Patient-derived scaffolds influence secretion profiles in cancer cells mirroring clinical features and breast cancer subtypes

Abstract Background Breast cancer is a common malignancy with varying clinical behaviors and for the more aggressive subtypes, novel and more efficient therapeutic approaches are needed. Qualities of the tumor microenvironment as well as cancer cell secretion have independently been associated with malignant clinical behaviors and a better understanding of the interplay between these two features could potentially reveal novel targetable key events linked to cancer progression. Methods A newly developed human derived in vivo-like growth system, consisting of decellularized patient-derived scaffolds (PDSs) recellularized with standardized breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231), were used to analyze how 63 individual patient specific microenvironments influenced secretion determined by proximity extension assays including 184 proteins and how these relate to clinical outcome. Results The secretome from cancer cells in PDS cultures varied distinctly from cells grown as standard monolayers and besides a general increase in secretion from PDS cultures, several secreted proteins were only detectable in PDSs. Monolayer cells treated with conditioned media from PDS cultures, further showed increased mammosphere formation demonstrating a cancer stem cell activating function of the PDS culture induced secretion. The detailed secretomic profiles from MCF7s growing on 57 individual PDSs differed markedly but unsupervised clustering generated three separate groups having similar secretion profiles that significantly correlated to different clinical behaviors. The secretomic profile that associated with cancer relapse and high grade breast cancer showed induced secretion of the proteins IL-6, CCL2 and PAI-1, all linked to cancer stem cell activation, metastasis and priming of the pre-metastatic niche. Cancer promoting pathways such as “Suppress tumor immunity” and “Vascular and tissue remodeling” was also linked to this more malignant secretion cluster. Conclusion PDSs repopulated with cancer cells can be used to assess how cancer secretion is effected by specific and varying microenvironments. More malignant secretion patterns induced by specific patient based cancer microenvironments could further be identified pinpointing novel therapeutic opportunities targeting micro environmentally induced cancer progression via secretion of potent cytokines.

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NF-kappaΒ-inducing kinase regulates stem cell phenotype in breast cancer

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep37340 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Karla Vazquez-Santillan ◽

Jorge Melendez-Zajgla ◽

Luis Enrique Jimenez-Hernandez ◽

Javier Gaytan-Cervantes ◽

Laura Muñoz-Galindo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Cell Phenotype ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Mammosphere Formation

Abstract Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) overexpress components of the Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling cascade and consequently display high NF-κB activity levels. Breast cancer cell lines with high proportion of CSCs exhibit high NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) expression. The role of NIK in the phenotype of cancer stem cell regulation is poorly understood. Expression of NIK was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR in BCSCs. NIK levels were manipulated through transfection of specific shRNAs or an expression vector. The effect of NIK in the cancer stem cell properties was assessed by mammosphere formation, mice xenografts and stem markers expression. BCSCs expressed higher levels of NIK and its inhibition through small hairpin (shRNA), reduced the expression of CSC markers and impaired clonogenicity and tumorigenesis. Genome-wide expression analyses suggested that NIK acts on ERK1/2 pathway to exert its activity. In addition, forced expression of NIK increased the BCSC population and enhanced breast cancer cell tumorigenicity. The in vivo relevance of these results is further supported by a tissue microarray of breast cancer samples in which we observed correlated expression of Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and NIK protein. Our results support the essential involvement of NIK in BCSC phenotypic regulation via ERK1/2 and NF-κB.

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POU1F1 transcription factor induces metabolic reprogramming and breast cancer progression via LDHA regulation

Oncogene ◽

10.1038/s41388-021-01740-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anxo Martínez-Ordoñez ◽

Samuel Seoane ◽

Leandro Avila ◽

Noemi Eiro ◽

Manuel Macía ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Transcription Factor ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Breast Cancer Cells ◽

Metabolic Reprogramming ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines

AbstractMetabolic reprogramming is considered hallmarks of cancer. Aerobic glycolysis in tumors cells has been well-known for almost a century, but specific factors that regulate lactate generation and the effects of lactate in both cancer cells and stroma are not yet well understood. In the present study using breast cancer cell lines, human primary cultures of breast tumors, and immune deficient murine models, we demonstrate that the POU1F1 transcription factor is functionally and clinically related to both metabolic reprogramming in breast cancer cells and fibroblasts activation. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that POU1F1 transcriptionally regulates the lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) gene. LDHA catalyzes pyruvate into lactate instead of leading into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Lactate increases breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, it activates normal-associated fibroblasts (NAFs) into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Conversely, LDHA knockdown in breast cancer cells that overexpress POU1F1 decreases tumor volume and [18F]FDG uptake in tumor xenografts of mice. Clinically, POU1F1 and LDHA expression correlate with relapse- and metastasis-free survival. Our data indicate that POU1F1 induces a metabolic reprogramming through LDHA regulation in human breast tumor cells, modifying the phenotype of both cancer cells and fibroblasts to promote cancer progression.

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Neuregulin-1 induces cancer stem cell characteristics in breast cancer cell lines

Oncology Reports ◽

10.3892/or.2014.3330 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 1218-1224 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

HOISEON JEONG ◽

JINKYOUNG KIM ◽

YOUNGSEOK LEE ◽

JAE HONG SEO ◽

SUNG RAN HONG ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Stem Cell ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Neuregulin 1

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Monocytes secrete CXCL7 to promote breast cancer progression

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-021-04231-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

Author(s):

Yi-Hsiang Wang ◽

Chia-Yi Shen ◽

Sheng-Chieh Lin ◽

Wen-Hung Kuo ◽

Yuan-Ting Kuo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Breast Cancer Progression ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Essential Components ◽

Promote Breast Cancer

AbstractCertain immune cells and inflammatory cytokines are essential components in the tumor microenvironment to promote breast cancer progression. To identify key immune players in the tumor microenvironment, we applied highly invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines to co-culture with human monocyte THP-1 cells and identified CXCL7 by cytokine array as one of the increasingly secreted cytokines by THP-1 cells. Further investigations indicated that upon co-culturing, breast cancer cells secreted CSF1 to induce expression and release of CXCL7 from monocytes, which in turn acted on cancer cells to promote FAK activation, MMP13 expression, migration, and invasion. In a xenograft mouse model, administration of CXCL7 antibodies significantly reduced abundance of M2 macrophages in tumor microenvironment, as well as decreased tumor growth and distant metastasis. Clinical investigation further suggested that high CXCL7 expression is correlated with breast cancer progression and poor overall survival of patients. Overall, our study unveils an important immune cytokine, CXCL7, which is secreted by tumor infiltrating monocytes, to stimulate cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis, contributing to the promotion of breast cancer progression.

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Phenotypic, structural, and ultrastructural analysis of triple-negative breast cancer cell lines and breast cancer stem cell subpopulation

European Biophysics Journal ◽

10.1007/s00249-019-01393-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (7) ◽

pp. 673-684 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Milene Pereira Moreira ◽

Fábio André Brayner ◽

Luiz Carlos Alves ◽

Geovanni Dantas Cassali ◽

Luciana Maria Silva

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Stem Cell ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽

Triple Negative ◽

Cell Subpopulation ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines

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Knockdown of the prognostic cancer stem cell marker Musashi-1 decreases radio-resistance while enhancing apoptosis in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cells via p21WAF1/CIP1

Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1007/s00432-021-03743-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fabian M. Troschel ◽

Heike Palenta ◽

Katrin Borrmann ◽

Kristin Heshe ◽

San Hue Hua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Prognostic Marker ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cells ◽

Stem Cell Marker ◽

Cell Marker ◽

Prognostic Relevance

Abstract Purpose While the stem cell marker Musashi-1 (MSI-1) has been identified as a key player in a wide array of malignancies, few findings exist on its prognostic relevance and relevance for cancer cell death and therapy resistance in breast cancer. Methods First, we determined prognostic relevance of MSI-1 in database analyses regarding multiple survival outcomes. To substantiate findings, MSI-1 was artificially downregulated in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and implications for cancer stem cell markers, cell apoptosis and apoptosis regulator p21, proliferation and radiation response were analyzed via flow cytometry and colony formation. Radiation-induced p21 expression changes were investigated using a dataset containing patient samples obtained before and after irradiation and own in vitro experiments. Results MSI-1 is a negative prognostic marker for disease-free and distant metastasis-free survival in breast cancer and tends to negatively influence overall survival. MSI-1 knockdown downregulated stem cell gene expression and proliferation, but increased p21 levels and apoptosis. Similar to the MSI-1 knockdown effect, p21 expression was strongly increased after irradiation and was expressed at even higher levels in MSI-1 knockdown cells after irradiation. Finally, combined use of MSI-1 silencing and irradiation reduced cancer cell survival. Conclusion MSI-1 is a prognostic marker in breast cancer. MSI-1 silencing downregulates proliferation while increasing apoptosis. The anti-proliferation mediator p21 was upregulated independently after both MSI-1 knockdown and irradiation and even more after both treatments combined, suggesting synergistic potential. Radio-sensitization effects after combining radiation and MSI-1 knockdown underline the potential of MSI-1 as a therapeutic target.

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Small Molecular Leads Differentially Active Against HER2 Positive and Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1573406414666181106143912 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (7) ◽

pp. 738-742 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Adnan Badran ◽

Atia-tul-Wahab ◽

Sharmeen Fayyaz ◽

Elias Baydoun ◽

Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Triple Negative ◽

Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Type

Background:Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer type in women globally. It is characterized by distinct subtypes depending on different gene expression patterns. Oncogene HER2 is expressed on the surface of cell and is responsible for cell growth regulation. Increase in HER2 receptor protein due to gene amplification, results in aggressive growth, and high metastasis in cancer cells.Methods:The current study evaluates and compares the anti-breast cancer effect of commercially available compounds against HER2 overexpressing BT-474, and triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.Results:Preliminary in vitro cell viability assays on these cell lines identified 6 lead molecules active against breast cancer. Convallatoxin (4), a steroidal lactone glycoside, showed the most potent activity with IC50 values of 0.63 ± 0.56, and 0.69 ± 0.59 µM against BT-474 and MDA-MB-231, respectively, whereas 4-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)-phenoxy] phenol (3) a phenol derivative, and Reserpine (5) an indole alkaloid selectively inhibited the growth of BT-474, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, respectively.Conclusion:These results exhibited the potential of small molecules in the treatment of HER2 amplified and triple negative breast cancers in vitro.

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Antiplatelet Therapy Combined with Anastrozole Induces Features of Partial EMT in Breast Cancer Cells and Fails to Mitigate Breast-Cancer Induced Hypercoagulation

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22084153 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (8) ◽

pp. 4153

Author(s):

Kutlwano R. Xulu ◽

Tanya N. Augustine

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Antiplatelet Therapy ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cell ◽

Breast Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Thromboembolic complications are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. Cancer patients often present with an increased risk for thrombosis including hypercoagulation, so the application of antiplatelet strategies to oncology warrants further investigation. This study investigated the effects of anastrozole and antiplatelet therapy (aspirin/clopidogrel cocktail or atopaxar) treatment on the tumour responses of luminal phenotype breast cancer cells and induced hypercoagulation. Ethical clearance was obtained (M150263). Blood was co-cultured with breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and T47D) pre-treated with anastrozole and/or antiplatelet drugs for 24 h. Hypercoagulation was indicated by thrombin production and platelet activation (morphological and molecular). Gene expression associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was assessed in breast cancer cells, and secreted cytokines associated with tumour progression were evaluated. Data were analysed with the PAST3 software. Our findings showed that antiplatelet therapies (aspirin/clopidogrel cocktail and atopaxar) combined with anastrozole failed to prevent hypercoagulation and induced evidence of a partial EMT. Differences in tumour responses that modulate tumour aggression were noted between breast cancer cell lines, and this may be an important consideration in the clinical management of subphenotypes of luminal phenotype breast cancer. Further investigation is needed before this treatment modality (combined hormone and antiplatelet therapy) can be considered for managing tumour associated-thromboembolic disorder.

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Super Magnetic Niosomal Nanocarrier as a New Approach for Treatment of Breast Cancer: A Case Study on SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-231 Cell Lines

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22157948 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (15) ◽

pp. 7948

Author(s):

Elham Jamshidifar ◽

Faten Eshrati Yeganeh ◽

Mona Shayan ◽

Mohammad Tavakkoli Yaraki ◽

Mahsa Bourbour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Cellular Uptake ◽

Targeted Delivery ◽

Breast Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Silica Layer

In the present study, a magnetic niosomal nanocarrier for co-delivery of curcumin and letrozole into breast cancer cells has been designed. The magnetic NiCoFe2O4 core was coated by a thin layer of silica, followed by a niosomal structure, allowing us to load letrozole and curcumin into the silica layer and niosomal layer, respectively, and investigate their synergic effects on breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the nanocarriers demonstrated a pH-dependent release due to the niosomal structure at their outer layer, which is a promising behavior for cancer treatment. Additionally, cellular assays revealed that the nanocarriers had low cellular uptake in the case of non-tumorigenic cells (i.e., MCF-10A) and related high viability but high cellular uptake in cancer cell lines (i.e., MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3) and related low viability, which is evidenced in their high cytotoxicity against different breast cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity of the letrozole/curcumin co-loaded nanocarrier is higher than that of the aqueous solutions of both drugs, indicating their enhanced cellular uptake in their encapsulated states. In particular, NiCoFe2O4@L-Silica-L@C-Niosome showed the highest cytotoxicity effects on MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells. The observed cytotoxicity was due to regulation of the expression levels of the studied genes in breast cancer cells, where downregulation was observed for the Bcl-2, MMP 2, MMP 9, cyclin D, and cyclin E genes while upregulation of the expression of the Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 genes was observed. The flow cytometry results also revealed that NiCoFe2O4@L-Silica-L@C-Niosome enhanced the apoptosis rate in both MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 cells compared to the control samples. The findings of our research show the potential of designing magnetic niosomal formulations for simultaneous targeted delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs into cancer cells in order to enhance their synergic chemotherapeutic effects. These results could open new avenues into the future of nanomedicine and the development of theranostic agents.

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Isolation and Establishment of a Highly Proliferative, Cancer Stem Cell-Like, and Naturally Immortalized Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Line, KAIMRC2

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10061303 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1303

Author(s):

Rizwan Ali ◽

Hajar Al Zahrani ◽

Tlili Barhoumi ◽

Alshaimaa Alhallaj ◽

Abdullah Mashhour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cancer Stem Cell ◽

Cell Line ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Line ◽

Triple Negative ◽

Cancer Cell Line

In vitro studies of a disease are key to any in vivo investigation in understanding the disease and developing new therapy regimens. Immortalized cancer cell lines are the best and easiest model for studying cancer in vitro. Here, we report the establishment of a naturally immortalized highly tumorigenic and triple-negative breast cancer cell line, KAIMRC2. This cell line is derived from a Saudi Arabian female breast cancer patient with invasive ductal carcinoma. Immunocytochemistry showed a significant ratio of the KAIMRC2 cells’ expressing key breast epithelial and cancer stem cells (CSCs) markers, including CD47, CD133, CD49f, CD44, and ALDH-1A1. Gene and protein expression analysis showed overexpression of ABC transporter and AKT-PI3Kinase as well as JAK/STAT signaling pathways. In contrast, the absence of the tumor suppressor genes p53 and p73 may explain their high proliferative index. The mice model also confirmed the tumorigenic potential of the KAIMRC2 cell line, and drug tolerance studies revealed few very potent candidates. Our results confirmed an aggressive phenotype with metastatic potential and cancer stem cell-like characteristics of the KAIMR2 cell line. Furthermore, we have also presented potent small molecule inhibitors, especially Ryuvidine, that can be further developed, alone or in synergy with other potent inhibitors, to target multiple cancer-related pathways.

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