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Zhang Y, Liu K, He H, Xiao H, Fang Z, Chen X, Li H. Innovative explorations: unveiling the potential of organoids for investigating environmental pollutant exposure. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2024; 31:16256-16273. [PMID: 38342830 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32256-7] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
As the economy rapidly develops, chemicals are widely produced and used. This has exacerbated the problems associated with environmental pollution, raising the need for efficient toxicological evaluation techniques to investigate the toxic effects and mechanisms of toxicity of environmental pollutants. The progress in the techniques of cell culture in three dimensions has resulted in the creation of models that are more relevant in terms of biology and physiology. This enables researchers to study organ development, toxicology, and drug screening. Adult stem cells (ASCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be obtained from various mammalian tissues, including cancerous and healthy tissues. Such stem cells exhibit a significant level of tissue memory and ability to self-assemble. When cultivated in 3D in vitro environments, the resulting organoids demonstrate a remarkable capacity to recapitulate the cellular composition and function of organs in vivo. Recently, many tumors' tissue-derived organoids have been widely used in research on tumor pathogenesis, drug development, precision medicine, and other fields, including those derived from colon cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, liver cancer, and gastric cancer. However, the application of organoid models for evaluating the toxicity of environmental pollutants is still in its infancy. This review introduces the characteristics of the toxicity responses of organoid models upon exposure to pollutants from the perspectives of organoid characteristics, tissue types, and their applications in toxicology; discusses the feasibility of using organoid models in evaluating the toxicity of pollutants; and provides a reference for future toxicological studies on environmental pollutants based on organoid models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhang Zhang
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Kai Liu
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Huan He
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Response Technology, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Hui Xiao
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhihong Fang
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xianxian Chen
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Huiming Li
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Response Technology, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Zimta AA, Cenariu D, Tigu AB, Moldovan C, Jurj A, Pirlog R, Pop C, Gurzau ES, Fischer-Fodor E, Pop L, Braicu C, Berindan-Neagoe I. Differential effect of the duration of exposure on the carcinogenicity of cadmium in MCF10A mammary epithelial cells. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 186:114523. [PMID: 38382870 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114523] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The carcinogenic role of cadmium (Cd2+) in breast cancer is still debatable. Current data points to duration of exposure as the most important element. In our study, we designed an in vitro model to investigate the effects of 3 weeks versus 6 weeks of low-level CdCl2 exposure on MCF10A cells. Our results demonstrated that after 3 weeks of CdCl2 exposure the cells displayed significant changes in the DNA integrity, but there was no development of malignant features. Interestingly, after 6 weeks of exposure, the cells significantly increased their invasion, migration and colony formation capacities. Additionally, MCF10A cells exposed for 6 weeks to CdCl2 had many dysregulated genes (4905 up-regulated and 4262 down-regulated). As follows, Cd-induced phenotypical changes are accompanied by a profound modification of the transcriptomic landscape. Furthermore, the molecular alterations driving carcinogenesis in MCF10A cells exposed to CdCl2 were found to be influenced by the duration of exposure, as in the case of MEG8. This long non-coding RNA was down-regulated at 3 weeks, but up-regulated at 6 weeks of exposure. In conclusion, even very low levels of Cd (0.5 μM) can have significant carcinogenic effects on breast cells in the case of subchronic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina-Andreea Zimta
- MedFuture-Research Center for Advanced Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4-6 Louis Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Diana Cenariu
- MedFuture-Research Center for Advanced Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4-6 Louis Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adrian Bogdan Tigu
- MedFuture-Research Center for Advanced Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4-6 Louis Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristian Moldovan
- MedFuture-Research Center for Advanced Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4-6 Louis Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ancuta Jurj
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Radu Pirlog
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristian Pop
- Environmental Health Center, 58 Busuiocului Street, 400240, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Eugen S Gurzau
- Environmental Health Center, 58 Busuiocului Street, 400240, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Cluj School of Public Health, College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, 7 Pandurilor Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Eva Fischer-Fodor
- Tumour Biology Department, The Oncology Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă", 34-36 Republicii Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Laura Pop
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cornelia Braicu
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Berindan-Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Marinescu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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3
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Bai L, Wu Y, Li G, Zhang W, Zhang H, Su J. AI-enabled organoids: Construction, analysis, and application. Bioact Mater 2024; 31:525-548. [PMID: 37746662 PMCID: PMC10511344 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Organoids, miniature and simplified in vitro model systems that mimic the structure and function of organs, have attracted considerable interest due to their promising applications in disease modeling, drug screening, personalized medicine, and tissue engineering. Despite the substantial success in cultivating physiologically relevant organoids, challenges remain concerning the complexities of their assembly and the difficulties associated with data analysis. The advent of AI-Enabled Organoids, which interfaces with artificial intelligence (AI), holds the potential to revolutionize the field by offering novel insights and methodologies that can expedite the development and clinical application of organoids. This review succinctly delineates the fundamental concepts and mechanisms underlying AI-Enabled Organoids, summarizing the prospective applications on rapid screening of construction strategies, cost-effective extraction of multiscale image features, streamlined analysis of multi-omics data, and precise preclinical evaluation and application. We also explore the challenges and limitations of interfacing organoids with AI, and discuss the future direction of the field. Taken together, the AI-Enabled Organoids hold significant promise for advancing our understanding of organ development and disease progression, ultimately laying the groundwork for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Bai
- Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Organoid Research Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- Wenzhou Institute of Shanghai University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Organoid Research Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Guangfeng Li
- Organoid Research Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Zhongye Hospital, Shanghai, 201941, China
| | - Wencai Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Organoid Research Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Jiacan Su
- Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Organoid Research Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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Aschner M, Skalny AV, Lu R, Santamaria A, Zhou JC, Ke T, Karganov MY, Tsatsakis A, Golokhvast KS, Bowman AB, Tinkov AA. The role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) modulation in heavy metal toxicity. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:1299-1318. [PMID: 36933023 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03483-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is an oxygen-sensing transcriptional regulator orchestrating a complex of adaptive cellular responses to hypoxia. Several studies have demonstrated that toxic metal exposure may also modulate HIF-1α signal transduction pathway, although the existing data are scarce. Therefore, the present review aims to summarize the existing data on the effects of toxic metals on HIF-1 signaling and the potential underlying mechanisms with a special focus on prooxidant effect of the metals. The particular effect of metals was shown to be dependent on cell type, varying from down- to up-regulation of HIF-1 pathway. Inhibition of HIF-1 signaling may contribute to impaired hypoxic tolerance and adaptation, thus promoting hypoxic damage in the cells. In contrast, its metal-induced activation may result in increased tolerance to hypoxia through increased angiogenesis, thus promoting tumor growth and contributing to carcinogenic effect of heavy metals. Up-regulation of HIF-1 signaling is mainly observed upon Cr, As, and Ni exposure, whereas Cd and Hg may both stimulate and inhibit HIF-1 pathway. The mechanisms underlying the influence of toxic metal exposure on HIF-1 signaling involve modulation of prolyl hydroxylases (PHD2) activity, as well as interference with other tightly related pathways including Nrf2, PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling. These effects are at least partially mediated by metal-induced ROS generation. Hypothetically, maintenance of adequate HIF-1 signaling upon toxic metal exposure through direct (PHD2 modulation) or indirect (antioxidant) mechanisms may provide an additional strategy for prevention of adverse effects of metal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Anatoly V Skalny
- IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119435, Moscow, Russia
| | - Rongzhu Lu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Science, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Abel Santamaria
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores/Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología Molecular y Nanotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, 14269, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ji-Chang Zhou
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518100, China
| | - Tao Ke
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | | | - Aristides Tsatsakis
- IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119435, Moscow, Russia.,Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 700 13, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Kirill S Golokhvast
- Siberian Federal Scientific Centre of Agrobiotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoobsk, Russia
| | - Aaron B Bowman
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Alexey A Tinkov
- IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119435, Moscow, Russia. .,Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, 150003, Yaroslavl, Russia.
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Abstract
Epithelial cells can trans-differentiate into motile mesenchymal cells through a dynamic process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is crucial in embryonic development and wound healing but also contributes to human diseases such as organ fibrosis and cancer progression. Heavy metals are environmental pollutants that can affect human health in various ways, including causing cancers. The cytotoxicity and carcinogenicity of heavy metals are complex, and studies have demonstrated that some of these metals can affect the progress of EMT. Here, we focus on reviewing the roles of six environmentally common toxic metals concerning EMT: arsenic (AS), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu). Noteworthily, the effects of these elements on EMT may vary according to the form, dose, and exposure time; the dual role of heavy metals (e.g., AS, Cd, and Cu) on EMT is also observed, in which, sometimes they can promote while sometimes inhibit the EMT process. Given the vast number of toxicologically relevant metals that exist in nature, we believe a comprehensive understanding of their effects on EMT is required to dictate in what circumstances these metals act more likely as demons or angels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Li Chen
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Epigenetics, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan-Ming Xu
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Epigenetics, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Andy T. Y. Lau
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Epigenetics, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041 People’s Republic of China
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6
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Meyers LM, Krawic C, Luczak MW, Zhitkovich A. Vulnerability of HIF1α and HIF2α to damage by proteotoxic stressors. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2022; 445:116041. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Abstract
Organotypic models of patient-specific tumours are revolutionizing our understanding of cancer heterogeneity and its implications for personalized medicine. These advancements are, in part, attributed to the ability of organoid models to stably preserve genetic, proteomic, morphological and pharmacotypic features of the parent tumour in vitro, while also offering unprecedented genomic and environmental manipulation. Despite recent innovations in organoid protocols, current techniques for cancer organoid culture are inherently uncontrolled and irreproducible, owing to several non-standardized facets including cancer tissue sources and subsequent processing, medium formulations, and animal-derived three-dimensional matrices. Given the potential for cancer organoids to accurately recapitulate the intra- and intertumoral biological heterogeneity associated with patient-specific cancers, eliminating the undesirable technical variability accompanying cancer organoid culture is necessary to establish reproducible platforms that accelerate translatable insights into patient care. Here we describe the current challenges and recent multidisciplinary advancements and opportunities for standardizing next-generation cancer organoid systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bauer L LeSavage
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Riley A Suhar
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas Broguiere
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthias P Lutolf
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sarah C Heilshorn
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Yeh YH, Tsai CC, Chen TW, Lee CH, Chang WJ, Hsieh MY, Li TK. Activation of multiple proteolysis systems contributes to acute cadmium cytotoxicity. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:927-937. [PMID: 35088369 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04298-9] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium exhibits both toxic and carcinogenic effects, and its cytotoxicity is linked to various cellular pathways, such as oxidative stress, ubiquitin-proteasome, and p53-mediated response pathways. The molecular mechanism(s) underlying cadmium cytotoxicity appears to be complex, but remains largely unclear. Here, we examined the effects of cadmium on the protein catabolism using two surrogate markers, DNA topoisomerases I and II alpha and its contribution to cytotoxicity. We have found that cadmium exposure induced time- and concentration-dependent decreases in the protein level of surrogate markers and therefore suggest that cadmium may be involved in proteolysis system activation. A pharmacological study further revealed the novel role(s) of these proteolytic activities and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cadmium-induced acute toxicity: (i) Proteasome inhibition only partially relieved the cadmium-induced proteolysis of topoisomerases; (ii) Moreover, we report for the first time that the activation of metalloproteases, serine proteases, and cysteine proteases contributes to the acute cadmium cytotoxicity; (iii) Consistent with the notion that both ROS generation and proteolysis system activation contribute to the cadmium-induced proteolysis and cytotoxicity, the scavenger N-acetylcysteine and aforementioned protease inhibition not only reduced the cadmium-induced topoisomerase degradation but also alleviated the cadmium-induced cell killing. Taken together, acute cadmium exposure may activate multiple proteolytic systems and ROS formation, subsequently leading to intracellular damage and cytotoxicity. Thus, our results provide a novel insight into potential action mechanism(s) by which cadmium exerts its cytotoxic effect and suggest potential strategies to prevent cadmium-associated acute toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Hsiu Yeh
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chih Tsai
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Tien-Wen Chen
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Hua Lee
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Jer Chang
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yi Hsieh
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Kun Li
- Department and Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Room 709, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan. .,Centers for Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan. .,Center for Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan.
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Polemi KM, Nguyen VK, Heidt J, Kahana A, Jolliet O, Colacino JA. Identifying the link between chemical exposures and breast cancer in African American women via integrated in vitro and exposure biomarker data. Toxicology 2021; 463:152964. [PMID: 34600088 PMCID: PMC8593892 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Among women, breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer worldwide and has the second highest mortality rate of any cancer in the United States. The breast cancer related death rate is 40 % higher in non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women. The incidence of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype of breast cancer for which there is no targeted therapy, is also approximately three times higher for Black, relative to, White women. The drivers of these differences are poorly understood. Here, we aimed to identify chemical exposures which play a role in breast cancer disparities. Using chemical biomonitoring data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and biological activity data from the EPA's ToxCast program, we assessed the toxicological profiles of chemicals to which US Black women are disproportionately exposed. We conducted a literature search to identify breast cancer targets in ToxCast to analyze the response of chemicals with exposure disparities in these assays. Forty-three chemical biomarkers are significantly higher in Black women. Investigation of these chemicals in ToxCast resulted in 32,683 assays for analysis, 5172 of which contained nonzero values for the concentration at which the dose-response fitted model reaches the cutoff considered "active". Of these chemicals BPA, PFOS, and thiram are most comprehensively assayed. 2,5-dichlorophenol, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, and methyl and propyl parabens had higher biomarker concentrations in Black women and moderate testing and activity in ToxCast. The distribution of active concentrations for these chemicals in ToxCast assays are comparable to biomarker concentrations in Black women NHANES participants. Through this integrated analysis, we identify that multiple chemicals, including thiram, propylparaben, and p,p' DDE, have disproportionate exposures in Black women and have breast cancer associated biological activity at human exposure relevant doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn M Polemi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vy K Nguyen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Julien Heidt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Adam Kahana
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Olivier Jolliet
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Justin A Colacino
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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10
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Weinhouse C. The roles of inducible chromatin and transcriptional memory in cellular defense system responses to redox-active pollutants. Free Radic Biol Med 2021; 170:85-108. [PMID: 33789123 PMCID: PMC8382302 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
People are exposed to wide range of redox-active environmental pollutants. Air pollution, heavy metals, pesticides, and endocrine disrupting chemicals can disrupt cellular redox status. Redox-active pollutants in our environment all trigger their own sets of specific cellular responses, but they also activate a common set of general stress responses that buffer the cell against homeostatic insults. These cellular defense system (CDS) pathways include the heat shock response, the oxidative stress response, the hypoxia response, the unfolded protein response, the DNA damage response, and the general stress response mediated by the stress-activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Over the past two decades, the field of environmental epigenetics has investigated epigenetic responses to environmental pollutants, including redox-active pollutants. Studies of these responses highlight the role of chromatin modifications in controlling the transcriptional response to pollutants and the role of transcriptional memory, often referred to as "epigenetic reprogramming", in predisposing previously exposed individuals to more potent transcriptional responses on secondary challenge. My central thesis in this review is that high dose or chronic exposure to redox-active pollutants leads to transcriptional memories at CDS target genes that influence the cell's ability to mount protective responses. To support this thesis, I will: (1) summarize the known chromatin features required for inducible gene activation; (2) review the known forms of transcriptional memory; (3) discuss the roles of inducible chromatin and transcriptional memory in CDS responses that are activated by redox-active environmental pollutants; and (4) propose a conceptual framework for CDS pathway responsiveness as a readout of total cellular exposure to redox-active pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren Weinhouse
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97214, USA.
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11
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Caipa Garcia AL, Arlt VM, Phillips DH. Organoids for toxicology and genetic toxicology: applications with drugs and prospects for environmental carcinogenesis. Mutagenesis 2021; 37:143-154. [PMID: 34147034 PMCID: PMC9071088 DOI: 10.1093/mutage/geab023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture technology have led to the development of more biologically and physiologically relevant models to study organ development, disease, toxicology and drug screening. Organoids have been derived from many mammalian tissues, both normal and tumour, from adult stem cells and from pluripotent stem cells. Tissue organoids can retain many of the cell types and much of the structure and function of the organ of origin. Organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells display increased complexity compared with organoids derived from adult stem cells. It has been shown that organoids express many functional xenobiotic-metabolising enzymes including cytochrome P450s (CYPs). This has benefitted the drug development field in facilitating pre-clinical testing of more personalised treatments and in developing large toxicity and efficacy screens for a range of compounds. In the field of environmental and genetic toxicology, treatment of organoids with various compounds has generated responses that are close to those obtained in primary tissues and in vivo models, demonstrating the biological relevance of these in vitro multicellular 3D systems. Toxicological investigations of compounds in different tissue organoids have produced promising results indicating that organoids will refine future studies on the effects of environmental exposures and carcinogenic risk to humans. With further development and standardised procedures, advancing our understanding on the metabolic capabilities of organoids will help to validate their use to investigate the modes of action of environmental carcinogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela L Caipa Garcia
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Volker M Arlt
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9NH, UK.,Toxicology Department, GAB Consulting GmbH, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David H Phillips
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9NH, UK
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12
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Xu R, Zhou X, Wang S, Trinkle C. Tumor organoid models in precision medicine and investigating cancer-stromal interactions. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 218:107668. [PMID: 32853629 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [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: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumor development and progression require chemical and mechanical cues derived from cellular and non-cellular components in the tumor microenvironment, including the extracellular matrix (ECM), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), endothelial cells, and immune cells. Therefore, it is crucial to develop tissue culture models that can mimic in vivo cancer cell-ECM and cancer-stromal cell interactions. Three-dimensional (3D) tumor culture models have been widely utilized to study cancer development and progression. A recent advance in 3D culture is the development of patient-derived tumor organoid (PDO) models from primary human cancer tissue. PDOs maintain the heterogeneity of the primary tumor, which makes them more relevant for identifying therapeutic targets and verifying drug response. Other significant advances include development of 3D co-culture assays to investigate cell-cell interactions and tissue/organ morphogenesis, and microfluidic technology that can be integrated into 3D culture to mimic vasculature and blood flow. These advances offer spatial and temporal insights into cancer cell-stromal interactions and represent novel techniques to study tumor progression and drug response. Here, we summarize the recent progress in 3D culture and tumor organoid models, and discuss future directions and the potential of utilizing these models to study cancer-stromal interactions and direct personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, USA.
| | - Xiaotao Zhou
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, USA
| | - Shike Wang
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, USA
| | - Christine Trinkle
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
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13
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Manning L, Holmes J, Bonin K, Vidi PA. Radial Profile Analysis of Epithelial Polarity in Breast Acini: A Tool for Primary (Breast) Cancer Prevention. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 6:314. [PMID: 31998733 PMCID: PMC6970192 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00314] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preventing cancer is vastly better than treating the disease in terms of a patient's quality of life and healthcare costs. Yet, to screen for chemopreventative drugs or evaluate interventions aimed at lowering cancer risk, quantitative readouts of risk are needed. In the breast and in other organs of epithelial origin, apical-basal polarity is key to homeostasis and is one of the first tissue characteristics lost during cancer initiation. Therefore, apical-basal polarity may be leveraged as an "architectural" determinant of cancer risk. A classic approach to quantify the localization of epithelial polarity markers is visual scoring at the microscope by trained investigators. This approach is time-intensive and limited to low throughput. To increase the speed, accuracy, and scoring volume, we developed an algorithm that essentially replaces the human eye to objectively quantify epithelial polarity in microscopy images of breast glandular units (acini). Acini in culture are identified based on a nuclear stain and the corresponding masks are divided into concentric terraces of equal width. This positional information is used to calculate radial intensity profiles (RP) of polarity markers. Profiles with a steep slope represent polarized structures, whereas more horizontal curves are indicative of non-polarized acini. To compare treatment effects, RP curves are integrated into summary values of polarity. We envision applications of this method for primary cancer prevention research with acini organoids, specifically (1) to screen for chemoprevention drugs, (2) for toxicological assessment of suspected carcinogens and pharmacological hit compounds, and (3) for personalized evaluation of cancer risk and risk-reducing interventions. The RadialProfiler algorithm developed for the MATLAB computing environment and for users without prior informatics knowledge is publicly available on the Open Science Framework (OSF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawton Manning
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Julia Holmes
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Keith Bonin
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Pierre-Alexandre Vidi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
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14
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Abstract
An estimated 70-90% of all cancers are linked to exposure to environmental risk factors. In parallel, the number of stem cells in a tissue has been shown to be a strong predictor of risk of developing cancer in that tissue. Tumors themselves are characterized by an acquisition of "stem cell" characteristics, and a growing body of evidence points to tumors themselves being sustained and propagated by a stem cell-like population. Here, we review our understanding of the interplay between environmental exposures, stem cell biology, and cancer. We provide an overview of the role of stem cells in development, tissue homeostasis, and wound repair. We discuss the pathways and mechanisms governing stem cell plasticity and regulation of the stem cell state, and describe experimental methods for assessment of stem cells. We then review the current understanding of how environmental exposures impact stem cell function relevant to carcinogenesis and cancer prevention, with a focus on environmental and occupational exposures to chemical, physical, and biological hazards. We also highlight key areas for future research in this area, including defining whether the biological basis for cancer disparities is related to effects of complex exposure mixtures on stem cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasha Thong
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Chanese A Forté
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Evan M Hill
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Justin A Colacino
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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15
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Liu H, Wang Y, Cui K, Guo Y, Zhang X, Qin J. Advances in Hydrogels in Organoids and Organs-on-a-Chip. Adv Mater 2019; 31:e1902042. [PMID: 31282047 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201902042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Significant advances in materials, microscale technology, and stem cell biology have enabled the construction of 3D tissues and organs, which will ultimately lead to more effective diagnostics and therapy. Organoids and organs-on-a-chip (OOC), evolved from developmental biology and bioengineering principles, have emerged as major technological breakthrough and distinct model systems to revolutionize biomedical research and drug discovery by recapitulating the key structural and functional complexity of human organs in vitro. There is growing interest in the development of functional biomaterials, especially hydrogels, for utilization in these promising systems to build more physiologically relevant 3D tissues with defined properties. The remarkable properties of defined hydrogels as proper extracellular matrix that can instruct cellular behaviors are presented. The recent trend where functional hydrogels are integrated into organoids and OOC systems for the construction of 3D tissue models is highlighted. Future opportunities and perspectives in the development of advanced hydrogels toward accelerating organoids and OOC research in biomedical applications are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Liu
- Division of Biotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yaqing Wang
- Division of Biotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kangli Cui
- Division of Biotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yaqiong Guo
- Division of Biotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Jianhua Qin
- Division of Biotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
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Zimta AA, Schitcu V, Gurzau E, Stavaru C, Manda G, Szedlacsek S, Berindan-Neagoe I. Biological and molecular modifications induced by cadmium and arsenic during breast and prostate cancer development. Environ Res 2019; 178:108700. [PMID: 31520827 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Breast and prostate cancer are two of the most common malignancies worldwide. Both cancers can develop into hormone -dependent or -independent subtypes and are associated to environmental exposure in the context of an inherited predisposition. As and Cd have been linked to the onset of both cancers, with the exception of As, which lacks a definitive association with breast carcinogenesis. The two elements exert an opposite effect dependent on acute versus chronic exposure. High doses of As or Cd were shown to induce cell death in acute experimental exposure, while chronic exposure triggers cell proliferation and viability, which is no longer limited by telomere shortening and apoptosis. The chronically exposed cells also increase their invasion capacity and tumorigenic potential. At molecular level, malignant transformation is evidenced mainly by up-regulation of BCL-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, VIM, Snail, Twist, MT, MLH and down-regulation of Casp-3, PTEN, E-CAD, and BAX. The signaling pathways most commonly activated are KRAS, p53, TGF-β, TNF-α, WNT, NRF2 and AKT. This knowledge could potentially raise public awareness over the health risks faced by the human population living or working in a polluted environment and smokers. Human exposure to As and Cd should be minimize as much as possible. Healthcare policies targeting people belonging to these risk categories should include analysis of: DNA damage, oxidative stress, molecular alterations, and systemic level of heavy metals and of essential minerals. In this review, we present the literature regarding cellular and molecular alterations caused by exposure to As or Cd, focusing on the malignant transformation of normal epithelial cells after long-term intoxication with these two carcinogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina-Andreea Zimta
- MEDFUTURE - Research Center for Advanced Medicine, "Iuliu-Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, 400337, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Vlad Schitcu
- The Oncology Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta", Republicii 34-36 Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babes Street, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Eugen Gurzau
- Cluj School of Public Health, College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, 7 Pandurilor Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Environmental Health Center, 58 Busuiocului Street, 400240, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, Cluj- Napoca, Romania
| | - Crina Stavaru
- Cantacuzino National Institute of Research and Development for Microbiology, 103 Splaiul Independentei Street, Bucharest, 050096, Romania
| | - Gina Manda
- "Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology, 99-101 Splaiul Independentei Street, 050096, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Stefan Szedlacsek
- Department of Enzymology, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei Street, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Ioana Berindan-Neagoe
- MEDFUTURE - Research Center for Advanced Medicine, "Iuliu-Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 23 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, 400337, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Marinescu 23 Street, 400337, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Functional Genomics and Experimental Pathology, The Oncology Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta", Republicii 34-36 Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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