bims-tucedo Biomed News
on Tumor cell dormancy
Issue of 2022‒04‒17
twenty papers selected by
Isabel Puig Borreil
Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology
  1. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter drives metastasis and confers a targetable cystine dependency in pancreatic cancer.
  2. Editor's Note: miR-153 Supports Colorectal Cancer Progression via Pleiotropic Effects That Enhance Invasion and Chemotherapeutic Resistance.
  3. Stratification of radiosensitive brain metastases based on an actionable S100A9/RAGE resistance mechanism.
  4. Unchecked oxidative stress in skeletal muscle prevents outgrowth of disseminated tumour cells.
  5. Loss of KMT5C Promotes EGFR Inhibitor Resistance in NSCLC via LINC01510-Mediated Upregulation of MET.
  6. Pharmacologic conversion of cancer-associated fibroblasts from a protumor phenotype to an antitumor phenotype improves the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer to chemotherapeutics.
  7. EGFR Inhibition Potentiates FGFR Inhibitor Therapy and Overcomes Resistance in FGFR2 Fusion-Positive Cholangiocarcinoma.
  8. H3K27me3 conditions chemotolerance in triple-negative breast cancer.
  9. Preclinical In Vivo Validation of the RAD51 Test for Identification of Homologous Recombination-Deficient Tumors and Patient Stratification.
  10. A genome-wide CRISPR activation screen identifies PRRX2 as a regulator of enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer.
  11. P2x4 receptor promotes mammary cancer progression by sustaining autophagy and associated mesenchymal transition.
  12. Minimal Residual Disease Predicts Outcome at Two Time Points in Myeloma.
  13. Genome-wide CRISPR screen identifies PRC2 and KMT2D-COMPASS as regulators of distinct EMT trajectories that contribute differentially to metastasis.
  14. Chemotherapy-induced adenosine A2B receptor expression mediates epigenetic regulation of pluripotency factors and promotes breast cancer stemness.
  15. Resistance is futile with fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors.
  16. The Continuing Search for Causality between Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and the Metastatic Fitness of Carcinoma Cells.
  17. Macrophages direct cancer cells through a LOXL2-mediated metastatic cascade in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
  18. Oncogene-Targeted Therapies Induce Double-Strand Break Repair Dependence.
  19. Maintenance endocrine therapy plus bevacizumab for advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
  20. Combating multidrug resistance and metastasis of breast cancer by endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell-nucleus penetration enhanced immunochemotherapy.
  1. Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 12. pii: canres.3230.2021. [Epub ahead of print]
    Mitochondrial calcium uniporter drives metastasis and confers a targetable cystine dependency in pancreatic cancer.
    Xiuchao Wang, Yunzhan Li, Zekun Li, Shengchen Lin, Hongwei Wang, Jianwei Sun, Chungen Lan, Liangliang Wu, Dongxiao Sun, Chongbiao Huang, Pankaj K Singh, Nadine Hempel, Mohamed Trebak, Gina M DeNicola, Jihui Hao, Shengyu Yang.
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly metastatic disease with few effective treatments. Here we show that the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) promotes PDAC cell migration, invasion, metastasis, and metabolic stress resistance by activating the Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant program. The cystine transporter SLC7A11 was identified as a druggable target downstream of the MCU-Nrf2 axis. Paradoxically, despite the increased ability to uptake cystine, MCU-overexpressing PDAC demonstrated characteristics typical of cystine-deprived cells and were hypersensitive to cystine deprivation-induced ferroptosis. Pharmacological inhibitors of SLC7A11 effectively induced tumor regression and abrogated MCU-driven metastasis in PDAC. In patient-derived organoid models in vitro and patient-derived xenograft models in vivo, MCU-high PDAC demonstrated increased sensitivity to SLC7A11 inhibition compared to MCU-low tumors. These data suggest that MCU is able to promote resistance to metabolic stress and drive PDAC metastasis in a cystine-dependent manner. MCU-mediated cystine addiction could be exploited as a therapeutic vulnerability to inhibit PDAC tumor growth and prevent metastasis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-3230
  2. Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 15. 82(8): 1669
    Editor's Note: miR-153 Supports Colorectal Cancer Progression via Pleiotropic Effects That Enhance Invasion and Chemotherapeutic Resistance.
    Lei Zhang, Karen Pickard, Veronika Jenei, Marc D Bullock, Amanda Bruce, Richard Mitter, Gavin Kelly, Christos Paraskeva, John Strefford, John Primrose, Gareth J Thomas, Graham Packham, Alex H Mirnezami.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-0501
  3. Nat Med. 2022 Apr 11.
    Stratification of radiosensitive brain metastases based on an actionable S100A9/RAGE resistance mechanism.
    RENACER
      Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is the treatment backbone for many patients with brain metastasis; however, its efficacy in preventing disease progression and the associated toxicity have questioned the clinical impact of this approach and emphasized the need for alternative treatments. Given the limited therapeutic options available for these patients and the poor understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance of metastatic lesions to WBRT, we sought to uncover actionable targets and biomarkers that could help to refine patient selection. Through an unbiased analysis of experimental in vivo models of brain metastasis resistant to WBRT, we identified activation of the S100A9-RAGE-NF-κB-JunB pathway in brain metastases as a potential mediator of resistance in this organ. Targeting this pathway genetically or pharmacologically was sufficient to revert the WBRT resistance and increase therapeutic benefits in vivo at lower doses of radiation. In patients with primary melanoma, lung or breast adenocarcinoma developing brain metastasis, endogenous S100A9 levels in brain lesions correlated with clinical response to WBRT and underscored the potential of S100A9 levels in the blood as a noninvasive biomarker. Collectively, we provide a molecular framework to personalize WBRT and improve its efficacy through combination with a radiosensitizer that balances therapeutic benefit and toxicity.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01749-8
  4. Nat Cell Biol. 2022 Apr 11.
    Unchecked oxidative stress in skeletal muscle prevents outgrowth of disseminated tumour cells.
    Sarah B Crist, Travis Nemkov, Ruth F Dumpit, Jinxiang Dai, Stephen J Tapscott, Lawrence D True, Alexander Swarbrick, Lucas B Sullivan, Peter S Nelson, Kirk C Hansen, Cyrus M Ghajar.
      Skeletal muscle has long been recognized as an inhospitable site for disseminated tumour cells (DTCs). Yet its antimetastatic nature has eluded a thorough mechanistic examination. Here, we show that DTCs traffic to and persist within skeletal muscle in mice and in humans, which raises the question of how this tissue suppresses colonization. Results from mouse and organotypic culture models along with metabolomic profiling suggested that skeletal muscle imposes a sustained oxidative stress on DTCs that impairs their proliferation. Functional studies demonstrated that disrupting reduction-oxidation homeostasis via chemogenetic induction of reactive oxygen species slowed proliferation in a more fertile organ: the lung. Conversely, enhancement of the antioxidant potential of tumour cells through ectopic expression of catalase in the tumour or host mitochondria allowed robust colonization of skeletal muscle. These findings reveal a profound metabolic bottleneck imposed on DTCs and sustained by skeletal muscle. A thorough understanding of this biology could reveal previously undocumented DTC vulnerabilities that can be exploited to prevent metastasis in other more susceptible tissues.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-022-00881-4
  5. Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 15. 82(8): 1534-1547
    Loss of KMT5C Promotes EGFR Inhibitor Resistance in NSCLC via LINC01510-Mediated Upregulation of MET.
    Arpita S Pal, Alejandra Agredo, Nadia A Lanman, Jihye Son, Ikjot Singh Sohal, Manvir Bains, Chennan Li, Jenna Clingerman, Kayla Gates, Andrea L Kasinski.
      EGFR inhibitors (EGFRi) are standard-of-care treatments administered to patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that harbor EGFR alterations. However, development of resistance posttreatment remains a major challenge. Multiple mechanisms can promote survival of EGFRi-treated NSCLC cells, including secondary mutations in EGFR and activation of bypass tracks that circumvent the requirement for EGFR signaling. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in bypass signaling activation are understudied and require further elucidation. In this study, we identify that loss of an epigenetic factor, lysine methyltransferase 5C (KMT5C), drives resistance of NSCLC to multiple EGFRis, including erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib, and osimertinib. KMT5C catalyzed trimethylation of histone H4 lysine 20 (H4K20), a modification required for gene repression and maintenance of heterochromatin. Loss of KMT5C led to upregulation of an oncogenic long noncoding RNA, LINC01510, that promoted transcription of the oncogene MET, a component of a major bypass mechanism involved in EGFRi resistance. These findings underscore the loss of KMT5C as a critical event in driving EGFRi resistance by promoting a LINC01510/MET axis, providing mechanistic insights that could help improve NSCLC treatment.SIGNIFICANCE: Dysregulation of the epigenetic modifier KMT5C can drive MET-mediated EGFRi resistance, implicating KMT5C loss as a putative biomarker of resistance and H4K20 methylation as a potential target in EGFRi-resistant lung cancer.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-0821
  6. Oncogene. 2022 Apr 13.
    Pharmacologic conversion of cancer-associated fibroblasts from a protumor phenotype to an antitumor phenotype improves the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer to chemotherapeutics.
    Tadashi Iida, Yasuyuki Mizutani, Nobutoshi Esaki, Suzanne M Ponik, Brian M Burkel, Liang Weng, Keiko Kuwata, Atsushi Masamune, Seiichiro Ishihara, Hisashi Haga, Kunio Kataoka, Shinji Mii, Yukihiro Shiraki, Takuya Ishikawa, Eizaburo Ohno, Hiroki Kawashima, Yoshiki Hirooka, Mitsuhiro Fujishiro, Masahide Takahashi, Atsushi Enomoto.
      Previous therapeutic attempts to deplete cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) or inhibit their proliferation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were not successful in mice or patients. Thus, CAFs may be tumor suppressive or heterogeneous, with distinct cancer-restraining and -promoting CAFs (rCAFs and pCAFs, respectively). Here, we showed that induced expression of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein Meflin, a rCAF-specific marker, in CAFs by genetic and pharmacological approaches improved the chemosensitivity of mouse PDAC. A chemical library screen identified Am80, a synthetic, nonnatural retinoid, as a reagent that effectively induced Meflin expression in CAFs. Am80 administration improved the sensitivity of PDAC to chemotherapeutics, accompanied by increases in tumor vessel area and intratumoral drug delivery. Mechanistically, Meflin was involved in the suppression of tissue stiffening by interacting with lysyl oxidase to inhibit its collagen crosslinking activity. These data suggested that modulation of CAF heterogeneity may represent a strategy for PDAC treatment.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-022-02288-9
  7. Cancer Discov. 2022 Apr 14. OF1-OF18
    EGFR Inhibition Potentiates FGFR Inhibitor Therapy and Overcomes Resistance in FGFR2 Fusion-Positive Cholangiocarcinoma.
    Qibiao Wu, Yuanli Zhen, Lei Shi, Phuong Vu, Patricia Greninger, Ramzi Adil, Joshua Merritt, Regina Egan, Meng-Ju Wu, Xunqin Yin, Cristina R Ferrone, Vikram Deshpande, Islam Baiev, Christopher J Pinto, Daniel E McLoughlin, Charlotte S Walmsley, James R Stone, John D Gordan, Andrew X Zhu, Dejan Juric, Lipika Goyal, Cyril H Benes, Nabeel Bardeesy.
      FGFR inhibitors are approved for the treatment of advanced cholangiocarcinoma harboring FGFR2 fusions. However, the response rate is moderate, and resistance emerges rapidly due to acquired secondary FGFR2 mutations or due to other less-defined mechanisms. Here, we conducted high-throughput combination drug screens, biochemical analysis, and therapeutic studies using patient-derived models of FGFR2 fusion-positive cholangiocarcinoma to gain insight into these clinical profiles and uncover improved treatment strategies. We found that feedback activation of EGFR signaling limits FGFR inhibitor efficacy, restricting cell death induction in sensitive models and causing resistance in insensitive models lacking secondary FGFR2 mutations. Inhibition of wild-type EGFR potentiated responses to FGFR inhibitors in both contexts, durably suppressing MEK/ERK and mTOR signaling, increasing apoptosis, and causing marked tumor regressions in vivo. Our findings reveal EGFR-dependent adaptive signaling as an important mechanism limiting FGFR inhibitor efficacy and driving resistance and support clinical testing of FGFR/EGFR inhibitor therapy for FGFR2 fusion-positive cholangiocarcinoma.SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrate that feedback activation of EGFR signaling limits the effectiveness of FGFR inhibitor therapy and drives adaptive resistance in patient-derived models of FGFR2 fusion-positive cholangiocarcinoma. These studies support the potential of combination treatment with FGFR and EGFR inhibitors as an improved treatment for patients with FGFR2-driven cholangiocarcinoma.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-21-1168
  8. Nat Genet. 2022 Apr;54(4): 459-468
    H3K27me3 conditions chemotolerance in triple-negative breast cancer.
    Justine Marsolier, Pacôme Prompsy, Adeline Durand, Anne-Marie Lyne, Camille Landragin, Amandine Trouchet, Sabrina Tenreira Bento, Almut Eisele, Sophie Foulon, Léa Baudre, Kevin Grosselin, Mylène Bohec, Sylvain Baulande, Ahmed Dahmani, Laura Sourd, Eric Letouzé, Anne-Vincent Salomon, Elisabetta Marangoni, Leïla Perié, Céline Vallot.
      The persistence of cancer cells resistant to therapy remains a major clinical challenge. In triple-negative breast cancer, resistance to chemotherapy results in the highest recurrence risk among breast cancer subtypes. The drug-tolerant state seems largely defined by nongenetic features, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, by monitoring epigenomes, transcriptomes and lineages with single-cell resolution, we show that the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 (trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27) regulates cell fate at the onset of chemotherapy. We report that a persister expression program is primed with both H3K4me3 (trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4) and H3K27me3 in unchallenged cells, with H3K27me3 being the lock to its transcriptional activation. We further demonstrate that depleting H3K27me3 enhances the potential of cancer cells to tolerate chemotherapy. Conversely, preventing H3K27me3 demethylation simultaneously to chemotherapy inhibits the transition to a drug-tolerant state, and delays tumor recurrence in vivo. Our results highlight how chromatin landscapes shape the potential of cancer cells to respond to initial therapy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-022-01047-6
  9. Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 15. 82(8): 1646-1657
    Preclinical In Vivo Validation of the RAD51 Test for Identification of Homologous Recombination-Deficient Tumors and Patient Stratification.
    Benedetta Pellegrino, Andrea Herencia-Ropero, Alba Llop-Guevara, Flaminia Pedretti, Alejandro Moles-Fernández, Cristina Viaplana, Guillermo Villacampa, Marta Guzmán, Olga Rodríguez, Judit Grueso, Jose Jiménez, Enrique J Arenas, Andrea Degasperi, João M L Dias, Josep V Forment, Mark J O'Connor, Olivier Déas, Stefano Cairo, Yinghui Zhou, Antonino Musolino, Carlos Caldas, Serena Nik-Zainal, Robert B Clarke, Paolo Nuciforo, Orland Díez, Xavier Serres-Créixams, Vicente Peg, Martín Espinosa-Bravo, Teresa Macarulla, Ana Oaknin, Joaquin Mateo, Joaquín Arribas, Rodrigo Dienstmann, Meritxell Bellet, Mafalda Oliveira, Cristina Saura, Sara Gutiérrez-Enríquez, Judith Balmaña, Violeta Serra.
      PARP inhibitors (PARPi) are approved drugs for platinum-sensitive, high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and for breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers (PaC) harboring genetic alterations impairing homologous recombination repair (HRR). Detection of nuclear RAD51 foci in tumor cells is a marker of HRR functionality, and we previously established a test to detect RAD51 nuclear foci. Here, we aimed to validate the RAD51 score cut off and compare the performance of this test to other HRR deficiency (HRD) detection methods. Laboratory models from BRCA1/BRCA2-associated breast cancer, HGSOC, and PaC were developed and evaluated for their response to PARPi and cisplatin. HRD in these models and patient samples was evaluated by DNA sequencing of HRR genes, genomic HRD tests, and RAD51 foci detection. We established patient-derived xenograft models from breast cancer (n = 103), HGSOC (n = 4), and PaC (n = 2) that recapitulated patient HRD status and treatment response. The RAD51 test showed higher accuracy than HRR gene mutations and genomic HRD analysis for predicting PARPi response (95%, 67%, and 71%, respectively). RAD51 detection captured dynamic changes in HRR status upon acquisition of PARPi resistance. The accuracy of the RAD51 test was similar to HRR gene mutations for predicting platinum response. The predefined RAD51 score cut off was validated, and the high predictive value of the RAD51 test in preclinical models was confirmed. These results collectively support pursuing clinical assessment of the RAD51 test in patient samples from randomized trials testing PARPi or platinum-based therapies.SIGNIFICANCE: This work demonstrates the high accuracy of a histopathology-based test based on the detection of RAD51 nuclear foci in predicting response to PARPi and cisplatin.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-2409
  10. Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 11. pii: canres.3565.2021. [Epub ahead of print]
    A genome-wide CRISPR activation screen identifies PRRX2 as a regulator of enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer.
    Yara Rodríguez, Kenji Unno, Mihai I Truica, Zachary R Chalmers, Young A Yoo, Rajita Vatapalli, Vinay Sagar, Jindan Yu, Barbara Lysy, Maha Hussain, Huiying Han, Sarki A Abdulkadir.
      Androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors are the mainstay treatment for advanced prostate cancer, but resistance to therapy is common. Here, we used a CRISPR activation screen in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer cells to identify genes that promote resistance to AR inhibitors. Activation of the TGF-β target gene PRRX2 promoted enzalutamide resistance. PRRX2 expression was highest in double-negative prostate cancer (DNPC), which lack AR signaling and neuroendocrine differentiation, and a PRRX2-related gene signature identified a subset of DNPC patients with reduced overall survival. PRRX2-expressing cells showed alterations in the CDK4/6/Rb/E2F and BCL2 pathways. Accordingly, treatment with CDK4/6 and BCL2 inhibitors sensitized PRRX2-expressing, castration-resistant tumors to enzalutamide. Overall, PRRX2 was identified as a driver of enzalutamide resistance. The PRRX2 signature merits investigation as a biomarker of enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer that could be reversed with CDK4/6 and BCL2 inhibitors.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-3565
  11. Oncogene. 2022 Apr 11.
    P2x4 receptor promotes mammary cancer progression by sustaining autophagy and associated mesenchymal transition.
    Stéphanie Chadet, Jordan Allard, Lucie Brisson, Osbaldo Lopez-Charcas, Roxane Lemoine, Audrey Heraud, Stéphanie Lerondel, Roseline Guibon, Gaëlle Fromont, Alain Le Pape, Denis Angoulvant, Lin-Hua Jiang, Ruth Murrell-Lagnado, Sébastien Roger.
      Metastatic progression is a major burden for breast cancer patients and is associated with the ability of cancer cells to overcome stressful conditions, such as nutrients deprivation and hypoxia, and to gain invasive properties. Autophagy and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition are critical contributors to these processes. Here, we show that the P2X4 purinergic receptor is upregulated in breast cancer biopsies from patients and it is primarily localised in endolysosomes. We demonstrate that P2X4 enhanced invasion in vitro, as well as mammary tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. The pro-malignant role of P2X4 was mediated by the regulation of lysosome acidity, the promotion of autophagy and cell survival. Furthermore, the autophagic activity was associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and this role of P2X4 was even more pronounced under metabolic challenges. Pharmacological and gene silencing of P2X4 inhibited both autophagy and EMT, whereas its rescue in knocked-down cells led to the restoration of the aggressive phenotype. Together, our results demonstrate a previously unappreciated role for P2X4 in regulating lysosomal functions and fate, promoting breast cancer progression and aggressiveness.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-022-02297-8
  12. Cancer Discov. 2022 Apr 15. OF1
    Minimal Residual Disease Predicts Outcome at Two Time Points in Myeloma.
      Minimal residual disease (MRD) at two time points after transplantation in myeloma is a predictor of survival.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-RW2022-064
  13. Nat Cell Biol. 2022 Apr 11.
    Genome-wide CRISPR screen identifies PRC2 and KMT2D-COMPASS as regulators of distinct EMT trajectories that contribute differentially to metastasis.
    Yun Zhang, Joana Liu Donaher, Sunny Das, Xin Li, Ferenc Reinhardt, Jordan A Krall, Arthur W Lambert, Prathapan Thiru, Heather R Keys, Mehreen Khan, Matan Hofree, Molly M Wilson, Ozlem Yedier-Bayram, Nathan A Lack, Tamer T Onder, Tugba Bagci-Onder, Michael Tyler, Itay Tirosh, Aviv Regev, Jacqueline A Lees, Robert A Weinberg.
      Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) programs operate within carcinoma cells, where they generate phenotypes associated with malignant progression. In their various manifestations, EMT programs enable epithelial cells to enter into a series of intermediate states arrayed along the E-M phenotypic spectrum. At present, we lack a coherent understanding of how carcinoma cells control their entrance into and continued residence in these various states, and which of these states favour the process of metastasis. Here we characterize a layer of EMT-regulating machinery that governs E-M plasticity (EMP). This machinery consists of two chromatin-modifying complexes, PRC2 and KMT2D-COMPASS, which operate as critical regulators to maintain a stable epithelial state. Interestingly, loss of these two complexes unlocks two distinct EMT trajectories. Dysfunction of PRC2, but not KMT2D-COMPASS, yields a quasi-mesenchymal state that is associated with highly metastatic capabilities and poor survival of patients with breast cancer, suggesting that great caution should be applied when PRC2 inhibitors are evaluated clinically in certain patient cohorts. These observations identify epigenetic factors that regulate EMP, determine specific intermediate EMT states and, as a direct consequence, govern the metastatic ability of carcinoma cells.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-022-00877-0
  14. Theranostics. 2022 ;12(6): 2598-2612
    Chemotherapy-induced adenosine A2B receptor expression mediates epigenetic regulation of pluripotency factors and promotes breast cancer stemness.
    Jie Lan, Guangyao Wei, Jia Liu, Fan Yang, Rong Sun, Haiquan Lu.
      Rationale: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by its unique molecular profile, aggressive nature and lack of targeted therapy. Chemotherapy induces expression of pluripotency factors and mediates an active induction of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) in TNBC, which potentiates the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis and increases patient mortality. Adenosine receptor 2B (A2BR) expression and activation of its downstream signaling pathway has been implied to promote breast cancer metastasis. This study is to investigate the role of A2BR in the regulation of chemotherapy-induced BCSC enrichment. Methods: We generated shRNA-mediated A2BR knockdown subclones in TNBC cell lines and evaluated the effect on the BCSC phenotype by Aldefluor and mammosphere assays in vitro. We performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay to investigate recruitment of transcription factor FOXO3 and histone modification enzymes KDM6A and p300 to the regulatory regions of pluripotency factors, as well as levels of histone modification marks H3K27ac and H3K27me3 on these regions. We employed both xenograft model and genetically engineered, autochthonous breast cancer model to evaluate the effect of A2BR on chemotherapy-induced BCSC enrichment in vivo. Results: We demonstrated that chemotherapy increased protein level of A2BR, which contributed to chemotherapy-induced pluripotency factor expression and BCSC enrichment in TNBC. A2BR mediated activation of p38 MAPK and nuclear translocation of chromatin remodeling factor SMARCD3, which interacted and recruited histone demethylase KDM6A and histone acetyltransferase p300 specifically to the pluripotency factor genes NANOG, SOX2 and KLF4. Recruitment of KDM6A and p300 decreased histone H3K27me3 and increases H3K27ac marks, and increased transcription factor FOXO3 binding to NANOG, SOX2 and KLF4 genes, leading to transcriptional activation of these genes and BCSC specification. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of A2BR blocked chemotherapy-mediated epigenetic activation of pluripotency factor genes and BCSC enrichment in vitro and in vivo, and delayed tumor recurrence after chemotherapy was discontinued. Conclusion: Chemotherapy-induced A2BR expression mediates epigenetic activation of pluripotency factors and promotes breast cancer stemness. Targeting A2BR in combination with chemotherapy may block BCSC enrichment and improve outcome in TNBC.
    Keywords:  adenosine receptor; breast cancer stem cell; chemotherapy; epigenetic regulation; pluripotency factors
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.70581
  15. Nat Cancer. 2022 Apr 14.
    Resistance is futile with fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors.
    Michelangelo Marasco, Sandra Misale.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-022-00365-2
  16. Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 15. 82(8): 1467-1469
    The Continuing Search for Causality between Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and the Metastatic Fitness of Carcinoma Cells.
    Valerie S LeBleu, Jean Paul Thiery.
      The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an epithelial plasticity program that is associated with embryonic development and organogenesis, and which resurfaces to a certain extent following epithelial injury caused by inflammation, fibrosis, and carcinoma progression. Carcinoma cell EMT plasticity programs superimposed on inherent genetic defects have been implicated as important for metastatic dissemination and secondary tumor formation. A careful review of data-driven facts suggests that a causal relationship between any degree of EMT program and metastasis continues to be elusive, and the steps of metastasis likely involve other mechanisms influenced by the carcinoma cell genotype and the tumor microenvironment.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-0026
  17. Gut. 2022 Apr 15. pii: gutjnl-2021-325564. [Epub ahead of print]
    Macrophages direct cancer cells through a LOXL2-mediated metastatic cascade in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
    Marta Alonso-Nocelo, Laura Ruiz-Cañas, Patricia Sancho, Kıvanç Görgülü, Sonia Alcalá, Coral Pedrero, Mireia Vallespinos, Juan Carlos López-Gil, Marina Ochando, Elena García-García, Sara Maria David Trabulo, Paola Martinelli, Patricia Sánchez-Tomero, Carmen Sánchez-Palomo, Patricia Gonzalez-Santamaría, Lourdes Yuste, Sonja Maria Wörmann, Derya Kabacaoğlu, Julie Earl, Alberto Martin, Fernando Salvador, Sandra Valle, Laura Martin-Hijano, Alfredo Carrato, Mert Erkan, Laura García-Bermejo, Patrick C Hermann, Hana Algül, Gema Moreno-Bueno, Christopher Heeschen, Francisco Portillo, Amparo Cano, Bruno Sainz.
      OBJECTIVE: The lysyl oxidase-like protein 2 (LOXL2) contributes to tumour progression and metastasis in different tumour entities, but its role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not been evaluated in immunocompetent in vivo PDAC models.DESIGN: Towards this end, we used PDAC patient data sets, patient-derived xenograft in vivo and in vitro models, and four conditional genetically-engineered mouse models (GEMMS) to dissect the role of LOXL2 in PDAC. For GEMM-based studies, K-Ras +/LSL-G12D;Trp53 LSL-R172H;Pdx1-Cre mice (KPC) and the K-Ras +/LSL-G12D;Pdx1-Cre mice (KC) were crossed with Loxl2 allele floxed mice (Loxl2Exon2 fl/fl) or conditional Loxl2 overexpressing mice (R26Loxl2 KI/KI) to generate KPCL2KO or KCL2KO and KPCL2KI or KCL2KI mice, which were used to study overall survival; tumour incidence, burden and differentiation; metastases; epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT); stemness and extracellular collagen matrix (ECM) organisation.
    RESULTS: Using these PDAC mouse models, we show that while Loxl2 ablation had little effect on primary tumour development and growth, its loss significantly decreased metastasis and increased overall survival. We attribute this effect to non-cell autonomous factors, primarily ECM remodelling. Loxl2 overexpression, on the other hand, promoted primary and metastatic tumour growth and decreased overall survival, which could be linked to increased EMT and stemness. We also identified tumour-associated macrophage-secreted oncostatin M (OSM) as an inducer of LOXL2 expression, and show that targeting macrophages in vivo affects Osm and Loxl2 expression and collagen fibre alignment.
    CONCLUSION: Taken together, our findings establish novel pathophysiological roles and functions for LOXL2 in PDAC, which could be potentially exploited to treat metastatic disease.
    Keywords:  CELL MATRIX INTERACTION; MACROPHAGES; MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY; PANCREATIC CANCER; PANCREATIC FIBROSIS
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2021-325564
  18. Cancer Discov. 2022 Apr 15. OF1
    Oncogene-Targeted Therapies Induce Double-Strand Break Repair Dependence.
      Oncogene-targeted therapies induce DNA double-strand breaks and their ATM-dependent repair in residual tumor cells.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-RW2022-062
  19. Lancet Oncol. 2022 Apr 08. pii: S1470-2045(22)00205-4. [Epub ahead of print]
    Maintenance endocrine therapy plus bevacizumab for advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
    Stanislas Quesada, William Jacot.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00205-4
  20. Theranostics. 2022 ;12(6): 2987-3006
    Combating multidrug resistance and metastasis of breast cancer by endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell-nucleus penetration enhanced immunochemotherapy.
    Weixi Jiang, Li Chen, Xun Guo, Chen Cheng, Yuanli Luo, Jingxue Wang, Junrui Wang, Yang Liu, Yang Cao, Pan Li, Zhigang Wang, Haitao Ran, Zhiyi Zhou, Jianli Ren.
      Rationale: Multidrug resistance (MDR) and metastasis of breast cancer remain major hurdles in clinical anticancer therapy. The unsatisfactory outcome is largely due to insufficient cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents and limited immunogenic cell death (ICD). On the other hand, efflux proteins, especially P-glycoprotein (P-gp), can recognize and promote the efflux of drugs from tumor cells. Methods: In this study, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and peptide- functionalized doxorubicin (PDOX) were used to prepare a theranostic nanocomposite (Ag-TF@PDOX), which induced organelle-mediated immunochemotherapy and drug efflux protein inhibition in drug-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/ADR) via a strategy based on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cell-nucleus penetration. Results: The silver nanoparticle-triggered persistent activation of ER stress synergizes with chemotherapy to enhance cytotoxicity and stimulate the ICD effect. It has the potential to enhance chemosensitivity by downregulating of P-gp expression due to the increased production of ATP-consuming chaperones. In addition, the novel peptide (CB5005), which not only penetrates the cell membrane but also has a nuclear localization sequence, is conjugated to DOX to improve both cellular internalization and intranuclear accumulation. Moreover, surface TA-Fe3+ engineering endows the nanocomposite with ATP-responsive disassembly and ATP depletion properties to improve biocompatibility and decrease ATP-dependent drug efflux. Ag-TF@PDOX has potential as a dual-mode (PAI/MRI) contrast-enhanced agent for realizing theranostic guidance. Conclusion: This theranostic nanocomposite greatly restricts the growth of drug-resistant breast tumors and activates a strong immune response as well, providing an opportunity for the development of therapeutics that reverse tumor MDR and metastasis at the subcellular level.
    Keywords:  ATP-responsive drug release; ER stress; cell-nucleus penetration; immunogenic cell death; multidrug resistance
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.71693
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