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Nolan E, Kang Y, Malanchi I. Mechanisms of Organ-Specific Metastasis of Breast Cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2023; 13:a041326. [PMID: 36987584 PMCID: PMC10626265 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis, or the development of secondary tumors in distant tissues, accounts for the vast majority of fatalities in patients with breast cancer. Breast cancer cells show a striking proclivity to metastasize to distinct organs, specifically the lung, liver, bone, and brain, where they face unique environmental pressures and a wide variety of tissue-resident cells that together create a strong barrier for tumor survival and growth. As a consequence, successful metastatic colonization is critically dependent on reciprocal cross talk between cancer cells and host cells within the target organ, a relationship that shapes the formation of a tumor-supportive microenvironment. Here, we discuss the mechanisms governing organ-specific metastasis in breast cancer, focusing on the intricate interactions between metastatic cells and specific niche cells within a secondary organ, and the remarkable adaptations of both compartments that cooperatively support cancer growth. More broadly, we aim to provide a framework for the microenvironmental prerequisites within each distinct metastatic site for successful breast cancer metastatic seeding and outgrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Nolan
- Tumour Host Interaction laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, NW1 1AT London, United Kingdom
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Yibin Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Princeton Branch, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Ilaria Malanchi
- Tumour Host Interaction laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, NW1 1AT London, United Kingdom
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2
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Lim AR, Ghajar CM. Thorny ground, rocky soil: Tissue-specific mechanisms of tumor dormancy and relapse. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 78:104-23. [PMID: 33979673 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) spread systemically yet distinct patterns of metastasis indicate a range of tissue susceptibility to metastatic colonization. Distinctions between permissive and suppressive tissues are still being elucidated at cellular and molecular levels. Although there is a growing appreciation for the role of the microenvironment in regulating metastatic success, we have a limited understanding of how diverse tissues regulate DTC dormancy, the state of reversible quiescence and subsequent awakening thought to contribute to delayed relapse. Several themes of microenvironmental regulation of dormancy are beginning to emerge, including vascular association, co-option of pre-existing niches, metabolic adaptation, and immune evasion, with tissue-specific nuances. Conversely, DTC awakening is often associated with injury or inflammation-induced activation of the stroma, promoting a proliferative environment with DTCs following suit. We review what is known about tissue-specific regulation of tumor dormancy on a tissue-by-tissue basis, profiling major metastatic organs including the bone, lung, brain, liver, and lymph node. An aerial view of the barriers to metastatic growth may reveal common targets and dependencies to inform the therapeutic prevention of relapse.
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3
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Abstract
The goal of successful cancer treatment is targeting the eradication of cancer cells. Although surgical removal of the primary tumors and several rounds of chemo- and radiotherapy reduce the disease burden, in some cases, asymptomatic dormant cancer cells may still exist in the body. Dormant cells arise from the disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) from the primary lesion. DTCs escape from immune system and cancer therapy and reside at the secondary organ without showing no sign of proliferation. However, under some conditions. dormant cells can be re-activated and enter a proliferative state even after decades. As a stress response mechanism, autophagy may help the adaptation of DTCs at this futile foreign microenvironment and may control the survival and re-activation of dormant cells. Studies indicate that hepatic microenvironment serves a favorable condition for cancer cell dormancy. Although, no direct study was pointing out the role of autophagy in liver-assisted dormancy, involvement of autophagy in both liver microenvironment, health, and disease conditions has been indicated. Therefore, in this review article, we will summarize cancer dormancy and discuss the role and importance of autophagy and hepatic microenvironment in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunus Akkoc
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, 34010, Turkey.
| | - Devrim Gozuacik
- Koç University Research Centre for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, 34010, Turkey.,Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey
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4
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Dujon AM, Capp JP, Brown JS, Pujol P, Gatenby RA, Ujvari B, Alix-Panabières C, Thomas F. Is There One Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3693. [PMID: 34359593 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [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: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary To successfully metastasize, cancer cells must complete a sequence of obligatory steps called the metastatic cascade. To model the metastatic cascade, we used the framework of the Drake equation, initially created to describe the emergence of intelligent life in the Milky way, using a similar logic of a sequence of obligatory steps. Then within this framework, we used simulations on breast cancer to investigate the contribution of each step to the metastatic cascade. We show that the half-life of circulating tumor cells is one of the most important parameters in the cascade, suggesting that therapies reducing the survival of those cells in the vascular system could significantly reduce the risk of metastasis. Abstract The majority of cancer-related deaths are the result of metastases (i.e., dissemination and establishment of tumor cells at distant sites from the origin), which develop through a multi-step process classically termed the metastatic cascade. The respective contributions of each step to the metastatic process are well described but are also currently not completely understood. Is there, for example, a critical phase that disproportionately affects the probability of the development of metastases in individual patients? Here, we address this question using a modified Drake equation, initially formulated by the astrophysicist Frank Drake to estimate the probability of the emergence of intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way. Using simulations based on realistic parameter values obtained from the literature for breast cancer, we examine, under the linear progression hypothesis, the contribution of each component of the metastatic cascade. Simulations demonstrate that the most critical parameter governing the formation of clinical metastases is the survival duration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
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5
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Berthelet J, Wimmer VC, Whitfield HJ, Serrano A, Boudier T, Mangiola S, Merdas M, El-Saafin F, Baloyan D, Wilcox J, Wilcox S, Parslow AC, Papenfuss AT, Yeo B, Ernst M, Pal B, Anderson RL, Davis MJ, Rogers KL, Hollande F, Merino D. The site of breast cancer metastases dictates their clonal composition and reversible transcriptomic profile. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabf4408. [PMID: 34233875 PMCID: PMC8262813 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf4408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Intratumoral heterogeneity is a driver of breast cancer progression, but the nature of the clonal interactive network involved in this process remains unclear. Here, we optimized the use of optical barcoding to visualize and characterize 31 cancer subclones in vivo. By mapping the clonal composition of thousands of metastases in two clinically relevant sites, the lungs and liver, we found that metastases were highly polyclonal in lungs but not in the liver. Furthermore, the transcriptome of the subclones varied according to their metastatic niche. We also identified a reversible niche-driven signature that was conserved in lung and liver metastases collected during patient autopsies. Among this signature, we found that the tumor necrosis factor-α pathway was up-regulated in lung compared to liver metastases, and inhibition of this pathway affected metastasis diversity. These results highlight that the cellular and molecular heterogeneity observed in metastases is largely dictated by the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Berthelet
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Verena C Wimmer
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Holly J Whitfield
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Antonin Serrano
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Thomas Boudier
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Stefano Mangiola
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Michal Merdas
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Farrah El-Saafin
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - David Baloyan
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Jordan Wilcox
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Steven Wilcox
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Adam C Parslow
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Anthony T Papenfuss
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Belinda Yeo
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Matthias Ernst
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Bhupinder Pal
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Robin L Anderson
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Melissa J Davis
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Kelly L Rogers
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Frédéric Hollande
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Delphine Merino
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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6
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Orso F, Quirico L, Dettori D, Coppo R, Virga F, Ferreira LC, Paoletti C, Baruffaldi D, Penna E, Taverna D. Role of miRNAs in tumor and endothelial cell interactions during tumor progression. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 60:214-224. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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7
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Chen W, Hoffmann AD, Liu H, Liu X. Organotropism: new insights into molecular mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis. NPJ Precis Oncol 2018; 2:4. [PMID: 29872722 PMCID: PMC5871901 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-018-0047-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [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: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis accounts for 90% of breast cancer mortality. Despite the significant progress made over the past decade in cancer medicine our understanding of metastasis remains limited, therefore preventing and targeting metastasis is not yet possible. Breast cancer cells preferentially metastasize to specific organs, known as “organotropic metastasis”, which is regulated by subtypes of breast cancer, host organ microenvironment, and cancer cells-organ interactions. The cross-talk between cancer cells and host organs facilitates the formation of the premetastatic niche and is augmented by factors released from cancer cells prior to the cancer cells’ arrival at the host organ. Moreover, host microenvironment and specific organ structure influence metastatic niche formation and interactions between cancer cells and local resident cells, regulating the survival of cancer cells and formation of metastatic lesions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of organotropic metastasis is essential for biomarker-based prediction and prognosis, development of innovative therapeutic strategy, and eventual improvement of patient outcomes. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer organotropic metastasis by focusing on tumor cell molecular alterations, stemness features, and cross-talk with the host environment. In addition, we also update some new progresses on our understanding about genetic and epigenetic alterations, exosomes, microRNAs, circulating tumor cells and immune response in breast cancer organotropic metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Chen
- 1Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Andrew D Hoffmann
- 1Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Huiping Liu
- 1Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA.,2Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA.,3Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Xia Liu
- 1Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA.,3Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA
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8
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Abstract
Most metastasizing tumor cells reach distant sites by entering the circulatory system. Within the bloodstream, they are exposed to severe stress due to loss of adhesion to extracellular matrix, hemodynamic shear forces, and attacks of the immune system, and only a few cells manage to extravasate and to form metastases. We review the current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that allow tumor cells to survive in the intravascular environment and that mediate and promote tumor cell extravasation. As these processes are critical for the metastatic spread of tumor cells, we discuss implications for potential therapeutic approaches and future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Strilic
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Pharmacology, Ludwigstr. 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Offermanns
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department of Pharmacology, Ludwigstr. 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany; J.W. Goethe University Frankfurt, Center for Molecular Medicine, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany.
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9
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Abstract
Seventy percent of cancer patients have detectable metastases when they receive a diagnosis and 90% of cancer deaths result from metastases. These two facts emphasise the urgency for research to study the mechanisms and processes that enable metastasis. We need to develop a greater understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that cause metastasis and also we need to do more. We must also consider the micro- and macro-environmental factors that influence this disease. Studying this environmental context has led us to update the ‘seed and soil’ hypothesis which dates back to the 19th century. This theory describes cancerous cells as seeds and the substrate as the soil in target organs though this may seem antiquated. Nonetheless, the tissue specificity that researchers have recently observed in metastatic colonisation supports the validity of the seed and soil theory. We now know that the metastatic potential of a tumour cell depends on multiple, reciprocal interactions between the primary tumour and distant sites. These interactions determine tumour progression. Studies of metastasis have allowed us to develop treatments that focus on therapeutic effectiveness. These new treatments account for the frequent metastasis of some tumours to target organs such as bones, lungs, brain, and liver. The purpose of this review is first to describe interactions between the cellular and molecular entities and the target organ tumour environment that enables metastasis. A second aim is to describe the complex mechanisms that mediate these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Arvelo
- Life Sciences Centre, Institute for Advanced Studies Foundation [Fundación Instituto de Estudios Avanzado]-IDEA, Apartado 17606, Caracas 1015-A, Venezuela; Tumour Biology Culture and Tissue Laboratory, Experimental Biology Institute, Central University of Venezuela, Apartado Apartado 47114, Caracas 1041-A, Venezuela
| | - Felipe Sojo
- Life Sciences Centre, Institute for Advanced Studies Foundation [Fundación Instituto de Estudios Avanzado]-IDEA, Apartado 17606, Caracas 1015-A, Venezuela
| | - Carlos Cotte
- Tumour Biology Culture and Tissue Laboratory, Experimental Biology Institute, Central University of Venezuela, Apartado Apartado 47114, Caracas 1041-A, Venezuela
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10
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Kimura Y, Inoue A, Hangai S, Saijo S, Negishi H, Nishio J, Yamasaki S, Iwakura Y, Yanai H, Taniguchi T. The innate immune receptor Dectin-2 mediates the phagocytosis of cancer cells by Kupffer cells for the suppression of liver metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:14097-102. [PMID: 27872290 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1617903113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor metastasis is the cause of most cancer deaths. Although metastases can form in multiple end organs, the liver is recognized as a highly permissive organ. Nevertheless, there is evidence for immune cell-mediated mechanisms that function to suppress liver metastasis by certain tumors, although the underlying mechanisms for the suppression of metastasis remain elusive. Here, we show that Dectin-2, a C-type lectin receptor (CLR) family of innate receptors, is critical for the suppression of liver metastasis of cancer cells. We provide evidence that Dectin-2 functions in resident macrophages in the liver, known as Kupffer cells, to mediate the uptake and clearance of cancer cells. Interestingly, Kupffer cells are selectively endowed with Dectin-2-dependent phagocytotic activity, with neither bone marrow-derived macrophages nor alveolar macrophages showing this potential. Concordantly, subcutaneous primary tumor growth and lung metastasis are not affected by the absence of Dectin-2. In addition, macrophage C-type lectin, a CLR known to be complex with Dectin-2, also contributes to the suppression of liver metastasis. Collectively, these results highlight the hitherto poorly understood mechanism of Kupffer cell-mediated control of metastasis that is mediated by the CLR innate receptor family, with implications for the development of anticancer therapy targeting CLRs.
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11
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Okigami M, Tanaka K, Inoue Y, Saigusa S, Okugawa Y, Toiyama Y, Mohri Y, Kusunoki M. Intravital imaging of the effects of 5-fluorouracil on the murine liver microenvironment using 2-photon laser scanning microscopy. Oncol Lett 2016; 11:2433-2439. [PMID: 27073493 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2016.4258] [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: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
5-fluorouracil (5FU) is often used in the treatment of colorectal cancer. 5FU improves the median overall and disease-free survival rates and reduces recurrence rates in patients who have undergone curative surgical resection. However, in the adjuvant setting, whether 5FU eradicates clinically undetectable micrometastases in target organs such as the liver, or whether 5-FU inhibits the adhesion of circulating tumor cells has not yet been established. In the present study, 5FU was administered following the inoculation of red fluorescent protein-expressing HT29 cells into green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic nude mice to examine its inhibitory effect. 2-photon laser scanning microscopy was performed at selected time points for time-series imaging of liver metastasis of GFP-transgenic mice. The cell number in vessels was quantified to evaluate the response of the tumor microenvironment to chemotherapy. HT29 cells were visualized in hepatic sinusoids at the single-cell level. A total of 2 hours after the injection (early stage), time-series imaging revealed that the number of caught tumor cells gradually reduced over time. In the 5FU treatment group, no significant difference was observed in the cell number in the early stage. One week after the injection (late stage), a difference in morphology was observed. The results of the present study indicated that 5FU eradicated clinically undetectable micrometastases in liver tissues by acting as a cytotoxic agent opposed to preventing adhesion. The present study indicated that time-series intravital 2-photon laser scanning microscopic imaging of metastatic tumor xenografts may facilitate the screening and evaluation of novel chemotherapeutic agents with less interindividual variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Okigami
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Koji Tanaka
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Inoue
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Susumu Saigusa
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Yoshinaga Okugawa
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Yuji Toiyama
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Mohri
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Masato Kusunoki
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Surgery, Division of Reparative Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
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12
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Iskit S, Schlicker A, Wessels L, Peeper DS. Fra-1 is a key driver of colon cancer metastasis and a Fra-1 classifier predicts disease-free survival. Oncotarget 2015; 6:43146-61. [PMID: 26646695 PMCID: PMC4791222 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fra-1 (Fos-related antigen-1) is a member of the AP-1 (activator protein-1) family of transcription factors. We previously showed that Fra-1 is necessary for breast cancer cells to metastasize in vivo, and that a classifier comprising genes that are expressed in a Fra-1-dependent fashion can predict breast cancer outcome. Here, we show that Fra-1 plays an important role also in colon cancer progression. Whereas Fra-1 depletion does not affect 2D proliferation of human colon cancer cells, it impairs growth in soft agar and in suspension. Consistently, subcutaneous tumors formed by Fra-1-depleted colon cancer cells are three times smaller than those produced by control cells. Most remarkably, when injected intravenously, Fra-1 depletion causes a 200-fold reduction in tumor burden. Moreover, a Fra-1 classifier generated by comparing RNA profiles of parental and Fra-1-depleted colon cancer cells can predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients. Functional pathway analysis revealed Wnt as one of the central pathways in the classifier, suggesting a possible mechanism of Fra-1 function in colon cancer metastasis. Our results demonstrate that Fra-1 is an important determinant of the metastatic potential of human colon cancer cells, and that the Fra-1 classifier can be used as a prognostic predictor in colon cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sedef Iskit
- Department of Molecular Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Schlicker
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lodewyk Wessels
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel S. Peeper
- Department of Molecular Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Reymond N, Im JH, Garg R, Cox S, Soyer M, Riou P, Colomba A, Muschel RJ, Ridley AJ. RhoC and ROCKs regulate cancer cell interactions with endothelial cells. Mol Oncol 2015; 9:1043-55. [PMID: 25677806 PMCID: PMC4449123 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2015.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
RhoC is a member of the Rho GTPase family that is implicated in cancer progression by stimulating cancer cell invasiveness. Here we report that RhoC regulates the interaction of cancer cells with vascular endothelial cells (ECs), a crucial step in the metastatic process. RhoC depletion by RNAi reduces PC3 prostate cancer cell adhesion to ECs, intercalation between ECs as well as transendothelial migration in vitro. Depletion of the kinases ROCK1 and ROCK2, two known RhoC downstream effectors, similarly decreases cancer interaction with ECs. RhoC also regulates the extension of protrusions made by cancer cells on vascular ECs in vivo. Transient RhoC depletion is sufficient to reduce both early PC3 cell retention in the lungs and experimental metastasis formation in vivo. Our results indicate RhoC plays a central role in cancer cell interaction with vascular ECs, which is a critical event for cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Reymond
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Jae Hong Im
- Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7IJ, England, UK
| | - Ritu Garg
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Susan Cox
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Magali Soyer
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Philippe Riou
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Audrey Colomba
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Ruth J Muschel
- Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7IJ, England, UK
| | - Anne J Ridley
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's, House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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Mendonsa AM, VanSaun MN, Ustione A, Piston DW, Fingleton BM, Gorden DL. Host and tumor derived MMP13 regulate extravasation and establishment of colorectal metastases in the liver. Mol Cancer 2015; 14:49. [PMID: 25880591 PMCID: PMC4351934 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-014-0282-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [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: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases in the United States and worldwide. Our studies have previously shown an increase in metastatic burden in steatotic vs. normal livers using a mouse model of diet induced steatosis. In the present study we aim to identify and evaluate the molecular factors responsible for this increase in tumor burden. METHODS We assessed changes in expression of a panel of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) using qRT-PCR between normal and steatotic livers and validated them with western blot analysis of protein levels. To evaluate the role of MMP13 on tumor development, we utilized a splenic injection model of liver metastasis in Wildtype and Mmp13 deficient mice, using either parental or stable Mmp13 knockdown cell lines. Further, to evaluate changes in the ability of tumor cells to extravasate we utilized whole organ confocal microscopy to identify individual tumor cells relative to the vasculature. MTT, migration and invasion assays were performed to evaluate the role of tumor derived MMP13 on hallmarks of cancer in vitro. RESULTS We found that MMP13 was significantly upregulated in the steatotic liver both in mice as well as human patients with NAFLD. We showed a decrease in metastatic tumor burden in Mmp13-/- mice compared to wildtype mice, explained in part by a reduction in the number of tumor cells extravasating from the hepatic vasculature in the Mmp13-/- mice compared to wildtype mice. Additionally, loss of tumor derived MMP13 through stable knockdown in tumor cell lines lead to decreased migratory and invasive properties in vitro and metastatic burden in vivo. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that stromal as well as tumor derived MMP13 contribute to tumor cell extravasation and establishment of metastases in the liver microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisha M Mendonsa
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, 2220 Pierce Ave S, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - Michael N VanSaun
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, 2220 Pierce Ave S, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA. .,Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, 801 Oxford House, 1313 21st Ave. S, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
| | - Alessandro Ustione
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, 702 Light Hall 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - David W Piston
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, 702 Light Hall 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - Barbara M Fingleton
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, 2220 Pierce Ave S, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - David Lee Gorden
- Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, 2220 Pierce Ave S, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA. .,Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, 801 Oxford House, 1313 21st Ave. S, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
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15
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Ma R, Feng Y, Lin S, Chen J, Lin H, Liang X, Zheng H, Cai X. Mechanisms involved in breast cancer liver metastasis. J Transl Med 2015; 13:64. [PMID: 25885919 PMCID: PMC4440291 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-015-0425-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [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: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver metastasis is a frequent occurrence in patients with breast cancer; however, the available treatments are limited and ineffective. While liver-specific homing of breast cancer cells is an important feature of metastasis, the formation of liver metastases is not random. Indeed, breast cancer cell factors contribute to the liver microenvironment. Major breakthroughs have been achieved recently in understanding breast cancer liver metastasis (BCLM). The process of liver metastasis consists of multiple steps and involves various factors from breast cancer cells and the liver microenvironment. A further understanding of the roles of breast cancer cells and the liver microenvironment is crucial to guide future work in clinical treatments. In this review we discuss the contribution of breast cancer cells and the liver microenvironment to liver metastasis, with the aim to improve therapeutic efficacy for patients with BCLM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Ma
- Department of Surgery, Zhejiang University Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027, China.
| | - Yili Feng
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
| | - Shuang Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
| | - Jiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
| | - Hui Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
| | - Xiao Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
| | - Heming Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
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16
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Meseure D, Drak Alsibai K, Nicolas A. Pivotal role of pervasive neoplastic and stromal cells reprogramming in circulating tumor cells dissemination and metastatic colonization. Cancer Microenviron 2014; 7:95-115. [PMID: 25523234 PMCID: PMC4275542 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-014-0158-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Reciprocal interactions between neoplastic cells and their microenvironment are crucial events in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Pervasive stromal reprogramming and remodeling that transform a normal to a tumorigenic microenvironment modify numerous stromal cells functions, status redox, oxidative stress, pH, ECM stiffness and energy metabolism. These environmental factors allow selection of more aggressive cancer cells that develop important adaptive strategies. Subpopulations of cancer cells acquire new properties associating plasticity, stem-like phenotype, unfolded protein response, metabolic reprogramming and autophagy, production of exosomes, survival to anoikis, invasion, immunosuppression and therapeutic resistance. Moreover, by inducing vascular transdifferentiation of cancer cells and recruiting endothelial cells and pericytes, the tumorigenic microenvironment induces development of tumor-associated vessels that allow invasive cells to gain access to the tumor vessels and to intravasate. Circulating cancer cells can survive in the blood stream by interacting with the intravascular microenvironment, extravasate through the microvasculature and interact with the metastatic microenvironment of target organs. In this review, we will focus on many recent paradigms involved in the field of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Meseure
- Platform of Investigative Pathology and Department of Biopathology, Curie Institute, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, Cedex 05, France,
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17
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Reymond N, Im JH, Garg R, Vega FM, Borda d'Agua B, Riou P, Cox S, Valderrama F, Muschel RJ, Ridley AJ. Cdc42 promotes transendothelial migration of cancer cells through β1 integrin. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 199:653-68. [PMID: 23148235 PMCID: PMC3494849 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201205169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [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] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cdc42 induces β1 integrin expression at the transcriptional level via the transcription factor SRF to promote cancer cell interaction with endothelial cells. Cancer cells interact with endothelial cells during the process of metastatic spreading. Here, we use a small interfering RNA screen targeting Rho GTPases in cancer cells to identify Cdc42 as a critical regulator of cancer cell–endothelial cell interactions and transendothelial migration. We find that Cdc42 regulates β1 integrin expression at the transcriptional level via the transcription factor serum response factor (SRF). β1 integrin is the main target for Cdc42-mediating interaction of cancer cells with endothelial cells and the underlying extracellular matrix, as exogenous β1 integrin expression was sufficient to rescue the Cdc42-silencing phenotype. We show that Cdc42 was required in vivo for cancer cell spreading and protrusion extension along blood vessels and retention in the lungs. Interestingly, transient Cdc42 depletion was sufficient to decrease experimental lung metastases, which suggests that its role in endothelial attachment is important for metastasis. By identifying β1 integrin as a transcriptional target of Cdc42, our results provide new insight into Cdc42 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Reymond
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, England, UK
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18
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Zhao L, Lim SY, Gordon-Weeks AN, Tapmeier TT, Im JH, Cao Y, Beech J, Allen D, Smart S, Muschel RJ. Recruitment of a myeloid cell subset (CD11b/Gr1 mid) via CCL2/CCR2 promotes the development of colorectal cancer liver metastasis. Hepatology 2013; 57:829-39. [PMID: 23081697 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2012] [Accepted: 09/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Liver metastasis from colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality. Myeloid cells play pivotal roles in the metastatic process, but their prometastatic functions in liver metastasis remain incompletely understood. To investigate their role, we simulated liver metastasis in C57BL/6 mice through intrasplenic inoculation of MC38 colon carcinoma cells. Among the heterogeneous myeloid infiltrate, we identified a distinct population of CD11b/Gr1(mid) cells different from other myeloid populations previously associated with liver metastasis. These cells increased in number dramatically during establishment of liver metastases and were recruited from bone marrow by tumor-derived CCL2. Liver metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma cells followed this pattern but this mechanism is not universal as liver colonization by B16F1 melanoma cells did not recruit similar subsets. Inhibition of CCL2 signaling and absence of its cognate receptor CCR2 reduced CD11b/Gr1(mid) recruitment and decreased tumor burden. Depletion of the CD11b/Gr1(mid) subset in a transgenic CD11b-diphtheria toxin receptor mouse model markedly reduced tumor cell proliferation. There was no evidence for involvement of an adaptive immune response in the prometastatic effects of CD11b/Gr1(mid) cells. Additionally, an analogous myeloid subset was found in liver metastases of some colorectal cancer patients. CONCLUSION Collectively, our findings highlight the importance of myeloid cells--in this case a selective CD11b/Gr1(mid) subset--in sustaining development of colorectal cancer liver metastasis and identify a potential target for antimetastatic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhao
- Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, United Kingdom
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Li J, Zucker S, Pulkoski-Gross A, Kuscu C, Karaayvaz M, Ju J, Yao H, Song E, Cao J. Conversion of stationary to invasive tumor initiating cells (TICs): role of hypoxia in membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) trafficking. PLoS One 2012; 7:e38403. [PMID: 22679501 PMCID: PMC3367975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence has implicated the role of tumor initiating cells (TICs) in the process of cancer metastasis. The mechanism underlying the conversion of TICs from stationary to invasive remains to be characterized. In this report, we employed less invasive breast cancer TICs, SK-3rd, that displays CD44high/CD24low with high mammosphere-forming and tumorigenic capacities, to investigate the mechanism by which stationary TICs are converted to invasive TICs. Invasive ability of SK-3rd TICs was markedly enhanced when the cells were cultured under hypoxic conditions. Given the role of membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in cancer invasion/metastasis, we explored a possible involvement of MT1-MMP in hypoxia-induced TIC invasion. Silencing of MT1-MMP by a shRNA approach resulted in diminution of hypoxia-induced cell invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Under hypoxic conditions, MT1-MMP redistributed from cytoplasmic storage pools to the cell surface of TICs, which coincides with the increased cell invasion. In addition, CD44, a cancer stem-like cell marker, inversely correlated with increased cell surface MT1-MMP. Interestingly, cell surface MT1-MMP gradually disappeared when the hypoxia-treated cells were switched to normoxia, suggesting the plasticity of TICs in response to oxygen content. Furthermore, we dissected the pathways leading to upregulated MT1-MMP in cytoplasmic storage pools under normoxic conditions, by demonstrating a cascade involving Twist1-miR10b-HoxD10 leading to enhanced MT1-MMP expression in SK-3rd TICs. These observations suggest that MT1-MMP is a key molecule capable of executing conversion of stationary TICs to invasive TICs under hypoxic conditions and thereby controlling metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Department of Medicine/Cancer Prevention, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Stanley Zucker
- Department of Research, Veterans Affair Medical Center, Northport, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JC); (SZ)
| | - Ashleigh Pulkoski-Gross
- Department of Medicine/Cancer Prevention, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Cem Kuscu
- Department of Medicine/Cancer Prevention, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Mihriban Karaayvaz
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Jingfang Ju
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Herui Yao
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Memorial Hospital of Sun-Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Erwei Song
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Memorial Hospital of Sun-Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Cao
- Department of Medicine/Cancer Prevention, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JC); (SZ)
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