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Mancini F, Di Nicuolo F, Teveroni E, Vergani E, Bianchetti G, Bruno C, Grande G, Iavarone F, Maulucci G, De Spirito M, Urbani A, Pontecorvi A, Milardi D. Combined evaluation of prolactin-induced peptide (PIP) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as new sperm biomarkers of FSH treatment efficacy in normogonadotropic idiopathic infertile men. J Endocrinol Invest 2024; 47:455-468. [PMID: 37480475 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02161-w] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Nearly, 40% of the causes of male infertility remain idiopathic. The only suggested treatment in idiopathic oligo- and/or asthenozoospermia in normogonadotropic patients is the FSH. In the current clinical practice, efficacy is exclusively assessable through semen analysis after 3 months of treatment. No molecular markers of treatment efficacy are appliable in clinical practice. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the combination of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 and prolactin inducible peptide (PIP) as potential markers of idiopathic infertility and FSH treatment efficacy. METHODS Western blot and confocal microscopy were performed to analyze the modulation of PIP and ERK1/2 in idiopathic infertile patients (IIP) sperm cells. Taking advantage of mass spectrometry analysis, we identified these proteins unequivocally in sperm cells. RESULTS We demonstrated a significant decrease of both PIP protein and of ERK1/2 levels in spermatozoa obtained from IIP in comparison to healthy fertile patients (HFP). Conversely, we reported a significant increase of these markers comparing infertile patients before and after 3 months of FSH treatment. Importantly, this correlated with an increase in total number of sperm and sperm motility after FSH treatment. Finally, we identified of PIP and ERK2 proteins in sperm samples by proteomic analysis. CONCLUSIONS The combined evaluation of ERK1/2 and PIP proteins might represent a useful molecular marker to tailor FSH treatment in the management of male normogonadotropic idiopathic infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Mancini
- International Scientific Institute Paul VI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - F Di Nicuolo
- International Scientific Institute Paul VI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - E Teveroni
- International Scientific Institute Paul VI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - E Vergani
- Division of Endocrinology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - G Bianchetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Biophysics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - C Bruno
- Division of Endocrinology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - G Grande
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - F Iavarone
- Department of Laboratory and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - G Maulucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Biophysics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - M De Spirito
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Biophysics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - A Urbani
- Department of Laboratory and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - A Pontecorvi
- International Scientific Institute Paul VI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Division of Endocrinology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - D Milardi
- International Scientific Institute Paul VI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Division of Endocrinology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Dei Cas M, Ciniselli CM, Vergani E, Ciusani E, Aloisi M, Duroni V, Verderio P, Ghidoni R, Paroni R, Perego P, Beretta GL, Gatti L, Rodolfo M. Alterations in Plasma Lipid Profiles Associated with Melanoma and Therapy Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1558. [PMID: 38338838 PMCID: PMC10855791 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031558] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctions of lipid metabolism are associated with tumor progression and treatment resistance of cutaneous melanoma. BRAF/MEK inhibitor resistance is linked to alterations of melanoma lipid pathways. We evaluated whether a specific lipid pattern characterizes plasma from melanoma patients and their response to therapy. Plasma samples from patients and controls were analyzed for FASN and DHCR24 levels and lipidomic profiles. FASN and DHCR24 expression resulted in association with disease condition and related to plasma cholesterol and triglycerides in patients at different disease stages (n = 144) as compared to controls (n = 115). Untargeted lipidomics in plasma (n = 40) from advanced disease patients and controls revealed altered levels of different lipids, including fatty acid derivatives and sphingolipids. Targeted lipidomics identified higher levels of dihydroceramides, ceramides, sphingomyelins, ganglioside GM3, sphingosine, sphingosine-1-phosphate, and dihydrosphingosine, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. When melanoma patients were stratified based on a long/short-term clinical response to kinase inhibitors, differences in plasma levels were shown for saturated fatty acids (FA 16:0, FA18:0) and oleic acid (FA18:1). Our results associated altered levels of selected lipid species in plasma of melanoma patients with a more favorable prognosis. Although obtained in a small cohort, these results pave the way to lipidomic profiling for melanoma patient stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Dei Cas
- Clinical Biochemistry and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Health Sciences Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (M.D.C.); (R.G.); (R.P.)
| | - Chiara Maura Ciniselli
- Unit of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (C.M.C.); (V.D.); (P.V.)
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Translational Immunology, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.A.); (M.R.)
| | - Emilio Ciusani
- Department of Diagnostic and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Mariachiara Aloisi
- Unit of Translational Immunology, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.A.); (M.R.)
| | - Valeria Duroni
- Unit of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (C.M.C.); (V.D.); (P.V.)
| | - Paolo Verderio
- Unit of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (C.M.C.); (V.D.); (P.V.)
| | - Riccardo Ghidoni
- Clinical Biochemistry and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Health Sciences Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (M.D.C.); (R.G.); (R.P.)
| | - Rita Paroni
- Clinical Biochemistry and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Health Sciences Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (M.D.C.); (R.G.); (R.P.)
| | - Paola Perego
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Luca Beretta
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Laura Gatti
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and UCV, Neurology IX Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Translational Immunology, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.A.); (M.R.)
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Vallacchi V, Vergani E, Cossa M, Gargiuli C, Busico A, Devecchi A, Dugo M, Bergamaschi L, De Cecco L, Cavalieri S, Valeri B, Tamborini E, Gallino G, Del Vecchio M, Santinami M, Sensi M, Rivoltini L, Di Guardo L, Rodolfo M. Multistep tumor genetic evolution and changes in immunogenicity trigger immune-mediated disease eradication in stage IV melanoma: lessons from a single case. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007612. [PMID: 38177075 PMCID: PMC10773440 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007612] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Durable remissions are observed in 10%-20% of treated patients with advanced metastatic melanoma but the factors associated with long-term complete clinical responses are largely unknown. Here, we report the molecular characteristics of tumor evolution during disease progression along a 9-year clinical course in a patient with advanced disseminated melanoma who received different treatments, including trametinib, ipilimumab, radiation, vemurafenib, surgical tumor debulking and a second ipilimumab course, ultimately achieving complete long-term disease remission.Longitudinal analyses of therapies-resistant metastatic tumors revealed the effects of different treatments on tumor's microenvironment and immunogenicity, ultimately creating a milieu favorable to immunotherapy response. Monitoring of the temporal dynamics of T cells by analysis of the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in the tumor and peripheral blood during disease evolution indicated that T-cell clones with common TCR rearrangements, present at low levels at baseline, were maintained and expanded after immunotherapy, and that TCR diversity increased. Analysis of genetic, molecular, and cellular components of the tumor depicted a multistep process in which treatment with kinase inhibitors strongly conditioned the immune microenvironment creating an inflamed milieu converting cold into hot tumors, while ipilimumab impacted and increased the TCR repertoire, a requirement for tumor rejection.Since the optimal sequencing of treatment with antibodies targeting immune checkpoints and kinase inhibitors for advanced melanoma is still clinically debated, this case indicates that immunotherapy success is possible even after progression on targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Vallacchi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Unit of Translational Immunology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Unit of Translational Immunology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Cossa
- Pathology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Gargiuli
- Applied Research and Technology Development Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Adele Busico
- Department of Diagnostic Innovation, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Devecchi
- Department of Diagnostic Innovation, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Bergamaschi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Unit of Translational Immunology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Cavalieri
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Valeri
- Pathology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Tamborini
- Department of Diagnostic Innovation, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Michele Del Vecchio
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Santinami
- Melanoma Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Marialuisa Sensi
- Applied Research and Technology Development Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Unit of Translational Immunology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenza Di Guardo
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Unit of Translational Immunology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Guzzetti C, Corno C, Vergani E, Mirra L, Ciusani E, Rodolfo M, Perego P, Beretta GL. Kisspeptin-mediated improvement of sensitivity to BRAF inhibitors in vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1182853. [PMID: 37790750 PMCID: PMC10544897 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1182853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic dissemination is still one of the major causes of death of melanoma's patients. KiSS1 is a metastasis suppressor originally identified in melanoma cells, known to play an important physiological role in mammals' development and puberty. It has been previously shown that expression of KiSS1 could be increased in lung cancer cells using epigenetic agents, and that KiSS1 could have a pro-apoptotic action in combination with cisplatin. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine in human melanoma vemurafenib sensitive- and -resistant BRAF mutant cells characterized by different mutational profiles and KiSS1, KiSS1 receptor and KiSS1 drug-induced release, if peptides derived from KiSS1 cleavage, i.e., kisspeptin 54, could increase the sensitivity to vemurafenib of human melanoma, using cellular, molecular and biochemical approaches. We found that kisspeptin 54 increases vemurafenib pro-apoptotic activity in a statistically significant manner, also in drug resistant cellular models. The efficacy of the combination appears to reflect the intrinsic susceptibility of each cell line to PLX4032-induced apoptosis, together with the different mutational profile as well as perturbation of proteins regulating the apoptotic pathway, The results presented here highlight the possibility to exploit KiSS1 to modulate the apoptotic response to therapeutically relevant agents, suggesting a multitasking function of this metastasis suppressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Guzzetti
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Corno
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Mirra
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Emilio Ciusani
- Laboratory of Clinical Pathology and Medical Genetics, Istituto Neurologico Fondazione C. Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Perego
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni L. Beretta
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milan, Milan, Italy
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Mancini A, Capobianco E, Bruno C, Vergani E, Nicolazzi M, Favuzzi AMR, Panocchia N, Meucci E, Mordente A, Silvestrini A. Non-thyroidal illness syndrome in chronic diseases: role of irisin as modulator of antioxidants. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2023; 27:1582-1591. [PMID: 36876705 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202302_31401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Non-thyroidal-illness syndrome (NTIS) refers to condition found in chronic diseases that is an adaptive mechanism. However, oxidative stress is related to NTIS in a vicious circle, due to deiodinases alteration and negative effects of low T3 on antioxidant levels or activity. Muscle is one of the main targets of thyroid hormones and it can secrete a myokine named irisin, which is able to induce the browning of white adipose tissue, energy expenditure and protect against insulin resistance. Inconclusive data have been reported about irisin role in chronic diseases. Moreover, no correlation with antioxidants has been investigated. Therefore, we performed a case-control study with the primary endpoint to evaluate irisin levels in two models of NTIS, such as chronic heart failure (CHF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) during haemodialytic treatment. The secondary endpoint was the correlation with total antioxidant capacity (TAC) to establish a possible role of irisin in the modulation of antioxidant systems. PATIENTS AND METHODS Three groups of subjects were enrolled. Group A included CHF patients (n=18; aged 70.22 ± 2.78 ys; BMI ± 27.75 ± 1.28 kg/m2); Group B included CKD patients (n=29; aged 67.03 ± 2.64; BMI 24.53 ± 1.01); finally, 11 normal subjects (Group C) have been enrolled as controls. Irisin has been evaluated by ELISA method and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) by spectrophotometric method. RESULTS Irisin was significantly higher in Group B vs. A and C groups (Mean ± SEM: 20.18 ± 0.61 ng/ml vs. 2.77 ± 0.77 and 13.06 ± 0.56, respectively; p<0.05); a significant correlation between irisin and TAC was observed in group B. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data suggest a possible role of irisin in the modulation of antioxidants in two chronic syndromes with low T3 (i.e., CHF and CKD) with differential pattern in these two models studied. Further insights are needed to confirm this pilot study, which could be the basis for a longitudinal investigation, to assess a prognostic role of irisin with possible therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mancini
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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Rodolfo M, Huber V, Cossa M, Gallino G, Leone BE, Vallacchi V, Rivoltini L, Vergani E. 3D tumor explant as a novel platform to investigate therapeutic pathways and predictive biomarkers in cancer patients. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1068091. [PMID: 36591316 PMCID: PMC9794575 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1068091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors can induce durable clinical responses in different human malignancies but the number of responding patients remains globally modest. The limited therapeutic efficacy of ICI depends on multiple factors, among which the immune suppressive features of the tumor microenvironment play a key role. For this reason, experimental models that enable dissection of the immune-hostile tumor milieu components are required to unravel how to overcome resistance and obtain full-fledged anti-tumor immunity. Recent evidence supports the usefulness of 3D ex vivo systems in retaining features of tumor microenvironment to elucidate molecular and immunologic mechanisms of response and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. In this perspective article we discuss the recent advances in patient-derived 3D tumor models and their potential in support of treatment decision making in clinical setting. We will also share our experience with dynamic bioreactor tumor explant culture of samples from melanoma and sarcoma patients as a reliable and promising platform to unravel immune responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Rodolfo
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Translational Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy,*Correspondence: Monica Rodolfo,
| | - Veronica Huber
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Translational Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Cossa
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianfrancesco Gallino
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Biagio E. Leone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Translational Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Translational Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Translational Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Vergani E, Bruno C, Gavotti C, Oliva A, Currò D, Mancini A. Increased levels of plasma neudesin in adult growth hormone deficiency and their relationship with plasma liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide-2 levels: a cross-sectional study. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 46:1187-1195. [PMID: 36495439 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-022-01974-5] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Adult growth hormone deficiency (aGHD) is characterized by an altered metabolic profile and increased cardiovascular risk. Neudesin is a newly discovered protein mainly secreted from adipose tissue and brain, under evaluation for its possible activity as a negative regulator of energy expenditure. Liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide (LEAP)-2 is a competitive antagonist of ghrelin on its receptor. An observational cross-sectional study was performed to test the hypothesis that plasma neudesin levels may be modified in aGHD. Given the role played in the energy balance, any possible relationships between neudesin, LEAP-2 and metabolic and anthropometric parameters were evaluated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty-eight patients were included: 18 aGHD patients (7 females and 11 males, aged 59.7 ± 2.6 years, BMI 30.2 ± 2.2 kg/m2); 20 healthy controls (12 females and 8 males, aged 47.1 ± 2.5 years, BMI 24.1 ± 0.9 kg/m2). All patients were evaluated for glucose, insulin, HOMA and QUICKI index, total/LDL/HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, and IGF-1. Plasma neudesin, LEAP-2, and ghrelin were measured by ELISA. Fat mass was evaluated by DEXA. RESULTS Neudesin levels were significantly higher in aGHD versus controls. We confirmed the finding of significantly lower ghrelin levels and significantly higher LEAP-2/ghrelin ratio in aGHD patients and found a significant direct correlation between neudesin and LEAP-2 levels. A significant direct correlation between neudesin and fat mass percentage was found in the whole population. CONCLUSION These results suggest the onset of adaptive responses to an altered metabolic picture in aGHD. The changes in two distinct pathways that modulate food intake and the still limited knowledge about neudesin suggest future developments in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Vergani
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - C Bruno
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - C Gavotti
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - A Oliva
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - D Currò
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza e Bioetica, Sezione di Farmacologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - A Mancini
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
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Mazza S, Accattatis F, Bordonaro F, Granata A, Bianchi L, Francomano F, Carleo A, Vergani E, Rodolfo M, Bellosta S, Corsini A, Arnaboldi L. Pharmacological modulation of lipid metabolism in a human cell line alters protein content and signalling of secreted extracellular vesicles. Atherosclerosis 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2022.06.458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Vergani E, Beretta GL, Aloisi M, Costantino M, Corno C, Frigerio S, Tinelli S, Dugo M, Accattatis FM, Granata A, Arnaboldi L, Rodolfo M, Perego P, Gatti L. Targeting of the Lipid Metabolism Impairs Resistance to BRAF Kinase Inhibitor in Melanoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:927118. [PMID: 35912092 PMCID: PMC9326082 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.927118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance limits the achievement of persistent cures for the treatment of melanoma, in spite of the efficacy of the available drugs. The aim of the present study was to explore the involvement of lipid metabolism in melanoma resistance and assess the effects of its targeting in cellular models of melanoma with acquired resistance to the BRAF-inhibitor PLX4032/Vemurafenib. Since transcriptional profiles pointed to decreased cholesterol and fatty acids synthesis in resistant cells as compared to their parental counterparts, we examined lipid composition profiles of resistant cells, studied cell growth dependence on extracellular lipids, assessed the modulation of enzymes controlling the main nodes in lipid biosynthesis, and evaluated the effects of targeting Acetyl-CoA Acetyltransferase 2 (ACAT2), the first enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway, and Acyl-CoA Cholesterol Acyl Transferase (ACAT/SOAT), which catalyzes the intracellular esterification of cholesterol and the formation of cholesteryl esters. We found a different lipid composition in the resistant cells, which displayed reduced saturated fatty acids (SFA), increased monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA), and reduced cholesteryl esters (CE) and triglycerides (TG), along with modulated expression of enzymes regulating biosynthetic nodes of the lipid metabolism. The effect of tackling lipid metabolism pathways in resistant cells was evidenced by lipid starvation, which reduced cell growth, increased sensitivity to the BRAF-inhibitor PLX4032, and induced the expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism. Molecular targeting of ACAT2 or pharmacological inhibition of SOAT by avasimibe showed antiproliferative effects in melanoma cell lines and a synergistic drug interaction with PLX4032, an effect associated to increased ferroptosis. Overall, our findings reveal that lipid metabolism affects melanoma sensitivity to BRAF inhibitors and that extracellular lipid availability may influence tumor cell response to treatment, a relevant finding in the frame of personalized therapy. In addition, our results indicate new candidate targets for drug combination treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni L. Beretta
- Unit of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Aloisi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Costantino
- Unit of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Corno
- Unit of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Frigerio
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stella Tinelli
- Unit of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Felice Maria Accattatis
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Agnese Granata
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences DISFeB, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Arnaboldi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences DISFeB, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Monica Rodolfo,
| | - Paola Perego
- Unit of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Gatti
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Huber V, Vallacchi V, Daveri E, Vergani E. 3D models for melanoma γδ T cell-based immunotherapy. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e926. [PMID: 35696610 PMCID: PMC9191865 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Huber
- Department of ResearchUnit of Immunotherapy of Human TumorsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Department of ResearchUnit of Immunotherapy of Human TumorsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
| | - Elena Daveri
- Department of ResearchUnit of Immunotherapy of Human TumorsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of ResearchUnit of Immunotherapy of Human TumorsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei TumoriMilanItaly
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11
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Vergani E, Busico A, Dugo M, Devecchi A, Valeri B, Cossa M, Di Guardo L, De Cecco L, Feltrin E, Valle G, Deho P, Frigerio S, Lalli L, Gallino G, Del Vecchio M, Santinami M, Pruneri G, Tamborini E, Rivoltini L, Sensi M, Vallacchi V, Rodolfo M. Genetic layout of melanoma lesions associates to BRAF/MEK-targeted therapy resistance and to transcriptional profiles. J Invest Dermatol 2022; 142:3030-3040.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2022.04.027] [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: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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12
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Vergani E, Frigerio S, Dugo M, Devecchi A, Feltrin E, De Cecco L, Vallacchi V, Cossa M, Di Guardo L, Manoukian S, Peissel B, Ferrari A, Gallino G, Maurichi A, Rivoltini L, Sensi M, Rodolfo M. Genetic Variants and Somatic Alterations Associated with MITF-E318K Germline Mutation in Melanoma Patients. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1440. [PMID: 34573422 PMCID: PMC8469310 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The MITF-E318K variant has been implicated in genetic predisposition to cutaneous melanoma. We addressed the occurrence of MITF-E318K and its association with germline status of CDKN2A and MC1R genes in a hospital-based series of 248 melanoma patients including cohorts of multiple, familial, pediatric, sporadic and melanoma associated with other tumors. Seven MITF-E318K carriers were identified, spanning every group except the pediatric patients. Three carriers showed mutated CDKN2A, five displayed MC1R variants, while the sporadic carrier revealed no variants. Germline/tumor whole exome sequencing for this carrier revealed germline variants of unknown significance in ATM and FANCI genes and, in four BRAF-V600E metastases, somatic loss of the MITF wild-type allele, amplification of MITF-E318K and deletion of a 9p21.3 chromosomal region including CDKN2A and MTAP. In silico analysis of tumors from MITF-E318K melanoma carriers in the TCGA Pan-Cancer-Atlas dataset confirmed the association with BRAF mutation and 9p21.3 deletion revealing a common genetic pattern. MTAP was the gene deleted at homozygous level in the highest number of patients. These results support the utility of both germline and tumor genome analysis to define tumor groups providing enhanced information for clinical strategies and highlight the importance of melanoma prevention programs for MITF-E318K patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.); (V.V.); (L.R.)
| | - Simona Frigerio
- Unit of Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.); (V.V.); (L.R.)
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.D.); (A.D.); (L.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Andrea Devecchi
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.D.); (A.D.); (L.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Erika Feltrin
- CRIBI Biotechnology Center, Via Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy;
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.D.); (A.D.); (L.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.); (V.V.); (L.R.)
| | - Mara Cossa
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Lorenza Di Guardo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Siranoush Manoukian
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (B.P.)
| | - Bernard Peissel
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (B.P.)
| | - Andrea Ferrari
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Gianfrancesco Gallino
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.G.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrea Maurichi
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.G.); (A.M.)
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.); (V.V.); (L.R.)
| | - Marialuisa Sensi
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.D.); (A.D.); (L.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.); (V.V.); (L.R.)
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13
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Vergani E, Daveri E, Vallacchi V, Bergamaschi L, Lalli L, Castelli C, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L, Huber V. Extracellular vesicles in anti-tumor immunity. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 86:64-79. [PMID: 34509614 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [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: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
To what extent extracellular vesicles (EVs) can impact anti-tumor immune responses has only started to get unraveled. Their nanometer dimensions, their growing number of subtypes together with the difficulties in defining their origin hamper their investigation. The existence of tumor cell lines facilitated advance in cancer EV understanding, while capturing information about phenotypes and functions of immune cell EVs in this context is more complex. The advent of immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors has further deepened the need to dissect the impact of EVs during immune activation and response, not least to contribute unraveling and preventing the generation of resistance occurring in the majority of patients. Here we discuss the factors that influence anddrive the immune response in cancer patients in the context of cancer therapeutics and the roles or possible functions that EVs can have in this scenario. With immune cell-derived EVs as leitmotiv, we will journey from EV discovery and subtypes through physiological and pathological functions, from similarities with tumor EVs to measures to revert detrimental consequences on immune responses to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Daveri
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Bergamaschi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Lalli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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14
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Mancini A, Currò D, Cipolla C, Barini A, Bruno C, Vergani E, Di Segni C, Guidi F, Nicolotti N, Silvestrini A, Meucci E, Valentini P, Rossodivita AN. Evaluation of Kisspeptin levels in prepubertal obese and overweight children: sexual dimorphism and modulation of antioxidant levels. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2021; 25:941-949. [PMID: 33577049 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202101_24663] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Kisspeptin, neuropeptide involved in puberty beginning and regulation of pituitary-gonadal axis, has been shown to stimulate antioxidant defenses in murine models. Its levels are greater in females than males and also in obese prepubertal girls. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate sex-related differences in prepubertal obese patients and the relationships of Kisspeptin with metabolic/hormonal parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied Kisspeptin concentrations in 54 children (22 males and 32 females, Tanner stage 1), 5-12 ys, classified according to Cole's criteria into 17 overweight and 37 obese; 25 normal-weight children, aged 6-12 years, were studied as controls. We evaluated metabolic (glucose and insulin levels after oral glucose load, total- LDL- HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid) and hormonal (fT3, fT4, TSH, IGF-1, leptin) parameters. Moreover, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was evaluated by spectrophotometric method, using the system H202-metmyoglobin-ABTS. Kisspeptin levels were measured by RIA. RESULTS We did not find significant differences between obese and normal-weight children, but obese males presented significantly lower levels than females. Kisspeptin did not correlate with BMI, HOMA-IR, Insulin peak levels and TAC; a significant correlation was found between Kisspeptin and fT3 (r2=0.25; p=0.003) in the obese group; leptin levels, significantly greater in obese vs. overweight and control children, significantly correlated with TAC (r2=0.39; p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that both hormones could modulate antioxidants, Kisspeptin indirectly via influence on thyroid hormones, and Leptin by a direct effect. This mechanism seems to be sex-related, not attributable to peripheral steroid levels. Further studies can clarify the complex interrelationship between central and peripheral Kisspeptin secretion and oxidative stress in children obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mancini
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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15
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Stamatakos S, Beretta GL, Vergani E, Dugo M, Corno C, Corna E, Tinelli S, Frigerio S, Ciusani E, Rodolfo M, Perego P, Gatti L. Deregulated FASN Expression in BRAF Inhibitor-Resistant Melanoma Cells Unveils New Targets for Drug Combinations. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092284. [PMID: 34068792 PMCID: PMC8126202 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic changes promoting cell survival are involved in metastatic melanoma progression and in the development of drug resistance. In BRAF-inhibitor resistant melanoma cells, we explored the role of FASN, an enzyme involved in lipogenesis overexpressed in metastatic melanoma. Resistant melanoma cells displaying enhanced migratory and pro-invasive abilities increased sensitivity to the BRAF inhibitor PLX4032 upon the molecular targeting of FASN and upon treatment with the FASN inhibitor orlistat. This behavior was associated with a marked apoptosis and caspase 3/7 activation observed for the drug combination. The expression of FASN was found to be inversely associated with drug resistance in BRAF-mutant cell lines, both in a set of six resistant/sensitive matched lines and in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. A favorable drug interaction in resistant cells was also observed with U18666 A inhibiting DHCR24, which increased upon FASN targeting. The simultaneous combination of the two inhibitors showed a synergistic interaction with PLX4032 in resistant cells. In conclusion, FASN plays a role in BRAF-mutated melanoma progression, thereby creating novel therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Stamatakos
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Giovanni Luca Beretta
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.)
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Cristina Corno
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Corna
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Stella Tinelli
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Simona Frigerio
- Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.)
| | - Emilio Ciusani
- Department of Diagnostic and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.V.); (S.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Paola Perego
- Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.S.); (G.L.B.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (E.C.); (S.T.); (P.P.)
| | - Laura Gatti
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy;
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16
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Fochi S, Orlandi E, Ceccuzzi L, Rodolfo M, Vergani E, Turco A, Romanelli MG, Gomez-Lira M. Identification of suitable mRNAs and microRNAs as reference genes for expression analyses in skin cells under sex hormone exposure. Gene 2020; 769:145336. [PMID: 33301797 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.145336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative RT-PCR is the most accurate technique for the study of gene expression profiles, however, to ensure the accuracy of qPCR results, suitable reference genes are necessary for data normalization. Hormones influence the development and function of skin cells, regulating the expression of genes and miRNAs. Nevertheless, the stability of reference genes after sex hormone treatment has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we evaluated the expression of a set of candidate mRNAs and microRNsA (miRNA) as reference genes in keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), primary human fibroblasts and a melanoma cell line (LM-36 cells) under testosterone or 17β-estradiol treatment. Two algorithms, namely geNorm, Best-Keeper, and the comparative ΔCt method were used to evaluate the expression stability of the candidate reference genes. The comprehensive ranking showed that TBP and miR-191-5p are the most stable expressed genes across all cultured cells under hormone treatment. Furthermore, we observed that GAPDH, HPRT1 and U6 snRNA expression may be altered by hormone exposure, thus, these genes are not recommended as reference genes. In conclusion, the present study provides, to the best of our knowledge, the first evaluation of expressed mRNA(s) and miRNA(s) as reference genes in three different types of skin cells under the stimulation of sex hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fochi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Italy.
| | - E Orlandi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Italy.
| | - L Ceccuzzi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Italy.
| | - M Rodolfo
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit and Unit of Immunotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - E Vergani
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit and Unit of Immunotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - A Turco
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Italy.
| | - M G Romanelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Italy.
| | - M Gomez-Lira
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Italy.
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17
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Arnaboldi L, Accattatis F, Granata A, Mazza S, Romano M, Vergani E, Ridolfi A, Bergese P, Corsini A. Separation and characterization of different populations of extracellular vesicles secreted by a human lymph-node metastatic cell line. Atherosclerosis 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.10.492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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18
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Vergani E, Dugo M, Cossa M, Frigerio S, Di Guardo L, Gallino G, Mattavelli I, Vergani B, Lalli L, Tamborini E, Valeri B, Gargiuli C, Shahaj E, Ferrarini M, Ferrero E, Gomez Lira M, Huber V, Vecchio MD, Sensi M, Leone BE, Santinami M, Rivoltini L, Rodolfo M, Vallacchi V. miR-146a-5p impairs melanoma resistance to kinase inhibitors by targeting COX2 and regulating NFkB-mediated inflammatory mediators. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:156. [PMID: 32967672 PMCID: PMC7510138 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-00601-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Targeted therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors has improved the survival of patients with BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma, but most patients relapse upon the onset of drug resistance induced by mechanisms including genetic and epigenetic events. Among the epigenetic alterations, microRNA perturbation is associated with the development of kinase inhibitor resistance. Here, we identified and studied the role of miR-146a-5p dysregulation in melanoma drug resistance. Methods The miR-146a-5p-regulated NFkB signaling network was identified in drug-resistant cell lines and melanoma tumor samples by expression profiling and knock-in and knock-out studies. A bioinformatic data analysis identified COX2 as a central gene regulated by miR-146a-5p and NFkB. The effects of miR-146a-5p/COX2 manipulation were studied in vitro in cell lines and with 3D cultures of treatment-resistant tumor explants from patients progressing during therapy. Results miR-146a-5p expression was inversely correlated with drug sensitivity and COX2 expression and was reduced in BRAF and MEK inhibitor-resistant melanoma cells and tissues. Forced miR-146a-5p expression reduced COX2 activity and significantly increased drug sensitivity by hampering prosurvival NFkB signaling, leading to reduced proliferation and enhanced apoptosis. Similar effects were obtained by inhibiting COX2 by celecoxib, a clinically approved COX2 inhibitor. Conclusions Deregulation of the miR-146a-5p/COX2 axis occurs in the development of melanoma resistance to targeted drugs in melanoma patients. This finding reveals novel targets for more effective combination treatment. Video Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori AmadeoLab, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Cossa
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Frigerio
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenza Di Guardo
- Unit of Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianfrancesco Gallino
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Mattavelli
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Vergani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Luca Lalli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Tamborini
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Valeri
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Gargiuli
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori AmadeoLab, Milan, Italy
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Ferrarini
- Experimental Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Macarena Gomez Lira
- Biology and Genetics, Department of Neurosciences Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Del Vecchio
- Unit of Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Marialuisa Sensi
- Platform of Integrated Biology, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori AmadeoLab, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Mario Santinami
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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Daveri E, Vergani E, Shahaj E, Bergamaschi L, La Magra S, Dosi M, Castelli C, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L, Vallacchi V, Huber V. microRNAs Shape Myeloid Cell-Mediated Resistance to Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1214. [PMID: 32793185 PMCID: PMC7387687 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors can achieve long-term tumor control in subsets of patients. However, its effect can be blunted by myeloid-induced resistance mechanisms. Myeloid cells are highly plastic and physiologically devoted to wound healing and to immune homeostasis maintenance. In cancer, their physiological activities can be modulated, leading to an expansion of pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive cells, the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), with detrimental consequences. The involvement of MDSCs in tumor development and progression has been widely investigated and MDSC-induced immunosuppression is acknowledged as a mechanism hindering effective immune checkpoint blockade. Small non-coding RNA molecules, the microRNAs (miRs), contribute to myeloid cell regulation at different levels, comprising metabolism and function, as well as their skewing to a MDSC phenotype. miR expression can be indirectly induced by cancer-derived factors or through direct miR import via extracellular vesicles. Due to their structural stability and their presence in body fluids miRs represent promising predictive biomarkers of resistance, as we recently found by investigating plasma samples of melanoma patients undergoing immune checkpoint blockade. Dissection of the miR-driven involved mechanisms would pave the way for the identification of new druggable targets. Here, we discuss the role of these miRs in shaping myeloid resistance to immunotherapy with a special focus on immunosuppression and immune escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Daveri
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Bergamaschi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano La Magra
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Dosi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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20
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Beretta GL, Vergani E, Corno C, Tinelli S, Rodolfo M, Gatti L, Perego P. Abstract 1899: Extracellular lipid starvation modulates the effects of BRAF inhibitors in melanoma. Cancer Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2020-1899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive of all skin cancers, being the leading cause of death for cutaneous malignancy, with elevated metastatic spread and drug resistance. Because the deregulation of components of lipid metabolism may contribute to melanoma cell resistance, the aim of this study was to examine the dependence of melanoma cell growth on extracellular lipids, the associated lipid metabolism gene expression profiles and lipid impact on sensitivity to BRAF inhibitors. We applied preclinical pharmacology approaches including western blot analyses, growth inhibition assays quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in melanoma cell lines including variants with acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. Two matched pairs of sensitive and PLX4032-resistant cell lines (LM16 and LM36) were used. Both pairs carried V600E BRAF gene mutation and BRAF gene amplification, and LM36R displayed mutant NRAS. When compared to the parental sensitive cells, LM16R cells showed increased activation of MAPK-ERK and PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathways, while LM36R cells displayed increased activation of IGF1R and LKB1. Under standard culture conditions, when compared to the parental sensitive cells, both the resistant variants showed reduced expression of DHCR24 (24-Dehydrocholesterol Reductase), and LM16R showed reduced protein level of the lipogenic enzyme FASN (Fatty Acid Synthase) while LM36R cells displayed similar FASN protein levels. When grown in lipid-free medium, LM16 and LM16R cells increased the expression of both FASN and DHCR24 proteins. These changes were particularly evident for DHCR24 in LM16R cells after 48 h of growth in the absence of lipids. Lipid starvation markedly reduced cell growth of LM16-LM16R as well as LM36-LM36R pairs over time, albeit with a lower impact at higher cell density. Growth inhibition assays indicated that all the cells cultured in lipid-free medium were more sensitive to PLX4032 than those cultured in standard medium. An analysis of the expression of lipid metabolism genes by qRT-PCR showed that after 48 hours under lipid-free culture conditions the levels of FASN were slightly increased in LM16 and LM16R cells but not in the LM36 pair. Conversely, the mRNA levels of DHCR24 were enhanced upon lipid starvation only in LM16 and LM16R cell lines. Besides, under these conditions, HMGCR (3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase) mRNA levels increased in LM16, LM16R and LM36R cell lines. ACSS2 (Acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase 2) was increased particularly in the LM16 cells. These findings suggest that lipid starvation redirects lipid pathways toward cholesterol synthesis (acetate-cholesterol) by increasing ACSS2, HMGCR as well as DHCR24 levels. Thus, extracellular lipid availability may influence tumor cell response to treatment, a finding to be considered in the frame of a personalized therapy tailored to the specific characteristics of each patient.
Citation Format: Giovanni L. Beretta, Elisabetta Vergani, Cristina Corno, Stella Tinelli, Monica Rodolfo, Laura Gatti, Paola Perego. Extracellular lipid starvation modulates the effects of BRAF inhibitors in melanoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1899.
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21
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Belpinati F, Malerba G, Dal Toè M, Ceccuzzi L, Rodolfo M, Poli A, Turco A, Vergani E, Sangalli A, Gomez-Lira M. Enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit polymorphisms in melanoma skin cancer risk. Exp Dermatol 2020; 29:980-986. [PMID: 32748461 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14163] [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: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most deadly skin cancer, and its incidence is growing. EZH2, a member of the Polycomb Group (PcGs) proteins family, plays an important biological role in the occurrence and development of melanoma. EZH2 germline genetic polymorphisms have not been yet evaluated in melanoma predisposition. Three hundred thirty sporadic Italian melanoma patients and 333 healthy volunteers were genotyped to analyse the association between EZH2 variants rs6950683, rs2302427, rs3757441, rs2072408 and melanoma risk. The functionality of rs6950683 alleles was investigated in keratinocytes (HaCat), melanoma cells (A375) and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293), using promoter-reporter assays. Genotype distribution of SNPs showed that rs6950683T and rs3757441C alleles were positively associated with melanoma risk (P = .003 and .004, respectively). Haplotype analysis revealed that TCCA and CCCG haplotypes were associated with a higher risk of melanoma (P = .02 and .04, respectively). Functional assays demonstrated that allele rs6950683T reduce promoter activity in the three cell lines analysed compared to C allele. rs6950683T and rs3757441C alleles in the EZH2 gene appear positively associated with melanoma risk in the analysed population. In addition, we demonstrated for the first time the functional role of rs6950683 upstream polymorphism on EZH2 gene expression regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Belpinati
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Malerba
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Melissa Dal Toè
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Laura Ceccuzzi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery, Unit of Immunotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Albino Poli
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Section of Hygiene and Preventive, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alberto Turco
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery, Unit of Immunotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Sangalli
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Macarena Gomez-Lira
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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22
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Vergani E, Bruno C, Raimondo S, Macis G, Vecchio FM, Riccardi L, Ponziani FR, Pompili M, Mancini A. Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma and non-classic adreno-genital syndrome. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24:4172-4179. [PMID: 32373953 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202004_20997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common fatal cancer in the world and androgens are among the possible etiological factors. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of inherited diseases caused by enzyme failure in the steroid biosynthesis of the adrenal cortex, resulting in an augmented 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and testosterone production. While the occurrence of testicular adrenal rest tumors and adrenocortical tumors in congenital adrenal hyperplasia is well described in the literature, no data on HCC occurrence are available. CASE PRESENTATION A 35-years-old Italian man of Caucasian origin, affected by non-classic CAH due to partial 21-hydroxylase deficiency came to observation for revaluation of his adrenal picture. Besides common hormonal and biochemical analysis, an abdomen Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed, resulting in an 18 mm large nodular lesion between liver segments VII and VIII. Radiological reports matched with an increased serum α-fetoprotein level. A surgical removal of the lesion was performed. After that, several recurrences of the lesion, which was consequently treated by radiofrequency ablation, occurred. Every recurrence was accompanied by an increase in testosterone and steroid hormone binding globulin serum levels. CONCLUSIONS Our report suggests the need for screening of liver lesions in males affected by this syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Vergani
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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23
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Patel A, Garcia LF, Mannella V, Gammon L, Borg TM, Maffucci T, Scatolini M, Chiorino G, Vergani E, Rodolfo M, Maurichi A, Posch C, Matin RN, Harwood CA, Bergamaschi D. Targeting p63 Upregulation Abrogates Resistance to MAPK Inhibitors in Melanoma. Cancer Res 2020; 80:2676-2688. [PMID: 32291316 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-3230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Targeting the MAPK pathway by combined inhibition of BRAF and MEK has increased overall survival in advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma in both therapeutic and adjuvant clinical settings. However, a significant proportion of tumors develop acquired resistance, leading to treatment failure. We have previously shown p63 to be an important inhibitor of p53-induced apoptosis in melanoma following genotoxic drug exposure. Here, we investigated the role of p63 in acquired resistance to MAPK inhibition and show that p63 isoforms are upregulated in melanoma cell lines chronically exposed to BRAF and MEK inhibition, with consequent increased resistance to apoptosis. This p63 upregulation was the result of its reduced degradation by the E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXW7. FBXW7 was itself regulated by MDM2, and in therapy-resistant melanoma cell lines, nuclear accumulation of MDM2 caused downregulation of FBXW7 and consequent upregulation of p63. Consistent with this, both FBXW7-inactivating mutations and MDM2 upregulation were found in melanoma clinical samples. Treatment of MAPK inhibitor-resistant melanoma cells with MDM2 inhibitor Nutlin-3A restored FBXW7 expression and p63 degradation in a dose-dependent manner and sensitized these cells to apoptosis. Collectively, these data provide a compelling rationale for future investigation of Nutlin-3A as an approach to abrogate acquired resistance of melanoma to MAPK inhibitor targeted therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Upregulation of p63, an unreported mechanism of MAPK inhibitor resistance in melanoma, can be abrogated by treatment with the MDM2 inhibitor Nutlin-3A, which may serve as a strategy to overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Patel
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucia Fraile Garcia
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Viviana Mannella
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Gammon
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tiffanie-Marie Borg
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tania Maffucci
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Scatolini
- Molecular Oncology Lab, Fondazione Edo ed Elvo Tempia, Biella, Italy
| | | | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Immunotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Immunotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Maurichi
- Department of Surgery, Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Christian Posch
- Department of Dermatology, The Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Vienna, Austria.,Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Dermatology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rubeta N Matin
- Department of Dermatology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine A Harwood
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniele Bergamaschi
- Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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24
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Verzoni E, Shahaj E, Frigerio S, Cova A, Squarcina P, Pesce S, Vergani E, Vallacchi V, Lalli L, Pietrantonio F, Di Nicola MA, Procopio G, De Braud FG, Mennitto A, Claps M, Sepe P, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L, Huber V. Selective modulation of immune transcripts in extracellular vesicles from plasma of renal cell carcinoma patients receiving nivolumab. J Clin Oncol 2020. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2020.38.6_suppl.719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
719 Background: Patients (pts) displaying a full-fledged immune response show high levels of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing immune transcripts that might be transferred to neighboring cells to amplify immune responses, as in autoimmunity and transplantation. We hypothesized EV immune transcripts could reflect immune activation in cancer pts receiving immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). These RNA-containing EVs may surrogate immune functionality and represent a plasma transcriptional signature of adaptive immunity that can be readily detected by liquid biopsy. Methods: Blood samples from metastatic renal cell cancer pts,treated with ICI nivolumab (n=8) or tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib (n=9) were collected at baseline, week 4 and 12. EV-RNA was isolated from plasma with membrane affinity spin columns and evaluated for CD274(PD-L1), IFNG, PDCD1 (PD-1), CD3 and GZMB (granzyme B) transcripts by qRT-PCR. Results: All pts showed a statistically significant increase of CD3, IFNG, GZMB, PD-1 and PD-L1 immune transcripts in plasma EVs, evidenced at 4 and 12 weeks of therapy. Treatment subgroup analysis revealed an upregulation of CD3, IFNG, GZMB and PD-1 transcripts only in plasma EVs of patients receiving nivolumab that was more evident in those showing clinical benefit (4/8), while PD-L1 increased significantly during cabozantinib treatment. Upon comparing transcripts with soluble proteins, PD-L1 displayed similar kinetics, while PD-1 increased only as transcript but not as protein, given its potential sequestration by the anti-PD-1 antibody. This effect was detectable only in nivolumab but not in cabozantinib treated pts. Conclusions: Monitoring immune transcripts carried by plasma EVs holds promise as potential tool to assess the entity of the ongoing immune activation during immunotherapy. Plasma EVs may be exploited as indicators of immune response and help to predict clinical efficacy at early on-treatment time points. This approach based on plasma EVs might represent a starting point for the development of a novel strategy to study immune responses in clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Verzoni
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Frigerio
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Agata Cova
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Squarcina
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Samantha Pesce
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Lalli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Pietrantonio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Procopio
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo G. De Braud
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Department of Medical Oncology & Hematology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Mennitto
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Melanie Claps
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Pierangela Sepe
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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25
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Mancini A, Vergani E, Bruno C, Olivieri G, Di Segni C, Silvestrini A, Venuti A, Favuzzi A, Meucci E. Oxidative stress as a possible mechanism underlying multi-hormonal deficiency in chronic heart failure. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 22:3936-3961. [PMID: 29949170 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201806_15279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is associated with multi-hormonal derangement depicting a prevalence of catabolic vs. anabolic axes. Moreover, thyroid adaption is characterized by the reduced conversion of thyroxine to the active hormone triiodothyronine. On the other hand, hormones modulate synthesis and utilization of antioxidant systems. Therefore, hormonal failure can cause unbalance between reactive radical species and the defenses, resulting in oxidative stress (OS). OS is well described in CHF, but the relationship with the hormonal picture is not entirely known. In the present review, we firstly analyze the mechanisms of ROS production in the heart, discussing animal and human studies, and focusing on new discovered protective mechanisms such as sirtuins and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). The second section is dedicated to the role of main anabolic axes influencing antioxidant systems. Finally, we present some data supporting the hypothesis that OS could be the link between hormonal derangement and clinical outcome of CHF.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mancini
- Operative Unit of Endocrinology, A. Gemelli Foundation, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
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26
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Huber V, Vallacchi V, Fleming V, Hu X, Cova A, Dugo M, Shahaj E, Sulsenti R, Vergani E, Filipazzi P, De Laurentiis A, Lalli L, Di Guardo L, Patuzzo R, Vergani B, Casiraghi E, Cossa M, Gualeni A, Bollati V, Arienti F, De Braud F, Mariani L, Villa A, Altevogt P, Umansky V, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L. Tumor-derived microRNAs induce myeloid suppressor cells and predict immunotherapy resistance in melanoma. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:5505-5516. [PMID: 30260323 DOI: 10.1172/jci98060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [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: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The accrual of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represents a major obstacle to effective immunotherapy in cancer patients, but the mechanisms underlying this process in the human setting remain elusive. Here, we describe a set of microRNAs (miR-146a, miR-155, miR-125b, miR-100, let-7e, miR-125a, miR-146b, miR-99b) that are associated with MDSCs and resistance to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma patients. The miRs were identified by transcriptional analyses as being responsible for the conversion of monocytes into MDSCs (CD14+HLA-DRneg cells) mediated by melanoma extracellular vesicles (EVs) and were shown to recreate MDSC features upon transfection. In melanoma patients, these miRs were increased in circulating CD14+ monocytes, plasma, and tumor samples, where they correlated with the myeloid cell infiltrate. In plasma, their baseline levels clustered with the clinical efficacy of CTLA-4 or programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade. Hence, MDSC-related miRs represent an indicator of MDSC activity in cancer patients and a potential blood marker of a poor immunotherapy outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Viktor Fleming
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xiaoying Hu
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Agata Cova
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Sulsenti
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Filipazzi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela De Laurentiis
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Lalli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Patuzzo
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Vergani
- Microscopy and Image Analysis Consortium, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Elena Casiraghi
- Department of Computer Science "Giovanni Degli Antoni," Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Cossa
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ambra Gualeni
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET-Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Luigi Mariani
- Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Unit of Clinical Epidemiology and Trial Organization, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonello Villa
- Microscopy and Image Analysis Consortium, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Peter Altevogt
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Viktor Umansky
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
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27
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Tuccitto A, Shahaj E, Vergani E, Ferro S, Huber V, Rodolfo M, Castelli C, Rivoltini L, Vallacchi V. Immunosuppressive circuits in tumor microenvironment and their influence on cancer treatment efficacy. Virchows Arch 2018; 474:407-420. [PMID: 30374798 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-018-2477-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
It has been for long conceived that hallmarks of cancer were intrinsic genetic features driving tumor development, proliferation, and progression, and that targeting such cell-autonomous pathways could be sufficient to achieve therapeutic cancer control. Clinical ex vivo data demonstrated that treatment efficacy often relied on the contribution of host immune responses, hence introducing the concept of tumor microenvironment (TME), namely the existence, along with tumor cells, of non-tumor components that could significantly influence tumor growth and survival. Among the complex network of TME-driving forces, immunity plays a key role and the balance between antitumor and protumor immune responses is a major driver in contrasting or promoting cancer spreading. TME is usually a very immunosuppressed milieu because of a vast array of local alterations contrasting antitumor adaptive immunity, where metabolic changes contribute to cancer dissemination by impairing T cell infiltration and favoring the accrual and activation of regulatory cells. Subcellular structures known as extracellular vesicles then help spreading immunosuppression at systemic levels by distributing genetic and protein tumor repertoire in distant tissues. A major improvement in the knowledge of TME is now pointing the attention back to tumor cells; indeed, recent findings are showing how oncogenic pathways and specific mutations in tumor cells can actually dictate the nature and the function of immune infiltrate. As our information on the reciprocal interactions regulating TME increases, finding a strategy to interfere with TME crosstalk becomes more complex and challenging. Nevertheless, TME interactions represent a promising field for the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improving treatment efficacy in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Tuccitto
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Ferro
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
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28
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Bonner MY, Karlsson I, Rodolfo M, Arnold RS, Vergani E, Arbiser JL. Honokiol bis-dichloroacetate (Honokiol DCA) demonstrates activity in vemurafenib-resistant melanoma in vivo. Oncotarget 2017; 7:12857-68. [PMID: 26871475 PMCID: PMC4914326 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of human melanomas bears BRAF mutations and thus is treated with inhibitors of BRAF, such as vemurafenib. While patients with BRAF mutations often demonstrate an initial dramatic response to vemurafenib, relapse is extremely common. Thus, novel agents are needed for the treatment of these aggressive melanomas. Honokiol is a small molecule compound derived from Magnolia grandiflora that has activity against solid tumors and hematopoietic neoplasms. In order to increase the lipophilicity of honokiol, we have synthesized honokiol DCA, the dichloroacetate ester of honokiol. In addition, we synthesized a novel fluorinated honokiol analog, bis-trifluoromethyl-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-allylphenyl) methane (hexafluoro). Both compounds exhibited activity against A375 melanoma in vivo, but honokiol DCA was more active. Gene arrays comparing treated with vehicle control tumors demonstrated induction of the respiratory enzyme succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) by treatment, suggesting that our honokiol analogs induce respiration in vivo. We then examined its effect against a pair of melanomas, LM36 and LM36R, in which LM36R differs from LM36 in that LM36R has acquired vemurafenib resistance. Honokiol DCA demonstrated in vivo activity against LM36R (vemurafenib resistant) but not against parental LM36. Honokiol DCA and hexafluoro inhibited the phosphorylation of DRP1, thus stimulating a phenotype suggestive of respiration through mitochondrial normalization. Honokiol DCA may act in vemurafenib resistant melanomas to increase both respiration and reactive oxygen generation, leading to activity against aggressive melanoma in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Y Bonner
- Department of Dermatology, Emory School of Medicine, and Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Isabella Karlsson
- Department of Dermatology, Emory School of Medicine, and Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori via Venezian, Milan, Italy
| | - Rebecca S Arnold
- Department of Urology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori via Venezian, Milan, Italy
| | - Jack L Arbiser
- Department of Dermatology, Emory School of Medicine, and Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
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29
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Vallacchi V, Camisaschi C, Dugo M, Vergani E, Deho P, Gualeni A, Huber V, Gloghini A, Maurichi A, Santinami M, Sensi M, Castelli C, Rivoltini L, Rodolfo M. microRNA Expression in Sentinel Nodes from Progressing Melanoma Patients Identifies Networks Associated with Dysfunctional Immune Response. Genes (Basel) 2016; 7:genes7120124. [PMID: 27983661 PMCID: PMC5192500 DOI: 10.3390/genes7120124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 10/09/2016] [Revised: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is a main staging biomarker in melanoma and is the first lymph node to drain the tumor, thus representing the immunological site where anti-tumor immune dysfunction is established and where potential prognostic immune markers can be identified. Here we analyzed microRNA (miR) profiles in archival tumor-positive SNBs derived from melanoma patients with different outcomes and performed an integrated analysis of transcriptional data to identify deregulated immune signaling networks. Twenty-six miRs were differentially expressed in melanoma-positive SNB samples between patients with disease progression and non-progressing patients, the majority being previously reported in the regulation of immune responses. A significant variation in miR expression levels was confirmed in an independent set of SNB samples. Integrated information from genome-wide transcriptional profiles and in vitro assessment in immune cells led to the identification of miRs associated with the regulation of the TNF receptor superfamily member 8 (TNFRSF8) gene encoding the CD30 receptor, a marker increased in lymphocytes of melanoma patients with progressive disease. These findings indicate that miRs are involved in the regulation of pathways leading to immune dysfunction in the sentinel node and may provide valuable markers for developing prognostic molecular signatures for the identification of stage III melanoma patients at risk of recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Vallacchi
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Chiara Camisaschi
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Paola Deho
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Ambra Gualeni
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Veronica Huber
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Annunziata Gloghini
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Andrea Maurichi
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Department of Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Mario Santinami
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Department of Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Marialuisa Sensi
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan 20133, Italy.
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30
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Camisaschi C, Vallacchi V, Vergani E, Tazzari M, Ferro S, Tuccitto A, Kuchuk O, Shahaj E, Sulsenti R, Castelli C, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L, Huber V. Targeting Immune Regulatory Networks to Counteract Immune Suppression in Cancer. Vaccines (Basel) 2016; 4:vaccines4040038. [PMID: 27827921 PMCID: PMC5192358 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines4040038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [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: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of cancer is unavoidably accompanied by suppression of antitumor immunity. This occurs through mechanisms ranging from the progressive accumulation of regulatory immune cells associated with chronic immune stimulation and inflammation, to the expression of immunosuppressive molecules. Some of them are being successfully exploited as therapeutic targets, with impressive clinical results achieved in patients, as in the case of immune checkpoint inhibitors. To limit immune attack, tumor cells exploit specific pathways to render the tumor microenvironment hostile for antitumor effector cells. Local acidification might, in fact, anergize activated T cells and facilitate the accumulation of immune suppressive cells. Moreover, the release of extracellular vesicles by tumor cells can condition distant immune sites contributing to the onset of systemic immune suppression. Understanding which mechanisms may be prevalent in specific cancers or disease stages, and identifying possible strategies to counterbalance would majorly contribute to improving clinical efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Here, we intend to highlight these mechanisms, how they could be targeted and the tools that might be available in the near future to achieve this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Camisaschi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Marcella Tazzari
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Simona Ferro
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Tuccitto
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Olga Kuchuk
- Mount Sinai Liver Cancer Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Roberta Sulsenti
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Veronica Huber
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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31
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Vergani E, Di Guardo L, Dugo M, Rigoletto S, Tragni G, Ruggeri R, Perrone F, Tamborini E, Gloghini A, Arienti F, Vergani B, Deho P, De Cecco L, Vallacchi V, Frati P, Shahaj E, Villa A, Santinami M, De Braud F, Rivoltini L, Rodolfo M. Overcoming melanoma resistance to vemurafenib by targeting CCL2-induced miR-34a, miR-100 and miR-125b. Oncotarget 2016; 7:4428-41. [PMID: 26684239 PMCID: PMC4826216 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [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: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In melanoma, the adaptative cell response to BRAF inhibitors includes altered patterns of cytokine production contributing to tumor progression and drug resistance. Among the factors produced by PLX4032-resistant melanoma cell lines, CCL2 was higher compared to the sensitive parental cell lines and increased upon drug treatment. CCL2 acted as an autocrine growth factor for melanoma cells, stimulating the proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. In patients, CCL2 is detected in melanoma cells in tumors and in plasma at levels that correlate with tumor burden and lactate dehydrogenase. Vemurafenib treatment increased the CCL2 levels in plasma, whereas the long-term clinical response was associated with low CCL2 levels.Increased CCL2 production was associated with miRNA deregulation in the resistant cells. miR-34a, miR-100 and miR-125b showed high expression in both resistant cells and in tumor biopsies that were obtained from treated patients, and they were involved in the control of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Inhibition of CCL2 and of the selected miRNAs restored both the cell apoptosis and the drug efficacy in resistant melanoma cells. Therefore, CCL2 and miRNAs are potential prognostic factors and attractive targets for counteracting treatment resistance in metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Vergani
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenza Di Guardo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Dugo
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Rigoletto
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Gabrina Tragni
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Ruggeri
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Department of Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Perrone
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Tamborini
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Annunziata Gloghini
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Flavio Arienti
- Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine Service, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Vergani
- Consorzio MIA, Microscopy and Image Analysis, University of Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Paola Deho
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Vallacchi
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Frati
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Eriomina Shahaj
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonello Villa
- Consorzio MIA, Microscopy and Image Analysis, University of Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Mario Santinami
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Department of Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo De Braud
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Rodolfo
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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32
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Rivoltini L, Chiodoni C, Squarcina P, Tortoreto M, Villa A, Vergani B, Bürdek M, Botti L, Arioli I, Cova A, Mauri G, Vergani E, Bianchi B, Della Mina P, Cantone L, Bollati V, Zaffaroni N, Gianni AM, Colombo MP, Huber V. TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)-Armed Exosomes Deliver Proapoptotic Signals to Tumor Site. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 22:3499-512. [PMID: 26944067 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-2170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Exosomes deliver signals to target cells and could thus be exploited as an innovative therapeutic tool. We investigated the ability of membrane TRAIL-armed exosomes to deliver proapoptotic signals to cancer cells and mediate growth inhibition in different tumor models. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS AND RESULTS K562 cells, transduced with lentiviral human membrane TRAIL, were used for the production of TRAIL(+) exosomes, which were studied by nanoparticle tracking analysis, cytofluorimetry, immunoelectronmicroscopy, Western blot, and ELISA. In vitro, TRAIL(+) exosomes induced more pronounced apoptosis (detected by Annexin V/propidium iodide and activated caspase-3) in TRAIL-death receptor (DR)5(+) cells (SUDHL4 lymphoma and INT12 melanoma), with respect to the DR5(-)DR4(+)KMS11 multiple myeloma. Intratumor injection of TRAIL(+) exosomes, but not mock exosomes, induced growth inhibition of SUDHL4 (68%) and INT12 (51%), and necrosis in KMS11 tumors. After rapid blood clearance, systemically administered TRAIL(+) exosomes accumulated in the liver, lungs, and spleen and homed to the tumor site, leading to a significant reduction of tumor growth (58%) in SUDHL4-bearing mice. The treatment of INT12-bearing animals promoted tumor necrosis and a not statistically significant tumor volume reduction. In KMS11-bearing mice, despite massive perivascular necrosis, no significant tumor growth inhibition was detected. CONCLUSIONS TRAIL-armed exosomes can induce apoptosis in cancer cells and control tumor progression in vivo Therapeutic efficacy was particularly evident in intratumor setting, while depended on tumor model upon systemic administration. Thanks to their ability to deliver multiple signals, exosomes thus represent a promising therapeutic tool in cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 22(14); 3499-512. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Licia Rivoltini
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Chiodoni
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Squarcina
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Tortoreto
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonello Villa
- Consorzio M.I.A., Microscopy and Image Analysis, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Vergani
- Consorzio M.I.A., Microscopy and Image Analysis, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Maja Bürdek
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Botti
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Ivano Arioli
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Agata Cova
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Mauri
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Bianchi
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Pamela Della Mina
- Consorzio M.I.A., Microscopy and Image Analysis, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Cantone
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics, and Toxicology Laboratory, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics, and Toxicology Laboratory, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Mario Paolo Colombo
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Immunology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Huber
- Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
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Vallacchi V, Vergani E, Camisaschi C, Deho P, Cabras AD, Sensi M, De Cecco L, Bassani N, Ambrogi F, Carbone A, Crippa F, Vergani B, Frati P, Arienti F, Patuzzo R, Villa A, Biganzoli E, Canevari S, Santinami M, Castelli C, Rivoltini L, Rodolfo M. Transcriptional profiling of melanoma sentinel nodes identify patients with poor outcome and reveal an association of CD30(+) T lymphocytes with progression. Cancer Res 2014; 74:130-40. [PMID: 24395820 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-1672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sentinel lymph nodes set the stance of the immune system to a localized tumor and are often the first site to be colonized by neoplastic cells that metastasize. To investigate how the presence of neoplastic cells in sentinel lymph nodes may trigger pathways associated with metastatic progression, we analyzed the transcriptional profiles of archival sentinel node biopsy specimens obtained from melanoma patients. Biopsies from positive nodes were selected for comparable tumor infiltration, presence or absence of further regional node metastases, and relapse at 5-year follow-up. Unsupervised analysis of gene expression profiles revealed immune response to be a major gene ontogeny represented. Among genes upregulated in patients with progressing disease, the TNF receptor family member CD30/TNFRSF8 was confirmed in biopsy specimens from an independent group of patients. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher numbers of CD30(+) lymphocytes in nodes from progressing patients compared with nonprogressing patients. Phenotypic profiling demonstrated that CD30(+) lymphocytes comprised a broad population of suppressive or exhausted immune cells, such as CD4(+)Foxp3(+) or PD1(+) subpopulations and CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells. CD30(+) T lymphocytes were increased in peripheral blood lymphocytes of melanoma patients at advanced disease stages. Our findings reinforce the concept that sentinel nodes act as pivotal sites for determining progression patterns, revealing that the presence of CD30(+) lymphocytes at those sites associate positively with melanoma progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Vallacchi
- Authors' Affiliations: Immunotherapy Unit; Department of Pathology; Functional Genomics Unit; Immunobiology of Human Tumors Unit; Department of Medical Statistics and University of Milan, Medical Statistics Biometry and Bioinformatics Unit; Department of Surgery, Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan; Microscopy and Image Analysis, University of Milan Bicocca, Milan; Department of Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Camisaschi C, De Filippo A, Beretta V, Vergani B, Villa A, Vergani E, Santinami M, Cabras AD, Arienti F, Triebel F, Rodolfo M, Rivoltini L, Castelli C. Alternative activation of human plasmacytoid DCs in vitro and in melanoma lesions: involvement of LAG-3. J Invest Dermatol 2014; 134:1893-1902. [PMID: 24441096 DOI: 10.1038/jid.2014.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Revised: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) at tumor sites are often tolerogenic. Although pDCs initiate innate and adaptive immunity upon Toll-like receptor (TLR) triggering by pathogens, TLR-independent signals may be responsible for pDC activation and immune suppression in the tumor inflammatory environment. To identify molecules that are potentially involved in alternative pDC activation, we explored the expression and function of lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) in human pDCs. In this report, we showed the expression of LAG-3 on the cell surface of a subset of circulating human pDCs. LAG-3+ pDCs exhibited a partially mature phenotype and were enriched at tumor sites in samples from melanoma patients. We found that LAG-3 interacted with major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) to induce TLR-independent activation of pDCs with limited IFNα and enhanced IL-6 production. This in vitro cytokine profile of LAG-3-activated pDCs paralleled that of tumor-associated pDCs analyzed ex vivo. By confocal microscopy, LAG-3+ pDCs detected in melanoma-invaded lymph nodes (LNs) stained positive for IL-6 and preferentially localized near melanoma cells. These results suggest that LAG-3-mediated activation of pDCs takes place in vivo at tumor sites, and it is in part responsible for directing an immune-suppressive environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Camisaschi
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria De Filippo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Beretta
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Vergani
- Consorzio MIA (Microscopy and Image Analysis), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonello Villa
- Consorzio MIA (Microscopy and Image Analysis), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vergani
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Santinami
- Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Flavio Arienti
- Immunohematology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Monica Rodolfo
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Licia Rivoltini
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Castelli
- Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumor, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
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Vergani E, Gaia S. [Mental disorders and Cushing's syndrome. Clinical case]. Minerva Med 1971; 62:2231-7. [PMID: 5580881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Torre M, Vergani E, Gaia S. [Blood platelet levels of serotonin in schizophrenia]. Acta Neurol (Napoli) 1970; 25:740-6. [PMID: 5511712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Ravizza L, Rovera GG, Vergani E. [The prolonged use of tranylcypromine-trifluoperazine in the treatment of depression]. Minerva Med 1969; 60:2275-81. [PMID: 5790469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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