1
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Bhartiya D, Raouf S, Pansare K, Tripathi A, Tripathi A. Initiation of Cancer: The Journey From Mutations in Somatic Cells to Epigenetic Changes in Tissue-resident VSELs. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024; 20:857-880. [PMID: 38457060 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-024-10694-7] [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] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Multiple theories exist to explain cancer initiation, although a consensus on this is crucial for developing effective therapies. 'Somatic mutation theory' suggests that mutations in somatic cells during DNA repair initiates cancer but this concept has several attached paradoxes. Research efforts to identify quiescent cancer stem cells (CSCs) that survive therapy and result in metastasis and recurrence have remained futile. In solid cancers, CSCs are suggested to appear during epithelial-mesenchymal transition by the dedifferentiation and reprogramming of epithelial cells. Pluripotent and quiescent very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) exist in multiple tissues but remain elusive owing to their small size and scarce nature. VSELs are developmentally connected to primordial germ cells, undergo rare, asymmetrical cell divisions and are responsible for the regular turnover of cells to maintain tissue homeostasis throughout life. VSELs are directly vulnerable to extrinsic endocrine insults because they express gonadal and gonadotropin hormone receptors. VSELs undergo epigenetic changes due to endocrine insults and transform into CSCs. CSCs exhibit genomic instability and develop mutations due to errors during DNA replication while undergoing excessive proliferation and clonal expansion to form spheroids. Thus tissue-resident VSELs offer a connection between extrinsic insults and variations in cancer incidence reported in various body tissues. To conclude, cancer is indeed a stem cell disease with mutations occurring as a consequence. In addition to immunotherapy, targeting mutations, and Lgr5 + organoids for developing new therapeutics, targeting CSCs (epigenetically altered VSELs) by improving their niche and epigenetic status could serve as a promising strategy to treat cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa Bhartiya
- Epigeneres Biotech Pvt Ltd, Todi Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, 400013, Mumbai, India.
| | | | - Kshama Pansare
- Epigeneres Biotech Pvt Ltd, Todi Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, 400013, Mumbai, India
| | - Anish Tripathi
- Epigeneres Biotech Pvt Ltd, Todi Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, 400013, Mumbai, India
| | - Ashish Tripathi
- Epigeneres Biotech Pvt Ltd, Todi Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, 400013, Mumbai, India
- 23Ikigai Pte Ltd, 30 Cecil Street, #21-08 Prudentsial Tower, Singapore, 049712, Singapore
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2
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Angst P, Dexter E, Stillman JH. Genome assemblies of two species of porcelain crab, Petrolisthes cinctipes and Petrolisthes manimaculis (Anomura: Porcellanidae). G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkad281. [PMID: 38079165 PMCID: PMC10849366 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Crabs are a large subtaxon of the Arthropoda, the most diverse and species-rich metazoan group. Several outstanding questions remain regarding crab diversification, including about the genomic capacitors of physiological and morphological adaptation, that cannot be answered with available genomic resources. Physiologically and ecologically diverse Anomuran porcelain crabs offer a valuable model for investigating these questions and hence genomic resources of these crabs would be particularly useful. Here, we present the first two genome assemblies of congeneric and sympatric Anomuran porcelain crabs, Petrolisthes cinctipes and Petrolisthes manimaculis from different microhabitats. Pacific Biosciences high-fidelity sequencing led to genome assemblies of 1.5 and 0.9 Gb, with N50s of 706.7 and 218.9 Kb, respectively. Their assembly length difference can largely be attributed to the different levels of interspersed repeats in their assemblies: The larger genome of P. cinctipes has more repeats (1.12 Gb) than the smaller genome of P. manimaculis (0.54 Gb). For obtaining high-quality annotations of 44,543 and 40,315 protein-coding genes in P. cinctipes and P. manimaculis, respectively, we used RNA-seq as part of a larger annotation pipeline. Contrarily to the large-scale differences in repeat content, divergence levels between the two species as estimated from orthologous protein-coding genes are moderate. These two high-quality genome assemblies allow future studies to examine the role of environmental regulation of gene expression in the two focal species to better understand physiological response to climate change, and provide the foundation for studies in fine-scale genome evolution and diversification of crabs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Angst
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eric Dexter
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jonathon H Stillman
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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3
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Shityakov S, Kravtsov V, Skorb EV, Nosonovsky M. Ergodicity Breaking and Self-Destruction of Cancer Cells by Induced Genome Chaos. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 26:37. [PMID: 38248163 PMCID: PMC10814486 DOI: 10.3390/e26010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
During the progression of some cancer cells, the degree of genome instability may increase, leading to genome chaos in populations of malignant cells. While normally chaos is associated with ergodicity, i.e., the state when the time averages of relevant parameters are equal to their phase space averages, the situation with cancer propagation is more complex. Chromothripsis, a catastrophic massive genomic rearrangement, is observed in many types of cancer, leading to increased mutation rates. We present an entropic model of genome chaos and ergodicity and experimental evidence that increasing the degree of chaos beyond the non-ergodic threshold may lead to the self-destruction of some tumor cells. We study time and population averages of chromothripsis frequency in cloned rhabdomyosarcomas from rat stem cells. Clones with frequency above 10% result in cell apoptosis, possibly due to mutations in the BCL2 gene. Potentially, this can be used for suppressing cancer cells by shifting them into a non-ergodic proliferation regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Shityakov
- Infochemistry Scientific Center (ISC), ITMO University, 9 Lomonosova St., 191002 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Viacheslav Kravtsov
- Infochemistry Scientific Center (ISC), ITMO University, 9 Lomonosova St., 191002 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Ekaterina V. Skorb
- Infochemistry Scientific Center (ISC), ITMO University, 9 Lomonosova St., 191002 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Michael Nosonovsky
- Infochemistry Scientific Center (ISC), ITMO University, 9 Lomonosova St., 191002 St. Petersburg, Russia;
- College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
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4
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Costa V, Giovannetti E, Lonardo E. Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment: Unveiling New Frontiers by Targeting the (Un)Usual Suspects. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 16:132. [PMID: 38201558 PMCID: PMC10778478 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16010132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This Special Issue includes original articles and reviews on both established and innovative approaches to cancer targeting, showcased at the 29th IGB Workshop titled "Targeting the (un)usual suspects in cancer" "https://29thigbworkshop [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Costa
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics (IGB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University, Cancer Center Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, San Giuliano Terme, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Enza Lonardo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics (IGB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 80131 Naples, Italy;
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5
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Nicolazzo C, Francescangeli F, Magri V, Giuliani A, Zeuner A, Gazzaniga P. Is cancer an intelligent species? Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:1201-1218. [PMID: 37540301 PMCID: PMC10713722 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10123-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Some relevant emerging properties of intelligent systems are "adaptation to a changing environment," "reaction to unexpected situations," "capacity of problem solving," and "ability to communicate." Single cells have remarkable abilities to adapt, make adequate context-dependent decision, take constructive actions, and communicate, thus theoretically meeting all the above-mentioned requirements. From a biological point of view, cancer can be viewed as an invasive species, composed of cells that move from primary to distant sites, being continuously exposed to changes in the environmental conditions. Blood represents the first hostile habitat that a cancer cell encounters once detached from the primary site, so that cancer cells must rapidly carry out multiple adaptation strategies to survive. The aim of this review was to deepen the adaptation mechanisms of cancer cells in the blood microenvironment, particularly referring to four adaptation strategies typical of animal species (phenotypic adaptation, metabolic adaptation, niche adaptation, and collective adaptation), which together define the broad concept of biological intelligence. We provided evidence that the required adaptations (either structural, metabolic, and related to metastatic niche formation) and "social" behavior are useful principles allowing putting into a coherent frame many features of circulating cancer cells. This interpretative frame is described by the comparison with analog behavioral traits typical of various animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Nicolazzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Francescangeli
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Magri
- Department of Pathology, Oncology and Radiology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giuliani
- Environment and Health Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Ann Zeuner
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Gazzaniga
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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6
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Weisman CM. The permissive binding theory of cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1272981. [PMID: 38023252 PMCID: PMC10666763 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1272981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The later stages of cancer, including the invasion and colonization of new tissues, are actively mysterious compared to earlier stages like primary tumor formation. While we lack many details about both, we do have an apparently successful explanatory framework for the earlier stages: one in which genetic mutations hold ultimate causal and explanatory power. By contrast, on both empirical and conceptual grounds, it is not currently clear that mutations alone can explain the later stages of cancer. Can a different type of molecular change do better? Here, I introduce the "permissive binding theory" of cancer, which proposes that novel protein binding interactions are the key causal and explanatory entity in invasion and metastasis. It posits that binding is more abundant at baseline than we observe because it is restricted in normal physiology; that any large perturbation to physiological state revives this baseline abundance, unleashing many new binding interactions; and that a subset of these cause the cellular functions at the heart of oncogenesis, especially invasion and metastasis. Significant physiological perturbations occur in cancer cells in very early stages, and generally become more extreme with progression, providing interactions that continually fuel invasion and metastasis. The theory is compatible with, but not limited to, causal roles for the diverse molecular changes observed in cancer (e.g. gene expression or epigenetic changes), as these generally act causally upstream of proteins, and so may exert their effects by changing the protein binding interactions that occur in the cell. This admits the possibility that molecular changes that appear quite different may actually converge in creating the same few protein complexes, simplifying our picture of invasion and metastasis. If correct, the theory offers a concrete therapeutic strategy: targeting the key novel complexes. The theory is straightforwardly testable by large-scale identification of protein interactions in different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M. Weisman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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7
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Bouezzedine F, El Baba R, Haidar Ahmad S, Herbein G. Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells Generated from Human Cytomegalovirus-Infected Prostate Epithelial Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4994. [PMID: 37894361 PMCID: PMC10604969 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15204994] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide. Chromosomal instability (CIN) and polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) have been considered predominant hallmarks of cancer. Recent clinical studies have proven the association of CIN, aneuploidy, and PGCCs with poor prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Evidence of HCMV transforming potential might indicate that HCMV may be involved in PCa. METHODS Herein, we underline the role of the high-risk HCMV-DB and -BL clinical strains in transforming prostate epithelial cells and assess the molecular and cellular oncogenic processes associated with PCa. RESULTS Oncogenesis parallels a sustained growth of "CMV-Transformed Prostate epithelial cells" or CTP cells that highly express Myc and EZH2, forming soft agar colonies and displaying stemness as well as mesenchymal features, hence promoting EMT as well as PGCCs and a spheroid appearance. CONCLUSIONS HCMV-induced Myc and EZH2 upregulation coupled with stemness and EMT traits in IE1-expressing CTP might highlight the potential role of HCMV in PCa development and encourage the use of anti-EZH2 and anti-HCMV in PCa treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fidaa Bouezzedine
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Ranim El Baba
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Sandy Haidar Ahmad
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Georges Herbein
- Pathogens & Inflammation/EPILAB Laboratory, EA 4266, University of Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; (F.B.); (R.E.B.); (S.H.A.)
- Department of Virology, CHU Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
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8
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Mirzayans R, Murray D. Intratumor Heterogeneity and Treatment Resistance of Solid Tumors with a Focus on Polyploid/Senescent Giant Cancer Cells (PGCCs). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11534. [PMID: 37511291 PMCID: PMC10380821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411534] [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: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Single cell biology has revealed that solid tumors and tumor-derived cell lines typically contain subpopulations of cancer cells that are readily distinguishable from the bulk of cancer cells by virtue of their enormous size. Such cells with a highly enlarged nucleus, multiple nuclei, and/or multiple micronuclei are often referred to as polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs), and may exhibit features of senescence. PGCCs may enter a dormant phase (active sleep) after they are formed, but a subset remain viable, secrete growth promoting factors, and can give rise to therapy resistant and tumor repopulating progeny. Here we will briefly discuss the prevalence and prognostic value of PGCCs across different cancer types, the current understanding of the mechanisms of their formation and fate, and possible reasons why these tumor repopulating "monsters" continue to be ignored in most cancer therapy-related preclinical studies. In addition to PGCCs, other subpopulations of cancer cells within a solid tumor (such as oncogenic caspase 3-activated cancer cells and drug-tolerant persister cancer cells) can also contribute to therapy resistance and pose major challenges to the delivery of cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razmik Mirzayans
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - David Murray
- Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
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9
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Zhu X, Zhao W, Zhou Z, Gu X. Unraveling the Drivers of Tumorigenesis in the Context of Evolution: Theoretical Models and Bioinformatics Tools. J Mol Evol 2023:10.1007/s00239-023-10117-0. [PMID: 37246992 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-023-10117-0] [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: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Cancer originates from somatic cells that have accumulated mutations. These mutations alter the phenotype of the cells, allowing them to escape homeostatic regulation that maintains normal cell numbers. The emergence of malignancies is an evolutionary process in which the random accumulation of somatic mutations and sequential selection of dominant clones cause cancer cells to proliferate. The development of technologies such as high-throughput sequencing has provided a powerful means to measure subclonal evolutionary dynamics across space and time. Here, we review the patterns that may be observed in cancer evolution and the methods available for quantifying the evolutionary dynamics of cancer. An improved understanding of the evolutionary trajectories of cancer will enable us to explore the molecular mechanism of tumorigenesis and to design tailored treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunuo Zhu
- Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wenyi Zhao
- Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, 322000, China.
- Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Xun Gu
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
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10
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Kozlov AP. Carcino-Evo-Devo, A Theory of the Evolutionary Role of Hereditary Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108611. [PMID: 37239953 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108611] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A theory of the evolutionary role of hereditary tumors, or the carcino-evo-devo theory, is being developed. The main hypothesis of the theory, the hypothesis of evolution by tumor neofunctionalization, posits that hereditary tumors provided additional cell masses during the evolution of multicellular organisms for the expression of evolutionarily novel genes. The carcino-evo-devo theory has formulated several nontrivial predictions that have been confirmed in the laboratory of the author. It also suggests several nontrivial explanations of biological phenomena previously unexplained by the existing theories or incompletely understood. By considering three major types of biological development-individual, evolutionary, and neoplastic development-within one theoretical framework, the carcino-evo-devo theory has the potential to become a unifying biological theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei P Kozlov
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Gubkina Street, 117971 Moscow, Russia
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytekhnicheskaya Street, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
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11
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Ban I, Tomašić L, Trakala M, Tolić IM, Pavin N. Proliferative advantage of specific aneuploid cells drives evolution of tumor karyotypes. Biophys J 2023; 122:632-645. [PMID: 36654508 PMCID: PMC9989886 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Most tumors have abnormal karyotypes, which arise from mistakes during mitotic division of healthy euploid cells and evolve through numerous complex mechanisms. In a recent mouse model with increased chromosome missegregation, chromosome gains dominate over losses both in pretumor and tumor tissues, whereas T-cell lymphomas are characterized by gains of chromosomes 14 and 15. However, the quantitative understanding of clonal selection leading to tumor karyotype evolution remains unknown. Here we show, by introducing a mathematical model based on a concept of a macro-karyotype, that tumor karyotypes can be explained by proliferation-driven evolution of aneuploid cells. In pretumor cells, increased apoptosis and slower proliferation of cells with monosomies lead to predominant chromosome gains over losses. Tumor karyotypes with gain of one chromosome can be explained by karyotype-dependent proliferation, whereas, for those with two chromosomes, an interplay with karyotype-dependent apoptosis is an additional possible pathway. Thus, evolution of tumor-specific karyotypes requires proliferative advantage of specific aneuploid karyotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Ban
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Bijenička cesta 32, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Lucija Tomašić
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Bijenička cesta 32, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marianna Trakala
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Iva M Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nenad Pavin
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Bijenička cesta 32, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
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12
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Madan E, Palma AM, Vudatha V, Trevino JG, Natarajan KN, Winn RA, Won KJ, Graham TA, Drapkin R, McDonald SAC, Fisher PB, Gogna R. Cell Competition in Carcinogenesis. Cancer Res 2022; 82:4487-4496. [PMID: 36214625 PMCID: PMC9976200 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The majority of human cancers evolve over time through the stepwise accumulation of somatic mutations followed by clonal selection akin to Darwinian evolution. However, the in-depth mechanisms that govern clonal dynamics and selection remain elusive, particularly during the earliest stages of tissue transformation. Cell competition (CC), often referred to as 'survival of the fittest' at the cellular level, results in the elimination of less fit cells by their more fit neighbors supporting optimal organism health and function. Alternatively, CC may allow an uncontrolled expansion of super-fit cancer cells to outcompete their less fit neighbors thereby fueling tumorigenesis. Recent research discussed herein highlights the various non-cell-autonomous principles, including interclonal competition and cancer microenvironment competition supporting the ability of a tumor to progress from the initial stages to tissue colonization. In addition, we extend current insights from CC-mediated clonal interactions and selection in normal tissues to better comprehend those factors that contribute to cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esha Madan
- Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Vignesh Vudatha
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jose G. Trevino
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Robert A. Winn
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Kyoung Jae Won
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Trevor A. Graham
- Evolution and Cancer Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, U.K
| | - Ronny Drapkin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Stuart AC. McDonald
- Clonal Dynamics in Epithelia Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square. London, EC1M 6BQ UK
| | - Paul B. Fisher
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rajan Gogna
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
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13
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Lavia P, Sciamanna I, Spadafora C. An Epigenetic LINE-1-Based Mechanism in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314610. [PMID: 36498938 PMCID: PMC9738484 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last fifty years, large efforts have been deployed in basic research, clinical oncology, and clinical trials, yielding an enormous amount of information regarding the molecular mechanisms of cancer and the design of effective therapies. The knowledge that has accumulated underpins the complexity, multifactoriality, and heterogeneity of cancer, disclosing novel landscapes in cancer biology with a key role of genome plasticity. Here, we propose that cancer onset and progression are determined by a stress-responsive epigenetic mechanism, resulting from the convergence of upregulation of LINE-1 (long interspersed nuclear element 1), the largest family of human retrotransposons, genome damage, nuclear lamina fragmentation, chromatin remodeling, genome reprogramming, and autophagy activation. The upregulated expression of LINE-1 retrotransposons and their protein products plays a key role in these processes, yielding an increased plasticity of the nuclear architecture with the ensuing reprogramming of global gene expression, including the reactivation of embryonic transcription profiles. Cancer phenotypes would thus emerge as a consequence of the unscheduled reactivation of embryonic gene expression patterns in an inappropriate context, triggering de-differentiation and aberrant proliferation in differentiated cells. Depending on the intensity of the stressing stimuli and the level of LINE-1 response, diverse degrees of malignity would be generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Lavia
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: or
| | - Ilaria Sciamanna
- Center for Animal Research and Welfare (BENA), ISS Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Corrado Spadafora
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00133 Rome, Italy
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14
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Cancer – A devastating disease, but also an eye-opener and window into the deep mysteries of life and its origins. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 175:131-139. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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15
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Mirzayans R, Murray D. What Are the Reasons for Continuing Failures in Cancer Therapy? Are Misleading/Inappropriate Preclinical Assays to Be Blamed? Might Some Modern Therapies Cause More Harm than Benefit? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13217. [PMID: 36362004 PMCID: PMC9655591 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Over 50 years of cancer research has resulted in the generation of massive amounts of information, but relatively little progress has been made in the treatment of patients with solid tumors, except for extending their survival for a few months at best. Here, we will briefly discuss some of the reasons for this failure, focusing on the limitations and sometimes misunderstanding of the clinical relevance of preclinical assays that are widely used to identify novel anticancer drugs and treatment strategies (e.g., "synthetic lethality"). These include colony formation, apoptosis (e.g., caspase-3 activation), immunoblotting, and high-content multiwell plate cell-based assays, as well as tumor growth studies in animal models. A major limitation is that such assays are rarely designed to recapitulate the tumor repopulating properties associated with therapy-induced cancer cell dormancy (durable proliferation arrest) reflecting, for example, premature senescence, polyploidy and/or multinucleation. Furthermore, pro-survival properties of apoptotic cancer cells through phoenix rising, failed apoptosis, and/or anastasis (return from the brink of death), as well as cancer immunoediting and the impact of therapeutic agents on interactions between cancer and immune cells are often overlooked in preclinical studies. A brief review of the history of cancer research makes one wonder if modern strategies for treating patients with solid tumors may sometimes cause more harm than benefit.
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Iourov IY, Heng HH. Editorial: Somatic genomic mosaicism & human disease. Front Genet 2022; 13:1045559. [PMID: 36276972 PMCID: PMC9585291 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1045559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Y. Iourov
- Yurov’s Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Cytogenomics of the Brain, Mental Health Research Center, Moscow, Russia
- Vorsanova’s Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Biological Disciplines, Belgorod State University, Belgorod, Russia
- *Correspondence: Ivan Y. Iourov,
| | - Henry H. Heng
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, United States
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, United States
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17
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Gecow A, Iantovics LB, Tez M. Cancer and Chaos and the Complex Network Model of a Multicellular Organism. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11091317. [PMID: 36138796 PMCID: PMC9495805 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Currently, knowledge on chaos has developed rapidly, and the link between cancer and “genomic chaos” seems obvious. Hopes for a deeper understanding of cancer, allowing cancer modeling, therefore relate to the meaning of the term “chaos”. It has many meanings, however. Chaos theory and medicine are conceptually quite distant, requiring the comparison and agreement of terms. This article was written by three authors whose fields cover both medical problems and complex dynamic networks suitable for modeling cancer, including chaotic phenomena. The article provides, first of all, a coherent, common interpretative basis linking chaos with modeling tools, which should significantly facilitate teams of specialists from various fields to undertake specific work on simulating cancer-related phenomena. Abstract In the search of theoretical models describing cancer, one of promising directions is chaos. It is connected to ideas of “genome chaos” and “life on the edge of chaos”, but they profoundly differ in the meaning of the term “chaos”. To build any coherent models, notions used by both ideas should be firstly brought closer. The hypothesis “life on the edge of chaos” using deterministic chaos has been radically deepened developed in recent years by the discovery of half-chaos. This new view requires a deeper interpretation within the range of the cell and the organism. It has impacts on understanding “chaos” in the term “genome chaos”. This study intends to present such an interpretation on the basis of which such searches will be easier and closer to intuition. We interpret genome chaos as deterministic chaos in a large module of half-chaotic network modeling the cell. We observed such chaotic modules in simulations of evolution controlled by weaker variant of natural selection. We also discuss differences between free and somatic cells in modeling their disturbance using half-chaotic networks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laszlo Barna Iantovics
- Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Engineering and Information Technology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Mesut Tez
- Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100 Ankara, Turkey
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Kamran M, Bhattacharya U, Omar M, Marchionni L, Ince TA. ZNF92, an unexplored transcription factor with remarkably distinct breast cancer over-expression associated with prognosis and cell-of-origin. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:99. [PMID: 36038558 PMCID: PMC9424319 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00474-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor phenotype is shaped both by transforming genomic alterations and the normal cell-of-origin. We identified a cell-of-origin associated prognostic gene expression signature, ET-9, that correlates with remarkably shorter overall and relapse free breast cancer survival, 8.7 and 6.2 years respectively. The genes associated with the ET-9 signature are regulated by histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) partly through ZNF92, a previously unexplored transcription factor with a single PubMed citation since its cloning in 1990s. Remarkably, ZNF92 is distinctively over-expressed in breast cancer compared to other tumor types, on a par with the breast cancer specificity of the estrogen receptor. Importantly, ET-9 signature appears to be independent of proliferation, and correlates with outcome in lymph-node positive, HER2+, post-chemotherapy and triple-negative breast cancers. These features distinguish ET-9 from existing breast cancer prognostic signatures that are generally related to proliferation and correlate with outcome in lymph-node negative, ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers. Our results suggest that ET-9 could be also utilized as a predictive signature to select patients for HDAC inhibitor treatment.
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Kuang X, Li J. Chromosome instability and aneuploidy as context-dependent activators or inhibitors of antitumor immunity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:895961. [PMID: 36003402 PMCID: PMC9393846 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.895961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome instability (CIN) and its major consequence, aneuploidy, are hallmarks of human cancers. In addition to imposing fitness costs on tumor cells through several cell-intrinsic mechanisms, CIN/aneuploidy also provokes an antitumor immune response. However, as the major contributor to genomic instability, intratumor heterogeneity generated by CIN/aneuploidy helps tumor cells to evolve methods to overcome the antitumor role of the immune system or even convert the immune system to be tumor-promoting. Although the interplay between CIN/aneuploidy and the immune system is complex and context-dependent, understanding this interplay is essential for the success of immunotherapy in tumors exhibiting CIN/aneuploidy, regardless of whether the efficacy of immunotherapy is increased by combination with strategies to promote CIN/aneuploidy or by designing immunotherapies to target CIN/aneuploidy directly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Kuang
- Department of Hematology, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Sichuan Mental Health Center, Mianyang, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Sichuan Mental Health Center, Mianyang, China
- *Correspondence: Jian Li,
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20
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Use of Publication Dynamics to Distinguish Cancer Genes and Bystander Genes. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13071105. [PMID: 35885888 PMCID: PMC9315931 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
de Magalhães has shown recently that most human genes have several papers in PubMed mentioning cancer, leading the author to suggest that every gene is associated with cancer, a conclusion that contradicts the widely held view that cancer is driven by a limited number of cancer genes, whereas the majority of genes are just bystanders in carcinogenesis. We have analyzed PubMed to decide whether publication metrics supports the distinction of bystander genes and cancer genes. The dynamics of publications on known cancer genes followed a similar pattern: seminal discoveries triggered a burst of cancer-related publications that validated and expanded the discovery, resulting in a rise both in the number and proportion of cancer-related publications on that gene. The dynamics of publications on bystander genes was markedly different. Although there is a slow but continuous time-dependent rise in the proportion of papers mentioning cancer, this phenomenon just reflects the increasing publication bias that favors cancer research. Despite this bias, the proportion of cancer papers on bystander genes remains low. Here, we show that the distinctive publication dynamics of cancer genes and bystander genes may be used for the identification of cancer genes.
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21
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Kasperski A. Life Entrapped in a Network of Atavistic Attractors: How to Find a Rescue. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074017. [PMID: 35409376 PMCID: PMC8999494 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In view of unified cell bioenergetics, cell bioenergetic problems related to cell overenergization can cause excessive disturbances in current cell fate and, as a result, lead to a change of cell-fate. At the onset of the problem, cell overenergization of multicellular organisms (especially overenergization of mitochondria) is solved inter alia by activation and then stimulation of the reversible Crabtree effect by cells. Unfortunately, this apparently good solution can also lead to a much bigger problem when, despite the activation of the Crabtree effect, cell overenergization persists for a long time. In such a case, cancer transformation, along with the Warburg effect, may occur to further reduce or stop the charging of mitochondria by high-energy molecules. Understanding the phenomena of cancer transformation and cancer development has become a real challenge for humanity. To date, many models have been developed to understand cancer-related mechanisms. Nowadays, combining all these models into one coherent universal model of cancer transformation and development can be considered a new challenge. In this light, the aim of this article is to present such a potentially universal model supported by a proposed new model of cellular functionality evolution. The methods of fighting cancer resulting from unified cell bioenergetics and the two presented models are also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Kasperski
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Control of Bioprocesses, University of Zielona Góra, ul. Szafrana 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland
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