scholarly journals Genome-wide DNA methylome analysis identifies methylation signatures associated with survival and drug resistance of ovarian cancers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Chan ◽  
Wai-Yip Lam ◽  
Fushun Chen ◽  
Mingo M. H. Yung ◽  
Yau-Sang Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Dna Hypermethylation ◽  
Demethylating Agents ◽  
Ovarian Cancers ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In contrast to stable genetic events, epigenetic changes are highly plastic and play crucial roles in tumor evolution and development. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a highly heterogeneous disease that is generally associated with poor prognosis and treatment failure. Profiling epigenome-wide DNA methylation status is therefore essential to better characterize the impact of epigenetic alterations on the heterogeneity of EOC. Methods An epigenome-wide association study was conducted to evaluate global DNA methylation in a retrospective cohort of 80 mixed subtypes of primary ovarian cancers and 30 patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Three demethylating agents, azacytidine, decitabine, and thioguanine, were tested their anti-cancer and anti-chemoresistant effects on HGSOC cells. Results Global DNA hypermethylation was significantly associated with high-grade tumors, platinum resistance, and poor prognosis. We determined that 9313 differentially methylated probes (DMPs) were enriched in their relative gene regions of 4938 genes involved in small GTPases and were significantly correlated with the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, RAS, and WNT oncogenic pathways. On the other hand, global DNA hypermethylation was preferentially associated with recurrent HGSOC. A total of 2969 DMPs corresponding to 1471 genes were involved in olfactory transduction, and calcium and cAMP signaling. Co-treatment with demethylating agents showed significant growth retardation in ovarian cancer cells through differential inductions, such as cell apoptosis by azacytidine or G2/M cell cycle arrest by decitabine and thioguanine. Notably, azacytidine and decitabine, though not thioguanine, synergistically enhanced cisplatin-mediated cytotoxicity in HGSOC cells. Conclusions This study demonstrates the significant association of global hypermethylation with poor prognosis and drug resistance in high-grade EOC and highlights the potential of demethylating agents in cancer treatment. Graphic abstract

scholarly journals Metabolism of Estrogens: Turnover Differs between Platinum-Sensitive and -Resistant High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Cells

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
Stefan Poschner ◽  
Judith Wackerlig ◽  
Dan Cacsire Castillo-Tong ◽  
Andrea Wolf ◽  
Isabel von der Decken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Estrogen Metabolism ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Platinum Resistance ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Serous Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Platinum Sensitive ◽  
Platinum Based Chemotherapy ◽  
The Impact

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is currently treated with cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. The majority of patients show a primary response; however, many rapidly develop drug resistance. Antiestrogens have been studied as low toxic treatment options for HGSOC, with higher response rates in platinum-sensitive cases. Mechanisms for this difference in response remain unknown. Therefore, the present study investigated the impact of platinum resistance on steroid metabolism in six established HGSOC cell lines sensitive and resistant against carboplatin using a high-resolution mass spectrometry assay to simultaneously quantify the ten main steroids of the estrogenic metabolic pathway. An up to 60-fold higher formation of steroid hormones and their sulfated or glucuronidated metabolites was observed in carboplatin-sensitive cells, which was reversible by treatment with interleukin-6 (IL-6). Conversely, treatment of carboplatin-resistant cells expressing high levels of endogenous IL-6 with the monoclonal anti-IL-6R antibody tocilizumab changed their status to “platinum-sensitive”, exhibiting a decreased IC50 value for carboplatin, decreased growth, and significantly higher estrogen metabolism. Analysis of these metabolic differences could help to detect platinum resistance in HGSOC patients earlier, thereby allowing more efficient interventions.

scholarly journals Ovarian Cancers: Genetic Abnormalities, Tumor Heterogeneity and Progression, Clonal Evolution and Cancer Stem Cells

Medicines ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugo Testa ◽  
Eleonora Petrucci ◽  
Luca Pasquini ◽  
Germana Castelli ◽  
Elvira Pelosi
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Clonal Evolution ◽  
Cell Subpopulation ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Histological Subtypes ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Ovarian Cancers

Four main histological subtypes of ovarian cancer exist: serous (the most frequent), endometrioid, mucinous and clear cell; in each subtype, low and high grade. The large majority of ovarian cancers are diagnosed as high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGS-OvCas). TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene in HGS-OvCas; about 50% of these tumors displayed defective homologous recombination due to germline and somatic BRCA mutations, epigenetic inactivation of BRCA and abnormalities of DNA repair genes; somatic copy number alterations are frequent in these tumors and some of them are associated with prognosis; defective NOTCH, RAS/MEK, PI3K and FOXM1 pathway signaling is frequent. Other histological subtypes were characterized by a different mutational spectrum: LGS-OvCas have increased frequency of BRAF and RAS mutations; mucinous cancers have mutation in ARID1A, PIK3CA, PTEN, CTNNB1 and RAS. Intensive research was focused to characterize ovarian cancer stem cells, based on positivity for some markers, including CD133, CD44, CD117, CD24, EpCAM, LY6A, ALDH1. Ovarian cancer cells have an intrinsic plasticity, thus explaining that in a single tumor more than one cell subpopulation, may exhibit tumor-initiating capacity. The improvements in our understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of ovarian cancers should lead to more efficacious treatments.

scholarly journals Repositioning Trimebutine Maleate as a Cancer Treatment Targeting Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 918
Author(s):  
Heejin Lee ◽  
Oh-Bin Kwon ◽  
Jae-Eon Lee ◽  
Yong-Hyun Jeon ◽  
Dong-Seok Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Drug ◽  
G1 Arrest ◽  
Dead Cell ◽  
Trimebutine Maleate ◽  
Simultaneous Inhibition

The overall five-year survival rate for late-stage patients of ovarian cancer is below 29% due to disease recurrence and drug resistance. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are known as a major contributor to drug resistance and recurrence. Accordingly, therapies targeting ovarian CSCs are needed to overcome the limitations of present treatments. This study evaluated the effect of trimebutine maleate (TM) targeting ovarian CSCs, using A2780-SP cells acquired by a sphere culture of A2780 epithelial ovarian cancer cells. TM is indicated as a gastrointestinal motility modulator and is known to as a peripheral opioid receptor agonist and a blocker for various channels. The GI50 of TM was approximately 0.4 µM in A2780-SP cells but over 100 µM in A2780 cells, demonstrating CSCs specific growth inhibition. TM induced G0/G1 arrest and increased the AV+/PI+ dead cell population in the A2780-SP samples. Furthermore, TM treatment significantly reduced tumor growth in A2780-SP xenograft mice. Voltage gated calcium channels (VGCC) and calcium-activated potassium channels (BKCa) were overexpressed on ovarian CSCs and targeted by TM; inhibition of both channels reduced A2780-SP cells viability. TM reduced stemness-related protein expression; this tendency was reproduced by the simultaneous inhibition of VGCC and BKCa compared to single channel inhibition. In addition, TM suppressed the Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, and Hedgehog pathways which contribute to many CSCs characteristics. Specifically, further suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by simultaneous inhibition of BKCa and VGCC is necessary for the effective and selective action of TM. Taken together, TM is a potential therapeutic drug for preventing ovarian cancer recurrence and drug resistance.

scholarly journals Extracellular vesicles derived from ascitic fluid enhance growth and migration of ovarian cancer cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aparna Mitra ◽  
Kyoko Yoshida-Court ◽  
Travis N. Solley ◽  
Megan Mikkelson ◽  
Chi Lam Au Yeung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Serous Ovarian Carcinoma ◽  
Advanced Stages ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Cancer Spheroids ◽  
Omental Fat ◽  
Low Expression

AbstractOvarian cancer is associated with a high mortality rate due to diagnosis at advanced stages. Dissemination often occurs intraperitoneally within the ascites fluid. The microenvironment can support dissemination through several mechanisms. One potential ascites factor which may mediate dissemination are EVs or extracellular vesicles that can carry information in the form of miRNAs, proteins, lipids, and act as mediators of cellular communication. We present our observations on EVs isolated from ascitic supernatants from patients diagnosed with high grade serous ovarian carcinoma in augmenting motility, growth, and migration towards omental fat. MicroRNA profiling of EVs from malignant ascitic supernatant demonstrates high expression of miR 200c-3p, miR18a-5p, miR1246, and miR1290 and low expression of miR 100- 5p as compared to EVs isolated from benign ascitic supernatant. The migration of ovarian cancer spheroids towards omental fat is enhanced in the presence of malignant ascitic EVs. Gene expression of these cells showed increased expression of ZBED2, ZBTB20, ABCC3, UHMK1, and low expression of Transgelin and MARCKS. We present evidence that ovarian ascitic EVs increase the growth of ovarian cancer spheroids through miRNAs.

scholarly journals Plasma cells shape the mesenchymal identity of ovarian cancers through transfer of exosome-derived microRNAs

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. eabb0737
Author(s):  
Zhengnan Yang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Linjie Zhao ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Ryan C. Gimple ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Plasma Cell ◽  
Plasma Cells ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Mesenchymal Phenotype ◽  
Ovarian Cancers ◽  
Novel Approach

Ovarian cancer represents a highly lethal disease that poses a substantial burden for females, with four main molecular subtypes carrying distinct clinical outcomes. Here, we demonstrated that plasma cells, a subset of antibody-producing B cells, were enriched in the mesenchymal subtype of high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSCs). Plasma cell abundance correlated with the density of mesenchymal cells in clinical specimens of HGSCs. Coculture of nonmesenchymal ovarian cancer cells and plasma cells induced a mesenchymal phenotype of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Phenotypic switch was mediated by the transfer of plasma cell–derived exosomes containing miR-330-3p into nonmesenchymal ovarian cancer cells. Exosome-derived miR-330-3p increased expression of junctional adhesion molecule B in a noncanonical fashion. Depletion of plasma cells by bortezomib reversed the mesenchymal characteristics of ovarian cancer and inhibited in vivo tumor growth. Collectively, our work suggests targeting plasma cells may be a novel approach for ovarian cancer therapy.

scholarly journals Altered expression of different GalNAc-transferases is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis in women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 1887-1897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Razan Sheta ◽  
Magdalena Bachvarova ◽  
Marie Plante ◽  
Jean Gregoire ◽  
Marie-Claude Renaud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Serous Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Altered Expression

scholarly journals Mechanisms of Chromosomal Instability in High-grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Tamura ◽  
N. Shaikh ◽  
D. Muliaditan ◽  
J. McGuinness ◽  
D. Moralli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Ovarian Carcinoma ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Chromosomal Instability ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Spindle Assembly Checkpoint ◽  
Western World ◽  
Cancer Type ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Serous Ovarian Carcinoma

AbstractChromosomal instability (CIN), the continual gain and loss of chromosomes or parts of chromosomes, occurs in the majority of cancers and confers poor prognosis. Mechanisms driving CIN remain unknown in most cancer types due to a scarcity of functional studies. High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC), the most common subtype of ovarian cancer, is the major cause of death due to gynaecological malignancy in the Western world with chemotherapy resistance developing in almost all patients. HGSC exhibits high rates of chromosome aberrations and knowledge of causative mechanisms is likely to represent an important step towards combating the poor prognosis of this disease. However, very little is known about the nature of chromosomal instability exhibited by this cancer type in particular due to a historical lack of appropriate cell line models. Here we perform the first in-depth functional characterisation of mechanisms driving CIN in HGSC by analysing eight cell lines that accurately recapitulate HGSC genetics as defined by recent studies. We show, using a range of established functional CIN assays combined with live cell imaging and single molecule DNA fibre analysis, that multiple mechanisms co-exist to drive CIN in HGSC. These include supernumerary centrosomes, elevated microtubule dynamics and DNA replication stress. By contrast, the spindle assembly checkpoint was intact. These findings are relevant for developing therapeutic approaches to manipulating CIN in ovarian cancer, and suggests that such approaches may need to be multimodal to combat multiple co-existing CIN drivers.

scholarly journals Epigenetic Therapy Augments Classic Chemotherapy in Suppressing the Growth of 3D High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Spheroids over an Extended Period of Time

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1711
Author(s):  
Michelle Bilbao ◽  
Chelsea Katz ◽  
Stephanie L. Kass ◽  
Devon Smith ◽  
Krystal Hunter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
3D Culture ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Recurrent Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Epigenetic Therapy ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Serous Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Cancer Spheroids

Recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is clinically very challenging and prematurely shortens patients’ lives. Recurrent ovarian cancer is characterized by high tumor heterogeneity; therefore, it is susceptible to epigenetic therapy in classic 2D tissue culture and rodent models. Unfortunately, this success has not translated well into clinical trials. Utilizing a 3D spheroid model over a period of weeks, we were able to compare the efficacy of classic chemotherapy and epigenetic therapy on recurrent ovarian cancer cells. Unexpectedly, in our model, a single dose of paclitaxel alone caused the exponential growth of recurrent high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer over a period of weeks. In contrast, this effect is not only opposite under treatment with panobinostat, but panobinostat reverses the repopulation of cancer cells following paclitaxel treatment. In our model, we also demonstrate differences in the drug-treatment sensitivity of classic chemotherapy and epigenetic therapy. Moreover, 3D-derived ovarian cancer cells demonstrate induced proliferation, migration, invasion, cancer colony formation and chemoresistance properties after just a single exposure to classic chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence demonstrating a critical contrast between short and prolonged post-treatment outcomes following classic chemotherapy and epigenetic therapy in recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer in 3D culture.

scholarly journals Differential expression of SLIT and NTRK-like family member 3 in human epithelial ovarian cancer.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahan Mamoor
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Epithelial Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Fallopian Tube ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Gynecologic Cancer ◽  
Progression Free Survival ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Primary Tumors ◽  
Ovarian Cancers

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecologic cancer (1). We performed discovery of genes associated with epithelial ovarian cancer and of the high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) subtype, using published and public microarray data (2, 3) to compare global gene expression profiles of normal ovary or fallopian tube with that of primary tumors from women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer or HGSC. We identified the gene encoding SLIT and NTRK-like family member 3, SLITRK3, as among the genes whose expression was most different in epithelial ovarian cancer as compared to the normal fallopian tube. SLITRK3 expression was significantly lower in high-grade serous ovarian tumors relative to normal fallopian tube. SLITRK3 expression correlated with progression-free survival in patients with ovarian cancer. These data indicate that expression of SLITRK3 is perturbed in epithelial ovarian cancers broadly and in ovarian cancers of the HGSC subtype. SLITRK3 may be relevant to pathways underlying ovarian cancer initiation (transformation) or progression.

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