The Emerging Role of B Cells in Tumor Immunity Tsou, Peiling; Katayama, Hiroyuki; Ostrin, Edwin J ...
Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.),
10/2016, Letnik:
76, Številka:
19
Journal Article
Systematic searches for plasma proteins that are biological indicators, or biomarkers, for cancer are underway. The difficulties caused by the complexity of biological-fluid proteomes and tissue ...proteomes (which contribute proteins to plasma) and by the extensive heterogeneity among diseases, subjects and levels of sample procurement are gradually being overcome. This is being achieved through rigorous experimental design and in-depth quantitative studies. The expected outcome is the development of panels of biomarkers that will allow early detection of cancer and prediction of the probable response to therapy. Achieving these objectives requires high-quality specimens with well-matched controls, reagent resources, and an efficient process to confirm discoveries through independent validation studies.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
There is an urgent need for blood-based, noninvasive molecular tests to assist in the detection and diagnosis of cancers in a cost-effective manner at an early stage, when curative interventions are ...still possible. Additionally, blood-based diagnostics can classify tumors into distinct molecular subtypes and monitor disease relapse and response to treatment. Increasingly, biomarker strategies are becoming critical to identify a specific patient subpopulation that is likely to respond to a new therapeutic agent. The improved understanding of the underlying molecular features of common cancers and the availability of a multitude of recently developed technologies to interrogate the genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome of tumors and biological fluids have made it possible to develop clinically applicable and cost-effective tests for many common cancers. Overall, the paradigm shift towards personalized and individualized medicine relies heavily on the increased use of diagnostic biomarkers and classifiers to improve diagnosis, management and treatment. International collaborations, involving both the private and public sector will be required to facilitate the development of clinical applications of biomarkers, using rigorous standardized assays. Here, we review the recent technological and scientific advances in this field.
To investigate the function of a novel primate-specific long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), named FLANC, based on its genomic location (co-localised with a pyknon motif), and to characterise its potential ...as a biomarker and therapeutic target.
FLANC expression was analysed in 349 tumours from four cohorts and correlated to clinical data. In a series of multiple in vitro and in vivo models and molecular analyses, we characterised the fundamental biological roles of this lncRNA. We further explored the therapeutic potential of targeting FLANC in a mouse model of colorectal cancer (CRC) metastases.
FLANC, a primate-specific lncRNA feebly expressed in normal colon cells, was significantly upregulated in cancer cells compared with normal colon samples in two independent cohorts. High levels of FLANC were associated with poor survival in two additional independent CRC patient cohorts. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the modulation of FLANC expression influenced cellular growth, apoptosis, migration, angiogenesis and metastases formation ability of CRC cells. In vivo pharmacological targeting of FLANC by administration of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine nanoparticles loaded with a specific small interfering RNA, induced significant decrease in metastases, without evident tissue toxicity or pro-inflammatory effects. Mechanistically, FLANC upregulated and prolonged the half-life of phosphorylated STAT3, inducing the overexpression of VEGFA, a key regulator of angiogenesis.
Based on our findings, we discovered, FLANC as a novel primate-specific lncRNA that is highly upregulated in CRC cells and regulates metastases formation. Targeting primate-specific transcripts such as FLANC may represent a novel and low toxic therapeutic strategy for the treatment of patients.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and its reverse - Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transition (MET) - are hallmarks of cellular plasticity during embryonic development and cancer metastasis. ...During EMT, epithelial cells lose cell-cell adhesion and gain migratory and invasive traits either partially or completely, leading to a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (hybrid E/M) or a mesenchymal phenotype respectively. Mesenchymal cells move individually, but hybrid E/M cells migrate collectively as observed during gastrulation, wound healing, and the formation of tumor clusters detected as Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs). Typically, the hybrid E/M phenotype has largely been tacitly assumed to be transient and 'metastable'. Here, we identify certain 'phenotypic stability factors' (PSFs) such as GRHL2 that couple to the core EMT decision-making circuit (miR-200/ZEB) and stabilize hybrid E/M phenotype. Further, we show that H1975 lung cancer cells can display a stable hybrid E/M phenotype and migrate collectively, a behavior that is impaired by knockdown of GRHL2 and another previously identified PSF - OVOL. In addition, our computational model predicts that GRHL2 can also associate hybrid E/M phenotype with high tumor-initiating potential, a prediction strengthened by the observation that the higher levels of these PSFs may be predictive of poor patient outcome. Finally, based on these specific examples, we deduce certain network motifs that can stabilize the hybrid E/M phenotype. Our results suggest that partial EMT, i.e. a hybrid E/M phenotype, need not be 'metastable', and strengthen the emerging notion that partial EMT, but not necessarily a complete EMT, is associated with aggressive tumor progression.
Cancer metastasis and therapy resistance are the major unsolved clinical challenges, and account for nearly all cancer-related deaths. Both metastasis and therapy resistance are fueled by epithelial ...plasticity, the reversible phenotypic transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). EMT and MET have been largely considered as binary processes, where cells detach from the primary tumor as individual units with many, if not all, traits of a mesenchymal cell (EMT) and then convert back to being epithelial (MET). However, recent studies have demonstrated that cells can metastasize in ways alternative to traditional EMT paradigm; for example, they can detach as clusters, and/or occupy one or more stable hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotypes that can be the end point of a transition. Such hybrid E/M cells can integrate various epithelial and mesenchymal traits and markers, facilitating collective cell migration. Furthermore, these hybrid E/M cells may possess higher tumor-initiation and metastatic potential as compared to cells on either end of the EMT spectrum. Here, we review in silico, in vitro, in vivo and clinical evidence for the existence of one or more hybrid E/M phenotype(s) in multiple carcinomas, and discuss their implications in tumor-initiation, tumor relapse, therapy resistance, and metastasis. Together, these studies drive the emerging notion that cells in a hybrid E/M phenotype may occupy ‘metastatic sweet spot’ in multiple subtypes of carcinomas, and pathways linked to this (these) hybrid E/M state(s) may be relevant as prognostic biomarkers as well as a promising therapeutic targets.
Lung cancer is the leading worldwide cause of cancer mortality, as it is often detected at an advanced stage. Since 2011, low-dose CT scan-based screening has promised a 20% reduction in lung cancer ...mortality. However, effectiveness of screening has been limited by eligibility only for a high-risk population of heavy smokers and a large number of false positives generated by CT. Biomarkers have tremendous potential to improve early detection of lung cancer by refining lung cancer risk, stratifying positive CT scans, and categorizing intermediate-risk pulmonary nodules. Three biomarker tests (Early CDT-Lung, Nodify XL2, Percepta) have undergone extensive validation and are available to the clinician. The authors discuss these tests, with their clinical applicability and limitations, current ongoing evaluation, and future directions for biomarkers in lung cancer screening and detection.
Oncogenic signaling reprograms cancer cell metabolism to augment the production of glycolytic metabolites in favor of tumor growth. The ability of cancer cells to evade immunosurveillance and the ...role of metabolic regulators in T-cell functions suggest that oncogene-induced metabolic reprogramming may be linked to immune escape. EGF signaling, frequently dysregulated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), is also associated with increased glycolysis. Here, we demonstrated in TNBC cells that EGF signaling activates the first step in glycolysis, but impedes the last step, leading to an accumulation of metabolic intermediates in this pathway. Furthermore, we showed that one of these intermediates, fructose 1,6 bisphosphate (F1,6BP), directly binds to and enhances the activity of the EGFR, thereby increasing lactate excretion, which leads to inhibition of local cytotoxic T-cell activity. Notably, combining the glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxy-d-glucose with the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib effectively suppressed TNBC cell proliferation and tumor growth. Our results illustrate how jointly targeting the EGFR/F1,6BP signaling axis may offer an immediately applicable therapeutic strategy to treat TNBC.
•Autoantibodies as a means for cancer early detection.•Protein modifications as a source of autoantibodies.•Immune complexes provide cancer signatures.
A humoral immune response in the form of ...autoantibodies to tumor antigens occurs early during tumor development. Identification of antigens that induce an autoantibody response restricted to a cancer type has the potential to yield markers useful for early detection. A multitude of strategies are currently available for the discovery of tumor antigens directed autoantibodies in circulation. Each approach has advantages and limitations for comprehensive discovery of antigenic epitopes. Herein, we review established and novel strategies and methodologies and highlight potential cancer applications.
The immunoproteasome plays a key role in generation of HLA peptides for T cell-mediated immunity. Integrative genomic and proteomic analysis of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines ...revealed significantly reduced expression of immunoproteasome components and their regulators associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Low expression of immunoproteasome subunits in early stage NSCLC patients was associated with recurrence and metastasis. Depleted repertoire of HLA class I-bound peptides in mesenchymal cells deficient in immunoproteasome components was restored with either IFNγ or 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment. Our findings point to a mechanism of immune evasion of cells with a mesenchymal phenotype and suggest a strategy to overcome immune evasion through induction of the immunoproteasome to increase the cellular repertoire of HLA class I-bound peptides.