scholarly journals microRNAs in the Antitumor Immune Response and in Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer: From Biological Mechanisms to Therapeutics

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Gomarasca ◽  
Paola Maroni ◽  
Giuseppe Banfi ◽  
Giovanni Lombardi
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Formation Process ◽  
Immune Escape ◽  
Antitumor Immune Response ◽  
Metastasis Formation ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Aberrant Expression

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, and the occurrence of metastasis drastically worsens the prognosis and reduces overall survival. Understanding the biological mechanisms that regulate the transformation of malignant cells, the consequent metastatic transformation, and the immune surveillance in the tumor progression would contribute to the development of more effective and targeted treatments. In this context, microRNAs (miRNAs) have proven to be key regulators of the tumor-immune cells crosstalk for the hijack of the immunosurveillance to promote tumor cells immune escape and cancer progression, as well as modulators of the metastasis formation process, ranging from the preparation of the metastatic site to the transformation into the migrating phenotype of tumor cells. In particular, their deregulated expression has been linked to the aberrant expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes to promote tumorigenesis. This review aims at summarizing the role and functions of miRNAs involved in antitumor immune response and in the metastasis formation process in breast cancer. Additionally, miRNAs are promising targets for gene therapy as their modulation has the potential to support or inhibit specific mechanisms to negatively affect tumorigenesis. With this perspective, the most recent strategies developed for miRNA-based therapeutics are illustrated.

scholarly journals Control of the Antitumor Immune Response by Cancer Metabolism

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Domblides ◽  
Lydia Lartigue ◽  
Benjamin Faustin
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Metabolism ◽  
Hematological Malignancies ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Immune Escape ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Antitumor Immune Response ◽  
Molecular Events

The metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells and immune escape are two major hallmarks of cancer cells. The metabolic changes that occur during tumorigenesis, enabling survival and proliferation, are described for both solid and hematological malignancies. Concurrently, tumor cells have deployed mechanisms to escape immune cell recognition and destruction. Additionally, therapeutic blocking of tumor-mediated immunosuppression has proven to have an unprecedented positive impact in clinical oncology. Increased evidence suggests that cancer metabolism not only plays a crucial role in cancer signaling for sustaining tumorigenesis and survival, but also has wider implications in the regulation of antitumor immune signaling through both the release of signaling molecules and the expression of immune membrane ligands. Here, we review these molecular events to highlight the contribution of cancer cell metabolic reprogramming on the shaping of the antitumor immune response.

scholarly journals A MicroRNA Component of the Neoplastic Microenvironment: Microregulators with Far-Reaching Impact

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Li ◽  
Zhiqiang Wu ◽  
Xiaobing Fu ◽  
Weidong Han
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Related Gene ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Aberrant Expression ◽  
Small Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Cancer Related Gene ◽  
Microenvironmental Factors

The interplay between tumor cells and their microenvironment plays a pivotal role in tumor development and progression. Although a growing body of evidence has established the importance of the tumor microenvironment, an understanding of the crosstalk between its components and cancer cells remains elusive. The pathways triggered by microenvironmental factors could modulate cancer-related gene transcription, also affecting small noncoding RNAs, microRNAs, which have emerged as key posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression, directly involved in human cancers. Although microRNAs regulate most biological mechanisms, their role in the tumor microenvironment has only recently become the focus of intense research. In this paper, we focus on the intertwined connection between the tumor microenvironment and aberrant expression of microRNAs involved in carcinogenesis. We also discuss the emerging roles of microRNAs in the tumor microenvironment as it relates to cancer progression. We conclude that microRNAs are critical for our understanding of the development of cancer, and that targeting microRNA signaling pathways in the microenvironment as well as in tumor cells opens new therapeutic avenues to the global control of cancer.

scholarly journals Combining Oncolytic Viruses and Small Molecule Therapeutics: Mutual Benefits

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3386
Author(s):  
Bart Spiesschaert ◽  
Katharina Angerer ◽  
John Park ◽  
Guido Wollmann
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Antiviral Immunity ◽  
Oncolytic Viruses ◽  
Antitumor Immune Response ◽  
Antiviral Responses ◽  
Small Molecule Therapeutics ◽  
Immunosuppressive Factors

The focus of treating cancer with oncolytic viruses (OVs) has increasingly shifted towards achieving efficacy through the induction and augmentation of an antitumor immune response. However, innate antiviral responses can limit the activity of many OVs within the tumor and several immunosuppressive factors can hamper any subsequent antitumor immune responses. In recent decades, numerous small molecule compounds that either inhibit the immunosuppressive features of tumor cells or antagonize antiviral immunity have been developed and tested for. Here we comprehensively review small molecule compounds that can achieve therapeutic synergy with OVs. We also elaborate on the mechanisms by which these treatments elicit anti-tumor effects as monotherapies and how these complement OV treatment.

scholarly journals Iron-Bound Lipocalin-2 from Tumor-Associated Macrophages Drives Breast Cancer Progression Independent of Ferroportin

Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 180
Author(s):  
Christina Mertens ◽  
Matthias Schnetz ◽  
Claudia Rehwald ◽  
Stephan Grein ◽  
Eiman Elwakeel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Tumor Progression ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Lung Metastases ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽  
Lipocalin 2 ◽  
Tumor Associated Macrophages

Macrophages supply iron to the breast tumor microenvironment by enforced secretion of lipocalin-2 (Lcn-2)-bound iron as well as the increased expression of the iron exporter ferroportin (FPN). We aimed at identifying the contribution of each pathway in supplying iron for the growing tumor, thereby fostering tumor progression. Analyzing the expression profiles of Lcn-2 and FPN using the spontaneous polyoma-middle-T oncogene (PyMT) breast cancer model as well as mining publicly available TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GEO Series(GSE) datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO), we found no association between tumor parameters and Lcn-2 or FPN. However, stromal/macrophage-expression of Lcn-2 correlated with tumor onset, lung metastases, and recurrence, whereas FPN did not. While the total iron amount in wildtype and Lcn-2−/− PyMT tumors showed no difference, we observed that tumor-associated macrophages from Lcn-2−/− compared to wildtype tumors stored more iron. In contrast, Lcn-2−/− tumor cells accumulated less iron than their wildtype counterparts, translating into a low migratory and proliferative capacity of Lcn-2−/− tumor cells in a 3D tumor spheroid model in vitro. Our data suggest a pivotal role of Lcn-2 in tumor iron-management, affecting tumor growth. This study underscores the role of iron for tumor progression and the need for a better understanding of iron-targeted therapy approaches.

scholarly journals Stromal CCL5 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression by Interacting with CCR3 in Tumor Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1918
Author(s):  
Mio Yamaguchi ◽  
Kiyoshi Takagi ◽  
Koki Narita ◽  
Yasuhiro Miki ◽  
Yoshiaki Onodera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Breast Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Progression ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Human Breast Carcinoma ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Breast Carcinomas ◽  
Human Breast

Chemokines secreted from stromal cells have important roles for interactions with carcinoma cells and regulating tumor progression. C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 5 is expressed in various types of stromal cells and associated with tumor progression, interacting with C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 1, 3 and 5 expressed in tumor cells. However, the expression on CCL5 and its receptors have so far not been well-examined in human breast carcinoma tissues. We therefore immunolocalized CCL5, as well as CCR1, 3 and 5, in 111 human breast carcinoma tissues and correlated them with clinicopathological characteristics. Stromal CCL5 immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with the aggressive phenotype of breast carcinomas. Importantly, this tendency was observed especially in the CCR3-positive group. Furthermore, the risk of recurrence was significantly higher in the patients with breast carcinomas positive for CCL5 and CCR3 but negative for CCR1 and CCR5, as compared with other patients. In summary, the CCL5-CCR3 axis might contribute to a worse prognosis in breast cancer patients, and these findings will contribute to a better understanding of the significance of the CCL5/CCRs axis in breast carcinoma microenvironment.

scholarly journals miR-205 in Breast Cancer: State of the Art

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Ilaria Plantamura ◽  
Alessandra Cataldo ◽  
Giulia Cosentino ◽  
Marilena V. Iorio
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Normal Breast ◽  
Response To Therapy ◽  
Aberrant Expression ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Tumor Tissues ◽  
Breast Physiology ◽  
Cancer Types

Despite its controversial roles in different cancer types, miR-205 has been mainly described as an oncosuppressive microRNA (miRNA), with some contrasting results, in breast cancer. The role of miR-205 in the occurrence or progression of breast cancer has been extensively studied since the first evidence of its aberrant expression in tumor tissues versus normal counterparts. To date, it is known that the expression of miR-205 in the different subtypes of breast cancer is decreasing from the less aggressive subtype, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor positive breast cancer, to the more aggressive, triple negative breast cancer, influencing metastasis capability, response to therapy and patient survival. In this review, we summarize the most important discoveries that have highlighted the functional role of this miRNA in breast cancer initiation and progression, in stemness maintenance, in the tumor microenvironment, its potential role as a biomarker and its relevance in normal breast physiology—the still open questions. Finally, emerging evidence reveals the role of some lncRNAs in breast cancer progression as sponges of miR-205. Here, we also reviewed the studies in this field.

scholarly journals The Abscopal Effect: Could a Phenomenon Described Decades Ago Become Key to Enhancing the Response to Immune Therapies in Breast Cancer?

Breast Care ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-449
Author(s):  
Hans-Christian Kolberg ◽  
Oliver Hoffmann ◽  
René Baumann
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Immune Therapy ◽  
Antitumor Immune Response ◽  
Abscopal Effect ◽  
Antitumor Effects ◽  
Effective Combination ◽  
Immunological Mechanisms ◽  
Immune Therapies

Background: The term “abscopal effect” was defined in 1953. In oncology the term is used to describe systemic antitumor effects triggered by local irradiation (nontarget effect). Although the mechanism of the abscopal effect is not completely understood yet, it has been demonstrated that in situ tumor vaccination, and the resulting antitumor immune response, is one of the key factors. Summary: The development of immune therapies has recently led to concepts combining local radiotherapy and immune therapy with the aim of enhancing the response to immune therapy by the immunological mechanisms summarized in the term abscopal effect. This concept has also been investigated in less immunogenic tumors such as breast cancer. Initial data are promising but the hypothesis that the combination of checkpoint inhibitors and local radiotherapy could be an effective combination in breast cancer has to be proven by ongoing trials. Substitution of local radiotherapy by local hyperthermia could be an option in selected cases. Key Messages: Combination of checkpoint inhibitors with local radiation or hyperthermia in breast cancer is a promising approach and could enhance the response rates generated by immune therapy alone through the antitumor immune response initiated by the abscopal effect.

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