RESUMO
We demonstrate that DNA hypomethylating agent (HMA) treatment can directly modulate the anti-tumor response and effector function of CD8+ T cells. In vivo HMA treatment promotes CD8+ T cell tumor infiltration and suppresses tumor growth via CD8+ T cell-dependent activity. Ex vivo, HMAs enhance primary human CD8+ T cell activation markers, effector cytokine production, and anti-tumor cytolytic activity. Epigenomic and transcriptomic profiling shows that HMAs vastly regulate T cell activation-related transcriptional networks, culminating with over-activation of NFATc1 short isoforms. Mechanistically, demethylation of an intragenic CpG island immediately downstream to the 3' UTR of the short isoform was associated with antisense transcription and alternative polyadenylation of NFATc1 short isoforms. High-dimensional single-cell mass cytometry analyses reveal a selective effect of HMAs on a subset of human CD8+ T cell subpopulations, increasing both the number and abundance of a granzyme Bhigh, perforinhigh effector subpopulation. Overall, our findings support the use of HMAs as a therapeutic strategy to boost anti-tumor immune response.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Ilhas de CpG/imunologia , Metilação de DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Decitabina/farmacologia , Granzimas/imunologia , Ativação Linfocitária/efeitos dos fármacos , Metilação de DNA/imunologia , Humanos , Fatores de Transcrição NFATC/imunologia , Perforina/imunologiaRESUMO
Globally, cancer is the second leading cause of death, with numbers greatly exceeding those for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Limited access to timely diagnosis, to affordable, effective treatment, and to high-quality care are just some of the factors that lead to disparities in cancer survival between countries and within countries. In this article, the authors consider various factors that prevent access to cancer medicines (particularly access to essential cancer medicines). Even if an essential cancer medicine is included on a national medicines list, cost might preclude its use, it might be prescribed or used inappropriately, weak infrastructure might prevent it being accessed by those who could benefit, or quality might not be guaranteed. Potential strategies to address the access problems are discussed, including universal health coverage for essential cancer medicines, fairer methods for pricing cancer medicines, reducing development costs, optimizing regulation, and improving reliability in the global supply chain. Optimizing schedules for cancer therapy could reduce not only costs, but also adverse events, and improve access. More and better biomarkers are required to target patients who are most likely to benefit from cancer medicines. The optimum use of cancer medicines depends on the effective delivery of several services allied to oncology (including laboratory, imaging, surgery, and radiotherapy). Investment is necessary in all aspects of cancer care, from these supportive services to technologies, and the training of health care workers and other staff.
Assuntos
Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/tendências , Neoplasias/terapia , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde , Terapia Combinada/tendências , HumanosRESUMO
PURPOSE: Dysregulation of the PI3K pathway is one of the most common events in breast cancer. Here we investigate the activity of the PI3K inhibitor MEN1611 at both molecular and phenotypic levels by dissecting and comparing its profile and efficacy in HER2 + breast cancer models with other PI3K inhibitors. METHODS: Models with different genetic backgrounds were used to investigate the pharmacological profile of MEN1611 against other PI3K inhibitors. In vitro studies evaluated cell viability, PI3K signaling, and cell death upon treatment with MEN1611. In vivo efficacy of the compound was investigated in cell line- and patient-derived xenografts models. RESULTS: Consistent with its biochemical selectivity, MEN1611 demonstrated lower cytotoxic activity in a p110δ-driven cellular model when compared to taselisib, and higher cytotoxic activity in the p110ß-driven cellular model when compared to alpelisib. Moreover, MEN1611 selectively decreased the p110α protein levels in PIK3CA mutated breast cancer cells in a concentration- and proteasome-dependent manner. In vivo, MEN1611 monotherapy showed significant and durable antitumor activity in several trastuzumab-resistant PIK3CA-mutant HER2 + PDX models. The combination of trastuzumab and MEN1611 significantly improved the efficacy compared to single agent treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The profile of MEN1611 and its antitumoral activity suggest an improved profile as compared to pan-inhibitors, which are limited by a less than ideal safety profile, and isoform selective molecules, which may potentially promote development of resistance mechanisms. The compelling antitumor activity in combination with trastuzumab in HER2 + trastuzumab-resistant, PIK3CA mutated breast cancer models is at the basis of the ongoing B-Precise clinical trial (NCT03767335).
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama , Humanos , Feminino , Trastuzumab/farmacologia , Trastuzumab/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genética , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Receptor ErbB-2/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêutico , Inibidores de Fosfoinositídeo-3 Quinase/uso terapêutico , Classe I de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND AIMS: With the objective of improving the ex vivo production of therapeutic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, we explored the addition of three-dimensional (3D) polystyrene scaffolds to standard suspension cell cultures. METHODS: We aimed to mimic the structural support given by the lymph nodes during in vivo lymphocyte expansion. RESULTS: We observed an increase in cell proliferation compared with standard suspension systems as well as an enhanced cytotoxicity toward cancer cells. Moreover, we directly obtained the CAR T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, thus minimizing the ex vivo manipulation of the therapeutic cells and opening the way to synergies among different cell populations. CONCLUSIONS: We propose the use of commercially available 3D polystyrene systems to improve the current immune cell cultures and resulting cell products for emerging cellular (immuno)therapies.
Assuntos
Leucócitos Mononucleares , Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos , Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos/genética , Poliestirenos , Técnicas de Cultura de Células em Três Dimensões , Linfócitos TRESUMO
Although human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapies have dramatically improved the clinical outcome of HER2-positive breast cancer patients, innate and acquired resistance remains an important clinical challenge. New therapeutic approaches and diagnostic tools for identification, stratification, and treatment of patients at higher risk of resistance and recurrence are therefore warranted. Here, we unveil a mechanism controlling the oncogenic activity of HER2: heteromerization with the cannabinoid receptor CB2R. We show that HER2 physically interacts with CB2R in breast cancer cells, and that the expression of these heteromers correlates with poor patient prognosis. The cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) disrupts HER2-CB2R complexes by selectively binding to CB2R, which leads to (i) the inactivation of HER2 through disruption of HER2-HER2 homodimers, and (ii) the subsequent degradation of HER2 by the proteasome via the E3 ligase c-CBL. This in turn triggers antitumor responses in vitro and in vivo. Selective targeting of CB2R transmembrane region 5 mimicked THC effects. Together, these findings define HER2-CB2R heteromers as new potential targets for antitumor therapies and biomarkers with prognostic value in HER2-positive breast cancer.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/líquido cefalorraquidiano , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Receptor CB2 de Canabinoide/genética , Receptor ErbB-2/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Dronabinol/farmacologia , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/tratamento farmacológico , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/genética , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/patologia , Multimerização Proteica/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-cbl/genética , Receptor CB2 de Canabinoide/química , Receptor ErbB-2/química , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Around 15-20% of primary breast cancers are characterized by HER2 protein overexpression and/or HER2 gene amplification. Despite the successful development of anti-HER2 drugs, intrinsic and acquired resistance represents a major hurdle. This study was performed to analyze the RANK pathway contribution in HER2-positive breast cancer and anti-HER2 therapy resistance. METHODS: RANK and RANKL protein expression was assessed in samples from HER2-positive breast cancer patients resistant to anti-HER2 therapy and treatment-naive patients. RANK and RANKL gene expression was analyzed in paired samples from patients treated with neoadjuvant dual HER2-blockade (lapatinib and trastuzumab) from the SOLTI-1114 PAMELA trial. Additionally, HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines were used to modulate RANK expression and analyze in vitro the contribution of RANK signaling to anti-HER2 resistance and downstream signaling. RESULTS: RANK and RANKL proteins are more frequently detected in HER2-positive tumors that have acquired resistance to anti-HER2 therapies than in treatment-naive ones. RANK (but not RANKL) gene expression increased after dual anti-HER2 neoadjuvant therapy in the cohort from the SOLTI-1114 PAMELA trial. Results in HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines recapitulate the clinical observations, with increased RANK expression observed after short-term treatment with the HER2 inhibitor lapatinib or dual anti-HER2 therapy and in lapatinib-resistant cells. After RANKL stimulation, lapatinib-resistant cells show increased NF-κB activation compared to their sensitive counterparts, confirming the enhanced functionality of the RANK pathway in anti-HER2-resistant breast cancer. Overactivation of the RANK signaling pathway enhances ERK and NF-κB signaling and increases lapatinib resistance in different HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines, whereas RANK loss sensitizes lapatinib-resistant cells to the drug. Our results indicate that ErbB signaling is required for RANK/RANKL-driven activation of ERK in several HER2-positive cell lines. In contrast, lapatinib is not able to counteract the NF-κB activation elicited after RANKL treatment in RANK-overexpressing cells. Finally, we show that RANK binds to HER2 in breast cancer cells and that enhanced RANK pathway activation alters HER2 phosphorylation status. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a physical and functional link between RANK and HER2 signaling in breast cancer and demonstrate that increased RANK signaling may contribute to the development of lapatinib resistance through NF-κB activation. Whether HER2-positive breast cancer patients with tumoral RANK expression might benefit from dual HER2 and RANK inhibition therapy remains to be elucidated.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/metabolismo , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Receptor Ativador de Fator Nuclear kappa-B/metabolismo , Receptor ErbB-2/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Lapatinib/uso terapêutico , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Terapia Neoadjuvante , Ligação Proteica , Receptor Ativador de Fator Nuclear kappa-B/genética , Receptor ErbB-2/antagonistas & inibidores , Transdução de Sinais , Trastuzumab/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Eribulin is a microtubule-targeting agent approved for the treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer (BC) previously treated with anthracycline- and taxane-based regimens. PIK3CA mutation is associated with worse response to chemotherapy in oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic BC. We aimed to evaluate the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway mutations in eribulin resistance. METHODS: Resistance to eribulin was evaluated in HER2- BC cell lines and patient-derived tumour xenografts, and correlated with a mutation in the PI3K/AKT pathway. RESULTS: Eleven out of 23 HER2- BC xenografts treated with eribulin exhibited disease progression. No correlation with ER status was detected. Among the resistant models, 64% carried mutations in PIK3CA, PIK3R1 or AKT1, but only 17% among the sensitive xenografts (P = 0.036). We observed that eribulin treatment induced AKT phosphorylation in vitro and in patient tumours. In agreement, the addition of PI3K inhibitors reversed primary and acquired resistance to eribulin in xenograft models, regardless of the genetic alterations in PI3K/AKT pathway or ER status. Mechanistically, PI3K blockade reduced p21 levels likely enabling apoptosis, thus sensitising to eribulin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PI3K pathway activation induces primary resistance or early adaptation to eribulin, supporting the combination of PI3K inhibitors and eribulin for the treatment of HER2- BC patients.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Classe I de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Furanos/farmacologia , Cetonas/farmacologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Receptor ErbB-2/metabolismo , Animais , Apoptose , Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Ciclo Celular , Proliferação de Células , Classe I de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genética , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Camundongos , Fosforilação , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/genética , Células Tumorais Cultivadas , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
HER2 (ERBB2) amplification is a driving oncogenic event in breast cancer. Clinical trials have consistently shown the benefit of HER2 inhibitors (HER2i) in treating patients with both local and advanced HER2+ breast cancer. Despite this benefit, their efficacy as single agents is limited, unlike the robust responses to other receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors like EGFR inhibitors in EGFR-mutant lung cancer. Interestingly, the lack of HER2i efficacy occurs despite sufficient intracellular signaling shutdown following HER2i treatment. Exploring possible intrinsic causes for this lack of response, we uncovered remarkably depressed levels of NOXA, an endogenous inhibitor of the antiapoptotic MCL-1, in HER2-amplified breast cancer. Upon investigation of the mechanism leading to low NOXA, we identified a micro-RNA encoded in an intron of HER2, termed miR-4728, that targets the mRNA of the Estrogen Receptor α (ESR1). Reduced ESR1 expression in turn prevents ERα-mediated transcription of NOXA, mitigating apoptosis following treatment with the HER2i lapatinib. Importantly, resistance can be overcome with pharmacological inhibition of MCL-1. More generally, while many cancers like EGFR-mutant lung cancer are driven by activated kinases that when drugged lead to robust monotherapeutic responses, we demonstrate that the efficacy of targeted therapies directed against oncogenes active through focal amplification may be mitigated by coamplified genes.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Amplificação de Genes/genética , MicroRNAs/genética , Receptor ErbB-2/antagonistas & inibidores , Receptor ErbB-2/genética , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Neoplasias da Mama/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Feminino , Humanos , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Receptor ErbB-2/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) initiation and evolution is commonly framed by KIT/PDGFRA oncogenic activation, and in later stages by the polyclonal expansion of resistant subpopulations harboring KIT secondary mutations after the onset of imatinib resistance. Thus, circulating tumor (ct)DNA determination is expected to be an informative non-invasive dynamic biomarker in GIST patients. METHODS: We performed amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) across 60 clinically relevant genes in 37 plasma samples from 18 GIST patients collected prospectively. ctDNA alterations were compared with NGS of matched tumor tissue samples (obtained either simultaneously or at the time of diagnosis) and cross-validated with droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). RESULTS: We were able to identify cfDNA mutations in five out of 18 patients had detectable in at least one timepoint. Overall, NGS sensitivity for detection of cell-free (cf)DNA mutations in plasma was 28.6%, showing high concordance with ddPCR confirmation. We found that GIST had relatively low ctDNA shedding, and mutations were at low allele frequencies. ctDNA was detected only in GIST patients with advanced disease after imatinib failure, predicting tumor dynamics in serial monitoring. KIT secondary mutations were the only mechanism of resistance found across 10 imatinib-resistant GIST patients progressing to sunitinib or regorafenib. CONCLUSIONS: ctDNA evaluation with amplicon-based NGS detects KIT primary and secondary mutations in metastatic GIST patients, particularly after imatinib progression. GIST exhibits low ctDNA shedding, but ctDNA monitoring, when positive, reflects tumor dynamics.
Assuntos
Biomarcadores Tumorais , Ácidos Nucleicos Livres , DNA Tumoral Circulante , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Éxons , Feminino , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/sangue , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/diagnóstico , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/tratamento farmacológico , Genótipo , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala , Humanos , Biópsia Líquida , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Mutação , Metástase Neoplásica , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Prognóstico , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêutico , Carga TumoralRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Oncogenic KIT/PDGFRA signaling inhibition with imatinib achieves disease control in most patients with advanced/metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), but resistance eventually develops after 20-24 months. Notably, a small subset of these patients obtain durable benefit from imatinib therapy. METHODS: We analyzed clinical, pathological, and molecular characteristics and long-term outcomes in patients with metastatic GIST treated with continuous daily dosing of frontline imatinib in a cohort of patients benefiting for ≥5 years. A control group was obtained from the national Spanish Group for Sarcoma Research database and used as comparator. RESULTS: Sixty-four imatinib long-term responders (LTRs) and 70 control cases were identified. Compared with controls, LTRs at baseline had better performance status (PS) 0-1 (100% vs. 81%), lower mitotic count (median, 8 vs. 15), and tumor burden (number of metastases, 3 vs. 7). KIT exon 11 was the only region found mutated in LTRs. LTRs achieved 34% complete responses and a median progression-free survival of 11 years, compared with 4% and 2 years, respectively, in the control cohort. Prognostic factors that independently predicted long-term benefit with imatinib were PS, number of metastases prior to imatinib, and response to imatinib. Fifteen LTR patients developed new side effects attributable to imatinib after ≥5 years of continuous treatment. No resistance mutations were found in metastatic samples from three patients progressing on imatinib. CONCLUSION: GISTs in LTRs are a distinctive entity with less aggressive behavior and marked sensitivity to KIT inhibition. Patients reaching 5 or more years on imatinib have a higher chance of remaining progression free over time. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This work demonstrates that clinical and inherent tumor characteristics define a subset of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with increased likelihood to achieve durable response to first-line imatinib therapy. Patients reaching ≥5 years on imatinib have a greater chance of remaining progression free over time, although the disease is unlikely to be cured. Imatinib is well tolerated for >5 years, and emergent toxicities are overall manageable. Resistance to imatinib emerging in patients with GISTs after long-term imatinib treatment does not involve polyclonal expansion of KIT secondary mutations.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Gastrointestinais/tratamento farmacológico , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/tratamento farmacológico , Mesilato de Imatinib/uso terapêutico , Sarcoma/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Progressão da Doença , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Neoplasias Gastrointestinais/mortalidade , Neoplasias Gastrointestinais/patologia , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/mortalidade , Tumores do Estroma Gastrointestinal/patologia , Humanos , Mesilato de Imatinib/farmacologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prognóstico , Intervalo Livre de Progressão , Sarcoma/mortalidade , Sarcoma/patologia , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Cellular senescence is a terminal cell proliferation arrest that can be triggered by oncogenes. One of the traits of oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is the so-called senescence-associated secretory phenotype or senescence secretome. Depending on the context, the non-cell autonomous effects of OIS may vary from tumor suppression to promotion of metastasis. Despite being such a physiological and pathologically relevant effector, the mechanisms of generation of the senescence secretome are largely unknown. METHODS: We analyzed by label-free proteomics the secretome of p95HER2-induced senescent cells and compared the levels of the membrane-anchored proteins with their transcript levels. Then, protein and RNA levels of ADAM17 were evaluated by using Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, its localization by using biotin labeling and immunofluorescence, and its activity by using alkaline phosphatase-tagged substrates. The p95HER2-expressing cell lines, senescent MCF7 and proliferating MCF10A, were analyzed to study ADAM17 regulation. Finally, we knocked down ADAM17 to determine its contribution to the senescence-associated secretome. The effect of this secretome was evaluated in migration assays in vitro and in nude mice by assessing the metastatic ability of orthotopically co-injected non-senescent cells. RESULTS: Using breast cancer cells expressing p95HER2, a constitutively active fragment of the proto-oncogene HER2 that induces OIS, we show that the extracellular domains of a variety of membrane-bound proteins form part of the senescence secretome. We determine that these proteins are regulated transcriptionally and, in addition, that their shedding is limited by the protease ADAM17. The activity of the sheddase is constrained, at least in part, by the accumulation of cellular cholesterol. The blockade of ADAM17 abrogates several prometastatic effects of the p95HER2-induced senescence secretome, both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Considering these findings, we conclude that ectodomain shedding is tightly regulated in oncogene-induced senescent cells by integrating transcription of the shedding substrates with limiting ADAM17 activity. The remaining activity of ADAM17 contributes to the non-cell autonomous protumorigenic effects of p95HER2-induced senescent cells. Because ADAM17 is druggable, these results represent an approximation to the pharmacological regulation of the senescence secretome.
Assuntos
Proteínas ADAM/metabolismo , Senescência Celular/fisiologia , Oncogenes , Proteínas ADAM/genética , Proteína ADAM17 , Transporte Biológico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Ativação Enzimática , Feminino , Expressão Gênica , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Humanos , Proteoma , Proteômica , Proto-Oncogene MasRESUMO
Secretome profiling has become a methodology of choice for the identification of tumor biomarkers. We hypothesized that due to the dynamic nature of secretomes cellular perturbations could affect their composition but also change the global amount of protein secreted per cell. We confirmed our hypothesis by measuring the levels of secreted proteins taking into account the amount of proteome produced per cell. Then, we established a correlation between cell proliferation and protein secretion that explained the observed changes in global protein secretion. Next, we implemented a normalization correcting the statistical results of secretome studies by the global protein secretion of cells into a generalized linear model (GLM). The application of the normalization to two biological perturbations on tumor cells resulted in drastic changes in the list of statistically significant proteins. Furthermore, we found that known epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) effectors were only statistically significant when the normalization was applied. Therefore, the normalization proposed here increases the sensitivity of statistical tests by increasing the number of true-positives. From an oncology perspective, the correlation between protein secretion and cellular proliferation suggests that slow-growing tumors could have high-protein secretion rates and consequently contribute strongly to tumor paracrine signaling.
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Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) poses a substantial clinical hurdle as it is often detected at advanced metastatic stages with limited therapeutic options. To enhance our understanding of advanced CCA, it is imperative to establish preclinical models that faithfully recapitulate the disease's characteristics. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models have emerged as a valuable approach in cancer research, offering an avenue to reproduce and study the genomic, histologic, and molecular features of the original human tumors. By faithfully preserving the heterogeneity, microenvironmental interactions, and drug responses observed in human tumors, PDX models serve as highly relevant and predictive preclinical tools. Here, we present a comprehensive protocol that outlines the step-by-step process of generating and maintaining PDX models using biopsy samples from patients with advanced metastatic CCA. The protocol encompasses crucial aspects such as tissue processing, xenograft transplantation, and subsequent monitoring of the PDX models. By employing this protocol, we aim to establish a robust collection of PDX models that accurately reflect the genomic landscape, histologic diversity, and therapeutic responses observed in advanced CCA, thereby enabling improved translational research, drug development, and personalized treatment strategies for patients facing this challenging disease.
Assuntos
Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares , Colangiocarcinoma , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto , Colangiocarcinoma/patologia , Colangiocarcinoma/genética , Humanos , Animais , Camundongos , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/patologia , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/genética , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto/métodos , Modelos Animais de DoençasRESUMO
Chemotherapy often generates intratumoral senescent cancer cells that strongly modify the tumor microenvironment, favoring immunosuppression and tumor growth. We discovered, through an unbiased proteomics screen, that the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death 1 ligand 2 (PD-L2) is highly upregulated upon induction of senescence in different types of cancer cells. PD-L2 is not required for cells to undergo senescence, but it is critical for senescent cells to evade the immune system and persist intratumorally. Indeed, after chemotherapy, PD-L2-deficient senescent cancer cells are rapidly eliminated and tumors do not produce the senescence-associated chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL2. Accordingly, PD-L2-deficient pancreatic tumors fail to recruit myeloid-derived suppressor cells and undergo regression driven by CD8 T cells after chemotherapy. Finally, antibody-mediated blockade of PD-L2 strongly synergizes with chemotherapy causing remission of mammary tumors in mice. The combination of chemotherapy with anti-PD-L2 provides a therapeutic strategy that exploits vulnerabilities arising from therapy-induced senescence.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Pancreáticas , Animais , Camundongos , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/patologia , Tolerância Imunológica , Terapia de Imunossupressão , Senescência Celular , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
Oxidation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4ox) is catalyzed by lysyl oxidase homolog 2 (LOXL2). This histone modification is enriched in heterochromatin in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and has been linked to the maintenance of compacted chromatin. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this maintenance is still unknown. Here, we show that LOXL2 interacts with RuvB-Like 1 (RUVBL1), RuvB-Like 2 (RUVBL2), Actin-like protein 6A (ACTL6A), and DNA methyltransferase 1associated protein 1 (DMAP1), a complex involved in the incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z. Our experiments indicate that this interaction and the active form of RUVBL2 are required to maintain LOXL2-dependent chromatin compaction. Genome-wide experiments showed that H2A.Z, RUVBL2, and H3K4ox colocalize in heterochromatin regions. In the absence of LOXL2 or RUVBL2, global levels of the heterochromatin histone mark H3K9me3 were strongly reduced, and the ATAC-seq signal in the H3K9me3 regions was increased. Finally, we observed that the interplay between these series of events is required to maintain H3K4ox-enriched heterochromatin regions, which in turn is key for maintaining the oncogenic properties of the TNBC cell line tested (MDA-MB-231).
Assuntos
Aminoácido Oxirredutases , Heterocromatina , Histonas , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas/genética , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas/patologia , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas/metabolismo , Humanos , Aminoácido Oxirredutases/genética , Aminoácido Oxirredutases/metabolismo , Histonas/metabolismo , Histonas/genética , Feminino , Heterocromatina/metabolismo , Heterocromatina/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Cromatina/metabolismo , Cromatina/genética , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , DNA Helicases/genética , DNA Helicases/metabolismoRESUMO
The mechanism by which proteolytic events translate into biological responses is not well understood. To explore the link of pericellular proteolysis to events relevant to capillary sprouting within the inflammatory context, we aimed at the identification of the collection of substrates of the protease MT1-MMP in endothelial tip cells induced by inflammatory stimuli. We applied quantitative proteomics to endothelial cells (ECs) derived from wild-type and MT1-MMP-null mice to identify the substrate repertoire of this protease in TNF-α-activated ECs. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a combinatorial MT1-MMP proteolytic program, in which combined rather than single substrate processing would determine biological decisions by activated ECs, including chemotaxis, cell motility and adhesion, and vasculature development. MT1-MMP-deficient ECs inefficiently processed several of these substrates (TSP1, CYR61, NID1, and SEM3C), validating the model. This novel concept of MT1-MMP-driven combinatorial proteolysis in angiogenesis might be extendable to proteolytic actions in other cellular contexts.
Assuntos
Células Endoteliais/metabolismo , Metaloproteinase 14 da Matriz/metabolismo , Animais , Western Blotting , Técnicas de Química Combinatória , Biologia Computacional , Regulação Enzimológica da Expressão Gênica/fisiologia , Inflamação , Metaloproteinase 14 da Matriz/genética , Camundongos , Análise Serial de Proteínas , Interferência de RNA , RNA Interferente Pequeno , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Transcriptoma , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfaRESUMO
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. HER2-positive breast cancer, which represents 15-20% of all cases, is characterized by the overexpression of the HER2 receptor. Despite the variety of treatments available for HER2-positive breast cancer, both targeted and untargeted, many patients do not respond to therapy and relapse and eventually metastasize, with a poor prognosis. Immunotherapeutic approaches aim to enhance the antitumor immune response to prevent tumor relapse and metastasis. Several immunotherapies have been approved for solid tumors, but their utility for HER2-positive breast cancer has yet to be confirmed. In this review, we examine the different immunotherapeutic strategies being tested in HER2-positive breast cancer, from long-studied cancer vaccines to immune checkpoint blockade, which targets immune checkpoints in both T cells and tumor cells, as well as the promising adoptive cell therapy in various forms. We discuss how some of these new approaches may contribute to the prevention of tumor progression and be used after standard-of-care therapies for resistant HER2-positive breast tumors, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each. We conclude that immunotherapy holds great promise for the treatment of HER2-positive tumors, with the potential to completely eradicate tumor cells and prevent the progression of the disease.
RESUMO
HER2 is a driver in solid tumors, mainly breast, oesophageal and gastric cancer, through activation of oncogenic signaling pathways such as PI3K or MAPK. HER2 overexpression associates with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Despite targeted anti-HER2 therapy has improved outcomes and is the current standard of care, resistance emerge in some patients, requiring additional therapeutic strategies. Several mechanisms, including the upregulation of receptors tyrosine kinases such as AXL, are involved in resistance. AXL signaling leads to cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion and angiogenesis and correlates with poor prognosis. In addition, AXL overexpression accompanied by a mesenchymal phenotype result in resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Preclinical studies show that AXL drives anti-HER2 resistance and metastasis through dimerization with HER2 and activation of downstream pathways in breast cancer. Moreover, AXL inhibition restores response to HER2 blockade in vitro and in vivo. Limited data in gastric and oesophageal cancer also support these evidences. Furthermore, AXL shows a strong value as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in HER2+ breast cancer patients, adding a remarkable translational relevance. Therefore, current studies enforce the potential of co-targeting AXL and HER2 to overcome resistance and supports the use of AXL inhibitors in the clinic.
Assuntos
Receptor Tirosina Quinase Axl , Neoplasias da Mama , Feminino , Humanos , Receptor Tirosina Quinase Axl/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas/genética , Receptores Proteína Tirosina QuinasesRESUMO
Introduction: Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are known to be a prognostic and predictive biomarker in breast cancer, particularly in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. International guidelines have been proposed to evaluate them in the clinical setting as a continuous variable, without a clear defined cut-off. However, there are scenarios where the immune infiltration is heterogeneous that some areas of the patient's tumour have high numbers of TILs while other areas completely lack them. This spontaneous presentation of a heterogeneous immune infiltration could be a great opportunity to study why some tumours present TILs at diagnosis but others do not, while eliminating inter patient's differences. Methods: In this study, we have identified five TNBC patients that showed great TIL heterogeneity, with areas of low (≤5%) and high (≥50%) numbers of TILs in their surgical specimens. To evaluate immune infiltration heterogeneity, we performed and analyzed bulk RNA-sequencing in three independent triplicates from the high and low TIL areas of each patient. Results: Gene expression was homogeneous within the triplicates in each area but was remarkable different between TILs regions. These differences were not only due to the presence of TILs as there were other non-inflammatory genes and pathways differentially expressed between the two areas. Discussion: This highlights the importance of intratumour heterogeneity driving the immune infiltration, and not patient's characteristics like the HLA phenotype, germline DNA or immune repertoire.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas , Humanos , Neoplasias de Mama Triplo Negativas/metabolismo , Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Prognóstico , Linfócitos do Interstício TumoralRESUMO
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) often develops resistance to single-agent treatment, which can be circumvented using targeted combinatorial approaches. Here, we demonstrate that the simultaneous inhibition of LOXL2 and BRD4 synergistically limits TNBC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, LOXL2 interacts in the nucleus with the short isoform of BRD4 (BRD4S), MED1, and the cell cycle transcriptional regulator B-MyB. These interactions sustain the formation of BRD4 and MED1 nuclear transcriptional foci and control cell cycle progression at the gene expression level. The pharmacological co-inhibition of LOXL2 and BRD4 reduces BRD4 nuclear foci, BRD4-MED1 colocalization, and the transcription of cell cycle genes, thus suppressing TNBC cell proliferation. Targeting the interaction between BRD4S and LOXL2 could be a starting point for the development of new anticancer strategies for the treatment of TNBC.