Non-Oncogene Addiction of KRAS-Mutant Cancers to IL-1ß via Versican and Mononuclear IKKß.

Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS)-mutant cancers are frequent, metastatic, lethal, and largely undruggable. While interleukin (IL)-1ß and nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibition hold promise against cancer, untargeted treatments are not effective. Here, we show that human KRAS-mutant cancers are addicted to IL-1ß via inflammatory versican signaling to macrophage inhibitor of NF-κB kinase (IKK) ß. Human pan-cancer and experimental NF-κB reporter, transcriptome, and proteome screens reveal that KRAS-mutant tumors trigger macrophage IKKß activation and IL-1ß release via secretory versican. Tumor-specific versican silencing and macrophage-restricted IKKß deletion prevents myeloid NF-κB activation and metastasis. Versican and IKKß are mutually addicted and/or overexpressed in human cancers and possess diagnostic and prognostic power. Non-oncogene KRAS/IL-1ß addiction is abolished by IL-1ß and TLR1/2 inhibition, indicating cardinal and actionable roles for versican and IKKß in metastasis.

An In Vivo Inflammatory Loop Potentiates KRAS Blockade.

KRAS (KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase) inhibitors perform less well than other targeted drugs in vitro and fail clinical trials. To investigate a possible reason for this, we treated human and murine tumor cells with KRAS inhibitors deltarasin (targeting phosphodiesterase-δ), cysmethynil (targeting isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase), and AA12 (targeting KRASG12C), and silenced/overexpressed mutant KRAS using custom-designed vectors. We showed that KRAS-mutant tumor cells exclusively respond to KRAS blockade in vivo, because the oncogene co-opts host myeloid cells via a C-C-motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2)/interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß)-mediated signaling loop for sustained tumorigenicity. Indeed, KRAS-mutant tumors did not respond to deltarasin in C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (Ccr2) and Il1b gene-deficient mice, but were deltarasin-sensitive in wild-type and Ccr2-deficient mice adoptively transplanted with wild-type murine bone marrow. A KRAS-dependent pro-inflammatory transcriptome was prominent in human cancers with high KRAS mutation prevalence and poor predicted survival. Our findings support that in vitro cellular systems are suboptimal for anti-KRAS drug screens, as these drugs function to suppress interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1) expression and myeloid IL-1ß-delivered pro-growth effects in vivo. Moreover, the findings support that IL-1ß blockade might be suitable for therapy for KRAS-mutant cancers.

Tobacco chemical-induced mouse lung adenocarcinoma cell lines pin the prolactin orthologue proliferin as a lung tumour promoter.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Nevertheless, syngeneic mouse models of the disease are sparse, and cell lines suitable for transplantable and immunocompetent mouse models of LADC remain unmet needs. We established multiple mouse LADC cell lines by repeatedly exposing two mouse strains (FVB, Balb/c) to the tobacco carcinogens urethane or diethylnitrosamine and by culturing out the resulting lung tumours for prolonged periods of time. Characterization of the resulting cell lines (n = 7) showed that they were immortal and phenotypically stable in vitro, and oncogenic, metastatic and lethal in vivo. The primary tumours that gave rise to the cell lines, as well as secondary tumours generated by transplantation of the cell lines, displayed typical LADC features, such as glandular architecture and mucin and thyroid transcription factor 1 expression. Moreover, these cells exhibited marked molecular similarity with human smokers' LADC, including carcinogen-specific Kras point mutations (KrasQ61R in urethane- and KrasQ61H in diethylnitrosamine-triggered cell lines) and Trp53 deletions and displayed stemness features. Interestingly, all cell lines overexpressed proliferin, a murine prolactin orthologue, which functioned as a lung tumour promoter. Furthermore, prolactin was overexpressed and portended poor prognosis in human LADC. In conclusion, we report the first LADC cell lines derived from mice exposed to tobacco carcinogens. These cells closely resemble human LADC and provide a valuable tool for the functional investigation of the pathobiology of the disease.

Comprehensive clinical profiling of the Gauting locoregional lung adenocarcinoma donors.

A comprehensive characterization of lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) clinical features is currently missing. We prospectively evaluated Caucasian patients with early-stage LADC. Patients with LADC diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 were prospectively assessed for lung resection with curative intent. Fifty clinical, pathologic, radiologic, and molecular variables were recorded. Patients were followed till death/study conclusion. The main findings were compared to a separate cohort from France. Of 1943 patients evaluated, 366 were enrolled (18.8%; 181 female; 75 never-smokers; 28% of registered Bavarian cases over the study period). Smoking and obstruction were significantly more prevalent in GLAD compared with adult Bavarians (P < 0.0001). Ever-smoker tumors were preferentially localized to the upper lobes. We observed 120 relapses and 74 deaths over 704 cumulative follow-up years. Median overall and disease-free survival were >7.5 and 3.6 years, respectively. Patients aged <45 or >65 years, resected >60 days postdiagnosis, with abnormal FVC/DLCO VA , N2/N3 stage, or solid histology had significantly decreased survival estimates. These were fit into a weighted locoregional LADC death risk score that outperformed pTNM7 in predicting survival in the GLAD and in our second cohort. We define the clinical gestalt of locoregional LADC and provide a new clinical tool to predict survival, findings that may aid future management and research design.

Cancer cells induce interleukin-22 production from memory CD4+ T cells via interleukin-1 to promote tumor growth.

IL-22 has been identified as a cancer-promoting cytokine that is secreted by infiltrating immune cells in several cancer models. We hypothesized that IL-22 regulation would occur at the interface between cancer cells and immune cells. Breast and lung cancer cells of murine and human origin induced IL-22 production from memory CD4+ T cells. In the present study, we found that IL-22 production in humans is dependent on activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome with the subsequent release of IL-1ß from both myeloid and T cells. IL-1 receptor signaling via the transcription factors AhR and RORγt in T cells was necessary and sufficient for IL-22 production. In these settings, IL-1 induced IL-22 production from a mixed T helper cell population comprised of Th1, Th17, and Th22 cells, which was abrogated by the addition of anakinra. We confirmed these findings in vitro and in vivo in two murine tumor models, in primary human breast and lung cancer cells, and in deposited expression data. Relevant to ongoing clinical trials in breast cancer, we demonstrate here that the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra abrogates IL-22 production and reduces tumor growth in a murine breast cancer model. Thus, we describe here a previously unrecognized mechanism by which cancer cells induce IL-22 production from memory CD4+ T cells via activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the release of IL-1ß to promote tumor growth. These findings may provide the basis for therapeutic interventions that affect IL-22 production by targeting IL-1 activity.

RAS oncogenes direct metastasis.

RAS genes are cardinal driver oncogenes frequently and differentially mutated across bodily tumors. Their tumorigenic potential has been mainly ascribed to autonomous promotion of tumor cell proliferation and survival. However, recent evidence shows that RAS oncogenes also function to define metastatic tropism. Interestingly, RAS-driven metastasis is mediated by distinct chemokine sets that signal to endothelial and myeloid cells.

Lung carcinogenesis and fibrosis taken together: just coincidence?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The pathogenesis of lung cancer and pulmonary fibrotic disorders partially overlaps. This review focuses on the common features of the two disease categories, aimed at advancing our translational understanding of their pathobiology and at fostering the development of new therapies. RECENT FINDINGS: Both malignant and collagen-producing lung cells display enhanced cellular proliferation, increased resistance to apoptosis, a propensity for invading and distorting the lung parenchyma, as well as stemness potential. These characteristics are reinforced by the tissue microenvironment and inflammation seems to play an important adjuvant role in both types of disorders. SUMMARY: Unraveling the thread of the common and distinct characteristics of lung fibrosis and cancer might contribute to a more comprehensive approach of the pathobiology of both diseases and to a pathfinder for novel and personalized therapeutic strategies.