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1.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 2198, 2024 Mar 19.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38503727

RESUMO

Metastasis arises from disseminated tumour cells (DTCs) that are characterized by intrinsic phenotypic plasticity and the capability of seeding to secondary organs. DTCs can remain latent for years before giving rise to symptomatic overt metastasis. In this context, DTCs fluctuate between a quiescent and proliferative state in response to systemic and microenvironmental signals including immune-mediated surveillance. Despite its relevance, how intrinsic mechanisms sustain DTCs plasticity has not been addressed. By interrogating the epigenetic state of metastatic cells, we find that tumour progression is coupled with the activation of oncogenic enhancers that are organized in variable interconnected chromatin domains. This spatial chromatin context leads to the activation of a robust transcriptional response upon repeated exposure to retinoic acid (RA). We show that this adaptive mechanism sustains the quiescence of DTCs through the activation of the master regulator SOX9. Finally, we determine that RA-stimulated transcriptional memory increases the fitness of metastatic cells by supporting the escape of quiescent DTCs from NK-mediated immune surveillance. Overall, these findings highlight the contribution of oncogenic enhancers in establishing transcriptional memories as an adaptive mechanism to reinforce cancer dormancy and immune escape, thus amenable for therapeutic intervention.


Assuntos
Vigilância Imunológica , Sequências Reguladoras de Ácido Nucleico , Divisão Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Cromatina
2.
Front Immunol ; 14: 1266265, 2023.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38035116

RESUMO

Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a hematological malignancy representing one-third of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases. Notwithstanding immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy (R-CHOP) is an effective therapeutic approach for DLBCL, a subset of patients encounters treatment resistance, leading to low survival rates. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify predictive biomarkers for DLBCL including the elderly population, which represents the fastest-growing segment of the population in Western countries. Methods: Gene expression profiles of n=414 DLBCL biopsies were retrieved from the public dataset GSE10846. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (fold change >1.4, p-value <0.05, n=387) have been clustered in responder and non-responder patient cohorts. An enrichment analysis has been performed on the top 30 up-regulated genes of responder and non-responder patients to identify the signatures involved in gene ontology (MSigDB). The more significantly up-regulated DEGs have been validated in our independent collection of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsy samples of elderly DLBCL patients, treated with R-CHOP as first-line therapy. Results: From the analysis of two independent cohorts of DLBCL patients emerged a gene signature able to predict the response to R-CHOP therapy. In detail, expression levels of EBF1, MYO6, CALR are associated with a significant worse overall survival. Conclusions: These results pave the way for a novel characterization of DLBCL biomarkers, aiding the stratification of responder versus non-responder patients.


Assuntos
Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B , Linfoma não Hodgkin , Humanos , Idoso , Anticorpos Monoclonais Murinos/uso terapêutico , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/tratamento farmacológico , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/genética , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/patologia , Rituximab/uso terapêutico , Linfoma não Hodgkin/tratamento farmacológico , Ciclofosfamida/uso terapêutico , Vincristina/uso terapêutico , Prednisona/uso terapêutico , Doxorrubicina/uso terapêutico , Biomarcadores , Transativadores
3.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 1351, 2023 03 11.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36906579

RESUMO

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common malignancy of endocrine organs. The cell subpopulation in the lineage hierarchy that serves as cell of origin for the different TC histotypes is unknown. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with appropriate in vitro stimulation undergo sequential differentiation into thyroid progenitor cells (TPCs-day 22), which maturate into thyrocytes (day 30). Here, we create follicular cell-derived TCs of all the different histotypes based on specific genomic alterations delivered by CRISPR-Cas9 in hESC-derived TPCs. Specifically, TPCs harboring BRAFV600E or NRASQ61R mutations generate papillary or follicular TC, respectively, whereas addition of TP53R248Q generate undifferentiated TCs. Of note, TCs arise by engineering TPCs, whereas mature thyrocytes have a very limited tumorigenic capacity. The same mutations result in teratocarcinomas when delivered in early differentiating hESCs. Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1)/Matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9)/Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) ternary complex, in cooperation with Kisspeptin receptor (KISS1R), is involved in TC initiation and progression. Increasing radioiodine uptake, KISS1R and TIMP1 targeting may represent a therapeutic adjuvant option for undifferentiated TCs.


Assuntos
Radioisótopos do Iodo , Neoplasias da Glândula Tireoide , Humanos , Receptores de Kisspeptina-1/genética , Inibidor Tecidual de Metaloproteinase-1/genética , Neoplasias da Glândula Tireoide/genética , Células-Tronco Embrionárias , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas B-raf/genética , Mutação
4.
J Clin Med ; 11(23)2022 Nov 26.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36498571

RESUMO

In a scenario where eco-sustainability and a reduction in chemotherapeutic drug waste are certainly a prerogative to safeguard the biosphere, the use of natural products (NPs) represents an alternative therapeutic approach to counteract cancer diseases. The presence of a heterogeneous cancer stem cell (CSC) population within a tumor bulk is related to disease recurrence and therapy resistance. For this reason, CSC targeting presents a promising strategy for hampering cancer recurrence. Increasing evidence shows that NPs can inhibit crucial signaling pathways involved in the maintenance of CSC stemness and sensitize CSCs to standard chemotherapeutic treatments. Moreover, their limited toxicity and low costs for large-scale production could accelerate the use of NPs in clinical settings. In this review, we will summarize the most relevant studies regarding the effects of NPs derived from major natural sources, e.g., food, botanical, and marine species, on CSCs, elucidating their use in pre-clinical and clinical studies.

5.
Front Immunol ; 13: 926236, 2022.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36003399

RESUMO

MerTK is a tyrosine kinase receptor that belongs to the TAM (Tyro3/Axl/Mer) receptor family. It is involved in different processes including cellular proliferation/survival, cellular adhesion/migration, and release of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines. Although it is reported that MERTK polymorphisms affect the severity of viral and metabolic liver diseases, being able to influence fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development, the mechanisms remain unknown. METHODS: using a microarray approach, we evaluated the liver expression of genes involved in fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis in patient with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), stratified for MERTK genotype and MERTK expression. RESULTS: we found that the rs 4374383 AA homozygosity is associated with lower MERTK expression in CHC patients and that, depending on MERTK genotype, Matrix Metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), Matrix Metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), Secreted Frizzled Related Protein 1 (SFRP1) and WNT gene family 11(WNT11) show differential expression in patients with CHC with or without neoplastic progression. CONCLUSIONS: our results confirm that MERTK represents a genetic biomarker for progression of liver disease and are suggestive of translational relevance for the study of downstream pathways involved in fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis.


Assuntos
Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Cirrose Hepática , Neoplasias Hepáticas , c-Mer Tirosina Quinase , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/etiologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Fibrose , Humanos , Cirrose Hepática/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Metaloproteases , Proteínas Tirosina Quinases , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas/metabolismo , c-Mer Tirosina Quinase/genética , c-Mer Tirosina Quinase/metabolismo
6.
Biomolecules ; 12(5)2022 05 14.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35625629

RESUMO

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a key role in promoting and sustaining cancer growth. Adipose tissue (AT), due to its anatomical distribution, is a prevalent component of TME, and contributes to cancer development and progression. Cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs), reprogrammed by cancer stem cells (CSCs), drive cancer progression by releasing metabolites and inflammatory adipokines. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms underlying the bidirectional crosstalk among CAAs, CSCs, and stromal cells. Moreover, we focus on the recent advances in the therapeutic targeting of adipocyte-released factors as an innovative strategy to counteract cancer progression.


Assuntos
Neoplasias , Microambiente Tumoral , Adipócitos/metabolismo , Tecido Adiposo/metabolismo , Humanos , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/metabolismo
7.
Cancers (Basel) ; 14(3)2022 Jan 28.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35158939

RESUMO

Despite advances in the curative approach, the survival rate of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is still poor, which is likely due to the emergence of cancer cell clones resistant to the available therapeutic options. We have already shown that CD44v6-positive CRC stem cells (CR-CSCs) are refractory toward standard anti-tumor therapeutic agents due to the activation of the PI3K pathway together with high HER2 expression levels. Tumor microenvironmental cytokines confer resistance to CR-CSCs against HER2/PI3K targeting by enhancing activation of the MAPK pathway. Here, we show that the CSC compartment, spared by BRAF inhibitor-based targeted therapy, is associated with increased expression levels of CD44v6 and Myc and retains boosted clonogenic activity along with residual tumorigenic potential. Inhibition of Myc transcription, downstream of the MAPK cascade components, and PI3K pathway activity was able to overcome the protective effects of microenvironmental cytokines, affecting the survival and the clonogenic activity of CR-CSCs, regardless of their mutational background. Likewise, the double targeting induced stabilization of mouse tumor avatars. Altogether, these data outline the rationale for dual kinase targeting of CR-CSCs to prevent their adaptive response, which would lead to disease progression.

8.
Cancers (Basel) ; 14(3)2022 Feb 02.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35159043

RESUMO

Approximately 50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients still die from recurrence and metastatic disease, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Drug repurposing is attracting increasing attention because, compared to traditional de novo drug discovery processes, it may reduce drug development periods and costs. Epidemiological and preclinical evidence support the antitumor activity of antipsychotic drugs. Herein, we dissect the mechanism of action of the typical antipsychotic spiperone in CRC. Spiperone can reduce the clonogenic potential of stem-like CRC cells (CRC-SCs) and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, in both differentiated and CRC-SCs, at clinically relevant concentrations whose toxicity is negligible for non-neoplastic cells. Analysis of intracellular Ca2+ kinetics upon spiperone treatment revealed a massive phospholipase C (PLC)-dependent endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ release, resulting in ER Ca2+ homeostasis disruption. RNA sequencing revealed unfolded protein response (UPR) activation, ER stress, and induction of apoptosis, along with IRE1-dependent decay of mRNA (RIDD) activation. Lipidomic analysis showed a significant alteration of lipid profile and, in particular, of sphingolipids. Damage to the Golgi apparatus was also observed. Our data suggest that spiperone can represent an effective drug in the treatment of CRC, and that ER stress induction, along with lipid metabolism alteration, represents effective druggable pathways in CRC.

9.
Oncogene ; 41(15): 2196-2209, 2022 04.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35217791

RESUMO

Breast cancer (BC) is the second cause of cancer-related deceases in the worldwide female population. Despite the successful treatment advances, 25% of BC develops resistance to current therapeutic regimens, thereby remaining a major hurdle for patient management. Current therapies, targeting the molecular events underpinning the adaptive resistance, still require effort to improve BC treatment. Using BC sphere cells (BCSphCs) as a model, here we showed that BC stem-like cells express high levels of Myc, which requires the presence of the multifunctional DNA/RNA binding protein Sam68 for the DNA-damage repair. Analysis of a cohort of BC patients displayed that Sam68 is an independent negative factor correlated with the progression of the disease. Genetic inhibition of Sam68 caused a defect in PARP-induced PAR chain synthesis upon DNA-damaging insults, resulting in cell death of TNBC cells. In contrast, BC stem-like cells were able to survive due to an upregulation of Rad51. Importantly, the inhibition of Rad51 showed synthetic lethal effect with the silencing of Sam68, hampering the cell viability of patient-derived BCSphCs and stabilizing the growth of tumor xenografts, including those TNBC carrying BRCA mutation. Moreover, the analysis of Myc, Sam68 and Rad51 expression demarcated a signature of a poor outcome in a large cohort of BC patients. Thus, our findings suggest the importance of targeting Sam68-PARP1 axis and Rad51 as potential therapeutic candidates to counteract the expansion of BC cells with an aggressive phenotype.


Assuntos
Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal , Neoplasias da Mama , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA , Rad51 Recombinase , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/genética , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Reparo do DNA/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Feminino , Humanos , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/patologia , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/metabolismo , Rad51 Recombinase/genética , Rad51 Recombinase/metabolismo , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas/patologia
10.
Gut ; 71(1): 119-128, 2022 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33436496

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: Cancer stem cells are responsible for tumour spreading and relapse. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression is a negative prognostic factor in colorectal cancer (CRC) and a potential target in tumours carrying the gene amplification. Our aim was to define the expression of HER2 in colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs) and its possible role as therapeutic target in CRC resistant to anti- epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy. DESIGN: A collection of primary sphere cell cultures obtained from 60 CRC specimens was used to generate CR-CSC mouse avatars to preclinically validate therapeutic options. We also made use of the ChIP-seq analysis for transcriptional evaluation of HER2 activation and global RNA-seq to identify the mechanisms underlying therapy resistance. RESULTS: Here we show that in CD44v6-positive CR-CSCs, high HER2 expression levels are associated with an activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway, which promotes the acetylation at the regulatory elements of the Erbb2 gene. HER2 targeting in combination with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors induces CR-CSC death and regression of tumour xenografts, including those carrying Kras and Pik3ca mutation. Requirement for the triple targeting is due to the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts, which release cytokines able to confer CR-CSC resistance to PI3K/AKT inhibitors. In contrast, targeting of PI3K/AKT as monotherapy is sufficient to kill liver-disseminating CR-CSCs in a model of adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: While PI3K targeting kills liver-colonising CR-CSCs, the concomitant inhibition of PI3K, HER2 and MEK is required to induce regression of tumours resistant to anti-EGFR therapies. These data may provide a rationale for designing clinical trials in the adjuvant and metastatic setting.


Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais/patologia , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinase/metabolismo , Inibidores de Fosfoinositídeo-3 Quinase/farmacologia , Receptor ErbB-2/metabolismo , Animais , Antineoplásicos Imunológicos/farmacologia , Cetuximab/farmacologia , Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológico , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Humanos , Quinases de Proteína Quinase Ativadas por Mitógeno/antagonistas & inibidores , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/patologia , Trastuzumab/farmacologia , Células Tumorais Cultivadas
11.
STAR Protoc ; 2(4): 100880, 2021 12 17.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34712995

RESUMO

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a key role in tumor initiation and progression. A real-time tool to evaluate the activation of CSC-specific signaling pathways is crucial for the study of this cancer cell subset. Here, we present a protocol to monitor, in vitro, the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, which is considered a functional biomarker for colorectal CSCs (CR-CSCs). This flow-cytometry-based protocol allows it to isolate CR-CSCs and to evaluate their cytotoxicity upon anti-tumor treatments. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Di Franco et al. (2021).


Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais , Citometria de Fluxo/métodos , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas , Neoplasias Colorretais/química , Neoplasias Colorretais/patologia , Humanos , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/química , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/citologia , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/patologia , Via de Sinalização Wnt/genética
12.
Nat Commun ; 12(1): 5006, 2021 08 18.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34408135

RESUMO

Obesity is a strong risk factor for cancer progression, posing obesity-related cancer as one of the leading causes of death. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms that endow cancer cells with metastatic properties in patients affected by obesity remain unexplored.Here, we show that IL-6 and HGF, secreted by tumor neighboring visceral adipose stromal cells (V-ASCs), expand the metastatic colorectal (CR) cancer cell compartment (CD44v6 + ), which in turn secretes neurotrophins such as NGF and NT-3, and recruits adipose stem cells within tumor mass. Visceral adipose-derived factors promote vasculogenesis and the onset of metastatic dissemination by activation of STAT3, which inhibits miR-200a and enhances ZEB2 expression, effectively reprogramming CRC cells into a highly metastatic phenotype. Notably, obesity-associated tumor microenvironment provokes a transition in the transcriptomic expression profile of cells derived from the epithelial consensus molecular subtype (CMS2) CRC patients towards a mesenchymal subtype (CMS4). STAT3 pathway inhibition reduces ZEB2 expression and abrogates the metastatic growth sustained by adipose-released proteins. Together, our data suggest that targeting adipose factors in colorectal cancer patients with obesity may represent a therapeutic strategy for preventing metastatic disease.


Assuntos
Tecido Adiposo/citologia , Reprogramação Celular , Neoplasias do Colo/fisiopatologia , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/citologia , Nicho de Células-Tronco , Tecido Adiposo/metabolismo , Animais , Neoplasias do Colo/genética , Neoplasias do Colo/metabolismo , Neoplasias do Colo/patologia , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/genética , Fator de Crescimento de Hepatócito/metabolismo , Humanos , Interleucina-6/genética , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos SCID , MicroRNAs/genética , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Metástase Neoplásica , Células-Tronco/citologia , Células-Tronco/metabolismo , Homeobox 2 de Ligação a E-box com Dedos de Zinco/genética , Homeobox 2 de Ligação a E-box com Dedos de Zinco/metabolismo
13.
Cancers (Basel) ; 13(16)2021 Aug 04.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34439086

RESUMO

Colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality is mainly caused by patient refractoriness to common anti-cancer therapies and consequent metastasis formation. Besides, the notorious toxic side effects of chemotherapy are a concurrent obstacle to be tackled. Thus, new treatment approaches are needed to effectively improve patient outcomes. Compelling evidence demonstrated that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for treatment failure and relapse. New natural treatment approaches showed capabilities to selectively target the CSC subpopulation by rendering them targetable by standard cytotoxic compounds. Herein we show the anti-cancer properties of the polymethoxyflavones and prenylflavonoids extracted from Citrus sinensis and Humulus lupulus, respectively. The natural biofunctional fractions, singularly and in combination, reduced the cell viability of CRC stem cells (CR-CSCs) and synergized with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FOX) chemotherapy. These phenomena were accompanied by a reduced S and G2/M phase of the cell cycle and upregulation of cell death-related genes. Notably, both phytoextracts in combination with FOX thwarted stemness features in CR-CSCs as demonstrated by the impaired clonogenic potential and decreased Wnt pathway activation. Extracts lowered the expression of CD44v6 and affected the expansion of metastatic CR-CSCs in patients refractory to chemotherapy. Together, this study highlights the importance of polymethoxyflavones and prenylflavonoids as natural remedies to aid oncological therapies.

14.
Front Oncol ; 11: 702642, 2021.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34354950

RESUMO

Despite the recent advances in cancer patient management and in the development of targeted therapies, systemic chemotherapy is currently used as a first-line treatment for many cancer types. After an initial partial response, patients become refractory to standard therapy fostering rapid tumor progression. Compelling evidence highlights that the resistance to chemotherapeutic regimens is a peculiarity of a subpopulation of cancer cells within tumor mass, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). This cellular compartment is endowed with tumor-initiating and metastasis formation capabilities. CSC chemoresistance is sustained by a plethora of grow factors and cytokines released by neighboring tumor microenvironment (TME), which is mainly composed by adipocytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), immune and endothelial cells. TME strengthens CSC refractoriness to standard and targeted therapies by enhancing survival signaling pathways, DNA repair machinery, expression of drug efflux transporters and anti-apoptotic proteins. In the last years many efforts have been made to understand CSC-TME crosstalk and develop therapeutic strategy halting this interplay. Here, we report the combinatorial approaches, which perturb the interaction network between CSCs and the different component of TME.

15.
iScience ; 24(6): 102664, 2021 Jun 25.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34169240

RESUMO

Limited therapeutic options are available for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Herein, we report that exposure to a neo-synthetic bis(indolyl)thiazole alkaloid analog, nortopsentin 234 (NORA234), leads to an initial reduction of proliferative and clonogenic potential of CRC sphere cells (CR-CSphCs), followed by an adaptive response selecting the CR-CSphC-resistant compartment. Cells spared by the treatment with NORA234 express high levels of CD44v6, associated with a constitutive activation of Wnt pathway. In CR-CSphC-based organoids, NORA234 causes a genotoxic stress paralleled by G2-M cell cycle arrest and activation of CHK1, driving the DNA damage repair of CR-CSphCs, regardless of the mutational background, microsatellite stability, and consensus molecular subtype. Synergistic combination of NORA234 and CHK1 (rabusertib) targeting is synthetic lethal inducing death of both CD44v6-negative and CD44v6-positive CRC stem cell fractions, aside from Wnt pathway activity. These data could provide a rational basis to develop an effective strategy for the treatment of patients with CRC.

16.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32982967

RESUMO

Thyroid tumors are extremely heterogeneous varying from almost benign tumors with good prognosis as papillary or follicular tumors, to the undifferentiated ones with severe prognosis. Recently, several models of thyroid carcinogenesis have been described, mostly hypothesizing a major role of the thyroid cancer stem cell (TCSC) population in both cancer initiation and metastasis formation. However, the cellular origin of TCSC is still incompletely understood. Here, we review the principal epigenetic mechanisms relevant to TCSC origin and maintenance in both well-differentiated and anaplastic thyroid tumors. Specifically, we describe the alterations in DNA methylation, histone modifiers, and microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in TCSC survival, focusing on the potential of targeting aberrant epigenetic modifications for developing novel therapeutic approaches. Moreover, we discuss the bidirectional relationship between TCSCs and immune cells. The cells of innate and adaptive response can promote the TCSC-driven tumorigenesis, and conversely, TCSCs may favor the expansion of immune cells with protumorigenic functions. Finally, we evaluate the role of the tumor microenvironment and the complex cross-talk of chemokines, hormones, and cytokines in regulating thyroid tumor initiation, progression, and therapy refractoriness. The re-education of the stromal cells can be an effective strategy to fight thyroid cancer. Dissecting the genetic and epigenetic landscape of TCSCs and their interactions with tumor microenvironment cells is urgently needed to select more appropriate treatment and improve the outcome of patients affected by advanced differentiated and undifferentiated thyroid cancers.


Assuntos
Metástase Neoplásica/patologia , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/patologia , Neoplasias da Glândula Tireoide/patologia , Metilação de DNA , Histonas/genética , Histonas/metabolismo , Humanos , MicroRNAs/genética , Metástase Neoplásica/genética , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Glândula Tireoide/genética , Neoplasias da Glândula Tireoide/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral
17.
Front Cell Dev Biol ; 7: 16, 2019.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30834247

RESUMO

Notwithstanding cancer patients benefit from a plethora of therapeutic alternatives, drug resistance remains a critical hurdle. Indeed, the high mortality rate is associated with metastatic disease, which is mostly incurable due to the refractoriness of metastatic cells to current treatments. Increasing data demonstrate that tumors contain a small subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) able to establish primary tumor and metastasis. CSCs are endowed with multiple treatment resistance capabilities comprising a highly efficient DNA damage repair machinery, the activation of survival pathways, enhanced cellular plasticity, immune evasion and the adaptation to a hostile microenvironment. Due to the presence of distinct cell populations within a tumor, cancer research has to face the major challenge of targeting the intra-tumoral as well as inter-tumoral heterogeneity. Thus, targeting molecular drivers operating in CSCs, in combination with standard treatments, may improve cancer patients' outcomes, yielding long-lasting responses. Here, we report a comprehensive overview on the most significant therapeutic advances that have changed the known paradigms of cancer treatment with a particular emphasis on newly developed compounds that selectively affect the CSC population. Specifically, we are focusing on innovative therapeutic approaches including differentiation therapy, anti-angiogenic compounds, immunotherapy and inhibition of epigenetic enzymes and microenvironmental cues.

18.
Nat Commun ; 9(1): 3921, 2018 09 20.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30237396

RESUMO

The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of the author Miriam Gaggianesi, which was incorrectly given as Miriam Giaggianesi. Furthermore, the affiliation details for Gabriella Gaudioso, Valentina Vaira, and Silvano Bosari incorrectly omitted 'Division of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, 20122, Italy'. Finally, the affiliation details for Alice Turdo, Miriam Gaggianesi, Aurora Chinnici and Elisa Lipari were incorrectly given as 'Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Legale Sezione di Biochimica Medica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Policlinico "P.Giaccone", Università di Palermo, Palermo, 90127, Italy'. The correct affiliation is 'Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90127, Italy'. These errors have now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

19.
Nat Commun ; 9(1): 1024, 2018 03 09.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29523784

RESUMO

Breast cancer consists of highly heterogeneous tumors, whose cell of origin and driver oncogenes are difficult to be uniquely defined. Here we report that MYC acts as tumor reprogramming factor in mammary epithelial cells by inducing an alternative epigenetic program, which triggers loss of cell identity and activation of oncogenic pathways. Overexpression of MYC induces transcriptional repression of lineage-specifying transcription factors, causing decommissioning of luminal-specific enhancers. MYC-driven dedifferentiation supports the onset of a stem cell-like state by inducing the activation of de novo enhancers, which drive the transcriptional activation of oncogenic pathways. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the MYC-driven epigenetic reprogramming favors the formation and maintenance of tumor-initiating cells endowed with metastatic capacity. This study supports the notion that MYC-driven tumor initiation relies on cell reprogramming, which is mediated by the activation of MYC-dependent oncogenic enhancers, thus establishing a therapeutic rational for treating basal-like breast cancers.


Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/metabolismo , Epigênese Genética , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-myc/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-myc/metabolismo , Animais , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/fisiopatologia , Carcinogênese , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Reprogramação Celular , Elementos Facilitadores Genéticos , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos SCID , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/citologia
20.
Cancer Res ; 77(12): 3268-3279, 2017 06 15.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28400477

RESUMO

The tumor microenvironment supplies proinflammatory cytokines favoring a permissive milieu for cancer cell growth and invasive behavior. Here we show how breast cancer progression is facilitated by IL4 secreted by adipose tissue and estrogen receptor-positive and triple-negative breast cancer cell types. Blocking autocrine and paracrine IL4 signaling with the IL4Rα antagonist IL4DM compromised breast cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and tumor growth by downregulating MAPK pathway activity. IL4DM reduced numbers of CD44+/CD24- cancer stem-like cells and elevated expression of the dual specificity phosphatase DUSP4 by inhibiting NF-κB. Enforced expression of DUSP4 drove conversion of metastatic cells to nonmetastatic cells. Mechanistically, RNAi-mediated attenuation of DUSP4 activated the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways, increased stem-like properties, and spawned metastatic capacity. Targeting IL4 signaling sensitized breast cancer cells to anticancer therapy and strengthened immune responses by enhancing the number of IFNγ-positive CTLs. Our results showed the role of IL4 in promoting breast cancer aggressiveness and how its targeting may improve the efficacy of current therapies. Cancer Res; 77(12); 3268-79. ©2017 AACR.


Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Fosfatases de Especificidade Dupla/metabolismo , Interleucina-4/metabolismo , Fosfatases da Proteína Quinase Ativada por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral , Western Blotting , Neoplasias da Mama/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Progressão da Doença , Feminino , Citometria de Fluxo , Xenoenxertos , Humanos
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