion. Emerging evidence highlights the existence of specific CAF subsets with distinct capabilities to modulate the immune landscape of TME in various cancers, suggesting the possibility of their exploitation as possible prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladan Milosevic
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Arne Östman
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Ko KP, Zhang S, Huang Y, Kim B, Zou G, Jun S, Zhang J, Zhao Y, Martin C, Dunbar KJ, Efe G, Rustgi AK, Nakagawa H, Zhang H, Liu Z, Park JI. Tumor niche network-defined subtypes predict immunotherapy response of esophageal squamous cell cancer. iScience 2024; 27:109795. [PMID: 38741711 PMCID: PMC11089351 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the promising outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), resistance to ICI presents a new challenge. Therefore, selecting patients for specific ICI applications is crucial for maximizing therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we curated 69 human esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients' tumor microenvironment (TME) single-cell transcriptomic datasets to subtype ESCC. Integrative analyses of the cellular network and transcriptional signatures of T cells and myeloid cells define distinct ESCC subtypes characterized by T cell exhaustion, and interleukin (IL) and interferon (IFN) signaling. Furthermore, this approach classifies ESCC patients into ICI responders and non-responders, as validated by whole tumor transcriptomes and liquid biopsy-based single-cell transcriptomes of anti-PD-1 ICI responders and non-responders. Our study stratifies ESCC patients based on TME transcriptional network, providing novel insights into tumor niche remodeling and potentially predicting ICI responses in ESCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Pil Ko
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shengzhe Zhang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuanjian Huang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bongjun Kim
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gengyi Zou
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sohee Jun
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yahui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Cecilia Martin
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Karen J. Dunbar
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gizem Efe
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Anil K. Rustgi
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hiroshi Nakagawa
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Haiyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Jae-Il Park
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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4
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Sánchez-Ramírez D, Mendoza-Rodríguez MG, Alemán OR, Candanedo-González FA, Rodríguez-Sosa M, Montesinos-Montesinos JJ, Salcedo M, Brito-Toledo I, Vaca-Paniagua F, Terrazas LI. Impact of STAT-signaling pathway on cancer-associated fibroblasts in colorectal cancer and its role in immunosuppression. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:1705-1724. [PMID: 38764833 PMCID: PMC11099434 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i5.1705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most commonly diagnosed and deadliest types of cancer worldwide. CRC displays a desmoplastic reaction (DR) that has been inversely associated with poor prognosis; less DR is associated with a better prognosis. This reaction generates excessive connective tissue, in which cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are critical cells that form a part of the tumor microenvironment. CAFs are directly involved in tumorigenesis through different mechanisms. However, their role in immunosuppression in CRC is not well understood, and the precise role of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) in mediating CAF activity in CRC remains unclear. Among the myriad chemical and biological factors that affect CAFs, different cytokines mediate their function by activating STAT signaling pathways. Thus, the harmful effects of CAFs in favoring tumor growth and invasion may be modulated using STAT inhibitors. Here, we analyze the impact of different STATs on CAF activity and their immunoregulatory role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Sánchez-Ramírez
- Unidad de Investigacion en Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Mónica G Mendoza-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Investigacion en Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Omar R Alemán
- Department of Biology, Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Fernando A Candanedo-González
- Department of Pathology, National Medical Center Century XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
| | - Miriam Rodríguez-Sosa
- Unidad de Investigacion en Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Juan José Montesinos-Montesinos
- Laboratorio de Células Troncales Mesenquimales, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital de Oncología Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Salcedo
- Unidad de Investigacion en Biomedicina y Oncologia Genomica, Instituto Mexciano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 07300, Mexico
| | - Ismael Brito-Toledo
- Servicio de Colon y Recto, Hospital de Oncología Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
| | - Felipe Vaca-Paniagua
- Unidad de Investigacion en Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
- Laboratorio Nacional en Salud, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Luis I Terrazas
- Unidad de Investigacion en Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
- Laboratorio Nacional en Salud, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
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5
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Wei R, Song J, Pan H, Liu X, Gao J. CPT1C-positive cancer-associated fibroblast facilitates immunosuppression through promoting IL-6-induced M2-like phenotype of macrophage. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2352179. [PMID: 38746869 PMCID: PMC11093039 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2352179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) exhibit remarkable phenotypic heterogeneity, with specific subsets implicated in immunosuppression in various malignancies. However, whether and how they attenuate anti-tumor immunity in gastric cancer (GC) remains elusive. CPT1C, a unique isoform of carnitine palmitoyltransferase pivotal in regulating fatty acid oxidation, is briefly indicated as a protumoral metabolic mediator in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of GC. In the present study, we initially identified specific subsets of fibroblasts exclusively overexpressing CPT1C, hereby termed them as CPT1C+CAFs. Subsequent findings indicated that CPT1C+CAFs fostered a stroma-enriched and immunosuppressive TME as they correlated with extracellular matrix-related molecular features and enrichment of both immunosuppressive subsets, especially M2-like macrophages, and multiple immune-related pathways. Next, we identified that CPT1C+CAFs promoted the M2-like phenotype of macrophage in vitro. Bioinformatic analyses unveiled the robust IL-6 signaling between CPT1C+CAFs and M2-like phenotype of macrophage and identified CPT1C+CAFs as the primary source of IL-6. Meanwhile, suppressing CPT1C expression in CAFs significantly decreased IL-6 secretion in vitro. Lastly, we demonstrated the association of CPT1C+CAFs with therapeutic resistance. Notably, GC patients with high CPT1C+CAFs infiltration responded poorly to immunotherapy in clinical cohort. Collectively, our data not only present the novel identification of CPT1C+CAFs as immunosuppressive subsets in TME of GC, but also reveal the underlying mechanism that CPT1C+CAFs impair tumor immunity by secreting IL-6 to induce the immunosuppressive M2-like phenotype of macrophage in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongyuan Wei
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junquan Song
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongda Pan
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowen Liu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianpeng Gao
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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6
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Kundu M, Butti R, Panda VK, Malhotra D, Das S, Mitra T, Kapse P, Gosavi SW, Kundu GC. Modulation of the tumor microenvironment and mechanism of immunotherapy-based drug resistance in breast cancer. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:92. [PMID: 38715072 PMCID: PMC11075356 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, the most frequent female malignancy, is often curable when detected at an early stage. The treatment of metastatic breast cancer is more challenging and may be unresponsive to conventional therapy. Immunotherapy is crucial for treating metastatic breast cancer, but its resistance is a major limitation. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is vital in modulating the immunotherapy response. Various tumor microenvironmental components, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are involved in TME modulation to cause immunotherapy resistance. This review highlights the role of stromal cells in modulating the breast tumor microenvironment, including the involvement of CAF-TAM interaction, alteration of tumor metabolism leading to immunotherapy failure, and other latest strategies, including high throughput genomic screening, single-cell and spatial omics techniques for identifying tumor immune genes regulating immunotherapy response. This review emphasizes the therapeutic approach to overcome breast cancer immune resistance through CAF reprogramming, modulation of TAM polarization, tumor metabolism, and genomic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Kundu
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Brainware University, West Bengal, 700125, India
| | - Ramesh Butti
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA
| | - Venketesh K Panda
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Diksha Malhotra
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Sumit Das
- National Centre for Cell Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Tandrima Mitra
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Prachi Kapse
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Suresh W Gosavi
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Gopal C Kundu
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
- Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
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7
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Huang R, Kang T, Chen S. The role of tumor-associated macrophages in tumor immune evasion. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:238. [PMID: 38713256 PMCID: PMC11076352 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05777-4] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor growth is closely linked to the activities of various cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly immune cells. During tumor progression, circulating monocytes and macrophages are recruited, altering the TME and accelerating growth. These macrophages adjust their functions in response to signals from tumor and stromal cells. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), similar to M2 macrophages, are key regulators in the TME. METHODS We review the origins, characteristics, and functions of TAMs within the TME. This analysis includes the mechanisms through which TAMs facilitate immune evasion and promote tumor metastasis. Additionally, we explore potential therapeutic strategies that target TAMs. RESULTS TAMs are instrumental in mediating tumor immune evasion and malignant behaviors. They release cytokines that inhibit effector immune cells and attract additional immunosuppressive cells to the TME. TAMs primarily target effector T cells, inducing exhaustion directly, influencing activity indirectly through cellular interactions, or suppressing through immune checkpoints. Additionally, TAMs are directly involved in tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Developing innovative tumor-targeted therapies and immunotherapeutic strategies is currently a promising focus in oncology. Given the pivotal role of TAMs in immune evasion, several therapeutic approaches have been devised to target them. These include leveraging epigenetics, metabolic reprogramming, and cellular engineering to repolarize TAMs, inhibiting their recruitment and activity, and using TAMs as drug delivery vehicles. Although some of these strategies remain distant from clinical application, we believe that future therapies targeting TAMs will offer significant benefits to cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruizhe Huang
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ting Kang
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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8
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Yu KX, Yuan WJ, Wang HZ, Li YX. Extracellular matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophage polarization: new fields affecting immune exclusion. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:115. [PMID: 38693304 PMCID: PMC11063025 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03675-9] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
In the malignant progression of tumors, there is deposition and cross-linking of collagen, as well as an increase in hyaluronic acid content, which can lead to an increase in extracellular matrix stiffness. Recent research evidence have shown that the extracellular matrix plays an important role in angiogenesis, cell proliferation, migration, immunosuppression, apoptosis, metabolism, and resistance to chemotherapeutic by the alterations toward both secretion and degradation. The clinical importance of tumor-associated macrophage is increasingly recognized, and macrophage polarization plays a central role in a series of tumor immune processes through internal signal cascade, thus regulating tumor progression. Immunotherapy has gradually become a reliable potential treatment strategy for conventional chemotherapy resistance and advanced cancer patients, but the presence of immune exclusion has become a major obstacle to treatment effectiveness, and the reasons for their resistance to these approaches remain uncertain. Currently, there is a lack of exact mechanism on the regulation of extracellular matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophage polarization on immune exclusion. An in-depth understanding of the relationship between extracellular matrix stiffness, tumor-associated macrophage polarization, and immune exclusion will help reveal new therapeutic targets and guide the development of clinical treatment methods for advanced cancer patients. This review summarized the different pathways and potential molecular mechanisms of extracellular matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophage polarization involved in immune exclusion and provided available strategies to address immune exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Xun Yu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Wei-Jie Yuan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hui-Zhen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Yong-Xiang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China.
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9
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Zheng H, Tan J, Qin F, Zheng Y, Yang X, Qin X, Liao H. Analysis of cancer-associated fibroblasts related genes identifies COL11A1 associated with lung adenocarcinoma prognosis. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:97. [PMID: 38649961 PMCID: PMC11036680 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01863-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The treatment of lung adenocarcinoma is difficult due to the limited therapeutic options. Cancer-associated fibroblasts play an important role in the development of cancers. This study aimed to identify a promising molecular target associated with cancer-associated fibroblasts for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas lung adenocarcinoma dataset was used to screen hub genes associated with cancer-associated fibroblasts via the EPIC algorithm and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis. Multiple databases were used together with our data to verify the differential expression and survival of COL11A1. Functional enrichment analysis and the single-cell TISCH database were used to elucidate the mechanisms underlying COL11A1 expression. The correlation between COL11A1 and immune checkpoint genes in human cancers was also evaluated. RESULTS Using the EPIC algorithm and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis, 13 hub genes associated with cancer-associated fibroblasts in lung adenocarcinoma were screened. Using the GEPIA database, Kaplan-Meier Plotter database, GSE72094, GSE75037, GSE32863, and our immunohistochemistry experiment data, we confirmed that COL11A1 overexpresses in lung adenocarcinoma and that high expression of COL11A1 is associated with a poor prognosis. COL11A1 has a genetic alteration frequency of 22% in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. COL11A1 is involved in the extracellular matrix activities of lung adenocarcinoma. Using the TISCH database, we found that COL11A1 is mainly expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment rather than by lung adenocarcinoma cells. Finally, we found that COL11A1 is positively correlated with HAVCR2(TIM3), CD274 (PD-L1), CTLA4, and LAG3 in lung adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION COL11A1 may be expressed and secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts, and a high expression of COL11A1 may result in T cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma. COL11A1 may serve as an attractive biomarker to provide new insights into cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haosheng Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Tan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fei Qin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuzhen Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xingping Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianyu Qin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hongying Liao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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10
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Ozmen E, Demir TD, Ozcan G. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: protagonists of the tumor microenvironment in gastric cancer. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1340124. [PMID: 38562556 PMCID: PMC10982390 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1340124] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhanced knowledge of the interaction of cancer cells with their environment elucidated the critical role of tumor microenvironment in tumor progression and chemoresistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts act as the protagonists of the tumor microenvironment, fostering the metastasis, stemness, and chemoresistance of cancer cells and attenuating the anti-cancer immune responses. Gastric cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers in the clinic, refractory to anti-cancer therapies. Growing evidence indicates that cancer-associated fibroblasts are the most prominent risk factors for a poor tumor immune microenvironment and dismal prognosis in gastric cancer. Therefore, targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts may be central to surpassing resistance to conventional chemotherapeutics, molecular-targeted agents, and immunotherapies, improving survival in gastric cancer. However, the heterogeneity in cancer-associated fibroblasts may complicate the development of cancer-associated fibroblast targeting approaches. Although single-cell sequencing studies started dissecting the heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts, the research community should still answer these questions: "What makes a cancer-associated fibroblast protumorigenic?"; "How do the intracellular signaling and the secretome of different cancer-associated fibroblast subpopulations differ from each other?"; and "Which cancer-associated fibroblast subtypes predominate specific cancer types?". Unveiling these questions can pave the way for discovering efficient cancer-associated fibroblast targeting strategies. Here, we review current knowledge and perspectives on these questions, focusing on how CAFs induce aggressiveness and therapy resistance in gastric cancer. We also review potential therapeutic approaches to prevent the development and activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts via inhibition of CAF inducers and CAF markers in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ece Ozmen
- Koç University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Tevriz Dilan Demir
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Gulnihal Ozcan
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
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11
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Pradhan R, Paul S, Acharya SS, Sinha S, Dash SR, Kundu CN. Nano formulated Resveratrol inhibits PD-L1 in oral cancer cells by deregulating the association between tumor associated macrophages and cancer associated fibroblasts through IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling axis. J Nutr Biochem 2024; 125:109568. [PMID: 38185347 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109568] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment secrete several cytokines, which involved in tumor initiation, progression, metastatic outgrowth and angiogenesis. However, the association between TAMs and CAFs in the context of tumor development remain unclear. Here, we studied the relationship between TAMs and CAFs along with the involvement of cytokines in the production of cancer-stem-like-cells (CSCs) in oral cancer cells and explored the potential anticancer effects of Nano-formulated Resveratrol (Res-NP) using an activated macrophage-M1 (AM-M1) and activated fibroblast cells as the model system. IL-6 secretion was found to be enhanced in the conditioned-medium (CM) when AM-M1 cells + CAFs-like cells were cocultured together. CSCs-enriched population was developed after addition of CM of AM-M1 +CAFs in H-357 cells and patient-derived-primary-oral-cancer cells. AM-M1 cells+ CAFs-like cells secreted IL-6 enhanced CSCs growth, proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. IL-6 was found to promote PD-L1 expression in CSCs-enriched cells via JAK2/STAT3 pathway, as evident from the enhanced expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3. Nevertheless, Res-NP inhibited CSCs proliferation and reduced the expression of metastatic and angiogenic markers, in ovo blood vascularization, NO production and MMPs expression. Res-NP delinked the association between AM-M1 and CAFs by blocking IL-6 production and also disrupted the potential connection between IL-6 and PD-L1 with considerable decrease in p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 expressions. IL-6 depletion inhibited stemness and angiogenesis in oral CSCs by downregulating PD-L1 via JAK2/STAT3 cascade. Similar observations were also observed in Res-NP treated xenograft mice. Thus, data demonstrate that CSCs growth is dependent on IL-6/PD-L1 axis. Res-NP deregulates the association between AM-M1 and CAFs along-with attenuates carcinogenesis in in vitro, in ovo, ex vivo and in vivo model systems by inhibiting PD-L1 via IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajalaxmi Pradhan
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Subarno Paul
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Sushree Subhadra Acharya
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Saptarshi Sinha
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Somya Ranjan Dash
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Chanakya Nath Kundu
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
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12
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Wang H, Wang X, Zhang X, Xu W. The promising role of tumor-associated macrophages in the treatment of cancer. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 73:101041. [PMID: 38198845 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.101041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Macrophages are important components of the immune system. Mature macrophages can be recruited to tumor microenvironment that affect tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, extracellular matrix remodeling, immune suppression, as well as chemotherapy resistance. Classically activated type I macrophages (M1) exhibited marked tumor killing and phagocytosis. Therefore, using macrophages for adoptive cell therapy has attracted attention and become one of the most effective strategies for cancer treatment. Through cytokines and/or chemokines, macrophage can inhibit myeloid cells recruitment, and activate anti-tumor and immune killing functions. Applying macrophages for anti-tumor delivery is one of the most promising approaches for cancer therapy. This review article introduces the role of macrophages in tumor development and drug resistance, and the possible clinical application of targeting macrophages for overcoming drug resistance and enhancing cancer therapeutics, as well as its challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Wang
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Molecular Probe and Targeted Theranostics, Harbin Medical University, PR China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Scientific Research in Urology, Harbin Medical University, PR China; Department of Surgical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, PR China.
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, PR China; Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, PR China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, PR China; Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, PR China
| | - Wanhai Xu
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Molecular Probe and Targeted Theranostics, Harbin Medical University, PR China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Scientific Research in Urology, Harbin Medical University, PR China; Department of Urology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, PR China.
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13
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Jóźwicka TM, Erdmańska PM, Stachowicz-Karpińska A, Olkiewicz M, Jóźwicki W. Exosomes-Promising Carriers for Regulatory Therapy in Oncology. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:923. [PMID: 38473285 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, together with apoptotic bodies form a diverse group of nanoparticles that play a crucial role in intercellular communication, participate in numerous physiological and pathological processes. In the context of cancer, they can allow the transfer of bioactive molecules and genetic material between cancer cells and the surrounding stromal cells, thus promoting such processes as angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune evasion. In this article, we review recent advances in understanding how EVs, especially exosomes, influence tumor progression and modulation of the microenvironment. The key mechanisms include exosomes inducing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, polarizing macrophages toward protumoral phenotypes, and suppressing antitumor immunity. The therapeutic potential of engineered exosomes is highlighted, including their loading with drugs, RNA therapeutics, or tumor antigens to alter the tumor microenvironment. Current techniques for their isolation, characterization, and engineering are discussed. Ongoing challenges include improving exosome loading efficiency, optimizing biodistribution, and enhancing selective cell targeting. Overall, exosomes present promising opportunities to understand tumorigenesis and develop more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies by exploiting the natural intercellular communication networks in tumors. In the context of oncology, regulatory therapy provides the possibility of reproducing the original conditions that are unfavorable for the existence of the cancer process and may thus be a feasible alternative to population treatments. We also review current access to the technology enabling regulatory intervention in the cancer process using exosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Maria Jóźwicka
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Patrycja Maria Erdmańska
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Stachowicz-Karpińska
- Department of Lung Diseases, Tuberculosis and Sarcoidosis, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Pulmonology Center, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Olkiewicz
- Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Unitat de Tecnologia Química, Marcel·lí Domingo 2, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Wojciech Jóźwicki
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
- Department of Pathology, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Pulmonology Center, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, Poland
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14
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Fergatova A, Affara NI. The cellular triumvirate: fibroblasts entangled in the crosstalk between cancer cells and immune cells. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1337333. [PMID: 38313431 PMCID: PMC10835808 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1337333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This review article will focus on subpopulations of fibroblasts that get reprogrammed by tumor cells into cancer-associated fibroblasts. Throughout this article, we will discuss the intricate interactions between fibroblasts, immune cells, and tumor cells. Unravelling complex intercellular crosstalk will pave the way for new insights into cellular mechanisms underlying the reprogramming of the local tumor immune microenvironment and propose novel immunotherapy strategies that might have potential in harnessing and modulating immune system responses.
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15
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Fontana GA, MacArthur MR, Rotankova N, Di Filippo M, Beer HD, Gahlon HL. The mitochondrial DNA common deletion as a potential biomarker of cancer-associated fibroblasts from skin basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Sci Rep 2024; 14:553. [PMID: 38177205 PMCID: PMC10766618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50213-1] [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: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are components of the tumor microenvironment and represent appealing therapeutic targets for translational studies. Conventional protein-based biomarkers for CAFs have been reported to be limited in their specificity, rendering difficult the identification of CAFs from normal fibroblasts (NFs) in clinical samples and dampening the development of CAF-targeted therapies to treat cancer. In this study, we propose the mitochondrial RNA and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) common deletion (CD) as novel indicators of CAF identity. We found that cancer-activation correlated with decreased levels of the mtDNA CD, a condition not due to altered mitochondria count or cellular redox state, but potentially linked to the generalized overexpression of mtDNA maintenance genes in CAFs. Decreased mtDNA CD content in CAFs was associated with moderate to strong overexpression of mtDNA-encoded genes and to slightly improved mitochondrial function. We identified similar patterns of upregulation of mtDNA-encoded genes in independent single-cell RNA seq data obtained from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. By using the identified nucleic acids-based indicators, identification of CAFs from NFs could be improved, leading to potential therapeutic benefits in advancing translational and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele A Fontana
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
- Cellvie AG, Technoparkstrasse 1, CH-8005 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Michael R MacArthur
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nadezhda Rotankova
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michela Di Filippo
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Dietmar Beer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hailey L Gahlon
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
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16
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Han J, Zhang B, Zheng S, Jiang Y, Zhang X, Mao K. The Progress and Prospects of Immune Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Cancer. Cell Transplant 2024; 33:9636897241231892. [PMID: 38433349 PMCID: PMC10913519 DOI: 10.1177/09636897241231892] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune cell therapy as a revolutionary treatment modality, significantly transformed cancer care. It is a specialized form of immunotherapy that utilizes living immune cells as therapeutic reagents for the treatment of cancer. Unlike traditional drugs, cell therapies are considered "living drugs," and these products are currently customized and require advanced manufacturing techniques. Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies have received tremendous attention in the industry regarding the treatment of hematologic malignancies, their effectiveness in treating solid tumors is often restricted, leading to the emergence of alternative immune cell therapies. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) cell therapy, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy, dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, and DC/CIK cell therapy are designed to use the body's natural defense mechanisms to target and eliminate cancer cells, and usually have fewer side effects or risks. On the other hand, cell therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell, T cell receptor (TCR)-T, chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer (CAR-NK), or CAR-macrophages (CAR-M) typically utilize either autologous stem cells, allogeneic or xenogeneic cells, or genetically modified cells, which require higher levels of manipulation and are considered high risk. These high-risk cell therapies typically hold special characteristics in tumor targeting and signal transduction, triggering new anti-tumor immune responses. Recently, significant advances have been achieved in both basic and clinical researches on anti-tumor mechanisms, cell therapy product designs, and technological innovations. With swift technological integration and a high innovation landscape, key future development directions have emerged. To meet the demands of cell therapy technological advancements in treating cancer, we comprehensively and systematically investigate the technological innovation and clinical progress of immune cell therapies in this study. Based on the therapeutic mechanisms and methodological features of immune cell therapies, we analyzed the main technical advantages and clinical transformation risks associated with these therapies. We also analyzed and forecasted the application prospects, providing references for relevant enterprises with the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding their R&D direction selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Han
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Bowen Zhang
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Senyu Zheng
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Natural and Computing Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhang
- Shanghai World Trade Organization Affairs Consultation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiyun Mao
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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17
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Kang X, Huang Y, Wang H, Jadhav S, Yue Z, Tiwari AK, Babu RJ. Tumor-Associated Macrophage Targeting of Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 16:61. [PMID: 38258072 PMCID: PMC10819517 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is pivotal in tumor growth and metastasis, aligning with the "Seed and Soil" theory. Within the TME, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a central role, profoundly influencing tumor progression. Strategies targeting TAMs have surfaced as potential therapeutic avenues, encompassing interventions to block TAM recruitment, eliminate TAMs, reprogram M2 TAMs, or bolster their phagocytic capabilities via specific pathways. Nanomaterials including inorganic materials, organic materials for small molecules and large molecules stand at the forefront, presenting significant opportunities for precise targeting and modulation of TAMs to enhance therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of the progress in designing nanoparticles for interacting with and influencing the TAMs as a significant strategy in cancer therapy. This comprehensive review presents the role of TAMs in the TME and various targeting strategies as a promising frontier in the ever-evolving field of cancer therapy. The current trends and challenges associated with TAM-based therapy in cancer are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejia Kang
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Yongzhuo Huang
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 528400, China;
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China;
| | - Huiyuan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China;
| | - Sanika Jadhav
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Zongliang Yue
- Department of Health Outcome and Research Policy, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
| | - Amit K. Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas of Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
| | - R. Jayachandra Babu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
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18
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Salachan PV, Rasmussen M, Ulhøi BP, Jensen JB, Borre M, Sørensen KD. Spatial whole transcriptome profiling of primary tumor from patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Int J Cancer 2023; 153:2055-2067. [PMID: 37655984 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a highly heterogeneous disease in terms of its molecular makeup and clinical prognosis. The prostate tumor microenvironment (TME) is hypothesized to play an important role in driving disease aggressiveness, but precise mechanisms remain elusive. In our study, we used spatial transcriptomics to explore for the first time the spatial gene expression heterogeneity within primary prostate tumors from patients with metastatic disease. In total, we analyzed 5459 tissue spots from three PCa patients comprising castration-resistant (CRPC) and neuroendocrine (NEPC) disease stages. Within CRPC, we identified a T cell cluster whose activity might be impaired by nearby regulatory T cells, potentially mediating the aggressive disease phenotype. Moreover, we identified Hallmark signatures of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in a cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) cluster, indicating the aggressive characteristic of the primary TME leading to metastatic dissemination. Within NEPC, we identified active immune-stroma cross-talk exemplified by significant ligand-receptor interactions between CAFs and M2 macrophages. Further, we identified a malignant cell population that was associated with the down-regulation of an immune-related gene signature. Lower expression of this signature was associated with higher levels of genomic instability in advanced PCa patients (SU2C cohort, n = 99) and poor recurrence free survival in early-stage PCa patients (TCGA cohort, n = 395), suggesting prognostic biomarker potential. Taken together, our study reveals the importance of whole transcriptome profiling at spatial resolution for biomarker discovery and for advancing our understanding of tumor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Vinu Salachan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Martin Rasmussen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Jørgen Bjerggaard Jensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Urology, Gødstrup Hospital, Holstebro, Denmark
| | - Michael Borre
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Urology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karina Dalsgaard Sørensen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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19
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Mo G, Lu X, Wu S, Zhu W. Strategies and rules for tuning TCR-derived therapy. Expert Rev Mol Med 2023; 26:e4. [PMID: 38095091 PMCID: PMC11062142 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2023.27] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Manipulation of T cells has revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. Notably, the use of T cells carrying engineered T cell receptors (TCR-T) offers a favourable therapeutic pathway, particularly in the treatment of solid tumours. However, major challenges such as limited clinical response efficacy, off-target effects and tumour immunosuppressive microenvironment have hindered the clinical translation of this approach. In this review, we mainly want to guide TCR-T investigators on several major issues they face in the treatment of solid tumours after obtaining specific TCR sequences: (1) whether we have to undergo affinity maturation or not, and what parameter we should use as a criterion for being more effective. (2) What modifications can be added to counteract the tumour inhibitory microenvironment to make our specific T cells to be more effective and what is the safety profile of such modifications? (3) What are the new forms and possibilities for TCR-T cell therapy in the future?
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoheng Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Wu
- Department of Immunology/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Proteomics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Hibler W, Merlino G, Yu Y. CAR NK Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma: Potential & Prospects. Cells 2023; 12:2750. [PMID: 38067178 PMCID: PMC10706172 DOI: 10.3390/cells12232750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is among the most lethal forms of cancer, accounting for 80% of deaths despite comprising just 5% of skin cancer cases. Treatment options remain limited due to the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms associated with melanoma heterogeneity that underlie the rapid development of secondary drug resistance. For this reason, the development of novel treatments remains paramount to the improvement of patient outcomes. Although the advent of chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T (CAR-T) cell immunotherapies has led to many clinical successes for hematological malignancies, these treatments are limited in their utility by their immune-induced side effects and a high risk of systemic toxicities. CAR natural killer (CAR-NK) cell immunotherapies are a particularly promising alternative to CAR-T cell immunotherapies, as they offer a more favorable safety profile and have the capacity for fine-tuned cytotoxic activity. In this review, the discussion of the prospects and potential of CAR-NK cell immunotherapies touches upon the clinical contexts of melanoma, the immunobiology of NK cells, the immunosuppressive barriers preventing endogenous immune cells from eliminating tumors, and the structure and design of chimeric antigen receptors, then finishes with a series of proposed design innovations that could improve the efficacy CAR-NK cell immunotherapies in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yanlin Yu
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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21
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Basak U, Sarkar T, Mukherjee S, Chakraborty S, Dutta A, Dutta S, Nayak D, Kaushik S, Das T, Sa G. Tumor-associated macrophages: an effective player of the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1295257. [PMID: 38035101 PMCID: PMC10687432 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1295257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer progression is primarily caused by interactions between transformed cells and the components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). TAMs (tumor-associated macrophages) make up the majority of the invading immune components, which are further categorized as anti-tumor M1 and pro-tumor M2 subtypes. While M1 is known to have anti-cancer properties, M2 is recognized to extend a protective role to the tumor. As a result, the tumor manipulates the TME in such a way that it induces macrophage infiltration and M1 to M2 switching bias to secure its survival. This M2-TAM bias in the TME promotes cancer cell proliferation, neoangiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, matrix remodeling for metastatic support, and TME manipulation to an immunosuppressive state. TAMs additionally promote the emergence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are known for their ability to originate, metastasize, and relapse into tumors. CSCs also help M2-TAM by revealing immune escape and survival strategies during the initiation and relapse phases. This review describes the reasons for immunotherapy failure and, thereby, devises better strategies to impair the tumor-TAM crosstalk. This study will shed light on the understudied TAM-mediated tumor progression and address the much-needed holistic approach to anti-cancer therapy, which encompasses targeting cancer cells, CSCs, and TAMs all at the same time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udit Basak
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Tania Sarkar
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Sumon Mukherjee
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Apratim Dutta
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Saikat Dutta
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Debadatta Nayak
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH), New Delhi, India
| | - Subhash Kaushik
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH), New Delhi, India
| | - Tanya Das
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Gaurisankar Sa
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
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22
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Kotsifaki A, Alevizopoulos N, Dimopoulou V, Armakolas A. Unveiling the Immune Microenvironment's Role in Breast Cancer: A Glimpse into Promising Frontiers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15332. [PMID: 37895012 PMCID: PMC10607694 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC), one of the most widespread and devastating diseases affecting women worldwide, presents a significant public health challenge. This review explores the emerging frontiers of research focused on deciphering the intricate interplay between BC cells and the immune microenvironment. Understanding the role of the immune system in BC is critical as it holds promise for novel therapeutic approaches and precision medicine strategies. This review delves into the current literature regarding the immune microenvironment's contribution to BC initiation, progression, and metastasis. It examines the complex mechanisms by which BC cells interact with various immune cell populations, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Furthermore, this review highlights the impact of immune-related factors, such as cytokines and immune checkpoint molecules. Additionally, this comprehensive analysis sheds light on the potential biomarkers associated with the immune response in BC, enabling early diagnosis and prognostic assessment. The therapeutic implications of targeting the immune microenvironment are also explored, encompassing immunotherapeutic strategies and combination therapies to enhance treatment efficacy. The significance of this review lies in its potential to pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions, providing clinicians and researchers with essential knowledge to design targeted and personalized treatment regimens for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Athanasios Armakolas
- Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.K.); (N.A.); (V.D.)
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23
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Hosseinalizadeh H, Rabiee F, Eghbalifard N, Rajabi H, Klionsky DJ, Rezaee A. Regulating the regulatory T cells as cell therapies in autoimmunity and cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1244298. [PMID: 37828948 PMCID: PMC10565010 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1244298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs), possess a pivotal function in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. The dysregulated activity of Tregs has been associated with the onset of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Hence, Tregs are promising targets for interventions aimed at steering the immune response toward the desired path, either by augmenting the immune system to eliminate infected and cancerous cells or by dampening it to curtail the damage to self-tissues in autoimmune disorders. The activation of Tregs has been observed to have a potent immunosuppressive effect against T cells that respond to self-antigens, thus safeguarding our body against autoimmunity. Therefore, promoting Treg cell stability presents a promising strategy for preventing or managing chronic inflammation that results from various autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, Tregs have been found to be overactivated in several forms of cancer, and their role as immune response regulators with immunosuppressive properties poses a significant impediment to the successful implementation of cancer immunotherapy. However, the targeting of Tregs in a systemic manner may lead to the onset of severe inflammation and autoimmune toxicity. It is imperative to develop more selective methods for targeting the function of Tregs in tumors. In this review, our objective is to elucidate the function of Tregs in tumors and autoimmunity while also delving into numerous therapeutic strategies for reprogramming their function. Our focus is on reprogramming Tregs in a highly activated phenotype driven by the activation of key surface receptors and metabolic reprogramming. Furthermore, we examine Treg-based therapies in autoimmunity, with a specific emphasis on Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-Treg therapy and T-cell receptor (TCR)-Treg therapy. Finally, we discuss key challenges and the future steps in reprogramming Tregs that could lead to the development of novel and effective cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Hosseinalizadeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rabiee
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Negar Eghbalifard
- Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamid Rajabi
- Faculty of Medicine, ShahreKord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Daniel J. Klionsky
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Aryan Rezaee
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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24
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Kuras M. Exploring the Complex and Multifaceted Interplay between Melanoma Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14403. [PMID: 37762707 PMCID: PMC10531837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is a very aggressive skin cancer, characterized by a heterogeneous nature and high metastatic potential. The incidence of melanoma is continuously increasing worldwide, and it is one of the most common cancers in young adults. In the past twenty years, our understanding of melanoma biology has increased profoundly, and disease management for patients with disseminated disease has improved due to the emergence of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. However, a significant fraction of patients relapse or do not respond adequately to treatment. This can partly be explained by the complex signaling between the tumor and its microenvironment, giving rise to melanoma phenotypes with different patterns of disease progression. This review focuses on the key aspects and complex relationship between pathogenesis, genetic abnormalities, tumor microenvironment, cellular plasticity, and metabolic reprogramming in melanoma. By acquiring a deeper understanding of the multifaceted features of melanomagenesis, we can reach a point of more individualized and patient-centered disease management and reduced costs of ineffective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kuras
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden;
- Section for Clinical Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden
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25
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Mayer S, Milo T, Isaacson A, Halperin C, Miyara S, Stein Y, Lior C, Pevsner-Fischer M, Tzahor E, Mayo A, Alon U, Scherz-Shouval R. The tumor microenvironment shows a hierarchy of cell-cell interactions dominated by fibroblasts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5810. [PMID: 37726308 PMCID: PMC10509226 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41518-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is comprised of non-malignant cells that interact with each other and with cancer cells, critically impacting cancer biology. The TME is complex, and understanding it requires simplifying approaches. Here we provide an experimental-mathematical approach to decompose the TME into small circuits of interacting cell types. We find, using female breast cancer single-cell-RNA-sequencing data, a hierarchical network of interactions, with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) at the top secreting factors primarily to tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). This network is composed of repeating circuit motifs. We isolate the strongest two-cell circuit motif by culturing fibroblasts and macrophages in-vitro, and analyze their dynamics and transcriptomes. This isolated circuit recapitulates the hierarchy of in-vivo interactions, and enables testing the effect of ligand-receptor interactions on cell dynamics and function, as we demonstrate by identifying a mediator of CAF-TAM interactions - RARRES2, and its receptor CMKLR1. Thus, the complexity of the TME may be simplified by identifying small circuits, facilitating the development of strategies to modulate the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimrit Mayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tomer Milo
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Achinoam Isaacson
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Coral Halperin
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shoval Miyara
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yaniv Stein
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Chen Lior
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Eldad Tzahor
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Avi Mayo
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Uri Alon
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Ruth Scherz-Shouval
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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26
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Fan P, Xia J, Zhou M, Zhuo C, He H. Development and validation of a personalized classifier to predict the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in glioma based on glycolysis and the tumor microenvironment. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16066. [PMID: 37744243 PMCID: PMC10516100 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Glycolysis is closely associated with cancer progression and treatment outcomes. However, the role of glycolysis in the immune microenvironment, prognosis, and immunotherapy of glioma remains unclear. Methods This study investigated the role of glycolysis on prognosis and its relationship with the tumor microenvironment (TME). Subsequently, we developed and validated the glycolysis-related gene signature (GRS)-TME classifier using multiple independent cohorts. Furthermore, we also examined the prognostic value, somatic alterations, molecular characteristics, and potential benefits of immunotherapy based on GRS-TME classifier. Lastly, the effect of kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) on the proliferation and migration of glioma cells was evaluated in vitro. Results Glycolysis was identified as a significant prognostic risk factor in glioma, and closely associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment characterized by altered distribution of immune cells. Furthermore, a personalized GRS-TME classifier was developed and validated by combining the glycolysis (18 genes) and TME (seven immune cells) scores. Patients in the GRSlow/TMEhigh subgroup exhibited a more favorable prognosis compared to other subgroups. Distinct genomic alterations and signaling pathways were observed among different subgroups, which are closely associated with cell cycle, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, p53 signaling pathway, and interferon-alpha response. Additionally, we found that patients in the GRSlow/TMEhigh subgroup exhibit a higher response rate to immunotherapy, and the GRS-TME classifier can serve as a novel biomarker for predicting immunotherapy outcomes. Finally, high expression of KIF20A is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in glioma, and its knockdown can inhibit the proliferation and migration of glioma cells. Conclusions Our study developed a GRS-TME classifier for predicting the prognosis and potential benefits of immunotherapy in glioma patients. Additionally, we identified KIF20A as a prognostic and therapeutic biomarker for glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Fan
- Department of Neurology, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinjin Xia
- Department of Neurology, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meifeng Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chao Zhuo
- Department of Pediatrics, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui He
- Department of Pediatrics, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
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27
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Deng Z, Guo T, Bi J, Wang G, Hu Y, Du H, Zhou Y, Jia S, Xing X, Ji J. Transcriptome profiling of patient-derived tumor xenografts suggests novel extracellular matrix-related signatures for gastric cancer prognosis prediction. J Transl Med 2023; 21:638. [PMID: 37726803 PMCID: PMC10510236 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04473-0] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A major obstacle to the development of personalized therapies for gastric cancer (GC) is the prevalent heterogeneity at the intra-tumor, intra-patient, and inter-patient levels. Although the pathological stage and histological subtype diagnosis can approximately predict prognosis, GC heterogeneity is rarely considered. The extracellular matrix (ECM), a major component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), extensively interacts with tumor and immune cells, providing a possible proxy to investigate GC heterogeneity. However, ECM consists of numerous protein components, and there are no suitable models to screen ECM-related genes contributing to tumor growth and prognosis. We constructed patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) models to obtain robust ECM-related transcriptomic signatures to improve GC prognosis prediction and therapy design. METHODS One hundred twenty two primary GC tumor tissues were collected to construct PDTX models. The tumorigenesis rate and its relationship with GC prognosis were investigated. Transcriptome profiling was performed for PDTX-originating tumors, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis was applied to extract prognostic ECM signatures and establish PDTX tumorigenicity-related gene (PTG) scores. The predictive ability of the PTG score was validated using two independent cohorts. Finally, we combined PTG score, age, and pathological stage information to establish a robust nomogram for GC prognosis prediction. RESULTS We found that PDTX tumorigenicity indicated a poor prognosis in patients with GC, even at the same pathological stage. Transcriptome profiling of PDTX-originating GC tissues and corresponding normal controls identified 383 differentially expressed genes, with enrichment of ECM-related genes. A robust prognosis prediction model using the PTG score showed robust performance in two validation cohorts. A high PTG score was associated with elevated M2 polarized macrophage and cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration. Finally, combining the PTG score with age and TNM stage resulted in a more effective prognostic model than age or TNM stage alone. CONCLUSIONS We found that ECM-related signatures may contribute to PDTX tumorigenesis and indicate a poor prognosis in GC. A feasible survival prediction model was built based on the PTG score, which was associated with immune cell infiltration. Together with patient ages and pathological TNM stages, PTG score could be a new approach for GC prognosis prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqian Deng
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Guo
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiwang Bi
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China
| | - Gangjian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Hu
- Biological Sample Bank, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Du
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shuqin Jia
- Department of Molecular Diagnosis, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaofang Xing
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jiafu Ji
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, 100142, People's Republic of China.
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28
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Baran K, Waśko J, Kryczka J, Boncela J, Jabłoński S, Kolesińska B, Brzeziańska-Lasota E, Kordiak J. The Comparison of Serum Exosome Protein Profile in Diagnosis of NSCLC Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13669. [PMID: 37761972 PMCID: PMC10650331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813669] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A thorough study of the exosomal proteomic cargo may enable the identification of proteins that play an important role in cancer development. The aim of this study was to compare the protein profiles of the serum exosomes derived from non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and healthy volunteers (control) using the high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method to identify potentially new diagnostic and/or prognostic protein biomarkers. Proteins exclusively identified in NSCLC and control groups were analyzed using several bioinformatic tools and platforms (FunRich, Vesiclepedia, STRING, and TIMER2.0) to find key protein hubs involved in NSCLC progression and the acquisition of metastatic potential. This analysis revealed 150 NSCLC proteins, which are significantly involved in osmoregulation, cell-cell adhesion, cell motility, and differentiation. Among them, 3 proteins: Interleukin-34 (IL-34), HLA class II histocompatibility antigen, DM alpha chain (HLA-DMA), and HLA class II histocompatibility antigen, DO beta chain (HLA-DOB) were shown to be significantly involved in the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) infiltration processes. Additionally, detected proteins were analyzed according to the presence of lymph node metastasis, showing that differences in frequency of detection of protein FAM166B, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 2DL1, and olfactory receptor 52R1 correlate with the N feature according to the TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors. These results prove their involvement in NSCLC lymph node spread and metastasis. However, this study requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Baran
- Department of Biomedicine and Genetics, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Joanna Waśko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (J.W.); (B.K.)
| | - Jakub Kryczka
- Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 93-232 Lodz, Poland; (J.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Joanna Boncela
- Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 93-232 Lodz, Poland; (J.K.); (J.B.)
| | - Sławomir Jabłoński
- Department of Thoracic, General and Oncological Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, 90-549 Lodz, Poland; (S.J.); (J.K.)
| | - Beata Kolesińska
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (J.W.); (B.K.)
| | - Ewa Brzeziańska-Lasota
- Department of Biomedicine and Genetics, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Jacek Kordiak
- Department of Thoracic, General and Oncological Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, 90-549 Lodz, Poland; (S.J.); (J.K.)
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29
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Zhou H, Su D, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Huang P. KCND2: A prognostic biomarker and regulator of immune function in gastric cancer. Cancer Med 2023; 12:16279-16294. [PMID: 37347147 PMCID: PMC10469724 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6236] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, which makes it challenging to develop effective targeted therapies. Although the potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily D (KCND) channels, particularly KCND2 (also known as Kv4.2), have found evidence of involvement in the occurrence and development of various cancers, there are still some limitations in our understanding of KCND2's roles in gastric cancer. METHODS We analyzed the correlation between KCND2 expression and clinical features as well as immune infiltration using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Functional assays of KCND2 were conducted using Cell counting Kit-8 (CCK8), clone formation assay and cell cycle analysis. Additionally, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) techniques were used to investigate tumor proliferation and immune cell infiltration at different levels of KCND2 expression in vivo. RESULTS KCND2 was markedly elevated in gastric cancer and its expression appeared to link to different grades, T stages, and N stages. In addition, KCND2 was an independent predictor of prognosis, and its elevated levels in TCGA database revealed a more unfavorable prognosis for patients with gastric cancer. KCND2 strengthened the viability at the cellular level by boosting the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and reducing their death rate. Additionally, it also highlights that KCND2 the abilities of proliferating of gastric cancer cells by stimulating NF-κB both in cell and animal levels. In addition, the findings provided proof that in animal levels, KCND2 might regulate the immune system by associating with promoting M2 macrophages, which are known to play critical roles in cancer progression. Mechanistically, KCND2 was found to lead to the infiltration of M2 macrophages through activation of NF-κB, ultimately promoting the advancement of gastric cancer. CONCLUSION Overall, these findings suggest that KCND2 is likely to be available as an underlying therapeutic target for gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Zhou
- SuZhou Medical College of Soochow UniversitySuzhouJiangsu ProvinceChina
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer CenterZhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College)HangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Dan Su
- Department of Clinical MedicineHangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer CenterZhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College)HangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer CenterZhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College)HangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer CenterZhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College)HangzhouZhejiangChina
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30
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Morgan A, Griffin M, Kameni L, Wan DC, Longaker MT, Norton JA. Medical Biology of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Cancer. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1044. [PMID: 37626931 PMCID: PMC10451924 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer with one of the lowest 5-year survival rates of all cancer types. A defining characteristic of pancreatic cancer is the existence of dense desmoplastic stroma that, when exposed to stimuli such as cytokines, growth factors, and chemokines, generate a tumor-promoting environment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activated during the progression of pancreatic cancer and are a crucial component of the tumor microenvironment (TME). CAFs are primarily pro-tumorigenic in their activated state and function as promoters of cancer invasion, proliferation, metastasis, and immune modulation. Aided by many signaling pathways, cytokines, and chemokines in the tumor microenvironment, CAFs can originate from many cell types including resident fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, pancreatic stellate cells, adipocytes, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and other cell types. CAFs are a highly heterogeneous cell type expressing a variety of surface markers and performing a wide range of tumor promoting and inhibiting functions. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses have revealed a high degree of specialization among CAFs. Some examples of CAF subpopulations include myofibrotic CAFs (myCAFs), which exhibit a matrix-producing contractile phenotype; inflammatory CAFs (iCAF) that are classified by their immunomodulating, secretory phenotype; and antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs), which have antigen-presenting capabilities and express Major Histocompatibility Complex II (MHC II). Over the last several years, various attempts have been undertaken to describe the mechanisms of CAF-tumor cell interaction, as well as CAF-immune cell interaction, that contribute to tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Although our understanding of CAF biology in cancer has steadily increased, the extent of CAFs heterogeneity and their role in the pathobiology of pancreatic cancer remains elusive. In this regard, it becomes increasingly evident that further research on CAFs in pancreatic cancer is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annah Morgan
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
| | - Michelle Griffin
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lionel Kameni
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
| | - Derrick C. Wan
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael T. Longaker
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Norton
- Hagey Laboratory of Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (A.M.); (M.G.); (L.K.); (D.C.W.); (M.T.L.)
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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31
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Iurchenko NP, Nesina IP, Glushchenko NМ, Buchynska LG. ROLE OF STROMAL MICROENVIRONMENT IN THE FORMATION OF INVASIVE, ANGIOGENIC, AND METASTATIC POTENTIAL OF ENDOMETRIOID CARCINOMA OF ENDOMETRIUM. Exp Oncol 2023; 45:51-61. [PMID: 37417282 DOI: 10.15407/exp-oncology.2023.01.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the association of indicators of the progression of endometrioid carcinoma of the endometrium (ECE) with the type of stromal microenvironment, the counts of CXCL12+ fibroblasts and CD163+ macrophages, and the expression of the chemokine CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 in tumor cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS Histological preparations of ECE samples (n = 51) were analyzed. Expression of CXCL2 and CXCR4 antigens in tumor cells, the content of CXCL12+ fibroblasts and CD163+ macrophages, and the density of microvessels were determined by the immunohistochemical method. RESULTS Groups of ECE with desmoplastic and inflammatory stromal reactions were delineated. The majority (80.0%) of tumors with desmoplasia were of low differentiation grade, deeply invading the myometrium; 65.0% of patients with these tumors were at stage III of the disease. In ECE cases of stages I-II, 77.4% of ECE showed an inflammatory type of stroma. The high angiogenic and invasive potential of EC of stages I-II was associated with an inflammatory stromal type, high counts of CD163+ macrophages and CXCL12+ fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, high expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, and reduced expression of its ligand CXCL12 in tumor cells. In the majority of EC of stage III, the increase in angiogenic, invasive, and metastatic potential was accompanied by the presence of desmoplastic stroma, increased expression of CXCR4 in tumor cells, and a high count of CXCL12+ fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS The obtained results showed that the morphological architecture of the stromal ECE component is related to the molecular features of its constituents and tumor cells. Their interaction modulates the phenotypic characteristics of ECE associated with the degree of malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- N P Iurchenko
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03022, Ukraine
| | - I P Nesina
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03022, Ukraine
| | - N М Glushchenko
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03022, Ukraine
| | - L G Buchynska
- R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03022, Ukraine
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Bi S, Zhang Y, Zhou J, Yao Y, Wang J, Fang M, Li B, Wu C, Ren C. miR-210 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by modulating macrophage autophagy through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 662:47-57. [PMID: 37099810 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.04.055] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in tumor development. Increasing research suggests that miR-210 may promote the progression of tumor virulence, but whether its pro-carcinogenic effect in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is via an action on M2 macrophages has not been examined. METHODS Differentiation of THP-1 monocytes into M2-polarized macrophages was induced with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and IL-4, IL-13. M2 macrophages were transfected with miR-210 mimics or miR-210 inhibitors. Flow cytometry was used to identify macrophage-related markers and apoptosis levels. The autophagy level of M2 macrophages, expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related mRNAs and protein were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. HepG2 and MHCC-97H HCC cell lines were cultured with M2 macrophages conditioned medium to explore the effects of M2 macrophage-derived miR-210 on the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of HCC cells. RESULTS qRT-PCR showed increased expression of miR-210 in M2 macrophages. Autophagy-related gene and protein expression was enhanced in M2 macrophages transfected with miR-210 mimics, while apoptosis-related proteins were decreased. MDC staining and transmission electron microscopy observed the accumulation of MDC-labeled vesicles and autophagosomes in M2 macrophages in the miR-210 mimic group. The expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in M2 macrophages was reduced in miR-210 mimic group. HCC cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages transfected with miR-210 mimics exhibited enhanced proliferation and invasive ability as compared to the control group, while apoptosis levels were reduced. Moreover, promoting or inhibiting autophagy could enhance or abolish the above observed biological effects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS miR-210 can promote autophagy of M2 macrophages via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. M2 macrophage-derived miR-210 promotes the malignant progression of HCC via autophagy, suggesting that macrophage autophagy may serve as a new therapeutic target for HCC, and targeting miR-210 may reset the effect of M2 macrophages on HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Bi
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Yidan Zhang
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Jia Zhou
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Yao
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Jiadong Wang
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Miaomiao Fang
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Baozhu Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Changhao Wu
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
| | - Chunxia Ren
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, PR China.
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Xu G, Mo Y, Li J, Wei Q, Zhou F, Chen J. Two tripartite classification systems of CD86 + and CD206 + macrophages are significantly associated with tumor recurrence in stage II-III colorectal cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1136875. [PMID: 37342343 PMCID: PMC10277500 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1136875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The prognostic value of tumor-associated macrophages remains unclear in colorectal cancer (CRC). Two tripartite classification systems, namely, ratio and quantity subgroups, were investigated as the prognostic stratification tools for stage II-III CRC. Methods We assessed the infiltration intensity of CD86+ and CD206+ macrophages in 449 cases with stage II-III disease by immunohistochemical staining. Ratio subgroups were defined by the lower- and upper-quartile points of CD206+/(CD86++CD206+) macrophage ratio, including the low-, moderate-, and high-ratio subgroups. Quantity subgroups were defined by the median points of CD86+ and CD206+ macrophages and included the low-, moderate-, and high-risk subgroups. The main analysis was recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Results Ratio subgroups (RFS/OS: HR=2.677/2.708, all p<0.001) and quantity subgroups (RFS/OS: HR=3.137/3.250, all p<0.001) could serve as independent prognostic indicators that effectively predicted survival outcomes. More importantly, log-rank test revealed that patients in the high-ratio (RFS/OS: HR=2.950/3.151, all p<0.001) or high-risk (RFS/OS: HR=3.453/3.711, all p<0.001) subgroup exhibited decreased survival outcomes after adjuvant chemotherapy. The predictive accuracy of the quantity subgroups within 48 months was higher than that of the ratio subgroups and tumor stage (all p<0.05). Conclusions Ratio and quantity subgroups could serve as independent prognostic indicators that could potentially be incorporated into the tumor staging algorithm to improve prognostic stratification and provide better predictions of survival outcomes in stage II-III CRC after adjuvant chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozeng Xu
- Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei, China
- Department of Oncology, Liuzhou People’s Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, China
| | - Yuzhen Mo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Oncology, Liuzhou People’s Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, China
| | - Qingqing Wei
- Department of Oncology, Liuzhou People’s Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, China
| | - Fuxiang Zhou
- Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong, China
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Wu KZ, Adine C, Mitriashkin A, Aw BJJ, Iyer NG, Fong ELS. Making In Vitro Tumor Models Whole Again. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202279. [PMID: 36718949 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202279] [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: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
As a reductionist approach, patient-derived in vitro tumor models are inherently still too simplistic for personalized drug testing as they do not capture many characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as tumor architecture and stromal heterogeneity. This is especially problematic for assessing stromal-targeting drugs such as immunotherapies in which the density and distribution of immune and other stromal cells determine drug efficacy. On the other end, in vivo models are typically costly, low-throughput, and time-consuming to establish. Ex vivo patient-derived tumor explant (PDE) cultures involve the culture of resected tumor fragments that potentially retain the intact TME of the original tumor. Although developed decades ago, PDE cultures have not been widely adopted likely because of their low-throughput and poor long-term viability. However, with growing recognition of the importance of patient-specific TME in mediating drug response, especially in the field of immune-oncology, there is an urgent need to resurrect these holistic cultures. In this Review, the key limitations of patient-derived tumor explant cultures are outlined and technologies that have been developed or could be employed to address these limitations are discussed. Engineered holistic tumor explant cultures may truly realize the concept of personalized medicine for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenny Zhuoran Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119276, Singapore
| | - Christabella Adine
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119276, Singapore
| | - Aleksandr Mitriashkin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119276, Singapore
| | - Benjamin Jun Jie Aw
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119276, Singapore
| | - N Gopalakrishna Iyer
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, 169610, Singapore
| | - Eliza Li Shan Fong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119276, Singapore
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute (CSI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
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Zhang C, Fei Y, Wang H, Hu S, Liu C, Hu R, Du Q. CAFs orchestrates tumor immune microenvironment—A new target in cancer therapy? Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1113378. [PMID: 37007004 PMCID: PMC10064291 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1113378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has opened a new landscape in cancer treatment, however, the poor specificity and resistance of most targeted therapeutics have limited their therapeutic efficacy. In recent years, the role of CAFs in immune regulation has been increasingly noted as more evidence has been uncovered regarding the link between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the evolutionary process of tumor progression. CAFs interact with immune cells to shape the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) that favors malignant tumor progression, a crosstalk process that leads to the failure of cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we outline recent advances in the immunosuppressive function of CAFs, highlight the mechanisms of CAFs-immune cell interactions, and discuss current CAF-targeted therapeutic strategies for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxue Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxiang Fei
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng Hu
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Qianming Du, ; Rong Hu, ; Chao Liu,
| | - Rong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Jiangsu Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Qianming Du, ; Rong Hu, ; Chao Liu,
| | - Qianming Du
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Qianming Du, ; Rong Hu, ; Chao Liu,
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36
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Starska-Kowarska K. The Role of Different Immunocompetent Cell Populations in the Pathogenesis of Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Activity and Their Impact on Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1642. [PMID: 36980527 PMCID: PMC10046400 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous groups of human neoplasms. HNSCC is characterized by high morbidity, accounting for 3% of all cancers, and high mortality with ~1.5% of all cancer deaths. It was the most common cancer worldwide in 2020, according to the latest GLOBOCAN data, representing the seventh most prevalent human malignancy. Despite great advances in surgical techniques and the application of modern combinations and cytotoxic therapies, HNSCC remains a leading cause of death worldwide with a low overall survival rate not exceeding 40-60% of the patient population. The most common causes of death in patients are its frequent nodal metastases and local neoplastic recurrences, as well as the relatively low response to treatment and severe drug resistance. Much evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment (TME), tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and circulating various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells, such regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs), cytotoxic CD3+CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and CD3+CD4+ T helper type 1/2/9/17 (Th1/Th2/Th9/Th17) lymphocytes, T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and CD56dim/CD16bright activated natural killer cells (NK), carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumour-associated neutrophils (N1/N2 TANs), as well as tumour-associated macrophages (M1/M2 phenotype TAMs) can affect initiation, progression and spread of HNSCC and determine the response to immunotherapy. Rapid advances in the field of immuno-oncology and the constantly growing knowledge of the immunosuppressive mechanisms and effects of tumour cancer have allowed for the use of effective and personalized immunotherapy as a first-line therapeutic procedure or an essential component of a combination therapy for primary, relapsed and metastatic HNSCC. This review presents the latest reports and molecular studies regarding the anti-tumour role of selected subpopulations of immunocompetent cells in the pathogenesis of HNSCC, including HPV+ve (HPV+) and HPV-ve (HPV-) tumours. The article focuses on the crucial regulatory mechanisms of pro- and anti-tumour activity, key genetic or epigenetic changes that favour tumour immune escape, and the strategies that the tumour employs to avoid recognition by immunocompetent cells, as well as resistance mechanisms to T and NK cell-based immunotherapy in HNSCC. The present review also provides an overview of the pre- and clinical early trials (I/II phase) and phase-III clinical trials published in this arena, which highlight the unprecedented effectiveness and limitations of immunotherapy in HNSCC, and the emerging issues facing the field of HNSCC immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Starska-Kowarska
- Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical Physiology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752 Lodz, Poland; ; Tel.: +48-604-541-412
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, EnelMed Center Expert, Drewnowska 58, 91-001 Lodz, Poland
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Arpinati L, Scherz-Shouval R. From gatekeepers to providers: regulation of immune functions by cancer-associated fibroblasts. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:421-443. [PMID: 36870916 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major protumorigenic components of the tumor microenvironment in solid cancers. CAFs are heterogeneous, consisting of multiple subsets that display diverse functions. Recently, CAFs have emerged as major promoters of immune evasion. CAFs favor T cell exclusion and exhaustion, promote recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and induce protumoral phenotypic shifts in macrophages and neutrophils. With the growing appreciation of CAF heterogeneity came the understanding that different CAF subpopulations may be driving distinct immune-regulatory effects, interacting with different cell types, and perhaps even driving opposing effects on malignancy. In this review we discuss the current understanding of CAF-immune interactions, their effect on tumor progression and therapeutic response, and the possibility of exploiting CAF-immune interactions as potential targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Arpinati
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ruth Scherz-Shouval
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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38
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Ko KP, Zhang S, Huang Y, Kim B, Zou G, Jun S, Zhang J, Martin C, Dunbar KJ, Efe G, Rustgi AK, Zhang H, Nakagawa H, Park JI. Tumor Niche Network-Defined Subtypes Predict Immunotherapy Response of Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.15.528539. [PMID: 36824935 PMCID: PMC9949073 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.15.528539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite the promising outcomes of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), resistance to ICB presents a new challenge. Therefore, selecting patients for specific ICB applications is crucial for maximizing therapeutic efficacy. Herein we curated 69 human esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients' tumor microenvironment (TME) single-cell transcriptomic datasets to subtype ESCC. Integrative analyses of the cellular network transcriptional signatures of T cells, myeloid cells, and fibroblasts define distinct ESCC subtypes characterized by T cell exhaustion, Interferon (IFN) a/b signaling, TIGIT enrichment, and specific marker genes. Furthermore, this approach classifies ESCC patients into ICB responders and non-responders, as validated by liquid biopsy single-cell transcriptomics. Our study stratifies ESCC patients based on TME transcriptional network, providing novel insights into tumor niche remodeling and predicting ICB responses in ESCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Pil Ko
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shengzhe Zhang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuanjian Huang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bongjun Kim
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gengyi Zou
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sohee Jun
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cecilia Martin
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Karen J. Dunbar
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gizem Efe
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Anil K. Rustgi
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Haiyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hiroshi Nakagawa
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jae-Il Park
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Werba G, Weissinger D, Kawaler EA, Zhao E, Kalfakakou D, Dhara S, Wang L, Lim HB, Oh G, Jing X, Beri N, Khanna L, Gonda T, Oberstein P, Hajdu C, Loomis C, Heguy A, Sherman MH, Lund AW, Welling TH, Dolgalev I, Tsirigos A, Simeone DM. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the effects of chemotherapy on human pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its tumor microenvironment. Nat Commun 2023; 14:797. [PMID: 36781852 PMCID: PMC9925748 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36296-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a complex ecosystem that drives tumor progression; however, in-depth single cell characterization of the PDAC TME and its role in response to therapy is lacking. Here, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing on freshly collected human PDAC samples either before or after chemotherapy. Overall, we find a heterogeneous mixture of basal and classical cancer cell subtypes, along with distinct cancer-associated fibroblast and macrophage subpopulations. Strikingly, classical and basal-like cancer cells exhibit similar transcriptional responses to chemotherapy and do not demonstrate a shift towards a basal-like transcriptional program among treated samples. We observe decreased ligand-receptor interactions in treated samples, particularly between TIGIT on CD8 + T cells and its receptor on cancer cells, and identify TIGIT as the major inhibitory checkpoint molecule of CD8 + T cells. Our results suggest that chemotherapy profoundly impacts the PDAC TME and may promote resistance to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Werba
- Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Daniel Weissinger
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Emily A Kawaler
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Ende Zhao
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Despoina Kalfakakou
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Surajit Dhara
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Lidong Wang
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Heather B Lim
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Grace Oh
- Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Xiaohong Jing
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Nina Beri
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Lauren Khanna
- Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Tamas Gonda
- Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Paul Oberstein
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Cristina Hajdu
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Cynthia Loomis
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Mara H Sherman
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, 97239, USA
| | - Amanda W Lund
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Department of Dermatology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Theodore H Welling
- Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Igor Dolgalev
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Aristotelis Tsirigos
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA. .,Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
| | - Diane M Simeone
- Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA. .,Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA. .,Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
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Kazakova A, Sudarskikh T, Kovalev O, Kzhyshkowska J, Larionova I. Interaction of tumor‑associated macrophages with stromal and immune components in solid tumors: Research progress (Review). Int J Oncol 2023; 62:32. [PMID: 36660926 PMCID: PMC9851132 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor‑associated macrophages (TAMs) are crucial cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which belong to the innate immune system and regulate primary tumor growth, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling and metastasis. The review discusses current knowledge of essential cell‑cell interactions of TAMs within the TME of solid tumors. It summarizes the mechanisms of stromal cell (including cancer‑associated fibroblasts and endothelial cells)‑mediated monocyte recruitment and regulation of differentiation, as well as pro‑tumor and antitumor polarization of TAMs. Additionally, it focuses on the perivascular TAM subpopulations that regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. It describes the possible mechanisms of reciprocal interactions of TAMs with other immune cells responsible for immunosuppression. Finally, it highlights the perspectives for novel therapeutic approaches to use combined cellular targets that include TAMs and other stromal and immune cells in the TME. The collected data demonstrated the importance of understanding cell‑cell interactions in the TME to prevent distant metastasis and reduce the risk of tumor recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kazakova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
| | - Tatiana Sudarskikh
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
| | - Oleg Kovalev
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634009, Russian Federation
| | - Julia Kzhyshkowska
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Irina Larionova
- Laboratory of Translational Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
- Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634009, Russian Federation
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Affect Tumor Metabolism and Immune Microenvironment in Gastric Cancer and Identification of Its Characteristic Genes. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2023; 2023:1424589. [PMID: 36755806 PMCID: PMC9902124 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1424589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have reported widely involved in cancer progression. However, its underlying mechanism in gastric cancer is still not clarified. Methods The data used in this study were all downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. R software and the R packages were used for all the analyses. Results In our study, we first quantified the CAFs infiltration using the ssGSEA algorithm. The clinical correlation result showed that CAFs were associated with a worse prognosis and clinical features. Pathway enrichment also indicated several oncogenic pathways in GC patients with high CAFs infiltration, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), myogenesis, allograft rejection, the inflammatory response, and IL2/STAT5 signaling. Furthermore, FNDC1 and RSPO3 were identified as the characteristic genes of CAFs through two machine learning algorithms, LASSO logistic regression and SVM-RFE. The following analysis showed that FNDC1 and RSPO3 were associated with more progressive clinical features and had a good prediction efficiency of the CAFs infiltration status in GC patients. Pathway enrichment and genomic instability were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms of FNDC1 and RSPO3. Immune infiltration analysis showed that CAFs were positively correlated with M2 macrophages. Moreover, we found that the GC patients with low CAFs infiltration were more sensitive to immunotherapy. Also, the CAFs, FNDC1, and RSPO3 could generate a certain effect on the sensitivity of doxorubicin, mitomycin, and paclitaxel. Conclusions In summary, our study comprehensively investigated the role of CAFs in GC, which might be associated with immunotherapy sensitivity. Meanwhile, FNDC1 and RSPO3 were identified as the underlying targets of GC.
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Sarkar M, Nguyen T, Gundre E, Ogunlusi O, El-Sobky M, Giri B, Sarkar TR. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: The chief architect in the tumor microenvironment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1089068. [PMID: 36793444 PMCID: PMC9923123 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1089068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Stromal heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in malignancy and therapeutic resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the major players in tumor stroma. The heterogeneous sources of origin and subsequent impacts of crosstalk with breast cancer cells flaunt serious challenges before current therapies to cure triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and other cancers. The positive and reciprocal feedback of CAFs to induce cancer cells dictates their mutual synergy in establishing malignancy. Their substantial role in creating a tumor-promoting niche has reduced the efficacy of several anti-cancer treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Over the years, there has been an emphasis on understanding CAF-induced therapeutic resistance in order to enhance cancer therapy results. CAFs, in the majority of cases, employ crosstalk, stromal management, and other strategies to generate resilience in surrounding tumor cells. This emphasizes the significance of developing novel strategies that target particular tumor-promoting CAF subpopulations, which will improve treatment sensitivity and impede tumor growth. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the origin and heterogeneity of CAFs, their role in tumor progression, and altering the tumor response to therapeutic agents in breast cancer. In addition, we also discuss the potential and possible approaches for CAF-mediated therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States,Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Tristan Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Esheksha Gundre
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Olajumoke Ogunlusi
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Mohanad El-Sobky
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Biplab Giri
- Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, English Bazar, India,*Correspondence: Biplab Giri, ; Tapasree Roy Sarkar,
| | - Tapasree Roy Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Biplab Giri, ; Tapasree Roy Sarkar,
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Mandal D, Kushwaha K, Gupta J. Emerging nano-strategies against tumour microenvironment (TME): a review. OPENNANO 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.onano.2022.100112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Zulaziz N, Chai SJ, Lim KP. The origins, roles and therapies of cancer associated fibroblast in liver cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1151373. [PMID: 37035187 PMCID: PMC10076538 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1151373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer. It is often preceded by chronic inflammation such as liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Different cell types are believed to give rise to liver-specific cancer associated fibroblast (CAF), these include resident fibroblast, hepatic stellate cell, liver cancer cell, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell and mesenchymal stromal cell. The abundance of fibroblasts has contributed to the cancer progression, immune modulation and treatment resistance in HCC. In this review, we discussed the origins, subtypes and roles of cancer associated fibroblasts in HCC. Their specific roles in shaping the tumor microenvironment, facilitating cancer growth, and modulating different immune cell types to confer a permissive environment for cancer growth. CAF is now an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment, however specific therapeutic development in HCC is still lacking. Hence, we have included preclinical and clinical development of CAF-specific interventions for other cancer types in this review. However, most CAF-specific therapies have resulted in disappointing clinical outcomes, likely due to the difficulties in differentiating CAF from normal fibroblast. A thorough understanding of the characteristics and functionalities of CAF is warranted to further improve the therapeutic efficacy of anti-CAF therapies.
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Ruiz-Llorente L, Ruiz-Rodríguez MJ, Savini C, González-Muñoz T, Riveiro-Falkenbach E, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Peinado H, Bernabeu C. Correlation Between Endoglin and Malignant Phenotype in Human Melanoma Cells: Analysis of hsa-mir-214 and hsa-mir-370 in Cells and Their Extracellular Vesicles. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1408:253-272. [PMID: 37093432 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-26163-3_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Endoglin (CD105) is an auxiliary receptor of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family members that is expressed in human melanomas. It is heterogeneously expressed by primary and metastatic melanoma cells, and endoglin targeting as a therapeutic strategy for melanoma tumors is currently been explored. However, its involvement in tumor development and malignancy is not fully understood. Here, we find that endoglin expression correlates with malignancy of primary melanomas and cultured melanoma cell lines. Next, we have analyzed the effect of ectopic endoglin expression on two miRNAs (hsa-mir-214 and hsa-mir-370), both involved in melanoma tumor progression and endoglin regulation. We show that compared with control cells, overexpression of endoglin in the WM-164 melanoma cell line induces; (i) a significant increase of hsa-mir-214 levels in small extracellular vesicles (EVs) as well as an increased trend in cells; and (ii) significantly lower levels of hsa-mir-370 in the EVs fractions, whereas no significant differences were found in cells. As hsa-mir-214 and hsa-mir-370 are not just involved in melanoma tumor progression, but they can also target endoglin-expressing endothelial cells in the tumor vasculature, these results suggest a complex and differential regulatory mechanism involving the intracellular and extracellular signaling of hsa-mir-214 and hsa-mir-370 in melanoma development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Ruiz-Llorente
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of System Biology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Jesús Ruiz-Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Claudia Savini
- Microenvironment & Metastasis Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa González-Muñoz
- Microenvironment & Metastasis Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Erica Riveiro-Falkenbach
- Department of Pathology, Instituto i+12, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - José L Rodríguez-Peralto
- Department of Pathology, Instituto i+12, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor Peinado
- Microenvironment & Metastasis Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmelo Bernabeu
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 28040, Madrid, Spain
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Collagen-Specific Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010711. [PMID: 36614152 PMCID: PMC9821004 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010711] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Constant interactions between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) influence the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). One of the key components of the ECM are collagen fibers, since they are responsible for the tissue stiffness, growth, adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion/metastasis, cell signaling, and immune recruitment of tumor cells. To explore this molecular marker in the content of PCa, we investigated two different tumor volumes (500 mm3 and 1000 mm3) of a xenograft mouse model of PCa with molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a collagen-specific probe. For in vivo MRI evaluation, T1-weighted sequences before and after probe administration were analyzed. No significant signal difference between the two tumor volumes could be found. However, we detected a significant difference between the signal intensity of the peripheral tumor area and the central area of the tumor, at both 500 mm3 (p < 0.01, n = 16) and at 1000 mm3 (p < 0.01, n = 16). The results of our histologic analyses confirmed the in vivo studies: There was no significant difference in the amount of collagen between the two tumor volumes (p > 0.05), but within the tumor, higher collagen expression was observed in the peripheral area compared with the central area of the tumor. Laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry further confirmed these results. The 1000 mm3 tumors contained 2.8 ± 1.0% collagen and the 500 mm3 tumors contained 3.2 ± 1.2% (n = 16). There was a strong correlation between the in vivo MRI data and the ex vivo histological data (y = −0.068x + 1.1; R2 = 0.74) (n = 16). The results of elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry supported the MRI data (y = 3.82x + 0.56; R2 = 0.79; n = 7). MRI with the collagen-specific probe in PCa enables differentiation between different tumor areas. This may help to differentiate tumor from healthy tissue, potentially identifying tumor areas with a specific tumor biology.
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Wen B, Li S, Ruan L, Yang Y, Chen Z, Zhang B, Yang X, Jie H, Li S, Zeng Z, Liu S. Engulfment and cell motility protein 1 fosters reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages in colorectal cancer. Cancer Sci 2022; 114:410-422. [PMID: 36310143 PMCID: PMC9899619 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is crucial to their potent tumor-supportive capacity. However, the molecular mechanism behind the reprogramming process remains poorly understood. Here, we identify engulfment and cell motility protein 1 (ELMO1) as a crucial player for TAM reprogramming in colorectal cancer (CRC). The expression of ELMO1 in stromal but not epithelial tumor cells was positively associated with advanced clinical stage and poor disease-free survival in CRC. An increase in ELMO1 expression was specifically found in TAMs, but not in other multiple nonmalignant stromal cells. Gain- and loss-of-function assays indicated ELMO1 reprogrammed macrophages to a TAM-like phenotype through Rac1 activation. In turn, ELMO1-reprogrammed macrophages were shown to not only facilitate the malignant behaviors of CRC cells but exhibited potent phagocytosis of tumor cells. Taken together, our work underscores the importance of ELMO1 in determining functional reprogramming of TAMs and could provide new insights on potential therapeutic strategies against CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wen
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryCentral Hospital of ShaoyangShaoyangChina
| | - Sheng Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryCentral Hospital of ShaoyangShaoyangChina
| | - Lei Ruan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor DiseasesThe Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yanping Yang
- Department of PathologyCentral Hospital of ShaoyangShaoyangChina
| | - Zilin Chen
- Department of Medical OncologyCentral Hospital of ShaoyangShaoyangChina
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryCentral Hospital of ShaoyangShaoyangChina
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor DiseasesThe Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Haiqing Jie
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor DiseasesThe Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shujuan Li
- Department of PharmacyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou, HenanChina
| | - Ziwei Zeng
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor DiseasesThe Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina,University Clinic MannheimMedical Faculty Mannheim, University of HeidelbergMannheimGermany
| | - Sisi Liu
- Department of PathologyCentral Hospital of ShaoyangShaoyangChina
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Pakravan K, Mossahebi-Mohammadi M, Ghazimoradi MH, Cho WC, Sadeghizadeh M, Babashah S. Monocytes educated by cancer-associated fibroblasts secrete exosomal miR-181a to activate AKT signaling in breast cancer cells. J Transl Med 2022; 20:559. [PMID: 36463188 PMCID: PMC9719191 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03780-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), one of the major components of the tumor stroma, contribute to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) through the induction and functional polarization of protumoral macrophages. We have herein investigated the contribution of CAFs to monocyte recruitment and macrophage polarization. We also sought to identify a possible paracrine mechanism by which CAF-educated monocytes affect breast cancer (BC) cell progression. METHODS Monocytes were educated by primary CAFs and normal fibroblast (NF); the phenotypic alterations of CAF- or NF-educated monocytes were measured by flow cytometry. Exosomes isolated from the cultured conditioned media of the educated monocytes were characterized. An in vivo experiment using a subcutaneous transplantation tumor model in athymic nude mice was conducted to uncover the effect of exosomes derived from CAF- or NF-educated monocytes on breast tumor growth. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to explore the role of miR-181a in BC progression with the involvement of the AKT signaling pathway. Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry staining, migration assay, immunohistochemical staining, and bioinformatics analysis were performed to reveal the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS We illustrated that primary CAFs recruited monocytes and established pro-tumoral M2 macrophages. CAF may also differentiate human monocyte THP-1 cells into anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. Besides, we revealed that CAFs increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in THP-1 monocytes, as differentiating into M2 macrophages requires a level of ROS for proper polarization. Importantly, T-cell proliferation was suppressed by CAF-educated monocytes and their exosomes, resulting in an immunosuppressive TME. Interestingly, CAF-activated, polarized monocytes lost their tumoricidal abilities, and their derived exosomes promoted BC cell proliferation and migration. In turn, CAF-educated monocyte exosomes exhibited a significant promoting effect on BC tumorigenicity in vivo. Of clinical significance, we observed that up-regulation of circulating miR-181a in BC was positively correlated with tumor aggressiveness and found a high level of this miRNA in CAF-educated monocytes and their exosomes. We further clarified that the pro-oncogenic effect of CAF-educated monocytes may depend in part on the exosomal transfer of miR-181a through modulating the PTEN/Akt signaling axis in BC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings established a connection between tumor stromal communication and tumor progression and demonstrated an inductive function for CAF-educated monocytes in BC cell progression. We also proposed a supporting model in which exosomal transfer of miR-181a from CAF-educated monocytes activates AKT signaling by regulating PTEN in BC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katayoon Pakravan
- grid.412266.50000 0001 1781 3962Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Mossahebi-Mohammadi
- grid.412266.50000 0001 1781 3962Department of Hematology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad H. Ghazimoradi
- grid.412266.50000 0001 1781 3962Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran
| | - William C. Cho
- grid.415499.40000 0004 1771 451XDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Majid Sadeghizadeh
- grid.412266.50000 0001 1781 3962Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sadegh Babashah
- grid.412266.50000 0001 1781 3962Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran
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Shojaee P, Mornata F, Deutsch A, Locati M, Hatzikirou H. The impact of tumor associated macrophages on tumor biology under the lens of mathematical modelling: A review. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1050067. [PMID: 36439180 PMCID: PMC9685623 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1050067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we review the role of mathematical modelling to elucidate the impact of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in tumor progression and therapy design. We first outline the biology of TAMs, and its current application in tumor therapies, and their experimental methods that provide insights into tumor cell-macrophage interactions. We then focus on the mechanistic mathematical models describing the role of macrophages as drug carriers, the impact of macrophage polarized activation on tumor growth, and the role of tumor microenvironment (TME) parameters on the tumor-macrophage interactions. This review aims to identify the synergies between biological and mathematical approaches that allow us to translate knowledge on fundamental TAMs biology in addressing current clinical challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pejman Shojaee
- Centre for Information Services and High Performance Computing, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Federica Mornata
- Leukocyte Biology Lab, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Andreas Deutsch
- Centre for Information Services and High Performance Computing, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Massimo Locati
- Leukocyte Biology Lab, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Universitàdegli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Haralampos Hatzikirou
- Centre for Information Services and High Performance Computing, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Mathematics Department, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Centre (HEIC), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Wang Q, Zhang X, Du K, Wu X, Zhou Y, Chen D, Zeng L. Machine learning identifies characteristics molecules of cancer associated fibroblasts significantly correlated with the prognosis, immunotherapy response and immune microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1059253. [PMID: 36439484 PMCID: PMC9682016 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1059253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a highly lethal disease with a dramatic pro-fibrocytic response. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been reported to play a key role in lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS Marker genes of CAFs were obtained from the Cell Marker website. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used for CAFs quantification. R and GraphPad Prism software were utilized for all analysis. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect the RNA level of specific molecules. RESULTS Based on the ssGSEA algorithm and obtained CAFs markers, the LUAD patients with low- and high-CAFs infiltration were successfully identified, which had different response patterns to immunotherapy. Through the machine learning algorithm - LASSO logistic regression, we identified 44 characteristic molecules of CAFs. Furthermore, a prognosis signature consisting of seven characteristic genes was established, which showed great prognosis prediction ability. Additionally, we found that patients in the low-risk group might have better outcomes when receiving immunotherapy of PD-1, but not CTLA4. Also, the biological enrichment analysis revealed that immune response-related pathways were significantly associated with CAFs infiltration. Meanwhile, we investigated the underlying biological and microenvironment difference in patients with high- and low-risk groups. Finally, we identified that AMPD1 might be a novel target for LUAD immunotherapy. Patients with a high level of AMPD1 were correlated with worse responses to immunotherapy. Moreover, immunohistochemistry showed that the protein level of AMPD1 was higher in lung cancer. Results of qRT-PCR demonstrated that AMPD1 was upregulated in A549 cells compared with BEAS-2B. Meanwhile, we found that the knockdown of AMPD4 can significantly reduce the expression of CTLA4 and PDCD1, but not CD274 and PDCD1LG2. CONCLUSION We comprehensively explored the role of CAFs and its characteristics molecules in LUAD immunotherapy and developed an effective signature to indicate patients prognosis and immunotherapy response. Moreover, AMPD1 was identified as a novel target for lung cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xunlang Zhang
- Department of Geriatric, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kangming Du
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinhui Wu
- Department of Geriatric, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yexin Zhou
- Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
| | - Diang Chen
- Department of Urology Surgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Zeng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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