scholarly journals The BH3-only protein NOXA serves as an independent predictor of breast cancer patient survival and defines susceptibility to microtubule targeting agents

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerlinde Karbon ◽  
Manuel D. Haschka ◽  
Hubert Hackl ◽  
Claudia Soratroi ◽  
Lourdes Rocamora-Reverte ◽  
...  

AbstractBreast cancer (BC) treatment frequently involves microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs), such as paclitaxel, that arrest cells in mitosis. Sensitivity to MTAs is defined by a subset of pro- and anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins controlling mitochondrial apoptosis. Here, we aimed to determine their prognostic value in primary tumour samples from 92 BC patients. Our analysis identified high NOXA/PMAIP mRNA expression levels as an independent prognostic marker for improved relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis in BC patients, independent of their molecular subtype. Analysis of available TCGA datasets of 1060 BC patients confirmed our results and added a clear predictive value of NOXA mRNA levels for patients who received MTA-based therapy. In this TCGA cohort, 122 patients received MTA-treatment and high NOXA mRNA levels correlated with their progression-free interval (PFI) and OS. Our follow-up analyses in a panel of BC cell lines of different molecular subtypes identified NOXA protein expression as a key determinant of paclitaxel sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Moreover, we noted highest additive effects between paclitaxel and chemical inhibition of BCLX, but not BCL2 or MCL1, documenting dependence of TNBC cells on BCLX for survival and paclitaxel sensitivity defined by NOXA expression levels.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerlinde Karbon ◽  
Manuel D Haschka ◽  
Hubert Hackl ◽  
Claudia Soratroi ◽  
Lourdes Rocamora-Reverte ◽  
...  

Breast cancer (BC) treatment frequently involves microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs), such as paclitaxel, that arrest cells in mitosis. Sensitivity to MTAs is defined by a subset of pro- and anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins controlling mitochondrial apoptosis. Here, we aimed to determine their prognostic value in primary tumour samples from 92 BC patients. Our analysis identified high NOXA/PMAIP mRNA expression levels as an independent prognostic marker for improved relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis in BC patients, independent of their molecular subtype. Analysis of available TCGA datasets of 1060 BC patients confirmed our results and added a clear predictive value of NOXA mRNA levels for patients who received MTA-based therapy. In this TCGA cohort, 122 patients received MTA-treatment and high NOXA mRNA levels correlated with their progression-free interval (PFI) and OS. Our follow-up analyses in a panel of BC cell lines of different molecular subtypes identified NOXA protein expression as a key determinant of paclitaxel sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Moreover, we noted highest additive effects between paclitaxel and chemical inhibition of BCLX, but not BCL2 or MCL1, documenting dependence of TNBC cells on BCLX for survival and paclitaxel sensitivity, defined by NOXA expression levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 681-688
Author(s):  
Nikolai V. Litviakov ◽  
Marina K. Ibragimova ◽  
Matvey M. Tsyganov ◽  
Artem V. Doroshenko ◽  
Eugeniy Y. Garbukov ◽  
...  

Background: In this study, we examined the CNA-genetic landscape (CNA – copy number aberration) of breast cancer prior to and following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and correlated changes in the tumor landscape with chemotherapy efficiency as well as metastasis-free survival. Objective: Breast cancer patients (n = 30) with luminal B molecular subtypes were treated with anthracycline- based therapy. Methods: To study CNAs in breast tumors, microarray analysis was performed. Results: Three effects of NAC on tumor CNA landscape were identified: 1 – the number of CNA-bearing tumor clones decreased following NAC; 2 – there were no alterations in the number of CNA-containing clones after NAC; 3 – the treatment with NAC increased the number of CNA-bearing clones (new clones appeared). All NAC-treated patients who had new tumor clones with amplification (20%) had a 100% likelihood of metastasis formation. In these cases, NAC contributed to the emergence of potential metastatic clones. Our study identified the following loci – 5p, 6p, 7q, 8q, 9p, 10p, 10q22.1, 13q, 16p, 18Chr and 19p – that were amplified during the treatment with NAC and may be the markers of potential metastatic clones. In other patients who showed total or partial elimination of CNA-bearing cell clones, no new amplification clones were observed after NAC, and no evidence of metastases was found with follow-up for 5 years (р = 0.00000). Conclusion: Our data suggest that the main therapeutic result from NAC is the elimination of potential metastatic clones present in the tumor before treatment. The results showed the necessity of an intelligent approach to NAC to avoid metastasis stimulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8098
Author(s):  
Abdul Shukkur Ebrahim ◽  
Zeyad Hailat ◽  
Sudeshna Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Daniel Neill ◽  
Mustapha Kandouz

Cell–cell communication proteins Eph and ephrin constitute the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). They are distinguished by the fact that both receptors and ligands are membrane-bound, and both can drive intracellular signaling in their respective cells. Ever since these RTKs have been found to be involved in cancer development, strategies to target them therapeutically have been actively pursued. However, before this goal can be rationally achieved, the contributions of either Eph receptors or their ephrin ligands to cancer development and progression should be scrutinized in depth. To assess the clinical pertinence of this concern, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prognostic/predictive value of EphB2 and its multiple cognate ephrin ligands in breast cancer. We found that EphB2 has prognostic value, as indicated by the association of higher EphB2 expression levels with lower distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and the association of lower EphB2 expression levels with poorer relapse-free survival (RFS). We also found that higher EphB2 expression could be a prognostic factor for distant metastasis, specifically in the luminal subtypes of breast cancer. EFNB2 showed a marked correlation between higher expression levels and shorter DMFS. EFNA5 or EFNB1 overexpression is correlated with longer RFS. Increased EFNB1 expression is correlated with longer OS in lymph node (LN)-negative patients and the luminal B subtype. Higher levels of EFNB2 or EFNA5 are significantly correlated with shorter RFS, regardless of LN status. However, while this correlation with shorter RFS is true for EFNB2 in all subtypes except basal, it is also true for EFNA5 in all subtypes except HER2+. The analysis also points to possible predictive value for EphB2. In systemically treated patients who have undergone either endocrine therapy or chemotherapy, we found that higher expression of EphB2 is correlated with better rates of RFS. Bearing in mind the limitations inherent to any mRNA-based profiling method, we complemented our analysis with an immunohistochemical assessment of expression levels of both the EphB2 receptor and cognate ephrin ligands. We found that the latter are significantly more expressed in cancers than in normal tissues, and even more so in invasive and metastatic samples than in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Finally, in an in vitro cellular model of breast cancer progression, based on H-Ras-transformation of the MCF10A benign mammary cell line, we observed dramatic increases in the mRNA expression of EphB2 receptor and EFNB1 and EFNB2 ligands in transformed and invasive cells in comparison with their benign counterparts. Taken together, these data show the clinical validity of a model whereby EphB2, along with its cognate ephrin ligands, have dual anti- and pro-tumor progression effects. In so doing, they reinforce the necessity of further biological investigations into Ephs and ephrins, prior to using them in targeted therapies.


Author(s):  
Sanne ten Hoorn ◽  
Dirkje W. Sommeijer ◽  
Faye Elliott ◽  
David Fisher ◽  
Tim R. de Back ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patient selection for addition of anti-EGFR therapy to chemotherapy for patients with RAS and BRAF wildtype metastatic colorectal cancer can still be optimised. Here we investigate the effect of anti-EGFR therapy on survival in different consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) and stratified by primary tumour location. Methods Retrospective analyses, using the immunohistochemistry-based CMS classifier, were performed in the COIN (first-line oxaliplatin backbone with or without cetuximab) and PICCOLO trial (second-line irinotecan with or without panitumumab). Tumour tissue was available for 323 patients (20%) and 349 (41%), respectively. Results When using an irinotecan backbone, anti-EGFR therapy is effective in both CMS2/3 and CMS4 in left-sided primary tumours (progression-free survival (PFS): HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26–0.75, P = 0.003 and HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.04–0.36, P < 0.001, respectively) and in CMS4 right-sided tumours (PFS HR 0.17, 95% CI 0.04–0.71, P = 0.02). Efficacy using an oxaliplatin backbone was restricted to left-sided CMS2/3 tumours (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.36–0.96, P = 0.034). Conclusions The subtype-specific efficacy of anti-EGFR therapy is dependent on the chemotherapy backbone. This may provide the possibility of subtype-specific treatment strategies for a more optimal use of anti-EGFR therapy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Ruhstaller ◽  
Anita Giobbie-Hurder ◽  
Marco Colleoni ◽  
Maj-Britt Jensen ◽  
Bent Ejlertsen ◽  
...  

Purpose Luminal breast cancer has a long natural history, with recurrences continuing beyond 10 years after diagnosis. We analyzed long-term follow-up (LTFU) of efficacy outcomes and adverse events in the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 study reported after a median follow-up of 12.6 years. Patients and Methods BIG 1-98 is a four-arm, phase III, double-blind, randomized trial comparing adjuvant letrozole versus tamoxifen (either treatment received for 5 years) and their sequences (2 years of one treatment plus 3 years of the other) for postmenopausal women with endocrine-responsive early breast cancer. When pharmaceutical company sponsorship ended at 8.4 years of median follow-up, academic partners initiated an observational, LTFU extension collecting annual data on survival, disease status, and adverse events. Information from Denmark was from the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group Registry. Intention-to-treat analyses are reported. Results Of 8,010 enrolled patients, 4,433 were alive and not withdrawn at an LTFU participating center, and 3,833 (86%) had at least one LTFU report. For the monotherapy comparison of letrozole versus tamoxifen, we found a 9% relative reduction in the hazard of a disease-free survival event with letrozole (hazard ratio [HR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.01). HRs for other efficacy end points were similar to those for disease-free survival. Efficacy of letrozole versus tamoxifen for contralateral breast cancer varied significantly over time (0- to 5-, 5- to 10-, and > 10-year HRs, 0.62, 0.47, and 1.35, respectively; treatment-by-time interaction P = .005), perhaps reflecting a longer carryover effect of tamoxifen. Reporting of specific long-term adverse events seemed more effective with national registry than with case-record reporting of clinical follow-up. Conclusion Efficacy end points continued to show trends favoring letrozole. Letrozole reduced contralateral breast cancer frequency in the first 10 years, but this reversed beyond 10 years. This study illustrates the value of extended follow-up in trials of luminal breast cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 4080-4092
Author(s):  
Takahiro Ichikawa ◽  
Masahiro Shibata ◽  
Takahiro Inaishi ◽  
Ikumi Soeda ◽  
Mitsuro Kanda ◽  
...  

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates tumor-promoting roles of synaptotagmin 13 (SYT13) in several cancers; however, no studies have investigated its expression in breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to clarify the significance of SYT13 in BC. Methods: SYT13 mRNA expression levels were evaluated in BC cell lines. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between expression levels of SYT13 and other tumor-associated genes. Then, the association of SYT13 expression levels in the clinical BC specimens with patients’ clinicopathological factors was evaluated. These findings were subsequently validated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Results: Among 13 BC cell lines, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cells showed higher SYT13 mRNA levels than ER-negative cells. PCR array analysis revealed positive correlations between SYT13 and several oncogenes predominantly expressed in ER-positive BC, such as estrogen receptor 1, AKT serine/threonine kinase 1, and cyclin-dependent kinases 4. In 165 patients, ER-positive specimens exhibited higher SYT13 mRNA expression levels than ER-negative specimens. The TCGA database analysis confirmed that patients with ER-positive BC expressed higher SYT13 levels than ER-negative patients. Conclusion: This study suggests that SYT13 is highly expressed in ER-positive BC cells and clinical specimens, and there is a positive association of SYT13 with the ER signaling pathways.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahan Mamoor

We mined published microarray data (1) to understand the most significant gene expression differences in the tumors of triple negative breast cancer patients based on survival following treatment: dead or alive. We observed significant transcriptome-wide differential expression of vacuolar protein sorting 52, encoded by VPS52 when comparing the primary tumors of triple negative breast cancer patients dead or alive. Importantly, VPS52 expression was correlated with recurrence-free survival in basal subtype breast cancer, a molecular subtype sharing significant overlap with triple negative breast cancer. VPS52 may be of relevance as a biomarker or as a molecule of interest in understanding the etiology or progression of triple negative breast cancer.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Laot ◽  
Enora Laas ◽  
Noemie Girard ◽  
Elise Dumas ◽  
Eric Daoud ◽  
...  

AbstractIntroductionThe three different breast cancer subtypes (Luminal, HER2-positive and triple negative (TNBCs) display different natural history and sensitivity to treatment, but little is known about whether residual axillary disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) carries a different prognostic value by BC subtype.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated axillary involvement (0, 1 to 3 positive nodes, ≥ 4 positive nodes) on surgical specimens from a cohort of T1-T3NxM0 BC patients treated with NAC between 2002 and 2012. We analyzed the association between nodal involvement (ypN) binned into 3 classes (0; [1-3];4 or more), relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) among the global population, and according to BC subtypes.Results1197 patients were included in the analysis (luminal (n = 526, 43.9%), TNBCs (n = 376, 31.4%), HER2-positive BCs (n = 295, 24.6%)). After a median follow-up of 110.5 months, ypN was significantly associated with RFS, but this effect was different by BC subtype (Pinteraction= 0.004), and this effect was nonlinear. In the luminal subgroup, RFS was impaired in patients with 4 or more nodes involved (HR=2.8; 95% CI [1.93;4.06], p<0.001) when compared with ypN0, while it was not in patients with 1 to 3 nodes (HR=1.24, 95% CI = [0,86;1.79]). In patients with TNBC, both 1-3N+ and ≥ 4 N+ classes were associated with a decreased RFS (HR=3.19, 95%CI= [2.05; 4.98] and HR=4.83, 95%CI= [3.06; 7.63], respectively versus ypN0, p< 0.001). Similar decreased prognosis were observed among patients with HER2-positive BC (1-3N+: HR=2.7, 95%CI= [1.64; 4.43] and ≥ 4 N+: HR=2.69, 95%CI= [1.24; 5.8] respectively, p=0.003).ConclusionThe prognostic value of residual axillary disease should be considered differently in the 3 BC subtypes to accurately stratify patients with a high risk of recurrence after NAC who should be offered second line therapies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 127 (05) ◽  
pp. 281-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Štefanić ◽  
Stana Tokić ◽  
Mirjana Suver-Stević ◽  
Ljubica Glavaš-Obrovac

Abstract Background Co-inhibitory receptors (IR), such as TIGIT and FCRL3, provide a checkpoint against highly destructive immune responses. Co-expression of TIGIT and FCRL3, in particular, has been linked to the HELIOS+ subset of regulatory CD4+FOXP3+T-cells. Of these, CD4+FOXP3-exon(E)2+ cells have higher expression of IR and exhibit strongest suppressive properties. Nevertheless, how the expression of TIGIT, FCRL3, HELIOS, and FOXP3E2 is regulated in chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (AT), is not known. Methods Thirty patients with AT [encompassing spontaneously euthyroid (euAT), hypothyroid-untreated and L-thyroxine-treated cases)] and 10 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. FCRL3, TIGIT, HELIOS and FOXP3E2 mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood (PB) T cells were measured via quantitative real-time PCR and compared to clinicopathological factors. Results The TIGIT and FCRL3 expression levels from T cells of AT cases were inversely related to the thyroid volume, and were significantly increased in hypothyroid patients (on+off L-thyroxine), but not euAT cases. The FCRL3 expression in PB T cells positively correlated with thyroid-peroxidase autoantibody levels; by contrast, T cells from aged AT patients and combined samples (AT+HC) accumulated more TIGIT mRNA. The patients with higher TIGIT mRNA levels had a greater prevalence of hypothyroidism, showing higher peak thyrotropin levels at diagnosis or at follow-up. Conclusions Multiple IR, namely FCRL3 and TIGIT, but not the transcription factors HELIOS and FOXP3E2, showed increased mRNA levels in PB T cells from end-stage, long-standing and/or more aggressive AT, in proportion to disease severity. A relation with major clinical subphenotypes was observed, thereby identifying IR as potentially important players in AT.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e14008-e14008
Author(s):  
In Ah Kim ◽  
Jae Sik Kim ◽  
Kyubo Kim ◽  
Wonguen Jung ◽  
Kyung Hwan Shin ◽  
...  

e14008 Background: We analyzed the treatment outcome of breast cancer patients with brain metastases (BM) in Korea to identify the prognostic factors and the role of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Methods: Seven hundred thirty patients of breast cancer with BM treated at 17 institutions in Korea from 2000 to 2014 were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 12 months. The analysis consisted of three cohorts: in cohort A, a total of 730 patients were included; in cohort B, 538 patients with available follow-up imaging after initial brain-directed treatment; and in cohort C, 54 patients receiving salvage WBRT due to recurrent BM after initial Stereotactic radiosurgery or WBRT. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from BM diagnosis in cohort A or from the last day of salvage WBRT in cohort C. Results: Median OS of cohort A was 15 months. In multivariate analysis, histologic grade 3, extracranial metastasis, number of BM > 4, hormone receptor (HR) or HER2 negativity, and shorter time interval to diagnosis of BM were associated with inferior OS. Among 538 patients in cohort B, 201 showed subsequent development of new BM at a median of 11 months after stereotactic radiosurgery or WBRT for the management of initial BM (at 1 year, HR+/HER2- 51.9%, HER2+ 44.0%, and TNBC 69.6%, respectively; p = 0.008). Upfront WBRT reduced subsequent development of new BM, which showed the significant difference among molecular subtypes (HR+/HER2-, 42% reduction at 1 year, p < 0.001; HER2+, 18.5%, p = 0.004; TNBC, 16.9%, p = 0.071). Multivariate analysis showed that shorter time interval to BM, TNBC subtype, extracranial systemic disease, number of BM > 4, and involvement of both tentoria increased subsequent development of new BM. Anti-HER2 therapy for HER2+ patients and upfront WBRT significantly reduced risk of new BM. In cohort C, upfront WBRT prolonged the salvage WBRT-free duration (median 6.9 vs. 8.7 months, p = 0.058). Median OS was 6.8 months after salvage WBRT. Longer interval to salvage WBRT, controlled primary tumor, high dose of salvage WBRT (BED10 > 37.5 Gy), and systemic treatment after salvage WBRT showed better OS. Uncontrolled extracranial systemic disease and salvage WBRT due to local progression without distant intracranial failure showed worse OS. Conclusions: The rates of new BM showed the significant differences among molecular subtypes. Upfront WBRT decreased subsequent development of new BM and this effect was dependent on the molecular subtype as well. Anti-HER2 therapy for HER2+ patients significantly decreased the subsequent development of new BM. On salvage WBRT setting, the patients having high dose of salvage WBRT, stable extracranial systemic disease and subsequent systemic therapy showed better OS.


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