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Triulzi T, Regondi V, Venturelli E, Gasparini P, Ghirelli C, Groppelli J, Di Modica M, Bianchi F, De Cecco L, Sfondrini L, Tagliabue E. HER2 mRNA Levels, Estrogen Receptor Activity and Susceptibility to Trastuzumab in Primary Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225650. [PMID: 36428742 PMCID: PMC9688101 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While the results thus far demonstrate the clinical benefit of trastuzumab in breast cancer (BC), some patients do not respond to this drug. HER2 mRNA, alone or combined with other genes/biomarkers, has been proven to be a powerful predictive marker in several studies. Here, we provide evidence of the association between HER2 mRNA levels and the response to anti-HER2 treatment in HER2-positive BC patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab and show that this association is independent of estrogen receptor (ER) tumor positivity. While HER2 mRNA expression was significantly correlated with HER2 protein levels in ER-negative tumors, no correlation was found in ER-positive tumors, and HER2 protein expression was not associated with relapse risk. Correlation analyses in the ER-positive subset identified ER activity as the pathway inversely associated with HER2 mRNA. Associations between HER2 levels and oncogene addiction, as well as between HER2 activation and trastuzumab sensitivity, were also observed in vitro in HER2-positive BC cell lines. In ER-positive but not ER-negative BC cells, HER2 transcription was increased by reducing ligand-dependent ER activity or inducing ER degradation. Accordingly, HER2 mRNA levels in patients were found to be inversely correlated with blood levels of estradiol, the natural ligand of ER that induces ER activation. Moreover, low estradiol levels were associated with a lower risk of relapse in HER2-positive BC patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab. Overall, we found that HER2 mRNA levels, but not protein levels, indicate the HER2 dependency of tumor cells and low estrogen-dependent ER activity in HER2-positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0223905121
| | - Viola Regondi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Venturelli
- Nutritional Research and Metabolomics, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Gasparini
- Genomic Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Ghirelli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Jessica Groppelli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Di Modica
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Bianchi
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Laboratorio Morfologia Umana Applicata, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, 20097 Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Molecular Mechanisms Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Sfondrini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Gámez-Chiachio M, Sarrió D, Moreno-Bueno G. Novel Therapies and Strategies to Overcome Resistance to Anti-HER2-Targeted Drugs. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4543. [PMID: 36139701 PMCID: PMC9496705 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis and quality of life of HER2 breast cancer patients have significantly improved due to the crucial clinical benefit of various anti-HER2 targeted therapies. However, HER2 tumors can possess or develop several resistance mechanisms to these treatments, thus leaving patients with a limited set of additional therapeutic options. Fortunately, to overcome this problem, in recent years, multiple different and complementary approaches have been developed (such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)) that are in clinical or preclinical stages. In this review, we focus on emerging strategies other than on ADCs that are either aimed at directly target the HER2 receptor (i.e., novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors) or subsequent intracellular signaling (e.g., PI3K/AKT/mTOR, CDK4/6 inhibitors, etc.), as well as on innovative approaches designed to attack other potential tumor weaknesses (such as immunotherapy, autophagy blockade, or targeting of other genes within the HER2 amplicon). Moreover, relevant technical advances such as anti-HER2 nanotherapies and immunotoxins are also discussed. In brief, this review summarizes the impact of novel therapeutic approaches on current and future clinical management of aggressive HER2 breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Gámez-Chiachio
- Biochemistry Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Autónoma Madrid-CSIC, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Sarrió
- Biochemistry Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Autónoma Madrid-CSIC, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Moreno-Bueno
- Biochemistry Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Autónoma Madrid-CSIC, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- MD Anderson International Foundation, 28033 Madrid, Spain
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Wappett M, Harris A, Lubbock ALR, Lobb I, McDade S, Overton IM. SynLeGG: analysis and visualization of multiomics data for discovery of cancer 'Achilles Heels' and gene function relationships. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:W613-W618. [PMID: 33997893 PMCID: PMC8265155 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Achilles’ heel relationships arise when the status of one gene exposes a cell's vulnerability to perturbation of a second gene, such as chemical inhibition, providing therapeutic opportunities for precision oncology. SynLeGG (www.overton-lab.uk/synlegg) identifies and visualizes mutually exclusive loss signatures in ‘omics data to enable discovery of genetic dependency relationships (GDRs) across 783 cancer cell lines and 30 tissues. While there is significant focus on genetic approaches, transcriptome data has advantages for investigation of GDRs and remains relatively underexplored. SynLeGG depends upon the MultiSEp algorithm for unsupervised assignment of cell lines into gene expression clusters, which provide the basis for analysis of CRISPR scores and mutational status in order to propose candidate GDRs. Benchmarking against SynLethDB demonstrates favourable performance for MultiSEp against competing approaches, finding significantly higher area under the Receiver Operator Characteristic curve and between 2.8-fold to 8.5-fold greater coverage. In addition to pan-cancer analysis, SynLeGG offers investigation of tissue-specific GDRs and recovers established relationships, including synthetic lethality for SMARCA2 with SMARCA4. Proteomics, Gene Ontology, protein-protein interactions and paralogue information are provided to assist interpretation and candidate drug target prioritization. SynLeGG predictions are significantly enriched in dependencies validated by a recently published CRISPR screen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Wappett
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK.,Drug Discovery, Almac Discovery Ltd, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Adam Harris
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
| | | | - Ian Lobb
- Drug Discovery, Almac Discovery Ltd, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Simon McDade
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Ian M Overton
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
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Yao HP, Zhao H, Hudson R, Tong XM, Wang MH. Duocarmycin-based antibody-drug conjugates as an emerging biotherapeutic entity for targeted cancer therapy: Pharmaceutical strategy and clinical progress. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:1857-1874. [PMID: 34224904 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Duocarmycins are a class of DNA minor-groove-binding alkylating molecules. For the past decade, various duocarmycin analogues have been used as payloads in the development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Currently, more than 15 duocarmycin-based ADCs have been studied preclinically, and some of them such as SYD985 have been granted Fast-Track Designation status. Nevertheless, progress in duocarmycin-based ADCs also faces challenges, with setbacks including the termination of BMS-936561/MDX-1203. In this review, we discuss issues associated with the efficacy, pharmacokinetic profile, and toxicological activity of these biotherapeutics. Furthermore, we summarize the latest advances in duocarmycin-based ADCs that have different target specificities and linker chemistries. Evidence from preclinical and clinical studies has indicated that duocarmycin-based ADCs are promising biotherapeutics for oncological application in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang-Ping Yao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Hui Zhao
- Office of Scientific Research, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Rachel Hudson
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Xiang-Min Tong
- Department of Hematology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital and People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Ming-Hai Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Cancer Biology Research Center, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA.
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5
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Raap M, Gierendt L, Werlein C, Kuehnle E, Kreipe HH, Christgen M. Co-expression of transcription factor AP-2beta (TFAP2B) and GATA3 in human mammary epithelial cells with intense, apicobasal immunoreactivity for CK8/18. J Mol Histol 2021. [PMID: 34117603 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-021-09980-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AP-2β is a new mammary epithelial differentiation marker and its expression is preferentially retained and enhanced in lobular carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular breast cancer. In normal breast epithelium AP-2β is expressed in a scattered subpopulation of luminal cells. So far, these cells have not been further characterized. Co-expression of AP-2β protein and luminal epithelium markers (GATA3, CK8/18), hormone receptors [estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR)] and candidate stem cells markers (CK5/14, CD44) were assessed by double-immunofluorescence staining in normal mammary gland epithelium. The subpopulation of AP-2β-positive mammary epithelial cells showed an almost complete, superimposable co-expression with GATA3 and a peculiar intense, ring-like appearing immunoreactivity for CK8/18. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy revealed an apicobasal staining for CK8/18 in AP-2β-positive cells, which was not seen in in AP-2β-negative cells. Furthermore, AP-2β-positive displayed a partial co-expression with ER and AR, but lacked expression of candidate stem cell markers CK5/14 and CD44. In summary, AP-2β is a new luminal mammary epithelial differentiation marker, which is expressed in the GATA3-positive subpopulation of luminal epithelial cells. These AP-2β-positive/GATA3-positive cells also show a peculiar CK8/18-expression which may indicate a previously unknown functionally specialized mammary epithelial cell population.
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Xu B, Shan G, Wu Q, Li W, Wang H, Li H, Yang Y, Long Q, Zhao P. Concordance of Genomic Alterations between Circulating Tumor DNA and Matched Tumor Tissue in Chinese Patients with Breast Cancer. J Oncol 2020; 2020:4259293. [PMID: 32908507 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4259293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) served as a noninvasive method with less side effects using peripheral blood. Given the studies on concordance rate between liquid and solid biopsies in Chinese breast cancer (BC) patients were limited, we sought to examine the concordance rate of different kinds of genomic alterations between paired tissue biopsies and ctDNA samples in Chinese BC cohorts. Materials and Methods In this study, we analyzed the genomic alteration profiles of 81 solid BC samples and 41 liquid BC samples. The concordance across 136 genes was evaluated. Results The median mutation counts per sample in 41 ctDNA samples was higher than the median in 81 tissue samples (p=0.0254; Wilcoxon rank sum test). For mutation at the protein-coding level, 39.0% (16/41) samples had at least one concordant mutation in two biopsies. 20.0% tissue-derived mutations could be detected via ctDNA-based sequencing, whereas 11.7% ctDNA-derived mutations could be found in paired tissues. At gene amplification level, the overall concordant rate was 68.3% (28/41). The concordant rate at gene level for each patient ranged from 83.8% (114/136) to 99.3% (135/136). And, the mean level of variant allele frequency (VAF) for concordant mutations in ctDNA was statistically higher than that for the discordant ones (p < 0.001; Wilcoxon rank sum test). Across five representative genes, the overall sensitivity and specificity were 49.0% and 85.9%, respectively. Conclusion Our results indicated that ctDNA could provide complementary information on genetic characterizations in detecting single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and insertions and deletions (InDels).
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Wu VT, Kiriazov B, Koch KE, Gu VW, Beck AC, Borcherding N, Li T, Addo P, Wehrspan ZJ, Zhang W, Braun TA, Brown BJ, Band V, Band H, Kulak MV, Weigel RJ. A TFAP2C Gene Signature Is Predictive of Outcome in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2019; 18:46-56. [PMID: 31619506 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The AP-2γ transcription factor, encoded by the TFAP2C gene, regulates the expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) and other genes associated with hormone response in luminal breast cancer. Little is known about the role of AP-2γ in other breast cancer subtypes. A subset of HER2+ breast cancers with amplification of the TFAP2C gene locus becomes addicted to AP-2γ. Herein, we sought to define AP-2γ gene targets in HER2+ breast cancer and identify genes accounting for physiologic effects of growth and invasiveness regulated by AP-2γ. Comparing HER2+ cell lines that demonstrated differential response to growth and invasiveness with knockdown of TFAP2C, we identified a set of 68 differentially expressed target genes. CDH5 and CDKN1A were among the genes differentially regulated by AP-2γ and that contributed to growth and invasiveness. Pathway analysis implicated the MAPK13/p38δ and retinoic acid regulatory nodes, which were confirmed to display divergent responses in different HER2+ cancer lines. To confirm the clinical relevance of the genes identified, the AP-2γ gene signature was found to be highly predictive of outcome in patients with HER2+ breast cancer. We conclude that AP-2γ regulates a set of genes in HER2+ breast cancer that drive cancer growth and invasiveness. The AP-2γ gene signature predicts outcome of patients with HER2+ breast cancer and pathway analysis predicts that subsets of patients will respond to drugs that target the MAPK or retinoic acid pathways. IMPLICATIONS: A set of genes regulated by AP-2γ in HER2+ breast cancer that drive proliferation and invasion were identified and provided a gene signature that is predictive of outcome in HER2+ breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent T Wu
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Boris Kiriazov
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Kelsey E Koch
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Vivian W Gu
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Anna C Beck
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | | | - Tiandao Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Peter Addo
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | | | - Weizhou Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Terry A Braun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Bartley J Brown
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Vimla Band
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Hamid Band
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | | | - Ronald J Weigel
- Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. .,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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Lee O, Sullivan ME, Xu Y, Rogers C, Muzzio M, Helenowski I, Shidfar A, Zeng Z, Singhal H, Jovanovic B, Hansen N, Bethke KP, Gann PH, Gradishar W, Kim JJ, Clare SE, Khan SA. Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulators in Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase II Window-of-Opportunity Trial Using Telapristone Acetate. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 26:25-34. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-0443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Castagnoli L, Iorio E, Dugo M, Koschorke A, Faraci S, Canese R, Casalini P, Nanni P, Vernieri C, Di Nicola M, Morelli D, Tagliabue E, Pupa SM. Intratumor lactate levels reflect HER2 addiction status in HER2-positive breast cancer. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:1768-1779. [PMID: 30132876 PMCID: PMC6282573 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite different molecular tumor profiles indicate that human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels mirror HER2 addiction and trastuzumab benefit in HER2-positive breast cancer (BC), the identification of noninvasive clinical predictors of trastuzumab sensitivity remains an unmet clinical need. In the current study, we investigated whether intratumor lactate levels reflect HER2 addiction and, in turn, trastuzumab susceptibility. Accordingly, the gene expression profiles of transgenic murine BC cell lines expressing the human d16HER2 variant (HER2-addicted) or human full-length HER2 (WTHER2; HER2-nonaddicted) revealed a significant enrichment of glycolysis-related gene pathways in HER2-addicted cells. We studied the metabolic content of 22 human HER2-positive BC by quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found that those cases with higher lactate levels were characterized by higher HER2 transcript levels. Moreover, gene expression analyses of HER2-positive BC samples from a TCGA data set revealed a significant enrichment in glycolysis-related pathways in high/HER2-addicted tumors. These data were confirmed by metabolic analyses of human HER2-positive BC cell lines with high or low HER2 transcript levels, which revealed significantly more active glycolytic metabolism in high HER2 transcript than in low HER2 transcript cells. Overall, our results provide evidence for noninvasive intratumor lactate detection as a potential metabolic biomarker of HER2 addiction and trastuzumab response suggesting the possibility to use in vivo imaging to assess lactate levels and, in turn, select HER2-positive BC patients who are more likely to benefit from anti-HER2 treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Castagnoli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Egidio Iorio
- Core Facilities, NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale deiTumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Ada Koschorke
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Faraci
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Rossella Canese
- Core Facilities, NMR Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Patrizia Casalini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Nanni
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastasis, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Vernieri
- IFOM, FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy.,Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Di Nicola
- Unit of Immunotherapy and Anticancer Innovative Therapeutics, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Morelli
- Laboratory Medicine Unit, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elda Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Serenella M Pupa
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Ukmar G, Melloni GEM, Raddrizzani L, Rossi P, Di Bella S, Pirchio MR, Vescovi M, Leone A, Callari M, Cesarini M, Somaschini A, Della Vedova G, Daidone MG, Pettenella M, Isacchi A, Bosotti R. PATRI, a Genomics Data Integration Tool for Biomarker Discovery. Biomed Res Int 2018; 2018:2012078. [PMID: 30065933 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2012078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The availability of genomic datasets in association with clinical, phenotypic, and drug sensitivity information represents an invaluable source for potential therapeutic applications, supporting the identification of new drug sensitivity biomarkers and pharmacological targets. Drug discovery and precision oncology can largely benefit from the integration of treatment molecular discriminants obtained from cell line models and clinical tumor samples; however this task demands comprehensive analysis approaches for the discovery of underlying data connections. Here we introduce PATRI (Platform for the Analysis of TRanslational Integrated data), a standalone tool accessible through a user-friendly graphical interface, conceived for the identification of treatment sensitivity biomarkers from user-provided genomics data, associated with information on sample characteristics. PATRI streamlines a translational analysis workflow: first, baseline genomics signatures are statistically identified, differentiating treatment sensitive from resistant preclinical models; then, these signatures are used for the prediction of treatment sensitivity in clinical samples, via random forest categorization of clinical genomics datasets and statistical evaluation of the relative phenotypic features. The same workflow can also be applied across distinct clinical datasets. The ease of use of the PATRI tool is illustrated with validation analysis examples, performed with sensitivity data for drug treatments with known molecular discriminants.
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11
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Todd JR, Ryall KA, Vyse S, Wong JP, Natrajan RC, Yuan Y, Tan AC, Huang PH. Systematic analysis of tumour cell-extracellular matrix adhesion identifies independent prognostic factors in breast cancer. Oncotarget 2016; 7:62939-53. [PMID: 27556857 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumour cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions are fundamental for discrete steps in breast cancer progression. In particular, cancer cell adhesion to ECM proteins present in the microenvironment is critical for accelerating tumour growth and facilitating metastatic spread. To assess the utility of tumour cell-ECM adhesion as a means for discovering prognostic factors in breast cancer survival, here we perform a systematic phenotypic screen and characterise the adhesion properties of a panel of human HER2 amplified breast cancer cell lines across six ECM proteins commonly deregulated in breast cancer. We determine a gene expression signature that defines a subset of cell lines displaying impaired adhesion to laminin. Cells with impaired laminin adhesion showed an enrichment in genes associated with cell motility and molecular pathways linked to cytokine signalling and inflammation. Evaluation of this gene set in the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) cohort of 1,964 patients identifies the F12 and STC2 genes as independent prognostic factors for overall survival in breast cancer. Our study demonstrates the potential of in vitro cell adhesion screens as a novel approach for identifying prognostic factors for disease outcome.
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12
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Raap M, Gronewold M, Christgen H, Glage S, Bentires-Alj M, Koren S, Derksen PW, Boelens M, Jonkers J, Lehmann U, Feuerhake F, Kuehnle E, Gluz O, Kates R, Nitz U, Harbeck N, Kreipe HH, Christgen M. Lobular carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular breast cancer are characterized by enhanced expression of transcription factor AP-2β. J Transl Med 2018; 98:117-129. [PMID: 29035379 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor AP-2β (TFAP2B) regulates embryonic organ development and is overexpressed in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood malignancy. Gene expression profiling has implicated AP-2β in breast cancer (BC). This study characterizes AP-2β expression in the mammary gland and in BC. AP-2β protein expression was assessed in the normal mammary gland epithelium, in various reactive, metaplastic and pre-invasive neoplastic lesions and in two clinical BC cohorts comprising >2000 patients. BCs from various genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models were also evaluated. Human BC cell lines served as functional models to study siRNA-mediated inhibition of AP-2β. The normal mammary gland epithelium showed scattered AP-2β-positive cells in the luminal cell layer. Various reactive and pre-invasive neoplastic lesions, including apocrine metaplasia, usual ductal hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) showed enhanced AP-2β expression. Cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were more often AP-2β-negative (P<0.001). In invasive BC cohorts, AP-2β-positivity was associated with the lobular BC subtype (P<0.001), loss of E-cadherin (P<0.001), a positive estrogen receptor (ER) status (P<0.001), low Ki67 (P<0.001), low/intermediate Oncotype DX recurrence scores (P<0.001), and prolonged event-free survival (P=0.003). BCs from GEM models were all AP-2β-negative. In human BC cell lines, AP-2β expression was independent from ER-signaling. SiRNA-mediated inhibition of AP-2β diminished proliferation of lobular BC cell lines in vitro. In summary, AP-2β is a new mammary epithelial differentiation marker. Its expression is preferentially retained and enhanced in LCIS and invasive lobular BC and has prognostic implications. Our findings indicate that AP-2β controls tumor cell proliferation in this slow-growing BC subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieke Raap
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Malte Gronewold
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Silke Glage
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mohammad Bentires-Alj
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Shany Koren
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Patrick W Derksen
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Boelens
- Division of Molecular Pathology, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Lehmann
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Elna Kuehnle
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Oleg Gluz
- West German Study Group, Moenchengladbach, Germany.,Breast Center Niederrhein, Evangelic Bethesda Hospital, Moenchengladbach, Germany
| | - Ronald Kates
- West German Study Group, Moenchengladbach, Germany
| | - Ulrike Nitz
- West German Study Group, Moenchengladbach, Germany.,Breast Center Niederrhein, Evangelic Bethesda Hospital, Moenchengladbach, Germany
| | - Nadia Harbeck
- West German Study Group, Moenchengladbach, Germany.,Breast Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Hans H Kreipe
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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13
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Di Modica M, Tagliabue E, Triulzi T. Predicting the Efficacy of HER2-Targeted Therapies: A Look at the Host. Dis Markers 2017; 2017:7849108. [PMID: 29403144 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7849108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
HER2 is overexpressed in 20% of invasive breast cancers (BCs) and correlates with a more aggressive disease. Until the advent of targeted agents, HER2 was associated with worse outcomes. Rationally designed HER2-targeted agents have been developed and introduced into clinical practice for women with HER2-amplified BC, improving disease-free and overall survival for primary and metastatic tumors. Trastuzumab, a recombinant humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, combined with chemotherapy, remains the standard of care for patients with HER2-positive BCs. However, many patients do not respond to this agent, whereas newer drugs have proven to be efficacious in clinical trials. The identification of biomarkers that select sensitive tumors and patients who will benefit from these new agents would help the incorporation of these therapies, limiting the risk of side effects and overtreatment and improving the outcomes of all patients with early-stage HER2-positive BC. We review the mechanisms of action of HER2-targeting agents, focusing on the involvement of the immune system and related predictive biomarkers.
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14
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Castagnoli L, Ghedini GC, Koschorke A, Triulzi T, Dugo M, Gasparini P, Casalini P, Palladini A, Iezzi M, Lamolinara A, Lollini PL, Nanni P, Chiodoni C, Tagliabue E, Pupa SM. Pathobiological implications of the d16HER2 splice variant for stemness and aggressiveness of HER2-positive breast cancer. Oncogene 2016; 36:1721-1732. [PMID: 27641338 PMCID: PMC5447867 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that the d16HER2 splice variant is linked to HER2-positive
breast cancer (BC) tumorigenesis, progression and response to Trastuzumab. However,
the mechanisms by which d16HER2 contributes to HER2-driven aggressiveness and
targeted therapy susceptibility remain uncertain. Here, we report that the
d16HER2-positive mammary tumor cell lines MI6 and MI7, derived from spontaneous
lesions of d16HER2 transgenic (tg) mice and resembling the aggressive features of
primary lesions, are enriched in the expression of Wnt, Notch and
epithelial–mesenchymal transition pathways related genes compared with
full-length wild-type (WT) HER2-positive cells (WTHER2_1 and WTHER2_2) derived from
spontaneous tumors arising in WTHER2 tg mice. MI6 cells exhibited increased
resistance to anoikis and significantly higher mammosphere-forming efficiency (MFE)
and self-renewal capability than the WTHER2-positive counterpart. Furthermore,
d16HER2-positive tumor cells expressed a higher fraction of
CD29High/CD24+/SCA1Low cells and
displayed greater in vivo tumor engraftment in serial dilution conditions
than WTHER2_1 cells. Accordingly, NOTCH inhibitors impaired mammosphere formation
only in MI6 cells. A comparative analysis of stemness-related features driven by
d16HER2 and WTHER2 in ad hoc engineered human BC cells (MCF7 and T47D)
revealed a higher MFE and aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive staining in d16HER2- vs
WTHER2-infected cells, sustaining consistent BC-initiating cell enrichment in the
human setting. Moreover, marked CD44 expression was found in MCF7_d16 and T47D_d16
cells vs their WTHER2 and Mock counterparts. Clinically, BC cases from two distinct
HER2-positive cohorts characterized by high levels of expression of the
activated-d16HER2 metagene were significantly enriched in the Notch family and signal
transducer genes vs those with low levels of the metagene.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Castagnoli
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - G C Ghedini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - A Koschorke
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - T Triulzi
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - M Dugo
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - P Gasparini
- Tumor Genomics Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - P Casalini
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - A Palladini
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Iezzi
- CESI Aging Research Center, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G D'Annunzio University, Via Colle dell'Ara, Chieti Scalo, Chieti, Italy
| | - A Lamolinara
- CESI Aging Research Center, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G D'Annunzio University, Via Colle dell'Ara, Chieti Scalo, Chieti, Italy
| | - P L Lollini
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - P Nanni
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - C Chiodoni
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - E Tagliabue
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - S M Pupa
- Molecular Targeting Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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15
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Leung KM, Batey S, Rowlands R, Isaac SJ, Jones P, Drewett V, Carvalho J, Gaspar M, Weller S, Medcalf M, Wydro MM, Pegram R, Mudde GC, Bauer A, Moulder K, Woisetschläger M, Tuna M, Haurum JS, Sun H. A HER2-specific Modified Fc Fragment (Fcab) Induces Antitumor Effects Through Degradation of HER2 and Apoptosis. Mol Ther 2015; 23:1722-1733. [PMID: 26234505 PMCID: PMC4817942 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2015.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
FS102 is a HER2-specific Fcab (Fc fragment with antigen binding), which binds HER2 with high affinity and recognizes an epitope that does not overlap with those of trastuzumab or pertuzumab. In tumor cells that express high levels of HER2, FS102 caused profound HER2 internalization and degradation leading to tumor cell apoptosis. The antitumor effect of FS102 in patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) correlated strongly with the HER2 amplification status of the tumors. Superior activity of FS102 over trastuzumab or the combination of trastuzumab and pertuzumab was observed in vitro and in vivo when the gene copy number of HER2 was equal to or exceeded 10 per cell based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Thus, FS102 induced complete and sustained tumor regression in a significant proportion of HER2-high PDX tumor models. We hypothesize that the unique structure and/or epitope of FS102 enables the Fcab to internalize and degrade cell surface HER2 more efficiently than standard of care antibodies. In turn, increased depletion of HER2 commits the cells to apoptosis as a result of oncogene shock. FS102 has the potential of a biomarker-driven therapeutic that derives superior antitumor effects from a unique mechanism-of-action in tumor cells which are oncogenically addicted to the HER2 pathway due to overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kin-Mei Leung
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah Batey
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Robert Rowlands
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Samine J Isaac
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Phil Jones
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Victoria Drewett
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joana Carvalho
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Miguel Gaspar
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah Weller
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Melanie Medcalf
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mateusz M Wydro
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert Pegram
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Geert C Mudde
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anton Bauer
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kevin Moulder
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Mihriban Tuna
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - John S Haurum
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Haijun Sun
- F-star Biotechnology Ltd, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
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16
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Park JM, Wu T, Cyr AR, Woodfield GW, De Andrade JP, Spanheimer PM, Li T, Sugg SL, Lal G, Domann FE, Zhang W, Weigel RJ. The role of Tcfap2c in tumorigenesis and cancer growth in an activated Neu model of mammary carcinogenesis. Oncogene 2015; 34:6105-14. [PMID: 25772240 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
TFAP2C/AP-2γ influences development of the mammary gland and regulates patterns of gene expression in luminal and HER2-amplified breast cancer. The roles of TFAP2C in mammary gland tumorigenesis and in pathways critical to cancer progression remain poorly understood. To gain greater insight into oncogenic mechanisms regulated by TFAP2C, we examined mammary tumorigenesis in MMTV-Neu transgenic female mice with or without conditional knockout (KO) of Tcfap2c, the mouse homolog of TFAP2C. Loss of Tcfap2c increased the latency of tumorigenesis and tumors that formed demonstrated reduced proliferative index and increased apoptosis. In addition, tumors formed in Tcfap2c KO animals had a significant reduction in Egfr levels without a change in the expression of the Neu oncogene. The MMneu-flAP2C cell line was established from tumor tissue derived from MMTV-Neu/Tcfap2c(L/L) control animals and parallel cell lines with and without expression of Tcfap2c were created by transduction with adenovirus-empty and adenovirus-Cre, respectively. KO of Tcfap2c in vitro reduced activated phosphorylated-Erk, decreased cell viability, repressed tumor growth and was associated with attenuation of Egfr expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and direct sequencing and expression analysis confirmed that Egfr was a Tcfap2c target gene in murine, as well as human, mammary carcinoma cells. Furthermore, decreased viability of mammary cancer cells was directly related to Egfr functional blockade. We conclude that TFAP2C regulates tumorigenesis, cell growth and survival in HER2-amplified breast cancer through transcriptional regulation of EGFR. The findings have important implications for targeting the EGFR pathway in breast cancer.
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17
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Penna E, Orso F, Taverna D. miR-214 as a key hub that controls cancer networks: small player, multiple functions. J Invest Dermatol 2014; 135:960-969. [PMID: 25501033 DOI: 10.1038/jid.2014.479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs are short regulatory RNAs that are able to post-transcriptionally modulate gene expression and that have crucial roles in the control of physiological and pathological processes including cancer onset, growth, and progression. miR-214, located inside the sequence of the long noncoding Dmn3os transcript, contributes to the regulation of normal and cancer cell biology, even if it operates in a context-dependent and sometimes contradictory manner. miR-214 is deregulated in several human tumors including melanoma, breast, ovarian, gastric, and hepatocellular carcinomas. miR-214's pleiotropic and tumor-specific contribution to various cancer formation and progression hallmarks is achieved via its several target genes. In fact, miR-214 behaves as a key hub by coordinating fundamental signaling networks such as PTEN/AKT, β-catenin, and tyrosine kinase receptor pathways. Interestingly, miR-214 also regulates the levels of crucial gene expression modulators: the epigenetic repressor Ezh2, "genome guardian" p53, transcription factors TFAP2, and another microRNA, miR-148b. Thus, miR-214 seems to have essential roles in coordinating tumor proliferation, stemness, angiogenesis, invasiveness, extravasation, metastasis, resistance to chemotherapy, and microenvironment. The sum of current literature reports suggests that miR-214 is a molecular hub involved in the control of cancer networks and, as such, could be a potential diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Penna
- Molecular Biotechnology Center (MBC), Torino, Italy; Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Torino, Italy
| | - Francesca Orso
- Molecular Biotechnology Center (MBC), Torino, Italy; Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Torino, Italy; Center for Molecular Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Daniela Taverna
- Molecular Biotechnology Center (MBC), Torino, Italy; Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Torino, Italy; Center for Molecular Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
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18
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Castagnoli L, Iezzi M, Ghedini GC, Ciravolo V, Marzano G, Lamolinara A, Zappasodi R, Gasparini P, Campiglio M, Amici A, Chiodoni C, Palladini A, Lollini PL, Triulzi T, Menard S, Nanni P, Tagliabue E, Pupa SM. Activated d16HER2 Homodimers and SRC Kinase Mediate Optimal Efficacy for Trastuzumab. Cancer Res 2014; 74:6248-59. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-0983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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19
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Natrajan R, Wilkerson PM, Marchiò C, Piscuoglio S, Ng CKY, Wai P, Lambros MB, Samartzis EP, Dedes KJ, Frankum J, Bajrami I, Kopec A, Mackay A, A'hern R, Fenwick K, Kozarewa I, Hakas J, Mitsopoulos C, Hardisson D, Lord CJ, Kumar-Sinha C, Ashworth A, Weigelt B, Sapino A, Chinnaiyan AM, Maher CA, Reis-Filho JS. Characterization of the genomic features and expressed fusion genes in micropapillary carcinomas of the breast. J Pathol 2014; 232:553-65. [PMID: 24395524 PMCID: PMC4013428 DOI: 10.1002/path.4325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Micropapillary carcinoma (MPC) is a rare histological special type of breast cancer, characterized by an aggressive clinical behaviour and a pattern of copy number aberrations (CNAs) distinct from that of grade- and oestrogen receptor (ER)-matched invasive carcinomas of no special type (IC-NSTs). The aims of this study were to determine whether MPCs are underpinned by a recurrent fusion gene(s) or mutations in 273 genes recurrently mutated in breast cancer. Sixteen MPCs were subjected to microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis and Sequenom OncoCarta mutation analysis. Eight and five MPCs were subjected to targeted capture and RNA sequencing, respectively. aCGH analysis confirmed our previous observations about the repertoire of CNAs of MPCs. Sequencing analysis revealed a spectrum of mutations similar to those of luminal B IC-NSTs, and recurrent mutations affecting mitogen-activated protein kinase family genes and NBPF10. RNA-sequencing analysis identified 17 high-confidence fusion genes, eight of which were validated and two of which were in-frame. No recurrent fusions were identified in an independent series of MPCs and IC-NSTs. Forced expression of in-frame fusion genes (SLC2A1-FAF1 and BCAS4-AURKA) resulted in increased viability of breast cancer cells. In addition, genomic disruption of CDK12 caused by out-of-frame rearrangements was found in one MPC and in 13% of HER2-positive breast cancers, identified through a re-analysis of publicly available massively parallel sequencing data. In vitro analyses revealed that CDK12 gene disruption results in sensitivity to PARP inhibition, and forced expression of wild-type CDK12 in a CDK12-null cell line model resulted in relative resistance to PARP inhibition. Our findings demonstrate that MPCs are neither defined by highly recurrent mutations in the 273 genes tested, nor underpinned by a recurrent fusion gene. Although seemingly private genetic events, some of the fusion transcripts found in MPCs may play a role in maintenance of a malignant phenotype and potentially offer therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Natrajan
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Paul M Wilkerson
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | | | - Salvatore Piscuoglio
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterNew York, NY, USA
| | - Charlotte KY Ng
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterNew York, NY, USA
| | - Patty Wai
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Maryou B Lambros
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | | | | | - Jessica Frankum
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Ilirjana Bajrami
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Alicja Kopec
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Alan Mackay
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Roger A'hern
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, The Institute of Cancer ResearchSutton, UK
| | - Kerry Fenwick
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Iwanka Kozarewa
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Jarle Hakas
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Costas Mitsopoulos
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - David Hardisson
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ)Madrid, Spain
| | - Christopher J Lord
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Chandan Kumar-Sinha
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (MCTP), Department of Pathology, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alan Ashworth
- The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon, UK
| | - Britta Weigelt
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterNew York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Sapino
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Arul M Chinnaiyan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (MCTP), Department of Pathology, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christopher A Maher
- Washington University Genome Institute, Washington UniversitySt Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jorge S Reis-Filho
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterNew York, NY, USA
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20
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Abstract
Combinatorial approaches that integrate conventional pathology with genomic profiling and functional genomics have begun to enhance our understanding of the genetic basis of breast cancer. These methods have identified key genotypic-phenotypic correlations in different breast cancer subtypes that have led to the discovery of genetic dependencies that drive their behavior. Moreover, this knowledge has been applied to define novel tailored therapies for these groups of patients with cancer. With the current emphasis on characterizing the mutational repertoire of breast cancers by next-generation sequencing, the question remains as to what constitutes a driver event. By focusing efforts on homogenous subgroups of breast cancer and integrating orthogonal data-types combined with functional approaches, we can begin to unravel the heterogeneity and identify aberrations that can be therapeutically targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Natrajan
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom.
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22
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Wetterskog D, Shiu KK, Chong I, Meijer T, Mackay A, Lambros M, Cunningham D, Reis-Filho JS, Lord CJ, Ashworth A. Identification of novel determinants of resistance to lapatinib in ERBB2-amplified cancers. Oncogene 2014; 33:966-76. [PMID: 23474757 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2013.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The gene encoding the receptor tyrosine kinase ERBB2, also known as HER2, is amplified and/or overexpressed in up to 15% of breast cancers. These tumours are characterised by an aggressive phenotype and poor clinical outcome. Although therapies targeted at ERBB2 have proven effective, many patients fail to respond to treatment or become resistant and the reasons for this are still largely unknown. Using a high-throughput functional screen we assessed whether genes found to be recurrently amplified and overexpressed in ERBB2+ve breast cancers mediate resistance to the ERBB2-targeted agent lapatinib. Lapatinib-resistant ERBB2-amplified breast cancer cell lines were screened, in the presence or absence of lapatinib, with an RNA interference library targeting 369 genes recurrently amplified and overexpressed in both ERBB2-amplified breast cancer tumours and cell lines. Small interfering RNAs targeting a number of genes caused sensitivity to lapatinib in this context. The mechanisms of resistance conferred by the identified genes were further investigated and in the case of NIBP (TRAPPC9), lapatinib resistance was found to be mediated through NF-κB signalling. Our results indicate that specific amplified and/ or overexpressed genes found in ERBB2-amplified breast cancer may mediate response to ERBB2-targeting agents.
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