RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most lethal cancer, and 85% of cases are classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Metabolic rewiring is a cancer hallmark that causes treatment resistance, and lacks insights into serine/glycine pathway adaptations upon radiotherapy. METHODS: We analyzed radiotherapy responses using mass-spectrometry-based metabolomics in NSCLC patient's plasma and cell lines. Efficacy of serine/glycine conversion inhibitor sertraline with radiotherapy was investigated by proliferation, clonogenic and spheroid assays, and in vivo using a serine/glycine dependent NSCLC mouse model by assessment of tumor growth, metabolite and cytokine levels, and immune signatures. RESULTS: Serine/glycine pathway metabolites were significantly consumed in response to radiotherapy in NSCLC patients and cell models. Combining sertraline with radiotherapy impaired NSCLC proliferation, clonogenicity and stem cell self-renewal capacity. In vivo, NSCLC tumor growth was reduced solely in the sertraline plus radiotherapy combination treatment group. Tumor weights linked to systemic serine/glycine pathway metabolite levels, and were inhibited in the combination therapy group. Interestingly, combination therapy reshaped the tumor microenvironment via cytokines associated with natural killer cells, supported by eradication of immune checkpoint galectin-1 and elevated granzyme B levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight that targeting serine/glycine metabolism using sertraline restricts cancer cell recovery from radiotherapy and provides tumor control through immunomodulation in NSCLC.
Assuntos
Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Animais , Camundongos , Humanos , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/radioterapia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/radioterapia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Serina , Sertralina , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Glicina , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
The molecular pathology of breast cancer is challenging due to the complex heterogeneity of cellular subtypes. The ability to directly identify and visualize cell subtype distribution at the single-cell level within a tissue section enables precise and rapid diagnosis and prognosis. Here, we applied mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to acquire and visualize the molecular profiles at the single-cell and subcellular levels of 14 different breast cancer cell lines. We built a molecular library of genetically well-characterized cell lines. Multistep processing, including deep learning, resulted in a breast cancer subtype, the cancer's hormone status, and a genotypic recognition model based on metabolic phenotypes with cross-validation rates of up to 97%. Moreover, we applied our single-cell-based recognition models to complex tissue samples, identifying cell subtypes in tissue context within seconds during measurement. These data demonstrate "on the spot" digital pathology at the single-cell level using MSI, and they provide a framework for fast and accurate high spatial resolution diagnostics and prognostics.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama , Neoplasias da Mama/diagnóstico por imagem , Diagnóstico por Imagem , Feminino , Humanos , Espectrometria de Massas , Análise EspectralRESUMO
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological malignancy in Western society and the majority of cases are estrogen dependent. While endocrine drugs proved to be of insufficient therapeutic value in the past, recent clinical research shows promising results by using combinational regimens and pre-clinical studies and identified potential novel endocrine targets. Relevant pre-clinical models can accelerate research in this area. In the present study we describe an orthotopic and estrogen dependent xenograft mouse model of EC. Tumours were induced in one uterine horn of female athymic nude mice using the well-differentiated human endometrial adenocarcinoma Ishikawa cell line-modified to express the luciferase gene for bioluminescence imaging (BLI). BLI and contrast-enhanced computed-tomograph (CE-CT) were used to measure non-invasive tumour growth. Controlled estrogen exposure was achieved by the use of MedRod implants releasing 1.5 µg/d of 17ß-estradiol (E2) in ovariectomized mice. Stable E2 serum concentration was demonstrated by LC-MS/MS. Induced tumours were E2 responsive as increased tumour growth was observed in the presence of E2 but not placebo, assessed by BLI, CE-CT, and tumour weight at sacrifice. Metastatic spread was assessed macroscopically by BLI and histology and was seen in the peritoneal cavity, in the lymphovascular space, and in the thoracic cavity. In conclusion, we developed an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of EC that exhibits the most relevant features of human disease, regarding metastatic spread and estrogen dependency. This model offers an easy to manipulate estrogen dosage (by simply adjusting the MedRod implant length), image-guided monitoring of tumour growth, and objectively measurable endpoints (including tumour weight). This is an excellent in vivo tool to further explore endocrine drug regimens and novel endocrine drug targets for EC.
Assuntos
Modelos Animais de Doenças , Neoplasias do Endométrio/etiologia , Neoplasias do Endométrio/patologia , Estrogênios/efeitos adversos , Animais , Estrogênios/administração & dosagem , Feminino , Xenoenxertos , Humanos , Aumento da Imagem , Medições Luminescentes , Camundongos , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X , Carga Tumoral , Microtomografia por Raio-XRESUMO
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) simultaneously detects and identifies the spatial distribution of numerous molecules throughout tissues. Currently, MSI is limited to providing a static and exâ vivo snapshot of highly dynamic systems in which molecules are constantly synthesized and consumed. Herein, we demonstrate an innovative MSI methodology to study dynamic molecular changes of amino acids within biological tissues by measuring the dilution and conversion of stable isotopes in a mouse model. We evaluate the method specifically on hepatocellular metabolism of the essential amino acid l-phenylalanine, associated with liver diseases. Crucially, the method reveals the localized dynamics of l-phenylalanine metabolism, including its inâ vivo hydroxylation to l-tyrosine and co-localization with other liver metabolites in a time course of samples from different animals. This method thus enables the dynamics of localized biochemical synthesis to be studied directly from biological tissues.
Assuntos
Isótopos de Carbono/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Espectrometria de Massas/métodos , Fenilalanina/metabolismo , Tirosina/metabolismo , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Cromatografia Gasosa-Espectrometria de Massas/métodos , Xenoenxertos , Hidroxilação , Cinética , Camundongos , Camundongos Nus , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Espectrometria de Massas por Ionização e Dessorção a Laser Assistida por Matriz/métodos , Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier , Espectrometria de Massas em Tandem/métodosRESUMO
Small animal models are crucial to link molecular discoveries and implementation of clinically relevant therapeutics in oncology. Using these models requires noninvasive imaging techniques to monitor disease progression and therapy response. Micro-computed tomography (CT) is less studied for the in vivo monitoring of murine intracranial tumors and traditionally suffers from poor soft tissue contrast, whereas bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is known for its sensitivity but is not frequently employed for quantifying tumor volume. A widely used orthotopic glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor model was applied in nude mice, and tumor growth was evaluated by BLI and contrast-enhanced microCT imaging. A strong correlation was observed between CT volume and BLI-integrated intensity (Pearson coefficient (r) â=â .85, p â=â .0002). Repeated contouring of contrast-enhanced microCT-delineated tumor volumes achieved an intraobserver average pairwise overlap ratio of 0.84 and an average tumor volume coefficient of variance of 0.11. MicroCT-delineated tumor size was found to correlate with tumor size obtained via histologic analysis (Pearson coefficient (r) â=â .88, p â=â .005). We conclude that BLI intensity can be used to derive tumor volume but that the use of both contrast-enhanced microCT and BLI provides complementary tumor growth information, which is particularly useful for modern small animal irradiation devices that make use of microCT and BLI for treatment planning, targeting, and monitoring.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Encefálicas/patologia , Glioblastoma/patologia , Luciferases/metabolismo , Medições Luminescentes/métodos , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/métodos , Animais , Neoplasias Encefálicas/diagnóstico por imagem , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Glioblastoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Luciferases/genética , Camundongos , Camundongos SCID , Imagem Multimodal , Transplante de Neoplasias , Carga TumoralRESUMO
Hypoxia has been shown to be an important microenvironmental parameter influencing tumor progression and treatment efficacy. Patient guidance for hypoxia-targeted therapy requires evaluation of tumor oxygenation, preferably in a noninvasive manner. The aim of this study was to evaluate and validate the uptake of [(18)F]HX4, a novel developed hypoxia marker for PET imaging. A heterogeneous accumulation of [(18)F]HX4 was found within rat rhabdomyosarcoma tumors that was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher compared with the surrounding tissues, with temporal increasing tumor-to-blood ratios reaching a plateau of 7.638 ± 0.926 and optimal imaging properties 4 h after injection. [(18)F]HX4 retention in normal tissues was found to be short-lived, homogeneous and characterized by a fast progressive temporal clearance. Heterogeneity in [(18)F]HX4 tumor uptake was analyzed based on 16 regions within the tumor according to the different orthogonal planes at the largest diameter. Validation of heterogeneous [(18)F]HX4 tumor uptake was shown by a strong and significant relationship (r = 0.722; P < 0.0001) with the hypoxic fraction as calculated by the percentage pimonidazole-positive pixels. Furthermore, a causal relationship with tumor oxygenation was established, because combination treatment of nicotinamide and carbogen resulted in a 40% reduction (P < 0.001) in [(18)F]HX4 tumor accumulation whereas treatment with 7% oxygen breathing resulted in a 30% increased uptake (P < 0.05). [(18)F]HX4 is therefore a promising candidate for noninvasive detection and evaluation of tumor hypoxia at a macroscopic level.
Assuntos
Hipóxia Celular , Radioisótopos de Flúor , Imidazóis , Neoplasias Experimentais/metabolismo , Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons/métodos , Compostos Radiofarmacêuticos , Triazóis , Animais , Biomarcadores , Masculino , Nitroimidazóis/farmacologia , RatosRESUMO
Objective. A novel solution is required for accurate 3D bioluminescence tomography (BLT) based glioblastoma (GBM) targeting. The provided solution should be computationally efficient to support real-time treatment planning, thus reducing the x-ray imaging dose imposed by high-resolution micro cone-beam CT.Approach. A novel deep-learning approach is developed to enable BLT-based tumor targeting and treatment planning for orthotopic rat GBM models. The proposed framework is trained and validated on a set of realistic Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, the trained deep learning model is tested on a limited set of BLI measurements of real rat GBM models.Significance. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a 2D non-invasive optical imaging modality geared toward preclinical cancer research. It can be used to monitor tumor growth in small animal tumor models effectively and without radiation burden. However, the current state-of-the-art does not allow accurate radiation treatment planning using BLI, hence limiting BLI's value in preclinical radiobiology research.Results. The proposed solution can achieve sub-millimeter targeting accuracy on the simulated dataset, with a median dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 61%. The provided BLT-based planning volume achieves a median encapsulation of more than 97% of the tumor while keeping the median geometrical brain coverage below 4.2%. For the real BLI measurements, the proposed solution provided median geometrical tumor coverage of 95% and a median DSC of 42%. Dose planning using a dedicated small animal treatment planning system indicated good BLT-based treatment planning accuracy compared to ground-truth CT-based planning, where dose-volume metrics for the tumor fall within the limit of agreement for more than 95% of cases.Conclusion. The combination of flexibility, accuracy, and speed of the deep learning solutions make them a viable option for the BLT reconstruction problem and can provide BLT-based tumor targeting for the rat GBM models.
Assuntos
Aprendizado Profundo , Glioblastoma , Ratos , Animais , Glioblastoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Glioblastoma/radioterapia , Tomografia , Tomografia Computadorizada de Feixe Cônico/métodos , Modelos AnimaisRESUMO
Patients with peritoneal metastases (PM) of colorectal cancer have a very poor outcome. Intraperitoneal delivery of chemotherapy is the preferred route for PM treatment. The main limitation of the treatment options is the short residence time of the cytostatic, with subsequent short exposure of the cancer cells. To address this, a supramolecular hydrogel has been developed that allows both local and slow release of its encapsulated drug, mitomycin C (MMC) or cholesterol-conjugated MMC (cMMC), respectively. This experimental study investigates if drug delivery using this hydrogel improves the therapeutic efficacy against PM. PM was induced in WAG/Rij rats (n = 72) by intraperitoneally injecting syngeneic colon carcinoma cells (CC531) expressing luciferase. After seven days, animals received a single intraperitoneal injection with saline (n = 8), unloaded hydrogel (n = 12), free MMC (n = 13), free cMMC (n = 13), MMC-loaded hydrogel (n = 13), or cMMC-loaded hydrogel (n = 13). Primary outcome was overall survival with a maximum follow-up of 120 days. Intraperitoneal tumor development was non-invasive monitored via bioluminescence imaging. Sixty-one rats successfully underwent all study procedures and were included to assess therapeutic efficacy. After 120 days, the overall survival in the MMC-loaded hydrogel and free MMC group was 78% and 38%, respectively. A trend toward significance was found when comparing the survival curves of the MMC-loaded hydrogel and free MMC (p = 0.087). No survival benefit was found for the cMMC-loaded hydrogel compared to free cMMC. Treating PM with our MMC-loaded hydrogel, exhibiting prolonged MMC exposure, seems effective in improving survival compared to treatment with free MMC.
Assuntos
Neoplasias do Colo , Neoplasias Colorretais , Citostáticos , Neoplasias Peritoneais , Ratos , Animais , Citostáticos/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Peritoneais/secundário , Hidrogéis/uso terapêutico , Roedores , Mitomicina , Neoplasias do Colo/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
Objective.Delineation of relevant normal tissues is a bottleneck in image-guided precision radiotherapy workflows for small animals. A deep learning (DL) model for automatic contouring using standardized 3D micro cone-beam CT (µCBCT) volumes as input is proposed, to provide a fully automatic, generalizable method for normal tissue contouring in preclinical studies.Approach.A 3D U-net was trained to contour organs in the head (whole brain, left/right brain hemisphere, left/right eye) and thorax (complete lungs, left/right lung, heart, spinal cord, thorax bone) regions. As an important preprocessing step, Hounsfield units (HUs) were converted to mass density (MD) values, to remove the energy dependency of theµCBCT scanner and improve generalizability of the DL model. Model performance was evaluated quantitatively by Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), mean surface distance (MSD), 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95p), and center of mass displacement (ΔCoM). For qualitative assessment, DL-generated contours (for 40 and 80 kV images) were scored (0: unacceptable, manual re-contouring needed - 5: no adjustments needed). An uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo dropout uncertainty was performed for delineation of the heart.Main results.The proposed DL model and accompanying preprocessing method provide high quality contours, with in general median DSC > 0.85, MSD < 0.25 mm, HD95p < 1 mm and ΔCoM < 0.5 mm. The qualitative assessment showed very few contours needed manual adaptations (40 kV: 20/155 contours, 80 kV: 3/155 contours). The uncertainty of the DL model is small (within 2%).Significance.A DL-based model dedicated to preclinical studies has been developed for multi-organ segmentation in two body sites. For the first time, a method independent of image acquisition parameters has been quantitatively evaluated, resulting in sub-millimeter performance, while qualitative assessment demonstrated the high quality of the DL-generated contours. The uncertainty analysis additionally showed that inherent model variability is low.
Assuntos
Aprendizado Profundo , Animais , Tomografia Computadorizada de Feixe Cônico , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador/métodos , Pulmão , Órgãos em Risco , Planejamento da Radioterapia Assistida por Computador/métodos , TóraxRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In preclinical radiation studies, there is great interest in quantifying the radiation response of healthy tissues. Manual contouring has significant impact on the treatment-planning because of variation introduced by human interpretation. This results in inconsistencies when assessing normal tissue volumes. Evaluation of these discrepancies can provide a better understanding on the limitations of the current preclinical radiation workflow. In the present work, interobserver variability (IOV) in manual contouring of rodent normal tissues on cone-beam Computed Tomography, in head and thorax regions was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two animal technicians performed manually (assisted) contouring of normal tissues located within the thorax and head regions of rodents, 20 cases per body site. Mean surface distance (MSD), displacement of center of mass (ΔCoM), DICE similarity coefficient (DSC) and the 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95) were calculated between the contours of the two observers to evaluate the IOV. RESULTS: For the thorax organs, right lung had the lowest IOV (ΔCoM: 0.08⯱â¯0.04â¯mm, DSC: 0.96⯱â¯0.01, MSD:0.07⯱â¯0.01â¯mm, HD95:0.20⯱â¯0.03â¯mm) while spinal cord, the highest IOV (ΔCoM:0.5⯱â¯0.3â¯mm, DSC:0.81⯱â¯0.05, MSD:0.14⯱â¯0.03â¯mm, HD95:0.8⯱â¯0.2â¯mm). Regarding head organs, right eye demonstrated the lowest IOV (ΔCoM:0.12⯱â¯0.08â¯mm, DSC: 0.93⯱â¯0.02, MSD: 0.15⯱â¯0.04â¯mm, HD95: 0.29⯱â¯0.07â¯mm) while complete brain, the highest IOV (ΔCoM: 0.2⯱â¯0.1â¯mm, DSC: 0.94⯱â¯0.02, MSD: 0.3⯱â¯0.1â¯mm, HD95: 0.5⯱â¯0.1â¯mm). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal small IOV, within the sub-mm range, for thorax and head normal tissues in rodents. The set of contours can serve as a basis for developing an automated delineation method for e.g., treatment planning.
RESUMO
Objective.Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a valuable tool for non-invasive monitoring of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor-bearing small animals without incurring x-ray radiation burden. However, the use of this imaging modality is limited due to photon scattering and lack of spatial information. Attempts at reconstructing bioluminescence tomography (BLT) using mathematical models of light propagation show limited progress.Approach.This paper employed a different approach by using a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict the tumor's center of mass (CoM). Transfer-learning with a sizeable artificial database is employed to facilitate the training process for, the much smaller, target database including Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of real orthotopic glioblastoma models. Predicted CoM was then used to estimate a BLI-based planning target volume (bPTV), by using the CoM as the center of a sphere, encompassing the tumor. The volume of the encompassing target sphere was estimated based on the total number of photons reaching the skin surface.Main results.Results show sub-millimeter accuracy for CoM prediction with a median error of 0.59 mm. The proposed method also provides promising performance for BLI-based tumor targeting with on average 94% of the tumor inside the bPTV while keeping the average healthy tissue coverage below 10%.Significance.This work introduced a framework for developing and using a CNN for targeted radiation studies for GBM based on BLI. The framework will enable biologists to use BLI as their main image-guidance tool to target GBM tumors in rat models, avoiding delivery of high x-ray imaging dose to the animals.
Assuntos
Aprendizado Profundo , Glioblastoma , Animais , Glioblastoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Glioblastoma/patologia , Glioblastoma/radioterapia , Método de Monte Carlo , Redes Neurais de Computação , Ratos , TomografiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Poorly immunogenic tumors are hardly responsive to immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and are, therefore, a therapeutic challenge. Combination with other immunotherapies and/or immunogenic therapies, such as radiotherapy (RT), could make these tumors more immune responsive. We have previously shown that the immunocytokine L19-IL2 combined with single-dose RT resulted in 75% tumor remission and a 20% curative abscopal effect in the T cell-inflamed C51 colon carcinoma model. This treatment schedule was associated with the upregulation of inhibitory immune checkpoint (IC) molecules on tumor-infiltrating T cells, leading to only tumor growth delay in the poorly immunogenic Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) model. METHODS: We aimed to trigger curative therapeutic responses in three tumor models (LLC, C51 and CT26) by "pushing the accelerator" of tumor immunity with L19-IL2 and/or "releasing the brakes" with ICB, such as antibodies directed against cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1), combined with single-dose RT (10 Gy or 5 Gy). Primary tumor endpoint was defined as time to reach four times the size of tumor volume at start of treatment (4T×SV). Multivariate analysis of 4T×SV was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model comparing each treatment group with controls. Causal involvement of T and natural killer (NK) cells in the anti-tumor effect was assessed by in vivo depletion of T, NK or both cell populations. Immune profiling was performed using flow cytometry on single cell suspensions from spleens, bone marrow, tumors and blood. RESULTS: Combining RT, anti-PD-L1 and L19-IL2 cured 38% of LLC tumors, which was both CD8+ T and NK cell dependent. LLC tumors were resistant to RT +anti-PD-L1 likely explained by the upregulation of other IC molecules and increased T regulatory cell tumor infiltration. RT+L19-IL2 outperformed RT+ICB in C51 tumors; effects were comparable in CT26 tumors. Triple combinations were not superior to RT+L19-IL2 in both these models. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that combinatorial strategies rationally designed on biological effects can turn immunotherapy-resistant tumors into immunologically responsive tumors. This hypothesis is currently being tested in the international multicentric randomized phase 2 trial: ImmunoSABR (NCT03705403).
Assuntos
Antígeno B7-H1/antagonistas & inibidores , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/terapia , Quimiorradioterapia , Neoplasias do Colo/terapia , Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico/farmacologia , Agentes de Imunomodulação/farmacologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/terapia , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/farmacologia , Animais , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/metabolismo , Antígeno CTLA-4/antagonistas & inibidores , Antígeno CTLA-4/metabolismo , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/imunologia , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/metabolismo , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Técnicas de Cocultura , Neoplasias do Colo/imunologia , Neoplasias do Colo/metabolismo , Neoplasias do Colo/patologia , Memória Imunológica/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Matadoras Naturais/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Matadoras Naturais/imunologia , Células Matadoras Naturais/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/imunologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/imunologia , Linfócitos do Interstício Tumoral/metabolismo , Células T de Memória/efeitos dos fármacos , Células T de Memória/imunologia , Células T de Memória/metabolismo , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Transdução de Sinais , Carga Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacos , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological tumor in developed countries and its incidence is increasing. Approximately 80% of newly diagnosed EC cases are estrogen-dependent. Type 1 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD-1) is the enzyme that catalyzes the final step in estrogen biosynthesis by reducing the weak estrogen estrone (E1) to the potent estrogen 17ß-estradiol (E2), and previous studies showed that this enzyme is implicated in the intratumoral E2 generation in EC. In the present study we employed a recently developed orthotopic and estrogen-dependent xenograft mouse model of EC to show that pharmacological inhibition of the 17ß-HSD-1 enzyme inhibits disease development. Tumors were induced in one uterine horn of athymic nude mice by intrauterine injection of the well-differentiated human endometrial adenocarcinoma Ishikawa cell line, modified to express human 17ß-HSD-1 in levels comparable to EC, and the luciferase and green fluorescent protein reporter genes. Controlled estrogen exposure in ovariectomized mice was achieved using subcutaneous MedRod implants that released either the low active estrone (E1) precursor or vehicle. A subgroup of E1 supplemented mice received daily oral gavage of FP4643, a well-characterized 17ß-HSD-1 inhibitor. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was used to measure tumor growth non-invasively. At sacrifice, mice receiving E1 and treated with the FP4643 inhibitor showed a significant reduction in tumor growth by approximately 65% compared to mice receiving E1. Tumors exhibited metastatic spread to the peritoneum, to the lymphovascular space (LVI), and to the thoracic cavity. Metastatic spread and LVI invasion were both significantly reduced in the inhibitor-treated group. Transcriptional profiling of tumors indicated that FP4643 treatment reduced the oncogenic potential at the mRNA level. In conclusion, we show that 17ß-HSD-1 inhibition represents a promising novel endocrine treatment for EC.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Hormonais/farmacologia , Neoplasias do Endométrio/tratamento farmacológico , Inibidores Enzimáticos/farmacologia , Estradiol Desidrogenases/antagonistas & inibidores , Animais , Processos de Crescimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Neoplasias do Endométrio/enzimologia , Estrona/análogos & derivados , Estrona/farmacologia , Feminino , Humanos , Camundongos Nus , Distribuição Aleatória , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
Hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAP) are a promising class of antineoplastic agents that can selectively eliminate hypoxic tumor cells. This study evaluates the hypoxia-selectivity and antitumor activity of CP-506, a DNA alkylating HAP with favorable pharmacologic properties. Stoichiometry of reduction, one-electron affinity, and back-oxidation rate of CP-506 were characterized by fast-reaction radiolytic methods with observed parameters fulfilling requirements for oxygen-sensitive bioactivation. Net reduction, metabolism, and cytotoxicity of CP-506 were maximally inhibited at oxygen concentrations above 1 µmol/L (0.1% O2). CP-506 demonstrated cytotoxicity selectively in hypoxic 2D and 3D cell cultures with normoxic/anoxic IC50 ratios up to 203. Complete resistance to aerobic (two-electron) metabolism by aldo-keto reductase 1C3 was confirmed through gain-of-function studies while retention of hypoxic (one-electron) bioactivation by various diflavin oxidoreductases was also demonstrated. In vivo, the antitumor effects of CP-506 were selective for hypoxic tumor cells and causally related to tumor oxygenation. CP-506 effectively decreased the hypoxic fraction and inhibited growth of a wide range of hypoxic xenografts. A multivariate regression analysis revealed baseline tumor hypoxia and in vitro sensitivity to CP-506 were significantly correlated with treatment response. Our results demonstrate that CP-506 selectively targets hypoxic tumor cells and has broad antitumor activity. Our data indicate that tumor hypoxia and cellular sensitivity to CP-506 are strong determinants of the antitumor effects of CP-506.
Assuntos
Pró-Fármacos/uso terapêutico , Hipóxia Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Humanos , Camundongos , Pró-Fármacos/farmacologiaRESUMO
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common and aggressive malignant brain cancer with a mean survival time of approximately 15 months after initial diagnosis. Currently, the standard-of-care (SOC) treatment for this disease consists of radiotherapy (RT) with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ). We sought to develop an orthotopic preclinical model of GBM and to optimize a protocol for non-invasive monitoring of tumor growth, allowing for determination of the efficacy of SOC therapy using a targeted RT strategy combined with TMZ. A strong correlation (r = 0.80) was observed between contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT-based volume quantification and bioluminescent (BLI)-integrated image intensity when monitoring tumor growth, allowing for BLI imaging as a substitute for CE-CT. An optimized parallel-opposed single-angle RT beam plan delivered on average 96% of the expected RT dose (20, 30 or 60 Gy) to the tumor. Normal tissue on the ipsilateral and contralateral sides of the brain were spared 84% and 99% of the expected dose, respectively. An increase in median survival time was demonstrated for all SOC regimens compared to untreated controls (average 5.2 days, p < 0.05), but treatment was not curative, suggesting the need for novel treatment options to increase therapeutic efficacy.
RESUMO
mtDNA variations often result in bioenergetic dysfunction inducing a metabolic switch toward glycolysis resulting in an unbalanced pH homeostasis. In hypoxic cells, expression of the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is enhanced to maintain cellular pH homeostasis. We hypothesized that cells with a dysfunctional oxidative phosphorylation machinery display elevated CAIX expression levels. Increased glycolysis was observed for cytoplasmic 143B mutant hybrid (m.3243A>G, >94.5%) cells (p < 0.05) and 143B mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depleted cells (p < 0.05). Upon hypoxia (0.2%, 16 h), genetic or pharmacological oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibition resulted in decreased CAIX (p < 0.05), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) expression levels. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prolyl-hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) levels could not explain these observations. In vivo, tumor take (>500 mm3) took longer for mutant hybrid xenografts, but growth rates were comparable with control tumors upon establishment. Previously, it has been shown that HIF-1α is responsible for tumor establishment. In agreement, we found that HIF-1α expression levels and the pimonidazole-positive hypoxic fraction were reduced for the mutant hybrid xenografts. Our results demonstrate that OXPHOS dysfunction leads to a decreased HIF-1α stabilization and subsequently to a reduced expression of its downstream targets and hypoxic fraction in vivo. In contrast, hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha (HIF-2α) expression levels in these xenografts were enhanced. Inhibition of mitochondrial function is therefore an interesting approach to increase therapeutic efficacy in hypoxic tumors.
RESUMO
The use of reporter genes to non-invasively image molecular processes inside cells has significant translational potential, particularly in the context of systemically administered gene therapy vectors and adoptively administered cells such as immune or stem cell based therapies. Bacterial nitroreductase enzymes possess ideal properties for reporter gene imaging applications, being of non-human origin and possessing the ability to metabolize a range of clinically relevant nitro(hetero)cyclic substrates. Methods: A library of eleven Escherichia coli nitroreductase candidates were screened for the ability to efficiently metabolize 2-nitroimidazole based positron emission tomography (PET) probes originally developed as radiotracers for hypoxic cell imaging. Several complementary methods were utilized to detect formation of cell-entrapped metabolites, including various in vitro and in vivo models to establish the capacity of the 2-nitroimidazole PET agent EF5 to quantify expression of a nitroreductase candidate. Proof-of-principle PET imaging studies were successfully conducted using 18F-HX4. Results: Recombinant enzyme kinetics, bacterial SOS reporter assays, anti-proliferative assays and flow cytometry approaches collectively identified the major oxygen-insensitive nitroreductase NfsA from E. coli (NfsA_Ec) as the most promising nitroreductase reporter gene. Cells expressing NfsA_Ec were demonstrably labelled with the imaging agent EF5 in a manner that was quantitatively superior to hypoxia, in monolayers (2D), multicellular layers (3D), and in human tumor xenograft models. EF5 retention correlated with NfsA_Ec positive cell density over a range of EF5 concentrations in 3D in vitro models and in xenografts in vivo and was predictive of in vivo anti-tumor activity of the cytotoxic prodrug PR-104. Following PET imaging with 18F-HX4, a significantly higher tumor-to-blood ratio was observed in two xenograft models for NfsA_Ec expressing tumors compared to the parental tumors thereof, providing verification of this reporter gene imaging approach. Conclusion: This study establishes that the bacterial nitroreductase NfsA_Ec can be utilized as an imaging capable reporter gene, with the ability to metabolize and trap 2-nitroimidazole PET imaging agents for non-invasive imaging of gene expression.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Alquilantes/farmacologia , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/administração & dosagem , Genes Reporter , Neoplasias/diagnóstico por imagem , Nitrorredutases/administração & dosagem , Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons/métodos , Animais , Antineoplásicos Alquilantes/uso terapêutico , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/genética , Etanidazol/administração & dosagem , Etanidazol/análogos & derivados , Etanidazol/farmacocinética , Terapia Genética , Vetores Genéticos/administração & dosagem , Vetores Genéticos/farmacocinética , Células HCT116 , Humanos , Hidrocarbonetos Fluorados/administração & dosagem , Hidrocarbonetos Fluorados/farmacocinética , Imidazóis/administração & dosagem , Indicadores e Reagentes/administração & dosagem , Indicadores e Reagentes/farmacocinética , Camundongos , Imagem Molecular/métodos , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/patologia , Compostos de Mostarda Nitrogenada/farmacologia , Compostos de Mostarda Nitrogenada/uso terapêutico , Nitrorredutases/genética , Medicina de Precisão/métodos , Estudo de Prova de Conceito , Compostos Radiofarmacêuticos/administração & dosagem , Proteínas Recombinantes/administração & dosagem , Proteínas Recombinantes/genética , Triazóis/administração & dosagem , Hipóxia Tumoral , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
METHODS:: An orthotopic non-small cell lung cancer model in NMRI-nude mice was established to investigate the complementary information acquired from 80 kVp microcone-beam CT (micro-CBCT) and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) using different angles and filter settings. Different micro-CBCT-based radiation-delivery plans were evaluated based on their dose-volume histogram metrics of tumor and organs at risk to select the optimal treatment plan. RESULTS:: H1299 cell suspensions injected directly into the lung render exponentially growing single tumor nodules whose CBCT-based volume quantification strongly correlated with BLI-integrated intensity. Parallel-opposed single angle beam plans through a single lung are preferred for smaller tumors, whereas for larger tumors, plans that spread the radiation dose across healthy tissues are favored. CONCLUSIONS:: Closely mimicking a clinical setting for lung cancer with highly advanced preclinical radiation treatment planning is possible in mice developing orthotopic lung tumors. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE:: BLI and CBCT imaging of orthotopic lung tumors provide complementary information in a temporal manner. The optimal radiotherapy plan is tumor volume-dependent.
Assuntos
Carcinoma Pulmonar de Células não Pequenas/radioterapia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/radioterapia , Planejamento da Radioterapia Assistida por Computador/métodos , Radioterapia Guiada por Imagem/métodos , Animais , Tomografia Computadorizada de Feixe Cônico/métodos , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Humanos , Pulmão/diagnóstico por imagem , Pulmão/patologia , Pulmão/efeitos da radiação , Camundongos Nus , Dosagem Radioterapêutica , Radioterapia Guiada por Imagem/veterináriaRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Esophageal cancer incidence is increasing and is rarely curable. Hypoxic tumor areas cause resistance to conventional therapies, making them susceptible for treatment with hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAPs). We investigated in vivo whether the HAP evofosfamide (TH-302) could increase the therapeutic ratio by sensitizing esophageal carcinomas to radiotherapy without increasing normal tissue toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To assess therapeutic efficacy, growth of xenografted esophageal squamous cell (OE21) or adeno (OE19) carcinomas was monitored after treatment with TH-302 (50â¯mg/kg, QD5) and irradiation (sham or 10â¯Gy). Short- and long-term toxicity was assessed in a gut mucosa and lung fibrosis irradiation model, sensitive to acute and late radiation injury respectively. Mice were injected with TH-302 (50â¯mg/kg, QD5) and the abdominal area (sham, 8 or 10â¯Gy) or the upper part of the right lung (sham, 20â¯Gy) was irradiated. Damage to normal tissues was assessed 84 hours later by histology and blood plasma citrulline levels (gut) and for up to 1â¯year by non-invasive micro CT imaging (lung). RESULTS: The combination treatment of TH-302 with radiotherapy resulted in significant tumor growth delay in OE19 (Pâ¯=â¯0.02) and OE21 (Pâ¯=â¯0.03) carcinomas, compared to radiotherapy only. Irradiation resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of crypt survival (Pâ¯<â¯0.001), mucosal surface area (Pâ¯<â¯0.01) and citrulline levels (Pâ¯<â¯0.001) in both tumor and non-tumor bearing animals. On the long-term, irradiation increased CT density in the lung, indicating fibrosis, over time. TH-302 did not influence the radiation-induced short-term and long-term toxicity, confirmed by histological evaluation. CONCLUSION: The combination of TH-302 and radiotherapy might be a promising approach to improve the therapeutic index for esophageal cancer patients.