scholarly journals Blood Vessels and Peripheral Nerves as Key Players in Cancer Progression and Therapy Resistance

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4471
Author(s):  
Niccolò Roda ◽  
Giada Blandano ◽  
Pier Giuseppe Pelicci
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Tumor Mass ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis ◽  
Initial Results ◽  
Metastatic Spreading

Cancer cells continuously interact with the tumor microenvironment (TME), a heterogeneous milieu that surrounds the tumor mass and impinges on its phenotype. Among the components of the TME, blood vessels and peripheral nerves have been extensively studied in recent years for their prominent role in tumor development from tumor initiation. Cancer cells were shown to actively promote their own vascularization and innervation through the processes of angiogenesis and axonogenesis. Indeed, sprouting vessels and axons deliver several factors needed by cancer cells to survive and proliferate, including nutrients, oxygen, and growth signals, to the expanding tumor mass. Nerves and vessels are also fundamental for the process of metastatic spreading, as they provide both the pro-metastatic signals to the tumor and the scaffold through which cancer cells can reach distant organs. Not surprisingly, continuously growing attention is devoted to the development of therapies specifically targeting these structures, with promising initial results. In this review, we summarize the latest evidence that supports the importance of blood vessels and peripheral nerves in cancer pathogenesis, therapy resistance, and innovative treatments.

TK1 in Cancer Progression: elucidating its influence on cellular invasion and survival

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliza E. Bitter ◽  
Michelle H. Townsend ◽  
Kary Y.F. Tsai ◽  
Carolyn I. Allen ◽  
Rachel I. Erickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cell Survival ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
S Phase ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cellular Invasion ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis

Abstract 1. Background: The salvage pathway enzyme thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) is elevated in the serum of several different cancer types and higher expression is associated with more aggressive tumor grade. As a result, it has potential as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis. Recent studies indicate that TK1 may be involved in cancer pathogenesis; however, its direct involvement has not been identified. We propose to evaluate the effects of TK1 on cancer progression in vitro through measuring cellular invasion and survival of breast cancer cells.2.Methods: Breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231, HCC 1806, and MCF7 were cultured according to standard techniques. We employed the use of TK1 target siRNA and a CRISPR-Cas9 TK1 knockout plasmid to compare transfected cell lines to wild type cell lines. Protein factors in survival and invasive pathways were also tested for correlations to TK1 in BRCA RNA-seq patient data (n=1095) using the TIMER program. Cellular invasion was quantified in cell index (factor of impedance) over a 24-hour period. Cell survival was measured by apoptosis under metabolic and DNA stress using flow cytometry. All results were statistically assessed using an ANOVA or t-test in GraphPad PRISM®.3.Results: Cellular invasion assays assessing wild type and TK1 knockdown/knockout (TK1-/-) cell types showed TK1-/- cell lines had increased invasion potential (p= 0.0001). Bioinformatically, we saw a strong overall negative correlation between apoptotic factors and TK1 (p ≤ 0.05). When testing TK1 effects on cell survival we saw a protective affect under DNA stress (p ≤ 0.05), but not under metabolic stress (p= 0.0001).4.Conclusion From cell cycle analysis, we observed a shift towards S phase in TK1-/- cells. This shift to S phase would promote growth and account for the increased cellular invasion and decrease in metabolic induced stress in TK1-/- cells. We propose that cancer cells still may elicit a cancer progressive phenotype based on effects of TK1, but that a system which isolates TK1 is not effective to understand the effects. Instead, identifying protein networks inclusive of TK1 will help to elucidate its effects on cancer progression.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0078607 suppresses ovarian cancer progression by regulating miR-518a-5p/Fas signaling pathway

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Zhang ◽  
Yue Jin ◽  
Qiubo Hu ◽  
Shanshan Cheng ◽  
Chao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Malignant Tumors ◽  
Circular Rna ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Circular Rnas ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis ◽  
Direct Target

Abstract Background: Increasing researches have demonstrated the critical functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the progression of malignant tumors, including ovarian cancer. In this study, we aim to investigate abnormally expression of hsa_circ_0078607 and the role of hsa_circ_0078607 during ovarian cancer pathogenesis.Methods: RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of circ_0078607 in ovarian cancer tissues. To determine the functional roles of circ_0078607 in ovarian cancer, cell proliferation and cell invasion assays were performed. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analysis were used to predict the target of circ_0078607.Results: In the present study, we first found that circ_0078607 was downregulated in ovarian cancer. Forced circ_0078607 expression significantly suppressed proliferation and promotes apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. Mechanically, bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analysis identified that miR-518a-5p as a direct target of circ_0078607, while Fas as a direct target of miR-518a-5p. MiR-518a-5p negatively regulates Fas in ovarian cancer cells, while overexpression of circ_0078607 could increase the expression of Fas inhibited by miR-518a-5p. Furthermore, overexpression of circ_0078607 could inhibit the proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells caused by miR-518a-5p mimic.Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that circ_0078607 suppresses ovarian cancer progression by sponging oncogenic miR-518a-5p to induce Fas expression, which may provide new therapeutic approach for ovarian cancer.

scholarly journals The Roles of Stroma-Derived Chemokine in Different Stages of Cancer Metastases

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahid Hussain ◽  
Bo Peng ◽  
Mathew Cherian ◽  
Jonathan W. Song ◽  
Dinesh K. Ahirwar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Metastatic Niche ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis ◽  
Cancer Metastases ◽  
Cellular Components

The intricate interplay between malignant cells and host cellular and non-cellular components play crucial role in different stages of tumor development, progression, and metastases. Tumor and stromal cells communicate to each other through receptors such as integrins and secretion of signaling molecules like growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and inflammatory mediators. Chemokines mediated signaling pathways have emerged as major mechanisms underlying multifaceted roles played by host cells during tumor progression. In response to tumor stimuli, host cells-derived chemokines further activates signaling cascades that support the ability of tumor cells to invade surrounding basement membrane and extra-cellular matrix. The host-derived chemokines act on endothelial cells to increase their permeability and facilitate tumor cells intravasation and extravasation. The tumor cells-host neutrophils interaction within the vasculature initiates chemokines driven recruitment of inflammatory cells that protects circulatory tumor cells from immune attack. Chemokines secreted by tumor cells and stromal immune and non-immune cells within the tumor microenvironment enter the circulation and are responsible for formation of a “pre-metastatic niche” like a “soil” in distant organs whereby circulating tumor cells “seed’ and colonize, leading to formation of metastatic foci. Given the importance of host derived chemokines in cancer progression and metastases several drugs like Mogamulizumab, Plerixafor, Repertaxin among others are part of ongoing clinical trial which target chemokines and their receptors against cancer pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on recent advances in understanding the complexity of chemokines network in tumor microenvironment, with an emphasis on chemokines secreted from host cells. We especially summarize the role of host-derived chemokines in different stages of metastases, including invasion, dissemination, migration into the vasculature, and seeding into the pre-metastatic niche. We finally provide a brief description of prospective drugs that target chemokines in different clinical trials against cancer.

scholarly journals Proteoglycans in the Pathogenesis of Hormone-Dependent Cancers: Mediators and Effectors

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Tzanakakis ◽  
Eirini-Maria Giatagana ◽  
Andrey Kuskov ◽  
Aikaterini Berdiaki ◽  
Aristidis Tsatsakis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Response To Therapy ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis ◽  
Specific Tumor ◽  
Hybrid Molecules ◽  
Health Need ◽  
Tumor Types

Hormone-dependent cancers exhibit high morbidity and mortality. In spite of advances in therapy, the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers remains an unmet health need. The tumor microenvironment (TME) exhibits unique characteristics that differ among various tumor types. It is composed of cancerous, non-cancerous, stromal, and immune cells that are surrounded and supported by components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Therefore, the interactions among cancer cells, stromal cells, and components of the ECM determine cancer progression and response to therapy. Proteoglycans (PGs), hybrid molecules consisting of a protein core to which sulfated glycosaminoglycan chains are bound, are significant components of the ECM that are implicated in all phases of tumorigenesis. These molecules, secreted by both the stroma and cancer cells, are crucial signaling mediators that modulate the vital cellular pathways implicated in gene expression, phenotypic versatility, and response to therapy in specific tumor types. A plethora of deregulated signaling pathways contributes to the growth, dissemination, and angiogenesis of hormone-dependent cancers. Specific inputs from the endocrine and immune systems are some of the characteristics of hormone-dependent cancer pathogenesis. Importantly, the mechanisms involved in various aspects of cancer progression are executed in the ECM niche of the TME, and the PG components crucially mediate these processes. Here, we comprehensively discuss the mechanisms through which PGs affect the multifaceted aspects of hormone-dependent cancer development and progression, including cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, immunobiology, autophagy, and response to therapy.

scholarly journals Molecular Determinants of Cancer Therapy Resistance to HDAC Inhibitor-Induced Autophagy

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Mrakovcic ◽  
Leopold F. Fröhlich
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Histone Deacetylation ◽  
Apoptosis Resistance ◽  
Drug Induced ◽  
Protective Function ◽  
Molecular Determinants

Histone deacetylation inhibitors (HDACi) offer high potential for future cancer therapy as they can re-establish the expression of epigenetically silenced cell death programs. HDACi-induced autophagy offers the possibility to counteract the frequently present apoptosis-resistance as well as stress conditions of cancer cells. Opposed to the function of apoptosis and necrosis however, autophagy activated in cancer cells can engage in a tumor-suppressive or tumor-promoting manner depending on mostly unclarified factors. As a physiological adaption to apoptosis resistance in early phases of tumorigenesis, autophagy seems to resume a tumorsuppressive role that confines tumor necrosis and inflammation or even induces cell death in malignant cells. During later stages of tumor development, chemotherapeutic drug-induced autophagy seems to be reprogrammed by the cancer cell to prevent its elimination and support tumor progression. Consistently, HDACi-mediated activation of autophagy seems to exert a protective function that prevents the induction of apoptotic or necrotic cell death in cancer cells. Thus, resistance to HDACi-induced cell death is often encountered in various types of cancer as well. The current review highlights the different mechanisms of HDACi-elicited autophagy and corresponding possible molecular determinants of therapeutic resistance in cancer.

scholarly journals Adhesion of Platelets to Colon Cancer Cells Is Necessary to Promote Tumor Development in Xenograft, Genetic and Inflammation Models

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 4243
Author(s):  
Marica Cariello ◽  
Elena Piccinin ◽  
Roberta Zerlotin ◽  
Marilidia Piglionica ◽  
Claudia Peres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colon Cancer ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Tumor Model ◽  
Cell Interaction ◽  
Colorectal Carcinogenesis ◽  
Intestinal Tumorigenesis

Platelets represent the linkage between tissue damage and inflammatory response with a putative role in tumorigenesis. Given the importance of the microenvironment in colon cancer development, we elucidated the eventual role of platelets-cancer cells crosstalk in in vivo colon cancer models. To evaluate the involvement of platelets in intestinal tumorigenesis, we first analyzed if the ablation of β-integrin P-selectin that drives platelets-cell adhesion, would contribute to platelets-colon cancer cell interaction and drive cancer progression. In a xenograft tumor model, we observed that when tumors are inoculated with platelets, the ablation of P-selectin significantly reduced tumor growth compared to control platelets. Furthermore, in genetic models, as well as in chronic colitis-associated colorectal carcinogenesis, P-selectin ablated mice displayed a significant reduction in tumor number and size compared to control mice. Taken together, our data highlights the importance of platelets in the tumor microenvironment for intestinal tumorigenesis. These results support the hypothesis that a strategy aimed to inhibit platelets adhesion to tumor cells are able to block tumor growth and could represent a novel therapeutic approach to colon cancer treatment.

scholarly journals The ANXA2/S100A10 Complex—Regulation of the Oncogenic Plasminogen Receptor

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1772
Author(s):  
Alamelu G. Bharadwaj ◽  
Emma Kempster ◽  
David M. Waisman
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Proteolytic Activity ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Surface Receptors ◽  
Diagnosis And Prognosis ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Complex Regulation

The generation of the serine protease plasmin is initiated by the binding of its zymogenic precursor, plasminogen, to cell surface receptors. The proteolytic activity of plasmin, generated at the cell surface, plays a crucial role in several physiological processes, including fibrinolysis, angiogenesis, wound healing, and the invasion of cells through both the basement membrane and extracellular matrix. The seminal observation by Albert Fischer that cancer cells, but not normal cells in culture, produce large amounts of plasmin formed the basis of current-day observations that plasmin generation can be hijacked by cancer cells to allow tumor development, progression, and metastasis. Thus, the cell surface plasminogen-binding receptor proteins are critical to generating plasmin proteolytic activity at the cell surface. This review focuses on one of the twelve well-described plasminogen receptors, S100A10, which, when in complex with its regulatory partner, annexin A2 (ANXA2), forms the ANXA2/S100A10 heterotetrameric complex referred to as AIIt. We present the theme that AIIt is the quintessential cellular plasminogen receptor since it regulates the formation and the destruction of plasmin. We also introduce the term oncogenic plasminogen receptor to define those plasminogen receptors directly activated during cancer progression. We then discuss the research establishing AIIt as an oncogenic plasminogen receptor-regulated during EMT and activated by oncogenes such as SRC, RAS, HIF1α, and PML-RAR and epigenetically by DNA methylation. We further discuss the evidence derived from animal models supporting the role of S100A10 in tumor progression and oncogenesis. Lastly, we describe the potential of S100A10 as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Targeting Tumor Immunosuppressive Microenvironment for the Prevention of Hepatic Cancer: Applications of Traditional Chinese Medicines in Targeted Delivery

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (30) ◽  
pp. 2789-2800
Author(s):  
Le-Yi Zhang ◽  
Jun-Gang Zhang ◽  
Xue Yang ◽  
Mao-Hua Cai ◽  
Cheng-Wu Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
World Health ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Components

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the ancient and most accepted alternative medicinal systems in the world for the treatment of health ailments. World Health Organization recognizes TCM as one of the primary healthcare practices followed across the globe. TCM utilizes a holistic approach for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. The tumor microenvironment (TME) surrounds cancer cells and plays pivotal roles in tumor development, growth, progression, and therapy resistance. TME is a hypoxic and acidic environment that includes immune cells, pericytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, various cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular matrix components. Targeting TME using targeted drug delivery and nanoparticles is an attractive strategy for the treatment of solid tumors and recently has received significant research attention under precise medicine concept. TME plays a pivotal role in the overall survival and metastasis of a tumor by stimulating cell proliferation, preventing the tumor clearance by the immune cells, enhancing the oncogenic potential of the cancer cells, and promoting tumor invasion. Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of cancer-associated deaths affecting millions of individuals worldwide each year. TCM herbs contain several bioactive phytoconstituents with a broad range of biological, physiological, and immunological effects on the system. Several TCM herbs and their monomers have shown inhibitory effects in HCC by controlling the TME. This study reviews the fundamentals and applications of targeting strategies for immunosuppressing TME to treat cancers. This study focuses on TME targeting strategies using TCM herbs and the molecular mechanisms of several TCM herbs and their monomers on controlling TME.

scholarly journals Immune Escape Mechanisms in Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis and Liver Metastasis

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Pancione ◽  
Guido Giordano ◽  
Andrea Remo ◽  
Antonio Febbraro ◽  
Lina Sabatino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Immune Escape ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Tumour Progression ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Metastatic Progression ◽  
Malignant Cells ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis

Over the past decade, growing evidence indicates that the tumor microenvironment (TME) contributes with genomic/epigenomic aberrations of malignant cells to enhance cancer cells survival, invasion, and dissemination. Many factors, produced orde novosynthesized by immune, stromal, or malignant cells, acting in a paracrine and autocrine fashion, remodel TME and the adaptive immune response culminating in metastasis. Taking into account the recent accomplishments in the field of immune oncology and using metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) as a model, we propose that the evasion of the immune surveillance and metastatic spread can be achieved through a number of mechanisms that include (a) intrinsic plasticity and adaptability of immune and malignant cells to paracrine and autocrine stimuli or genotoxic stresses; (b) alteration of positional schemes of myeloid-lineage cells, produced by factors controlling the balance between tumour-suppressing and tumour-promoting activities; (c) acquisition by cancer cells of aberrant immune-phenotypic traits (NT5E/CD73, CD68, and CD163) that enhance the interactions among TME components through the production of immune-suppressive mediators. These properties may represent the driving force of metastatic progression and thus clinically exploitable for cancer prevention and therapy. In this review we summarize results and suggest new hypotheses that favour the growing impact of tumor-infiltrating immune cells on tumour progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance.

JAK2 variations and functions in lung adenocarcinoma.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e23181-e23181
Author(s):  
Xu Yanjun ◽  
Fan Yun
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Lung Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Jak2 V617f ◽  
Lung Cancer Cells ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Cancer Pathogenesis

e23181 Background: Lung cancer ranks as the first most common cancer and the first leading cause of cancer-related death in China and worldwide. Due to the difficulty in early diagnosis and the onset of cancer metastasis, the 5-year survival rate of lung cancer remains extremely low. JAK2 has emerged as pivotal participant in biological processes, often dysregulated in a range of cancers, including lung cancer. Recently we found that JAK2 might play an important role in lung cancer pathogenesis as an oncogene. While our understanding of JAK2 in the onset and progression of lung cancer is still in its infancy, there is no doubt that understanding the activities of JAK2 will certainly secure strong biomarkers and improve treatment options for lung cancer patients. Methods: The expression level of JAK2 mRNA was assayed using RT-PCR. JAK2 mutations and amplification were detected using next-generation sequencing (NGS). MTT assay, Transwell migration and invasion assay were conducted to study the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of lung adenocarcinoma cells independently. The shRNA and overexpression plasmids of JAK2 were conducted. Results: JAK2 is up-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues when compared with their adjacent non-tumor tissues, and was associated with lymph node metastasis ( p< 0.05). JAK2 V617F and N30S mutations and JAK2 amplification were detected by NGS in lung adenocarcinoma patient samples. Downregulation of JAK2 inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of lung cancer cells. Moreover, overexpression of JAK2 induced the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of lung cancer cells. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that JAK2, whose expression is up-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma, whose mutation and amplification were detected in lung adenocarcinoma, may participate in lung cancer progression by regulating cancer cells proliferation, migration and invasion.

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