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Zhou Y, Li W, Chen Y, Hu X, Miao C. Research progress on the impact of opioids on the tumor immune microenvironment (Review). Mol Clin Oncol 2025; 22:53. [PMID: 40297497 PMCID: PMC12035512 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2025.2848] [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: 11/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025] Open
Abstract
Opioids have been extensively used in cancer pain management because they can significantly improve the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer. However, recent evidence suggests that opioids can also modulate the tumor immune microenvironment by interacting with opioid receptors on immune cells, potentially regulating tumor progression and efficacy of cancer treatments. Notably, morphine can exhibit a dose-dependent effect on tumor immunity in pancreatic cancer and renal cell models, with lower doses potentially promoting tumor migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, whereas higher doses shows the effect of inhibiting migration and invasion through distinct molecular pathways. The present review therefore comprehensively explored the mechanisms by which opioids can regulate the tumor immune microenvironment, focusing on their effects on immune cells, oxidative stress and angiogenesis. It also examined the interactions between opioids and other analgesics, along with their potential impact on immune modulation. All relevant articles and materials were retrieved from PubMed using the key words 'opioids', 'immune system', 'T cells', 'monocytes', 'macrophages', 'lymphocytes', 'natural killer cell', 'immunotherapy', 'immune cell function' and 'dose dependent effect'. The immunosuppressive effects of opioids, particularly through the µ-opioid receptor, can suppress the activity of natural killer cells, impair antigen presentation and promote the function of regulatory T cells (Tregs). These effects may contribute to tumor progression and metastasis. The severity of these immunosuppressive effects appears to be dose-dependent and can vary among different tumor types. There is evidence to suggest that tumors with higher immune responsiveness will experience more pronounced suppression, including the reduction of tumor angiogenesis, resulting in a decrease in tumor volume and decrease in tumor metastases. Furthermore, the combination of opioids with other analgesics, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, has the potential to exacerbate immunosuppression, which can in turn increase the risk of infections. Therefore, although opioids are essential for pain management in patients with cancer, their potential to modulate the immune microenvironment and promote tumor progression requires careful consideration. Clinicians should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of opioids, especially regarding emerging immunotherapies, to minimize their potential negative effects on the outcomes of cancer treatments. Future studies are recommended to prioritize the development of strategies that optimize pain management whilst preserving immune function, such as receptor-specific opioid formulations or adjunctive therapies targeting immunosuppressive pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuancheng Zhou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, (Institute of Radiation Medicine), Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 251016, P.R. China
| | - Wenyu Li
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine of Binzhou Medical University, Anesthesiology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China
| | - Yuanji Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
| | - Xudong Hu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
| | - Chuanwang Miao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
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Tearle JL, Arjunan SN, Tay SS, Colakoglu F, Cremasco J, Golo M, Biro M. Targeted Single-cell Isolation of Spontaneously Escaping Live Melanoma Cells for Comparative Transcriptomics. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:1524-1537. [PMID: 37575281 PMCID: PMC10416804 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Solid cancer cells escape the primary tumor mass by transitioning from an epithelial-like state to an invasive migratory state. As they escape, metastatic cancer cells employ interchangeable modes of invasion, transitioning between fibroblast-like mesenchymal movement to amoeboid migration, where cells display a rounded morphology and navigate the extracellular matrix in a protease-independent manner. However, the gene transcripts that orchestrate the switch between epithelial, mesenchymal, and amoeboid states remain incompletely mapped, mainly due to a lack of methodologies that allow the direct comparison of the transcriptomes of spontaneously invasive cancer cells in distinct migratory states. Here, we report a novel single-cell isolation technique that provides detailed three-dimensional data on melanoma growth and invasion, and enables the isolation of live, spontaneously invasive cancer cells with distinct morphologies and invasion parameters. Via the expression of a photoconvertible fluorescent protein, compact epithelial-like cells at the periphery of a melanoma mass, elongated cells in the process of leaving the mass, and rounded amoeboid cells invading away from the mass were tagged, isolated, and subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing. A total of 462 differentially expressed genes were identified, from which two candidate proteins were selected for further pharmacologic perturbation, yielding striking effects on tumor escape and invasion, in line with the predictions from the transcriptomics data. This work describes a novel, adaptable, and readily implementable method for the analysis of the earliest phases of tumor escape and metastasis, and its application to the identification of genes underpinning the invasiveness of malignant melanoma. Significance This work describes a readily implementable method that allows for the isolation of individual live tumor cells of interest for downstream analyses, and provides the single-cell transcriptomes of melanoma cells at distinct invasive states, both of which open avenues for in-depth investigations into the transcriptional regulation of the earliest phases of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline L.E. Tearle
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Present address: Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Satya N.V. Arjunan
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Present address: Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Szun S. Tay
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Feyza Colakoglu
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - James Cremasco
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Present address: Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matteo Golo
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Maté Biro
- EMBL Australia, Single Molecule Science node, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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3
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Manai F, Zanoletti L, Morra G, Mansoor S, Carriero F, Bozzola E, Muscianisi S, Comincini S. Gluten Exorphins Promote Cell Proliferation through the Activation of Mitogenic and Pro-Survival Pathways. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3912. [PMID: 36835317 PMCID: PMC9966116 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043912] [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: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disorder that affects preferentially the small intestine of individuals with a genetic predisposition. CD is promoted by the ingestion of gluten, a storage protein contained in the endosperm of the seeds of wheat, barley, rye, and related cereals. Once in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, gluten is enzymatically digested with the consequent release of immunomodulatory and cytotoxic peptides, i.e., 33mer and p31-43. In the late 1970s a new group of biologically active peptides, called gluten exorphins (GEs), was discovered and characterized. In particular, these short peptides showed a morphine-like activity and high affinity for the δ-opioid receptor (DOR). The relevance of GEs in the pathogenesis of CD is still unknown. Recently, it has been proposed that GEs could contribute to asymptomatic CD, which is characterized by the absence of symptoms that are typical of this disorder. In the present work, GEs cellular and molecular effects were in vitro investigated in SUP-T1 and Caco-2 cells, also comparing viability effects with human normal primary lymphocytes. As a result, GEs treatments increased tumor cell proliferation by cell cycle and Cyclins activation as well as by induction of mitogenic and pro-survival pathways. Finally, a computational model of GEs interaction with DOR is provided. Altogether, the results might suggest a possible role of GEs in CD pathogenesis and on its associated cancer comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Manai
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L.Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Lisa Zanoletti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L.Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory for Mucosal Immunology, TARGID, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giulia Morra
- SCITEC, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 20131 Milano, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Samman Mansoor
- SCITEC, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Carriero
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L.Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Bozzola
- Pediatric Unit, I.R.C.C.S. Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, 00165 Roma, Italy
| | - Stella Muscianisi
- Cell Factory and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Sergio Comincini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L.Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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4
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Baker Rogers J, Higa GM. Spoken and Unspoken Matters Regarding the Use of Opioids in Cancer. J Pain Res 2022; 15:909-924. [PMID: 35411188 PMCID: PMC8994621 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s349107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janna Baker Rogers
- Sections of Geriatrics, Palliative Medicine and Hospice, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Gerald M Higa
- Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Medicine, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Correspondence: Gerald M Higa, Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Medicine, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA, 26506, Email
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5
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Scroope CA, Singleton Z, Hollmann MW, Parat MO. Opioid Receptor-Mediated and Non-Opioid Receptor-Mediated Roles of Opioids in Tumour Growth and Metastasis. Front Oncol 2022; 11:792290. [PMID: 35004315 PMCID: PMC8732362 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.792290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioids are administered to cancer patients in the period surrounding tumour excision, and in the management of cancer-associated pain. The effects of opioids on tumour growth and metastasis, and their consequences on disease outcome, continue to be the object of polarised, discrepant literature. It is becoming clear that opioids contribute a range of direct and indirect effects to the biology of solid tumours, to the anticancer immune response, inflammation, angiogenesis and importantly, to the tumour-promoting effects of pain. A common misconception in the literature is that the effect of opioid agonists equates the effect of the mu-opioid receptor, the major target of the analgesic effect of this class of drugs. We review the evidence on opioid receptor expression in cancer, opioid receptor polymorphisms and cancer outcome, the effect of opioid antagonists, especially the peripheral antagonist methylnaltrexone, and lastly, the evidence available of a role for opioids through non-opioid receptor mediated actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A Scroope
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Zane Singleton
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Markus W Hollmann
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marie-Odile Parat
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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6
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Tripolt S, Neubauer HA, Knab VM, Elmer DP, Aberger F, Moriggl R, Fux DA. Opioids drive breast cancer metastasis through the δ-opioid receptor and oncogenic STAT3. Neoplasia 2021; 23:270-279. [PMID: 33465556 PMCID: PMC7815495 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2020.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The opioid crisis of pain medication bears risks from addiction to cancer progression, but little experimental evidence exists. Expression of δ-opioid receptors (DORs) correlates with poor prognosis for breast cancer patients, but mechanistic insights into oncogenic signaling mechanisms of opioid-triggered cancer progression are lacking. We show that orthotopic transplant models using human or murine breast cancer cells displayed enhanced metastasis upon opioid-induced DOR stimulation. Interestingly, opioid-exposed breast cancer cells showed enhanced migration and strong STAT3 activation, which was efficiently blocked by a DOR-antagonist. Furthermore, opioid treatment resulted in down-regulation of E-Cadherin and increased expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. Notably, STAT3 knockdown or upstream inhibition through the JAK1/2 kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib prevented opioid-induced breast cancer cell metastasis and migration in vitro and in vivo. We conclude on a novel mechanism whereby opioid-triggered breast cancer metastasis occurs via oncogenic JAK1/2-STAT3 signaling to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These findings emphasize the importance of selective and restricted opioid use, as well as the need for safer pain medication that does not activate these oncogenic pathways.
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MESH Headings
- Analgesics, Opioid/pharmacology
- Animals
- Biomarkers
- Breast Neoplasms/etiology
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Disease Models, Animal
- Disease Susceptibility
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Humans
- Immunohistochemistry
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neoplasm Metastasis
- Oncogene Proteins/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, delta/agonists
- Receptors, Opioid, delta/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, delta/metabolism
- STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Tripolt
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heidi A Neubauer
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vanessa M Knab
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominik P Elmer
- Department of Biosciences, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Fritz Aberger
- Department of Biosciences, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Richard Moriggl
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela A Fux
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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7
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Intraoperative opioids are associated with improved recurrence-free survival in triple-negative breast cancer. Br J Anaesth 2020; 126:367-376. [PMID: 33220939 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid-induced immunomodulation may be of particular importance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) where an immune response is associated with improved outcome and response to immunotherapy. We evaluated the association between intraoperative opioids and oncological outcomes and explored patterns of opioid receptor expression in TNBC. METHODS Consecutive patients with stage I-III primary TNBC were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Opioid receptor expression patterns in the tumour microenvironment were analysed using publicly available bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data. RESULTS A total of 1143 TNBC cases were retrospectively analysed. In multivariable analysis, higher intraoperative opioid dose was associated with favourable recurrence-free survival, hazard ratio 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.88-0.99) per 10 oral morphine milligram equivalents increase (P=0.028), but was not significantly associated with overall survival, hazard ratio 0.96 (95% confidence interval 0.89-1.02) per 10 morphine milligram equivalents increase (P=0.2). Bulk RNA-seq analysis of opioid receptors showed that OPRM1 was nearly non-expressed. Compared with normal breast tissue OGFR, OPRK1, and OPRD1 were upregulated, while TLR4 was downregulated. At a single-cell level, OPRM1 and OPRD1 were not detectable; OPRK1 was expressed mainly on tumour cells, whereas OGFR and TLR4 were more highly expressed on immune cells. CONCLUSIONS We found a protective effect of intraoperative opioids on recurrence-free survival in TNBC. Opioid receptor expression was consistent with a net protective effect of opioid agonism, with protumour receptors either not expressed or downregulated, and antitumour receptors upregulated. In this era of personalised medicine, efforts to differentiate the effects of opioids across breast cancer subtypes (and ultimately individual patients) should continue.
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8
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Opioid receptors beyond pain control: The role in cancer pathology and the debated importance of their pharmacological modulation. Pharmacol Res 2020; 159:104938. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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9
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Schoos A, Gabriel C, Knab VM, Fux DA. Activation of HIF-1 α by δ-Opioid Receptors Induces COX-2 Expression in Breast Cancer Cells and Leads to Paracrine Activation of Vascular Endothelial Cells. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2019; 370:480-489. [PMID: 31300611 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.119.257501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioids promote tumor angiogenesis in mammary malignancies, but the underlying signaling mechanism is largely unknown. The current study investigated the hypothesis that stimulation of δ-opioid receptors (DOR) in breast cancer (BCa) cells activates the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), which triggers synthesis and release of diverse angiogenic factors. Immunoblotting revealed that incubation of human MCF-7 and T47D breast cancer cells with the DOR agonist d-Ala2,d-Leu5-enkephalin (DADLE) resulted in a transient accumulation and thus activation of HIF-1α DADLE-induced HIF-1α activation preceded PI3K/Akt stimulation and was blocked by the DOR antagonist naltrindole and naloxone, pertussis toxin, different phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors, and the Akt inhibitor Akti-1/2. Whereas DADLE exposure had no effect on the expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in BCa cells, an increased abundance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was detected. DADLE-induced COX-2 expression was also observed in three-dimensional cultured MCF-7 cells and impaired by PI3K/Akt inhibitors and the HIF-1α inhibitor echinomycin. Supernatant from DADLE-treated MCF-7 cells triggered sprouting of endothelial (END) cells, which was blocked when MCF-7 cells were pretreated with echinomycin or the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib. Also no sprouting was observed when END cells were exposed to the PGE2 receptor antagonist PF-04418948. The findings together indicate that DOR stimulation in BCa cells leads to PI3K/Akt-dependent HIF-1α activation and COX-2 expression, which trigger END cell sprouting by paracrine activation of PGE2 receptors. These findings provide a potential mechanism of opioid-driven tumor angiogenesis and thus therapeutic targets to combat the tumor-angiogenic opioid effect. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Opioids are indispensable analgesics for treating cancer-related pain. However, opioids were found to promote tumor growth and metastasis, which questions the use of these potent pain-relieving drugs in cancer patients. Enhanced tumor vascularization after opioid treatment implies that tumor progression results from angiogenic opioid effects. Thus, understanding the signaling mechanism of opioid-driven tumor angiogenesis helps to identify therapeutic targets to combat these undesired tumor effects. The present study reveals that stimulation of δ-opioid receptors in breast cancer cells leads to an activation of HIF-1α and expression of COX-2 via PI3K/Akt stimulation, which results in a paracrine activation of vascular endothelial cells by prostaglandin E2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schoos
- Division Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology (A.S., V.M.K., D.A.F.) and Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine (C.G.), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Cordula Gabriel
- Division Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology (A.S., V.M.K., D.A.F.) and Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine (C.G.), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vanessa M Knab
- Division Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology (A.S., V.M.K., D.A.F.) and Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine (C.G.), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela A Fux
- Division Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology (A.S., V.M.K., D.A.F.) and Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine (C.G.), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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10
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Li Y, Gong D, Zhang L, Li H, Zhang S, Zhang J, Li K, Zheng Q, Zhao G, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Guo Y, Xiang R, Lin P, Wei Y. Zinc finger protein 32 promotes breast cancer stem cell-like properties through directly promoting GPER transcription. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:1162. [PMID: 30478301 PMCID: PMC6255875 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-1144-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women. Due to the existence of a small fraction of stem cell-like subpopulations, some breast cancer subtypes exhibit very high malignancy and resistance to multiple therapies. The underlying mechanisms of how these subtypes acquire stem cell-like properties and progress more aggressively remain largely unknown. Zinc finger protein 32 (ZNF32), a newly discovered transcription factor, has been reported to be associated with breast cancer progression. However, many questions remain about its target genes and its exact mechanisms in regulating stem cell-like properties and drug resistance. In the present study, we examined the relationship between ZNF32 and GPER, a membrane-associated estrogen receptor, and we addressed their roles in stemness regulation in human breast cancer cell lines. Our results showed that ZNF32 could induce expansion of stem cell-like subpopulations and increase drug resistance by upregulating GPER expression, in which ERK activation was also implicated. We also illustrated that ZNF32 induced GPER expression via a ZNF32 binding sequence located within the GPER promoter region. A correlation between ZNF32/GPER expression and increased tumor incidence and burden was observed in xenograft mouse models. We conclude that ZNF32 can engage GPER/ERK signalling and confer breast cancer stem cell-like properties, which may indicate poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. ZNF32 and GPER targeted therapies might provide new solutions for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Li
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Di Gong
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China.,Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Academic Medical Center and Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hongjiang Li
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Huaxi Biobank, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Kai Li
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - QianWen Zheng
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Zhao
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Yafei Guo
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Rong Xiang
- Department of clinical medicine, School of Medicine, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Lin
- Division of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Division of Cancer Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
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11
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-ninth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2016 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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12
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Zhang Y, Wei Y, Li X, Liang X, Wang L, Song J, Zhang X, Zhang C, Niu J, Zhang P, Ren Z, Tang B. microRNA-874 suppresses tumor proliferation and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting the DOR/EGFR/ERK pathway. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:130. [PMID: 29374140 PMCID: PMC5833540 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-017-0131-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The δ opioid receptor (DOR) is involved in the regulation of malignant transformation and tumor progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, regulation of the DOR in HCC remains poorly defined. We found that miR-874 was identified as a negative regulator of the DOR, which is a direct and functional target of miR-874 via its 3' untranslated region (UTR). Moreover, miR-874 was downregulated in HCC and its expression was inversely correlated with DOR expression. Downregulation of miR-874 was also associated with larger tumor size, more vascular invasion, a poor TNM stage, poor tumor differentiation, and inferior patient outcomes. Functionally, overexpression of miR-874 in the HCC cell line SK-hep-1 inhibited cell growth, migration, in vitro invasion, and in vivo tumorigenicity. Furthermore, miR-874 overexpression suppressed the DOR, resulting in a downregulated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. The EGFR activator-epidermal growth factor (EGF)-can rescue the proliferation and migration suppression induced by miR-874 overexpression, and the rescue effects of the EGF were blocked by an ERK inhibitor. Our study results suggest that miRNA-874 is a negative regulator of the DOR that can suppress tumor proliferation and metastasis in HCC by targeting the DOR/EGFR/ERK pathway, which may be a potential target for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
| | - Yangchao Wei
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, China
| | - Xingsi Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 541000, China
| | - Liming Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 541000, China
| | - Jun Song
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
| | - Xiuzhong Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
| | - Chong Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
| | - Jian Niu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
| | - Pengbo Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China
| | - Zeqiang Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China.
| | - Bo Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221000, China.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 541000, China.
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