Blocking pro-invasive signaling and inflammatory activation in triple-negative breast cancer with nucleic-acid scavengers (NASs).

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e13096-e13096
Author(s):  
Elias Eteshola ◽  
Karenia Landa ◽  
Eun-Sil Shelley Hwang ◽  
Smita Nair ◽  
Bruce Sullenger
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Metastatic Progression ◽  
Matrigel Invasion Assay ◽  
Matrigel Invasion ◽  
Insight Into

e13096 Background: Breast cancers remain the most lethal malignancies amongst women worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortalities in the US. Subtype heterogeneity and aggressive invasive potential are believed to be the major contributors of these outcomes. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are notoriously aggressive, difficult-to-treat, and metastatic. Inflammation-driven tumorigenesis has been shown to correlate with cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in cancer patient sera. We showed that nucleic-acid scavengers (NAS) can block pro-inflammatory signals elicited by DAMP-activation of innate immune sensors (e.g. toll-like receptors). Treatment with the NAS PAMAM-G3 drastically reduced liver metastatic burden in an immunocompetent murine model of pancreatic cancer. Methods: TNBC cells lines were treated with a cocktail of standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agents and the conditioned media (CM) from these cells served as an in vitro DAMP source. Downstream function of TLR activation was tested via a HEK293-TLR reporter cell line measuring absorbance at 655nm. The in vitro invasive phenotype was tested and quantified using a Transwell-Matrigel invasion assay. Cytokine secretion was measured using a BioLegend cytokine array. Results: TNBC CM greatly increased TNBC cell invasion in vitro and that treatment with the NAS PAMAM-G3 significantly inhibits this effect. Treatment of human monocytes (THP-1) with TNBC CM elicited a strong pro-inflammatory response with elevated levels of IL-8, IL-6, CCL2, and IL-1β. Other biologically immune responders including human PBMCs will be tested to determine the potential impact on the tumor immune microenvironment during tumorigenesis and treatment. Conclusions: To elucidate the mechanism by which this NAS works in these tumor settings, our lab has developed several PAMAM-G3 derivatives, including biotin, IR-, and near-IR fluorophore labeled molecules. These molecules will allow us to capture and characterize DAMPs and do in vivo live imaging experiments to gain insight into NAS PK/PD properties. This insight into NAS capabilities will enhance our understanding of metastatic progression and its interplay with the immune system. Moreover, these principles will aid in the development of novel of anti-metastatic therapies to improve TNBC patient outcomes.

scholarly journals Simultaneous CK2/TNIK/Dyrk1 inhibition by 108600 suppresses triple negative breast cancer stem cells and chemotherapy-resistant disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsutoshi Sato ◽  
Amol Padgaonkar ◽  
Stacey Baker ◽  
Stephen Cosenza ◽  
Olga Rechkoblit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Kinase Inhibitor ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Metastatic Progression ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Early Stage Disease

Abstract Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains clinically challenging as patients have heterogeneous responses to current standard of care therapies. Chemotherapy sensitivity is a strong predictor of long-term outcomes for patients, and incomplete response of early stage disease to chemotherapy treatment is associated with a much higher risk of disease relapse and metastatic progression, often occurring within a short time from initial diagnosis. Therefore, treatment strategies that target chemotherapy-resistant TNBC and/or enhance chemosensitivity would improve outcomes for these high-risk patients. Breast cancer stem cell-like cells (BCSC) have been proposed to represent a chemotherapy-resistant subpopulation within the tumor which are also responsible for tumor initiation, progression and metastases. Targeting this population could lead to improved TNBC disease control. We have identified a novel multi-kinase inhibitor 108600 from a screen for inhibitors of this TNBC BCSC population. 108600 treatment suppresses growth, colony and mammosphere forming capacity of the BCSC population. Treatment with 108600 induces G2M arrest and eventual apoptosis of TNBC cells in vitro and of TNBC xenografts in vivo, and overcomes chemotherapy (paclitaxel) resistance of triple negative patient-derived xenografts (PDX). Finally, treatment with 108600 and chemotherapy suppressed the growth of already established TNBC metastases, providing additional support for the clinical translation of this agent to clinical trials.

scholarly journals Next-Generation Multimodality of Nanomedicine Therapy: Folic Acid Conjugated Copolymer and Folate Receptor Interactions Disrupt Receptor Functionality Resulting in Dual Therapeutic Anti-Cancer Potential in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria DeCarlo ◽  
Cecile Malardier-Jugroot ◽  
Myron R Szewczuk
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Folic Acid ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Insight Into

The development of a highly specific drug delivery system (DDS) for anti-cancer therapeutics is an area of intense research focus. Chemical engineering of a “smart” DDS to specifically target tumor cells has gained interest, designed for safer, more efficient, and effective use of chemotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer. However, the selective targeting and choosing the critical cancer surface biomarker are essential for targeted treatments to work. The folic acid receptor alpha (FRalpha) has gained popularity as a potential target in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We have previously reported on a functionalized folic acid (FA)-conjugated amphiphilic alternating copolymer poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (FA-DABA-SMA) via a biodegradable linker 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA) that has the essential features for efficient “smart” DDS. This biocompatible DDS self-assembles in a pH-dependent manner, providing stimuli-responsive, active targeting, extended-release of hydrophobic chemotherapeutic agents, and can effectively penetrate the inner core of 3-dimensional cancer spheroid models. The empty FA-DABA-SMA decreased spheroid volume, revealing a previously unknown mechanism of action. Upon further investigation, a size- and shape-dependent interaction FA-DABA-SMA with FR reduced the expression of p53, the product of the highly mutated TP53 gene, and additional oncogenic c-Myc and STAT3 proteins. Here, we investigated how this copolymer influences FR behavior and disrupting the receptor’s functions. Results indicate that FA-DABA-SMA increases FR expression levels in breast MDA MB-231 cancer cells and disrupting FR signaling by the reduction in HES1 and NOTCH1 protein expression levels. Also, FA-DABA-SMA induces apoptosis and further causes a change in the morphology of the MDA MB-231 cells, as well as significantly reduces their ability to migrate in a Scratch wound assay. Collectively, these findings provide a novel insight into the functionalized FA-DABA-SMA copolymer. The 350 kDa and 20 kDa copolymers actively target FRα to initialize internationalization. However, only the large size and sheet-shaped 350 kDa copolymers disrupt FRα signaling. The significance of these novel findings reveals the intracellular activity of the copolymer that is critically dependent on the size and structural shape. This report offers novel therapeutic insight into a dual mechanism of FA-DABA-SMA copolymer for its therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer.

scholarly journals Lung-Derived Selectins Enhance Metastatic Behavior of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1580
Author(s):  
Sami U. Khan ◽  
Ying Xia ◽  
David Goodale ◽  
Gabriella Schoettle ◽  
Alison L. Allan
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Metastatic Progression ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Potential Therapeutic Target ◽  
Metastatic Behavior

The lung is one of the deadliest sites of breast cancer metastasis, particularly for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We have previously shown that the lung produces several soluble factors that may enhance the metastatic behavior of TNBC, including E-, L-, and P-selectin. In this paper, we hypothesize that lung-derived selectins promote TNBC metastatic behavior and may serve as a potential therapeutic target. Lungs were isolated from mice and used to generate lung-conditioned media (CM). Lung-derived selectins were immunodepleted and TNBC migration and proliferation were assessed in response to native or selectin-depleted lung-CM. A 3D ex vivo pulmonary metastasis assay (PuMA) was used to assess the metastatic progression of TNBC in the lungs of wild-type versus triple-selectin (ELP-/-) knockout mice. We observed that individual lung-derived selectins enhance in vitro migration (p ≤ 0.05), but not the proliferation of TNBC cells, and that ex vivo metastatic progression is reduced in the lungs of ELP-/- mice compared to wild-type mice (p ≤ 0.05). Treatment with the pan-selectin inhibitor bimosiamose reduced in vitro lung-specific TNBC migration and proliferation (p ≤ 0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that lung-derived selectins may present a potential therapeutic target against TNBC metastasis. Future studies are aimed at elucidating the pro-metastatic mechanisms of lung-derived selectins and developing a lung-directed therapeutic approach.

scholarly journals MLK4 regulates DNA damage response and promotes triple-negative breast cancer chemoresistance

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawid Mehlich ◽  
Michał Łomiak ◽  
Aleksandra Sobiborowicz ◽  
Alicja Mazan ◽  
Dagmara Dymerska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Response Factors ◽  
Damage Response

AbstractChemoresistance constitutes a major challenge in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Mixed-Lineage Kinase 4 (MLK4) is frequently amplified or overexpressed in TNBC where it facilitates the aggressive growth and migratory potential of breast cancer cells. However, the functional role of MLK4 in resistance to chemotherapy has not been investigated so far. Here, we demonstrate that MLK4 promotes TNBC chemoresistance by regulating the pro-survival response to DNA-damaging therapies. We observed that MLK4 knock-down or inhibition sensitized TNBC cell lines to chemotherapeutic agents in vitro. Similarly, MLK4-deficient cells displayed enhanced sensitivity towards doxorubicin treatment in vivo. MLK4 silencing induced persistent DNA damage accumulation and apoptosis in TNBC cells upon treatment with chemotherapeutics. Using phosphoproteomic profiling and reporter assays, we demonstrated that loss of MLK4 reduced phosphorylation of key DNA damage response factors, including ATM and CHK2, and compromised DNA repair via non-homologous end-joining pathway. Moreover, our mRNA-seq analysis revealed that MLK4 is required for DNA damage-induced expression of several NF-кB-associated cytokines, which facilitate TNBC cells survival. Lastly, we found that high MLK4 expression is associated with worse overall survival of TNBC patients receiving anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Collectively, these results identify a novel function of MLK4 in the regulation of DNA damage response signaling and indicate that inhibition of this kinase could be an effective strategy to overcome TNBC chemoresistance.

scholarly journals Tradeoff between metabolic i-proteasome addiction and immune evasion in triple-negative breast cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. e201900562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaknanda Adwal ◽  
Priyakshi Kalita-de Croft ◽  
Reshma Shakya ◽  
Malcolm Lim ◽  
Emarene Kalaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Immune Evasion ◽  
Adjuvant Treatment ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Proteasome Inhibitors ◽  
Interferon Γ ◽  
Proteasome Activity ◽  
Metastatic Progression

In vitro studies have suggested proteasome inhibitors could be effective in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We found that bortezomib and carfilzomib induce proteotoxic stress and apoptosis via the unfolded protein response (UPR) in TNBC cell lines, with sensitivity correlated with expression of immuno-(PSMB8/9/10) but not constitutive-(PSMB5/6/7) proteasome subunits. Equally, the transcriptomes of i-proteasome–high human TNBCs are enriched with UPR gene sets, and the genomic copy number landscape reflects positive selection pressure favoring i-proteasome activity, but in the setting of adjuvant treatment, this is actually associated with favorable prognosis. Tumor expression of PSMB8 protein (β5i) is associated with levels of MHC-I, interferon-γ–inducible proteasome activator PA28β, and the densities of stromal antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes (TILs). Crucially, TILs were protective among TNBCs that maintain high β5i but did not stratify survival amongst β5i-low TNBCs. Moreover, β5i expression was lower in brain metastases than in patient-matched primary breast tumors (n = 34; P = 0.007), suggesting that suppression contributes to immune evasion and metastatic progression. Hence, inhibiting proteasome activity could be counterproductive in the adjuvant treatment setting because it potentiates anti-TNBC immunity.

scholarly journals CX-5461 Enhances the Efficacy of APR-246 via Induction of DNA Damage and Replication Stress in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5782
Author(s):  
Ashwini Makhale ◽  
Devathri Nanayakkara ◽  
Prahlad Raninga ◽  
Kum Kum Khanna ◽  
Murugan Kalimutho
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Combination Treatment ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Annexin V ◽  
Replication Stress ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽  
Combination Strategy

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer lacking targeted therapy. Here, we evaluated the anti-cancer activity of APR-246, a P53 activator, and CX-5461, a RNA polymerase I inhibitor, in the treatment of TNBC cells. We tested the efficacy of individual and combination therapy of CX-5461 and APR-246 in vitro, using a panel of breast cancer cell lines. Using publicly available breast cancer datasets, we found that components of RNA Pol I are predominately upregulated in basal-like breast cancer, compared to other subtypes, and this upregulation is associated with poor overall and relapse-free survival. Notably, we found that the treatment of breast cancer cells lines with CX-5461 significantly hampered cell proliferation and synergistically enhanced the efficacy of APR-246. The combination treatment significantly induced apoptosis that is associated with cleaved PARP and Caspase 3 along with Annexin V positivity. Likewise, we also found that combination treatment significantly induced DNA damage and replication stress in these cells. Our data provide a novel combination strategy by utilizing APR-246 in combination CX-5461 in killing TNBC cells that can be further developed into more effective therapy in TNBC therapeutic armamentarium.

scholarly journals GCH1 induces immunosuppression through metabolic reprogramming and IDO1 upregulation in triple-negative breast cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e002383
Author(s):  
Jin-Li Wei ◽  
Si-Yu Wu ◽  
Yun-Song Yang ◽  
Yi Xiao ◽  
Xi Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Molecular Taxonomy ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Aryl Hydrocarbon

PurposeRegulatory T cells (Tregs) heavily infiltrate triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and their accumulation is affected by the metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells. In the present study, we sought to identify cancer cell-intrinsic metabolic modulators correlating with Tregs infiltration in TNBC.Experimental designUsing the RNA-sequencing data from our institute (n=360) and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium TNBC cohort (n=320), we calculated the abundance of Tregs in each sample and evaluated the correlation between gene expression levels and Tregs infiltration. Then, in vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to verify the correlation and explore the underlying mechanism.ResultsWe revealed that GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1) expression was positively correlated with Tregs infiltration and high GCH1 expression was associated with reduced overall survival in TNBC. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that GCH1 increased Tregs infiltration, decreased apoptosis, and elevated the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)-positive fraction. Metabolomics analysis indicated that GCH1 overexpression reprogrammed tryptophan metabolism, resulting in L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) accumulation in the cytoplasm accompanied by kynurenine accumulation and tryptophan reduction in the supernatant. Subsequently, aryl hydrocarbon receptor, activated by 5-HTP, bound to the promoter of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and thus enhanced the transcription of IDO1. Furthermore, the inhibition of GCH1 by 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP) decreased IDO1 expression, attenuated tumor growth, and enhanced the tumor response to PD-1 blockade immunotherapy.ConclusionsTumor-cell-intrinsic GCH1 induced immunosuppression through metabolic reprogramming and IDO1 upregulation in TNBC. Inhibition of GCH1 by DAHP serves as a potential immunometabolic strategy in TNBC.

scholarly journals Multi-omics data integration reveals correlated regulatory features of triple negative breast cancer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Chappell ◽  
Kanishka Manna ◽  
Charity L. Washam ◽  
Stefan Graw ◽  
Duah Alkam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Data Integration ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Biological Pathways ◽  
Omics Data ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Omics Data Integration

Multi-omics data integration of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) provides insight into biological pathways.

scholarly journals Selection of aptamers against triple negative breast cancer cells using high throughput sequencing

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Débora Ferreira ◽  
Joaquim Barbosa ◽  
Diana A. Sousa ◽  
Cátia Silva ◽  
Luís D. R. Melo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Metastatic Breast ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Cancer Tissue ◽  
Surface Receptors

AbstractTriple-negative breast cancer is the most aggressive subtype of invasive breast cancer with a poor prognosis and no approved targeted therapy. Hence, the identification of new and specific ligands is essential to develop novel targeted therapies. In this study, we aimed to identify new aptamers that bind to highly metastatic breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells using the cell-SELEX technology aided by high throughput sequencing. After 8 cycles of selection, the aptamer pool was sequenced and the 25 most frequent sequences were aligned for homology within their variable core region, plotted according to their free energy and the key nucleotides possibly involved in the target binding site were analyzed. Two aptamer candidates, Apt1 and Apt2, binding specifically to the target cells with $$K_{d}$$ K d values of 44.3 ± 13.3 nM and 17.7 ± 2.7 nM, respectively, were further validated. The binding analysis clearly showed their specificity to MDA-MB-231 cells and suggested the targeting of cell surface receptors. Additionally, Apt2 revealed no toxicity in vitro and showed potential translational application due to its affinity to breast cancer tissue sections. Overall, the results suggest that Apt2 is a promising candidate to be used in triple-negative breast cancer treatment and/or diagnosis.

scholarly journals Edelfosine nanoemulsions inhibit tumor growth of triple negative breast cancer in zebrafish xenograft model

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia M. Saraiva ◽  
Carlha Gutiérrez-Lovera ◽  
Jeannette Martínez-Val ◽  
Sainza Lores ◽  
Belén L. Bouzo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Skin Barrier ◽  
Zebrafish Embryos ◽  
Biorelevant Media

AbstractTriple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known for being very aggressive, heterogeneous and highly metastatic. The standard of care treatment is still chemotherapy, with adjacent toxicity and low efficacy, highlighting the need for alternative and more effective therapeutic strategies. Edelfosine, an alkyl-lysophospholipid, has proved to be a promising therapy for several cancer types, upon delivery in lipid nanoparticles. Therefore, the objective of this work was to explore the potential of edelfosine for the treatment of TNBC. Edelfosine nanoemulsions (ET-NEs) composed by edelfosine, Miglyol 812 and phosphatidylcholine as excipients, due to their good safety profile, presented an average size of about 120 nm and a neutral zeta potential, and were stable in biorelevant media. The ability of ET-NEs to interrupt tumor growth in TNBC was demonstrated both in vitro, using a highly aggressive and invasive TNBC cell line, and in vivo, using zebrafish embryos. Importantly, ET-NEs were able to penetrate through the skin barrier of MDA-MB 231 xenografted zebrafish embryos, into the yolk sac, leading to an effective decrease of highly aggressive and invasive tumoral cells’ proliferation. Altogether the results demonstrate the potential of ET-NEs for the development of new therapeutic approaches for TNBC.

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