scholarly journals Transcriptomic profiling of single circulating tumor cells provides insight into human metastatic gastric cancer

2022 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryo Negishi ◽  
Hitomi Yamakawa ◽  
Takeru Kobayashi ◽  
Mayuko Horikawa ◽  
Tatsu Shimoyama ◽  
...  

AbstractTranscriptome analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which migrate into blood vessels from primary tumor tissues, at the single-cell level offers critical insights into the biology of metastasis and contributes to drug discovery. However, transcriptome analysis of single CTCs has only been reported for a limited number of cancer types, such as multiple myeloma, breast, hepatocellular, and prostate cancer. Herein, we report the transcriptome analysis of gastric cancer single-CTCs. We utilized an antigen-independent strategy for CTC isolation from metastatic gastric cancer patients involving a size-dependent recovery of CTCs and a single cell isolation technique. The transcriptomic profile of single-CTCs revealed that a majority of gastric CTCs had undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and indicated the contribution of platelet adhesion toward EMT progression and acquisition of chemoresistance. Taken together, this study serves to employ CTC characterization to elucidate the mechanisms of chemoresistance and metastasis in gastric cancer.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 59-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yui Ishiguro

59 Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been shown to be heterogeneous. This study aimed to identify the prognostic significance of CTCs in patients with gastric cancer, focusing on epithelial mesenchymal transition and perioperative kinetics. Methods: Peripheral blood (7.5 ml) was taken from patients (n = 54) before curative resection, and at 7 days, 1 and 6 months postoperatively. CTCs were enriched using density gradient centrifugation and magnetic-activated cell sorting (negative selection). Cell suspensions were characterized by multi-immunofluorescence staining against cytokeratin (CK) and N-cadherin, and by DAPI staining. CTCs were defined as nucleated cells expressing CK or N-cadherin. Threshold analysis identified 1 CTC/7.5 ml as an optimal cut-off value. The median observation period was 735 days. Results: CTCs were detected in seven patients (24%) with early cancer and 14 patients (56%) with advanced cancer (p < 0.05). Cells were identified as either N-cadherin+/CK−/CD45− or N-cadherin+/CK+/CD45−, but no N-cadherin−/CK+/CD45− cells were observed. The median follow-up period was 24.5 months. After 2 years, postoperative recurrence was detected in nine patients, all of whom had advanced gastric cancer and N-cadherin+/CK−/CD45− CTCs preoperatively. In terms of perioperative kinetics (just before, 7 days and 1 month after surgery), we divided patients with advanced cancer into three risk groups: A, preoperative CTCs ≥1 and increased postoperatively; B, preoperative CTCs ≥1 and decreased postoperatively; C; no preoperative CTCs. The recurrence rates in the above groups were 80% (4/5), 44% (4/9), and 0% (0/11), respectively. Conclusions: Numerous CTCs expressed N-cadherin but not CK. Perioperative measurement of CTCs may be a useful surrogate marker for recurrence risk.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiani Yang ◽  
Jun Ma ◽  
Yue Jin ◽  
Shanshan Cheng ◽  
Shan Huang ◽  
...  

Abstract We aimed to determine prognosis value of circulating tumor cells(CTCs) undergoing epithelial–mesenchymal transition(EMT) in epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC) recurrence. We used CanPatrol CTC-enrichment technique to detect CTCs from blood samples and classify subpopulations into epithelial, mesenchymal and hybrids. To construct nomogram, prognostic factors were selected by Cox regression analysis. Risk stratification was performed through Kaplan–Meier analysis among training group(n=114) and validation group(n=38). By regression screening, both CTC counts(HR 1.187; 95%CI 1.098-1.752; p=0.012) and M-CTC(HR 1.098; 95%CI 1.047-1.320; p=0.009) were demonstrated as independent factors for recurrence. Other variables including pathological grade, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, ascites and CA-125 were also collected(p < 0.005) to construct nomogram. The C-index of internal and external validation for nomogram was 0.913 and 0.874. We found significant predictive value for nomogram with/without CTCs (AUC 0.8705 and 0.8097). Taking CTC counts and M-CTC into separation, the values were 0.8075 and 0.8262. Finally, survival curves of risk stratification based on CTC counts(p=0.0241), M-CTC(p=0.0107) and the nomogram(p=0.0021) were drawn with significant difference. In conclusion, CTCs could serve as a novel factor for EOC prognosis. Nomogram model constructed by CTCs and other clinical parameters could predict EOC recurrence and perform risk stratification for clinical decision-making.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-DDD-16009601, October 25, 2016


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Agnoletto ◽  
Fabio Corrà ◽  
Linda Minotti ◽  
Federica Baldassari ◽  
Francesca Crudele ◽  
...  

The release of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) into vasculature is an early event in the metastatic process. The analysis of CTCs in patients has recently received widespread attention because of its clinical implications, particularly for precision medicine. Accumulated evidence documents a large heterogeneity in CTCs across patients. Currently, the most accepted view is that tumor cells with an intermediate phenotype between epithelial and mesenchymal have the highest plasticity. Indeed, the existence of a meta-stable or partial epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) cell state, with both epithelial and mesenchymal features, can be easily reconciled with the concept of a highly plastic stem-like state. A close connection between EMT and cancer stem cells (CSC) traits, with enhanced metastatic competence and drug resistance, has also been described. Accordingly, a subset of CTCs consisting of CSC, present a stemness profile, are able to survive chemotherapy, and generate metastases after xenotransplantation in immunodeficient mice. In the present review, we discuss the current evidence connecting CTCs, EMT, and stemness. An improved understanding of the CTC/EMT/CSC connections may uncover novel therapeutic targets, irrespective of the tumor type, since most cancers seem to harbor a pool of CSCs, and disclose important mechanisms underlying tumorigenicity.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document